Gaze and you will become stronger: starting from Doupo

It was a sense of superiority that ran deep in his bones, an arrogance that looked down on all living beings in the heavens and the earth, as if the survival of the heavens and the earth was entirely in his hands.

The chariot hummed, its runes flashing intensely, and an even more terrifying pressure emanated from within. Then, a hand slowly emerged from the chariot—a slender, pale hand with neatly trimmed nails and skin as smooth as jade, a stark contrast to the bloody brutality of the battlefield. Though its movements were slow, this hand carried an unparalleled power, ignoring spatial distance, and slowly lifted towards the heavens, its target the approaching immortal city.

boom!
The celestial city crashed down with immense force, countless immortal symbols flashing across its surface. Chaotic energy exploded around it, and an overwhelming killing intent erupted like a tsunami, shattering space wherever it passed, even scattering the black and white mist of the Heavenly Abyss. This was the power of the ancient immortal inheritance, the culmination of countless ancestors' efforts, carrying the belief of protecting the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, vowing to completely annihilate the threat from the alien realm!

However, this celestial city, imbued with boundless power, was utterly paralyzed the moment it touched that palm, as if it had crashed into an immortal mountain. That seemingly slender palm had actually blocked the impact of the celestial city. The point where the palm touched the top of the city erupted with dazzling light, and the energy shockwave spread outwards, causing the entire Tianyuan to shake violently.

Even more terrifying, later on, this hand slowly rose upwards, forcefully lifting the entire immortal city into the air! It seemed to possess the power to lift the heavens and shake the earth, effortlessly neutralizing the immortal city's fatal blow!
"Is this the immortal king from another realm?!"

"With just one hand, it actually held up the immortal city that the Seven Immortal Kings of the Ancient Era were riding on! Such power is simply unimaginable!"

"What can we do? Even the Immortal City can't stop him. Can the Immortal King from another realm really cross the Heavenly Abyss?"

"Could it be that the Imperial Pass is really about to fall, and the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths are about to perish?!"

……

Within the Heavenly Abyss, the immortal city erupted with boundless immortal light. The runes on its surface flickered wildly, attempting to break free from the grasping hand. Yet, no matter how hard the immortal city struggled, it could not repel the seemingly ordinary hand. Witnessing this scene, the cultivators of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths felt a chill run down their spines, a deep despair enveloping their hearts. They had originally thought the appearance of the immortal city was a glimmer of hope, but reality had dealt them a heavy blow.

The Crimson-Eyed Elder from the Immortal Ancient Era appeared. He was known as the strongest person below the Seven Kings, with unparalleled combat power. However, even with him controlling the Immortal City and exerting all his strength, he still could not stop the advance of An Lan, the Immortal King from another realm! This disparity in strength made them feel an unprecedented sense of powerlessness.

"The city stands, we stand; the city falls, we fall! Kill!"

On the city wall, the crimson-eyed old man let out a mournful roar. The flames in his crimson pupils burned even brighter, no longer mere light, but solidified into a deep crimson-black inferno that surged forth from his eyes. However, these flames were not directed outwards to attack the enemy, but instead burned his own flesh and jade-like bones!
His skin rapidly dried and carbonized in the flames, revealing his stark white bones, which crackled and sputtered with black flames. Yet, his face showed no pain, only unwavering resolve. He was using his remaining life force to burn his last reserves of power, infusing the immortal city with even greater might!
"What is the Crimson-Eyed Elder doing!" On the city wall, the assembled Supreme Beings frowned upon seeing this scene, their eyes filled with incomprehension and heartache. They couldn't understand why the Crimson-Eyed Elder would harm himself in this way.

"His life is nearing its end. He's burning his withered body, attempting to mobilize the strongest power of the Heavenly Abyss's rules, to control the Immortal City and perish together with Anlan Jade." Wu Fang stood atop the city wall, gazing at the crimson-eyed old man burning himself in the Heavenly Abyss. His voice was calm, yet carried a barely perceptible sigh. He could see through the crimson-eyed old man's condition; it was a sign of his life force waning. Burning his life was his last resort, and also his most tragic choice.

"Can it succeed?" Meng Tianzheng clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white, and asked with a furrowed brow. His heart was filled with worry. The Crimson-Eyed Elder was their last hope, and if even he failed, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Wu Fang shook his head, a hint of helplessness in his eyes: "The difference in strength is too great. An Lan is an immortal king who has lived for countless years, with a deep foundation, while the Crimson-Eyed Elder is already exhausted. Even if he burns his life force, he will hardly be able to shake the other party in the slightest." He was telling the truth. Although he admired the Crimson-Eyed Elder's courage, courage often seemed pale and powerless in the face of an absolute difference in strength.

