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Chapter 1144: Devouring
Circle of Inevitability

As soon as the silver-black, three-tiered jewelry box inlaid with various gemstones was taken out and placed on the coffee table, Franca felt an inexplicable chill. It was as if the environment around her had undergone a strange transformation.

Ever since becoming a Demoness of Catastrophe, her spiritual intuition had grown much sharper.

The head on Lumian's left shoulder turned, and the face of Alista Tudor now faced forward, gazing at the Box of the Great Old Ones.

The intricate jewelry box let out a sudden creaking sound, as if the materials comprising it were buckling under some invisible pressure, on the verge of shattering.

All the anomalies Franca had sensed disappeared simultaneously.

"Box of the Great Old Ones?" Franca asked Lumian curiously.

Although she hadn't participated in the Major Arcana gatherings or the distribution of Grade 0 Sealed Artifacts, she had been briefed in advance about which items to avoid should a skirmish occur. This box was one of them.

Lumian nodded slightly and placed his right hand atop the Box of the Great Old Ones, gently tapping it.

"I felt it was fated with Ludwig, so I borrowed it for a while."

The phrase "fated" was something he had picked up in the dream city, though it was no longer rare in the ruins of the Northern and Southern Continents.

Members of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society had unconsciously spread new terms, and Lumian believed that visitors from Penglai, like Harrison, were also introducing similar ideas.

Fated with Ludwig? Franca instinctively turned her head to glance at Ludwig, who was dressed in formal children's attire.

The boy, steak clamped between his teeth, stared blankly at the Box of the Great Old Ones, as though lost in a dream.

Lumian slid his hand to the third layer of the silver- black jewelry box and smiled as he asked Ludwig, "Can you sense what's hidden inside?"

Ludwig, as if sleepwalking, extended his hand to the opposite side of the third layer of the box.

Almost instantly, Franca's ears filled with bizarre sounds of chewing, swallowing, and digesting. It was as though something was gnawing on her flesh and bones from within.

The sound originated from the depths of the third layer of the Box of the Great Old Ones and resonated from the depths of her psyche.

"It's... it's..." Ludwig stammered, the piece of steak dropping to the ground.

The boy's face, like a sheet covering a bed, was propped up into "tents" by unseen limbs.

With a mix of desire, reverence, fear, and trembling, he said, "It's… the power of Primordial Hunger!"

Primordial Hunger... One of the Great Old Dominators… Franca felt the surrounding environment suddenly grow dark and layered, as though some malevolent gaze had isolated them.

Looking around, she quickly realized they had been transported to Lumian's divine kingdom. This move was to prevent Primordial Hunger from leveraging the mystical connections formed during their discussion to destabilize the protected zone.

The middle head on Lumian's shoulders retained its earlier smile as he continued to ask Ludwig, "What would happen if I opened this layer?"

Ludwig jerked back as if electrocuted, stammering in fear, "It might-it might immediately devour everything around us. Or it might start by consuming-consuming our subconscious and the deepest parts of our islands of consciousness. It would eat emotions, memories, spirit, and consciousness, then flesh and blood, then night, day, good, evil, order, and disaster. It would continue until it consumed parts of the world's fundamental rules, destabilizing reality and dissolving the barriers at their foundation."

"As expected, your pathway eventually leads to devouring rules, concepts, authorities, and even symbols, Lumian remarked with satisfaction, the middle head nodding slightly.

Looking at Ludwig with an ambiguous smile, he asked in a Demoness-like whisper, "Can you devour the danger hidden in the box?"

Cheek's face turned forward, showing keen interest in Ludwig's response.

Visibly terrified, Ludwig blurted, "How could I?"

His words seemed to imply not that it was impossible but that it shouldn't be done-such an act would be rebellion, blasphemy!

Lumian offered no reply, his smile unchanging as he continued to gaze at Ludwig.

Ludwig fell silent, his expressions shifting from cowardice to resistance, to temptation, to hesitation and fear.

His face had never been so expressive.

Franca adopted a spectator's stance, waiting for Lumian to offer some dark persuasion and Ludwig to respond with his own struggles.

After a few seconds, Lumian spoke in a measured tone.

"The core of your pathway is 'devouring' and 'digesting'. Devouring the external world is not the end goal. Even consuming rules, concepts, authorities, and symbols is not the end. Devouring yourself, devouring your father, devouring the god you worship-that is your ultimate fate, the pinnacle of hunger.

"Perhaps that's the very reason He created all of you."

"Isn't that a bit... too extreme?" Ludwig asked with a clarity that suggested he had received some moral education.

Good kid, showing some humanity... Franca thought, nodding in approval.

She figured that if she chose the Spectator pathway, she could act out the role just as well.

Lumian glanced at Jenna's face on the head over his right shoulder and said to Ludwig with a smile, "It is indeed extreme. I wouldn't want you to be controlled by your godhood and instincts to do something so drastic.

"So I'm only asking if you can devour the danger hidden in the box-not if you can devour Primordial Hunger. In the current circumstances, strengthening yourself as much as possible is the best choice."

Ludwig opened his mouth as if to speak but closed it again, his expression shifting. Moments later, the sound of him swallowing saliva echoed audibly.

Oh Lord, you taste so good? Franca mentally captioned Ludwig's reaction.

After some time, Ludwig finally spoke.

"Not yet, I'd need to recover to my original level and receive help from another great existence."

With a nod, Lumian said, "So even just devouring it temporarily, storing it without digesting or absorbing it, requires the help of a Great Old Dominator?"

"Yes," Ludwig affirmed with a heavy nod.

Lumian pondered briefly before smiling again. "Then we'll wait."

He extended one of the arms holding the Red Priest Uniqueness, along with one of the new beautiful hands that had grown on his right side, toward Ludwig. In the current situation, although the Red Priest Uniqueness still retained the form of a charred flag, it wouldn't cause those who witnessed it to lose control and go crazy. This was because it was a part of Lumian and was under control. Lumian could let it display the influence of godhood as and when he wanted it to.

"You can pick which one to devour," Lumian said with a smile.

Ludwig froze. "Can I really eat this?"

Franca blinked, finally understanding Lumian's intent.

He was letting Ludwig devour a part of his own body to allow Ludwig to gain the separated Sequence 2 Beyonder characteristic and thus recover his original level, freeing him from the seal of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom.

Lumian currently had three extra Sequence 2 Beyonder characteristics: one Weather Warlock and two Demoness of Catastrophe.

"Of course. I'm your godfather," Lumian said with a smile.

Ludwig swallowed hard, looked left and right for a few seconds, and hesitated for a few seconds before saying, "That one."

He pointed to Lumian's left arm, which carried the Weather Warlock Beyonder characteristic derived from Tudor's Conqueror Beyonder characteristics.

"Very well." Lumian raised the corresponding arm.

Ludwig leaned in and bit down on the hand.

As deep red blood burned like flames and flowed, the sounds of gnawing and chewing filled the room, making Franca shudder.

Franca gasped in shock, thinking that Lumian was being a bit too extreme. Wouldn't it be better to separate the Beyonder characteristic first before feeding it to Ludwig?

It's not like it couldn't be done.

She glanced at the Tudor face on Lumian's left shoulder and noticed an expression of faint pain, a primal discomfort.

The corresponding Weather Warlock Beyonder characteristic belonged to Alista Tudor. Letting Ludwig directly devour it-was this a form of revenge? But you're hurting yourself too... Franca suddenly had a guess and sighed deeply.

Soon, Ludwig finished gnawing off Lumian's hand, leaving only the exposed, bare, iron-colored wrist bone, dripping with burning crimson blood.

Ludwig leaned back, licking the blood off the corners of his mouth, looking like he wanted more.

The skin on his face and body was on the verge of tearing apart, as though something massive inside him was about to burst forth.

The seal of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom could no longer hold him back.

At that moment, Ludwig took control of himself, refraining from breaking the sealing layer, maintaining the appearance of a little boy.

Lumian smiled and turned to Franca, saying, "I'll separate the remaining two Demoness of Catastrophe Beyonder characteristics later to balance my body better. Heh, the Sick Church will also need a Grade 0 Sealed Artifact. Oh, and the name 'Sick Church' will gradually have to change."

"Good, good, good!" Franca replied quickly, as though afraid Lumian might change his mind.

Although she knew Lumian was primarily planning for his own future, the fact that he was willing to consider the future at all was a good sign.

Lumian studied Ludwig for a few seconds before smiling and asking. "What's your plan going forward?"

Ludwig was silent for a moment before replying, "If I don't get devoured during the apocalypse, I want to remain a child first, grow up normally, grow old, and fully experience the life of a human. Then, I'll make comparisons."

Lumian hummed in acknowledgment and asked casually, "You've returned to the angel level now, haven't you? What's the name of your Sequence?"

As he spoke, blood and flames intertwined at his severed wrist, regenerating a new hand.

Ludwig thought for a few seconds and then said, "In your language, it's called the Angel of Devouring."

***

Thanks to the users "Максим Довбняк", "TempestUknow" for the chapters provided! hype

Circle of Inevitability
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  1. Offline
    Moon Venerable
    + 17 ⋅ 0 -
    Happy new year fellow beyonders hype
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    TempestUknow
    + 24 ⋅ 0 -
    1158 What Has Been Will Be Again





    As soon as Klein completed these two actions, the blood-red full moon ascended into the sky.

    Immediately afterward, the crimson liquid enveloping the moon surged upward, coalescing into a colossal figure in an instant.

    This figure emitted an incredibly terrifying suction, drawing forth grayish-white fog from the infinite heights and revealing the crimson moon and the strange, brownish earth. It seemed as though these elements wished to return to their 'mother's' embrace but were held back by the gray fog.

    Similarly, the Beyonder characteristic of the Beauty Goddess within the protected zone broke free of its seal and approached the gray-white fog's edge.

    Law of Beyonder Characteristics Convergence!

    Although the Mother Goddess of Depravity was considerably weakened after accommodating the Brood Hive, She could still utilize the Law of Beyonder Characteristics Convergence to directly reclaim the Uniqueness of the Mother pathway, the Uniqueness of the Moon pathway, and the corresponding Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics—as long as there was no opposition on the same level.

    Taking advantage of the Mother Goddess of Depravity's focus on reclaiming Her possessions, Lord of Mysteries Klein lifted the seal over the entire Western Continent, causing the grayish-white fog there to vanish abruptly.

    Now, only five sefirot watchers—the Celestial Master, the Holy Monk, and three others—remained on the Western Continent. They did not fear the natural dispersal of the Mother Goddess of Depravity's power or its accompanying symbolism.

    As Klein removed the Western Continent's seal, the eight 'stars' before him grew exceptionally massive, each eager to shatter the illusory barrier of historical fog and seize the sefirah and Uniqueness They craved.

    This sight stirred a sense of despair and fear in both the God of Steam and Machinery, Stiano, and the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, Herabergen.

    They could tangibly feel the oppressive aura emanating from the Great Old Dominators.

    At this moment, Klein's voice echoed within Their minds: 'There's still a chance.'

    The gods instinctively turned to Klein and saw the Lord of Mysteries, cloaked in a black trench coat, gloved in dark leather, and holding a star-speckled cane, surrounded by grayish-white fog.

    Carrying the weight of history, he stepped into the illusory barrier to confront the eight Great Old Dominators—beings as vast as stars.

