Facts proved that Gu Xian'er's concerns were entirely redundant.
She didn't even have time to explain to the people of the Crescent Moon Sect which old friend she intended to see at the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
Rumble!
A dense mass of Dark Beings, like a plague of locusts, swept in from the edge of the Gobi desert. They blotted out the sky and covered the earth, black mist rolling and surging without end.
The already dim firmament looked like an ocean being engulfed by crashing waves.
Within the hazy, drifting black mist, one could see flickering, terrifying figures as tall and majestic as mountain peaks.
In the depths, patches of feathers as large as lakes flashed—like prehistoric celestial beasts from the Innate Era, capable of tearing through the cosmos with a single flap of their wings.
The expressions of the Crescent Moon Sect members changed abruptly; they had not expected the Dark Beings to arrive so quickly.
Not long after the crazy old woman had departed, they had actually found their location and pursued them with rapid speed.
Back at the Crescent Moon Sect, that commander-like Dark Being clearly came with a purpose, seeking something within the sect...
It is highly likely it was for the inheritance of the Heaven-Restraining Sect.
Now that the senior crazy old woman is gone, once the Dark Beings know the inheritance is in my hands, they will definitely not let me go.
I wonder how they learned of the Heaven-Restraining Sect's legacy, sparing no expense to search for it.
I must not let the inheritance fall into the hands of the Dark Beings, aiding the tyrant's cause...
In that instant, Gu Xian'er's mind raced with numerous thoughts.
There was no time left for her to consider more. Currently, the only way was to flee for her life alongside the members of the Crescent Moon Sect; otherwise, relying on herself alone, she would likely never escape the tracking of the Dark Beings.
"Move, quickly!"
An elder barked, acting to open a time-space tunnel and leading everyone to flee into it.
Shortly after they escaped, a pitch-black hand reached down from high above. The earth disintegrated and stars shattered, instantly turning to ash.
A figure dressed in green stood quietly atop this giant hand, her gaze deep and unfathomable, lost in thought.
Over the next few days, the people of the Crescent Moon Sect maneuvered and fled through this region of cosmic space-time.
However, each time they managed to flee a distance, the Dark Beings would catch up, giving them no time to rest—clinging to them like maggots on a bone, haunting them relentlessly.
If they scattered to flee, the chances of survival would be even lower.
If someone stayed behind to stall the Dark Beings at this time, it would undoubtedly be a certain death, no different from suicide.
The only thing everyone was grateful for was that the number of Dark Beings pursuing them wasn't too large; it seemed to be only one squad among them.
But if time dragged on, they might attract the pursuit of other Dark Beings, making the situation even worse.
Boom!
Heaven-shaking energy surged, like crashing rocks piercing the sky, striking wrathfully at the heavens.
One star domain after another trembled, turning directly into dust and collapsing under the shockwaves of the time-space tunnel being severed and blown apart.
After the ravaging of the Dark Beings, these cosmic territories had long lost the aura of living beings; otherwise, just the aftershocks alone would have destroyed an unknown number of life-bearing stars.
The blood and Qi of the Crescent Moon Sect members surged as they tumbled out of the time-space tunnel.
Their path forward had been intercepted. An extremely powerful existence among the Dark Beings had acted to prevent them from continuing their flight.
"Is there truly no path forward?" The elder of the Crescent Moon Sect looked pale.
"Young Master..."
The middle-aged man named Uncle Lan looked at Song Yu inquiringly, sending a voice transmission: "Should we act? If we fall into the hands of the Dark Beings, I fear none of us will be able to leave."
Song Yu wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth that had been jolted out by the aftershocks.
He cast a somewhat unwilling look at Gu Xian'er in the distance and said, "That mysterious white-robed woman protector by her side hasn't acted yet. She is an existence that even that crazy old hag couldn't handle..."
Uncle Lan shook his head slightly with helplessness and whispered, "Young Master, I suspect that white-robed woman is not her protector. It is possible her soul truly has issues; she possesses immense strength but cannot be relied upon. At this time, we cannot count on others."
Song Yu's expression flickered between light and dark.
"My strength being exposed is not a big issue. Please rest assured, Young Master, it will not affect the grand plan. The most urgent task now is to return to the Nine Heavens; that is your territory. No matter how special or mysterious this Gu Xian'er's background is, once we are there, she will be at your disposal."
Uncle Lan continued.
These words finally caused Song Yu's expression to soften a bit.
He cast another subtle glance at Gu Xian'er before nodding. "Then we shall do as Uncle Lan says. If we use the Blue Cloud Boat, we should be able to shake off the Dark Beings in the short term."
Once they reached the Nine Heavens, he would have his own ways to make Gu Xian'er personally hand over the inheritance of the Heaven-Restraining Sect.
Uncle Lan nodded, and a flicker of blue light flashed beneath his sleeve. A hazy glow expanded like a blue lantern, incomparably misty and mysterious.
A palm-sized, miniature boat seemingly crafted from blue jade appeared in his hand. The boat lacked many patterns but looked ancient, smooth, and crystal clear.
