Immortals of the End Times

Beyond the thirty-three heavens of the ancient celestial court, a barrier constructed by the four celestial venerables with their supreme Daoist aura stretches across the void, as insurmountable as a chasm.

In reality, the Thirty-Three Heavens are actually thirty-three layers of restrictions.

For ordinary cultivators, let alone breaking through the Great Dao blockade outside the heavens, even ascending to the Thirty-Three Heavens is as difficult as climbing to heaven.

However, Zhao Wuji received permission from Guangsha Tianzun, and his figure had barely approached the heavens when he arrived.

The once indestructible barrier of the Great Dao suddenly cracked open on its own.

Amidst the churning clouds, a sudden split occurred, revealing a gaping portal.

Zhao Wuji's eyes flashed, and he took a step forward, entering the outer realm.

In that instant, he felt as if he had fallen into an abyss of eternal night.

In the pitch-black vacuum environment devoid of light and heat, only a few starlight points in the far distance resembled extinguished candle flames.

A bone-chilling cold seeped into every part of his body, and even the white mist he exhaled instantly condensed into ice crystals that fell to the ground, but evaporated completely before falling.

Even more terrifying was that the surrounding spiritual energy rapidly depleted like a receding tide, and this intensified as they went deeper, until it was almost nonexistent.

"The Vacuum of Dharma Destruction?!"

He frowned, flipped his palm, and summoned the Vacuum Mirror of Annihilation, which hovered above his head, radiating a clear light.

The miniature world within his sleeve frantically absorbed and exhaled spiritual energy, forming a layer of glazed light shield three feet around him.

A series of cracking sounds came from the outer edge of the light shield, indicating that it was showing signs of freezing.

"The environment outside the sky."

Looking around intently, Zhao Wuji was deeply shaken.

Beyond these thirty-three heavens lay an eternally dark abyss where stars had vanished.

Those twinkling starlights seem so close, yet in reality they are separated by an immeasurable distance in the void.

What's even more unsettling is that the darkness is slowly creeping, like some living thing devouring the Daoist barrier set up by the Four Heavenly Venerables.

It turns out that the calamity of the Dharma-ending Age had already invaded from beyond the heavens in ancient times!

The Four Heavenly Venerables sealed off the heavens and earth with their own Great Dao, probably to prevent the invasion of the laws of the Dharma-ending Age from beyond the heavens.

Suddenly, the terrifying Daoist aura that once clung to the roots of the Jianmu tree like maggots, and the figures of the extraterrestrial beings who had once clashed with the Four Heavenly Venerables, resurfaced in his mind.

"Could it be... that the source of this Dharma-ending Age beyond the heavens is that great being from beyond the heavens?"

Upon realizing this, Zhao Wuji was terrified, as if struck by lightning.

At this moment, he had truly touched upon only the tip of the iceberg of the great calamity of the end times.

It turns out that this calamity of the end times, which devours spiritual energy, actually invaded from beyond the heavens.

The Four Heavenly Venerables of the past fought a desperate battle with the extraterrestrial power, and it is likely that both sides suffered heavy losses in the end.

The collapse of the Celestial Court and the fall of the Jianmu Tree were all due to the loss of the protection of the Celestial Venerable's Daoist aura.

From then on, the 'Path of the End of Dharma' from the unknown powerful being outside the heavens, like a malignant sore, finally swept in, dragging this world into the era of the End of Dharma when spiritual energy was depleted.

"The Way of the End Times"

Zhao Wuji's eyes suddenly turned cold.

The great being from beyond that sky was probably cultivating this 'Dharma-ending Age' Great Dao!
This path is extremely terrifying; even after ten thousand years, it can still erode the roots of the Jianmu tree and wreak havoc on the entire world.

However, judging from its condition, the extraterrestrial being must have paid a heavy price.

If it hadn't fallen into slumber like the Fallen Heavenly Dao, this world would have long since been transformed into a desolate, spiritless wasteland by its Daoist influence.

"The situation of that unknown powerful being is certainly not good."

Thinking of this, he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Looking around, all I saw was a world as black as ink, cold and lifeless, devoid of any vitality or spirit.

Looking back at the world he had come from, he saw nine divine mountains interlocking and biting each other, forming a strange world that defied common sense yet secretly conformed to the Great Dao, displaying some wondrous and profound phenomena.

Nine majestic peaks, resembling interlocking dragons, could be seen intertwined.

Although irregular, it exudes a natural and harmonious Daoist charm, as if a supreme being used heaven and earth as an inkstone and mountains and rivers as ink to write an unparalleled Daoist script.

Beneath the Nine Provinces, the Nine Netherworlds rise and fall like an abyss, as black as an egg, resembling an ancient, ferocious beast lurking, breathing in and out the turbid air of the netherworld.

