Chapter 1658
Chapter 1658. Tai Xuan Ancestor God, Let the Great Calamity Ceremony Arrive Early
“So, what do you plan to do next?”
In the courtyard, a gentle breeze blew, causing a few bamboo stalks to gently sway in the light of the setting sun, producing a rustling sound.
Mu Yan tucked a few strands of hair from her forehead and focused her attention back on the chessboard. Although she was the heir to the Xianling Civilization, she didn’t have much interest in cultivation. These years, she had been living quite leisurely in the Faitian Alliance. On the other hand, people like Mo Tong and Ling Huang had been busy managing the affairs of the Faitian Alliance.
However, as the future “Empress of the Heavens,” Mu Yan’s cultivation talent was naturally extraordinary. Even though she hadn’t focused on cultivation, her progress had far surpassed ordinary people. When she first met Gu Changge, she was only at the Xianwang level, but now she had reached the near-Xian Emperor realm, almost on the verge of becoming an Xian Emperor. Given another ten thousand years, she would definitely be able to reach the Dao Realm.
“To scheme against me, naturally, one must pay the price for it.”
Gu Changge slightly shook his head, his thoughts retracting as his gaze pierced through the faith power, landing on the Kunxu True Realm.
The divine path civilization system was different from the immortal path civilization system, as it did not have sects and orthodoxies. Each deity was an independent entity, possessing their own believers and divine nations. The divine powers and authorities of each god were also not the same.
Aside from many innate deities, most of the postnatal deities were weaker than some Immortal Kings or even Immortal Emperors. This was because gods needed vast numbers of followers to support them in order to condense their divine positions. Whether it was their own small worlds or spreading faith across various universes, everything depended on external forces. Without a solid foundation, they could easily collapse.
Cultivators, on the other hand, relied on their own strength. An Immortal King already had the power to annihilate an entire world with a single hand, not to mention Immortal Emperors, who could destroy entire universes with a thought. Thus, only those gods who truly had divine status and controlled part of the heavenly authority could rival the Dao Realm beings of the Immortal Path Civilization. Such gods, just like Dao Realm beings, had various titles (Xushen), (Zhen Shen), (Zushen), corresponding to the virtual, true, and ancestral Dao realms respectively.
Xushen, Zhenshen, and Zushen are not terms for the realms of divine path civilization, but rather refer to the god’s divine status and the extent of the heavenly authority they control.
Over countless epochs, the divine path civilization had faded from the vastness, and the number of Xushen had become fewer and fewer. However, the number of innate gods remained considerable, hiding deep within the vast expanse of time and space, each with their own divine kingdoms.
In the ancient past, there had been a flourishing era for the divine path civilization, with various innate divine systems and countless deities sitting in charge, splitting the heavenly authority, refining divine statuses, and establishing divine offices. The powerful ancestral gods sat high in the sky, overseeing all worlds, while the weaker deities spread faith across different worlds and universes, developing followers. The Immortal Path Civilization was oppressed and relegated to the bottom.
But the vastness of the universe, with its endless and profound history, meant that even the divine path civilization could only be like a fleeting star, briefly illuminating a brilliant era before vanishing in an instant.
The rise of the Faitian Alliance, which spread believers and harvested faith, caused some hidden gods to grow envious and covetous. Gu Changge was not surprised at this. Those gods could only be considered remnants of the old era.
Today, the Immortal Path Civilization had flourished and overshadowed the once-glorious divine path civilization. Even the strongest ancestral gods did not dare to casually appear, fearing that their divine kingdoms would be exposed and targeted by Dao Realm existences.
Buzz!
In the Kunxu True Realm, high above the Taixu Realm, a divine gaze watched as cracks appeared on the divine statues inside the Faitian Shrines, revealing a hint of satisfaction.
Although she had briefly taken control of Chen Jinhai’s body earlier, causing him to commit such sacrilegious acts, this was ultimately something Chen Jinhai had done of his own volition. His faith was not pure, and his heart was filled with desires.
The thought of desecrating the gods had long existed in his mind, and it was only a matter of time before he acted upon it. She merely pushed the event forward.Generally, when a god faces such sacrilegious acts from their followers, they would be furious. The tainted and corrupted faith power not only pollutes the source of faith but also causes the divine body’s backlash. Although it would not completely collapse, it would still be affected to some extent.
“This part of the time-space domain will be my compensation for you. If you harbor sacrilegious thoughts, you are destined to never be content as a mere believer.”
Her true form stood in the void beyond multiple dimensions, a place that ordinary living beings and cultivators could not even perceive. To her, this action was not only a warning to the Lord of Faitian but also a test for him. She was confident that with the Lord of Faitian’s abilities, he would certainly be able to notice.
In the Taixu Realm, Chen Jinhai stood frozen, staring at the god statue before him, which had appeared with cracks, as if unable to regain his senses for a long time. However, he did not notice the diamond-shaped light flickering on his forehead, which emitted a mysterious aura that enveloped him.