    The God of Knowledge and Wisdom, Herabergen, understood that Klein's 'there's still a chance' was addressed to Them and the Archangels.

    After Klein had fully awakened and become the true Lord of Mysteries, Beyonders below Sequence 1 and ordinary humans were no longer in danger.

    If the situation became truly untenable, Klein could abandon the sefirot, Uniquenesses, and Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics and lead the planet's entire population of normal races to a remote, habitable edge of the universe. In the absence of conflicts of interest or instinctual desires, no Great Old Dominator would willingly oppose the Lord of Mysteries.

    But for gods like Herabergen and Archangels outside the Mysteries pathway, escape was impossible!

    Even if They lowered Their status—allowing avatars to flee—Their avatars would likely be corrupted once Their main bodies were devoured by the Great Old Dominators. There would be no means of preservation.

    This was likely Their last chance!

    Realizing the Lord of Mysteries could not hold off the eight Outer Deities for long, Herabergen turned His gaze to the real world, toward the protected zones.

    A liquid of pure chaos, encompassing all colors and possibilities, had seeped out, coalescing into a massive cross.

    On this cross hung a figure, formed entirely of radiant light, with a head that retained a human shape adorned with a thick, pale golden beard.

    A long shadow with five heads trailed behind Him, while a golden sun quietly hovered behind His head.

    The figure opened His eyes, revealing a pair of clear, infant-like golden irises. He nodded toward the God of Knowledge and Wisdom Herabergen and Lord of Storms Leodero within the astral world. 'Come, my Kings of Angels.'

    Amidst the reverberating, layered voice, Herabergen and Leodero were momentarily dazed.

    It was as if They had returned to the past, following the light and hope.

    The God of Knowledge and Wisdom, Herabergen, flew out of the astral world, revealing His true form.

    It was a brass dragon the size of a city, capable of expanding even larger.

    The dragon's body resembled a soft, foldable tower of thick, illusory books, each bearing a brass eye.

    The closer one moved toward the dragon's head, the darker and more ominous the layers of books and eyes became. At the dragon's brow, a nearly black brass vertical eye opened, gazing at the cross and the figure upon it.

    The brass dragon suddenly ignited, enveloped in formless, colorless flames and quiet, eldritch black fire.

    Dragging His elongated body and blazing tail, the dragon hurtled toward the figure on the cross.

    At that moment, the God of Knowledge and Wisdom, Herabergen, chose self-destruction, merging with Grisha Adam.

    This was not an entirely good thing—it had its dire consequences. Grisha Adam was still battling the Primordial God Almighty's will and was at a disadvantage, with no chance of becoming the Omnipotent and Omniscient One.

    In the short term, Herabergen's residual consciousness would help Grisha Adam resist the Primordial God Almighty, forming a fragile new balance. This would allow Grisha Adam to better control the body and provide stronger protection for the protected zones after the Great Old Dominators shattered the barrier, ensuring it remained untainted by the Outer Deities' power and corruption until Lord of Mysteries Klein seized the opportunity to transfer everyone during the chaos.

    In the long term, however, integrating the White Tower pathway's Uniqueness at this moment would enhance the Primordial God Almighty's will and spirit, accelerating His recovery—significantly disadvantaging Grisha Adam in Their struggle.

    Within the protected zone, Herabergen, clad in a plain white robe threaded with brass threads, looked skyward and sighed deeply.

    In the astral world, the Lord of Storms, Leodero, appeared in human form—a stern middle-aged man clad in black armor and wielding a trident.

    He glanced at the Western Continent, illuminated by scarlet moonlight, its entry sealed, and snorted at the Evernight Goddess, Amanises, and the God of Steam and Machinery, Stiano.

    'The Storm will not destroy itself!

    'Nor will it surrender!'

    Crackling sounds erupted as the King of the Skies, Emperor of the Seas, Lord of Calamity, and God of Storms transformed into layers of entangled, ball lightning. He shot down from the astral world at near-light speed, straight toward the crimson moon and the colossal figure.

    The storm illuminated the skies, illuminating the entire world.

    …

    Within the consciousness space—

    Boom!

    Lumian and the malevolent dragon both heard that peculiar heartbeat.

    With the former severely damaged, the dimmed Cheek and Tudor faces grew clear once more, and his central chaotic vortex face began to spin faster. Meanwhile, the dragon's two lateral heads instinctively sought to merge but were blocked by Lumian's mouth and Its own chaotic head.

    Now!

    Taking advantage of the moment, Lumian, in his colossal form, forcibly swallowed the dragon's iron-black body whole.

    Under this influence, the beautiful head that had been trying to merge with its other half ceased resisting and fused with the faces of Aurore and Jenna. This brought back the imprints of Aurore's and Jenna's past selves left in the mirror, which swiftly repaired the corresponding fragments of their souls.

    Lumian fully accommodated the malevolent dragon.

    Immediately, he felt a torrent of madness, ferocity, and destructive intent rampaging within him. These were partially absorbed by the chaotic vortex face, partially drawn away by the lingering consciousness of the City of Calamity Dao integrators, and partially suppressed by the combined wills of Lumian, Aurore, and Jenna.

    On both sides of Lumian's body, bulges began to form and writhe rapidly, each developing into a new body. These new bodies were connected to his original flesh, tightly adhered, and partially fused.

    On the right was a purely female figure clad in a sacred white robe, her hands milky and ethereal. Her head featured Aurore at the front and Jenna at the back, able to rotate freely in any direction, unrestrained by a neck.

    On the left was a half-male, half-female body, with a head composed of the Cheek face, the chaotic vortex face, and Alista Tudor's face. It wielded a charred banner in its hands.

    In the center was Lumian himself, adorned with long, blood-red hair and iron-black eyes. A prominent design of a true dragon from the Western Continent was etched between his brows.

    Suppressing the madness and will of the malevolent dragon, Lumian turned his head to the right.

    Aurore and Jenna's eyelashes quivered lightly before their eyes opened in unison, revealing smiles.

    Lumian exhaled suddenly, a mixture of relief, emotion, and regret in his mind as he communicated telepathically: 'It really is possible to resurrect… in this way…

    'Unfortunately, it won't last more than a few minutes.'

    Lumian meant that the balance within his body would not hold for more than a few minutes. This balance was predicated on the weakened state of the malevolent dragon's consciousness and will. Once the malevolent dragon recovered, the balance would inevitably collapse.

    The two types of Uniqueness in his current body were closely linked to the mirrored Original Creator, counterbalanced by the chaotic vortex face corresponding to the Primordial God Almighty. This trifecta of forces maintained a delicate equilibrium.

    Although Lumian, Aurore, and Jenna's bodies had achieved corresponding status levels, and their wills had been sufficiently strengthened, they were only supported by two Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristics each.

    In this situation, should the malevolent dragon's consciousness awaken, Lumian, Aurore, and Jenna would have little means to resist—unless the Primordial God Almighty actively sought resurrection within the chaotic vortex face, forming a larger and more stable framework.

    But alas, no such fortune would come to pass.

    This was the consequence of being forcibly driven and filled to reach this point.

    With her hair turned black, her eyes restored to deep brown, and her appearance and charm elevated to Above the Sequences, Aurore listened to Lumian's sentiments. Her expression remained calm, and she smiled gently, her voice soft.

    'When I died in Cordu Village, I did feel wronged, angry, and resentful. But when you became a Demoness of Unaging and I began to sense everything around me, to perceive what was happening, I gradually came to terms with it. Death isn't always a bad thing.

    'When I learned about the Dragon Lock and its story, and when I saw the actions of those souls just now, I found even greater peace. Our predecessors and forebears could sacrifice themselves; so can I. Death can be as light as a feather or as heavy as a mountain. I am willing to accept the destiny that awaits me and to act accordingly.'

    The head rotated, and Jenna's increasingly radiant face turned to Lumian. With a smile, she said, 'When I killed Hugues Artois, I thought, 'Even if I die, I must avenge my mother and those victims. That bastard can't keep laughing.'

    'When I advanced to become a Demoness of Unaging, I thought, 'Even if I die, I must save you. You still have unfulfilled wishes.'

    'Now, it brings to mind something Franca once joked аbout:

    ''Would you rather be a coward for a lifetime or a hero for five minutes?'

    'To die with you and Aurore to save everyone—I think that's the most romantic thing in the world.'

    As Lumian listened, his heart gradually calmed, his self-destructive tendencies easing.

    He lifted his head to gaze at the blood-stained throne high on the steps, his smile radiant as he said, 'Then let's complete the final step of accommodation.'

    …

    In the real world.

    The mass of entangled lightning approached the blood-red moon and the colossal figure at near-light speed.

    It tore through the void but quickly froze beside the crimson full moon. Each strand of its light was tainted scarlet, gaining new life as they detached and scattered.

    The terrifying lightning mass rapidly disintegrated.

    Its two brightest remnants were guided by Klein through Grafting toward the cross above a protected zone.

    In the next moment, the explosion and shockwave from the lightning unfurled, erupting with a deafening roar. The natural light of the crimson moon shattered and dissipated, revealing a breach.

    In the astral world, the Evernight Goddess, Amanises, holding a golden bird-shaped ornament in Her hands, stepped forward, leaving a single remark for the God of Steam and Machinery, Stiano, 'It's our turn to stake our lives.'

    The God of Steam and Machinery, Stiano, was about to follow when He suddenly sensed something and turned His gaze to the heights of the real world.

    A deep crimson meteor inexplicably appeared, dragging a long tail of flame as it plunged toward the blood-red moon and the colossal figure.

    The entire sky and world were engulfed in crimson fire.

    In the Year 1360, as July faded to its final days, crimson rained from the heavens.
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    1. Offline
      Broker
      + 2 ⋅ 0 -
      the cod was born 🔥🔥🔥
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    2. Offline
      reign_333
      + 2 ⋅ 0 -
      1368*? swim
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      1. Offline
        Broker
        + 2 ⋅ 0 -
        it's 1360 still, the prophecy made by post apocalyptic scripture came true
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    3. Offline
      Ordinary Human
      + 2 ⋅ 0 -
      Cf is f#cking cooking rn
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    4. Offline
      MysteryLord
      + 12 ⋅ 0 -
      Irascible bro died in his own way. What a chad mask mask mask
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        Lazy Lion
        + 5 ⋅ 0 -
        Damn! That pathway really needs to study a course on Anger Management Issues from Spectators
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    5. Offline
      Merow
      + 5 ⋅ 0 -
      I hope there's gonna be some twist in the end, i really do. It'll be so disappointing if Lumian just dies anyway without actually fulfilling any of his wishes.
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    6. Offline
      Cloves Flacko
      + 4 ⋅ 0 -
      Fors :- Fool can only take 2 GOO at once
      Fool :- Bring all of them, I alone am honoured one🎩🧤🎭✨
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    TempestUdontknow
    + 25 ⋅ 1 -
    (Since google is a bitch I am using different account)


    1157 Special Symbolism





    The malevolent dragon's camel-like head, adorned with antler-like horns and covered in blood-red fur, lunged past the chaotic head and violently collided with Lumian's face, devouring it.

    Lumian did not back down; he bit into the dragon's head, tearing at Its eyes, nose, and cheeks.

    Iron-black scales began to protrude from Lumian's face and neck.

