Chapter 1524: The Truth That Can Never Be Returned To

The Fallen Immortal King Clan, a name that strikes fear into the hearts of many, is an exceedingly powerful and terrifying race. They were once the orthodox lineage of all realms, having inherited the legacy of a true Heavenly Emperor. Yet now, their fate is tragic. All of them have been contaminated, the entire clan corrupted, losing their true selves.

In the current era, some members of the clan have revived, awakening their past lives. However, in the eyes of some in the Yang Realm, a definitive conclusion about them cannot yet be drawn. Nevertheless, their power is undeniable. They once swept across all heavens, finding few worthy opponents. Throughout history, whenever the Fallen Immortals are mentioned, all realms turn pale.

At this moment, facing Chu Feng, are three fallen powerhouses, all of whom are Great Heavenly Venerates. Even among the Immortal Clan, they are considered to have achieved a special Dao Fruit, making them exceedingly powerful.

All three were exceptionally extraordinary. Around them, the energy density was astonishing…

One of them had a cascade of golden hair, resembling a solar deity. Even his hair strands were etched with subtle yet dazzling Immortal Clan runes. Such a being was already close to the Eternal Venerate realm, a peak powerhouse in his domain. Even traversing all realms, one would find few opponents for him. Clearly, this individual was even stronger than the man Chu Feng had just purified! Even standing there, unmoving, he caused the void to blur and collapse under his pressure. The Immortal Clan runes on his golden hair shimmered, tearing through space, more terrifying than divine swords. Unfortunately, the chilling abyss behind him indicated he had fallen into darkness a long time ago.

The second was a woman with snow-white skin and silvery-white long hair; she appeared beautiful. Yet, she was very cold, especially her pupils, which resembled black holes, devouring surrounding energy and threatening to pull one's soul into oblivion. Another being close to the Eternal Venerate realm, it made one's back prickle with chills. Were all members of the Fallen Immortal King Clan so extraordinarily talented and powerful? Nominally Great Heavenly Venerates, they were already peak beings in their domain, almost worthy of being called Eternal Venerates.

Without a doubt, the third person was equally strong. In fact, he already exuded faint wisps of Eternal Venerate aura, marking him as a Fallen Immortal destined to rise. Clearly, all three were on the path to becoming Eternal Venerates. In the coming days, they were certain to achieve that Dao Fruit; otherwise, they would not have reached their current level of mighty power.

The three great powerhouses stood side by side, emitting Immortal Clan runes. Their entire bodies gleamed with crystalline light, and intertwined Dao patterns made them appear utterly majestic and awe-inspiring. Standing at the forefront, they actually suppressed the Heavenly Venerates from the Yang Realm, causing them to involuntarily retreat. It was as if a flock of sheep had encountered a lion king, utterly intimidated. Their aura was truly terrifying. Standing together, the three were enough to lord over a group of powerhouses in the same domain, incredibly intimidating. They caused the surrounding void to roar, and some distant mountains were even pulled from the ground, shattering into pieces in mid-air!

Chu Feng spoke, "Do you wish to face me one by one, or all at once?"

As soon as these words were uttered, silence fell upon all sides. Everyone stared in astonishment, then showed shocked expressions. How confident was he? A single person, intending to simultaneously subdue three fallen powerhouses? This was truly too arrogant; one misstep, and he could instantly die a tragic death.

"Let's start with me," the golden-haired man said. "It has been many years since I tasted defeat. Don't disappoint me."

The golden-haired man's voice was low, and his profound pupils possessed a demonic quality. Looking into his eyes, one would involuntarily envision scenes of collapsing worlds, falling and destroying planets across all heavens. Once this person fully matured, he would undoubtedly be a terrifying Fallen True Immortal, extremely formidable. From his forehead, a wisp of Fallen True Blood flowed, as if his glabella had split open, threatening to divide his entire being into two. Behind him, the abyss became even clearer, a gaping black maw, unfathomably deep.

At this moment, everyone across the world was fixated on this location, either present in person or observing everything through special crystal mirrors, closely monitoring the battle.

