Chapter 1416: Old Friend, Long Time No See

Who stands above the river of time, indifferently gazing down, pulling the threads of destiny, manipulating fate, and orchestrating these countless generations?

Chu Feng felt a chill run through him. An invisible hand, capable of covering the heavens, stirring up worldly affairs, and assembling the Rubik's Cube of humanity, seemed to be behind the path of this life. It was terrifying.

And it didn't stop there!

Before Chu Feng, for how many generations, similar grand environments had been repeatedly recreated for experiments, to re-enact the power of those two individuals or one person across two lifetimes.

After all these years, Earth had been replayed more than once. How many exceptional individuals had emerged, and how many failures were there?

And what was he in all of this?

Was it an old friend of this woman before him who was replaying events, or was it a supreme enemy of her caliber conducting these experiments out of interest?

Was the invisible hand hiding in the darkness at the end of the Soul River, or concealed within the terrifying paths of the ancient reincarnation's predecessor that existed before the Era of Emperors' Fall?

Or perhaps such a being simply came from the extreme other shore of the myriad worlds, and a momentary whim, a brief stop, spanning thousands of generations, effortlessly orchestrated all of this?

These were Chu Feng's instantaneous thoughts, as various ideas flooded his mind. He felt that all possibilities must lie within these conjectures, and no matter how deeply he pondered, it remained utterly terrifying.

No one wished for their life to be manipulated, nor did anyone want to be the reflection of two people or one person across two lifetimes. Who wouldn't want to be unique?

However, despite his flickering gaze, his churning thoughts, and his extraordinary evolutionary abilities, there was no possibility of altering the past; all of this had already transpired.

In a flash, he thought of Number Nine and others from the First Mountain of Yang Realm!

From the earliest mention that the master of the "Great Black Hand" Li was Number Four, to his subsequent interactions where he learned about a numbering system from One to Nine, he had long harbored doubts.

Were they beings of a sequential order?

Until today, with the events unfolding before him, he developed a certain speculation: could it be similar to his own situation?

Were these also experiments by someone, recalling and shaping something, ultimately leaving behind numbers One through Nine?

However, judging from some of Number Nine's words, it didn't quite seem that way. He greatly revered the being who had severed all ages with a single sword, possibly having had the fortune to follow them?

Chu Feng shook his head, no longer dwelling on it. His mind was in a turmoil.

He stared blankly at the white-clad woman, wishing to glean more from her divine Dao sounds, and even more, hoping to converse with her!

However, she remained expressionless, emitting pure white and sacred immortal mist. Additionally, particle streams occasionally diffused from her, expanding outwards into the distance.

“Old friend, it's been a long time!”

After multiple calls and fruitless attempts to communicate, Chu Feng, emboldened, dared to address her in such a manner. His eyes shone with divine light, and he gazed at the white-clad woman with complete composure.

Of course, the stone jar floated before him, helping him resist immense invisible pressure, without which he wouldn't have been able to survive there.

The entire sky was turbulent, and the whole world seemed on the verge of disintegration. After her revival, the white-clad woman appeared to pierce through countless spaces, causing all the heavens to tremble.

Outside, the Fire Clan members were trembling with fear. If not for the glowing stone gate blocking the diffusing particle streams, this place would surely have become a death zone.

Most crucially, the humanoid mountain range in the Supreme Forbidden Zone rumbled. That 'Supreme Being' was shaking, covered in cracks, emitting an eerie glow, and locking down the mountains and rivers.

Otherwise, there might have been a disaster of collapsing heavens and crumbling earth!

She remained unresponsive. The white-clad woman was indistinct, her beautiful eyes, as they opened and closed, seemed to pierce through eternity past and present, causing permanence to cease and immortality to turn to dust.

Then, her essence, energy, and spirit suddenly transformed into a wisp of white gas, erupting from her back. Finally, with a hum, the void trembled, a dazzling array of symbols flashed, and it rapidly departed into the distance.

The white gas, like the collapse of the heavens or the explosion of chaos, manifested supreme runes, ultimately forming a particle stream that swept through this small world, transcending time and piercing through all obstacles, thus departing!

