There is a progress bar in my cultivation of immortality

More than ten breaths later.

Wang Ping appeared at the edge of the chaotic storm. His gaze was solemn, and his pupils reflected the chaotic storm that blotted out the sky. The chaotic storm that had seemed small just now now resembled a real cosmic behemoth.

The main body of this storm resembles an expanding black heart, spewing out tens of thousands of gray-black energies with each beat. The beams of light formed by these energies are comparable in size to the diameter of a planet, filled with countless tiny turbulent currents that constantly inhale and exhale dark matter from the starry sky.

At the heart of the storm was like a half-open demonic eye, with layers of chaotic storm spreading outwards, distorting and deforming the space in its path like crumpled paper.

"this…"

Xuan Qing's figure appeared beside Wang Ping, and a mysterious magic array unfolded around him, probing the state inside the chaotic storm.

Bai Yan arrived shortly after, gazing at the chaotic expanse that blotted out the sky. He stretched out his right hand to part the Yin energy in the starry sky, sensing the polluted Yin energy, and said, "Its damage to the matter of the starry sky is secondary; the most important thing is the pollution of the spiritual world. If it continues to be allowed to continue, this starry sky will be polluted in less than ten years in Zhongzhou."

"but…"

He paused, then looked at Wang Pingxuanqing, "Its pollution comes from an immeasurable chaotic consciousness, yet its instinctive energy resonates with the rules of the Five Elements and Yin-Yang, and its scale is enormous..."

Xuanqing immediately interrupted, saying, "To be compatible yet also corrupted is what is fatal, more fatal than the rules of destruction, because the rules of this starry sky will be drawn to it rather than repelled by it."

Wang Ping didn't want to discuss irrelevant topics at this time, so he said to Xuan Qing and Bai Yan, "Contact Fellow Daoist Lieyang and explain the situation here. I'll take a closer look at how it appeared."

As soon as he finished speaking, he merged into the wood spirit energy, then shielded his aura and disappeared from Xuan Qing and Bai Yan's sight. Bai Yan and Xuan Qing did not say anything.

After Wang Ping escaped Bai Yan and Xuan Qing's sight, he appeared on the other side of the chaotic storm. He immediately entered a state of 'self-discipline' and stabilized his basic consciousness with divine magic. Then, he formed a fixed hand seal with his left hand, closed his eyes, and the 'Heavenly Eye' between his eyebrows appeared.

With Wang Ping's current cultivation level, although this chaotic storm was enormous, it could only be seen in an instant. As countless chaotic and frenzied consciousnesses were suppressed by the divine kingdom, countless images appeared in his mind.

As these images rapidly unfolded, Wang Ping's gaze pierced through the barriers of time and space, tracing back to the very source of the chaotic storm…

It was a peacefully functioning star system, with six planets slowly rotating along their predetermined orbits. The outermost icy asteroid belt shimmered with a faint blue light under the star's illumination. On the third azure planet, tens of thousands of cities were bathed in the morning light, and billions of lives were just beginning a new day.

Suddenly, it was as if the entire universe was being choked by an invisible hand.

Without any warning, the spacetime dimension of the star system collapsed violently, and the basic particles that make up matter disintegrated simultaneously within a millionth of a breath. The magnificent mountains, bustling cities, and drifting clouds all collapsed instantly at the particle level.

The sun, which had burned for billions of years, suddenly dimmed like a blown-out candle, and the massive corona material twisted into a bizarre spiral shape as it collapsed.

Before the consciousness of billions of living beings could even generate fear, they were crushed by a grander cosmic rule. Before these shattered spiritualities could dissipate, they were swept up by a force beyond comprehension and spun wildly in the void along with the disintegrating stellar matter.

Wang Ping noticed that the matter was not simply pulverized, but maintained a strange consciousness under the influence of some kind of law. Each grain of stardust was like a parasite given life, greedily devouring the surrounding spatial structure.

The initial chaotic storm was born, but it was very weak. The billions of chaotic and frenzied consciousness contained within it drove it to move rapidly towards other star systems.

At this moment, through the formation of this chaotic storm, Wang Ping glimpsed the general process of the destruction of the universe. It looked like the endless collapse after a mirror shattered, and it was completed in just an instant.

The destruction of the universe is not the end, but the beginning of chaos.

After the initial collapse, the shattered spacetime did not return to nothingness, but transformed into a boiling ocean of energy. The remnants of stars and the dissipated spiritual energy surged in disorder, like a turbulent pool of ink. At the center of this chaos, the newly born chaotic storm began its gluttonous feast.

