Whether it was Jian Chou’s reaction or the development of events, everything completely exceeded Shao Ji’s initial expectations. Though he understood in this flash of lightning that he was probably the one who had fallen into a trap, it was already too late for remedies. He could only watch helplessly as he was caught completely off guard!

There was no chance to stop it at all!

That thin strand of black qi moved far too quickly.

It shared the same origin as the Ancestral God’s giant eye, and could even be said to be part of that eye itself. Years ago, during the fierce battle in the snow region, Jian Chou had only glimpsed this giant eye for an instant when she broke through the river of time and space, and this thing had invaded her eyes, injuring her and causing blindness.

After recovery, a layer of shadow had covered her vision.

It wasn’t until later when she obtained the Thread of Heaven and went to the Polar Domain with Qu Zhengfeng that this shadow disappeared.

But this so-called “disappearance” was merely hiding.

It still lurked in the depths of Jian Chou’s eyes, at her brow!

Only at that time, Jian Chou’s cultivation was insufficient, and she didn’t have keen enough perception of it. She actually let this foul thing attach to her eyes. It wasn’t until she gradually comprehended the Nine Curves River Diagram that she truly realized its existence.

She hadn’t directly destroyed it.

On the contrary, after calming down to think, she roughly understood the significance of this thing lurking in her eyes: to see all that she saw, hear all that she heard, perceive all that she thought, spying on her every move; spreading evil thoughts, fierce thoughts, wicked thoughts, to quietly influence the fleeting thoughts, pure thoughts, and true thoughts of its host, making them violent and bloodthirsty, intolerable to the world.

If she directly destroyed it, it would naturally cost no effort.

But at that time, she still didn’t know what kind of existence that giant eye was, nor did she know where exactly this thing was located. Rashly destroying it would likely alert the enemy, so she simply remained silent, pretending ignorance, while secretly studying formations and establishing restrictions to imprison it, preventing it from disturbing her mind and bringing it under her control.

Thus, she had kept it until today.

And now was the time for it to be useful.

Fallen leaves return to their roots.

This strand of black qi swiftly drilled into the giant eye, thin as a hair needle, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

But all the surrounding deities had seen it clearly in that instant!

The moment it drilled in, the tip of this strand of black qi actually revealed a trace of faint golden light!

If it were any other time, everyone would think it was an illusion.

But at this moment, the whole world was shrouded in deep darkness, not to mention this strand of black qi and the Ancestral God’s eye itself.

Though only a trace of flickering light, it was sharp as a blade!

Jian Chou had kept it for over four hundred years, painstakingly studying it while comprehending the Nine Curves River Diagram. She had long since penetrated this strand of black qi and tampered with it.

And this strand of black qi shared the same origin as the giant eye lurking in the depths of the Pangu Desolate Domain.

Understanding one meant understanding the other.

When she saw that giant eye had no defenses against it and directly accepted the fusion of the black qi, she unhesitatingly flew backward in retreat!

“Rumble!”

At almost the same time!

The mass of black qi that the giant eye had spread suddenly exploded outward! The dark clouds scattered toward the surroundings, immediately covering the void where Jian Chou had been standing.

However, after just a moment, it frantically contracted inward!

Like being stabbed and feeling pain!

It actually fell into violent struggle, writhing madly. Where the golden light had entered, a large portion had actually been dyed golden!

“What is that…”

The deities had previously felt certain of victory, and because they knew the Ancestral God lurked within Pangu’s skull, they all, like Shao Ji, believed Jian Chou’s death was imminent – no matter how strong she was, there was no need to fear.

But the scene before them made them tremble from the depths of their beings.

“The Ancestral God is only a thought – how could it possibly react?!”

It was merely formed from the obsessions of countless fallen deities, born only to kill Pangu. It knew no suffering, no pain, and could even be said to know nothing except Pangu. It would never react to anything happening around it!

Yet Jian Chou’s trace of golden light was like a massive stone dropped from great height, shattering the calm deep lake!

More and more gold appeared in the darkness.

The Ancestral God’s eye reacted more and more violently!