What was happening? Chu Feng's face was filled with confusion and astonishment. The woman's essence, energy, and spirit had vanished, just like that!

But why was her physical body still there? Did she no longer want it?

Outside the small space, the Fire Spirit Clan was in utter turmoil, their emotions fluctuating wildly between the ninth heaven and the great abyss. Their emotional swings were too extreme.

When Chu Feng called out “old friend, it's been a long time,” the entire Fire Spirit Clan's faces turned green. That young man was truly courting death!

However, the woman did not attack or make a move, which made them rejoice, feeling as if they had survived a great calamity. Let her leave, as long as those present were alive!

Chu Feng stood in a daze within the space behind the stone gate. The white-clad woman had left without a word, leaving him with too many questions.

“Did I just scare away the White-Clad Empress that the big black dog spoke of with a single sentence?”

Instantly, the broken bell on the ground rumbled, making the stone jar glow immediately, forming a light curtain that enveloped him.

Otherwise, he would likely have faced great disaster, something would have gone wrong. Was this a warning to him?!

Chu Feng was speechless. He had only said it casually, yet it triggered such an immense reaction?

He knew full well that the fragment of the broken bell had an extraordinary origin. He had once seen the big black dog guarding a man lying prostrate on the broken bell, and that man should be from the same era as the white-clad woman.

Chu Feng's eyes, having been refined by the fires in the Supreme Desolate Land, were already super 'Fiery Golden Eyes'. At this moment, he discerned a clue.

“Oh, it wasn't the broken bell chiming on its own; there was something else.”

Beneath the broken bell was a foot-long black tail, mostly devoid of fur. Was this a small section of... a dog's tail? It was almost bald!

It was buried under the dust; if it hadn't vibrated the broken bell just now, it wouldn't have been exposed.

It was actually related to that black giant beast. He truly wanted to cast a sideways glance of contempt at this creature, but alas, it was only a segment of a tail, not the main entity.

“A dog meddling... Ptooey, minding other people's business!” Chu Feng muttered to himself.

At this moment, Chu Feng's attention was elsewhere. He bypassed it and went to observe the white-clad woman nearby. She had left her physical body, and her spiritual body had departed. What was the meaning of this?

And what else was hidden deep within this space? Was the woman's essence, energy, and spirit still in the deepest part of this place?

As for the broken bell and the black dog's tail on the ground, he didn't want to touch them, as they were stained with peculiar, abyssal black blood that was also very eerie, harboring inexplicable danger. Chu Feng was certain that immense peril lurked there, vaguely ominous, making one shudder as if facing the grey substance years ago.

“How can this be?!” Chu Feng exclaimed in astonishment.

What the white-clad woman left behind was an exuviae, not her true physical body!

Even as he approached, he couldn't fully discern the woman's clear features, only vaguely perceiving them. He could sense her peerless grace and splendor but couldn't observe her up close any further.

However, he discovered the truth: on the skin of the woman's back, there was a crack from which white mist emanated, incomparably sacred, as if a great immortal world was surging with spiritual essence, circulating endless life force.

Just a human skin?!

How could Chu Feng not be astonished?

This wasn't something freshly shed; it had been left behind countless eons ago. The white-clad woman had undergone a transformation here, leaving behind an exuviae!

What kind of cultivation technique was this? Did she shed new divine fetuses and immortal fetuses at will?

Even as mere skin, it was crystal clear and lifelike, like a living person. Especially considering the divine radiance when she had opened her eyes just a short while ago, it was truly peerless.

But where had her true body gone?

Recalling the words of the black giant beast, had she crossed the Heaven and Earth Burial Pit, traversed that single-plank bridge, and gone to an indescribable place?

It was said that even Heavenly Emperors would die, falling midway!

“Above the heavens... there is still Heaven. Above the heavens... there are still realms. Above the heavens... there are still immortals and devils. Above the heavens... there is still reincarnation...”

Chu Feng's voice was low as he muttered to himself, repeating the words the woman had begun but not finished earlier. In his view, his current achievement of the Everlasting King status was just the beginning!

