Once every sixty thousand years, each appearance lasting thirteen days.
Over thirty years ago, when Pangu’s Desolate Domain manifested and could be seen by everyone in the Upper Ruins immortal realm, the distance was still far. Across the vast and boundless void of this universe, the gradually approaching commotion was like mountains collapsing and earth splitting, causing the entire Upper Ruins immortal realm to tremble under its mighty power.
But when it drew near, it became mysteriously calm.
Water in rivers returned from sky to earth, flowers and trees in the wilderness bloomed again, and all the destructive meteors in the universe curved around to pass by…
This realm seemed to be instantly enclosed within a solid fortress.
Only what it brought people was not the peace of being in a pleasant place, but a kind of fear toward enormous power.
Pangu Dazun, ancestor of the human race!
One axe opened the heavens, clearly dividing the universe.
Without Pangu, there would be no world today; without Pangu, humanity’s flame would have long been extinguished in the eternal night of that great war.
He was the supreme being who charged into the primordial era. Even though his spirit had passed away, this body remained immortal.
No one could completely destroy it.
Even the most violent collisions in the universe only added a few more traces of wind and rain erosion to this awe-inspiring shell.
Led by several Immortal Venerables, the people of the Upper Ruins immortal realm passed through the already weakened restrictions of the Upper Ruins and, when approaching the Desolate Domain, felt as if they had stepped into a torrent.
Within it, even time seemed to stand still.
After passing through this river, things that had been unclear when viewed from below became clear before their eyes.
Vast earth, completely boundless.
Enormous cracks crisscrossed, with exotic flowers and strange trees growing within these fissures. The ground bore traces of erosion by time, yet felt hard when stepped upon – all rock covered with strange patterns.
It was completely a huge plain.
Very, very far away, at what might be its edge, five enormous, slightly curved stone pillars stood separately, curving inward like five giant fingers about to grasp all who fell into their palm!
When this magnificent scene struck everyone’s eyes, tremors from the depths of their blood stirred in their hearts.
Regardless of cultivation level, everyone felt an impulse to prostrate themselves.
Not only because of the grandeur of the Desolate Domain before them – just arriving at its front had already given such tremendous shock – but also because their bloodlines more or less retained their ancestors’ most ancient breath. That kind of awe was completely rooted in bone and blood, impossible to erase.
Some were seeing it for the first time and couldn’t help but gasp; some had longed for it, and even with extremely high cultivation, couldn’t help but sigh at their own insignificance upon seeing this boundless magnificent scene; naturally there were also those who feared neither heaven nor earth and fundamentally disliked the oppressive feeling this Desolate Domain brought.
Such as Luye Laozu.
From the first day the Desolate Domain descended toward the Upper Ruins, a thick cloud had covered her heart. No matter how she suppressed it, she couldn’t relieve that nearly suffocating feeling of depression.
On her deep azure robes, every pattern was composed of differently shaped leaves, colored near ink-green, with not half an ornament to be found on her entire body.
But no one dared underestimate her.
As the strongest person to appear in the Upper Ruins immortal realm over several thousand years, she had become famous throughout the Upper Ruins with two techniques: Universe in One Sleeve, Sun and Moon in One Pot!
It was said that even White Crane Great Emperor had never fathomed the depths of her cultivation.
Now, having passed through the seemingly real yet illusory river at the Desolate Domain’s periphery, Luye Laozu landed on this plain. Extending her divine consciousness for a sweep, she roughly knew they were currently standing on Pangu Dazun’s palm.
Her brows furrowed slightly as she looked toward the distance.
White Crane Great Emperor and Bixi Immortal Lord had also come.
In the past, the three Immortal Venerables in the Great Luo Heaven, including herself, could all be called dragons whose heads were seen but not their tails – not appearing for hundreds or thousands of years was common. But for such a major event as the Desolate Domain’s descent, basically all who could come had come.
White Crane Great Emperor’s features were quite refined.
He wore only an ordinary crane robe, with auspicious clouds embroidered with the most ethereal colorful霞 of the Great Luo Heaven covering the front.
Looking at it, one actually felt it was unremarkable.
The only eye-catching thing was probably the white deer standing beside him.
