Fang Shanya coughed up blood.
Some suspected that Jun Changxiao had severely injured his opponent through rap-style verbal attacks.
Not quite.
Gou Sheng truly had caused damage through sheer verbal artillery.
In truth, Fang Shanya had been living in a play of his own weaving, unable to extricate himself, until today when Jun Changxiao exposed it to his face.
Whether it was burying one’s head in the sand or the emperor’s new clothes, the bottom line was this: for the sake of this performance, all living beings across the entire plane had accompanied him in this act by losing their souls and consciousness.
A play is still just a play.
No matter how brilliantly performed, there will always come a day when someone calls “cut.”
Unfortunately for him, Jun Changxiao was that person calling cut, and the type who showed no mercy, striking directly at the depths of one’s soul.
“No!”
Fang Shanya sat down, covering his face with both hands, roaring: “This is not a play!”
“…”
Jun Changxiao shook his head: “Still refusing to see reason?”
“Clap!”
He clapped his hands.
“Tap tap tap!”
The several high-ranking officials who had left earlier walked back in. Tears streaming down their faces, they knelt on the ground, pleading: “Realm Lord, turn back before it’s too late!”
“You all…”
Fang Shanya was dumbfounded.
Jun Changxiao said: “Jun has already helped them break free from the drug’s control.”
“…”
Fang Shanya’s eyes filled with astonishment.
The drug was given by the Heavenly Demon Emperor, who claimed there was no antidote—how could it be so easily neutralized by someone else?
This type of drug that controlled people’s thoughts was indeed somewhat tricky. If the Medicine Hall’s people came to treat it, they might not have had any good methods, but in the eyes of poison expert Miao Saifeng, it was merely a matter of trying several different poison-against-poison approaches.
The Eternal Sect of the past was like a fledgling eagle crying for food, needing Gou Sheng to feed it bit by bit.
The fledgling eagle of today had grown up, not only able to soar through heaven and earth, but also able to help Jun Changxiao solve problems and demonstrate its own value.
The disciples were fortunate to encounter the Eternal Sect in this era, and the Eternal Sect was equally fortunate to encounter these disciples in this era.
“You can ask them whether they prefer to control their own souls, or continue accompanying you in this performance,” Jun Changxiao said.
“…”
Fang Shanya fell silent.
Actually, there was no need to ask—he already knew the answer. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have fed them the drug in the first place.
“Living in this world, people must experience many tribulations. All we can do is press forward with unwavering determination, even if the scenery along the way isn’t as beautiful as we imagined in our hearts,” Jun Changxiao said.
“…”
Fang Shanya continued his silence.
“Changing a person or changing a world is destined to require a long time, not taking shortcuts or evil paths, using methods like burying your head in the sand to control all living beings under heaven to achieve your desired effect, because…” Jun Changxiao’s tone grew profound: “This has meaning for you, but no meaning for everyone else.”
When Gou Sheng acted shamelessly, he wasn’t human.
When he became serious, he equally wasn’t human.
Jian Guixu said: “Realm Lord Fang, please turn back before it’s too late.”
“Turn back before it’s too late?” Fang Shanya slowly rose to his feet, saying: “I have already given my soul to the Heavenly Demon Emperor. The shore to turn back to has long since disappeared.”
“What?”
Jian Guixu’s expression changed drastically.
“Hahaha!” Fang Shanya burst into wild laughter: “Just as you said, this is a play, so let it continue performing!”
“Buzz!”
Light flashed in the great hall as layer upon layer of formations sealed it off.
“Anyone who tries to stop this performance,” Fang Shanya’s gaze turned cold: “Must die!”
“Well then.”
Jun Changxiao said: “This guy is beyond saving.”
He had originally thought that with his verbal artillery, he could make him turn back before it was too late, thereby avoiding armed conflict and peacefully saving the world. In the end, he still failed, even making the previous chapter into completely meaningless filler.
“Realm Lord…”
The several high-ranking officials’ expressions were pained.
They had begun following Fang Shanya long ago, hoping to assist him in creating a world of great harmony together, but later he went to increasingly extreme lengths, and by the time they wanted to dissuade him, it was already too late.
“The current Hengyuan Realm is exactly what we longed for in the past. Why do you oppose it?” Fang Shanya’s face twisted hideously.