Across the vast land, the Faitian Shrines stood tall, yet a pervasive atmosphere of panic and fear filled the air. Today was supposed to be the great sacrificial day when the beings of the Taixu Realm paid their respects at the Faitian Shrines. However, the statues inside the shrines suddenly cracked open, revealing large fractures.
How could this not cause panic and worry among the people, making them think someone had angered the Lord of Faitian, and that the gods would punish them for it?
After thousands of years, the immense divine power of the Lord of Faitian had deeply embedded itself in the hearts of every living being in the Taixu Realm, making them fear and revere it.
“Who angered the god? God is angry…”
“We are all sinners. We must face divine punishment…”
Within the Faitian Shrines, the temple priests who were responsible for gathering incense and wish power wore faces filled with fear and anger. Many others were filled with concern, their voices trembling, “I can no longer feel the presence of the Lord of Faitian. The divine power granted by the god is drifting away, the god has abandoned us…”
The fear and panic spread across the land.
“The divine power has been tainted, the faith is impure. Naturally, your god will distance itself from you…”
Seeing this scene, the hidden gaze in the void finally withdrew in satisfaction. Although the divine path civilization system had faded over the years, it did not mean that it would allow the division of heavenly authority by other civilization systems.
Heavenly authority was a vast and important piece of the cosmic puzzle. The Immortal Path Civilization, in a parasitic manner, relied on it to comprehend the Great Dao, control the laws, and transcend.
On the other hand, the divine path civilization sought to occupy and claim the heavenly authority for itself. The fall of the gods over countless ages had often been related to the struggle for heavenly authority, with each god coveting another’s divine status.
For the divine path system, heavenly authority would never disappear or change based on the rise or fall of any one civilization. It has always existed, constant and unchanging, like the beginning and end of all things, the cycle of life and death, the succession of worlds. Its existence establishes the rules and order of the worlds, the purpose of material existence, as well as the law of birth, death, and reincarnation. Fate, time, space, cause, and effect—all of these are bound by heavenly authority.
As long as there is heaven and earth, there will be material and life. To put it bluntly, everything in the vast universe is connected and dependent upon heavenly authority.
The strength of the divine path civilization system lies in its division of heavenly authority and the establishment of its own divine system. Naturally, the Immortal Path Civilization, or any other civilization system, would have a completely different understanding of heavenly authority.
“Are you perhaps meddling too much?”
Suddenly, a calm voice echoed in the void of multiple dimensions. The figure, originally intending to retract its gaze, suddenly felt a large black hand swiftly reaching out towards her.
The vast hand, cloaked in chaotic energy and stars, with worlds circling around it, made the surrounding time-space tremble as if it was about to collapse.
“To think you’ve found this place? Well then, let me test your abilities.”
She let out a soft gasp, not showing much fear. Her face, previously blurry and changing, suddenly solidified into a faint divine feminine face with a golden vertical line on her forehead, at the center of which was a tightly closed eye. Behind her, a divine halo continually overlapped, radiating a deep purple light, and one could hear the thunderous sound of countless cosmic worlds colliding.The vast divine power surged, filling every inch of time, space, and dimension. The prayers, sacrificial sounds, and world echoes of countless beings resounded in harmony. A long river of willpower appeared, constantly churning and bubbling, as deities stepped out, sitting in solemn meditation, their presence ancient and dignified.
The terrifying divine power gathered like a sea, rushing to meet the enormous hand descending upon them. The space of this dimension immediately erupted like boiling water, with various energies spilling out, erasing everything in their path.
The deities chanting the sacred rites kept breaking and collapsing, yet they reappeared from the river of willpower, seemingly endless, never perishing.
“The divine kingdom will not perish, my divine body will not die. You cannot harm me.”
The authoritative and mighty voice resonated through the vast dimensions, with all the deities echoing in unison. Brilliant divine light enveloped them, as if they were immersed in the endless source of divine power, never to fade.
“Gods I have once destroyed have said similar things. Do you wish to follow in their footsteps?”
Gu Changge’s vague figure appeared in distant time and space. His expression remained calm as he gazed at the figure of the innate god, immediately spotting the concealed dimensions of time and space.
“Hehehe, I only wanted to remind you not to overstep your boundaries. It was just a little joke, why get so worked up?”
The blurred divine feminine face suddenly revealed an expression full of charm, like the laughter of a thousand beautiful women, each as captivating and alluring as a perfect beauty. The sound was so enchanting that it could melt even the bones of those in the Dao Realm.
Gu Changge did not speak further, instead, he extended his hand, mirroring the previous gesture. The rivers of time and fate appeared before him, with countless Daoist orders twisting and breaking. The immense destructive power within seemed capable of shaking the very foundations of existence, intimidating all realms.
This palm was incredibly radiant, spanning vast stretches of time and space as it crashed down, covering multiple dimensions. Every inch of void trembled, threatening to collapse and distort.
This was no mere force—it was the crushing collision of Dao, laws, and order.