Snow-white deer body, slender deer neck, and two extremely beautiful antlers. Its pair of deer eyes were clean and lively, showing spirit when looking around.
Those who truly knew White Crane Great Emperor would joke that he himself had no trace of the domineering aura befitting the supreme immortal of the Great Luo Heaven, while his deer seemed more like a Great Emperor than he did.
But it was only joking.
One must know that in this Upper Ruins immortal realm, White Crane Great Emperor was the acknowledged strongest person. The feeling he gave people now was really because he had cultivated to the supreme realm of returning to simplicity.
Bixi Immortal Lord appeared much more distinctive.
He looked on the surface to be merely a boy of about ten years old. Although his title contained the character “Bi” (azure), he wore deep, somber black robes. His expression was full of inhuman coldness, even giving people a sense of inviolable majesty and gloom.
However, a flame-shaped mark at his brow center was distinctly golden-red.
He was not a large person, but just standing there, whether his own subordinates or other outsiders, not one dared approach him.
His origins were extremely special, as anyone in the Upper Ruins with some knowledge knew.
Bixi Immortal Lord was originally not a cultivator from the Great Luo Heaven, not even human. Tens of thousands of years ago, he was merely a lamp wick in the lotus lamp under the True Buddha of Zizai Heaven. From constantly hearing the dao he comprehended the seven emotions and six desires of the world, transformed into a lamp boy, and thus underwent the transformation of entering the world and returning to void. But after entering the world, he found being human quite good and ultimately failed to successfully return to void.
He couldn’t shed those seven sufferings, so he simply stopped cultivating Buddhism.
Cultivating Buddhism was meaningless.
There was never any true Zizai Heaven in the world.
Thus he abandoned his lamp boy name, changed his title to “Bixi Immortal Lord,” left the Buddhist kingdom in one day, and came to the Great Luo Heaven. With his original body’s strength and transcendent comprehension, he unsurprisingly became the Great Luo Heaven’s second Immortal Venerable, continuing until now.
After their Great Luo Heaven group arrived, people from Zizai Heaven and Feixie Heaven also arrived successively, though there didn’t seem to be as many people.
After all, these two heavens were difficult to compare with the Great Luo Heaven in terms of cultivator numbers.
Zizai Heaven came with seven people, Feixie Heaven came with thirteen people.
The monks from Zizai Heaven arrived unremarkably, but the group of evil demons, heretics, and fallen immortals from Feixie Heaven arrived with menacing momentum.
First came wafting fragrance and surging beautiful colors.
Faintly one could hear women’s charming laughter, very much like the moaning when engaging in clouds and rain, being turned over red waves, making listeners blush and hearts race.
Luye Laozu had just turned her gaze over when a female cultivator wearing only gauze that couldn’t be more transparent gracefully landed before them.
When she raised her eyes, it was absolutely soul-stirring.
But with just a moment’s distraction, it was as if pulling people from paradise into the endless hell, with everything in sight being white bones and blood flowing everywhere.
This female cultivator was the famous “Red Powder Skeleton” from Feixie Heaven, actually white bones that had cultivated to become a spirit. She named herself “Daidai” and basically didn’t wear clothes when going out, just wrapping herself in a pink gauze like this. First, a white bone skeleton had no such habit; second, her nature was inherently lewd, deliberately wanting to tease others.
Only this trick couldn’t tease many people.
In the Upper Ruins immortal realm, Golden Immortals and above had basically reached the point of seeing through physical appearance. Those strong ones at the same Immortal Venerable level as her saw her as just a pile of white bones – how could they be moved?
But she herself, upon landing, immediately noticed Luye Laozu’s gaze. So she walked over gracefully with bare feet, raised her hand to lift the pink gauze, stirring up a fragrant breeze: “Oh my, people haven’t even put on clothes, yet every time Laozu looks at people so directly like this – how annoying!”
The Saint Immortals on the Great Luo Heaven side were almost uniformly speechless.
Goosebumps all over!
Only Luye Laozu, directly facing her, remained calm and composed, handling it with ease and effortlessly catching the pink gauze. Her interested gaze swept from her head to her snow-white toes, even carefully examining those places ordinary people dared not look, before saying lightly: “Who told you to be so ugly?”
