In the Abyss of Despair, Jun Changxiao chose to sacrifice his life for righteousness.
Little did he know, the sect’s high-ranking members and disciples had similarly encountered the multiple choice question and all chose to sacrifice their life for righteousness.
This kind of highly unified thinking was truly hard to believe, showing that the Myriad Ancients Sect had always been united in purpose from its development until now.
In the past, Jun Changxiao would definitely have been moved.
But after accepting the sect disciples’ power, more than anything his heart held grief and rage—grief that they had died to fulfill him, rage that the Seven Profound Saint Venerable made them choose death!
Especially during the process of merging energy, every high-ranking member, every disciple’s appearance would float up from his sea of consciousness, smiling and waving as they departed.
Jun Changxiao’s strength continuously improved, but the pain he endured also multiplied, because in his heart, familial affection’s weight was extremely great.
Lu Qianqian.
Li Qingyang.
Xiao Zuiji.
Ye Xingchen…
Disciples appeared in his sea of consciousness one by one, then waved and disappeared.
Like knives stabbing into his heart—the pain ravaged Jun Changxiao’s body and soul, forcing him to hold his head and roar.
The final straw that broke the camel’s back was Hua Meigui. She appeared last in his sea of consciousness, hands clasped behind her, showing a sweet smile, looking exactly like an innocent and romantic girl.
However.
A trace of disappointment could be seen in her eyes.
Probably because they hadn’t made up the wedding ceremony, hadn’t worn the phoenix crown and ceremonial robes.
“Ahhh!”
Jun Changxiao became even more pained, even more heart-rending and lung-splitting.
After merging one hundred fifty thousand disciples’ power, his strength improved to an extremely terrifying level, even more exaggerated than Ling Li absorbing planes.
Must be said.
Cheat characters—impossible to counter.
Only, at this moment, even though already invincible, Jun Changxiao didn’t care, because from beginning to end he valued familial affection.
This couldn’t help but bring to mind that saying: how lonely invincibility is.
He.
Was already invincible.
But the people he cared about most were gone.
“What use is this invincibility to me!” Jun Changxiao still clutched his head, roaring heart-rendingly and lung-splittingly, his eyes gradually filling with blood, gradually turning blood-red, his thinking also becoming extremely volatile and violent.
“Death!”
“Must die!”
“Whoosh—”
Jun Changxiao vanished into thin air, the explosive air wave instantly creating a depression in the star domain.
This power was truly invincible!
…
Back to the normal timeline.
Back to when Ling Li withstood Jun Changxiao’s punch.
The two faced each other dozens of zhang apart, the auras they released directly crushing the universe’s space.
“Jun Changxiao!” Ling Li said coldly: “Does losing your loved ones, losing your plane feel wonderful?”
“Are you very surprised that I actually possess the Heavenly Demon Emperor’s devouring power, even surpassing him in cultivation!”
“Hmph!”
“The Heavenly Demon Emperor never treated me as human. Even unto death, how could he have anticipated that I would stab him in the back!”
Just now he’d been quite efficient, but now suddenly became verbose.
This was because Ling Li felt he’d become invincible, and the Jun Changxiao facing him couldn’t pose any threat.
At the same time, he wanted to find someone to talk to about what was in his heart—after all, keeping it bottled up was quite uncomfortable.
However.
Jun Changxiao remained silent throughout.
The gaze he directed at Ling Li was like looking at a dead man.
“Kekeke!”
Just then, an extremely sinister smile transmitted from within Ling Li’s body, causing his facial muscles to immediately stiffen.
“My son!”
“You truly thought your father was dead?”
“Heavenly Demon Emperor!”
Ling Li exclaimed in terror: “You… you’re not dead?”
“Ah—” Suddenly he clutched his head screaming. The energy existing in his dantian surged out uncontrollably, gradually gathering into a tall and mighty body.
That’s right.
It was the Heavenly Demon Emperor!
This guy was actually alive!
“My son.”
The Heavenly Demon Emperor turned around, showing a cunning old fox’s smile: “Thanks to you, this father was able to escape Jun Changxiao’s pursuit.”
“You…”
Ling Li’s expression became ferocious.
He had already guessed that this guy must have faked his death earlier!
Wrong.
The Heavenly Demon Emperor truly died.
At that time when Jun Changxiao pursued him, he clearly sensed it. Already injured, he couldn’t escape. But coincidentally his adopted son came to assassinate him, so he might as well go along with it.
Speaking of Ling Li.