    This was a symbolic manifestation of the struggle and merging of consciousness.

    In such situations, creating calamities and causing severe disasters would inevitably lead to self-inflicted harm.

    The dragon's other head and its snake-like, jade-white body entwined with the heads of Aurore and Jenna. They both Charmed and cursed one another, black flames—embodying destruction and ferocity—igniting and wrapping around them.

    Having disrupted the malevolent dragon's consciousness twice and forcibly merged before it could fully recover, Lumian had finally reached an equal footing with his opponent.

    But it still wasn't enough!

    The malevolent dragon's consciousness would not remain weakened forever.

    Amid their tearing and biting, Lumian clasped his two hands together, and a corresponding vision emerged in his mind.

    Fuzzy, ethereal figures returned to the malevolent dragon from all directions, reintegrating into the once-unified consciousness.

    They were the consciousnesses of the City of Calamity's Dao integrators that Lumian had previously separated.

    Because they had been separated, they had avoided destruction in the earlier battle.

    Now, Lumian used the power of a Visionary to reintegrate these separated consciousnesses back into the malevolent dragon, reuniting them and throwing Its consciousness into chaos. This stirred inclinations, emotions, and reactions within the dragon.

    …

    Thump! Thump!

    The heartbeat deep within the blood-red full moon's Chaos Primogenitor continued to pound violently, causing the mountain-like Brood Hive to sink faster, now more than halfway submerged in crimson.

    Thump! Thump!

    The sound of the heartbeat resonated in a hidden corner of the World of Ruins on the Southern Continent.

    Suah and Tirié, conducting Their ritual, seemed to have grown hearts of Their own, Their beats echoing the sound.

    They watched as Beyonders and bestowed transformed into masses of flesh, merging into the Chained God Tolzna. The mummified figure wrapped in bandages, thorns, and roses rapidly sprouted into a tree of desire extending toward the astral world.

    'The time has come!'

    'The help from the Mother Goddess of Depravity has arrived!'

    Excited, Suah and Tirié spread incomprehensible thoughts while merging into the tree atop the pyramid altar.

    For these fervent beings, returning to the Mother's body was the highest honor!

    The tree of desire grew rapidly, seemingly about to touch the astral world's barrier and tear a large hole into it. Suddenly, it tilted and twisted,

    collapsing toward the symbols, concepts, and representations that formed Lord of Mysteries Klein.

    This happened because the help from the Mother Goddess of Depravity had not arrived. Suah and Tirié had been deceived, misjudging the timing.

    This was because They had been marked by Klein long ago!

    When Lumian confronted the Primordial Demoness, the entire Tarot Club had mobilized to assist. But hidden within that action was an unknown purpose unbeknownst even to the Major Arcana card holders: to lure out the evil god Angels—Suah, Tirié, and others—who had been hiding using the powers of the Mother Tree of Desire and the Mother Goddess of Depravity.

    At the time, Suah and Tirié had indeed escaped the entanglement of Angel of Time Pallez, Angel of the Holy Spirit Reinette, and Ma'am Hermit Cattleya. But unbeknownst to them, Klein, fully awakened as half a Great Old One, had silently followed, discovering the secret hiding place of the indulgence faction of the Rose School of Thought, other followers of the Mother Tree of Desire, and where Chained God Tolzna was.

    If not for the fact that the Chained God had effectively perished and His Uniqueness had been deeply corrupted by the Mother Tree of Desire, which rendered purification impossible in the short term—as it would aid the Mother Tree of Desire establish a new, firm mystical connection with the Tenebrous World—Suah and Tirié would have long been Parasitized and controlled, leaving Them no chance of survival to this day.

    However, Klein had taken precautions. The moment this area had any anomalies, he could sense it and respond accordingly.

    Upon discovering that the Rose School of Thought was conducting a major ritual involving the Uniqueness to open the astral world's barrier and create a passage, Klein had refrained from stopping Them outright. Instead, he applied Fooling and Deceit, causing Suah and Tirié to misjudge the timing and redirect the ritual's target toward himself instead of the Mother Tree of Desire.

    The next second, the tree extending into the astral world rapidly collapsed toward Lord of Mysteries Klein's location, instantly condensing into a bloody mass encapsulating the Chained God's Uniqueness.

    Klein immediately Grafted this mass onto an area above the gray fog.

    …

    Within the consciousness space, the malevolent dragon, destabilized by the returning Dao integrators' consciousnesses of the City of Calamity, grew bewildered. Its madness subsided, and It no longer purely followed instinct.

    Seizing the moment, Lumian activated another contract mark on his body—a new one acquired a month ago.

    His eyes turned dark, and the clothing manifesting from his consciousness billowed.

    The malevolent dragon froze as if It had forgotten It was devouring and merging with Lumian's six consciousnesses.

    Fooled!

    Using a Contractee's power, Lumian had borrowed the Fooling ability from The Fool Klein. It could only be used twice!

    If the malevolent dragon had remained purely instinct-driven, Fooling would not have been so effective—Deceit would have worked better. But Lumian had deliberately caused the City of Calamity's Dao integrators to return to the dragon's consciousness, blending seamlessly as a part of it.

    Since they were already fused with the dragon, Its instincts harbored no resistance or rejection toward them.

    Taking advantage of the malevolent dragon being Fooled, and Its consciousness still in a weakened state, Lumian's six arms worked in pairs to grasp the dragon's iron-black body, Its jade-white snake-like body, and the formless body supporting Its chaotic head.

    Lumian's five faces twisted in unison. Manifesting as a colossal giant, he ripped the malevolent dragon's three bodies apart with an ear-splitting tear.

    Crimson flame-like blood sprayed everywhere, splattering onto the staircase ascending infinitely high.

    Lumian's central head opened wide and swallowed the dragon's iron-black body, including Its head.

    Two of his other arms pressed the malevolent dragon's jade-white body and beautiful head, forcefully shoving them between the closed eyes of Aurore and Jenna.

    His chaotic vortex face then sucked in the majority of the malevolent dragon's chaotic head.

    The malevolent dragon resisted desperately, struggling against Lumian's merging attempt.

    It sought to create a calamity to destroy both Lumian and itself.

    If successful, while Its—now, third-time—destroyed consciousness would enter a deep slumber within the City of Calamity, waiting centuries or more to reawaken or gradually revive, Its enemy would also die—completely and irreversibly.

    At this moment, as Lumian devoured the dragon, he smiled, his thoughts echoing within the malevolent dragon's spirit: 'It's useless. Even if I die, there's Medici and the City of Calamity's current cultivators. Once you're in a deep sleep, you won't be able to resist Their accommodation.'

    This was a lie. Neither Medici nor the current strongest cultivators of the City of Calamity were in a position to accommodate it anytime soon. But such a lie sufficed to deceive the dragon in its Fooled state.

    The malevolent dragon hesitated.

    Lumian followed with another thought, smiling. 'I'm not the first sacrifice, nor will I be the last!

    'You've seen my state. If you choose to merge with me, in a few minutes, when your consciousness fully recovers, I won't be able to maintain balance—you'll replace me!'

    This was the truth.

    …

    Boom!

    A thunderous heartbeat echoed from the depths of the blood-red moon's Chaos Primogenitor.

    Even with countless marionettes and avatars interfering, the mountain-shaped Brood Hive sank heavily, completely engulfed in crimson.

    This was the extremely special heartbeat of the Chaos Primogenitor about to be born.

    It was fundamentally different from earlier beats, symbolizing the Chaos Primogenitor's imminent entry into reality. This moment heralded the emergence of a new Original Creator, a being even the Mother Goddess of Depravity could only summon once every 'major month'—or 2,160 years. Such a phenomenon could not be repeated without catastrophic consequences.

    If She borrowed this special symbolism for less than 2,160 years, the Chaos Primogenitor would truly descend into the real world—a consequence the Mother Goddess of Depravity couldn't predict. All She knew was that it would be a devastating catastrophe for Her.

    Detecting the crisis, She instinctively ignored everything else and prioritized fully merging with the Brood Hive!

    And afterward, even in a weakened state for centuries, She could still escape with the Brood Hive, even if She failed to seize anything else.

    Boom!

    With the echo of that heartbeat and the manifestation of the special symbolism, the invisible barrier of the astral world began to undergo ominous changes.

    The barrier, originating from the Original Creator, vanished entirely—disappearing into thin air as if its original master had recalled it!

    Even Lord of Mysteries Klein was powerless to stop it.

    The apocalypse had arrived.

    And it came in this way.

    At that moment, Klein performed two actions:

    First, he extended slimy, eldritch tentacles into the thin gray fog and pulled the astral barrier back from history, placing it in front of entities like the Circle of Inevitability and other Great Old Dominators.

    Of course, the historical projection of the astral barrier lacked the Oldest One's status—much like the contradictions between historical projections and Uniquenesses. Without the Oldest One's status, this astral barrier could only hold for two or three seconds.

    Second, Klein Grafted nearly all living beings and their corresponding environments from the Western Continent into the protected zones.
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    1. Offline
      foolhardy
      + 0 ⋅ 0 -
      Damn…
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    2. Offline
      Broker
      + 0 ⋅ 0 -
      thanks , damnnnnnnnnnn 💀
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    3. Offline
      MysteriousAttendant
      + 1 ⋅ 0 -
      They're in a deep sh*t...
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    4. Offline
      Ordinary Human
      + 9 ⋅ 0 -
      Please Help Us Adam
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    5. Offline
      Gwan
      + 1 ⋅ 1 -
      Angel of Redemption, our true MC of COI. It's time to save us all again oru2x
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  4. Offline
    TempestUknow
    + 19 ⋅ 1 -

    1156 The Battle of Consciousness





    Taking advantage of the malevolent dragon's scattered consciousness and unformed spirit, Lumian, who had just engaged in battle using the ritual and The Fool Klein's reality-bending ability, rapidly expanded his figure, 'summoning' his physical body from within the protected zone.

    Almost simultaneously, Klein in the astral world created an opening in the grayish-white fog that blanketed the Western Continent.

    With the Mother Goddess of Depravity fully accommodating the Brood Hive, even if the seal on the Western Continent were completely lifted, She would not currently destroy the continent. However, Her symbolic influence and natural power would still radiate outward, so Klein maintained the seal, merely opening a 'door' that connected the interior to the outside for Lumian.

    Lumian, now three-headed and six-armed, shot out of the protected zone and Teleported himself to the depths of the grayish-white fog, appearing above the dragon-sealing well.

    He dove in, arriving beside his consciousness and spirit.

    The two instantly overlapped.

    Lumian grew immensely large, his three heads gazing in different directions while all six arms were raised.

    Leaping out of the now-unsealed dragon-sealing well, he hovered above the bustling metropolis. Stretching his hands downward, he pulled at something heavy from a distance.

    The people within the city suddenly felt the sky darken, and the ground trembled noticeably.

    An image of the city was forcibly extracted by Lumian from its physical form. Within this image, the citizens were grotesque—some were reduced to a single head dragging a bloody, skeletal spine; others were well-dressed but headless; and some were swollen, their features obscured…

    This was originally intertwined with the actual metropolis, with secret doors and intersecting timelines connecting the two—

    the City of Calamity!

    Lumian's massive body sank abruptly, plunging into the extracted image of the city.

