An Hao appeared, carrying the Heavenly Dao Golden Core, and the divine might he brought caused the already tense situation to escalate even further.
Zhu Xi did not respond to An Hao's forceful declaration. Instead, she directly commanded her Dharma Form to strike at him. The powerful aura of the Mysterious Origin Realm erupted completely, shaking the very rules of the heavens and earth. The sky churned, thunderclouds roared, and endless anomalies manifested.
The clash between the Heavenly Dao Golden Core and the Heavenly Dao Fruit sent shockwaves through the entire world. This time, there was no place left to retreat. The catastrophe was no longer centered around the Heavenly Dao Fruit, spreading outward in predictable waves. Instead, cracks and collapses erupted across the land in chaotic patterns, with no discernible logic.
Before these two overwhelming forces, any being that had entertained thoughts of seizing the Dao Fruit no longer even had the qualifications to approach.
The seven subordinates of the Annihilation God Emperor were not tempted by the Dao Fruit. Instead, they flew toward the boundaries of the world.
After some time, they reached the Realm Gate, where the Heavenly Spirit God sat in silent meditation. They bowed deeply, their posture filled with respect.
One of them carefully took out a long command token and said, "Heavenly God, we wish to return to our Great Thousand World."
The Heavenly Spirit God did not open his eyes, but behind him, the Realm Gate trembled, releasing a brilliant light from within. Seeing this, the seven figures sighed in relief and immediately entered the gate.
As soon as their figures vanished, the Realm Gate returned to its previous calm, and the radiance within disappeared.
A cloud of black mist suddenly gathered beside the Heavenly Spirit God, condensing into a sinister and eerie face.
"Heavenly God, my Supreme Demon Realm has suffered great losses in this battle. Why do you still refuse to act?"
The mysterious face spoke in a tone filled with confusion.
The Heavenly Spirit God slowly opened his eyes, which shone brighter than the sun and moon, exuding the supreme majesty of the Heavenly Dao itself. The moment he opened his eyes, the mysterious face's aura weakened slightly.
"I have my own plans. You asked for the Supreme Demon Realm to become an independent world. If all your demons perish, so be it."
The Heavenly Spirit God's voice was unwavering, carrying an indisputable dominance that made the mysterious face frown.
His gaze turned toward the Heavenly Spirit World, cold and distant, yet seeming to hold a trace of anticipation.
"May I ask, Heavenly God, now that the Heavenly Dao's fate has scattered, why do you not simply destroy the Heavenly Spirit World? Your goal can't possibly be that Heavenly Dao Fruit, can it?"
The mysterious face pressed on. The way things had developed made him uneasy.
He couldn't quite place the source of his unease, but he had a deep understanding of the Heavenly Spirit God. This deity disdained deception. Whatever he promised, he would fulfill.
However, he had never understood what the Heavenly Spirit God truly desired.
"Do you know who created the Heavenly Spirit World?"
The Heavenly Spirit God's voice was emotionless.
The mysterious face replied, "I only know that there was a Creator, but I do not know their name or identity."
"He was the Heavenly Spirit Immortal Sovereign. He surpassed the Free Immortal Realm and condensed the Golden Immortal Dao Fruit. The Heavenly Court once sought to recruit him, offering him an immortal position under the Heavenly Dao, granting him life as long as the heavens endured."
The Heavenly Spirit God's tone remained steady as he explained.
"He refused?"
"Yes. And so, he met this fate. His Great Thousand World was also denied the blessings of the Heavenly Dao."
The mysterious face fell silent, contemplating the meaning behind these words.
Was this a warning?
Or was it a declaration of the Heavenly Court's absolute authority?
The Heavenly Spirit God turned his gaze toward the mysterious face, and under that stare, the eerie expression on the face became visibly strained.
"Supreme Demon Emperor, you have reincarnated more than ten thousand times, yet you remain one step away from condensing the Golden Immortal Dao Fruit. The gap lies in your understanding of the world. When you create your own Great World, you will naturally break through. But never forget who created everything and who establishes order. When the Heavenly Dao desires you to act, defying it will lead only to an eternity of ruin."
The weight of the Heavenly Spirit God's words made the mysterious face—now revealed as the Supreme Demon Emperor—shift unpredictably between expressions of darkness and hesitation.
Meanwhile, the battle in the mortal world raged on.
An Hao's long hair had turned stark white, and blood-red cracks appeared on his skin as he controlled the Heavenly Dao Golden Core. Yet, despite his deteriorating condition, his gaze remained locked onto Zhu Xi with unwavering determination.
