Chapter 1705
Chapter 1705. The Xiyuan Saintess herself had led forces from the civilization to exterminate remnants of the Black Calamity
The news of the return of the Black Calamity to the vast worlds of Cangmang quickly spread across all realms, shaking every civilization to its core. In just a few days, many regions were invaded, engulfed by the black mist, and no life or race could escape, being completely buried within it. Star domains dimmed one after another, descending into an eternal dark realm. This trend spread quickly, and even powerful beings in the Dao Realm found it difficult to stop.
In some civilized true realms, the black mist began to leak through, spreading through cracks in space-time, infecting star domains at an alarming rate. At that moment, the black mist seemed all-encompassing. Some practitioners and beings, in their fear, even realized that their consciousness had unknowingly been tainted by the mist. The black fog had infiltrated their mental space, corrupting their will and understanding in ways that defied comprehension, from a distant, untraceable spatial dimension.
These scenes rapidly unfolded across the land, sending countless races and civilizations into panic, as if there were no safe haven left. No matter where they fled, they could be swallowed by the black mist.
Many of the most powerful true realms and civilizations quickly put aside past conflicts and began seeking ways to stop this catastrophe. The entire vast land of Cangmang descended into chaos. The arrival of the black mist caught everyone off guard. Only a few of the strongest civilizations had anticipated and prepared for it. Most civilizations had no means to deal with it and could only shrink their territories and move closer to the heart of the Cangmang.
The news of the return of the Black Calamity reached almost every faction and race in the Xiyuan civilization. Other powerful civilizations, like the Xudan Civilization, the Yanyang True Realm, and the Shangyin True Realm, transmitted the news to Xiyuan civilization at the first opportunity. This was because Xiyuan civilization’s founder, the Xiyuan Saintess, was one of the ancient heroes who had fought against the Black Calamity. She even once controlled one of the Six Origin Artifacts, the Mirror of Reincarnation.
Thus, many surrounding powerful civilizations hoped that Xiyuan civilization would have some means of resisting the Black Calamity that was suddenly sweeping through the realms. Many true realms that survived through countless eras and multiple cycles of destruction had faced the Black Calamity. Yet, very few had actually experienced it first-hand, like Xiyuan civilization, who had truly lived through that era of devastation. Most civilizations, including Xiyuan, had never faced the Black Calamity directly, and they had no known solutions for it.
There had been previous instances of the Black Calamity’s remnants, but they were eventually purged by the Xiyuan Holy Hall. The Xiyuan Saintess herself had led forces from the civilization to exterminate remnants of the Black Calamity before, giving her the experience to deal with such threats. At that point, other strong civilizations naturally looked to Xiyuan civilization for a solution, even though Xiyuan had recently undergone a great upheaval.
“Why did the Black Calamity suddenly descend without warning? Could it be too sudden?”
“The appearance of the remnants of the Black Calamity at this time surely isn’t without reason. I’m afraid that worse things are to come, and an even greater storm is on its way.”
Ling Yuling furrowed her brows, sitting quietly in the courtyard, casting a glance at Gu Changge, who was still calmly drinking tea not far away. A trace of doubt flashed in her eyes.
When she learned that the Black Calamity had returned to the world, Gu Changge only showed a slight surprise, as though it was not unexpected, and there was no sign of worry.
“The vast expanse is so immense, even if the Black Calamity affects the Xiyuan Civilization, who knows when it will happen? There’s no need for us to worry about it. Anyway, if the sky collapses, there will be someone tall enough to hold it up.”
“Besides, didn’t the Black Calamity get eliminated once before? Even if it returns, it might not recover its former ferocity and power.”
“If it can’t be completely eradicated, then its return is inevitable. Why should we be so anxious?”
Mu Yan lazily rested her chin on her palm, lying on the stone table, looking at Yao Yao not far away, practicing the breathing technique that Gu Changge had just taught her.
“Your point is not wrong, but that’s because you haven’t personally experienced the era of the Black Calamity. You don’t know how brutal, dark, and desperate that era was, and you have no idea how terrifying the Black Calamity is.”
Ling Yuling couldn’t help but shake her head gently, feeling that Mu Yan was far too indifferent, with no concept of the horror of the Black Calamity.
This only confirmed the saying, “Those who don’t know, aren’t afraid.”
Mu Yan rolled her eyes involuntarily, “Since you are so worried, and it seems like you’re just borrowing someone else’s fear, why not come up with a way to stop this Black Calamity disaster?”
Ever since Mu Yan knew that Ling Yuling had beaten her to it and obtained Gu Changge, she had been unhappy with Ling Yuling. She had even spoken well of her in front of Gu Changge at the time.