    The City of Calamity shrank rapidly and bizarrely, entering Lumian's body and swiftly moving toward his brow.

    Lumian intended to seize the moment, before the malevolent dragon's consciousness was fully reborn, to forcibly accommodate the City of Calamity—and then confront and merge with it!

    The next second, the city's image froze at Lumian's brow.

    His consciousness and spirit were immediately drawn into it.

    He saw a staircase ascending to infinite heights, at the end of which lay a divine throne stained with dark red blood. On the steps, the dragon's body quickly took form, coiling to block his path forward.

    …

    In the real world.

    Deep within the blood-red full moon, the pounding heartbeat grew intense again.

    The nest-like peaks seemed to resonate, their sinking accelerating.

    The accomodation of the Mother Goddess of Depravity with the Brood Hive progressed further, showing no signs of slowing.

    Within the grayish-white fog directly beneath the blood-red moon, the 'Madames' and 'Ladies' under the core power of the Mother Goddess of Depravity stood one after another, turning their gaze toward their leader.

    This figure, a beautiful woman with a full-moon-like face radiating maternal glory, spoke to her companions,

    'We must return to the embrace of the Mother.

    'She has mobilized more of the Chaos Primogenitor's power to accelerate Her fusion with the Brood Hive. We must return to Her embrace, restore Her power, and help alleviate Her burden.'

    Seeing confusion on their faces, the woman added,

    'The Chaos Primogenitor is the Original Sin of the universe. Although merely Sequence 0 of the Valley God pathway, It carries significant symbolism.

    'That symbolism represents the nascent, Original Creator of the next universe. Nurturing It is one of the Mother's most vital symbols and a key reason She remains a Pillar even after the Brood Hive's separation.

    'Even as a Mother, She cannot overly wield Its symbolic powers without risking instability or further complications.'

    Understanding dawned on the Ladies and Madames, their expressions reflecting varying degrees of reverence born of the knowledge imparted.

    Together, they chanted in unison,

    'Praise be to you, Mother of All Things!

    'Praise be to you, Eternal Evil!

    'Praise be to you, the True Great Mother Goddess!'

    Amidst their praises, these bestowed and Beyonders transformed into beams of red, black, or brown light, streaming one after another into the blood-red moon and merging with it.

    …

    A hidden corner of the World of Ruins' South Continent.

    The bizarrely shaped Rose School of Thought Beyonders and Mother Tree of Desire followers flocked densely near an altar, their numbers overwhelming.

    Atop the yellow, pyramid-like altar, a figure wrapped in bandages, thorns, and roses hung motionlessly, appearing to bind all curses and desires—on the verge of erupting.

    Chained God Tolzna.

    Following the Vortex incident and the descent of the crimson moon, this deity had effectively perished. His body, consciousness, and spirit were entirely corrupted by the Mother Tree of Desire, acting as Her proxy.

    Now, He would serve as the primary sacrifice for this ritual, forcibly opening a passage with the Mother Goddess of Depravity's aid to allow the Mother Tree of Desire to descend within the barrier. Of course, if the barrier shattered under the Mother Goddess's assault, It would simply return directly to the great existence, the Mother Tree of Desire.

    When the sacrifices were ready, the thoughts of Suah and Tirié radiated outward from in front of the Chained God.

    'The ritual!

    'Begin the ritual!'

    …

    Within the consciousness space corresponding to the City of Calamity.

    Seeing the malevolent dragon's body rapidly forming, the three-headed, six-armed Lumian suddenly disassembled.

    He split into six consciousnesses and six figures.

    These included his primary consciousness, Aurore's consciousness, Jenna's consciousness, the dull and unresponsive chaotic vortex consciousness, Primordial Demoness Cheek's consciousness, and Blood Emperor Alista Tudor's consciousness.

    Though not entirely fused, they had partially merged, cooperating, conflicting, or entangling to form a fragile balance—while portions corresponding to Omebella and Zedus had fully integrated with Cheek and Tudor, becoming indistinguishable.

    In the real world, Lumian could not break this balance or separate these distinct consciousnesses. However, in this space, where they had a degree of independence, they could unite or divide.

    If Lumian succeeded in accommodating the City of Calamity, his consciousness would eventually form a unified whole—indivisible, even under similar circumstances.

    This was the distinction between dual-pathway true gods and great existences.

    The six consciousnesses coalesced instantly. Lumian pulled the statue-like chaotic vortex face consciousness, along with Aurore's and Jenna's consciousnesses, a step back, disappearing from the dragon's impending attack. This left only Primordial Demoness Cheek and Blood Emperor Alista Tudor in place.

    Cheek gazed deeply into the Blood Emperor's eyes, then fixated longingly on the dragon, as if saying: Finally, this moment has come.

    Behind Her appeared a figure clad in a black skeletal dress—the mirrored Oldest One's feminine aspect.

    Similarly, behind Blood Emperor Alista Tudor, the mirrored Oldest One's masculine aspect emerged, clad in white armor.

    In the real world, these figures were forbidden from meeting or merging. But in the consciousness space, Cheek and Tudor could briefly reunite, provided Lumian withdrew the chaotic vortex consciousness.

    This reunion could only occur once, as it would severely wound both Cheek and Tudor. Left unchecked, it could lead to the true birth of the mirrored Oldest One's consciousness.

    Lumian was now gambling on this symbolism to counter the dragon's consciousness, seizing every moment!

    Instantly, the malevolent dragon's consciousness transformed the space into an infinite, dark cosmos filled with scattered calamities.

    Cheek and Tudor drew close, accompanied by their mirrored forms.

    The entire 'universe' froze, all calamities losing their vitality, their light and heat extinguished, plunging into total silence.

    Then, the most violent explosion erupted. Massive amounts of matter scattered outward, forming stars, suns, seas, and various lifeforms.

    The malevolent dragon's consciousness dissolved in the prior 'freeze' and was shattered amidst the current 'creation,' reforming into disparate entities.

    Once again, It dissipated, reconstituting within the City of Calamity, where It would recover before long.

    The figures of Cheek and Tudor merged into a single sphere, twisting and writhing as They struggled to fully integrate.

    At this moment, a chaotic vortex face emerged from within, separating Them into four positions—north, south, east, and west.

    Annihilation and creation became unstable.

    The next second, Lumian, Aurore, and Jenna returned, towering as giants. They forcibly dragged the weakly reborn malevolent dragon's consciousness close to them.

    Under these circumstances, the chaotic head of the malevolent dragon and the chaotic vortex face became strongly attracted, exerting a powerful pull toward convergence.

    They originated from the same place—they were one to begin with!

    The chaotic vortex face and chaotic head merged, drawing each other to a central point to fully unite.

    This act separated Cheek and Tudor, including Their mirrored forms.

    The instability of annihilation and creation ceased abruptly.

    Having finally prevented the true birth of the mirrored Original Creator's consciousness, Lumian, Aurore, and Jenna were forced to return to the body containing the chaotic vortex face.

    In doing so, they and the malevolent dragon were now inseparably close, breathing audible, forms distinct.

    Neither could evade. Neither could retreat!



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  5. Offline
    Максим Довбняк
    + 18 ⋅ 1 -
    link to the channel in my profile description

    Chapter 1155: Dao


    Lumian's figure abruptly disappeared into the boundless cosmos, following the mystical connection established by the malevolent dragon's response to his offering, "transporting" himself to Its domain.

    Surrounding him were layers of dense, overlapping colors and wailing souls.

    The spirit world!

    Unless entirely and specifically isolated, every place was connected to the spirit world and the astral world.

    This was one of the symbolic meanings of a Pillar.

    However, waiting for Lumian was an overwhelming brilliance that swept away everything. It was as if two galaxies collided, tearing through the spirit world.

    Lumian did not linger in the spirit world. Before the exploding sea of light engulfed him, he transformed into an abstract symbol and concept, entering the astral world.

    An infinite flood of light, heat, and matter surged after him.

    Reaching out with both hands, Lumian created a door directly within the astral world, amidst a composition of symbols and concepts - a "painted" door, layered and intricate.

    The door was instantly opened, and Lumian's figure disappeared from the astral world.

    His eyes then beheld the entwined, colossal forms of the malevolent dragon.

    Finally, he had arrived at the domain where the dragon lay coiled, a place where It could not unleash calamities. He reached this location through a "door."

    The contract seal he activated was not one from Zedus, as that form of "transportation" belonged to spirit world créatures and could not access the astral world or open a "door."

    Instead, he used a newly acquired contract seal-one obtained a month ago from Gehrman Sparrow!

    By its nature, the contracts of a Contractee lost the ability to forcefully compel agreements or obligations once they reached higher levels of power without the qualitative enhancement provided by Inevitability. However, if both parties willingly agreed to and honored the contract, and the contractee's body and soul could bear the power transmitted by the other party, it remained effective. Such mystical connections, though, were fragile and could not sustain more than two uses, being easily disrupted.

    Before facing the Primordial Demoness, Lumian had ventured into the astral world, where he sought angel- level boons of true gods for his puppet soldiers. He had also signed a contract with Gehrman Sparrow, who wielded the Door pathway's Uniqueness, to prepare for situations where he couldn't rely on his puppet soldiers.

    In that prior battle, while the Primordial Demoness had indeed held back, so had Lumian, keeping some of his cards hidden!

    Earlier, Lumian waited until the sacrificial ritual took effect and the malevolent dragon responded before activating the contract seal that represented high- level power from the Door pathway. This was to confuse the dragon with his persistence and journey, catching It in a moment of distraction so that It would not detect or disrupt the contract connection in time. Additionally, the ritual strengthened the mystical connection between Lumian and the dragon, ensuring he could locate It and reach his destination, despite the dragon's potent Fog of War.

    The negative effects of signing a Door-related Uniqueness contract with Gehrman Sparrow originally manifested as "frequently getting lost and encountering hostile, dangerous entities." However, after being Fooled by The Fool Klein, the drawback changed to "potentially getting lost and encountering hostile entities only while using the contract's abilities."

    In the current scenario, the most hostile and dangerous entity to Lumian was undoubtedly the malevolent dragon!

    Once Lumian "opened the door" to enter the sealed domain of the malevolent dragon, he immediately felt the calamities stemming from the dragon's influence subside.

    The power of the Wish returned, and he once again entered his state of "occasional" lucidity!

    The malevolent dragon roared, emanating powerful Conquest and Charm, but despite Its ferocity, It could not easily break free from the dragon-sealing chains and the countless demons holding It down.

    While relying on the chaotic vortex face on his left shoulder to resist the Conquest and Charm without yielding quickly, Lumian stood above the dragon within the blood-colored sea. He deactivated the Virtual Persona and turned his gaze toward the terrifying, grimacing demons on the dragon-sealing chains.

    Having learned from Mr. Fool about the origins of the chains and demons, Lumian's expression was filled with respect and admiration. Using a phrase he had deliberately learned from Franca in the Western Continent's language, he addressed the demons, "Fellow Daoists, please aid me in ending this calamity!"

    The terrifying, twisted demons suddenly froze.

    Fellow Daoists... This ancient title, seemingly long lost to history, echoed in their ears.

    Their fierce expressions softened. On their green and white phantom-like faces, there was a look of reminiscence.