Zhu Xi glanced at him, a hint of disdain flashing in her eyes. She did not understand what An Hao was fighting for. The Heavenly Dao Fruit itself was nothing but a trap—countless beings had been driven mad by it, throwing themselves into battle without hesitation.
Xunxian Daoist watched An Hao with an unreadable expression, occasionally shifting his gaze back to Zhu Xi.
Zhu Xi suddenly spoke, her tone laced with confidence. "It seems both he and I believe ourselves to be the savior of this world. But I am stronger."
"If my guess is right, we are not only facing the Heavenly Spirit God but also the one who created the Heavenly Spirit Great World. Your disciple, am I right?"
Her words were directed at Xunxian Daoist, her eyes cold and indifferent.
Xunxian Daoist had sought her out under the pretense of avenging his disciple. But now that it was evident his disciple had not entirely perished, their mutual trust would inevitably collapse.
With a sigh, Xunxian Daoist admitted, "I failed to see it before. I didn't realize how well he hid himself. But this is good news for you. You won't have to face the Heavenly Spirit God alone."
Zhu Xi raised her right hand, and the thousand-armed Dharma Form above her followed suit, its countless divine weapons radiating a dazzling array of lights.
An Hao, still floating in front of the Heavenly Dao Golden Core, suddenly felt his pupils contract. The world around him shifted abruptly. In an instant, he found himself standing on an endless barren land. Above him, there was no sky—only an infinite, starry void. The Dharma Form of Zhu Xi loomed even larger than before, staring down at him from above.
Frowning, An Hao felt the flames of the Heavenly Dao Golden Core surge behind him, pulling him back toward its core.
"You and I—one of us will be taken over by him," Zhu Xi's voice echoed across the void, carrying an overwhelming pressure. "You may be our master's disciple as well, even his favorite. But I will not surrender my existence."
Inside the Heavenly Dao Golden Core, an enormous eye emerged, filling the entire space within. It looked almost identical to An Hao's own, yet there was something fundamentally different about it.
Meanwhile, in reality, the Heavenly Dao Golden Core clashed against Zhu Xi's Dharma Form, shattering it upon impact. The core then fell directly onto the Heavenly Dao Fruit, and in the blink of an eye, both Zhu Xi and Xunxian Daoist vanished without a trace.
From the perspective of the universe, the Heavenly Spirit Great World erupted with a massive shockwave that rippled outward, expanding across the vast cosmos.
The radiance of the Heavenly Dao was completely obliterated. Those who had attempted to flee into the stars were instantly annihilated, their bodies and souls erased from existence.
All of the demonic entities of the Supreme Demon Realm that had surrounded the Heavenly Dao Fruit were wiped out, yet the cultivators of the mortal world remained unharmed.
At the Realm Gate, the Heavenly Spirit God slowly rose to his feet.
The Supreme Demon Emperor was about to speak when he suddenly turned his head sharply, a look of pure shock spreading across his face.
"This aura… impossible… is he truly still alive?" the Supreme Demon Emperor muttered in disbelief.
The Heavenly Spirit God raised his right hand, and in an instant, a massive battle-axe materialized in his grip. The axe was wreathed in the flames of the Heavenly Dao—pure white flames symbolizing absolute order.
"This battle…" The Heavenly Spirit God spoke, his voice shifting for the first time, carrying an unmistakable trace of excitement. "I have been waiting for it for so long, I have lost count of the years."
Far away, in the Boundless Dao Field, Gu An suddenly sat up, his expression turning strange, his gaze filled with surprise.
"Hao'er… and him?"
Gu An could clearly sense that An Hao's physical body had merged with the Heavenly Dao Fruit, transforming into an entirely different kind of existence.
It felt like an awakening of a past self, yet it was not the same.
There was no doubt—An Hao and the creator of the Heavenly Spirit Great World were connected. However, this was not simply a matter of reincarnation.
Though Gu An was surprised by An Hao's transformation, he knew that the Heavenly Spirit God's strength was far beyond what An Hao and the Heavenly Dao Fruit could possibly contend with.
In the end, it would still be up to him to step forward.
That was fine.
Gu An stood up and stretched, casually rolling his shoulders as he prepared himself. In that moment, he and the Heavenly Spirit God standing before the Realm Gate were like two extremes.
One was brimming with anticipation.
The other was the undisputed ruler of the world.