One high-ranking official said sorrowfully: “Turning all living beings into puppets that can be manipulated—this is not the peace we once imagined!”
“You’ve all changed,” Fang Shanya said disappointedly.
“It’s the Realm Lord who has changed!”
Everyone roared through their tears.
Fang Shanya raised his hand, energy gradually gathering in his palm, saying coldly: “Different paths mean death.”
Seeing that the youth of the past still refused to see reason, the pain in Jian Guixu’s heart intensified.
“It’s not different paths.”
Jun Changxiao said calmly: “Rather, you took the wrong path from the very beginning.”
“Boy, stop arguing!”
Jian Guixu clenched both hands and suddenly smashed them toward the surroundings.
“Boom!”
The sealed great hall suddenly began to shake, and the surrounding environment also changed as space trembled. Everyone felt as if they were situated in the cosmic starry sky.
“Sect Leader Jun.”
Jian Guixu transmitted his voice: “This is a divine ability that Fang Shanya comprehended, called Great Harmony World.”
“Even the name is this. He’s truly entered demonic possession,” Jun Changxiao said.
“Precisely.”
Jian Guixu replied: “That’s why he’s so extreme.”
“Whoosh whoosh!”
Suspended in the sky above the Great Harmony World, Fang Shanya raised his right hand, tremendous energy continuously gathering in his palm as he said: “The peaceful and prosperous era I created will not tolerate others questioning it.”
“Clang—”
Jun Changxiao brought forth the Xuanyuan Divine Sword, saying calmly: “Only those with fragile hearts live in plays.”
“This is not a play!”
“It is a play!”
“It’s not!”
“It is!”
“It’s not!”
The two drew closer and closer, nearly spraying words directly into each other’s faces.
“Boy, I won’t engage in verbal sparring with you. Since you dare question this peaceful and prosperous era, then… go die!” Fang Shanya suddenly swung his hand over, the pent-up energy howling forth.
Jun Changxiao had long been on guard. The instant his opponent made a move, he directly dragged the Xuanyuan Divine Sword down in a slash.
“Boom—”
Energy and sword qi collided, the resulting air wave instantly filling the enclosed Great Harmony World, forcing Jian Guixu and the others to quickly circulate their power in defense, lest they be caught up in the two forces.
“What kind of bullshit peaceful and prosperous era!” Jun Changxiao didn’t attack Fang Shanya, instead condensing his power into his sword and slashing at the surrounding space, roaring: “It’s all just self-deception!”
“Swoosh!”
“Swoosh!”
Sword qi crisscrossed, tearing through space.
Because Jun Changxiao attacked too rapidly, and the Xuanyuan Divine Sword was sharp enough, the surrounding spatial barriers couldn’t hold up. They were instantly sliced into pieces and could no longer support themselves, exploding thunderously.
“Swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh!”
Jian Guixu and the several high-ranking officials who had regained their rationality took the opportunity to fly out, then all suspended themselves in the sky above Hengyuan Realm.
“Boom boom!”
“Boom boom boom!”
Jun Changxiao and Fang Shanya tangled together in the high sky, their strength roughly equal, fighting intensely and inseparably, the special effects reaching a decent level.
Below.
The residents of the major cities noticed.
Because their souls were controlled, their gazes held not the slightest ripple.
This so-called peaceful and prosperous era had no mutual deception, no scheming and infighting, but every living being was like a walking corpse.
“Look carefully!”
Jun Changxiao roared: “This is your world—no vitality, no human presence! If I were them, I would rather choose death than accompany you in this performance, because this is the script you want, not the script they want!”
Perhaps in a state of absolute fury, he withdrew the Xuanyuan Divine Sword and used fists—the most direct expression of power—to repeatedly pound Fang Shanya’s face, attempting to use the resulting impact to correct that already deranged mind!
“Kekeke!”
Suddenly, a strange laugh rang out: “How lively!”
“Gah!”
Jun Changxiao stopped, frowning as he looked up. He saw that the firmament had already been torn open, and four strangely-featured beings were gradually appearing.
“Not good!”
Jian Guixu frowned: “The Eight Celestial Dragons!”
One coming would have been acceptable, but four came at once—this was bound to be serious trouble!
—