"The path ahead?"
"What do you consider the path ahead to be?"
"Why do you think the path has no end?"
Gu Changge, clad in white with wide sleeves and his hands behind his back, seemed to smile faintly upon hearing this.
The arrival of the Strength Master was within his expectations. With the epoch of heaven and earth ending prematurely, all existences who controlled the Authority of the Heavenly Dao would sense it.
This naturally included the nine True Path level existences. Of course, to date, nine True Path level existences had yet to appear; the Karma Authority among the Nine Great Authorities had not yet emerged.
Among the current eight True Path level existences, the Strength Master was indisputably the first in strength, beyond all argument.
If the epoch of heaven and earth were not ending, in a sense, existences like the Strength Master would have already been truly attained once and forever, omnipotent, and eternally alive.
With the end of the epoch of heaven and earth, they foresaw that they too would be drawn into the fray and face calamity, so each would seek their own method to withstand the tribulation.
And the Strength Master's method to withstand the tribulation lay within the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
"The path ahead?"
"The path ahead as I see it is naturally greater strength, more profound realms, more omnipotent might, and an even more unfathomable dimension of life…"
Without hesitation, the Strength Master answered directly, "Originally, the world had no path. But as long as there are those who walk it, those who advance forward, then a complete path will emerge. The path ahead is exactly the same. As long as I persist in walking it, one day I will surely open up a new path."
"The Alliance Leader's strength surpasses mine, which must mean he has crossed that chasm I could never surmount and is already walking upon this path ahead."
His voice was thunderous, carrying some inconceivable true intent of heaven and earth, causing many spacetimes throughout the Vast Expanse to hum and quake violently.
Ling Yuling, who had entered the great hall along with the Fourth Sacrificial Priest Qiluo and A'Li, waited silently at the side, not interrupting.
Qiluo, who still harbored some doubts about the Strength Master's identity, felt at that moment as if the great universe before her had split open. Amid boundless chaos, it was as if a vast, boundless giant, wielding a giant axe, had split heaven and earth, the pure and turbid separating, the eons shattering, and all manner of great Daos being nurtured into existence.
Horrified, she couldn't help but tremble slightly.
This unremarkable-looking, burly man was utterly terrifying, his aura far surpassing even that of the Grand High Priest.
What sacred figure was this, exactly?
Ling Yuling knew the origins of the Strength Master. After all, upon arriving, he hadn't overstepped, nor did he flaunt his background and power. Instead, he waited quietly outside the Heaven-Slaying Alliance. Only after being reported did she lead him in.
Who would have imagined this was a True Path level existence?
And at this very moment, he was humbly seeking guidance before Gu Changge, his posture like that of an ignorant junior.
"Heh…"
Gu Changge chuckled lightly and said, "In that case, where does the realm of End of the Path come from? If the path has no end, then why call it End of the Path?"
In the Strength Master, he saw a few matters of interest, so he was inclined to offer some guidance.
Naturally, guidance and breaking through realms were not directly related.
In the present Vast Expanse, it was impossible for someone surpassing the Strength Master, a True Path level existence, to emerge. True Path indeed could no longer be broken past upward.
As the Strength Master had said, the world did not permit the emergence of stronger power. Originally, True Path level existences were the greatest "fruits" the Land of Truth could allow to appear.
For this fruit to further bloom and bear results, it lacked the most crucial medium, and that medium could not appear in the Vast Expanse.
To put it another way, the path ahead that the Strength Master and others had been pursuing had already been severed.
The reason Gu Changge's strength far surpassed theirs was that he had always stood at the ultimate peak beyond the reach of all beings in the Vast Expanse, overlooking everything.
The Strength Master could also see that Gu Changge was intending to guide him. His eyes suddenly blazing with divine brilliance, he said in a deep voice, "End of the Path is by no means Dao Emptiness. Cultivation realms are inherently set by those who came before. When they reached the limit at this step, they believed there was no road left—that was because they were not strong enough. But I am stronger than any predecessor. So what they believed to be the End of the Path is, in my eyes, merely a brief resting place along the journey…"
His tone was grandiose, wildly arrogant. An End of the Path existence, who might only emerge once in thousands of epochs, was in his eyes just a resting place.
Gu Changge, hearing this, showed a look of admiration and said, "A fine resting place indeed. After slaying heaven, I shall open an unprecedented new epoch. You shall be my foremost war general."
The Strength Master was momentarily stunned. Making him a war general?
These words, coming from Gu Changge's mouth, were so casual and natural, as if a minor matter.
But his reaction was swift. He immediately said solemnly, "If I can witness an unprecedented grand design, see an epoch never before seen since time immemorial, and personally experience the splendor of the path ahead, what harm is there in serving at the Alliance Leader's beck and call, campaigning in all directions?"
In the Strength Master's eyes, eternal life, lifespan, and strength held little meaning. What did life or death matter, or the success or failure after slaying heaven?
