Jessi's pupil shrank in horror. She had no time to be shocked at the scene and kept defending against the incoming tide of abomination with all her might.
God level beings from other powerful sects took action. Even they were struggling against the unending waves of abomination. One god swept his halberd horizontally, countless abomination evaporated, but soon, their body regenerated again. Six powerful gods high in the sky, their bodies shining with divine light like six dazzling suns, fought fiercely.
One swing, ten thousand miles were swept away. A demi god level abomination suddenly pierced through one of the god's shoulder. He was frightened and hurriedly retreated. Circulating his divine power he tried to expel the corruption. When his divine power clashed against the corruption, he only felt an ant trying to shake a mountain. The terrifying malice seeped into his consciousness, his blood and bones. At the moment another god level abomination was born.
"This cannot go on! At this rate, we will all perish!" a goddess cried out, her voice trembling with urgency.
On the ground, Liam was about to be drowned by the sea of black grotesque monster, then a halberd Qi tore through space, destroying everything in its path.
[Shit…!] The system cursed in horror.
Liam didn't even need to think what would happen if this halberd Qi hit him. He noticed a deep pit created from the earlier battles and dove inside, barely managing to evade.
The system reacted without restraint, flooding his mind with countless scriptures, escaping techniques, and speed oriented sutras. Liam could only memorise them and utilise a small portion of those techniques true power.
This was the most dangerous life and death battle he had ever faced. It couldn't even be considered a battle and he wasn't a warrior. He was an ant, struggling not to be swept away by the storm of gods and monsters.
Jessi, meanwhile, ran with all her might. She had already put everyone inside a magical treasure. A violent gale hit her from behind, sweeping her a few hundred miles away. She evaded all the abominations, trying to reach the dao portal.
Her eyes lit up with hope as she saw the dao portal was empty. Those abominations were avoiding the dao portal as if it was their mortal enemy.
Jessi was panting heavily as she landed her wounded body on the dao platform. She felt hopeless and despair, she didn't know what she should do or what was the situation either.
[For now you will be safe if you don't leave voluntarily.] A voice sounded inside her mind.
"Why is this happening…!" Jessi asked. Earlier when she was about to die, the system was alerted and woke up. It was the system that had notified her about the bad intention of that green robed man. It was also the system which protected her from turning in to a complete abomination. It was also the system that instructed her to take shelter beside the dao portal.
[I don't know much. But I can tell you this is a grand scheme spanning across millions of years. One by one, the chess pieces will reveal themselves.] The system's voice was steady, but there was no warmth in it.
Jessi was silent for a while before asking.
"Tell me, i noticed that old man and that green robed man wanted to capture me. Is it because of you?"
[Indeed.] the system didn't deny it.
"Why?"
[You will know when you are strong enough.] It replied perfunctorily.
"Does it mean Gods can detect you?"
[No, those gods have special identity. As long as i hide my presence, even a Godking level existence cannot sense me.] the system replied confidently.
Jessi sighed in relief as she continued to question it.
"Then tell me, what kind of scheme you were talking about?"
The system paused for a moment before answering, [This has something to do with a certain curse. I don't know its origin. My memories are fragmented. From the pieces I hold, I can only deduce that this world is just a tiny, very tiny corner of the chess board.]
"And we are the chess pieces?"
[Chess pieces? Hehe, small cultivators like you aren't even qualified as chess pieces. Even the Gods aren't. A Godking barely qualifies. Didn't you see how the gods were helpless?] the system continued to sneer as it said.
Jessi took a deep breath. The information was too much for her to take. It almost caused a crack in her heart. She couldn't imagine if the world is just a tiny corner of the chess board then how the entirety of it look like? Who were the chess players? It was outside her imagination.
"How do i get out of here?" She shook away those distracting thoughts and asked.
[Currently nothing is certain. The cause and effect, space and time, karma and samsara is in chaos. One step forward and it could lead toward life or maybe death, no one knows. You can only greet your teeth and act according to the circumstances.] The system was also uncertain.
[But, there is another way…] it said.
"What way?" Jessi's eyes shined with expectation.
Before the system could say anything a bright light flashed and three figure walked out of the dao portal. It was Bao Zhentian, Luo Shenghua and Adity.