After being retorted like this by Mu Yan, Ling Yuling fell silent.
If she had such means, would she have fallen into such a state?
“Master, what is the Black Calamity?”
It was Yao Yao from the distance, blinking her bright, dark eyes, completely puzzled, having no idea what Mu Yan and Ling Yuling were talking about.
“You’ll understand when you go out and train in the world,” Gu Changge casually replied.
The speed at which the Black Calamity was descending was faster than he had expected. It seemed the Heavenly people had indeed been preparing for this for many years and had already made plenty of preparations.
However, the current scale was still far from enough. The Black Calamity had only just erupted, and the stage was still at the beginning. It was still far from the level he desired.
But this was enough for him to take his next step.
Yao Yao puffed out her cheeks, showing a little pout.
Gu Changge had been becoming increasingly dismissive of her. He used to patiently explain things to her, but now, was it because she had grown and wasn’t as cute as before?
“Yuling, is there any way to stop this Black Calamity?”
“How do you see it?”
Gu Changge glanced at Ling Yuling, not paying any attention to Yao Yao’s little mood.
He would eventually send her out to train in the world, experiencing battles, scheming, and deception. She would grow up slowly and could not always be spoiled, like a flower in a greenhouse.
“At the moment, there doesn’t seem to be a solution. But this Black Calamity came suddenly, unexpectedly. It will probably be hard to last long. Even in the era when the Dai Tian organization existed, the Black Calamity gradually affected and swept through all the realms.”
“I think the remnants of the Black Calamity may have other purposes. While it will cause great panic in the Xiyuan Civilization in the short term, it will be difficult to affect the overall situation.”
Ling Yuling was slightly stunned. She didn’t expect Gu Changge to suddenly ask her. After giving it serious thought and analysis, she replied, “No matter how strong the remnants of the Black Calamity are, it’s impossible for them to truly wreak havoc across the entire Cangmang at this moment. Those civilizations in the True Realms are not to be underestimated. Although the origin of darkness is troublesome, there are ways to resist and deal with it.”
“Right now, what we need to consider is not how to stop the spread of the black mist, but how to stop the true purpose of the Black Calamity’s remnants.”
“After all, while the black mist expanded quickly in the early stages, it will soon show signs of decline. The territories it will affect and consume will not be many, and in the end, it will only expand and consume bit by bit. It’s like waves; once the peak passes, the subsequent waves will gradually shrink until they subside. This was a rule concluded by our predecessors.”
“You see things clearly,” Gu Changge said with a faint smile. Even he had to admit that Ling Yuling was indeed very sharp, able to see beyond the surface of the Black Calamity’s sudden return to the realms and grasp its essence.
Ling Yuling looked at Gu Changge with her bright eyes, trying to figure out if he was genuinely praising her or if there was some other purpose.
“I was someone who lived through that era, so naturally, I understand more than those who live in this time,” she said softly, her long eyelashes fluttering slightly.
Gu Changge smiled. “Then how do you know that after so many years, the remnants of the Black Calamity haven’t made any progress?”
Ling Yuling was suddenly stunned.
She thought about the eerie and shadowy beings she had heard about from the natives of the Floating Continent during her time in the chaotic Sea of Time.
Were those not the strange creatures created by the remnants of the Black Calamity?
“Come with me to the outside world. The Xiyuan Civilization still needs you to stabilize the people’s hearts. The outside world must be in panic by now,” Gu Changge casually said, not paying attention to Ling Yuling, and he walked ahead, disappearing instantly into the valley.
Ling Yuling snapped back to her senses, not thinking much about it, and transformed into a beam of divine light to follow him.
As Gu Changge had said, the Xiyuan Civilization was now in a state of panic due to the news of the Black Calamity returning to the realms. It was even more terrifying than when the similar news was first spread before the destruction of the Immortal Chu Haotu. This time, the news had been confirmed, whereas the earlier message from the Immortal Chu Haotu was merely speculation.
Although all the races and paths had already pledged allegiance to the Sky-Defying Alliance and become part of it, the Black Calamity, which existed only in ancient texts and symbolized destruction, despair, and brutality—an almost unsolvable disaster—still filled everyone with endless tremors and fear.
Gu Changge wanted Ling Yuling by his side not only to stabilize the people of Xiyuan Civilization but also to use her identity as one of the former sages who fought against the Black Calamity to calm the hearts of people across the realms.
No matter how much turmoil and panic erupted in the other realms, Gu Changge didn’t want the atmosphere of fear to reach his own Xiyuan Civilization. He disliked the current atmosphere of anxiety surrounding him.Moreover, in this sweeping Black Calamity that was descending upon the realms, Gu Changge wanted the Sky-Defying Alliance to play a crucial role.