From the moment he truly laid eyes on Gu Changge, he understood that the path ahead he had been seeking, the Dao he had searched for, lay right before him.
This was a person who could truly guide him and clear away the clouds.
And the moment his words fell, across the boundless and infinite spacetime of the Vast Expanse, the endless universes, the trillions of spacetimes, a vast, grand voice carrying immeasurable great power suddenly rang out.
"I am the Strength Master. Today, I willingly follow the Alliance Leader, campaigning in all directions for him, to open a new epoch never before seen."
As this voice resounded, within many Super Multiverses, terrifying roars like thunder and gales swept through mightily.
It was a great power like an endless wind, sweeping across every spacetime, resounding through every universe, echoing in the ears of countless billions of beings.
At this moment, virtually all living beings seemed to have heard such words. All creation bore witness, echoing through past and present.
Even the Innate Five Fate Rivers, which had once threaded through all of history, seemed to faintly manifest signs.
Everyone was utterly shocked and horrified.
All End of the Path existences were shaken speechless. In many deep-level spacetimes, or in areas beyond the reach of destiny or where light barely radiated, some indescribably ancient beings were so terrified they widened their eyes.
In the Land of the Nine Heavens, several End of the Path existences fell silent, then collectively cast their gazes toward where the Heaven-Slaying Alliance was located.
The Ancient Treasure Civilization remained deathly silent, but terrifying undercurrents surged in the depths of the Reincarnation Sea.
"Hiss…"
"The Strength Master?"
"This is a supremely ruthless figure, who once nearly seized the Authority of a True Path level character. Such a fearsome figure has actually chosen to follow the Alliance Leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance?"
On a parched, desolate star covered in ravines and rifts, the figure of Progenitor Xu slowly emerged. Gazing into the deep, pitch-black great universe, his expression was greatly shaken, shifting between uncertainty and gloom.
Behind him, a figure clad in armor appeared, trembling with shock, saying, "Progenitor Xu, perhaps we should just give up…"
Behind this armored figure, dense black mist swirled, and one after another, massive black lotuses took root in the void, seemingly drawing upon the fortune and faith power gathered from numerous spacetimes and universes.
If any other tribe leaders of The Eight Tribes were present, they would certainly recognize him: it was Wuxiang, the last one remaining.
"We've already come this far and you still think about giving up? Wuxiang, you are a figure who has lived for countless ages—how can your courage be so small?"
"To think I even went so far as to share with you a piece of the flesh of the Lord of Heaven's Proxy I obtained with such difficulty, intending to give you great fortune so you could comprehend the profound secrets within and reshape your Formless Heaven. But you dare not do this, you dare not do that…"
"The Heavenly Faction isn't even looking for trouble with you, yet you're so timid. How can you achieve anything great? And you still want to set foot in the True Path Realm? Keep dreaming."
Progenitor Xu's face was dark as he turned and unleashed a torrent of angry rebuke at Wuxiang behind him.
If the Master of Fate hadn't died, he could still have found a way to cooperate with him and squeeze out every last bit of value. What a pity that the Master of Fate insisted on courting death, trying to provoke Gu Changge's authority. And now look.
Meanwhile, Wuxiang had created the Black Lotus Cult to secretly and quietly siphon nutrients from the Heaven-Slaying Alliance to grow. Even if Gu Changge knew, he couldn't be bothered to deal with it—this was the best proof.
As long as one didn't court death, they were now just a few insignificant ants in his eyes; he wouldn't spare the attention.
But Wuxiang lacked the Master of Fate's boldness. He had already been scared out of his wits by the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, only daring to develop cult followers in secret.
What End of the Path existence lived as stifled as he did?
The Heaven-Slaying Alliance's current restriction forbidding End of the Path existences from taking the field was, in essence, giving them an opportunity.
"After all, we once followed the Master. If we simply admit our mistakes and accept a punishment, it's still better than trembling in fear every day…" Wuxiang, knowing his cultivation was inferior to Progenitor Xu's and that even among End of the Path existences there remained a vast gap, dared not retort too much.
Progenitor Xu looked at him with a mix of disappointment at his failure to strive, saying, "Right now, the Vast Expanse is undergoing violent changes daily. The Will of Heaven and Earth is gradually reviving, and the suppression on cultivation realms will slowly relax. Some heaven-defying opportunities and great fortunes from the past will also appear. We are not part of any Super Multiverse, not bound by their control, so these fortunes should be ours to contend for."
"Moreover, to slay heaven is to rebel against one's superior, an act of great defiance. Later, the Heaven-Slaying Alliance will inevitably collapse and be reduced to ash. The Lord of Heaven's Proxy and the Alliance Leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance are originally the same person. Don't tell me you still haven't figured that out by now?"
Wuxiang was instantly struck speechless, as if even mentioning such things now filled him with dread.
Seeing him unmoved, Progenitor Xu sighed inwardly. After all this instigation, Wuxiang still showed no reaction. Trying to use him as a probe was probably not going to work.