He killed the Heavenly Demon Emperor, refined his corpse, and inherited the Heaven-Devouring Demon Transformation Great Method.
Little did he know, a trace of the Heavenly Demon Emperor’s soul had long been stored in the heart method.
This thing was like a virus or trojan, quietly lurking in the body, continuously absorbing energy for self-recovery.
Ling Li continuously devoured planes, his strength rapidly improving, precisely providing nourishment to the remnant soul. Simply put, the stronger the former became, the faster the Heavenly Demon Emperor’s resurrection.
To put it bluntly.
Just a puppet.
Now that Ling Li had absorbed the Myriad Ancients Realm, the Heavenly Demon Emperor’s soul completely repaired. He unhesitatingly activated the virus trojan, taking all the power his son had obtained over these months completely for himself.
Ginger was still spicier when old.
Had to admire it.
Poor Ling Li had been raised as a tool since childhood and still hadn’t escaped his fate even now.
The Heavenly Demon Emperor leaned over, grinning: “Creating a new era is this father’s lifelong aspiration. How could I let you, this rebellious son, do it on my behalf?”
“…”
Ling Li clenched both fists tightly, his eyes filled with unwillingness.
Clearly success was right before his eyes, but this old thief revived and even seized all his power!
“Go to hell and find your beloved woman.”
The Heavenly Demon Emperor’s hand clamped on Ling Li’s neck, rolling demonic energy erupting and entwining him. Then, accompanied by painful screaming, he turned to nothingness.
Ling Li.
The last adopted son.
Completely done for.
“Sigh.”
The Heavenly Demon Emperor shook his head: “My son just experienced the feeling of invincibility before dying. Truly somewhat regrettable.”
“You’re the same.”
Jun Changxiao finally spoke.
From the Heavenly Demon Emperor’s appearance to the father-son dialogue until Ling Li’s death, he seemed to transform into a small transparent.
Honestly, Jun Changxiao didn’t care at all what story existed between the two, didn’t care who ultimately occupied or possessed whom, because both were dead men.
“Whoosh!”
The Heavenly Demon Emperor raised his head, deeply inhaling.
The energy within his body violently erupted, filling his blood and meridians.
“The feeling of invincibility!” His face gradually showed an intoxicated and enjoying expression.
“Whoosh—” Just then, Jun Changxiao appeared before him, his right fist leisurely swinging over.
This punch speed was too slow.
Not to mention the Heavenly Demon Emperor—even someone at Seeking Truth Realm could capture it.
However.
Don’t look at how slow the punch speed was—the power it erupted with was extremely terrifying, even forming barely visible spatial pressure in the surroundings.
The Heavenly Demon Emperor initially didn’t care, even a disdainful smile floating to his lips. But when he felt the pressure, his smile immediately froze!
His body… couldn’t move!
“Not good!”
The Heavenly Demon Emperor struggled with all his might, but the more he struggled, the tighter it became!
“Go die.”
At this time, Jun Changxiao said.
Three words without any emotional expression, as if from the depths of hell’s abyss.
At the same time, the power gathering in his fist continuously increased, the terrifying pressure directly binding the Heavenly Demon Emperor tightly and putting him in a posture of “standing still, waiting for you to hit me.”
“Impossible!”
“I’ve already become invincible!”
“Why would I be restrained!”
The Heavenly Demon Emperor couldn’t understand, his face showing an expression of humiliated rage. However, when ripples suddenly appeared before his eyes, he discovered countless Myriad Ancients Sect disciples standing behind Jun Changxiao—they appeared real yet illusory, all making the same punching motion.
Understood.
This punch of Jun Changxiao’s carried the entire sect’s power. Though the high-ranking members and disciples had already perished, they were adding their strength to the Sect Master in another form, helping him eliminate the great demon who brought calamity to the Upper Universe!
This was sacrificing life for righteousness.
The righteousness belonging to the Myriad Ancients Strongest Sect.
“Whoosh whoosh!”
“Whoosh whoosh!”
The punch representing finality slowly swung over, powerful force roaring and erupting, gradually shattering this star system and continuously spreading to other regions.
Destroying heaven and earth, heaven collapsing and earth cracking could no longer describe the shocking scene at this moment.
“No…”
The Heavenly Demon Emperor roared in despair.
Having just seized his adopted son’s power, having just experienced the feeling of invincibility, how could he be willing to just like this…
“Boom—”
Time didn’t allow the Heavenly Demon Emperor to consider further, because Jun Changxiao’s fist representing the entire sect’s power directly smashed into his face, smashing through flesh, smashing through bone, smashing through his sea of consciousness soul, smashing through his five internal organs and entire body.
