The palace was deep, shrouded in eerie mist of unknown origin. The candles in the center flickered uncertainly.
Hearing this, Qiluo remained calm and said, "A great calamity? What do you mean? If you think you can scare me with just these words, aren't you being too naive?"
She understood the implications of what the elder of the Heavenly Decline Faction was saying.
"Priestess Qiluo, stop playing dumb. This time, the Heavenly Faction has gone to great lengths to launch the black tide and sweep across the vast expanse, all to revive that one, right?"
"It's said that the Grand Priest has heard his voice, which means his return is near. Back then, when there was a plot to steal the flesh and blood from the Coffin of World Burial, weren't you involved, Priestess Qiluo? Have you forgotten?"
The eerie voice from the depths of the palace laughed.
Qiluo's expression changed slightly, and her eyes turned cold.
This was a secret within the Heavenly Faction, known only to the higher-ups. How did the Heavenly Decline Faction already know about it?
It seemed that besides her, the Heavenly Decline Faction had connections with other high-ranking members of the Heavenly Faction.
"Back then, everyone coveted that power, and I was no exception. But does the Heavenly Decline Faction think it can remain uninvolved? The chaos within the Heavenly Faction back then wasn't just an internal matter. Over the years, the Grand Priest has been investigating it."
"If there's a reckoning, the Heavenly Decline Faction won't escape either."
Qiluo narrowed her beautiful eyes and spoke indifferently.
The chaos within the Heavenly Faction was an internal turmoil that occurred many epochs ago.
Due to interference from external forces, the Heavenly Faction faced many internal issues at the time, compounded by the Grand Priest's disappearance during her seclusion.
Some even attempted to manipulate time and space to steal the coffin sealed within the Coffin of World Burial.
It must be known that the coffin contained the physical body of the Lord of the Heaven-Warring.
At that time, countless people coveted that power, including many priestesses within the Heavenly Faction, their eyes filled with greed.
Even a single drop of blood from the Lord of the Heaven-Warring' body contained immense power and miraculous uses.
If one could obtain his body and fully refine it, wouldn't that mean replacing him and becoming the new Lord of the Heaven-Warring?
Such thoughts were heretical, but with such immense benefits at stake, even the most resolute would waver.
This was a shortcut to reaching the pinnacle. Who could resist?
At his peak, the Lord of the Heaven-Warring was incomparably powerful and terrifying. There were even rumors that his true body was no longer in the vast expanse but was engaged in a confrontation with an unknown existence in a distant dimension.
The body left in the Heavens was merely a manifestation of a portion of his power.
Even so, that portion of power could easily sweep through and suppress the entire vast expanse, leaving everyone breathless and trembling in despair.
Who wouldn't covet the power he left behind?
As the Lord of the Heaven-Warring remained sealed for countless years, the accumulated fear gradually faded, while greedy desires grew stronger, finally erupting under a certain catalyst. This was the cause of the chaos within the Heavens at that time.
This secret caused a frenzy within the Heavenly Faction at the time, to the point where even external forces intervened, attempting to steal the Coffin of World Burial.
Qiluo still remembered that there were remnants of sages who had not been completely eradicated, infiltrating the Nightmare Demon Domain, further complicating the situation.
Within the Heavens, some priestesses had long coveted the Lord of the Heaven-Warring's body and had secretly laid many plans. Seizing this opportunity, they chose to act, forcibly breaking into the Heavenly Hall.
A world-shaking battle swept through the entire Nightmare Demon Domain.
The intervention of multiple forces caused the Coffin of World Burial to temporarily revive, suppressing the terrifying pressure emanating from the Lord of the Heaven-Warring' body. This allowed those beings to forcibly break into the Coffin of World Burial.
The interior of the Coffin of World Burial was vast and boundless, a world of its own, but there was another coffin inside.
That coffin contained the physical body of the Lord of the Heaven-Warring.
When those who had forcibly broken in opened the coffin, they did not find the Lord of the Heaven-warring's body. Instead, they discovered a mass of flesh that had already ruptured, shrouded in dense chaotic mist, drifting unpredictably.
That mass of flesh exuded an unparalleled, supreme aura. Just a wisp of its energy nearly shattered those who had arrived.
If not for the fact that they were inside the Coffin of World Burial, which suppressed its power, had it appeared in the outside world, they would have been crushed to dust, body and soul annihilated.
Under such circumstances, it was impossible to steal the entire mass of flesh.
Thus, everyone exhausted all means and methods, finally managing to take away a few fragments of flesh and some blood.
As for why Qiluo knew this so well, it was because she was among those who had rushed in at the time.
Later, those few fragments of flesh ignited a frenzy of contention and battles. Qiluo, with her formidable strength, defeated numerous powerful enemies and secured a piece of flesh.
Moreover, using her mysterious methods, she completely concealed her aura and cause-and-effect traces, so even when the Grand Priest appeared later, she remained undiscovered.
This was the greatest turmoil in the history of the Heavenly Faction. After the Grand Priest appeared, she was furious. She first quelled the chaos, then personally traced the events back to their source, investigating from the origin of cause and effect. She even executed several priestesses with her own hands.