With a gentle shake, the miniature blue jade boat flew out rapidly, growing larger as it met the wind before the astonished eyes of the Crescent Moon Sect members.
The hull was shrouded in blue clouds and entwined with chaotic mist, appearing as if it were integrated with the surrounding space-time.
"A good wind borrows its strength to send me up to the blue clouds..."
Uncle Lan murmured softly. Without explaining, he looked at the crowd.
"Everyone, let's go."
At this moment, he no longer concealed his aura, and the pressure of the Ancestral Dao realm was fully revealed.
"Elder Song Lan..."
The people of the Crescent Moon Sect were beyond shocked. No one expected that this Elder Song Lan, who had always been mediocre and low-key, was actually an Ancestral Dao figure comparable to an ancestor.
He truly hid himself deeply.
"The situation is volatile. To survive, hiding my strength was a necessary move. I hope everyone can forgive me," Uncle Lan said calmly.
Despite his explanation, the people of the Crescent Moon Sect had no time to think further. The appearance of an Ancestral Dao existence was undoubtedly heartening; no one cared about his previous concealment anymore.
Soon, the Blue Cloud Boat vanished into space-time like a wisp of blue smoke, carrying everyone away rapidly. Many had been injured by the impact of the time-space tunnel's blockage, and they began to recover within the boat.
Gu Xian'er was no exception. Although she urgently wanted to enter the Dao Realms, this was not a suitable time for a breakthrough.
Once the tribulation of the Dao-Nirvana descended, everyone would likely be swept into it. At that point, let alone fleeing for their lives, they probably wouldn't be able to do anything at all.
"They flee quite fast, but this suits my intentions perfectly."
Shortly after the Crescent Moon Sect members left this region of space-time.
Silently, a faint figure in green stepped out from the void. In her palm was a blurred stone tablet.
The tablet was blue-grey, but its surface flowed with a luster like green jade, smooth as a mirror.
At this moment, within the tablet, points of light like fireflies were spreading and flickering past.
She gazed at the tablet in her hand, watching the direction where those points of light vanished, looking thoughtful.
Then, she extended a fair, slender finger and followed the points of light, sliding all the way down to connect all possible paths into a single line.
"Looking at their direction, they should pass through here..."
"Whose territory is this?"
The woman in green pondered for a moment, then stowed the tablet and stepped forward, vanishing unhurriedly.
This stone tablet was refined by snatching the fortune of the Crescent Moon Sect. As long as a trace of the sect's fate remained in this world, the people or objects related to it would be displayed within.
Months later, the Crescent Moon Sect group finally shook off the pursuing Dark Beings and appeared in a somewhat desolate and shattered universe.
This universe had clearly just been ravaged by Dark Beings; many places were still permeated and shrouded by black mist.
Looking around, the star domains were bleak and deathly silent. Shattered armor, weapons, and wrecks of ancient warships drifted everywhere. There was almost no sign of human life.
"We finally shook off the Dark Beings, but we cannot be careless. It will be troublesome if they catch up again."
"Let's check the nearby star domains first to determine our current location; otherwise, we won't know how to proceed with the rest of the journey." Uncle Lan stowed the Blue Cloud Boat.
After months of trekking and fleeing, even a flight artifact like the Blue Cloud Boat, which contained time-space Dao laws, could no longer hold up. Cracks appeared everywhere, and some engraved runes had been worn away.
Gu Xian'er also felt a headache and helplessness. She knew her plan to head to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance had been dashed again.
Now she could only obediently follow the Crescent Moon Sect group toward the Nine Heavens.
In the dark, there seemed to be a force preventing her from going to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance. Every time she had this thought and intended to act on it, some accident would always occur to obstruct her.
Could it be that going to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance to verify my suspicions and meet Gu Changge has become this difficult?
This universe was very desolate and broken. The Crescent Moon Sect group explored almost all the surrounding star domains but found no place with signs of life.
The elders didn't dare use tracking methods lightly, for fear of being detected by Dark Beings that might not have gone far.
Traveling and stopping like this, another half-month passed before they arrived at a territory with signs of civilization.
A magnificent and thick dam was piled high, like a crouching giant beast lying there, radiating an aura of the primordial and eternal. Under the greyish-grey sky, yellow sand billowed and dust filled the air. That dam completely separated the opposite side, like two distinct worlds.
On this side of the dam, one could see large areas of collapsed cities, mountain ranges, and leveled mountains and lakes, faintly showing the prosperity from before the war.
Amidst the sky-filling yellow sand, there were only a very few cottages and tribes, flickering and standing within the broken Gobi desert, looking incredibly simple.
In more distant places, one could see black smoke rising into the sky at any time, rolling like a tide and covering the heavens, with various eerie sounds faintly echoing out.
The people of the Crescent Moon Sect remained silent, hiding their figures as they arrived. An elder acted, probing the memories of some people within a tribe.