    Still straining to maintain their positions along the various nodes of the chains, ensuring that the malevolent dragon remained sealed and could only use abilities like Conquest and Charm within the domain, some of them extended their hands to straighten their crooked, tattered crowns. Others painstakingly tidied their rotting, flesh-exposing garments. Some lifted trembling hands to wipe the bloodstains from their faces...

    A gentleman must not lose his crown, even in death!

    The Haoli sect's leader, standing beside the dragon- sealing well, also heard Lumian's words. As a high- ranking figure of the River of Eternal Darkness, He slightly relaxed His control and suppression over the demons.

    The demons raised their heads and looked upward, shouting to Lumian in unison, "Fellow Daoist, I shall aid you!"

    These cries interwove and echoed, spreading in waves.

    With their permission, Lumian quickly incorporated them into his army, making them his teammates and soldiers to resist the dragon's forceful Conquest and terrifying Charm.

    One after another, the layered phantom images of the demons materialized behind Lumian-these were their mirror selves.

    The demons at the bottom of the blood-colored sea numbered in the tens of thousands, if not more. While maintaining the chains and the seal to prevent the dragon's escape, they awaited Lumian to lead their mirrored selves in a devastating attack against the dragon's true form.

    Lumian's six arms either ignited intangible flames, formed chaotic vortices, grasped soul-freezing black flames, held up an illusory red altar, carried a grayish- white aura, or raised a scorched banner-all simultaneously unleashing attacks on the dragon's massive body.

    These six powers, belonging respectively to the Red Priest and the Primordial Demoness, intertwined to form a giant black-flaming sword of destruction.

    The demons' mirror selves also launched their own attacks under Lumian's rank, especially those who had once belonged to the Haoli sect and its related factions.

    They obtained approval and blessings from the Haoli sect's leader outside the dragon-sealing well and the Underworld Daoist within the River of Eternal Darkness, each borrowing a droplet of the colorless, dark river water.

    These droplets transformed into countless illusory arrows that filled the sky, flying toward Lumian's sword of destruction. Some were repelled by the Red Priest's team abilities, while others merged into it.

    What was the Dao?

    The Dao was generations of perseverance, capable of moving mountains!

    The Dao was a spark that could ignite a prairie fire!

    The Dao was struggling against the heavens with endless joy!

    The malevolent dragon roared, unable to unleash calamities or disasters within this domain. It could only rely on abilities like Conquest and Charm.

    It was restricted, and so was Lumian.

    The destruction Lumian unleashed remained confined to the mirror world, unable to reach reality. Meanwhile, the dragon's true form was not within the mirror-it was sealed and constrained.

    The demons who had borrowed the River of Eternal Darkness's water, both their mirrored selves and true forms, succumbed one after another to the erosion of the sefirah's power. Yet none showed pain: their expressions were calm and serene, with smiles of expectation and hope.

    The remaining demons, seeing the black-flaming sword of destruction draw ever closer to the dragon, also smiled.

    Come, strike us!

    As more droplets of the River of Eternal Darkness merged, the giant flaming sword Lumian had created grew smaller and darker.

    Soon, it transformed into a sword of normal size, one that any human could wield.

    The sword, entirely dark, continued to contract as though compressing the concepts of time, space, creation, death, destruction, and renewal into a single point.

    As the mirrored attack neared the dragon's domain, the Celestial Master, Holy Monk, and others around the dragon-sealing well made Their phenomena increasingly evident, merging them into the well.

    With a crash, the blood-red waters surged, breaking chain after chain.

    At the final moment, the high-ranking figures of the Western Continent lifted the seal, allowing calamities and apocalypses to erupt in the dragon's domain.

    Lumian's attack pierced through the mirror world, entering reality and striking the malevolent dragon's heads.

    Behind him, the demons dissipated one by one due to the erosion of sefirah's power. In front of him, more demons crumbled under the force of destruction.

    Seeing this, a surge of intense emotion erupted in Lumian's heart.

    He shouted loudly, "Fight!"

    Fighting meant giving your all, pressing forward unyieldingly!

    Fight meant sacrificing with great ambition, daring to change the heavens and the earth!

    "Fight!"

    With this cry, Lumian drove the unstable, dark sword into the dragon's entwined necks.

    Immediately, a small, dark singularity formed there, tearing apart surrounding flesh, flames, steel, and bone, consuming all authority, concepts, and symbols.

    The malevolent dragon's entire body arched back, emitting a soundless howl.

    Then, along with the sealing chains and the demons. It was devoured by the singularity.

    The darkness destabilized, expanding into an explosion that released immense light and heat.

    One by one, all of Lumian's Mirror Substitutions shattered, and his body appeared outlined on the edge of the domain.

    He looked ahead, seeing only emptiness-nothing remained.

    But at that moment, a frenzied, violent aura from the dragon began to pervade the void again. Its massive body was reforming.

    As a consciousness derived from the City of Calamity, Its spirit was indestructible. Once Its physical form was obliterated, It could soon be "reborn" from the City of Calamity.

    The Western Continent's cultivators had not killed the dragon back when they could seal It in a domain where most of its powers and calamities were nullified. They had understood it was pointless!

    Seeing this, Lumian wasn't disappointed-he had been prepared.

    The second phase of the battle was about to begin-a pure clash of consciousness.
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    1. Offline
      MysteryLord
      + 10 ⋅ 0 -
      Fellow Daoists: chad chad chad chad chad
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  6. Offline
    Максим Довбняк
    + 25 ⋅ 0 -
    link to the channel in my profile description

    Chapter 1154: Calamity of Destruction


    As Lumian clenched one of the arms on his right side. the void before him collapsed entirely, meeting its apocalypse. It formed a vortex of chaos that contained all colors and possibilities.

    Just as an Apocalypse was an ascendant form of Catastrophe, Chaos was an ascendant form of Apocalypse.

    Catastrophe led to the collapse of an entire system.

    Apocalypse deepened that collapse into a total explosion of contradictions, entangling all into one. Chaos represented the singularity in a convergence, the conclusion after the total explosion.

    Thus, the Chaos of the Chaos Demoness could not be applied directly to a stable and balanced target. A catastrophic collapse must first be created in the designated area, followed by the total explosion of contradictions to form a substantial vortex of chaos. Only then could it spread outward to affect the target.

    As soon as the vortex containing all colors appeared, it began spreading toward the malevolent dragon.

    It encountered an invisible barrier, unable to directly reach the dragon's massive body.

    This was part of the sealing mechanism. The malevolent dragon was incapable of creating catastrophes or launching attacks within the area It occupied or where the iron-black chains extended. Otherwise, It would have destroyed the sealing chains through self-inflicted damage long ago, returning to the "sea"-after all, as long as even a single flame of Its being remained, It could rebuild Its body.

    This limitation restricted both the malevolent dragon and Lumian.

    The vortex of chaos churned violently against the invisible barrier, pulling and shredding it in an attempt to consume it. Yet the barrier's power seemed endless, showing no signs of faltering in the short term.

    Around the dragon-sealing well, high-ranking figures from the Western Continent, such as the Celestial Master and the Holy Monk, successively unleashed Their powers. Layer by layer, They decoupled the seal, creating a breach in the area where Lumian was attacking.

    The vortex of chaos quickly broke through the invisible barrier, extending toward the malevolent dragon's enormous body.

    On the surface of the chains binding that part of the dragon, the demon carvings-rather than showing anger as they faced the encroaching chaos-wore expressions of joy. They straightened their backs, lifted their heads high, and their terrifying visages of green faces, sharp fangs, bare bones, and oozing pus radiated pride and relief.

    The vortex, containing all possibilities, swept them in, quickly dissolving them into nothingness.

    The corresponding chains fractured and fell into the chaos.

    That section of the malevolent dragon's body was also torn apart-deep red flames, iron-black bones, white spikes, and black fur all dissipated into the vortex of chaos.

    All three of Its heads tilted back simultaneously, letting out agonized howls.

    The affected part of Its body broke apart. Without the binding chains, It ignited prematurely with black flames that restrained madness, destruction, and chaos.

    The swathes of dark flames collided with the approaching chaos, plunging the blood-colored sea into instant darkness. Light, sound, and motion all ceased to exist.

    Both forces annihilated each other simultaneously.

    As Lumian prepared to capitalize on his strike, to unleash catastrophe, herald apocalypse, and initiate wave after wave of warfare, a surge of madness erupted from deep within his mind.

    The "occasional" state he was in ended prematurely.

    He lost control. He went mad!

    This was because the malevolent dragon was an incomplete Origins of Disaster. Unless It deliberately restrained Itself, Its corresponding symbols would inevitably influence the surrounding area. For Lumian, two latent calamities were most prominent: his fragile balance and the fact that he had already lost control and succumbed to madness, only temporarily lucid due to The Fool Klein's wish. The first had already been triggered earlier, and now, the second was inevitably manifesting as disaster!

    The central head on Lumian's body lost all reason. Its expression twisted with madness. At the same time, the chaotic vortex face on his left shoulder suddenly developed two holes, as if organs had been forcibly gouged out at the positions of its eyes.

    This face took over his entire body.

    A Virtual Persona!

    It was the Virtual Persona from the Visionary pathway!

    Over the past month, besides stabilizing his state and helping the Tarot Club members, as well as those he still cared about in the protected zones, Lumian had been contemplating potential challenges in his battle against the malevolent dragon.

    Thanks to The Fool Klein's awakening and accommodation of Sefirah Castle, Lumian gained deeper understanding and mastery over symbols and their influences. He learned the nature of the Origins of Disaster, Calamity of Destruction, as well as their potential impacts on himself.

    To counter this, he had used the Visionary's abilities to implant a virtual persona in himself. If his primary consciousness lost control and descended into madness, this temporary persona would immediately emerge, fusing with the chaotic vortex face to take over his body.

    The chaotic vortex face was chosen because only Its status and rank could suppress the other faces and the uncontrollable madness of his primary consciousness.

    The Virtual Persona, a near-exact replica of Lumian but with subtle differences, barely restrained his frenzied instincts. At that moment, an endless black void appeared before him, along with a star larger and brighter than the sun.

    The star's core collapsed on a massive scale, releasing unparalleled light and heat.

    A sea of unimaginable brilliance surged forth, just seconds away from engulfing Lumian.

    The central head on Lumian's body burst into maniacal laughter.

    "Is this also a damn calamity?"

    …

    At the border between the Western Continent and the Fog Sea, high above the grayish-white fog.

    The nest-like, ten-thousand-meter-high peak on the blood-red moon began to tremble, sinking inch by inch.

    The halted fusion resumed, though not at the same rapid pace as when the blood moon first rose.

    Among the countless manifestations of Klein surrounding the moonlit world, some were engaging in "infighting," while others remotely influenced the Mother Goddess of Depravity, albeit only causing interference.

    …

    Somewhere in the ruins of the Southern Continent.

    Within a concealed area protected by slight corruption transmitted by the Mother Tree of Desire through the Chained God, the grotesque followers of the Mother Tree of Desire-oozing pus, with misplaced facial features, or bearing animalistic traits like rabbit ears, skinny pig limbs, and sheep torsos, or writhing in agony under ceaseless curses-simultaneously received messages from Suah and Tirié: "Come to the altar!

    "Hahaha, the Mother Goddess of Depravity is about to succeed. After accommodating the Brood Hive, She will assist us according to Her pact with the Lord, the Primordial God Almighty!

