In a land beyond the world, a boundless expanse of space-time drifted, like a vast river or sea, with waves surging and heaving.
Mountain ranges sat there, seemingly without roots or foundation, planted within this space-time.
And on the highest of those mountain ranges, there was a cave entrance.
Not far from the entrance stood a rectangular bluestone stele, fully three zhang high and six chi wide.
The three ancient characters "Yinxu Cave" were engraved with silver hooks and iron strokes, like dragons soaring and serpents coiling, the Dao charm naturally formed, as if evolving the myriad Daos of the heavens, suffused with a hazy rosy light.
"Judging from the current situation, Progenitor Xu has not deceived me after all."
"But why do I feel, in the unseen realm, that the timing is never right? Where exactly is the problem?"
"Just where did he learn that the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's Alliance Leader would appear at the Immortal Dao Alliance assembly? What exactly is he still hiding from me?"
"He must know the origin and background of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's Alliance Leader..."
At the cave entrance, the light of sun and moon shimmered, dust and mist dissipated, and a wisp of clear qi drifted out, transforming into a middle-aged man with his hair in a Daoist topknot, an ordinary, unremarkable face, but extremely gentle and profound eyes.
It was precisely the Master of Yinxu Cave, the Master of Fate.
He wore a Daoist robe, divine radiance glittering within his sleeves, the stars of myriad heavens rising and falling, chains of order cascading down. Around him surged an ancient and vast aura, as if he did not exist within any particular space-time.
In his palm, he held a horsetail whisk, light and airy through and through, made from the fur of some unknown exotic beast, a vast aura of the Great Dao spreading from it.
"Master, over on the Alliance of Righteous Unity's side, they have officially launched the decisive battle against the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, just as you planned."
"The Second Master is personally overseeing it; there should be no mishaps."
Two servant boys followed behind the Master of Fate, one of them speaking respectfully.
"Over on the Alliance of Righteous Unity's side, I am naturally not worried."
"My sole concern at present remains the true strength of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's Alliance Leader. He is utterly unfathomable to me."
The Master of Fate shook his head, his profound gaze gazing into the void before him.
With a flick of his whisk, a wisp of clear qi scattered and instantly transformed into a circular mirror, within which was reflected the scene over at the Ethereal Sacred Domain.
It was a pity that the sky-wide black mist was boundless and infinite, rising from the edges of the Ethereal Sacred Domain, blotting out the scenes within. No matter how he deduced, he could not peer into even a trace of them.
"This Black Lotus Cult is undeniably connected to Progenitor Xu. Is he planning to use this Black Lotus Cult to probe the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's Alliance Leader?"
"But without him acting personally, how can he test the real from the false? It's hard to guarantee he won't use the Black Lotus Cult to scheme against me."
The Master of Fate frowned, his heart actually very hesitant whether to honor his agreement with Progenitor Xu.
Ever since the Immortal Chu Dynasty was destroyed, he had already decided to take the field and burn his bridges.
For he vaguely glimpsed that some of the "Authority" of the current era seemed to be surfacing. At the same time, perhaps because the Epoch Cataclysm was about to descend, the situation in the Vast Expanse was changing, and many previously unseen blurry scenes had their mists cleared, becoming distinct.
Thus, he felt an opportunity had arisen.
That illusory and elusive "Authority" was the only hope they could pursue and entrust themselves to in the current Vast Expanse.
It was a pity that "Authority" was rarely seen, and might only partially surface when the Epoch Cataclysm descended.
And every time "Authority" appeared, it would throw the Vast Expanse into upheaval so great that even the Epoch Cataclysm could hardly erase its terrifying impact.
The Master of Fate harbored immense ambition, and did not want his Dao to collapse or his path forward to be severed. Therefore, he resolved to vie for it.
It was just that he had a premonition: if he were to take the field, he would encounter an unimaginable calamity and face an incomparably terrifying great enemy.
This premonition had been haunting his heart since ancient times.
For an existence like him, who had long survived nine Heavenly Decline Tribulations and was feeling his way along the path of the End of the Path, the timeline no longer existed, and he could see many scenes of past and future at a glance.
To overcome this predestined great calamity,
he had been laying out plans since ancient times, all for this one sliver of ethereal hope, and for it, he had paid an exceptionally heavy price.
And in the present era, the greatest threat to him was none other than the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's Alliance Leader, Gu Changge.
Because Gu Changge had never stopped expanding his power, the Heaven-Slaying Alliance growing rapidly, annexing territories and universes in all directions, and expanding at a terrifying speed like sparks flying onto willow catkins.
During this time, he never ceased his campaigns against the various true world civilizations, continuously harvesting the destiny of the Vast Expanse.