“Her exuviae retains a trace of residual will, possessing such power. I have received the information from the yellowed paper. Is this meant to be taken away to find her true body?”

Chu Feng searched diligently here, looking for something, but alas, there were no further clues.

There were some things here he couldn't touch, such as the gigantic arm stained with black, defiled blood, severed here and leading to the heavens, and the broken bell, the severed tail, and so on.

He had only earlier picked up an elongated bronze block, keeping it with him, suspected to have fallen from a bronze coffin.

“Young friend!”

Outside, the Fire Spirit Clan members were calling out.

“Fellow Daoists, honored seniors, please wait a moment. I shall venture further to explore!” Chu Feng began to consider his escape route and how to leave.

At the same time, he also wanted to know where the end of this space led.

In this area, there was more than one Great Universe-level flower bud. The earlier one, glowing blue, was terrifyingly boundless. When its bud blossomed, it was as if a realm opened, its pollen rising, revealing countless worldly scenes.

He had long since avoided it, no longer daring to step near or attempt anything. It truly was something that could make one want to live and die, utterly uncontrollable.

Further ahead, there was another dark purple one, its roots embedded in a black hole from which black liquid gurgled forth. It was truly too terrifying.

Additionally, on another side, there was a spring pool with dense grey mist, where a grey flower bud subtly swayed. When its divine light split open, it was like an eruption of immortal lightning, utterly astonishing.

“Great Universe-level flower buds, there are three here!”

Chu Feng sighed. This was a rare heavenly treasure. Although absorbing the pollen might signify ill omens and death, becoming utterly unnameable, it was also a coveted opportunity for cultivators. What if one succeeded? Then it would be the crucial condition for solidifying one's foundation before the ultimate leap!

Along the way, everything bore the marks of antiquity. Countless boulders had weathered, crumbling into dust with a light touch, and there were remnants of dried-up seas.

Seas had turned into mulberry fields; everything had long since changed. No one knew what this place was like billions of years ago. The current desolation and bleakness were insufficient to describe the vast emptiness, profound antiquity, and remoteness of this place.

At the end of the path was, surprisingly, a wormhole, very quiet and eerily cold, with lingering traces of sacred particle streams. The white-clad woman had indeed departed from here.

Chu Feng hesitated slightly. After a careful inspection, finding no danger, he held the stone jar in front of him and stepped inside.

Then, in an instant, he was astonished to find that the outside world consisted of somewhat familiar mountains and rivers, or rather, possessed similar characteristics, unique to the Great Yang Realm!

After emerging from this wormhole, was he now outside the Supreme Forbidden Zone?

He didn't know where the woman had gone. Now, at the end of the path, there seemed to be a realm barrier, which felt as if he could pass directly through with a gentle push, and beyond it were the mountains and rivers of the Yang Realm.

If he left from here, he could certainly easily avoid the Fire Spirit Clan's interrogation or even subsequent accusations, given the excessive 'commotion' he had caused in the space behind him.

Chu Feng thought for a moment and did not leave immediately. Instead, he returned along his original path, took off the Fire Clan's 'Heaven-Bestowed Armor', retrieved some of the 'Mountain and River Magnetic Marrow Maps' and other items temporarily lent to him, and painstakingly tried to send them towards the entrance of the small space.

He wanted to return them to the Fire Clan, as they had treated him well earlier. There was no need to keep these items, even though they were very precious; having the stone jar for protection was enough for him.

“Ah... Esteemed seniors of the Fire Clan, my life is at its end. I shall depart with the wind, returning to the natural world. I have failed your trust. Please take good care of your treasures!”

Chu Feng shouted from deep within the small space, simulating a dire situation, as if his life was fleeting.

He wanted to sever his origins before leaving. If he were to meet them again someday as his true self, Chu Feng, it wouldn't be awkward. Now, under the alias Zhou Zhengde, he had caused trouble here, roasted beings from the heavens, and stirred up earth-shattering chaos, which likely displeased and angered the Fire Clan. Rather than that, it was better to return empty-handed.

“What happened? Did Zhou Zhengde die?”