At the same time, several empty star systems, unable to withstand the massive impact, all collapsed simultaneously.
This.
Was true invincibility!
At this point.
The Upper Universe’s great villain was killed with one punch by Jun Changxiao.
No gorgeous battle process, because the disparity in strength between both sides was too great.
Poor Heavenly Demon Emperor thought he’d become invincible, little knowing before a cheat character he was still no match.
…
“Whoosh whoosh!”
“Whoosh whoosh!”
In the shattered space, cold wind howled.
Suddenly, a patch of earth appeared in the originally empty, chaotic region, bearing upon it a towering tree and a tightly closed stone gate.
The Universe Origin Tree—it actually hadn’t been devoured!
“Step!”
Jun Changxiao, who had destroyed the Heavenly Demon Emperor, landed on the earth, then weakly knelt, lowering his head and covering his face. Tears splashed down through his finger gaps into the somewhat dry soil.
That’s right.
Once again saved the world.
But sacrificed the sect, sacrificed everything.
This price—Jun Changxiao couldn’t bear it, couldn’t accept it.
If time could flow backward, he would rather choose to sacrifice himself to preserve the sect, preserve his wife and loved ones.
“Pat.”
A hand landed on Jun Changxiao’s shoulder, a comforting voice transmitting: “Accept this with sorrow.”
This was a person with the character “Sys” carved on his face, the character “Tem” carved on his cape.
That’s right.
The system’s main body who loved to complain.
Might as well consider it human—also Jun Changxiao’s only remaining family member.
Everyone in the sect had offered themselves, leaving only Dog Leftover and the system. Indeed, these two were the true love who would walk together to the end.
“Gone.”
Jun Changxiao said: “All gone…”
“Sigh.”
The system sighed.
Having accompanied the host all these years, encountering troubles, encountering setbacks, but this time was the most miserable—home gone, disciples gone, loved ones also gone.
If this were placed in the early or middle period, it would be utter poison.
“Ding! Congratulations to Host for eliminating the Heavenly Demon Emperor who brought calamity to the Upper Universe. This meets the main quest’s domination scope, completion progress 100%!”
“Ding! Main quest complete!”
Just as Jun Changxiao was most dejected, an emotionless notification sounded in his ears.
In the past, for Dog Leftover this was the most wonderful sound.
Now, even if rewarded with mountains of gold and silver, even if granted eternal life, he wouldn’t feel any joy, because though standing at the mountain peak, looking back there were no loved ones accompanying him.
“Ding! Congratulations to Host for completing the main quest, obtaining immeasurable merit, and may make one wish!”
“Make a wish?”
Jun Changxiao said in surprise.
In less than a second, he blurted out: “My wish is to resurrect everyone in the Myriad Ancients Sect!”
“My apologies.”
The mechanized notification sounded: “Cannot be realized.”
“Damn it!”
Jun Changxiao roared: “If it can’t be realized, what kind of wish is this!”
“Host, calm down.” The system advised: “You can think from another angle to make a wish, such as resurrecting all planes and living beings devoured by Ling Li and the Heavenly Demon Emperor.”
“Makes sense!”
Jun Changxiao hurriedly repeated what he said.
“Ding! Wish successful!”
When the notification sounded, the shattered universe starry sky suddenly trembled, then gradually restored. Countless planes also began reappearing.
“Weng weng!”
At the same time, the region where Jun Changxiao was located also changed. The soil beneath his feet rapidly expanded, gradually constructing into a super-large plane—obviously the Myriad Ancients Realm destroyed by Ling Li!
Each race, each city—all restored to their original state.
Dead living beings all appeared out of thin air, even busying themselves as usual, completely unaware they’d died and resurrected.
That feeling was like a movie playing in reverse.
Jun Changxiao was wild with joy, but after the Myriad Ancients Realm completely restored, he stood frozen in place like a wooden chicken.
At this moment, he was no longer before the Universe Origin Tree but standing on a somewhat desolate mountain top. Before him were dilapidated buildings and a plaque fallen to the ground, carved with the five characters “Iron Bones Clanging Sect”!
“Could it be…”
The system exclaimed in alarm: “The Myriad Ancients Realm restored, but also went back in time?”
“Pff!”
Jun Changxiao couldn’t suppress it—a mouthful of fresh blood sprayed out.
