Chapter 1613: 荒, Life Begins Anew, Time Divergence

Chu Feng's arm was wet with tears, and he was filled with mixed emotions. His past, his life from long ago, seemed both incredibly distant and right before his eyes. Everything felt like a dream, too unreal. He was originally just a graduate living on Earth, so how did he end up on a path like this?

Back then, he thought about working after graduation. Now, he faced blood and chaos, the strange and the ominous, along with unknown and unimaginably powerful enemies. In the past, he rarely even had the chance to handle live ingredients in the kitchen. But now, he routinely had to kill living beings... kill people! He stretched out his hands, examining them, then looked up at the vast sky. Everything felt like a dream. Modern city life had vanished, replaced by the law of the jungle, and cruel blood and chaos enveloped the world.

In truth, this wasn't the life he wanted. He also wished to return to the past. "If I could go back, how would I choose? Perhaps I wouldn't have embarked on this path." Chu Feng sighed softly, thinking of the past. Who doesn't have regrets on life's journey? His parents' faces and voices, the strong family bonds and reunions – they seemed like yesterday, but now they were all lost. "If life could restart, if time had a branching point, I want to change things!"

As he finished speaking, it was as if he had triggered something. He vaguely heard a young man's voice uttering similar words: "The past reappears, time forks. I want to find you... what was lost, what vanished, may it all return!"

Chu Feng's hair stood on end. Who was this? The voice seemed to be right by his ear, right beside him, right in his heart, yet he hadn't sensed the person's presence beforehand. Looking around, Young Lady Xi, Old Gu, Yellow Ox, Jiang Luoshen, and others were all unaware, feeling nothing. Even Xia Qianyu, who was holding his arm, was just crying, seemingly having heard nothing at all. Chu Feng's gaze sharpened. He finally realized something: could it be the stone pot within him? However, on the Overseas Celestial Island, he couldn't easily take it out to investigate.

"Don't cry, we'll go home someday," Chu Feng comforted Xia Qianyu. She was his first blind date, and he never expected to reunite with her like this, years later, in a different world.

"When?" Xia Qianyu asked, her eyes tearful.

"We still have to wait, but not too long," Chu Feng told her. It wasn't that he didn't want to return, but because Earth was strange right now. There was a powerful puppeteer behind the scenes, whom even the current "Heavenly Emperor" might not be able to defeat. The Lesser Netherworld and Earth had been repeating, cycling, and evolving through similar environments for countless years. It seemed as if an unmeasurable being was breeding "gu" – hoping to cultivate individuals similar to "that one" and the Three Heavenly Emperors. Unless he found out who this supreme being was and solved this problem, Chu Feng dared not return. Otherwise, he would likely be targeted.

Last time, he used the Path of Reincarnation to pull off a "cicada shedding its skin" escape, freeing himself from that strange situation. Thinking about it now, he still felt a chill. At that time, he was very weak, unlikely to attract the attention of high-level beings. Now, things were different. Once he entered the Lesser Netherworld again, it was hard to say what might happen.

"How much longer?" Xia Qianyu's eyes were tearful, but also filled with hope. Even the stronger Jiang Luoshen, who was gradually adapting to the life of an evolver in the Yang Realm, now showed a look of longing. For a wanderer drifting in foreign lands, who wouldn't wish to return home if they could?

"Soon, I will make a suggestion to the New Emperor!" Chu Feng told them seriously.

The Overseas Celestial Island boasted beautiful scenery, with spiritual mountains rising one after another, divine waterfalls cascading, and immortal mist swirling. Clusters of exquisite palaces and jade towers made it seem like a celestial paradise removed from the world. This journey was smooth. Chu Feng, Zhou Xi, Mi Tian, Old Gu, and others briefly stayed on the island, enjoying its beautiful scenery accompanied by Sheng Yuxian.

On the way, a high-ranking Elder Monster of the Peerless True Immortal level from Celestial Island came to meet Chu Feng privately. Surprisingly, he wanted a marriage alliance! He was very direct, pulling Chu Feng aside and explaining his intentions. At the same time, he was also subtle, telling Chu Feng that he could choose between Sheng Yuxian and Jiang Luoshen, or even choose both if he wished.

Chu Feng felt a headache. He had come to quell a rebellion, but no battle occurred, and now he was expected to gain one or two more companions. Yet, he genuinely had no such intentions regarding the Overseas Celestial Island. Before he could even respond, someone else bristled! Zhou Xi immediately spoke up, her beautiful face composed. "No need to trouble yourself," she said. "The New Emperor has already inquired about Chu Feng's matters and has made arrangements long ago!" Old Gu, Strange Dragon, and the others were speechless. Even as a Peerless True Immortal, the Elder Monster from the Overseas Celestial Island looked repeatedly at her and Chu Feng, then opened his mouth but found it difficult to press the matter further.