“He encountered danger inside. As expected, it’s a perilous land not to be explored, just like our ancestors, who either suffered heavy injuries or met their demise.”

The Fire Clan members sighed softly, filled with regret.

At the same time, they felt a strange surge of emotions, finding this Zhou Zhengde truly magnanimous. Even on the verge of death, he had painstakingly sent back the Fire Spirit Clan's treasures, proving himself to be a trustworthy, loyal, and good-hearted individual.

“Young Daoist friend, farewell!”

The Fire Clan held a memorial.

Chu Feng... made his escape!

Wielding the stone jar, he forged ahead, making his way towards the wormhole.

Outsiders couldn't enter at all. The exuviae left by the White-Clad Empress was too terrifying; no one could withstand that pressure. Only with an object of unfathomable origin like the stone jar could one be protected.

A realm barrier, it opened with a gentle touch, and Chu Feng re-emerged into the outside world!

Looking at the majestic mountains below, the lush green forests, and the vast river rushing by, his heart felt relieved, completely shedding the earlier tension.

Regrettably, he still didn't know where the white-clad woman's essence, energy, and spirit had gone, leaving him with some regret.

“Where is this?”

As an Everlasting King, Chu Feng now possessed boundless abilities, his strength comparable to a Heavenly Venerate, making him a true master of the Yang Realm, no longer needing to hide.

He paused briefly and instantly summoned a three-tailed silver fox, pure white all over, from the mountains and rivers. In a flash, he had discerned the information he sought.

“It's incredibly far from the Supreme Forbidden Zone, billions of miles away!”

He was now infinitely far from that Fire Clan forbidden area, having even traversed several great prefectures!

He turned back to look for the wormhole, only to find that it had vanished. After emerging, he couldn't find the path back to that space!

“Never mind, I'm already out anyway. There's nothing there worth lingering over at this stage. If I ever need to gather Great Universe-level flower buds in the future, I can just enter through the main gate of the forbidden zone and 'reacquaint' myself with the Fire Spirit Clan.”

Chu Feng stood mid-air, clenching his hands tightly, which instantly triggered lightning and thunder. His hair shimmered like platinum, incredibly dazzling.

A powerful aura of energy struck awe into this world!

“I am an Everlasting King; some matters must be settled!” His gaze was intimidating, like a beam of light shooting forth from the sun. He intended to kill Tai Wu, to avenge his parents, relatives, and friends.

He remembered this person at all times. Why had he entered the Yang Realm? It was to see certain people again and to slay Heavenly Venerate Tai Wu!

Although he had seen the Big Black Ox and the Northeast Tiger in the Yang Realm, what about the others? Some might never be seen again. After being killed by Tai Wu, without sufficient talisman paper for protection when entering reincarnation, perhaps only a few would reappear in the world.

To this day, there was no trace of his parents, no sign of the Little Yellow Ox. Many people he might never see again in this lifetime.

“Whoosh!”

Chu Feng vanished from the spot, quickly arriving at a giant city. He easily stepped into a super teleportation array, intending to go to Qingzhou, billions of miles away!

Because Heavenly Venerate Tai Wu's sect was located in Qingzhou!

As the grand-disciple of the Martial Lunatic, for such a long time, no one had dared to provoke Tai Wu, except for one opponent of equally formidable background.

Because the lineage of the Martial Lunatic was too formidable; daring to attack anyone from that line would undoubtedly bring about a calamity that would annihilate one's entire sect!

However, today, Chu Feng had arrived!

Stepping out of the teleportation array, Chu Feng entered the core region of Qingzhou.

The next moment, in his form as an Everlasting King, he soared into the sky, like a streak of light disappearing into the depths of a mountain range, then directly headed towards Heavenly Venerate Tai Wu's sect.

“Tai Wu! ‘Old friend,’ it's been a long time!”

Chu Feng's voice was chilling. He tore open the void like a bolt of lightning, and soon arrived outside Tai Wu's sect gate. Everything went smoothly.

Today, he was going to accomplish a great deed: to slay Heavenly Venerate Tai Wu and annihilate the successor of the Martial Lunatic lineage!