As for the other forces that had interfered, none escaped judgment and retaliation. They either perished or collapsed, completely erased.
Even those remnants of sages did not escape.
Yet even so, in the end, five fragments of flesh and some blood were never recovered.
To this day, the Grand Priest is still investigating the events of that time.
Qiluo did not know how the Heavenly Decline Faction had learned that she possessed a fragment of the Lord of the Heaven-Warring' flesh. Many years ago, they had approached her and made a deal, agreeing to keep her secret in exchange for half of the flesh.
Fearing exposure, Qiluo had no choice but to agree to the Heavenly Decline Faction's deal, and this became a shared secret between them.
"Our Heavenly Decline Faction has been hunted and purged by the Heavenly Faction for so many years. We have nothing left to fear. As the saying goes, those with nothing to lose fear nothing. Don't you understand this, Priestess Qiluo?"
"We are not like you. You are a priestess of the Heavenly Faction, while we are merely a group of remnants unrecognized by the Heaven-Warring Organization."
The laughter from the depths of the palace was unrestrained, as if they cared about nothing.
The gazes of the other elders were also casual, as if they didn't care at all.
Qiluo shook her head slightly and said, "It seems you have some backing to be so fearless, even disregarding the Grand Priest now."
"Hehe, of course. Because we have learned a great secret. When the time comes, what can the Grand Priest do? No matter how powerful she is, can she stand against the revived Lord of the Heaven-Warring?"
In the faint green light, the elder with the ghostly face and human body sneered.
Qiluo's brows furrowed. It seemed she had underestimated the ambition of the Heavenly Decline Faction. Ever since they had extorted her back then, she had known these people were madmen, not to be judged by common sense.
Did they want to control the revived Lord of the Heaven-Warring?
Or did they intend to create a new Lord of the Heaven-Warring?
How much of that flesh had fallen into the hands of the Heavenly Decline Faction?
Qiluo was certain that among those who had seized the Coffin of World Burial back then, besides the Heavenly Decline Faction, there were also other remnants of the Eight Tribes. However, she still didn't know which tribes they were. These people had hidden themselves deeply, never revealing their traces even to this day.
Otherwise, why would the Grand Priest still be investigating?
"As former allies, we advise you, Priestess Qiluo, that the glory of the past has ended. Soon, you will witness the birth of an even more magnificent and great existence..."
"If you wish to join the Heavenly Decline Faction, our doors are always open to you."
The low, eerie laughter echoed in the hall, as if countless beings in the depths of the underworld were chanting these words in unison, sending chills down one's spine.
Qiluo's expression remained unchanged, but her hands, hidden under her wide red robe, clenched slightly.
"I will consider it," she said indifferently, then turned and strode away.
As Qiluo left, the flickering candles in the hall went out one by one.
The palace was plunged into absolute darkness and silence.
In the eerie darkness, the elders of the Heavenly Decline Faction began to speak in unison, as if talking to themselves or discussing among themselves.
"Who would have thought that the Lord of the Heaven-Warring had already revived, changing his appearance and identity, and establishing a new force called the Heaven-Slaying Alliance?"
"This is completely unlike his previous style."
"It seems he was severely injured. Even after reviving, he is far from his peak strength. Otherwise, why would he create such a confusing situation—secretly establishing the Heaven-Slaying Alliance to erode the world while having the Heavenly Faction collect offerings for the grand sacrificial ritual—all just to recover his strength in secret?"
"If he had even a fraction of his peak strength, why would he need such schemes? This shows he lacks confidence. He's feeling guilty and uncertain, hahaha..."
"Does he still expect the Grand Priest of the Heavenly Faction? But even she can't protect herself. If that person appears, he will surely deal with the Heavenly Faction first."
"Who would have thought that the Lord of the Heaven-Warring, who once made the vast expanse tremble and all beings fear, would have such a day? This is our great opportunity."
"The opportunity to replace him."
The low, eerie laughter echoed in the hall, but Qiluo, who had already left, could no longer hear it.
Wu Xuzi, waiting outside the palace, escorted her to the entrance of the Heavenly Decline Realm.
She left without looking back, not even pausing for a moment.
Before coming here, she had never imagined that the Heavenly Decline Faction's ambition was so great—to overthrow the Heavenly Faction and replace the Lord of the Heaven-Warring.
Moreover, these madmen seemed to have some backing and confidence.
Why was that? What did they know?
Had they already colluded with the other remnants of the Eight Tribes?
Liuyun, waiting for Qiluo at the ruined temple, had never seen Priestess Qiluo look so solemn and contemplative.
What had happened in the Heavenly Decline Realm to make Qiluo's expression so grave?
---
For cultivators, a decade is but a fleeting moment. To the more powerful, it is insignificant. But for mortals, a decade might be an entire lifetime.
Shattered mountains and rivers, flattened majestic peaks, and a land scarred and desolate, with collapsed city walls and endless barren land devoid of any signs of life.