It was like a living darkness, with countless gray-black energy turbulence extending from its edges, greedily grabbing everything around it. The floating star debris was swept into it and instantly crushed and assimilated; the scattered spiritual energy turbulence was swallowed by the storm and became the nutrients for its expansion; even the broken spatial rifts were forcibly stitched together and turned into part of itself.

With each ounce of matter it devoured, the storm expanded. At its core, the point of light, condensed from a shattered star and billions of consciousnesses, slowly rotated. With each contraction, it spewed out more gray-black energy, pumping chaos to every corner of the storm like a heart pumping blood.

In more distant star systems, destruction continues to spread…

Countless points of light flashed beneath the starry sky, representing the surviving cultivators struggling, but their resistance was as fleeting as fireflies in the abyss in the face of the great destruction.

This is the second time Wang Ping has observed the destruction of the universe. The first time was when he observed the sea of ​​stars. The two images have similarities but also differences. The sea of ​​stars provides a broader perspective, while the perspective of this chaotic storm is limited to itself, yet it feels more real.

What Wang Ping was truly concerned about was why it appeared in this starry sky, so he patiently skipped through countless years of this chaotic storm wandering in the vast universe, locking onto the period when it was captured.

At this moment, Wang Ping saw this star field from an extraterrestrial perspective. From the scale of the universe, the star field where Wang Ping was located was like a campfire in endless darkness, burning weakly but stubbornly.

Its outer layer is wrapped in a star barrier, like a giant net woven by some supreme law, isolating it from the erosion of the rules of destruction from the outside world. Fine runes flow on the surface of the barrier, and each flash is like breathing, repelling the chaotic energy that tries to get close.

From afar, the entire star field resembles a meticulously crafted pearl, radiating a hazy glow in the dark universe.

However, this protection was not absolute. Wang Ping's gaze penetrated the barrier and saw that there were already tiny cracks at the edge of the star field, which were traces of demonic energy intrusion. At the same time, Wang Ping also observed that the order and rules of the starry sky were also seeping out, trying to assimilate the destruction and chaos outside the domain. Unfortunately, this force was too weak, so weak that it could be ignored.

The five figures that captured this chaotic storm were impossible to observe precisely; their aura and secrets were concealed, and only a rough outline could be seen in the darkness.

Wang Ping guessed that their cultivation level should be equivalent to that of a True Monarch in the fifth realm of the Xuanmen, a speculation based on the Taiyan cultivators.

In the absolute depths of darkness, five blurry silhouettes floated in the void, orbiting the primordial chaotic storm. Then, all five figures simultaneously raised their hands, their fingertips unleashing unobservable runic arrays. These arrays intertwined, transforming into an even larger array that enveloped the chaotic storm. At the center of the array, a pitch-black rift slowly opened, and at the other end, the barrier of Wang Ping's star system could be vaguely seen.

The chaotic storm struggled, its billions of chaotic consciousnesses emitting silent screams, but its resistance was futile. The magic array constructed by the five figures had been activated. They were not suppressing it with brute force, but rather "pushing" the storm to the target star field through some rule of equivalent exchange.

Wang Ping observed that as the ritual progressed, the auras of the five figures were slowly weakening, as if maintaining the array for even a single breath was consuming their essence. Meanwhile, on the other side of the rift, under a starry sky inside the barrier, a tiny crack quietly widened, like a fissure deliberately pried open by some force.

Finally, at a certain moment, the chaotic storm was completely pushed into the rift and disappeared into the ruins of this vast universe.

As the chaotic storm engulfed the crevice, Wang Ping saw a massive altar…

The altar stretched for tens of thousands of miles, its surface covered with mysterious runes. Countless towering black pillars stood around it, their shafts wrapped in chains. Each chain was draped with countless bodies, tens of millions of beings nailed to the void. Their blood flowed along the chains, merging into the ravine in the center of the altar, forming a surging, blood-red ocean.

These creatures all bear distinct marks; they are civilians and cultivators captured in the battle between the three factions of Linshui Prefecture, Zhenyang Sect, and Vajra Temple, because they all bear the marks of captivity.

The altar was surrounded by mountains of energy crystals. These spiritual crystals, which should have been pure, were now stained a murky purplish-black. Inside, countless struggling consciousnesses and souls were sealed. The crystals were layered on top of each other, like a dam built for the altar. And inside the dam was a terrifying energy that could overturn the star field.

