“You want to kill the Myriad Flowers Fairy just for this Particle World?” Xu Zimo asked.
“Fellow Daoist seems to underestimate the value of this place,” Arcane Demon laughed.
“This Particle World is an ancient remnant. It contains countless legacies from the distant past. Whether as the fastest path to understanding the ancient era, or as a source of cultivation resources, it is unparalleled. Since our forebears first opened this Particle World, millions of years have passed. And yet, even now, we have only explored half of it. But ever since the Myriad Flowers Fairy arrived, she has seized legacies at will and harmed our disciples. We endured it silently, but with your arrival, now is the best opportunity.”
“How do you plan it?” Xu Zimo asked.
“Fellow Daoist agrees then?” Zhang Bei smiled.
“If the four of us move together, our target will be too obvious, we might alert her. So you will act alone, as if you’ve never seen us. Go to the Hundred Flower Valley. Once you encounter the Myriad Flowers Fairy, summon us. This,” Zhang Bei said, handing over a token, “is a teleportation token. Crush it, and it will bring us to your side.”
Xu Zimo accepted the token with a slight nod.
Originally, he had intended to confront the Xuanyuan Clan and the Myriad Flowers Fairy directly. But having a few helpers now wasn’t bad.
As for trusting Zhang Bei and the others, he never truly believed them.
Cooperation born of interests is the most fragile thing.
Whoever offers greater benefit, that’s who you side with. That has always been the way of the world.
The bustling world is for benefits; the clamor of men is for gain.
…
After chatting briefly with Zhang Bei and the others, Xu Zimo departed.
He had already reached South Martial Pass.
The endless fortifications stretched to the horizon, yet the pass itself was completely empty.
According to Zhang Bei, Heaven's End, Ocean's Edge had four passes: East, South, West, and North.
The Demon Faction controlled the east.
The Buddha Faction controlled the north.
The Border Tower controlled the west.
As for South Martial Pass, and everything beyond it, that was under the Myriad Flowers Fairy’s rule.
South Martial Pass was guarded by the Four Heavenly Kings.
Before the Myriad Flowers Fairy’s arrival, the four were appointed by the Brahma Monarch God Realm.
But afterward, all four defected and pledged allegiance to her, guarding the pass in her stead.
This was something the Brahma Monarch God Realm could never stomach. If allowed to continue, it might one day truly threaten their dominance.
From their attitude, Xu Zimo could also guess a thing or two.
Saint Sovereign Brahma was likely not here.
Perhaps even the Brahma Monarch God Realm itself did not know where their ancestor had gone.
With Liches and Demons returning, and the Myriad Flowers Fairy reigning over a region, the sect’s strength was surely far less than it once was.
…
Entering South Martial Pass, ancient buildings rose all around.
Mansions shaped like soaring cranes, statues of nine-headed birds, palaces blazing with radiant clouds.
Clearly, this place had once flourished.
But now, though the structures remained, not a trace of human presence could be found.
The autumn wind howled; fallen leaves occasionally drifted along the ground.
The wind whirled in eddies, dead trees swayed at the roadside.
As Xu Zimo stepped past the city gate, a sudden gust greeted him.
On the empty street ahead, four figures appeared.
Their faces stern, they all wore the same style of robe, but in different colors: black, white, purple, and red.
Their high collars stood upright. On the back of each robe, a ghostly head was embroidered.
“Tower-Bearer, All-Creation, Purgatory, and Finality, the Four Heavenly Kings are here. None shall pass,” a majestic voice boomed through the empty pass.
The four stepped forward as one. With a thunderous rumble, the earth trembled, and willow fluff fell from the air.
Tower-Bearer Heavenly King wielded the Heaven Tower.
All-Creation Heavenly King gripped the Cloud-Chaser Sword.
Purgatory Heavenly King held the Garuda Vajra Scepter.
Finality Heavenly King carried a Demon-Slaying Fox on his shoulder.
They filled the avenue completely, pressing forward with crushing might.
“You need a writ of entry to pass through South Martial Pass,” Finality said. “Do you have one?”
“No writ,” Xu Zimo said with a faint smile, drawing Shadow Tyrant from his back. “But I do have a sword. Do you want it?”
“Kill!” the Four Heavenly Kings roared in unison, charging toward Xu Zimo.
Xu Zimo swung Shadow Tyrant down from his shoulder. With a boom, the ground beneath him split into countless cracks.
Rubble shot into the air. He stepped forward, chaotic currents surging underfoot.
Dragging his blade, he advanced.
All-Creation’s Cloud-Chaser Sword unleashed a storm of blades, turning into twisting cyclones that tore entire buildings from their foundations.
The Cloud-Chaser Sword and Shadow Tyrant collided.
A surge of force burst out between them, spiderweb cracks spreading wildly underfoot.
“Suppress!” Tower-Bearer Heavenly King barked coldly.
The Heaven Tower in his hand expanded hundreds of times over, casting a radiant beam down toward Xu Zimo.
Xu Zimo retreated quickly, but the Heaven Tower tracked him relentlessly.
“Demon-Slaying Fox, go!” Finality commanded.
The fox on his shoulder suddenly grew a hundred times larger, baring its fangs as it pounced.
Xu Zimo snorted coldly. Shadow Tyrant spun once in the air, his body tilting just enough to evade the fox’s strike.
As they passed each other, he seized the fox’s tail and hurled it straight at the Heaven Tower overhead.
The blade intent of Shadow Tyrant surged to the extreme.
With a downward slash, the Cloud-Chaser Sword in All-Creation’s hand snapped in two.
Crack!
Unstoppable, Shadow Tyrant cleaved forward still, cutting All-Creation Heavenly King cleanly in half.
Immediately, Xu Zimo thrust out his right hand. The Creation-Devouring God-Finger emerged, its endless devouring force spiraling at his fingertip.
Around his hand, whole swathes of void collapsed.
The fingertip became a black hole’s light, crashing against the Heaven Tower with overwhelming might.
Boom! A deafening explosion shook the skies.
The heavens themselves split apart, and Tower-Bearer Heavenly King’s body was flung back violently.
Xu Zimo spun, rushing at Finality Heavenly King.
“Fox, save me!” Finality cried in terror.
But the fox, only just recovering, was kicked flying by Xu Zimo before it could intervene.
Xu Zimo grabbed Finality’s robe and flung him straight toward the last one, Purgatory Heavenly King.
Purgatory gave a heavy snort.
Spiritforce surged around him, eerie cries escaping his mouth.
His body grew massive, sprouting eight muscular arms.
Gripping the Garuda Vajra Scepter, he swung it down once. Each strike rippled through the void in waves.
“Wrath of Garuda!” he bellowed.
The space behind him shattered apart.