    "This is what we gained in exchange for the loss of the Tree of Shadow!"

    Upon hearing the name Mother Goddess of Depravity, many of the followers underwent grotesque transformations, sprouting genitalia, staining blood- red, or swelling as fetuses prepared to tear their way out…

    These Beyonders staggered toward the altar.

    Suah and Tirié, in Their madness, were indifferent to their states, or perhaps, didn't even consider it.

    …

    Confronted by the exploding sea of light, Lumian ignited.

    He transformed into an invisible, colorless flame before becoming pure light.

    In a sun-like state wreathed in fire, he met the raging, searing, terrifying sea of light.

    Lumian was absorbed into it. His outer flames extinguished and reignited repeatedly, while his inner luminous consciousness alternated between disintegration and cohesion.

    As the explosion neared its end, he morphed into a vortex of chaos, absorbing the surrounding light and heat to reconstruct his body.

    Relying on the chaotic vortex face's status, rank, abilities, and Its affinity with light, Lumian barely survived this calamity.

    Yes, the Calamity of Destruction encompassed universal symbols, and a supernova explosion was undoubtedly one such calamity!

    Similarly, as the Calamity of Destruction represented a universal-level symbol, the scope of the City of Calamity could be infinitely small or infinitely vast.

    Immediately after, Lumian transformed into light and, at the speed of light, raced toward the location of the malevolent dragon he sensed.

    At that moment, an indescribably deep darkness emerged in the adjacent starry sky.

    The darkness couldn't be directly seen or truly perceived. It was identifiable only through the distorted gases and the slow-spinning disk-like structure surrounding it.

    The light that Lumian had become bent uncontrollably toward the darkness, entering the rotating structure of diffuse material.

    This too was a calamity!

    A true Calamity of Destruction!

    Lumian realized he had only one path to survival: to quickly pass through the earlier breach and enter the malevolent dragon's territory.

    There, the malevolent dragon couldn't launch attacks or create calamities. Otherwise, It would have freed Itself long ago!

    Amid the bending light, Lumian abruptly reverted to his fiery giant form.

    Clusters of his intangible flames flew toward the spinning disk's core, followed by the iron-black bones that made up his frame.

    Seizing a fleeting opportunity, a vivid banner-like mark emerged on the forehead of the central head.

    He was invoking the sacrificial ability of the Red Priest, offering tribute to the malevolent dragon and pleading for Its aid!

    In a normal state, the malevolent dragon would have ignored Its enemy. But now, with the external consciousnesses and inclinations temporarily stripped from it, the malevolent dragon was a pure creature of instinct.

    Receiving sacrifices and providing Its help was an ability etched into the Beyonder characteristics, authority, concepts, and symbols of the Hunter pathway. The malevolent dragon would instinctively, uncontrollably respond to Lumian, even if it led to Its own downfall.

    This was why Lumian had begun the battle by forcing the dragon back to its godhood and instincts with the Omniscient Eye!

    As time slowed to a crawl, Lumian, now missing most of his body, received the malevolent dragon's response.

    "Haha!" His central head laughed maniacally.

    The darkness and its surrounding distortions dissipated in tandem.

    That individual for which it came was the same reason it vanished.

    Before the malevolent dragon could react, Lumian activated a contract mark on his body.
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    1. Offline
      ramzy
      + 3 ⋅ 0 -
      Интересно какие козыри припрятал Адам. Все сражаются а про него ничего
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    Максим Довбняк
    + 24 ⋅ 0 -
    link to the channel in my profile description

    Chapter 1153: The Shoulders of Giants


    Thump! Thump!

    As the heartbeat intensified, the towering, ten-thousand-meter-high Brood Hive hesitated in Its struggle. It seemed to be drawn by an inexplicable force or subjected to an irresistible power.

    Its fusion with the blood-red moon accelerated once again.

    However, the heartbeat emanating from the depths of the moon did not last long. It soon subsided, as if even the moon's body rejected its continuation, unwilling to let the pulsations grow stronger.

    It was as though allowing it to persist might bring about an unknown problem - one so severe that the moon itself was reluctant to face it.

    After the brief resonance of the infant's heartbeat, the Brood Hive's resistance faltered. Though It still struggled and held its ground, Its efforts were no longer as fervent as before. It was akin to a battlefield charge, once full of hope, being thwarted, leading to a drop in morale.

    Under such circumstances, failure seemed inevitable in the near future.

    …

    At the bottom of the blood-colored sea, Lumian removed the dark golden mask, revealing the chaotic vortex face beneath. At that moment, the left head of the malevolent dragon let out a terrifying roar.

    The roar reverberated through Lumian's mind, causing an overwhelming buzzing that briefly scattered his thoughts.

    Pain shot through all three of his necks as if invisible hands were trying to wrench each head from his shoulders, spine and all.

    Of the three, the chaotic vortex head was the least affected. It turned to the front, stabilizing the body while continuing to "gaze" at the malevolent dragon.

    Accompanied by the roar, the malevolent dragon attempted to stretch Its massive body and ascend to the upper reaches of the blood-colored sea. But metallic clanging echoed as black iron chains embedded in its flesh and soul strained against Its movements.

    One after another, the demonic engravings on the chains transformed into colossal, tangible entities- manifestations of various demons.

    They desperately pulled on the chains, preventing the malevolent dragon from leaving Its position.

    Some demons quickly succumbed to the malevolent dragon's power, submitting entirely. Others held on, stubbornly resisting the forces of conquest.

    Seeing the formation of demons faltering and on the verge of complete submission, a dark, colorless river flowed down the iron chains, revitalizing the struggling devils. It was like an emergency injection, causing them to return to their positions and heed the commands of their sealers.

    High-ranking figures of the Death pathway wield significant control and suppression over their lesser counterparts. The River of Eternal Darkness, a force even higher in rank than Death itself, amplified this effect!

    When the malevolent dragon was first sealed, the engravings of demons on the iron chains were chosen specifically for this purpose. Empowered by the River of Eternal Darkness and controlled by the Haoli sect's sect master, these demons could partially resist the dragon's powers of Conquest and Charm. This ensured that the demons would not immediately capitulate in the dragon's struggle, buying time for reinforcements to arrive and activate subsequent layers of containment.

    Amidst the piercing sounds of strained metal, the malevolent dragon managed to extend only part of Its body. It could not ascend higher in the blood-colored sea and remained trapped in place.

    This was one of the reasons Klein believed Lumian had a chance to merge with the City of Calamity before the Mother Goddess of Depravity completed Her fusion with the Brood Hive.

    Lumian wasn't facing a fully intact malevolent dragon or the City of Calamity at its peak. Instead, he confronted a target that had been sealed through a monumental effort-one that cost countless heroes their lives!

    The current malevolent dragon was shackled, unable to leave its position or create Mirror Substitutions or slumbering mirrors. It was akin to a living target. If Lumian couldn't defeat, subdue, kill, or merge with such a restrained dragon in a short time, he was fundamentally unworthy of the task.

    The cultivators of the Western Continent had paved the way for him, sacrificing generations to remove half the obstacles to the finish line!

    Lumian stood on the shoulders of giants, supported by the wisdom and sacrifices of Western civilization's sages.

    This was a relay passed down through countless generations, and Lumian was merely the final runner!

    Many of the demonic entities engraved on the dragon- sealing chains were once cultivators who voluntarily transformed themselves to bind the dragon. They willingly accepted eternal torment, choosing to descend into demonic hell to ensure the dragon remained imprisoned.

    Today, they would finally see the decisive battle. The malevolent dragon would be slain, and they would be liberated.

    Success doesn't have to be achieved by me, but I must contribute to its achievement!

    The demons on the iron-black chains, their faces twisted and their claws bared, remained steadfast. The majority stood resolutely at their posts, refusing to retreat, vowing to resist to the death.

    They pulled on the chains with all their might, firmly restricting the dragon's movements and creating opportunities for Lumian's attacks.

    Earlier, Lumian had attempted to Instigate the dragon not only to save time but also to leverage the Eye of Calamity to identify the malevolent dragon's weaknesses and the tributary of fate leading to Its death.

    But the malevolent dragon had no fatal weaknesses. There was no tributary in fate leading to Its true demise.

    Its only vulnerabilities were the chains and the demons that forcefully created limitations. These were not deadly flaws; they merely restricted Its actions and diminished Its power.

    Thus, Lumian removed the dark golden mask. He intended to use the chaotic vortex face to draw upon the White Tower pathway's Omniscient Eye ability.

    This time, he wasn't searching for weaknesses or death. He was searching for problems.

    The vortex on the chaotic face at the center of his left shoulder began to spin. Deep within the vortex, an eye seemed to open, illuminating the entwined dual dragon bodies and their three heads.

    In an instant, Lumian saw the problem.

    A scene suddenly appeared in his mind: Under a specific psychic storm, intangible shadows that didn't belong to the dragon- yet bore Its aura -were stripped away.

    These shadows included a general seated alone in a tent, a beautiful dancer performing under the general's gaze, a conqueror standing before a massive mound of skulls, a concubine gracefully dancing in his palm, an emperor ascending a sacrificial altar alone, and a favored consort smiling at the sight of beacon fires rising in the distance...

    These shadows represented successive generations of high-ranking figures who had aligned themselves with the City of Calamity. They were a jumble of influences that had imparted some degree of consciousness, thoughts, and inclinations to the malevolent dragon.

    Lumian envisioned using psychic authority and a specific Mental Plague to temporarily strip away these external consciousnesses, rejecting them to the edges of the dragon's being. This would return the malevolent dragon to Its most "primal" and "authentic" form.

    As such, the malevolent dragon would become a pure symbol of calamity, a walking embodiment of destruction, incapable of controlling Its own instincts.

    This created exploitable vulnerabilities.

    As the scene took shape in Lumian's mind, the malevolent dragon, which was straining against the chains, suddenly stiffened. One by one, intangible shadows separated from Its body.

    The dragon's left head, with Its iron-black eyes, was instantly tinged with blood-red. The expression on the right, the beautiful woman's head, turned mad. Even the central, chaotic head began spewing all- encompassing colors from its drilled apertures.

    The declared future from a Visionary was unfolding!

    The blood-colored sea quaked violently the very next second. An indescribable aura of destruction and madness descended upon the scene. The demons on the chains trembled uncontrollably, while Lumian's right and central heads were forced to bow.

    The malevolent dragon's white-bodied head, with Its crazed blue eyes, swiftly reflected Lumian's body within Its gaze. It perceived his fragile balance and the point of calamity's detonation.

    Without hesitation, the dragon lunged forward. In Its eyes, Lumian's body began to collapse from within, exploding into chaos.

    Catastrophe descended!

    This was a strike against Lumian's greatest vulnerability-his precarious balance.

    For the now-instinct-driven malevolent dragon, what would happen to Lumian in the event of such a collapse didn't matter.

    Its sole desire was destruction, the return of all things to chaos.

    Lumian's figure shattered abruptly, voluntarily turning into a mirror.

    Yet, even with his preemptive use of a Mirror Substitution, the catastrophe traveled through the connection between the avatar and his true body, spreading to him.

    This was the nature of the City of Calamity.

    As long as a connection existed, it could curse, affect, and spread catastrophe!