Above the Nine Provinces, the Jianmu tree reaches the heavens, its crown like a canopy, supporting the celestial palaces in the sky.

The thirty-three layers of the sky, with their shimmering, jewel-like light, resembled a crown adorned with jewels and pendants draped over the land of China.

The entire world is neither square nor round, but rather resembles a piece of pottery sculpted at will by the hand of creation.

Where the nine peaks meet, the earth's veins surge like a dragon's tendons; at the junction of the abyss and the sky, the turbid and clear energies intertwine to form a chaotic vortex.

At the point where the roots of the Jianmu tree connect with the turbid air of the Nine Netherworlds, crystalline Dao patterns actually appeared.

This strange world, upon closer inspection, contains profound truths.

"How strange..."

Zhao Wuji stared intently at the scene.

The undulating contours of the landmass faintly reveal the profound trajectory of the Eight Trigrams.

Within the irregular structure of heaven and earth, the arrangement of the stars in the celestial sphere is also hidden.

At the very bottom, the Nine Nether Abyss, which resembles a black egg, has crisscrossing cracks on its surface, undulating and pulsating like the breathing of a living creature, as if an unborn primordial demon god is stirring in its womb.

Suddenly, the image of Pangu creating the world flashed through his mind.

The creator god in mythology, wasn't he also born from a primordial egg?

"Could it be."

Zhao Wuji's pupils contracted slightly. "The Nine Netherworlds are actually the placenta that gave birth to the innate demon god, while the Nine Provinces... are the shell that stretched out after it hatched?"

Then he thought of the corrupt nature of the six ancestral demons and couldn't help but scoff: "If the Nine Netherworlds nurture only such filthy things, then these innate demon gods are no different."

He then looked around at the cold universe, but still could not find any trace of the illusion of heaven and earth.

Zhao Wuji frowned slightly: "Could I have guessed wrong? Is this world not an illusion, but something that has been altered by some force, such as people or history?"

Many questions lingered in my mind, but I couldn't find the answers for the time being.

He simply sat cross-legged in the bone-chillingly cold void, his body enveloped in golden light that flowed like a cocoon, and began to breathe and regulate his breath, severing the path to enlightenment.
The permission granted by the Heavenly Venerable of Guangsha allowed him to glimpse the true face of the heavens, which indeed broadened his horizons.

At this moment, he finally understood that the root of the calamity of the end times was not the Heavenly Dao itself, but came from the vast heavens beyond.

That mysterious and powerful being who could rival the Four Heavenly Venerables and caused the collapse of the Celestial Court was the source of all evil.

Upon thinking of this, Zhao Wuji felt as if a thousand pounds were pressing down on his heart.

This truth is even more despairing than upholding the corrupt heavenly order and restoring order to chaos.

That was something that even the Four Heavenly Venerables were helpless against.

What can a mere Nascent Soul cultivator like him accomplish?
"When the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up, but now I've actually cultivated myself into the tallest person in the world. How am I supposed to hold it up?"

Upon realizing this, his resolve wavered for a moment.

He immediately used a hand seal to calm himself and suppress these useless thoughts.

The most urgent task at present is to help Heaven to become clear-headed.

As for the great being beyond that heaven, he has not appeared for tens of thousands of years, and the calamity of the end times has been intermittent, not constantly enveloping this world.

Perhaps that powerful being is indeed in some kind of predicament, just as we suspect, so there's no need to worry too much.

"There must be a road before the car reaches the mountain!"

Zhao Wuji immediately activated the Intercepting Dao True Meaning and began to comprehend the already vaguely emerging sixth true meaning, 'Intercepting Boundaries'.

This true meaning is specifically designed to break through the shackles of boundaries; it can cut off the chaos beyond the heavens above and sever the shackles of the nine netherworlds below.

This perfectly aligns with the profound principle of "the way of Heaven is to take from those who have more and give to those who have less."

Because heaven and earth are imperfect, it is necessary to extract the origin of other realms to make up for it.

At this moment, as he comprehends the Dao in this remote, otherworldly realm, he finds himself in perfect harmony with it.
It exists independently of the universe, in a unique situation completely separated from the world below.

Yet it is precisely the state of enlightenment that best aligns with the 'true meaning of the boundary'.

If one can fully comprehend this true meaning and condense a complete Dao mark on the Dao seal, it will be clear proof that one's Daoist arts are profound and that one's Daoist realm has reached the perfection of the Divine Transformation stage.

Until then.

A single thought can sever the shackles of boundaries.
A single finger can cut through both real and illusory barriers.

Not only can it promote the complete integration of the ancient and mysterious land with the space of the pot heaven, but it can also use this power to break the boundary to explore the true veins of this world and enter the realm of Dao integration.

Zhao Wuji understood something.

If one can fully comprehend the true meaning of this boundary, perhaps one can use this profound meaning to explore the reality and illusion of the ancient Nine Netherworlds within this ancient and mysterious land.