The group hastily set off. Chu Feng fled as if escaping, partly to avoid the marriage alliance and partly to quickly find a secluded place to take out the stone pot and investigate.

"You must come pick me up, and soon!" Xia Qianyu waved from behind, very reluctant to part. She missed her hometown and her parents.

"I still want to go back and make movies," Jiang Luoshen, once the nation's goddess, now an evolver, joked to herself with a bitter smile. She knew that even if they could return, everything would likely be different.

Azure waves undulated. Overseas islands were scattered like stars, dotting the vast ocean. Occasionally, flood dragons soared, riding clouds and mist, and colossal sea monsters churned, stirring up towering waves. However, upon seeing Chu Feng and his companions, all these creatures immediately quieted down, diving beneath the water, daring not to cause any more trouble. It could be said that Chu Feng's tour to pacify the four directions was so smooth that even he was somewhat surprised; not a single major battle had broken out.

"The mission is almost complete. Let's go to the last location — the Supreme Eight Trigrams Furnace Forbidden Zone." After being ennobled as a king by the New Emperor, Chu Feng's task of pacifying the four directions wasn't extensive, but it was certainly not easy, as some of the Elder Monsters in the forbidden zones were unfathomable and quite dangerous.

On the way, Chu Feng quietly took out the stone pot and carefully sensed it. However, the young man's voice was gone, and the stone pot was silent and still, showing no abnormalities. Although he checked repeatedly and examined it carefully, no further anomalies occurred. Chu Feng was disappointed and had to put it aside for now.

"Dad, I've come for you! I want to join you in quelling the rebellion!" A voice came from afar. A plump young boy rushed over at incredible speed. It was none other than the Little Daoist Priest, the child of Chu Feng and Qin Luoyin, now once again in his Daoist robes, sprinting all the way. Suddenly, a large hand tore through the void, swiftly reaching out and snatching up the Little Daoist Priest. This made Chu Feng and the others' hearts sink. Feeling that something was wrong, they immediately prepared to rescue him.

However, in an instant, they stopped. They sensed a terrifyingly powerful and very familiar aura – it was Corpse, the Dog Emperor's partner.

"I knew it, you impudent brat! What can I say about you? Get back here!"

"No!" the Little Daoist Priest struggled.

"Boundless tribulations!" Corpse roared in fury. "What kind of behavior is this? This humble Daoist's reputation, unmatched in heaven and earth, is about to be sullied by you! You want to find me a cheap father? I'll beat you to death! You're ruining my lifelong reputation. Go back and cultivate! Don't even think about leaving until you can beat me!" He and the Little Daoist Priest were two sides of the same coin, both being split souls of the same person. He was of immense age and unfathomable origin. He feared the Little Daoist Priest would go around randomly claiming relatives, but what he worried about most was him calling Chu Feng "Dad" – he simply couldn't tolerate it.

"Help!" the Little Daoist Priest yelled, desperately trying to get closer, waving at Chu Feng and greeting his friend Yellow Ox.

"Senior, this... could you please let go of my son?" Chu Feng forced himself to ask. However, as soon as he finished speaking, he knew he had said the wrong thing. It was too late to cover his mouth.

"Amitabha, boundless weirdness's grandma!" Corpse was so enraged he was fuming from all seven orifices, his entire body of black decaying flesh trembling uncontrollably. He almost made a move, but at the critical moment, the Little Daoist Priest grabbed his arm, and he forcibly restrained himself.

"I can't be bothered to talk to you anymore. You, go back!" He lifted the boy, preparing to leave. The Little Daoist Priest wiped away tears, genuinely heartbroken. Although he had tricked Chu Feng in the past, having lived two lives, he now felt an extraordinary closeness to his old friends and wanted to travel and stay with them. But he also knew it probably wouldn't work. Corpse was worried, first, that he would go around claiming random relatives, and second, that this little chubby boy was too weak, bringing shame to him. As a split soul, he had to rise quickly. Knowing it was impossible, the Little Daoist Priest sighed heavenward, only able to bid farewell to Chu Feng and the others.