He’d thought that from another angle he could resurrect his disciples and loved ones. As a result, the planes and living beings devoured by the Heavenly Demon Emperor or Ling Li had restored, but they hadn’t resurrected. Even the sect had regressed to its year of dilapidated ruins!
“What’s going on exactly!” Jun Changxiao couldn’t control his emotions. Even though extremely weak at this moment, even though his realm was completely gone, he still had strength to support him. He clamped onto the system’s neck and roared loudly.
In the past, it was always self-abuse.
Now that the system’s main body appeared, he could finally choke it to satisfaction!
“This might be because the sect disciples didn’t die at Ling Li’s hands, but rather actively sacrificed their lives to the host…” the system said with difficulty.
“Ahhh!”
“I’ll kill you!”
Jun Changxiao exploded with rage.
Wasted a wish opportunity for nothing!
“Come on!”
The system said: “If it can vent the rage in your heart, I’m willing to be killed by Host!”
“Ptui! Spit! He~tui!” Jun Changxiao, being truly too weak, could only spit to vent his rage.
Half an hour later.
He lay on the ground like a puddle of mud.
“Child.”
At this time, Auntie Wang appeared in his field of vision, holding a bowl of noodles: “Hungry, aren’t you?”
“Wu wu wu!”
Jun Changxiao cried like a child.
…
Several days later.
Jun Changxiao regained his strength, but his realm still hadn’t recovered. So he cleaned up the Iron Bones Clanging Sect inside and out.
Though the disciples and loved ones hadn’t resurrected, this sect still existed, so he planned to use the remainder of his life to guard it.
However.
Every time he thought of them, thought of every little bit of the past, his emotions would become dejected.
Especially at dusk when the setting sun appeared, one could always see Jun Changxiao sitting alone before the Iron Bones Clanging Sect’s mountain gate, his lonely shadow infinitely elongated.
“Sigh.”
The system sighed: “Heroes are destined to be lonely.”
One year.
Two years.
Time gradually passed.
Jun Changxiao was like an elder who’d seen through life and death, living alone in the Iron Bones Clanging Sect. Because he didn’t groom himself, he was already full of weathered features with disheveled beard.
One day.
As usual, he sat before the mountain gate. Hearing footsteps, without raising his head he said: “Auntie Wang, I’m not hungry.”
“Sect Master.”
“It’s me.”
Hearing this voice, Jun Changxiao was thunderstruck. He raised his head with difficulty and saw Lu Qianqian in white robes standing before him. Though her cold aura remained, her face showed a heartwarming smile.
“You…”
Just as he opened his mouth, Li Qingyang walked up the stairs.
Xiao Zuiji, Su Xiaomo, Li Fei, Ye Xingchen, He Wudi and other disciples followed one by one. They stood before the mountain gate, all smiling at the Sect Master.
A dream?
Jun Changxiao instinctively pinched his face.
It hurt!
Not a dream!
“Elder brother.”
Led by Gu Zhaoxi, the sect’s high-ranking members also came, scratching his head: “Why’s the sect so dilapidated?”
“No big problem.”
Li Qingyang took out blueprints: “Piggy and I can reconstruct it.”
“Then what are we waiting for!” Su Xiaomo raised her voice: “Let’s get busy!”
And so.
High-ranking members and disciples began sect reconstruction, various building materials endlessly delivered up the mountain.
Jun Changxiao sat on a rock outside the mountain gate, watching them bustle about, immediately feeling like it was all a dream. He silently thought: “If this is a dream, just let it continue forever.”
“Hey.”
Suddenly, a clear voice transmitted.
Jun Changxiao instinctively turned his head and saw Hua Meigui standing before him, smiling: “After the sect restores its former glory, you must make up a wedding ceremony, okay?”
“No problem!”
Dog Leftover readily agreed.
“Sect Master!” Just then, Su Xiaomo stood before the newly constructed gate: “Are we changing the plaque or not!”
“Change it!”
Jun Changxiao jumped down, personally removing the “Iron Bones Clanging Sect” plaque and hanging up the one carved with “Myriad Ancients Strongest Sect.”
“Come come come!”
“Group photo! Commemoration!”
On the newly constructed training ground, Jun Changxiao held the forty-meter Hard-to-Retract Blade. At the blade’s tip hung a camera. He and the high-ranking members and disciples surrounding him all made scissor-hand gestures, showing brilliant smiles.
“One, two, three!”
“Cheese!”
…
The camera slowly pulled back, finally freezing on the “Myriad Ancients Strongest Sect” plaque.
It’s an ending.
Also a beginning.
—