The moment the chaotic storm was pushed into the rift, the entire altar trembled violently.

The chains on the black pillar snapped inch by inch, and the suspended bodies exploded simultaneously, turning into blood mist that was swallowed by the altar; energy crystals exploded one after another, the consciousness and soul inside emitting a shrill scream, but were instantly crushed into the purest spiritual fuel; the inscriptions on the surface of the altar flickered wildly, as if a million eyes had opened at the same time, greedily sucking up this unprecedented sacrifice.

A grayish-white energy surged into the starry sky, engulfing everything on the altar—flesh and blood, consciousness, crystals, and even the building materials that constituted the altar itself—all collapsed into a pitch-black singularity within this energy.

This singularity existed for only a moment.

In the next instant, it erupted with a roar, transforming into a gray-white pillar of light that pierced through the heavens and earth, crashing straight into the still unclosed rift. Wherever the pillar passed, space shattered like glass, colliding with the chaotic storm deep within the rift and unleashing waves that made the stars tremble.

When the light faded, the altar was gone, replaced by a primordial chaotic storm that, upon appearing in this material starry sky, frantically devoured all detectable energy.

Wang Ping was very familiar with the magnificent altar he saw. It was the altar of the Nine Heavens Pavilion for summoning saints. Wang Ping had observed it up close under the guidance of Lord Zixuan and Daoist Yuheng. Moreover, at the last moment before the altar was destroyed, he captured the auras of Zixuan, Yuheng and Cangyue.

"That's absolutely stupid!"

Various thoughts surfaced in Wang Ping's mind, and he finally used these four words to evaluate the three of them. The saint that these three had been seeking was obviously an extraterrestrial life form in disguise. They may not have intended to summon this chaotic storm, but rather wanted to find the saint's whereabouts.

Therefore, their actions were not detected in advance. Moreover, this was the starry sky near the Taiyin Star, and Cang Yue used his own cultivation to hide the altar well in the Taiyin Qi.

But now Cang Yue is not a disciple of the Taiyin Sect, but a disciple of the Taiyan Sect whom Wang Ping has taken in.

"You really know how to cause trouble!"

Wang Ping gave another evaluation, then shook his head and used his own magic to clear most of the chaotic memories he had just read from his consciousness.

Xinghai's illusory figure emerged from the wood spirit energy, looking at the chaotic storm ahead and saying, "Perhaps you can try to define the energy here with the 'Heaven-Stealing Talisman.' I can help you. Once you sort it out, your cultivation may reach a higher level."

Wang Ping looked at Xinghai and said, "What made your sense of humanity suddenly become so full?"

Xinghai responded, "Seeing this chaotic storm, I suddenly feel nostalgic for the grandeur of the outer universe and begin to look forward to your future journey out of this starry sky."

"You should be able to leave on your own, right?"

"Yes, but that would be too boring!"

Do you care whether it's interesting or not?

"You do not understand!"

As Xinghai finished speaking, his figure vanished into nothingness.

When Wang Ping was observing this chaotic storm, he deduced the result of assimilating it using the 'Heaven-Stealing Talisman'. The result was almost identical to what Xinghai had said. If all goes well, the great net of rules in this starry sky will provide him with a lot of feedback as he refines the chaotic storm, which will accelerate his cultivation of the 'Heaven-Stealing Talisman'.

However, the True Lords might not give him that time, and they will surely guess what Wang Ping is doing. Therefore, even Lieyang and Xuanqing might not support him.

Moreover, the other True Monarchs might also be able to refine the energy of this chaotic storm to enhance their own cultivation, because this chaotic storm is ultimately a collection of the five elements and yin-yang energies, which has remained unchanged for hundreds of millions of years. It is chaotic to the outside world, but only relatively chaotic to this starry sky.

This was the outcome Wang Ping least wanted to see, because the extraterrestrial forces were still eyeing him covetously, and this might be the purpose of the extraterrestrial beings—to delay the time for the True Monarchs to purify the demonic world.

After all, although this chaotic storm may seem harmless now, it will definitely cause big problems if left unchecked, and it can only be resolved by the personal intervention of all the True Lords. There may be great profits to be made in the process of resolving it.

This is an open strategy; now it's up to you, my lords, to make your choice.

Thinking this, Wang Ping stepped out of the wood elemental energy, and a teleportation array appeared beneath his feet. The next moment, he was back beside Bai Yan and Xuan Qing. (End of Chapter)