Without a doubt, the deities that had been condensed could not withstand Gu Changge’s palm. Even the churning river of willpower shattered, turning to dust and dissipating.
Boom!
The dimension exploded completely, and the surrounding worlds of the universe silently perished.
A vast and ancient divine kingdom revealed itself in the shattered void, but as Gu Changge’s palm reached for it, the divine kingdom’s borders silently dissipated, becoming a light rain. Millions of its citizens vanished in an instant.
Those citizens had no idea what had occurred. They only saw a terrifying hand sweep across the sky, and then their entire world crumbled and disintegrated.
“You actually destroyed my divine kingdom?”
The once majestic and ancient voice suddenly grew agitated and distressed. Even a true ancestral god would find it difficult to nurture a divine kingdom of such scale. To have it instantly destroyed by Gu Changge filled her with immense sorrow.
The existence of a divine kingdom was not just about the number of followers or the purity of faith; it was also tied to the amount of divine power. The more divine kingdoms one possessed, and the larger their scale, the more divine power they could harness.
Seeing that Gu Changge remained unmoved and continued pressing forward, she had no choice but to retreat. If her other divine kingdoms were exposed, they too would likely be destroyed by Gu Changge. Such an outcome would not be worth the effort.
She had been too careless in this reckless attempt to test Gu Changge, allowing him to easily locate her hidden dimension. Now, with Gu Changge’s true body yet to descend, she could only quickly retreat.
Continuing to fight against Gu Changge would offer her no benefit. If other innate gods realized her location, they might come after her, coveting her divine status and power. Soon, the vast divine power in this dimension began to withdraw like a receding tide, as if to retreat from the confrontation.
“You wish to leave just like that? Did you ask for my permission?” Gu Changge’s tone was indifferent. He naturally understood her intentions.
After scheming against him, she thought she could simply walk away unscathed—how naïve. Although her strength far exceeded that of ordinary ancestral gods, with the capital to act as she pleased, her power was still far from enough to act recklessly before him.
Boom!
Gu Changge raised his palm and extended his finger. Blinding light shot out, resembling a celestial sword singing through the air, and in an instant, the entire space resonated with a terrifying, howling sword chant.
This sword strike cut through space, cleaving time and space apart, while the great Dao laws were severed and smoothed out. The innate deity, who had been attempting to retreat, raised her delicate arm, also pointing a finger toward the oncoming sword light. The roaring sword glow rushed towards him, parting everything in its path. However, it was clear that her hurried counterattack was ineffective. With a muffled grunt, her entire arm was severed, the wound smooth as a mirror with no blood spilling out. At the same time, the divine halo behind her emitted a sharp cracking sound, almost shattering entirely.
“I will come back for you…” she growled, looking back at Gu Changge with hatred.
Gu Changge calmly and indifferently watched her, choosing not to pursue. Seizing this opportunity, ripples appeared in the space before her. Layers of intersecting dimensions like a distorted mirror formed, creating a labyrinth-like pathway. She immediately disappeared into it, vanishing in an instant.
“Tai Xuan?”
“Looks like that’s her divine name.”
Gu Changge waved his hand, drawing the severed arm towards him. It was slender and white, like snow lotus stems, still brimming with vitality and divine power. The skin was translucent, delicate and flawless, with no traces of blood, and exuded a peculiar fragrance.
Through the divine power that seeped out, Gu Changge captured the true name of this innate god—Tai Xuan Ancestor God. That must be her name. Afterward, he left the shattered and chaotic space. This place was too far from the Xianling Civilization. What had descended was only a thought projection, not his true form. If it had been his true body, even if she had used the lizard’s tail-cutting tactic, she would not have been able to escape. The intervention of this ancestral god from the divine path civilization in Faitian Alliance affairs had given him an early warning. Many things now needed to be brought forward on the agenda.
Gu Changge had originally planned to let the Xiyuan Civilization situation simmer for a while, but the resurgence of the divine path civilization meant that other civilizations would likely start showing their presence soon. His interference with Chu Gucheng’s Heavenly Decline Tribulation had already attracted the attention of the shadowy forces in the True Realm. They, too, would soon become aware.
“In order to instill more urgency among all beings, it seems it’s time to bring the Great Calamity Ceremony forward…”
Gu Changge’s gaze deepened. With a thought, his figure appeared in the sky above the Taixu Realm. Inside the Faitian Shrines, the cracks on his divine statue began to heal as he appeared. The statue was once again covered by a mist of white clouds and smoke. Amid the incense smoke, the divine power in the Faitian Shrines began to restore its sanctity.
Gu Changge glanced at Chen Jinhai, his brow furrowing slightly. In the original script, the daughter of destiny had been meant to reverse her fate with that thread of void fate energy, rewriting the outcome. But after he intervened and forcefully altered her fate, he ensured she wouldn’t perish in the Abyss of Ten Thousand Demons, thereby avoiding the re-run of her previous rebirth.