"End of the Path existences shall not take the field… Heh… Seems like not a single one is a fool; they've all been scared witless."
"That suits me just fine."
He swept his gaze outward, detecting an unusual aura in the vast universe ahead. His figure blurred, tearing through spacetime and stepping into it, disappearing in an instant.
Within the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, as the Strength Master's great vow concluded, the various spacetimes and universes resonated with a commotion. The great hall quickly returned to silence.
On the faces of both the Fourth Sacrificial Priest Qiluo and A'Li, identical looks of fear appeared. Even the snow-white true hou at her feet was so frightened it shrank to the size of a kitten.
The Strength Master's ferocious reputation spanned countless eras of the Vast Expanse. During the Great War Against Heaven, the true spirit source of a certain leader of the Palace of Fate Defiance after their fall had been seized by him, and all contenders were injured. In subsequent historically significant eras, the Strength Master played various roles.
He had even been called the Woodcutter, the Great Black Hand, the Supremely Ruthless Man… by some of the most ancient beings.
"Within the trajectory and order as I understand it…"
"The current Vast Expanse should be in a period where old and new orders are blending and merging. Although I don't know how many times the Vast Expanse has restarted, the Daoist legacies, cultivation realms, and divisions left today are actually related to the old order universe…"
The Strength Master, with a humble and teachable demeanor, recounted all his knowledge and understanding of the Vast Expanse, as well as some profound secrets, hoping to receive Gu Changge's guidance and corrections to verify and distinguish them.
"The era of the old universal order—I do not know if it ever truly existed. This is a portion of the secret truth I deduced and observed from the Authority of the Heavenly Dao I obtained."
"During the period of the old universal order, the Vast Expanse was still the Vast Expanse, representing the future myriad heavens and boundless worlds, infinite universes, trillions of spacetimes, boundless and endless. There, all finality and origin, the source of existence, all things and all beings, were eternally fixed. Destiny radiated through everything, time threaded through eternity…"
"In the period of the old universal order, there was no Land of Truth, no Three True Ancestors. The will within chaos nurtured Innate Beings, Innate Deities, and other ancient beings. According to the original trajectory, the Heavenly Dao's Will would divide into nine Great Authorities, nine Great Authorities representing nine supreme paths, signifying that the Vast Expanse could originally produce nine supreme existences of the utmost peak."
"Each supreme path could lead to the achievement of Dao Ancestor. In the old universal order, a Dao Ancestor was essentially the current Ancestral Dao Realm after having crossed nine Heavenly Decline Tribulations. However, in the original old order timeline, Dao Ancestors never experienced heavenly tribulations."
"If a Dao Ancestor relied upon one of the nine supreme paths, they could attain once and for all, freely traversing all spacetime, unique across all worlds, achieving supremacy over all heavens, supreme beyond all worlds, transcending all, forever carefree, and enjoying immunity from all myriad Daos. One could say they were the most inconceivable existences in the Vast Expanse."
"Such existences, in the old order spacetime, were called Great Dao Ancestors, corresponding to what are now considered True Path level figures. Whether in the old order spacetime or the present one, nine has always been the ultimate number, impossible to surpass… And those who cultivated other Daos to the end could only become Lesser Dao Ancestors, which are the current so-called End of the Path figures."
"Great Dao Ancestors dwelled beyond the world, because they were constrained by the nine supreme Heavenly Dao Authorities and could not easily interfere in the Vast Expanse. However, they could study and comprehend the nine supreme paths—that is, comprehend the Heavenly Dao. And on this path, they could still go further."
"The old order spacetime believed that above the Great Dao Ancestor, there was still the Heavenly Dao Realm. Only by truly comprehending the Authority of the Heavenly Dao could one be considered to have stepped into the Heavenly Dao Realm. As for how many levels the Heavenly Dao Realm has, no one knows. The nine Heavenly Dao Authorities divided from the Heavenly Dao's Will, compared to the true Heavenly Dao, are but a drop in the ocean, utterly incomparable."
"The distinction is like an emperor casually drafting an imperial edict; trying to gauge the emperor's might and power from that edict is simply impossible…"
"Even if one perfects the Heavenly Dao Realm, one could not possibly possess the power of the Heavenly Dao's Will. Because the so-called realms are merely divided and set by the Heavenly Dao's Will; it can alter the realms at will. That is already a power beyond my ability to fathom or imagine…"
Even as mighty as the Strength Master, when uttering these words, could not help but appear solemnly grave, and toward the end, a trace of bitterness crept in.
If he had not comprehended and observed these secrets, he might never have understood how laughable and insignificant his so-called power was in the eyes of truly powerful existences.
Within the hall, silence and dead stillness fell.
Fire God Zhu Rong, the Fourth Sacrificial Priest Qiluo, A'Li, and even Ling Yuling were all rendered speechless by these so-called hidden truths.
In their hearts, aside from the shock and awe, only an infinite sense of insignificance and powerlessness remained.