At that moment, Ling Yuling seemed to finally understand Gu Changge’s intentions. She began to tirelessly show herself across various territories, acting as an envoy of the Sky-Defying Alliance to calm the terrified hearts of the people.
After all, she was a former sage who had once fought against the Black Calamity. With this identity, her presence had an exceptional effect. Meanwhile, Gu Changge also instructed Ling Huang, Zuo Feng Xie, and others to stay by Ling Yuling’s side and propagate the doctrines and objectives of the Sky-Defying Alliance.
The existence of the Sky-Defying Alliance was to uphold the Heavenly Dao, protect the common people, and purify the darkness.
In this Black Calamity, only by following the Sky-Defying Alliance could one receive protection.
Without a doubt, many sects and forces were angered and ashamed by the Sky-Defying Alliance’s “taking advantage of the fire to rob” actions. In the current Cangmang, which force or civilization had the courage and ability to speak such words?
Wasn’t this directly raising a flag and deceiving the masses?
However, this kind of propaganda and spreading had a completely different calming effect in the hearts of many cultivators and beings.
Moreover, with the appearance of Ling Yuling, the ancestral master of the Yuxian Palace, in the role of an envoy of the Sky-Defying Alliance, calming the people’s hearts, it seemed as though even she believed that the Sky-Defying Alliance could protect its followers and believers during this Black Calamity.
At the same time, a chaotic and terrifying battle was unfolding deep in the chaotic Sea of Time beneath the Yuxian Palace.
Outside the Floating Continent, a tidal wave of black mist was rushing in, accompanied by an aura of destruction and decay, trying to dissolve and shatter the protective light screen that covered the entire continent.
Within the rolling black mist, strands of it twisted, emitting a chilling, eerie laughter.
From within the mist, blurry beings began to condense. At first, they were pitch-black like ink, resembling a pool of dissolved gelatin. But soon, they solidified into human-like forms, even resembling the indigenous people inside the light screen, with their facial features, clothing, and expressions identical.
They sneered as they used various ancient treasures and Dao artifacts, casting them toward the light screen with dazzling brilliance.
Behind them, even more black mist coalesced into the forms of ancient beings, their bodies as large as stars, with eyes like mountains and lakes, staring fixedly at the light screen and constantly striking, trying to shatter it.
There were also vulture-like, hairless bone birds, whose wings spread so wide it seemed like they could cover the entire sky. Their bone claws, entangled in endless black mist, continuously beat down, producing terrifying rumbling sounds.
The Floating Continent trembled violently, the mountains shaking, and cracks appeared everywhere. The buildings, fields, palaces, and pavilions had already been destroyed. Mountains collapsed, ancient trees fell, and it was a scene of devastation.
All the indigenous people on the Floating Continent gathered by the light screen. Some were in despair, some were wailing, and others collapsed on the ground, praying for the protection of the Saint Ancestor.
Some tried to charge out and fight the beings in the black mist to the death, but whether it was the eerie creatures or the shadows, they could never be killed. As long as the black mist didn’t dissipate, they would never truly die, constantly regenerating and terrifyingly relentless. In the end, they could only be drained and consumed by the black mist, with not even bones remaining.
This scene filled everyone with immense despair. They were now waiting for the protective light screen left by the Saint Ancestor to shatter, and when the dark beings broke through, everyone would fight them to the death.
Crack!!
Suddenly, a horrifying cracking sound echoed, causing everyone’s faces to change in shock. A crack appeared on the light screen, and a terrible bone claw dropped down, striking the screen, causing it to begin to rupture.
Immediately, a massive amount of black mist surged through the crack, rushing toward the Floating Continent.
“This is bad! The dark creatures are about to break through…”
Everyone on the Floating Continent turned pale with fear, shocked and terrified.
Hum!!!
At that moment, an ancient and mysterious orb suddenly ascended into the sky. Endless runes flowed across its surface, and from within it, terrifying beams of light shot out. Billions of rays of divine light surged and intertwined, as though the power of all races was gathering. The energy surged violently, piercing through the advancing black mist. The dark creatures within screamed in agony, and in an instant, they evaporated.
“Hunyuan Pearl…”
“It’s the Hunyuan Pearl sent by Qing Xianzi!”
Many people exclaimed in shock.
A hunched figure, looking somewhat elderly, rushed forward, taking control of the Hunyuan Pearl. He attempted to hold back the shattered breach, using the pearl to keep the black mist at bay.
“Old Zhu…”
The people on the Floating Continent cried out, their voices trembling with fear and shock.
“Grandfather…”
Zhu Xuan’s eyes instantly turned red as he watched his grandfather charge forward.