Meng Tianzheng's expression changed drastically, and his voice trembled slightly: "Then... is there any way to stop him? We can't just watch the Crimson-Eyed Elder sacrifice himself!" He looked at Wu Fang, his eyes filled with the last hope. He knew that only Wu Fang might still have the ability to change the course of the battle.

"This is his last wish, grant it." Wu Fang looked up at the one-armed old man engulfed in black flames in the abyss and sighed. It wasn't that he didn't want to help, but he could sense that An Lan's strength far surpassed his current level. Even the system hadn't given any hints, clearly indicating that his current strength was insufficient to contend with An Lan. The red-eyed old man's choice was a tragic act of knowing it was futile, the ultimate glory of a warrior. He had no right to interfere, nor could he.

A deafening roar echoed through the Heavenly Abyss. Driven by the crimson-eyed elder's burning life force, the Immortal City erupted with unprecedented brilliance. Especially at its center, a beam of light shot forth, piercing the very heart of the Heavenly Abyss. Wherever the beam passed, countless fragments of space ignited, transforming into dazzling starlight, unleashing boundless magical power and overwhelming immortal might, seemingly threatening to set the entire Heavenly Abyss ablaze!
Immediately afterwards, the black and white mist in Tianyuan began to burn fiercely, transforming into a sky full of immortal flames. Countless runes condensed within the flames, and these runes, as if possessing life, flew towards the Immortal City, merging into every corner of the city. The aura of the Immortal City reached its peak at this moment, surpassing any time before.

One after another, immortal laws descended from the bottom of the immortal city, like a world-shaking divine rainbow, piercing through heaven and earth, eternally immortal. These laws carried an unstoppable momentum, slaying gods and Buddhas alike, obliterating all obstacles in their path, sweeping towards An Lan's chariot with the power to annihilate all living beings! This was the final blow that the Crimson-Eyed Elder had sacrificed his life for, a perfect fusion of the immortal city and the rules of the Heavenly Abyss, a symbol of the indomitable will of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths!

"Ants, your struggle is futile!"

An Lan's disdainful, indifferent voice rang out again, showing no emotion whatsoever. As his words fell, an ancient decree flew out of the chariot. The decree was entirely golden, inscribed with countless runes in ancient, exotic script. As the runes flickered, their light illuminated the entire universe, carrying an aura of invincibility that instantly locked down the surrounding space, flying towards the millions of immortal laws!

The decree, though seemingly insignificant, exuded a pressure far more terrifying than that of the celestial city. It was the supreme authority of an immortal king, a symbol of ruling over billions of beings in another realm. Wherever it passed, the laws of immortality trembled, as if encountering their nemesis, and even the burning flames of immortal energy dimmed.

In the Heavenly Abyss, the final blow from the Immortal City was about to collide with An Lan's decree. The entire border battlefield fell into a deathly silence, and all living beings focused their gaze on the Heavenly Abyss, awaiting the final outcome. The cultivators of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths held their breath, clasped their hands together, and prayed silently; the cultivators from other realms, on the other hand, wore fanatical expressions, anticipating that their king would crush all obstacles.

Standing atop the city wall, Wu Fang gazed at the crimson-eyed old man burning with life, and at the immortal city that carried countless hopes, his heart filled with countless emotions. He knew the outcome of this battle was already predetermined, but the crimson-eyed old man's resoluteness and courage were deeply etched into his heart. Perhaps this was the reason why the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths had been able to endure to this day—there are always some people who, in the darkest of times, are willing to burn themselves to illuminate the path ahead.

The winds of the battlefield still howled, carrying the stench of blood and dust, brushing against everyone's faces. The light in the abyss grew brighter and brighter; the clash of laws and decrees was imminent, and the ultimate showdown that would determine the fate of the borderlands was about to unfold before everyone's eyes.

On the boundless battlefield, gale-force winds, sharp as knives, cleaved the void, rendering even the faintest light of countless stars dim. The Abyss, a bottomless chasm of darkness, stretched between the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths and the alien realm, its interior churning with chaotic currents capable of devouring all life. Since ancient times, it had been a chasm separating the two worlds, a death trap for countless cultivators. But today, this battlefield, silent for countless ages, was about to unleash a cataclysmic storm, one that would shake the ages, due to the collision of two supreme forces.