As he was pondering this, his heart suddenly skipped a beat.

An ominous premonition suddenly welled up in my heart.

"Hmm?" Zhao Wuji frowned slightly, immediately stopped his enlightenment, and began to manipulate the Mengtou Technique to deduce the secrets of heaven in conjunction with the Star Number Technique.

"Star numbers, evolution!"

With his left hand outstretched, nine dazzling stars appeared out of thin air, swirling around him like a celestial sphere.

Each star has tadpole-shaped patterns on its surface.

In an instant, the two beams of magical light intertwined to form a net.

The "Mengtou Technique" was like a sudden enlightenment, making his mind clear.

Astrology is like reading the lines on your palm, revealing all the secrets of heaven.

The golden lines between his brows flickered erratically, and blurry images flashed through his mind.

First, blood stains the sky, then dark clouds press down on the city, threatening to crush it.

Then, a calamity mark appeared between the brows of a close person, and blood suddenly flashed.

In the end, a familiar figure teetered on the brink of collapse amidst the tribulation.
A moment later, he suddenly opened his eyes, his expression changing slightly.

The analysis shows that the crisis actually came from someone close to you!

Above his head, a dark cloud, symbolizing calamity, had gathered, faintly revealing a bloody light, clearly indicating that someone was about to encounter a great disaster.

"Weird things"

Zhao Wuji was secretly surprised and suspicious.

Logically speaking, Hua Qingshuang and the others have all reached the Nascent Soul stage, and even Li Shiyu, whose cultivation is the weakest, should have broken through to the Nascent Soul stage after fifteen years.

With him as their backer, there are very few people in the world who can threaten them.

Moreover, over the years he has intimidated all sides with his reputation for vanquishing demons and manifesting sainthood, so who would dare to harm those around him?

A cold glint flashed in Zhao Wuji's eyes, and he suddenly thrust his two fingers together in a sword gesture toward his brow.

"Intercept the shipment!"

With a loud shout, the golden intercepting pattern burst forth from between his brows, instantly transforming into thousands of golden threads that pierced into the surging black aura above his head.

Each golden thread was wrapped with profound Dao patterns, tearing at the aura of calamity like a hungry eagle seizing its prey.

The dark clouds churned violently, emitting a shrill howl like the wailing of a vengeful ghost.

"go with!"

He made a calamity-averting hand seal with his left hand, and suddenly a three-foot-long beam of clear light burst forth from his fingertips.

The blue light appeared gentle, but wherever it passed, it was like boiling water poured on snow, and any ominous energy dissipated upon contact.

Thirty-six talismans for warding off disasters could be faintly seen floating in the clear light, forming a net-like trap.

"Crack!"

Suddenly, a sharp cracking sound came from deep within the dark clouds as chains snapped.

Zhao Wuji's pupils contracted slightly, and he saw wisps of scarlet mist seeping out from the dissipating disaster aura.

As the mist twisted and turned, it actually transformed into six hideous demonic faces, revealing the aura of the six great ancestral demons of the Nine Netherworlds!

"The Nine Nether Ancestral Demon... is indeed strange."

Zhao Wuji frowned slightly, snorted coldly, and his right hand suddenly changed hand seals. The True Meaning of Intercepting the Dao burst forth with dazzling starlight like thousands of golden threads.

It merged with the purifying light to form a chaotic vortex, crushing the remaining demonic energy to dust.

"Stars!"

He seized the opportunity to perform another divination incantation, and nine stars circulated in mid-air like the Zhou Tian ritual.

The chess pieces flickered and trembled, resonating with the true meaning of intercepting heavenly secrets, finally revealing the source of the calamity.
"It's actually Xiaoyue?!"

As the heavenly secrets were revealed, the young apprentice Xiaoyue was seen attempting to break through to the Golden Core realm.

He was currently in the most dangerous moment of the Tribulation of Intent, and his spiritual energy was in chaos. He was already showing signs of going into demonic possession!
Zhao Wuji suddenly stood up, and with a flick of his sleeve, the portal to the Heavenly Pot burst open.

He took a step forward, and his figure instantly appeared in the underground lava cave.

As soon as he appeared, a scorching wind rushed towards him, making his robes flutter loudly.

Looking up, one could see the demon tree avatar standing majestically in the cave, its trunk having grown to nearly three thousand feet, its gnarled roots deeply embedded in the magma, and its body swirling with a rich, tangible Daoist aura.

"My clones have improved quite a bit over the years."

His eyes flashed like lightning as he scanned the clone's condition with his divine sense. He saw that the Jianmu Dao patterns on its main trunk were becoming clearer and deeper, with each pattern seemingly containing the ultimate truths of the universe.

Clearly, this clone is imitating the ancient Jianmu tree, drawing power from the earth veins of the Nine Provinces and the Nine Netherworlds, and is nearing a breakthrough.