"This place is called the Gou Xuan Great World. Before the Dark Beings invaded, a Gou Xuan Great Emperor founded the Gou Xuan Palace to rule this world. Various races thrived in prosperity and peace. Decades ago, the Dark Beings attacked, and a Dark Being named Xun appeared. Its strength was terrifying and heaven-shaking; it easily killed the Gou Xuan Great Emperor and subsequently occupied the Gou Xuan Great World, enslaving its inhabitants. Many ethnic groups joined forces to resist, but they were all wiped out..."
"Only the groups that surrendered survived and were able to live within the dam. Those outside the dam are all treated as refugees; they not only suffer from the invasions of Dark Beings from other regions but also must beware of various demon beast disasters..."
The elder of the Crescent Moon Sect said with a heavy gaze.
There were truly too many cosmic great worlds like this nowadays. A place like the Gou Xuan Great World was considered lucky to have not been completely destroyed and to have continued its lineage.
When the Dark Beings conducted a Grand Sacrificial Ritual, except for the very beginning when they would pull up roots and destroy everything, they would actually often leave a portion of the foundation to be harvested again in the future.
So while these groups seemed to have survived and continued, one day in the future, they would still face harvesting and slaughter. This was an inescapable fate.
"Let's go. We can change nothing now. Even if we risk killing that Dark Being named Xun, a second or third will eventually appear to rule and enslave this world."
"The darkness cannot be fully removed, and the mysterious cannot be completely extinguished—unless one day the source can truly be cut down."
This elder saw the reluctance in the hearts of Lan Xin, Gu Xian'er, and the others and couldn't help but shake his head helplessly.
"Only by eliminating the source?" Gu Xian'er murmured softly.
The group hid their figures, planning to leave this place to avoid complications.
However, suddenly the heavens and earth shook. At the end of the distant Gobi, a dark tide surged forward. It was surging black energy, like a volcanic eruption, destroying heaven and earth as it belched out boundless, thick mushroom clouds.
This scene was incredibly shocking. Black clouds rolled, waves rose from the flat ground, and rocks pierced the sky. The earth was torn apart, and the heavens were pressed down until only a sliver could be seen. The entire universe was trembling.
A terrifying figure resembling a Kun fish emerged within those waves, riding the dark energy.
Its eyes, as massive as stars, were crimson and brutal. Its gaping maw was filled with fine, sharp teeth, and long purple whiskers danced like waterfalls around its mouth.
Countless living beings were pressed down by this aura until their spines threatened to snap and their souls nearly collapsed, terrified to the extreme.
"Could this be that Dark Being named Xun? It is indeed extraordinarily powerful..."
The people of the Crescent Moon Sect couldn't help but be startled.
"How did it discover us? No, it's not because of us; it's pursuing a figure..."
The elder who had spoken just now had eyes like torches. Ancient runes flashed within them as he saw the scene within the rolling, surging dark energy.
The other elders also noticed that within the dense black mist, there was actually a figure fleeing. It was very slender.
Though she looked a bit disheveled, as she maneuvered and dodged, she skillfully avoided the attacks of that Dark Being.
This scene made the group, who had intended to hide and slip away quietly, begin to hesitate.
Uncle Lan and Song Yu had indifferent and calm expressions, with no intention of stepping forward to help.
Gu Xian'er's brows furrowed tightly. Her personality made it impossible for her to watch someone die without helping, especially when the opponent was being hunted by a Dark Being.
"Senior, do you have a way?"
She looked at the white-robed woman beside her.
"I haven't recovered my memories and am not good at fighting, but I can try," the white-robed woman replied after a moment of hesitation, then nodded.
With that, she tapped her toe, and her figure quickly vanished from the spot.
At the end of the Gobi, within the heaven-shaking black energy, the slender figure who was fleeing seemed somewhat startled and shocked. Then she saw the void beside her become blurred, and a snowy-white sleeve ribbon reached out, wrapping firmly around her waist several times.
Then, with a swish, the sleeve ribbon carried her away, vanishing rapidly.
"There are accomplices?"
That Dark Being seemingly hadn't expected the person it was hunting to be rescued and vanished at the critical moment. It was incredibly enraged but also very cautious; it did not take risks. After a furious roar, it rode the rolling black clouds away, no longer continuing the pursuit.
"Fortunately, I did not fail the mission." The white-robed woman's airy figure appeared beside Gu Xian'er and the others.
She held a sleeve ribbon in her hand, the other end of which was connected to the slender woman who had just been hunted by the Dark Being.
The slender woman wore a large green robe, her hair bundled with a wooden hairpin and somewhat loose. Her features were upright and delicate, and her eyes were particularly clear and striking.
Amidst her shock and agitation, she also quickly reacted, cupping her hands to thank and express gratitude to the group.
The people of the Crescent Moon Sect were curious about the origin of this woman in the green robe, not understanding why she had been targeted by that Dark Being.
The woman in the green robe then began to explain.
Her name was Qing Nan, and she had followed her master to cultivate in a Daoist temple deep in the mountains since childhood.
Decades ago, after that Dark Being named Xun arrived, it brought disaster everywhere and slaughtered all directions. The flames of war subsequently spread to their Qing Xu Temple.
Would you like me to translate the next chapter or focus on a specific character's dialogue?Would you like me to translate the next chapter or focus on a specific character's dialogue?