At one end of the battlefield, an ancient immortal city floated on the edge of the abyss. Forged from an unknown immortal metal, it still radiated a faint, ethereal glow despite the erosion of time. The city walls were covered with mottled engravings, marks left by countless battles, each line seemingly telling a story of past glory and tragedy. At this moment, in the center of the immortal city, a one-armed old man stood silently—the Crimson-Eyed Elder. Time had left indelible marks on him; his body was withered, like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment. But his eyes burned with two crimson flames, flames containing endless vicissitudes, resolute determination, and a deep longing for the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. He knew his time was up, his frail body could not endure much longer, but if he could exchange his withered body for a sliver of hope to protect, it would be enough to console him for the rest of his life.

The crimson-eyed old man slowly raised his only remaining arm, his withered fingers pointing to the sky, uttering ancient, obscure syllables. As he chanted, wisps of green smoke began to rise from his body—the burning essence of his life force. At first, it was just a weak flame, flickering like a firefly, but soon, the flames surged wildly, engulfing his entire body. His withered flesh sizzled in the flames, every inch of skin, every bone releasing its last energy—the culmination of his life's cultivation, his understanding of the Great Dao, and his unwavering devotion to protecting the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

"With my crippled body, I will summon the Heavenly Abyss!" The crimson-eyed elder let out a long, earth-shattering roar, his voice carrying boundless power, as if to awaken the very heavens and earth. As his words fell, the churning chaotic currents within the Heavenly Abyss suddenly became violent, like a boiling, raging sea. Countless black energy pillars shot up from the bottom of the abyss, converging towards the Immortal City. These energy pillars contained the power of laws accumulated over billions of years in the Heavenly Abyss, violent and domineering, distorting and shattering space wherever they passed. The Immortal City seemed to sense this resolute will, and began to tremble violently. The ancient engravings on the city walls lit up one by one, emitting a dazzling light that shone in harmony with the power of the Heavenly Abyss.

In an instant, the entire immortal city erupted with boundless light, countless runes of law flowing and intertwining around its body, forming a massive light curtain that covered the heavens and earth. Within this light curtain, it seemed as if countless ancient ancestors were shouting, countless battle spirits were roaring—the accumulated faith and power of countless years across the nine heavens and ten earths. The crimson-eyed old man's body gradually became transparent in the flames, but the crimson in his eyes burned even brighter. He thrust his one arm forward with a mighty jerk, and the immortal city, empowered by the power of the Heavenly Abyss and his own life essence, hurtled towards the alien realm like a burning meteor, carrying an unparalleled momentum capable of destroying the world!

On the other side of the battlefield, a chariot pulled by a nine-headed golden ancient dragon silently floated in the void. The chariot was entirely crafted from immortal divine metal, engraved with the sun, moon, stars, mountains, and vegetation; every line contained the essence of immortality. Billions of divine lights surrounded the chariot, radiating an unparalleled, domineering pressure that seemed to freeze time and space around it simply by its existence. Inside the chariot, a figure sat regally—the Immortal King, An Lan. No one could see his true face; they could only sense the awe and fear emanating from the depths of their souls, as if he were the embodiment of the rules of heaven and earth, the master of all things.

The moment the Crimson-Eyed Elder unleashed the power of the Heavenly Abyss, and the Immortal City surged forth with unparalleled might, An Lan sensed the sheer intensity of that power. He remained unmoved, as if the attack before him were nothing more than an ant trying to shake a tree. A detached hum echoed from within the chariot, and a golden decree appeared out of thin air, hovering before it. This decree, no larger than a palm, emanated an aura that caused heaven and earth to tremble. Countless profound runes were inscribed upon it, each shimmering with an immortal luster—the condensation of An Lan's own Great Dao, a symbol of the supreme authority of an Immortal King.

"You mere crippled body, yet you dare to be so presumptuous." An Lan's voice was calm and even, yet carried an undeniable authority. As his words fell, the imperial decree suddenly surged, transforming into a golden rainbow that pierced through the heavens and earth, flying fiercely towards the Immortal City. Wherever the decree passed, space was annihilated inch by inch, and countless stars trembled under its oppressive power, as if they were about to collapse at any moment.

The next moment, the celestial city and the divine decree collided with a deafening roar in the center of the boundless battlefield! (End of Chapter)