The Master of Fate did not want all his painstakingly laid plans to go down the drain. Thus, even though the timing was not yet ripe, he had no choice but to act. Otherwise, once it was too late, and all the destiny of the Vast Expanse had been reaped and seized by Gu Changge,
if he then tried to act and seize the initiative, it would already be nearly impossible.
For this reason, he used those chess pieces he had left behind in the past to establish the Alliance of Righteous Unity, using it to oppose the Heaven-Slaying Alliance built by Gu Changge, slowing the speed at which he encroached upon and harvested the Vast Expanse's destiny.
At the same time, he negotiated with certain ancient existences he had once known, paid some costs, and began laying plans to deal with the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and Gu Changge.
He was waiting for a suitable, foolproof moment to obliterate and annex the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and Gu Changge.
During this period, Progenitor Xu sought him out. This terrifying existence, who had once followed the Lord of Heaven's Proxy, possessed equally unfathomable strength, in no way inferior to his.
The two probed each other, and ultimately reached a deal.
Progenitor Xu stated plainly that he had his eyes on the physical body of the former Lord of Heaven's Proxy, wanting to swallow the remnants of the old faction of the Heavenly Faction and seize the power that once belonged to the Lord of Heaven's Proxy.
For this, he needed the Master of Fate's assistance to help him deal with the current Grand High Priest of the Heavenly Faction. When Progenitor Xu made his move against the Heavenly Faction, the Master of Fate needed to stall that Grand High Priest, preventing her from diverting her attention.
The Master of Fate readily agreed to this deal.
Of course, he likewise put forth his own demands: to have Progenitor Xu help him deal with the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and Gu Changge. However, Progenitor Xu directly refused, saying the conditions were insufficient and that the Master of Fate needed to add more to the scales.
Thus, the Master of Fate settled for the next best thing, asking Progenitor Xu to help him probe the true strength of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and Gu Changge.
Progenitor Xu did not refuse and indicated that he would act.
Each calculated their own schemes, and though they swore oaths upon their own Dao and path, within those promises, there were no doubt other plans and plots.
Just as the Master of Fate did not believe that Progenitor Xu merely wanted to deal with the Heavenly Faction. The fact that the other party proactively sought him out for a deal, precisely not long after the Dark Clans reemerged into the world, choosing a moment that seemed reasonable yet was full of coincidences—no matter how one deduced it, one could sense something fishy.
When Progenitor Xu agreed to probe the true strength of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, he was extremely confident and certain.
This made the Master of Fate suspect, even now, that Progenitor Xu had long known the origin and background of Gu Changge, which was why he took the initiative to approach him for this deal.
There was an obvious, gaping pit in this, waiting for him to jump into it.
But Progenitor Xu had seized upon the fact that he was anxious and unable to hold back, certain that even knowing there was a pit, he would still walk right into it.
The Master of Fate could only pinch his nose and suffer this small loss.
"Just what exactly is the origin of this Black Lotus Cult? Can it truly probe the true strength of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's Alliance Leader?"
"Progenitor Xu would not dare deceive me. I suspect the mastermind behind this Black Lotus Cult is also being schemed against and used by him, with this as a means to test the Heaven-Slaying Alliance Alliance Leader's strength?"
The Master of Fate's gaze was profound. With a sweep of his whisk, the scene before him dispersed, and when it reappeared, it was at the battlefield between the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and the Alliance of Righteous Unity.
The cosmos was scarred, civilizations collapsed, and wherever the war swept, it left behind unspeakably tragic sights.
War spread, ancient warships rumbling as they crossed through the sky, one after another, seemingly endless, blotting out everything, the sight incomparably terrifying.
In every cosmic space and time, chaos and slaughter could be seen everywhere. Whether they were Immortal Dao beings or Dao Realm existences, all were engaged in frenzied combat.
One after another, Dao Realm existences roared as they charged and clashed with their adversaries. The aftershocks spread, shattering countless worlds, and who knew how many living beings were buried within them.
The Master of Fate watched these scenes, his expression neither sorrowful nor joyous.
This was but a cycle across all worlds: no matter how many beings died or how many civilizations and universes collapsed, new life would emerge before long, and new universes would be born.
Like endless fields of chives, cut down in harvest after harvest, awaiting each new spring.
If he could not escape that fate, he, too, would ultimately meet the same end as those countless trillions of beings dissipating and crumbling at this very moment.
Beneath the Heavenly Dao, all living beings are equal.
"Authority. Only by seizing or abolishing a portion of Authority can I have a chance to escape my fate..." The Master of Fate's eyes were dark and deep, but at this moment, even he could not conceal that obsessive gleam.
Buzz!!!
With a sweep of his broad sleeve, the space-time before him instantly split open into a pitch-black fissure. The Master of Fate stepped into it with his two servant boys, vanishing in an instant.