“You’ve looked people over from head to toe, yet still speak this way – Laozu is truly heartbreaking.” Daidai actually wasn’t any kind of pushover. Her eyes flashed as she actually held the other end of the light gauze and rolled herself into Luye’s embrace. “People have had skin-to-skin contact with Laozu now – when will Laozu come to Feixie Heaven to marry people?”
“Oh?”
Luye Laozu had an expression as if just remembering this matter. She seemingly gently raised her hand and even pinched her tender face, contemplating as she answered her.
“You can marry anytime you want. This venerable one’s immortal residence is called ‘Crimson Killing Realm’ – it’s just missing a touch of red…”
“Dead pervert!”
Previously all tender and affectionate, her face changed in an instant.
Upon hearing Luye Laozu’s words “Crimson Killing,” Daidai’s white bone spirit true form nearly exploded with anger. Even her snow-white face shook as she cursed, then pulled her light gauze and spun out of the embrace she had just forced her way into.
She was about to return to the Feixie Heaven side when, unexpectedly, the moment she turned her head, she caught sight of a certain person among the group of Saint Immortals behind Luye. Her eyes immediately brightened.
Luye Laozu, who she had just been flirting with enthusiastically, was instantly cast to the back of her mind.
Daidai tucked the few strands of hair that had fallen beside her cheek behind her ear and, under all these watchful eyes, directly walked toward Xie Buchen!
At the entrance to this Desolate Domain, there were quite a few pairs of eyes.
Although there were only thirty-seven Long Night Bamboo Slips and not many people could enter, this once-in-sixty-thousand-years spectacle meant that some Saint Immortals and even peak Golden Immortal cultivators, even if they weren’t going in, had to come see this sight.
Almost all who could come had come.
When Xie Buchen ascended, the discussions about the Desolate Domain among the three heavens of the Upper Ruins had already ended, and all thirty-seven Long Night Bamboo Slips had owners. So although he was a Saint Immortal upon ascension, becoming the most dazzling figure in decades after Jian Chou, he still hadn’t obtained a Long Night Bamboo Slip.
So today, he had only come to observe.
He just hadn’t expected that someone would target him.
Daidai walked around him in a circle, then shook her head and sighed, satisfied to the extreme: “A human masterpiece…”
Though she was a white bone spirit, when she approached, she was soft and boneless.
Her entire person seemed about to drape herself over Xie Buchen’s body.
But unexpectedly, this one seemed even more unromantic than the previous Luye Laozu. His brows furrowed, and a faint ink line emanated from his body, lightly flicking like a zither string, effortlessly bouncing her away!
“Eh…”
Daidai retreated a full three steps for no reason, truly becoming somewhat shocked.
Though her words and actions were dissolute, she was a genuine Immortal Venerable-level figure in Feixie Heaven. Whether in cultivation or battle power, she was among the very best in the Upper Ruins.
But she couldn’t even see clearly how Xie Buchen had pushed her away.
There had been only one recently promoted Saint Immortal in the Upper Ruins immortal realm, so even though she had never seen Xie Buchen before, Daidai could know his identity.
But the strength he displayed at this moment surprised her.
Her beautiful brows immediately furrowed. Daidai stood still, only looking at Xie Buchen half-truly and half-falsely, with an expression of coveting but being unable to obtain: “Such a masterpiece – it would be a shame not to sleep with him. You must be that Xie Buchen called ‘Purple Micro,’ right? I’m called Daidai – you can call me Teacher Dai. Whatever you want to learn, Teacher Dai can teach you.”
Without needing to see her appearance, just hearing this voice one knew this so-called “Teacher Dai” couldn’t teach anything proper. Everyone already had the impulse to poke out their own eyes.
At this time, Luye Laozu didn’t want too many people focusing attention on Xie Buchen.
If it involved the River Map matter, that would be troublesome.
So without even looking, she reached behind her and directly grabbed Daidai by the neck, pulling her back and throwing her forward.
“Clatter clatter,” the white bone frame scattered all over the ground.
At this moment, ten thousand streaks of golden-red firelight happened to streak across the sky. A phoenix shadow broke through the air and landed right beside that pile of white bones, transforming into an extraordinarily heroic figure.
His face was like jade, perfect and flawless.
He wore robes of five virtues’ splendor and a crown of spirit pearls and red jade.