What seemed long and torturous was actually just a brief snap of fingers!

The golden light boiled and suddenly converged!

The entire mass of black qi that had previously spread out intending to devour Pangu’s skull suddenly contracted inward again, actually returning to the original giant eye when it first appeared, entrenched at Pangu’s brow.

But the feeling it gave was completely different.

Divine radiance!

In those originally pitch-black hollow eyes, divine radiance had actually appeared!

The gold brought by that trace of golden light formed changing pupils when it reconvened, truly seeing everything outside and contracting accordingly.

The finishing touch!

All the cultivators from the Upper Void realized what had happened.

Jian Chou’s seemingly casual trace of golden light earlier was like the final stroke when painting a living creature. With just this faint touch, she had given the entire painting life, allowing this originally unperceiving “Ancestral God” to be enlightened and endowed with keen perception and autonomous consciousness!

Seeing this, how could the deities not know things had gone wrong?

The Ancestral God developing perception and consciousness meant it could perceive everything happening around it, meant it would react to any attacks falling upon it, and more importantly…

Jian Chou could restrain it and prevent it from devouring Pangu!

The dreamscape floating above the Desolate Domain was still collapsing, with increasingly faster speed!

This meant Pangu was awakening!

The moment the dreamscape completely disappeared would be the moment Pangu fully awakened!

If it really came to that, the consequences would be unthinkable!

The deities were finally thoroughly enraged.

Though they had already fought with Jian Chou over Fu Chaosheng’s matter and knew this female cultivator’s strength was terrifying, at this moment they absolutely could not allow her to restrain the Ancestral God.

For them, this was undoubtedly sitting and waiting for death!

“Kill her!”

The ten deity clan elders arrayed at the front, their deep black robes billowing in the void, all rushed toward Jian Chou while issuing the attack command!

All lurking darkness immediately poured out!

Jian Chou frowned, feeling impatient.

But before she could turn to respond, a shadow covering the sky descended, blocking behind her at the instant countless deity attacks arrived!

“Rumble!”

Like massive waves sweeping the deep sea crashing against sheer cliffs!

All the tremendous attacks crashed into this shadow. Caught off guard, every single one was completely shattered!

“Fu Chaosheng!”

Without waiting for this mass of shadow to take form, based on the aura alone, all deities had already determined his identity. In shock and fury, they finally tore away the last shred of face among kinsmen.

“Truly unchanged at all!”

“Still the traitor of the deities, the running dog of humanity!”

Two epochs ago, it was Mu Death;

Two epochs later, it was Chao Sheng.

Like using a lump of clay to shape a person, then shattering it and using that clay to shape another person. Though the people weren’t the same, there were inherent evolutionary connections between them, especially…

Power!

How could Fu Chaosheng not understand the meaning of “unchanged”? But as he had said before, everything he was doing now, the path he had walked, wasn’t for the deity clan at all.

What he sought was nothing but his heart’s desire!

The desire to escape reincarnation, the desire to break free from fate!

The spreading darkness was like a bat’s extended wings, but after blocking that tremendous attack, when it suddenly contracted, it had the thin lightness of cicada wings, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Fu Chaosheng’s form finally appeared.

But the feeling of always being distant had disappeared, replaced by a furrowed brow and flames burning fiercely in the depths of eyes that hid vicissitudes of change!

“I’d like to know what constitutes a ‘traitor’ and what constitutes a ‘running dog’!”

He had no intention of yielding. Instead, after this moment’s pause, he actively attacked with even faster, more fierce momentum, boldly meeting the second wave of attacks from the deities!

Mu Death of old – how innocent he was! He was the first in combat power among the deities.

The sun would not set, He would not die.

After Pangu created heaven and earth and universe rules gradually appeared, the sun had also set, and His power had been weakened. But today, two epochs later, Fu Chaosheng, born from the same clan through all mayfly obsessions, had already inherited most of His power!

Once the battle began, it shook heaven and earth!

The tearing between deities was like returning to the birth of the universe, with all beings in darkness traveling through chaos in chaotic battle.

No need to know each other’s identities – only that instinct-like devouring!