This was what Gu Xian'er, Lan Xin, and the others had witnessed over the years.
After escaping safely from the Crescent Moon Sect, they had been carried away in the sleeves of the mad old woman.
When they regained their senses, they found themselves in a desolate and broken land, with no idea where they were. The only certainty was that this place had been swept through by the dark beings. Everywhere they looked, the scene was one of sorrowful desolation and devastated ruins.
Moreover, everyone had lost their cultivation and become mortals. They could no longer fly, and even walking felt like a great effort.
The mad old woman, using some unknown method, had taken them away from the Crescent Moon Sect, but it had come at a great cost. She had fallen into a coma and had not woken up since.
Gu Xian'er, Lan Xin, and the others, grateful for her kindness, took care of her, but even now, the mad old woman showed no signs of waking.
They speculated that the loss of their cultivation might be related to the mad old woman, but they could only wait for her to wake up to know for sure.
All the survivors of the Crescent Moon Sect, including the other elders and disciples, were still here. Now stranded in this place, with no idea when their cultivation would be restored, everyone could only rely on each other for warmth.
Having gone through life-and-death battles together and being the last embers of the Crescent Moon Sect, they shared a bond forged in life and death. Thus, in such circumstances, they got along relatively harmoniously.
However, Gu Xian'er remained wary of Song Yu and his Ancestral Dao Realm uncle, Lan.
Though they seemed to have lost their cultivation as well, it was hard to say if they had other means.
Gu Xian'er would not forget that Song Yu, until the very end, had been coveting the secrets of the Heaven-Restraining Sect and had wanted to seize the various ruins of the Crescent Moon Sect.
And all the ruins of the Crescent Moon Sect had been refined and taken away by the mad old woman.
If Song Yu wanted to seize them, he would have to take the mad old woman by force.
Everyone had witnessed the mad old woman's formidable methods at the time. Song Yu certainly wouldn't dare to act recklessly, especially since the mad old woman, though currently unconscious, might wake up at any moment.
They had walked across this broken land for years, encountering almost no other living beings or cultivators. Some places were even shrouded in black mist that refused to disperse.
This was the aftermath of the dark beings' rampage—true annihilation of all life.
And this had become the norm across various civilizations and true worlds.
For ordinary cultivators and beings, this was truly the most despairing era. No powerful figures or orthodoxies would protect them. Their only fate was to become offerings, with no other choice.
Looking at the desolate and barren scene, Gu Xian'er couldn't help but feel exhausted. Faced with the Black Calamity, there was nothing she could do. Even if she broke through to the Dao Realm, it wouldn't change anything.
The power of a single individual was ultimately too insignificant and powerless.
She suddenly felt a deep sense of bewilderment. If she had followed Gu Changge's arrangements back in the Dao Prosperity True World and walked the path he had laid out for her, would things have been different?
"Xian'er, your Dao heart is in turmoil..."
Lan Xin's voice brought Gu Xian'er back to reality. Her eyes still held a trace of confusion. Had she made the wrong choice?
The big red bird flapped its wings, flying in the air, its eyes darting around as it looked at Gu Xian'er, then whispered, "Don't worry about her. Although she's lost her cultivation, her Dao heart is still there. It's just stagnant. She needs to break through it herself."
"Dao heart?"
The other members of the Crescent Moon Sect looked at Gu Xian'er, who had suddenly fallen into confusion, and fell into silence.
"She's hit a bottleneck. No one can help her at this point," the woman in white said softly.
Gu Xian'er's confusion deepened. At this moment, it seemed she couldn't hear anything anyone around her was saying.
From this point on, she seemed to have completely fallen into this strange state. Every day, she followed behind the others, silent, like a puppet, only walking.
At first, Lan Xin and the others were worried, fearing she might suffer a Qi deviation.
Because Gu Xian'er gradually couldn't hear what anyone around her was saying. Her mind was completely immersed in this state.
Half a year later, a spark of life and spirituality suddenly appeared in Gu Xian'er's confused eyes.
"Was I really wrong?"
"No, I didn't make the wrong choice. This is the path I chose. I don't want to live in the comfort zone he left for me. If I waver and regret at the slightest setback, then what was the point of my previous choices and persistence?"
"If I had followed his arrangements and walked the path he left for me, I would only drift further away from him, and he would only look down on me more."
"What was my original purpose in cultivating? It was to take revenge on Gu Changge, to make him see me in a new light. That has always been my true intention."
"I vowed to stand before him with dignity, to make him lower his arrogant head and truly look at me once."
"I don't want to rely on him anymore, to live in his shadow, to be his plaything."
At this moment, Gu Xian'er felt her spiritual mind become clear. All her doubts, confusion, hesitation, and wavering vanished without a trace.
She felt lighter, as if a shackle had snapped.
"Not bad, a fine seedling indeed..."
At this moment, a hoarse yet approving voice sounded.
The mad old woman, who had been in a coma for so long, opened her eyes and woke up. Her previously cloudy eyes were now clear and bright, as if filled with moonlight, gentle and calm.