This was the famous Phoenix King.
Named Feng Que, chief of all demons, holding a position in Feixie Heaven comparable to White Crane Great Emperor.
Seeing his arrival, Luye Laozu clapped her hands and said: “The strange spirits and demons of your Feixie Heaven are truly becoming more and more restless. Phoenix King should manage them.”
Feng Que’s refined eyes lifted, somewhat puzzled.
He looked at Luye Laozu once, then turned to look at White Crane Great Emperor on the other side.
“Cough, cough.”
White Crane Great Emperor found the earlier scene rather amusing. Receiving Phoenix King’s glance, he coughed a few times as if to disguise, coming out to smooth things over.
“It’s nothing serious – Fairy Daidai was just joking with everyone.”
Daidai had been directly thrown into a pile of white bones by Luye Laozu’s throw. Only now did she reassemble herself from the ground, simply not even bothering with facade anymore. Just a skeleton draped in light gauze, standing beside Phoenix King, she snorted: “Fine, everyone’s here now. This old lady won’t play with you anymore either. Let me say the ugly words up front – you’re here to investigate the matter of universal reincarnation’s destruction, but this old lady only wants Pangu’s inheritance. Whoever wants to compete with me for it, I’ll turn hostile.”
“Talking as if you have a face.”
Luye Laozu laughed once.
But after laughing, her expression became somewhat heavy.
White Crane Great Emperor and others all exchanged glances, and the seven monks from Zizai Heaven chanted “Amitabha Buddha.”
Most people in the Upper Ruins immortal realm probably thought they were entering Pangu’s Desolate Domain with Long Night Bamboo Slips to obtain some sacred artifacts not found in the Upper Ruins, to pursue the inheritance left by Pangu Dazun in the world. But only they themselves knew clearly that they were here for the chaos that had occurred in the lower realms over these thousands of years.
The Six Paths of Reincarnation were established by Pangu Dazun.
But from some unknown time, reincarnation in the lower realms had experienced errors to varying degrees, with some even directly vanishing from the world, no longer existing.
It could be said that except for the Origin Realm, which had barriers and was protected by Pangu’s calamity punishment, the reincarnation that originally covered the entire universe and governed the six paths of living beings had completely collapsed!
Hidden behind this was enormous crisis.
Although they didn’t know how this matter arose or what secrets it involved, the news of primordial deities appearing in the lower realms that they had learned from cultivators who recently ascended from the Origin Realm was enough for them to conceive of certain terrifying conspiracies.
The only thing the Immortal Venerables and Saint Immortals of the Upper Ruins’ three heavens dared confirm now was: what they needed to do was oppose this mastermind behind the scenes and restore reincarnation.
Since Pangu Dazun had established reincarnation, then on this Desolate Domain formed after his fall and collapse, they might be able to find some key thing to help them see clearly everything happening before their eyes.
Phoenix King was graceful and elegant, seeming not to take the “conflict” between Daidai and Luye Laozu to heart at all. He only surveyed this vast wilderness once and said to White Crane Great Emperor: “Daidai is right. Since everyone is here, let’s all go in.”
Everyone had no objections.
This Pangu Desolate Domain would descend to this realm and leave after thirteen days. The more time they wasted here, the less time they had to enter the Desolate Domain.
The Long Night Bamboo Slips had long been in the hands of the Saint Immortals.
Immortal Venerable-level cultivators could enter the Desolate Domain without Long Night Bamboo Slips, but it would be extremely difficult. So except for the three Immortal Venerables White Crane Great Emperor, Phoenix King, and Luye Laozu, the other Immortal Venerables also wore Long Night Bamboo Slips.
Thus thirty-three remained, all given to Saint Immortals.
Counting them up: Zizai Heaven had five Saint Immortal realm cultivators and two Immortal Venerable level; Feixie Heaven had eleven Saint Immortal realm cultivators and two Immortal Venerable level; Great Luo Heaven had sixteen Saint Immortal realm cultivators and three Immortal Venerable level.
Altogether thirty-nine people.
All of them now came forward.
White bone spirit Daidai glanced around and sensed one person was missing, so she looked at White Crane Great Emperor: “Mengtianlao didn’t come?”
White Crane Great Emperor shook his head.