    Lumian's half-female, half-male body shimmered in one corner of the blood-colored sea. Both sides of his form began writhing as though they intended to devour each other. Meanwhile, the central head lost its connection and control over the heads on the right and left.

    Within Lumian, the Uniqueness of the Primordial Demoness, the Uniqueness of the Red Priest, and the Demoness of Apocalypse Beyonder characteristics and Conqueror erupted into violent conflict. Each sought to end the current equilibrium and dominate the whole.

    Illusory cracking noises echoed as the invisible connections within Lumian, linking his various traits, were forcibly severed by the catastrophe.

    However, this did not cause Lumian's body to collapse catastrophically. Instead, it shattered the protections maintaining his balance.

    Grafting!

    That protection was Grafting.

    Shortly after becoming a dual-pathway true god, Lumian had enlisted Mr. Fool's assistance to Graft the Uniqueness and Beyonder characteristics within him into a cohesive whole, stabilizing his existence in a peculiar manner. He had made similar preparations before facing the Primordial Demoness.

    Now, the Grafting had shielded him from one catastrophic collapse of his balance, but it could only do so once. Beyond this, even the Lord of Mysteries Klein could no longer intervene in what transpired here.

    Lumian's three heads continued to spin, each turning toward different directions.

    Had he not spent the past month adjusting his state and further stabilizing his psyche and spirit, Lumian, who had relied on Grafting to escape the predicament, would still have taken the inevitable turn, albeit less catastrophic.

    As his three heads rotated, Lumian managed to barely regain control of Cheek's face. He raised one arm on his right side.
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    1. Offline
      MysteriousAttendant
      + 1 ⋅ 0 -
      Thanks man
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  8. Offline
    TempestUknow
    + 21 ⋅ 0 -

    1152 The Hawk Does Not Bow to the Sparrow




    As the scent of gray amber candles wafted through the air, Lumian sat with his eyes closed, sensing the malice welling up deep within his mind. It was as though he had entered the mists of history, embodying Devil Monarch Farbauti, indulging in wild, unrestrained acts, all while entering a Cogitative state.

    Now, he no longer needed corpse wax candles to sense the City of Calamity. Through Cogitation alone, he could achieve a deep communion with it.

    Soon, Lumian began to float. Before him appeared a mist tinged with an eerie black hue.

    This time, he didn't enter the 'Shanghai' that Franca had described, nor did he see the trackless trams carrying heads with dangling spines or rickshaws dragging bloated women. Instead, what came into view was a stone well built of slabs and iron chains engraved with devilish faces.

    The Law of Beyonder Characteristics Convergence? Now that I've become a dual-pathway true god in the domain of calamity, initiating the secret deed brings me directly to the core of the City of Calamity, to the place where the malevolent dragon is sealed? If not for the seal, I'd likely be facing the malevolent dragon directly… Lumian nodded in understanding.

    Wasting no time, he immersed himself in the mirror-like surface of the crimson well water. He traversed through familiar scenes he had previously explored and arrived at the gray-white plaza where he had once encountered the mirrored Alista Tudor. Outside the invisible barrier, he saw the massive black shadow occupying the bottom of the blood-colored sea, spanning the size of an entire metropolis.

    He stopped in his tracks.

    At the same time, outside the wooden tower binding the malevolent dragon, a figure materialized out of thin air, composed of countless ethereal, transparent entities.

    Draped in a blue robe and crowned with a traditional high headdress, this figure held a horsetail whisk. His face was as flawless as jade but gaunt.

    The Celestial Master of the current generation.

    Now that the Mother Goddess of Depravity had captured the Brood Hive and begun fusing with it, He no longer needed to maintain the grayish-white fog.

    Beside Him, two other figures gradually came into focus.

    One was clad in yellow monastic robes wrapped in a red kasaya. His head bore tonsure scars, and his round face was adorned with a long white beard that reached his chest. He wore a perpetual, kind smile.

    The other was draped in a dark robe adorned with strange patterns. His face was ashen and bloodless, with eyes so black they seemed to swallow all light.

    The first was the manifestation of Buddha, a Holy Monk acknowledged by all sects of the monastic community. The second was the Underworld Daoist, head of the Haoli lineage. Ever since He had entered the River of Eternal Darkness to suppress the remnants of the Blood Emperor's soul, He had been as good as dead—His consciousness only partially merged into the River, allowing Him to act briefly but preventing Him from returning to the living world. This fate mirrored those of His predecessors and successors in the Haoli lineage.

    'Your efforts are much appreciated,' said the Celestial Master, placing one hand on his chest and nodding slightly.

    Before His words had fully settled, a shadow emerged from the depths of the dragon-sealing tower. Darkness condensed into a human form.

    The figure wore a voluminous black robe, with long, flowing hair streaked with white. His gaunt face bore a smile as He stepped forward. 'How could you leave me out of this?'

    The Celestial Master did not respond, as a sudden light illuminated the sky.

    All four present figures raised their heads simultaneously. Through layers of white clouds, they saw a faintly discernible door.

    At the door stood an immense figure, crowned with the high headdress of an emperor, its face concealed by overlapping beaded veils.

    Without speaking further, the Celestial Master approached the stone tablet in front of the wooden tower and pressed His hand against it.

    In the next second, the iron chains within the ancient well began to retract, producing metallic clanging sounds.

    This caused the crimson well water to ripple and lose its mirror-like quality.

    Standing on the gray-white plaza, Lumian immediately sensed that the barrier separating the blood-colored sea from this mirror world had loosened, leaving exploitable 'cracks.'

    As the Ruler of the Mirror World, Lumian dematerialized without hesitation, passing through the opening and returning to reality.

    The blood-colored sea surged around him, corroding his soul and attempting to merge with him.

    Lumian felt the malice buried deep within his heart gush forth as viscous black liquid, separating from his mind and spirit.

    These streams of black liquid stealthily dispersed into the surroundings of the blood-colored sea, neutralizing the dark specks suspended within it.

    Unconcerned with Devil Monarch Farbauti's actions, Lumian focused his gaze ahead, toward the immense black shadow he had previously glimpsed but could not clearly see.

    The shadow was unimaginably long, coiled like a serpent. Yet, even so, it occupied an area comparable to an entire Trier.

    Its body seemed composed of two enormous pythons entwined together—one covered in deep, iron-black scales, the other smooth and pristine, like white jade. Where they touched, flesh and bone intertwined, forming one entity despite their dual appearance.

    Iron chains, engraved with demonic reliefs, pierced through this massive body repeatedly, extending toward the blood-colored sea above.

    Sensing Lumian's presence, the colossal creature slowly raised Its heads.

    It had three heads!

    On the left, connected to the black-scaled body, was a head resembling a camel's, with antelope-like horns, cow-like ears, and iron-black eyes. Crimson fur covered its scalp.

    On the right, extending from the white jade 'serpent body,' was the head of a human woman with black hair and brown eyes, breathtakingly beautiful, bearing a resemblance to Cheek. Or rather, Cheek bore a resemblance to it.

    The central head, however, was a swirling amalgamation of liquid, encompassing all colors and possibilities. At its facial features—eyes, nose, ears, and mouth—holes had been drilled, one or two in each location.

    This central head separated the other two, preventing them from merging, ensuring their independent existence. Below it, an invisible substance formed a neck that both supported the head and rooted it into the entwined serpentine bodies.

    'You also have three heads…' Lumian chuckled.

    Then, he mockingly jeered at Adam in his mind, Your plan failed in the final step!

    Had Alista Tudor and Cheek not stumbled upon the right conditions by chance, this 'experiment' of yours would have ended in failure!

    The phrase 'Yin contains yang, yang contains yin, the union of yin and yang gives rise to everything' was indeed correct, and the only method, but only up until the final step. But in this state, attempting to accommodate the City of Calamity would inevitably lead to disaster.

    The phrase 'the union of yin and yang gives rise to everything' itself hinted at its conclusion:

    What did everything begin with? It began with the Original Creator creating this world!

    The union of yin and yang signifies a return to the origin, heralding the rebirth of all things!

    Of course, what would return wouldn't be the complete Original Creator but rather a Mirrored Original Creator, stable enough to avoid immediately destroying and rebooting the universe.

    In the First Epoch, the first sefirah accommodated by the Primordial God Almighty was the City of Calamity. Beyond His deep desire for it, He likely foresaw its dangers. By intervening personally and using the chaotic head as a barrier, He prevented yin and yang from fully merging, halting their integration.

    Everything was threefold, giving birth to all things. Only then could it be stable.

    With his three heads and six faces, Lumian gazed at the similarly three-headed malevolent dragon, laughing wildly.

    …

    Inside the wooden tower.

    The Celestial Master, the Holy Monk, the Haoli lineage's Underworld Daoist, and the self-proclaimed Master of the Shadow Cottage each sat cross-legged at one of the dragon-sealing well's corners.

    Underneath the Celestial Master appeared a desolate wilderness. Behind the Holy Monk, a pristine, transcendent halo emerged.

    Before the Haoli sect master, a straight, broad, dark river flowed out of the void and into the ancient well.

    Seeing this, the Master of the Shadow Cottage laughed uproariously, summoning a faintly discernible, shadowy-black world to descend upon the scene.

    At the wooden tower's apex, a light tinged with blue and white poured down directly onto the dragon-sealing well.

    Clanging sounds echoed as faint light glimmered on the chains embedded in the ancient well's walls, shaking violently.

    The battle between Lumian and the malevolent dragon—or rather, Lumian's effort to accommodate the City of Calamity—was something the high-ranking figures like the Celestial Master could not directly intervene in. They could only use the preexisting seals to restrict and weaken the malevolent dragon.

    …

    At the bottom of the blood-colored sea, the malevolent dragon's six eyes fixed on Lumian, and an overwhelming pressure descended upon the world.

    Lumian, holding onto the idea that 'if I can persuade it, I can save a lot of time, and there's nothing to lose by trying,' smiled and Instigate the malevolent dragon, 'I know you desire war, destruction, the conquest of all things, and to send those who refuse to submit into chaos.

    'If you're willing to merge with my body, I will lead you into the highest realms of warfare, where those so-called great existences will either bow before you or be destroyed by you.'

    As Lumian spoke, Cheek's face turned forward, eager to add something, to Instigate a few words Herself. Unfortunately, She couldn't speak.

    The malevolent dragon stared at Lumian for several seconds, and then the two side heads spoke simultaneously.

    One voice was masculine and powerful; the other was soft and alluring. The two overlapped, resonating throughout the surroundings:

    'The hawk does not bow to the sparrow, and a true dragon does not obey the wild dog.

    'If you wish to claim all this, then come and defeat me—kill me!'

    Hearing these words, Lumian suddenly felt a surge of excitement. So did the face of Alista Tudor, whose eyes turned iron black, filled with fervent intensity.

    Lumian immediately raised his right hand and removed the dark gold mask from the central face on his left shoulder, revealing the visage formed of the chaotic vortex.

    He laughed loudly and declared, 'Then let us fight!'

    …

    In the World of Ruins.

    Above the grayish-white fog outside the Western Continent, the blood-red moon continued to fend off the marionettes controlled by Klein while simultaneously suppressing the Brood Hive with relentless fury.

    Suddenly, from deep within the blood-red moon—where the physical core might reside—came a strange sound: Thump! Thump! Thump!