But before leaving, he told Chu Feng, "My mother Yaoyao is going into seclusion. She said she won't bid you farewell now, but we will meet again in the future." Hearing this, everyone's hearts stirred. Yaoyao, with her peerless grace, was the Heavenly Empress's successor from another era. She had walked the Pollen Path, even fallen into the Grand Netherworld, learning its methods. She cultivated the strengths of various schools. With this seclusion and breakthrough, when she reappeared, she would likely be a top-tier Great Cosmos-level being, a peerless ultimate, truly having become an immortal, right?! Only Zhou Xi's beautiful face was dark as she glared at the Little Daoist Priest.

As a result, the Little Daoist Priest yelled again: "Dad, I remember now! Those old bastards, those old Immortal Kings, are arguing over your marriage! They're talking about marriage alliances, and some want to recruit a son-in-law. I think, from the looks of it, they want to give you three palaces, six compounds, and seventy-two concubines!" After saying all this, he ran off, not even needing Corpse to drag him away.

"..." Everyone was speechless.

"Cough!" Chu Feng cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "We also need to hurry up and quickly raise our cultivation. Once we're back, I'll ask the New Emperor for resources: Great Cosmos-level exotic soil and invincible pollen. Oh, and if any of you need anything, tell me in advance. Now that all the heavens are unified, I'm a king of a region. The New Emperor can't possibly shortchange my salary; it must be commensurate with my royal title. All cultivation resources should be met."

"Okay!"

"I want that invincible fruit from a certain forbidden zone that can boost one's Dao!" Old Gu was the first to jump up.

From a distance, the Supreme Eight Trigrams Furnace Forbidden Zone glowed with fire, constantly burning with unpredictable flames of light, a heavenly fire composed of Dao patterns. There were many legends about this forbidden zone. The most popular theory in the Yang Realm was that it originated from beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, having fallen from a great world outside the realms.

"Zhou Zhengde, Cao De, Ji Dade, Mo De! Or perhaps, I should call you Chu Feng. You still dare to come?!" A being appeared in the Supreme Forbidden Zone, calling out coldly from a distance, radiating killing intent. Last time, Chu Feng came to the Eight Trigrams Furnace Forbidden Zone to refine his golden body, promising to help the beings there explore the mysteries left by the Heavenly Empress. But instead, he fled directly from that space. However, Chu Feng felt no guilt whatsoever. The Elder Monster in the forbidden zone was trying to use him at the time. If he had actually returned through that entrance, he probably wouldn't have had a good outcome.

"Let's talk this through. Back then, I didn't get anything from that special small world anyway. Never mind, I'm not here for that today. I'm here to declare the New Emperor's decree and pacify you all."

"Someone else might have been acceptable, but you, hmph!" Clearly, this clan within the forbidden zone was very displeased with him and still held a grudge.

"What's wrong with me? If you hadn't harbored ill intentions back then, would I have fled?" Chu Feng sneered, not indulging them at all. Now that all the heavens were unified, and he was King Chu, supported by a group of Elder Monsters, what was there to fear from a forbidden zone in the Yang Realm? If they truly turned hostile, he wouldn't mind starting a war. This trip had been too smooth, and he needed a battle to establish his might.

"How arrogant! Don't think that just because you showed your might on the two-realm battlefield, you can look down on the world. Any genius's growth requires the accumulation of time. It's too early for you to be so ostentatious!" In the forbidden zone, a decaying Great Cosmos-level being couldn't hold back, extending a hand to seize Chu Feng alive. Clearly, the people of the Supreme Forbidden Zone weren't trying to directly oppose him; this was merely their dissatisfaction with Chu Feng, wanting to teach him a lesson.

However, with the current unification of power, Chu Feng had nothing to worry about. Without any hesitation, he immediately took out a decree and sealed it towards the forbidden zone. With a boom, a large hand emerged from the radiant decree. With a smack, it flattened the decaying Great Cosmos-level being's arm into pulp and pressed him directly into the magma of the Supreme Forbidden Zone. This was definitely a result of showing mercy!

"Daoist friend, please calm your anger, please stop!" The most powerful Elder Monster in this forbidden zone cried out anxiously and made his move, blocking the large hand emerging from the decree. This Elder Monster was a Quasi-Immortal King level being, very strong. However, with just one touch, he was smacked away by that large hand, sent flying, covered in blood. All the beings in the forbidden zone were horrified, falling silent as cicadas. Even their Patriarch was severely injured and sent flying, coughing blood, in a single exchange. How could they possibly regain face now? There was no need to even think about it.