Since this Tianlao was a Saint Immortal who had entered Pangu’s Desolate Domain sixty thousand years ago, and strange dream merchants had recently appeared throughout the Upper Ruins, everyone guessed she might appear again this time. So their Great Luo Heaven side had specifically reserved a Long Night Bamboo Slip for this person.
But when the time came, this person still didn’t appear.
Among the Great Luo Heaven people, the Saint Immortals ranked at the front – Sword Bearer, Moon Shadow, Eight Extremes Daozun, Buyu Shangren, Half-Crane True Person, and even Xieyang Sheng – were all present.
The monks from Zizai Heaven had nothing special to mention – their bald heads all looked the same.
The Feixie Heaven side was also a gathering of various evil demons.
Only when Luye Laozu casually glanced over, she discovered something not quite right and suddenly frowned, unusually opening her mouth to inquire: “Phoenix King, how does your Feixie Heaven even bring out those with cultivation just past Saint Immortal realm to make up numbers?”
Phoenix King followed her gaze.
It was Yinghu standing in the corner.
His deep black python robe was carelessly open as usual, and in the dim light one could vaguely see his solid chest. Only because he had lost his external incarnation in the Xuanji Star battle forty-four years ago, his originally flamboyant evil aura had become somewhat more restrained. But blessing in disguise, he had achieved sudden comprehension and advanced to Saint Immortal realm, also transforming from viper snake body to responding dragon, gaining several parts of stern aura, looking quite different.
Generally speaking, even Saint Immortals might not qualify to enter the Desolate Domain – there were too many things to consider in between.
Someone like Yinghu really wasn’t impressive enough.
Luye Laozu couldn’t help but feel suspicious.
But Phoenix King treated it as ordinary, smiling faintly: “The people of my Feixie Heaven don’t have great temperaments. If we sent someone too powerful, it would inevitably make you wary. After all, you are righteous gentlemen, but we are not. Though Yinghu has just broken through recently, he has opened his mind and his talent is quite good. For him, it might not be a bad opportunity. Please don’t blame him, Laozu.”
Luye Laozu snorted coldly, really too lazy to believe it, and simply ignored him.
Anyway, this Pangu Desolate Domain was called the “Saint Immortal Graveyard” – it was definitely not as simple as it appeared.
If this small fry from Feixie Heaven wanted to cause trouble, that was up to him.
After both sides finished inquiring about each other, they each took out their pitch-black Long Night Bamboo Slips, preparing to enter the Desolate Domain with the slips. But just as everyone was about to move but hadn’t yet moved, another dark red sword light streaked from the distant stars of the Upper Ruins immortal realm below.
The sword momentum retracted, and the person had already landed on the ground.
Everyone felt somewhat surprised and suspicious. When they looked carefully, they almost dropped their jaws in shock, immediately recognizing her identity and crying out: “Immortal Jian Chou!”
Yixiantian in hand, sword intent sharp and cold.
Mountain River Robe on her body, pale ink distant and profound.
The moment she appeared, whether those holding Long Night Bamboo Slips or those observing quietly from a distance, quite a few people’s eyebrows twitched.
Xie Buchen’s gaze immediately fell on her.
The Yashan side was even more astonished.
As for Buyu Shangren in front, standing diagonally behind Luye Laozu, he slowly closed his eyes.
Indeed, Jian Chou didn’t look for anyone else.
She smiled as if she wasn’t the “Immortal Jian Chou” who had become famous throughout the Upper Ruins through killing thirty-some years ago, but just like any other cultivator holding a Long Night Bamboo Slip about to enter the Desolate Domain.
She first offered an apology upon opening her mouth.
“I disturb everyone. Hearing that the Desolate Domain has opened, I came especially to join the excitement. I happen to have an appointment with Buyu Shangren from the past, wanting to personally seek guidance on some confusions. Therefore, I ask that Shangren please wait.”
Buyu Shangren’s fingers gripping the Long Night Bamboo Slip became rigid.
He darkened his face and slowly turned around.
Jian Chou’s gaze naturally fell on the slender black slip in his hand, very satisfied: “I didn’t expect Shangren to be so thoroughly considerate, even preparing a Long Night Bamboo Slip for this junior – truly troublesome!”