    It sounded like the heartbeat of a fetus within its mother's womb.

    Before the fetus had even been born, its heartbeat pierced through its mother's body, echoing across every place illuminated by the blood-red moonlight.
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    1. Offline
      MiniVerse
      + 4 ⋅ 0 -
      It seems to me that the Holy Monk is a proxy of the Key of Light.
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    2. Offline
      Without time
      + 1 ⋅ 0 -
      Опять же: лучше бы она создавала ангелов
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      rizukitomi
      + 2 ⋅ 0 -
      CF missed another chance of introducing the title of the Nation of Disorder's emperor who helped roselle during project vortex... Now. I. Am. Pissed. evil
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    4. Offline
      Glorf322
      + 1 ⋅ 1 -
      Бро, а 1145 и 1146? Я не нашëл их ни тут, ни под другими главами :C
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  9. Offline
    Kaishsaijxbsjais
    + 1 ⋅ 0 -
    Which outer deity is the golden star?
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      Lazy Lion
      + 4 ⋅ 0 -
      Might be Supernova Dominator or something. I seem to have forgotten His name
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  10. Offline
    Максим Довбняк
    + 16 ⋅ 0 -
    link to the channel in my profile description

    Chapter 1151: Buying Time


    At the deep, terrifying cracks in the astral barrier, grayish-white fog suddenly began to spread.

    The fog quickly obscured the fissures, rendering them invisible and untouchable.

    It was as if they no longer existed.

    As a result, the astral barrier stabilized.

    The Lord of Mysteries-where truth becomes falsehood, and falsehood becomes truth!

    This time, the Outer Deities beyond the barrier did not retreat. Instead, They intensified Their oppression.

    Their brilliance grew brighter than before, especially the golden star, which rapidly expanded, first transforming into a blazing star with countless flames leaping from it, then into a genuine sun. It erupted with light that illuminated the entire astral world, revealing colossal, shadowy entities cloaked in darkness and terrifying forms shrouded by storms.

    Once again, the astral barrier emitted a cracking sound that transitioned from abstract to real.

    Lord of Mysteries Klein raised his hand to adjust the silk half-top hat on his head. His body dissolved into a dark vortex bristling with slick tentacles, which then merged into the invisible barrier.

    Clang!

    An ancient bell tolling across eras reverberated throughout the astral world and the spirit world that spanned the universe. The eight differently colored stars froze in place, and their exploding light fractured into countless cones.

    The astral barrier was thoroughly stabilized.

    Klein then turned his gaze toward the earth.

    In the World of Ruins, except for the few areas under protection and some distant regions in the Western Continent, the Spirit Body Threads of all other living beings suddenly floated skyward, ascending into the astral world.

    These included clawed bird-like infant monstrosities, oak giants, herds of deer, and various animals, as well as creatures mutated into the Brood Hive's followers.

    The countless beings-numbering in the tens or hundreds of billions-shuddered and turned their bodies to gaze uniformly at the massive, stationary blood-red moon hanging in the air.

    The next second, these innumerable creatures writhed and transformed. Each one instantly morphed into a version of Klein Moretti, complete with a silk half-top hat and black trench coat.

    Countless Klein Morettis surged toward the massive, blood-red, perfectly round moon from the sky, land, sea, and all directions.

    Near the dense fog surrounding the Western Continent, Omebella, who had grown into a young girl over less than a year and now stood five or six meters tall, burned with black flames that emanated destruction. Her eyes were vacant as She watched each Klein Moretti pass by.

    Her body had already fragmented substantially, and Her soul was near complete dissolution.

    All that remained was Her confusion and sorrow.

    She couldn't understand why Her mother wanted to kill Her.

    At last, Omebella's remaining consciousness, spirit, spirituality, and shattered body were devoured by the Fire of Destruction, rapidly turning to ash.

    With Her complete death, the mountain-like, nest-like protrusion on the surface of the blood-red moon let out a wail filled with hatred and resentment: "Child! My child!"

    The struggle intensified.

    As the Klein Morettis approached the densely concentrated world of the blood-red moonlight, they began to undergo transformations.

    Some withered rapidly, others' bellies swelled as their flesh and blood concentrated into offspring that were not marionettes. Others gained new life and consciousness, ceasing to be mere puppets and starting to resist the Marionettist controlling them.

    The Klein Morettis turned on each other, engaging in fierce battles. Yet whether it was the marionettes' offspring or those reborn, they soon became toys in the hands of the Marionettist, entering a new cycle.

    Many marionettes attempted to use various abilities, but the majority of these powers betrayed their original owners, instead destroying them.

    The situation reached a stalemate as numerous inexplicable phenomena unfolded in the region.

    The true body of Klein, unable to leave the astral barrier, never expected to defeat or seriously wound the Mother Goddess of Depravity using marionettes or parasitic methods. He simply aimed to scatter Her focus, forcing Her to divert significant attention to fend off the relentless, unending assaults. His true goal was to delay Her complete fusion with the Brood Hive!

    Even if I can't defeat you, can't I at least make you miserable?

    …

    Within the protected zone, Backlund, at the home of The Magician Fors and Judgment Xio.

    After hearing Franca's account, The Magician Fors exhaled slowly and said, "So that's what happened.

    "No wonder I had a bad feeling..."

    Due to the isolation of the protected zone and the extremely high level of the current events, neither she nor Judgment Xio had managed to understand what was happening in time. All their attempts at divination had failed.

    Before anyone else could speak, Fors looked around the room and solemnly said.

    "Everyone, prepare yourselves."

    Her plan was to relocate the humans in her "sphere" to the edge of the universe, to a still-habitable planet that hadn't yet been discovered by the Outer Deities. She had already gathered the Abrahams into a nearby neighborhood.

    Franca opened her mouth as if to say something but held back. Anthony remained silent, seemingly deep in thought.

    Seeing the tense atmosphere, Madam Magician smiled slightly and turned to Ludwig.

    "Your godfather probably wanted to feed you the danger of the third layer of the Box of the Great Old Ones, but I'm not sure if there's still time for that..."

    Before she could finish, she suddenly froze, turning her head toward the window and gazing at the crimson moon in the night sky.

    Franca, Ludwig, and Xio quickly followed suit.

    "Mr. Fool has become the true Lord of Mysteries..." As an Archangel of the Door pathway, The Magician was the first to sense this. She was both surprised and puzzled, but these emotions were overshadowed by an overwhelming sense of relief and security.

    "When did Mr. Fool fully awaken?" Judgment Xio began to recall the circumstances of the last two Tarot Gatherings.

    Mr. Fool has truly awakened and become the Lord of Mysteries? Franca felt a moment of elation before realizing why Lumian had been so unhurried earlier.

    Not long after, once things had stabilized and The Magician Fors finally retrieved related information from the spirit world and stars, she exhaled in relief and said, "Although Earth Mother has fallen..."

    She glanced at Anthony, sealing his hearing just as Franca had done when explaining the Mother Goddess of Depravity's impending fusion with the Brood Hive.

    Only after completing this did The Magician continue, "But the Mother Goddess of Depravity's progress in accommodating the Brood Hive has also been delayed. Mr. Fool has timely ascended as the Lord of Mysteries and stabilized the astral barrier."

    She paused, then looked at Franca and Ludwig.

    "Of course, the danger isn't over yet. If Lumian can't accommodate the City of Calamity before the Mother Goddess of Depravity fully fuses with the Brood Hive, and if he can't cooperate with Mr. Fool to seriously wound Her and drive Her out of the barrier after becoming the Origins of Disaster, we'll still have to evacuate."

    "Mm." Franca first responded solemnly, then forced a smile. "At least there's still hope. That's better than no hope at all!"

    "Indeed." Madam Magician nodded in agreement, then released Anthony from his seal and briefly explained the situation in terms he could understand.

    After finishing, she sighed and said, "Tonight is destined to be long."

    Meanwhile, the Rorsted Archipelago, in the City of Generosity, Bayam.

    The Blue Avenger docked at the harbor. Mr. Hanged Man Alger, wearing a captain's coat, stepped off the deck and descended toward the port, embraced by the wind.

    Under the crimson moonlight, his shadow stretched long and indistinct, as if he had three heads.

    Loen Kingdom, Cathedral of Serenity, in a certain room.

    Mr. Star Leonard emerged from the darkness, wearing a white shirt under a dark trench coat.

    He approached a table, picked up the red gloves placed before him, and slowly, methodically slipped them on.

    He then glanced around, his figure vanishing inch by inch as if erased by an invisible hand,

    Mission: Protect a region containing multiple "spheres."

    Destination: Tingen City, Awwa County.

    …

    Above the gray fog, within the majestic palace.

    When Mr. Fool left for the astral world, Lumian turned his gaze toward the charred fragments of trees left after the Gift of the Land shattered and the brown mist rising and coalescing above them.

    This mist corresponded to the powers of the Desolate Matriarch's boon.

    Lumian reached out and grabbed, causing the brown mist to condense into a mass of soil sprouting grass, grains, and vines.

    "Deliver this to Madam Justice," Lumian said, tossing the soil to Zedus beside him.

    After the strike of the Sword of Destruction, Omebella's remaining consciousness and spirituality within the Gift of the Land had been completely annihilated, leaving behind no trace. The boon power, now detached from the corpse, became purified, containing only faint remnants of the Brood Hive's consciousness and spirituality, unlinked to Omebella's mystical connections.

    In essence, this mass of brown soil was akin to Beyonder items like the Circle of Binding or Fallen Mercury. It no longer bore ties to Omebella's past but could no longer reliably connect with the Brood Hive for power, making each use of its abilities finite.

    As he spoke, Lumian departed from above the gray fog with Zedus, returning to the villa where he resided.

    Naboredisley was already waiting there.

    "You've finally returned," said Naboredisley, His ice-blue eyes betraying a visible sigh of relief.

    As Zedus vanished with the brown soil in hand, Lumian smiled at Naboredisley and said, "Let's begin. This is the final chance."

    With that, Lumian settled into an armchair in the living room.

    Naboredisley gave him a look, sat on the long sofa opposite him, and smiled in reply, "Better than no chance at all."

    Before the words had fully left his lips, His body suddenly dissolved into a pool of black liquid, a manifestation of all malice, desire, and evil intent.

    The black liquid, both real and illusory, quickly flowed toward Lumian.

    Directly infiltrating my mind and spirit without implanting a spiritual brand? Heh... Lumian raised an eyebrow, watching with a smile but offering no resistance. He allowed the foul, sinister liquid to seep into his body, spirit, and mind.

    Feeling the surge of malevolence within him, Lumian retrieved a candle from his divine kingdom, lit it, and placed it on the edge of the coffee table.

    He then leaned back against the sofa, closing his eyes.

    The faintly sweet aroma of gray amber began to spread.
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    1. Offline
      Tимофей Кыркелан
      + 0 ⋅ 0 -
      If the third book is about the western continent, then the MC should also become someone like Heavenly Master and do something about this moment of fighting MGoD.
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      1. Offline
        NovelReader2
        + 0 ⋅ 0 -
        There may not be a third book. The story will end on the second one.
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        1. Offline
          RowanJ
          + 0 ⋅ 0 -
          If there actually is a third book, which is up in the air, he’d said it’d take place before the “end” of the apocalypse arc, would be set during the current time or previous time skips, set on the western continent
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