Devouring attacking opponents, devouring nearby kinsmen, devouring everything except oneself…

The extinguished stars around them, affected by the chaotic battle’s power waves, continuously shattered in the darkness. Scattered massive boulders fell with terrifying heat!

The cultivators from the Upper Void Immortal Realm all avoided them.

But this suddenly changed battle situation and the deities’ suddenly shifted attitude toward Jian Chou made them keenly aware that Jian Chou seemed to be opposing the deities, wanting to destroy this so-called “Ancestral God’s Eye.”

If so, whom to help in this chaotic battle was crystal clear.

Emperor Bai He, who had previously been confronting Laozu Luye, frowned. Though he felt Jian Chou’s stance was truly unpredictable, this was really not the time to worry about such things. He simply cast all of it aside and attacked the deities first!

Once he moved, all cultivators followed.

Though Holy Immortals’ strength differed from deities, the current deities were no longer in their strongest ancient state, and the three Celestial Venerables’ combat power was also considerable, not to mention Fu Chaosheng at the front. Once the battle began, it became extremely deadlocked.

The deities’ innate primordial power from this universe clashed with the Holy Immortals’ various cultivated dao techniques in this void, with neither side willing to yield.

The deities wanted to stop Jian Chou and let the Ancestral God return to the right track;

The cultivators wanted to stop the deities. Though they might not be able to help Jian Chou much, at least they wouldn’t let the deities’ conspiracy succeed!

Wave after wave of radiance scattered, illuminating the darkness and then extinguishing within it! The cruel battle seemed endless.

When the battle erupted, Jian Chou seemed to smell thick blood.

But she was very clear that this bloody smell didn’t come from the battle behind her that had reached its peak the moment it began, but from this giant eye entrenched on Pangu’s skull!

It was like a spirit creature whose intelligence had just been awakened, extremely sensitive to everything around it. In its golden pupils was the fierce evil from its own existence and origin.

When it turned to look at Jian Chou, she seemed to see boundless slaughter.

Those were the final memories of fallen deities!

Longing for life, fear of death, unwillingness to perish from this world, resentment and hatred toward humanity and Pangu!

A natural sense of threat emanated from Jian Chou’s body, felt by it, causing that huge golden pupil to instantly contract!

“Roar!”

As if even the void would be torn apart, terrifying wind like the roar of wild beasts instantly reached people’s eardrums!

It actually directly pounced over!

The tremendous black shadow rose from Pangu’s skull, leaping in mid-air like Mount Tai pressing down on Jian Chou!

Jian Chou immediately tried a sword strike!

It wasn’t very effective.

The tangible sword qi rose sharply, passing through its body like going through empty air, leaving no trace on it.

Only the sword intent opened a gash.

Jian Chou’s brow immediately furrowed, her expression becoming several degrees more grave, her attack speed truly lightning-fast.

She didn’t dodge either, only launching a second strike the instant the opponent pressed close.

This time, the Eight Divisions Heavenly Dragon Diagram beneath her feet trembled and rotated, actually pulling chaotic power from the surrounding universe, condensing it beneath her palm and thunderously striking out!

Still ineffective.

Not only ineffective, but that tremendous chaotic power even entered the Ancestral God’s eye’s body, becoming part of its eye corner, forcibly swallowing this chaotic power for its own use!

“Bang!”

The next moment, Jian Chou’s entire person had already been struck by it!

That overwhelming fierce evil power could be felt just by looking at this eye, disturbing one’s heart. When it truly struck before her, it was truly making contact – demonic thoughts, killing intent, and evil spirits all invaded.

The black shadow that could even devour light instantly wrapped her within.

Just like a wild beast opening its huge mouth to directly swallow its prey!

Some of the Upper Void cultivators in the chaotic battle noticed this scene, their eyelids jumping and hearts stopping abruptly!

But the deities’ hanging hearts fell.

They couldn’t help but laugh loudly, even issuing contemptuous mockery: “Our deity clan’s ‘Ancestral God’ was originally formed from the dying obsessions of numerous deities – originally having no physical form, originally formless! Born with the primordial universe, sharing our origin! We are the universe – with your mere foreign human race, it’s fundamentally impossible to kill!”