"So strong! It won't be long before this person becomes an Eternal Venerate!" someone murmured.

Not to mention others, even the elites of the Ten Great Dao Lineages of the Yang Realm felt a sense of trepidation and a lack of confidence when facing this fallen powerhouse.

Chu Feng said nothing. He stepped forward directly, his large sleeves fluttering, exuding an ethereal charm yet also a domineering presence. With a resounding boom, he plunged into the abyss, radiating immeasurable light. He was indeed fearless. Both of his Dao Fruits were close to the Eternal Venerate realm; in a battle of equal standing, whom would he fear?

This time, he was determined to carefully examine and study this abyss. It had been too fast previously; after purifying that being, he hadn't fully comprehended this peculiar area. This was mainly because he had been very cautious then; after all, it was his first time entering such a strange and terrifying place, and he dared not be careless in the slightest, so he went all out, utilizing his strongest power.

"The physical body transforms into a cage, combining with soul light and fusing with a domain—is this a black hole born from flesh, soul, and domain?" Chu Feng was surprised, discerning some insights.

In the abyss, it was boundless and pitch-black, devoid of light, as if it were the primordial beginning of the universe, just on the verge of taking shape, seemingly ready to erupt at any moment. Ahead, a blurry phantom stood in the darkness—it was the opponent's strange body, the dark side of a dual entity, emitting a dense, ominous aura.

"Boom!"

Chu Feng said nothing. He unleashed a punch forward, overwhelmingly domineering and fierce, as if it would pierce through this dark universe, unleashing light. In the pitch-blackness, the creature opened its eyes, boundless in terror. Instantly, a bloody hue spread throughout the black abyss, corroding this primordial realm. Furthermore, that strange energy and ominous Dao Ancestor matter all boiled up, fully encroaching upon Chu Feng. Simultaneously, the creature blocked Chu Feng's punch. However, he was sent reeling backward, again and again, by the immense power of Chu Feng's boundless fist imprint, stumbling as he absorbed boundless, vast energy.

"Hm!?"

Chu Feng's gaze was intimidating. This ominous substance, these Dao Ancestor particles, intertwined with a dense dark aura; the strange energy was too concentrated. He was certain that there were special dark substances here, no less formidable than the gray mist and very terrifying. If anyone else had come, something truly bad might have happened. This energy, this gloomy aura, constantly eroded the opponent's flesh and soul. No wonder several Ultimate Beings struggled when confronting True Immortals; this was not merely a clash of power, but also due to a certain mutual counteraction.

Inside Chu Feng's body, the small gray millstone slowly rotated, gradually dissolving the dark substances, which he then absorbed and utilized! However, he remained calm and composed, not wanting others to know about this ability of his. As for the Fallen Immortal King Clan, he still didn't quite trust them.

Chu Feng stepped forward, observing the abyss and staring at the ominous figure composed of runes. He suddenly unleashed his Human King Domain, crashing into it, intending to imprison the opponent and study him carefully.

A fierce battle erupted. This person was indeed stronger than the previous Great Heavenly Venerate by a significant margin, truly powerful, and ultimately even displayed partial Eternal Venerate might. He was actually able to fiercely contend with the current Chu Feng! Unfortunately, he encountered Chu Feng. It didn't take long before Chu Feng blasted through him, causing large amounts of black blood to gush forth. Was it transformed from runes, or was it true Fallen Immortal blood?

Chu Feng walked over and imprisoned him. He crouched down, carefully observing him with his Super Fiery Golden Eyes, and used powerful energy to examine and investigate his body. Additionally, Chu Feng also touched the abyss, continuously analyzing it, aiming for a thorough understanding.

A moment later, he couldn't help but frown. He discovered a very unsettling situation: this kind of abyss and the dark substances within it were difficult to completely eradicate; they might even reappear shortly after. Was there any ultimate meaning in merely defeating the abyss and thoroughly shattering it?