When their eyes fell on the scenery in front of them, they felt they were in a different world. A vast black sea of abomination, crawling like bugs.
"What happened?" Bao Zhentian quickly helped jessi up, giving her a powerful healing medicine.
Jessi started briefly describing everything that had transpired.
…
Li Shenrong was standing inside a miniature world. In his palm was a map, previously it had seven red marked area, now only one mark was left.
For the past few days he had been to all the seven dao portal that was marked on the map. These dao portals had something he needed and this was the last one.
A faint blurry figure of a person flickered beside him, as if it could even be swept away by a gentle breeze.
"I never thought that there would be day when i could see you again." The figure spoke, his voice was gentle and full of smile. It was a shadow of an old man, his face was wrinkled, reflecting the vicissitude of the endless years.
"Here i am, aren't i? Old friend…." Li Shenrong said, a smile bloomed on his face from the depth of his heart.
"Do you remember back in those days we would go to hunt wild boars?.. also that old woman used to chase us with a stick…" The old man chuckled softly.
"How can i forget? While escaping you stumbled on your feet and your face fell over faeces." Li Shenrong laughed along.
The old man's laughter stopped abruptly which made Li Shenrong laugh harder. For a moment, the void seemed brighter. But soon, the laughter faded into silence.
"In the end we both had to part ways. You were dazzling as the sun in noon, i could only look up to you. I chased after you and eventually was left behind." His voice suddenly turned heavy.
"A lot of things had happened…." Li Shenrong could only smile bitterly.
"I don't blame you, i always admired your free spirit. I wanted to become like you so i wholeheartedly focused on the dao. I followed your traces across the long river of time. Even though i couldn't catch a glimpse of you, i was satisfied." The man's face beamed with smile.
Li Shenrong stood silent, in the end he could only sigh. During his lifetime, he had met countless people, gods, devils and buddhas alike. He even forgot most of the people, their brilliance passing like morning mist. Be it a peerless existence or unparalleled genius, nothing caught his eyes but there had always been some people who held spacial places in his heart. This old man was one of them.
"Old friend….. how did you end up like this?" Li Shenrong suddenly asked.
The old man stroked his white beard as he said, "Nothing much, it's just a defeat."
Li Shenrong raised an eyebrow. "Who?"
"I don't know who that person is, back then i challenged him and lost. He seized my will and bound me here. I do not know how the curse appeared here, but I was made its warden."
Then the old man added again, "I think that person didn't want the curse to spread, so he placed my will here."
Li Shenrong's eyes were deep in thought. "I understand, but i can't conclude anything yet. There's too many variables."
"That's true.
Since you came here, might as well hand you over my mantle haha… those little ones also prepared very well." The old man laughed.
"Indeed, such courage and spirit is worthy of respect." Li Shenrong uttered.
"Old friend it's time to bid farewell." The old man said, his face full of smiles.
Li Shenrong on the other hand felt a tug in his heart. "Millions of years could bring numbness to one's heart but couldn't resolve the pain of separation. A separation of life and death."
"Haha don't be sad, we are brothers remember! I will watch over you as a ghost when i die." The old man joked.
Li Shenrong forced a smile.
Next, the old man handed him a scarlet spear. The spear looked very eye catching but that's all. It didn't have any special aura or divinity.
"You still carry this with you…" Li Shenrong's gaze softened.
"Of course. Take this as well." Then he retrieved a tattered battle banner filled with dust, the upper right of it was torn open. They seemed like something that could be found anywhere in the mortal world's street.
Li Shenrong unhesitatingly took them. After a long silence he asked, "Do you have any regrets? Or wish unfulfilled?"
The old man gaze suddenly turned profound as his eyes became distant. "My daughter…. Take care of her, will you?" He uttered slowly.
"Very well. I promise."
"Haha, that's all. I wish you eternity my friend..!" The old man's will suddenly broke into countless light particles and vanished as if never existed.
Slowly, the last red mark also dimmed. With this, the map in his palm turned to dusts. The miniature world was also turning to ashes and dust bit by bit.
His figure stood in the void like a tall mountain, unmoved. But his gaze was distant, as if reminiscing the old memories.
"Farewell, my dear old friend.."
After a while he sighed, leaving the void.