Being devoured by the Ancestral God’s eye was like being devoured by nothingness.

What imprisoned people wasn’t tangible power, but intangible thoughts.

Layer upon layer, surging like tides.

Jian Chou felt intense discomfort, but at this moment could still hear all sounds from outside, including the deities’ words—

Fundamentally impossible.

What did “impossible” mean?

There was fundamentally nothing impossible in this world! Especially for her, for “me”!

Everything was possible!

Hearing these three words, Jian Chou’s lips curved into a mocking smile!

But simultaneously, her pupils filled with a vast emptiness.

She suddenly closed her eyes.

Heaven and earth, dark and yellow; universe, vast and desolate – all could hear her breathing and were enveloped by her breathing!

The moment she lowered her gaze, a mirror appeared before her.

Then came the second, third, fourth…

One after another, one fitting with another, “crack crack crack crack crack” – continuous and endless, actually extending outward from her body, swiftly piercing through the Ancestral God’s eye that had devoured her. The sharp corners of the mirror surfaces protruded like crystals condensed on rock layers, even more rapidly heading toward the empty sky and boundless universe!

Filling the Ancestral God’s eye, filling the current Desolate Domain, even passing through those countless extinguished stars, filling the entire universe!

Everyone was surrounded by mirror surfaces.

And each mirror reflected Jian Chou’s image from within the Ancestral God’s eye, yet each one was subtly different!

“Rumble…”

In this instant, everyone seemed to hear distant thunder.

Coming from the depths of nothingness, from humanity’s origin, from the unhealable wounds of this vast universe!

In the Polar Domain of the Primordial Realm, Zhang Tang suddenly raised his eyes.

In the depths of chaotic currents beyond the eighteen layers of hell, time’s torrent surged mightily, rushing toward the outer sky.

Breaking through the Primordial Realm’s restrictions and shattering spatial boundaries!

All mirror surfaces reflecting Jian Chou’s image shattered at the moment this torrent passed! Silver shattered light immediately spread throughout the universe like moonlight.

Yet what didn’t shatter were Jian Chou’s images!

As each mirror surface shattered, a Jian Chou walked out from within.

One after another, without end!

Countless…

Ten, hundred, thousand; one hundred thousand, one million, ten million!

Who said a person cannot step into many rivers at the same moment?

Who said a person’s life from beginning to end has only one possibility?

The countless millions of Jian Chou appearing at this moment were the countless millions of possibilities in Jian Chou’s life!

All her were her.

Just as all “me” were “me”!

No one could describe the shock of this moment. Beyond bone-deep terror, there was also an illusion of being in a dream.

Because before this, no one had ever imagined—

They could be surrounded by one person!

The rolling torrent let them see everything and everyone that had flowed in this river of time, and also see themselves.

“Crack!”

The final mirror finally shattered!

In that flying fragment, all the Jian Chou were reflected. All the Jian Chou also disappeared at this moment, leaving only drop after drop of countless heart fires flying from their chests, coming from the universe’s edge, from extinguished stars, from everyone’s vicinity, like reverse-flowing star streams toward the Ancestral God!

Just like years ago at the snow region’s peak, falling from the tears of Saint Jiye.

In an instant, they burned through its body!

Like meteors falling to earth, burning countless terrifying holes sparking with fire!

The Ancestral God was formless, and heart fire was also formless.

Born from one thought, killed by one thought!

Born from countless millions of thoughts, killed by countless millions of thoughts!

Jian Chou stood at the center, allowing these countless heart fires belonging to herself to converge from all directions, piercing through the Ancestral God’s eye’s formless body.

It began to fear, began to writhe madly.

Wanting to escape, wanting to avoid destruction!

But these endless heart fires came too fast and from too many directions – initially like trickling streams, ultimately like vast oceans!

Everything happened in an instant!

In the instant when all me became one me, converging in Jian Chou’s body; in the instant when endless fires gathered into one fire, falling at Jian Chou’s fingertip…

Crumbling like stellar ash!