"You've seen it too, haven't you?" the ominous figure beneath the ground murmured, his voice hoarse. In reality, this was a soul-light transmission, but it felt so real, as if he were actually speaking. "If it were possible to eradicate the darkness and bring my true self back into existence," he continued, "why would it have waited until this era? Someone would have acted long ago. After all, we were once the orthodox lineage, descendants of the Heavenly Emperor. Those ancient sages would not have watched us fall and sink deep into darkness."

The creature murmured, very calmly and indifferently, as if speaking of something unrelated to himself. "Actually, the abyss you are trying to disperse is my original true self," he explained. "It's just that we can no longer turn back; we are forever trapped in the dark burial ground." He sighed softly, raising his head to look towards the exit of the abyss, as if searching for light.

"To be in hell, yet gaze at heaven—this is our destiny," he said. "Occasionally, we can be as lucid as today, but most of the time, we are steeped in monstrous evil, devoid of self." His voice was low and calm, yet it revealed a bloody, despairing, and desolate truth.

Was this truly the fact? Chu Feng fell silent. Who then was the so-called awakened true body outside?

"We were once the orthodox lineage, an Immortal Clan that developed from the Heavenly Emperor's inheritance," he continued. "If we could have been saved, why would it have waited until now, until this era, for you to come and rescue us?"

Chu Feng remained silent. Indeed, it was true; there must still be people alive from the Heavenly Emperor's lineage. If they could have been saved, they would have acted long ago; why would it have come to this?

"The one outside, he... is not the me of the past. I am!"

In the abyss, the creature became lucid, growling softly. Finally displaying human emotion, he was deeply saddened, seemingly weeping blood. How tragic was their state? The entire clan, everyone was like this, not just an individual case like him. The Fallen Immortal King Clan wept in the abyss, despairing and sinking in the darkness. No one could save them; they could only gaze up from hell, beyond redemption.

"Then who is the person outside?" Chu Feng finally couldn't help but ask him.

"He is merely a hope I hold for a beautiful future," the ominous person murmured. "Wishing him to forever see light and never fall into darkness. He is my yearning."

Chu Feng felt a heavy weight in his heart. Should he still kill this man in the abyss?

"Go ahead," the ominous man spoke. "At the very least, if you strike me down, my hope for the future—he—will be able to live normally for a period, enjoying light and splendor."

"How long until something happens to him?" Chu Feng asked.

"He should be able to live for as long as a mortal's lifetime," the man murmured. "After that, perhaps he will die, or perhaps he will return to darkness and eternal oblivion."

A mortal's lifetime is merely a few decades, at most a century. Why then would the man's beautiful hope in the abyss last for such a brief period?

"A mortal's lifetime, if lived fully and splendidly, is already long enough!" the man's voice became even lower.

Chu Feng fell silent. He truly couldn't bring himself to do it, feeling immense sympathy for the man. And in fact, many members of the Fallen Immortal King Clan were just like him!

"Do it," the man urged. "There's no need to pity me. Darkness will return, and I will no longer be myself. You will see my cold, cruel, and violent side. Don't hesitate. I once shone brilliantly through the ages, incomparably powerful among my peers; I do not need anyone's pity!" The man spoke, very solemn and incredibly earnest, asking Chu Feng to strike. Seeing Chu Feng unmoving, he spoke again, saying, "My beautiful hope, the radiant light in my heart, lives outside—he is still there!"

Finally, seizing his last moments of lucidity, he lunged towards Chu Feng's Human King Domain, actively seeking death. Otherwise, as an ominous being of darkness, it would be difficult for him to end himself.

Chu Feng swung his fist. In the darkness, he forcefully, helplessly, and with a heavy heart, unleashed a fierce and domineering fist imprint.

Boom!

Brilliance reappeared, radiating boundless light, as Chu Feng stood outside. He had eliminated and purified a peak powerhouse close to the Eternal Venerate realm, a person who had been unparalleled among his generation, yet Chu Feng remained silent. Meanwhile, others outside exclaimed in shock and awe. Many cultivators from various races cried out in excitement.

***

A story I've conceptualized for a long time has now begun. However, it's not presented in text form, but as a comic titled "A Strange World." It offers a different kind of wonder. For more details, please follow Chen Dong's official WeChat account and Weibo. Please show your support!