Chapter 1686: Turning Point

He was hunched over and stumbled, burdened by the six massive stone tablets. Every step was incredibly difficult. His once salt-and-pepper hair had, at some point, turned white as snow. His eyes had lost their luster; he was blind! The divine halo, a sign of his Five Heavenly Decays, behind his head had completely shattered, emitting a putrid stench. Even his soul was fragmented, making it difficult to control his body.

Jiang Fan's pupils contracted sharply. When he had last seen him, the Wild Old Man of Forgetfulness was still vibrant; now, he was on the verge of ruin. Was it because he bore the stone tablets of the six sages, and their laws had corroded him?

Walking in front of the Wild Old Man of Forgetfulness was a beautiful eighteen-year-old girl. Her nine-colored eyes swirled as she focused on the battlefield ahead. She held a stick in her hand, the other end of which guided the Wild Old Man of Forgetfulness.

“Are we there?” the Wild Old Man of Forgetfulness asked, his voice hoarse, like wind blowing through a broken pipe.

Tears welled in Moon Mingzhu's eyes as she choked out, “We're here, Master.”

The Wild Old Man of Forgetfulness finally stopped and said, “Tell your Master which way to go.”

Tears streamed down Moon Mingzhu's face as she said, “Thirty *li* southwest, the aura is low, a sign of great peril.” She clutched the stick, shifting towards the southwest.

The Wild Old Man of Forgetfulness nodded. With a shake of his shoulder, he bellowed, “Go!” A stone tablet rose with a roar, hurtling towards the area of low aura. This was precisely where the Third Army was located, and the most precarious part of the battlefield, where the Middle-earth and Allied Forces were deeply besieged.

The stone tablet whistled, collapsing the void as it teleported, then crashed violently onto the ground. From within the tablet, the remaining laws of the sage immediately erupted, radiating in all directions! Whether they were one-star Giant Kings or five-star Giant Kings, anyone caught in its path was shattered into a mist of blood. In an instant, the sky was blackened by giant blood, the ground ran red with rivers of blood, and more than half of the Third Army, nearly fully formed, was annihilated. Only twenty or so, who were far enough away, managed to escape.

Jiang Fan, Venerable True Word, and the powerful figures from other realms were also affected when swept by the laws. Fortunately, it only caused their *qi* and blood to churn and their vitality to rapidly diminish, but did not directly endanger their lives. They gazed at the stone tablet before them in shock, and a glimmer of light reappeared in their despairing eyes. With five more tablets remaining, wouldn't they be able to annihilate all the giants?

The Lustful Sage, however, sighed, “He won't last much longer. The laws have already destroyed everything in him.” Indeed. After casting out one stone tablet, the Wild Old Man of Forgetfulness's body trembled, and he dropped to one knee.

Moon Mingzhu cried out sorrowfully, “Master, you...” She wanted to beg her Master to set the tablets down, but what about Middle-earth? The only things capable of turning the tide were the sages' stone tablets, which her Master had prepared for over fifty years.

The Wild Old Man of Forgetfulness shook his head. “Don't mind me. When I accepted the blessings of the sages' lingering spirits, I promised them that in Middle-earth's darkest hour, I would bring their tombstones to help Middle-earth one last time. The Giant King army has gathered in Hunyuan Province; Middle-earth's end is upon us. My mission, as your Master, should be fulfilled.”

No sooner had he spoken, than his abdomen festered, and rotten intestines spilled out. The six stone tablets were constantly harming his body. But he had no regrets. He had waited a long time for this day.

“Point the way again!” Tears poured down Moon Mingzhu's face. This was why she hadn't returned to Taicang Great Province with Jiang Fan. She had to return to Guixu Province to do something for her Master. Her Master had said he needed her Sky Sovereign's Aura-Viewing Art on the battlefield, but he hadn't told her it was to be his eyes, to guide his direction, to ensure the greatest possible utilization of the stone tablets. Nor had he told her that her Master would die. With tears, she said, “Sixty *li* due south.” The Wild Old Man of Forgetfulness's body trembled again, and another stone tablet flew out, crashing into the Second Army.

Having witnessed the tragic state of the Third Army, they fled with some precaution. Yet, twenty Giant Kings were still instantly crushed. “Again... cough, cough...” The Wild Old Man of Forgetfulness collapsed to the ground with a thud, coughing up copious amounts of black blood. He was at his last gasp.

Moon Mingzhu bit her lip tightly and said, “Forty *li* southeast.” The Wild Old Man of Forgetfulness did not act immediately. He felt his end was near; the moment he cast out the stone tablets would be the moment of his death. His lusterless eyes looked at Moon Mingzhu before him, and he said with affection: “Your Master goes to fulfill his mission, and there is no need for regret. But what will you do? You came alone to Guixu Province... and now your Master is gone... you will be alone again...”

Moon Mingzhu covered her trembling lips, trying not to cry out loud. As death approached, her Master's greatest concern was her future. She choked out: “Master, don't worry, Jiang Fan has already promised to marry your disciple.”

A glimmer of light seemed to flicker anew in the Wild Old Man of Forgetfulness's dim eyes, and he smiled: “Good, good, then I can rest easy... He could furiously slay a half-giant for the people of the Seven Cities of Heavenly Abyss; I believe he will protect you no matter what. Your Master... can rest assured. This large white rabbit, I leave to you... The legacy from the ruins is also with it... Your Master has no more worries. Shengyan, your Master... goes first!!!”

He let out a low roar, using his last ounce of strength to send the remaining four stone tablets flying from his body.

RUMBLE—

The four stone tablets crashed near the First Army. The crisscrossing power of the laws made it impossible for the Giant Kings of the First Army to escape. From one-star Giant Kings to five-star Giant Kings, all exploded into a mist of blood! An entire legion was annihilated! Not a single one survived! Meanwhile, the Wild Old Man of Forgetfulness lay prone on the ground, devoid of all life.

“Master!” Moon Mingzhu dropped the stick and rushed to the Wild Old Man of Forgetfulness. She sobbed uncontrollably. This Great Venerable of the Five Heavenly Decays, known to very few, quietly perished off the battlefield, in a way known to even fewer. He used his own life to project the lingering will of the six sages onto the battlefield, reigniting a spark of hope for Middle-earth.

Jiang Fan's eyes reddened. Why could the tiny Middle-earth survive for ten thousand years without perishing? It was because, at every moment in history, there were such predecessors, burdened with a mission, who would fight fearlessly. They would relight the already darkened sky of Middle-earth with their lives!

He turned, looking at the remnants of the Third Army, his killing intent surging: “Go to hell, all of you!” He drew the Angelic Blade and flashed to a three-star Giant King who was injured and lying on the ground. He angrily plunged the blade into him.

The three-star Giant King was enraged and extended his long tongue, intending to kill Jiang Fan. But his tongue touched the Angelic Blade. As a result, his tongue seemed to catch fire, and the sacred flames instantly spread from his tongue into his mouth, then permeated his body. Immediately, without any suspense, the three-star Giant King exploded into sacred motes of light before he could even scream.

“The Angelic Blade?” A gasp suddenly came from beside him; it was Tianqin, who lay injured on the ground. She looked at the Angelic Blade with a face full of disbelief.