Zhao Wuji did not delay any longer and immediately activated the copying technique.

In an instant, a clear light flowed, and his figure vanished like a bubble. When he reappeared, he was already outside the gate of the Immortal Saint Sect.

In recent years, he has devoted himself to cultivation in the Third Heavenly Space, without getting close to his Daoist partners such as Hua Qingshuang, and has never left his seclusion.

Therefore, before going into seclusion, the first portal to the Heavenly Pot was placed in the backyard of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion, so that the two girls, Medicine Boy Xiaoyue and Wine Boy Xiaoya, could come and go freely, instead of being completely trapped in the Heavenly Pot space.

At this moment, his divine sense spread out like a tide, instantly locking onto the backyard of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion.

Inside the Pot Heaven space, Xiao Yue sat cross-legged, her spiritual energy surging like boiling water.

Her brows were furrowed, fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, and the expression on her pretty face kept changing, clearly indicating that she was deeply mired in the most dangerous tribulation of the Golden Core Tribulation, the Tribulation of Intent.

Suddenly, Xiaoyue's delicate body trembled violently, her lips parted slightly, and a thin line of bright red blood spilled from the corner of her lips.

Within his sea of ​​consciousness, demonic flames surged, and countless phantom images of inner demons bared their fangs and brandished their claws.

The most ferocious of them all transformed into the likeness of Zhao Wuji.

It was the same attire worn by the white-robed imperial physician from the Xuan Kingdom's capital back then.

The demonic figure was dressed in a simple imperial physician's robe, with a medicine pouch hanging at his waist. His features were gentle and refined, but a mocking sneer played on his lips as he uttered words like, "There is a difference between us, master and servant. Recognize your own identity." Each word was like a knife.

"No, that's not how it is."

Xiao Yue's primordial spirit trembled violently like a candle flickering in the wind, her sea of ​​consciousness was turbulent, and her Dao heart was on the verge of collapse.

Years of suppressed emotions transformed into countless poisonous blades, piercing the Dao heart with countless holes.

Those unspoken words of admiration and the sleepless nights they spent dreaming of have now become the most deadly demons consuming their hearts.

"Crack!"

Suddenly, a shocking fine crack appeared on the surface of the newly formed golden core in her dantian.

"Sister Yue!"

The little girl standing by was so anxious that her eyes were red and her delicate hands were tightly gripping the hem of her clothes.

She was also at a critical juncture of perfect concentration and breakthrough, and could naturally see that the tribulation clouds gathering above Xiaoyue's head were becoming increasingly gloomy, clearly a sign of a failed breakthrough.

Just now.

"Buzz!"

A spatial ripple appeared, and a figure in a green robe crossed the air. The golden mark between his brows shone as brightly as the rising sun, and the spiritual pressure emanating from his body was like a gentle spring breeze, causing even the boiling thunderclouds of the pill tribulation to pause.

The entire Pot Heaven space instantly fell into absolute silence. Even the lightning and fire of the Golden Core Tribulation seemed to be intimidated by this magnificent Daoist aura, and slowed down as they passed through the Pot Heaven barrier.

"My lord!"

The little girl's almond-shaped eyes widened, and she exclaimed softly with a mixture of surprise and delight.

Zhao Wuji was bathed in a faint, clear light, and every breath he exuded contained a profound and reassuring Daoist charm.

Simply standing there, he seemed to stabilize all the turmoil like a pillar of strength.

"It's alright! I'll handle it!"

Zhao Wuji's eyes were gentle, and his voice was calm, yet he possessed a reassuring composure and strength that instantly eased Xiao Ya's anxiety.

His gaze fell on Xiaoyue, and a blood moon appeared in his double pupils, like two scarlet crescent moons hanging in his sea of ​​consciousness.

In an instant, every detail of the scene within Xiaoyue's sea of ​​consciousness appeared vividly.

But the pitch-black demonic energy, like a malignant sore, clung to her primordial spirit.

The three demonic forces of greed, anger, and resentment are the most intense, manifesting as a hideous demonic face that occupies the spiritual platform, occasionally emitting a piercing, sinister laugh.

The most insidious of all were those few almost imperceptible wisps of demonic energy, like venomous snakes lurking, secretly altering her breakthrough insights and leading her astray into demonic possession.

"The Ancestral Demon."

A cold glint flashed in Zhao Wuji's eyes, and the Dao Seal between his brows flickered uncertainly.

The six great demons of the Nine Netherworlds used Xiao Yue as bait to lay a trap.

This perilous tribulation of intention was actually a trap carefully woven by the Ancestral Demon, its main purpose being to lure him here.

Otherwise, Xiao Yue, who was only preparing to break through to the Golden Core stage, would never have aroused the interest of the Ancestral Demon.
(End of this chapter)