The time agreed upon with Progenitor Xu was now fast approaching. Progenitor Xu intended to strike against the remnants of the old faction of the Heavenly Faction, and when the time came, he would naturally have to assist according to the deal.
But before that, he still needed to wait for an outcome.
He wanted to know whether this so-called Black Lotus Cult could truly probe the true strength of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's Alliance Leader.
And now, with the Heaven-Slaying Alliance lacking its Alliance Leader to preside over it, it naturally posed little threat. Still, to be absolutely safe, he needed to employ a few more methods.
Within a universe where spiritual energy was nearly exhausted, the rules of heaven and earth almost worn away, with hardly any living beings in sight.
On an ancient planet covered in swirling yellow sand, a collapsed temple sat, submerged by endless sand, in utter ruin. Even its plaque was only half left, the other half so corroded by time that no shape could be discerned.
But at this moment, a black rift suddenly materialized out of thin air.
The Master of Fate stepped out from within it with his two servant boys. His gaze paused momentarily on the two remaining characters "Slaughter" on the plaque, then he strode inside.
"Master, could there be any mishap?" One of the two servant boys, clearly recognizing this place, showed a flicker of fear in his eyes.
"So much time has passed. You need not worry," the Master of Fate said calmly.
Not long after, the ground suddenly shook violently, the entire ancient star trembling.
Endless yellow sand billowed, shooting into the sky like pillar after pillar of wolf smoke formed by true dragons, swirling in the firmament.
The earth split open, spewing black lava, and boundless black qi surged up, blotting out the sun and sky, instantly shrouding this entire planet.
That black qi was practically tangible, finally transforming into incomparable killing intent. Rivers of blood surged; all manner of corpses, bleached bones, shattered weapons, and fallen immortals and demons all materialized together, as if plunging from the heavens, the sight absolutely horrifying.
"Kill, kill, kill..."
A tyrannical voice rang out, brimming with infinite slaughterous aura, as if intent on burying and murdering all living beings in all worlds.
The clanking of chains seemed to burst forth from the depths of the Nine Nether hells.
The temple instantly collapsed, a terrifying rift valley appearing within. A horrifying figure wreathed in black qi, shackled by chains all over, broke free.
Its gaunt figure was dressed in tattered black robes, its face indiscernible, save for a pair of eyes, pitch-black and malevolent, like a demon returned to the world.
"Original Body, why have you summoned me? Are you planning to release me?"
"Jie jie..."
This figure, seeing the Master of Fate before it, cracked a cruel smile at the corner of its mouth.
The moment one of the servant boys met its gaze, his expression turned to terror, yet his brow instantly split open, and with a pop, he burst into a mist of blood.
The other servant boy was similarly terrified, trembling all over as if recalling something.
Only the Master of Fate shook his head gently, flicked his whisk, and the dead servant boy was revived once more.
"Only death is the final destination of all living beings. I bestow upon you the glory of death; why do you still fear it?"
"Death has always been my long-cherished wish."
"Original Body, why do you prevent me from granting them death?"
The figure coldly stared at the Master of Fate, a terrifying ferocity appearing in its eyes.
The Master of Fate seemed somewhat vexed by this figure, but still did his best to remain calm as he said, "Death is indeed the best destination. All living beings in existence are fated to die. Now, there is a realm where the beings vainly seek to transcend death. I need you to send those beings to the place they ought to go."
"Where?"
Hearing this, the figure wreathed in black qi instantly grew excited, its terrifying aura surging and intimidating, as if it would tear this very universe apart.
"I will send you there. You will know when the time comes," the Master of Fate said evenly.
Then, with a sweep of his whisk, a temporal rift instantly appeared before him, and from the pitch-black, profound other side, faint sounds of slaughter and war seemed to come through.
"Good, I shall go grant them the supreme honor this instant."
The figure let out a great laugh, and with a roar, the planet beneath its feet directly crumbled.
All the chains on its body snapped and broke, and then like a demon god, it charged into that rift.
"Master, by releasing him, won't you be noticed by that place?"
The revived servant boy still had eyes full of fear and trembling.
"It's no matter. He has already been refined by me into one of my Five Aggregates Bodies. Other than me, no one knows his current identity."
"It's just as well. I wish to see: will that place take the field?" the Master of Fate said calmly.
Throughout ancient times and to the present, those places that already controlled a portion of "Authority" had always hidden deep beyond the world, only occasionally revealing themselves when the Epoch Cataclysm descended.
But now that the waters of the Vast Expanse were already so muddied, the Master of Fate could not even control what his own future fate would be.
As for what consequences might follow later, he naturally had no fear, nor any need to worry or care.