Chu Feng was naturally unafraid. How could he venture out to pacify forbidden zones without a trump card? The decree sealed Nine Dao One's attack methods, as well as Li's obsession. At critical moments, these were used to subdue defiant Elder Monsters. Sure enough, even after the people in the forbidden zone submitted and everything became peaceful, that Elder Monster abruptly took another hit. A black hand appeared behind his head, striking him with a palm. His skull instantly fractured into four pieces, his soul light vibrated uncontrollably, and he eventually fainted. Undoubtedly, this was the style of Li, the great puppeteer. This was the best deterrence. The people of the Supreme Forbidden Zone immediately behaved themselves. In the end, they welcomed Chu Feng and the others into the forbidden zone, expressing their willingness to submit.

"This forbidden zone must have fallen from beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, right? What exactly is its origin?" In the depths of the forbidden zone, tall palaces shimmered with Dao patterns in the firelight, one after another. Chu Feng and his companions sat in the reception hall, questioning the Fire Clan.

"To be precise, it fell from the Heavens to beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, and then fell into the Yang Realm," the awakened Quasi-Immortal King level Elder Monster in the forbidden zone stated solemnly, giving the precise details. Chu Feng and the others gasped, its origin was so grand? The Quasi-Immortal King smiled bitterly, saying, "We are not beings from the Heavens. We all evolved by utilizing the Great Dao fire that fell from there." In fact, the source of the firelight here was the Fire of Great Void and the Flame of Ancient Cosmos. Such substances, such supreme Dao fire, were said to be manifested only by Dao Ancestor-level beings, or even only by Ultimate Beings. Therefore, for this forbidden zone to have fallen from the Heavens, it must have involved a battle between supreme beings, leading to this anomaly.

"Hmm?!" Suddenly, Chu Feng's mind trembled. As the past of the forbidden zone was mentioned again, he once more felt an anomaly: the stone pot within him stirred slightly.

"Find me a quiet room! I have a Dao insight and need to go into temporary seclusion!" Chu Feng said urgently. He wasn't afraid of accidents. He quickly set up a domain in a quiet room, and finally even took out the decree to seal the stone room, isolating it from the outside.

Then, he looked inward at the stone pot and discovered the true anomaly. On the pot's wall, one side was emitting firelight, trembling slightly. Chu Feng remembered the anomaly on the Overseas Celestial Island and repeated those words: "If life could restart, if time had a branching point..." Sure enough, he vaguely heard a young man's voice, though it was somewhat indistinct this time. Most critically, he saw boundless firelight erupting from the stone pot. All were strange phenomena, scenes from the past, but even so, they made one tremble.

What was that? Had an Ultimate Being perished?! Chu Feng concentrated all his mental energy. He felt his soul light about to explode, his very being turning to nothingness. He saw a picture on the stone pot. A sword light bloomed, sweeping through the Heavens, shattering billions of great worlds, asserting dominance over ancient and modern times, and the future. "Is that... *that* person's sword light?!" Chu Feng's mind trembled. He had once seen the aftershocks of that very sword light, left behind billions of years ago, on the First Mountain.

Within the sword light, accompanied by a young man's voice, it roared through the ages, piercing the Heavens: "The past reappears, time forks. I want to find you... what was lost, what vanished, may it all return!" That sword light was terrifyingly boundless, piercing through eons, shattering everything, overturning ancient and modern times, and the future. Until finally, the last surge of sword light shot towards a certain source, actually hitting... the stone pot! Vaguely, Chu Feng seemed to hear a cracking sound.

Finally, when everything settled, and Chu Feng took out the stone pot, he discovered an anomaly. There was actually a scar on the stone pot, only now revealing itself: a small pit that had almost pierced through it, left behind in who-knows-what epoch! Chu Feng was shocked. What was the stone pot? An artifact existing since primordial times, something that no power had ever been able to harm. Yet, that person's sword light, which once swept through all directions, piercing through the Heavens above and below, when it struck a certain source, it almost pierced through it?! That person had not left an image on the stone pot, only his sword light and his voice lingered, but now they too faded.

Another year has passed. *The Sacred Ruins* has been "ruined" for quite some time, as I've had some health issues, battling the 'red-haired monster' for a long time, unable to defy fate. Now my health is almost fully recovered, so the story is going to conclude. It will end satisfactorily very soon. As the new year arrives, I wish everyone happiness, well-being, and for your wishes to come true! At the same time, for the New Year, I'm sharing a clip from the *Perfect World* animation. It's on my Weibo, showing the Return of the Desolate Heavenly Emperor. If you're interested, you can check it out. The official broadcast is tentatively scheduled for April 23rd.