The reason Mo Su had come was not out of concern for the impending war. The conflict between Owl Butterfly and Eternal Night was beneath his interest. If Pan Buwang decided to slaughter them, that was not his matter.
Though he held a lingering soft spot for darkness profound energy and the devils — and even for their scattered descendants — his truest affection, the only fragment of tenderness he still harbored, was reserved for one person.
Pan Xiaodie.
The name alone stirred something within him. She, who had fallen into a deep slumber nearly five million years ago, resting within the cradle of his protection. The mere thought of her brought a wave of longing, though it was dulled by the unrelenting passage of time.
Still, it was that soft spot that led him here, watching as Pan Buwang stood at the head of his enslaved army.
But Mo Su was not here to intervene.
No — he was here to confirm something.
The subtle flickers of darkness profound energy that swirled around Pan Buwang did not escape his notice. Every movement, every surge of malicious intent — Mo Su analyzed it with piercing precision.
Every conversation, every fragmented report that had reached his ears over the years pieced themselves together like fragments of an incomplete puzzle.
"Went to Dreamweaver... Yun Che cast him out."
"Reports of him in the Endless Fog... claimed to be a beneficiary of the Fog Monarch."
"Entered Pure Land, ... reawakened his Divine Essence..."
"A bearer of Perfect Divine Essence. Perfect control over darkness..."
The words echoed through his mind. He could see it all, the trail of calculated steps that had led Pan Buwang to this moment. The pieces aligned, and the truth unveiled itself.
"Hahaha…"
A gleam of understanding flashed through Mo Su's ancient eyes.
"I've found your chess piece."
The corners of his lips curled into a smirk, amusement dancing within his gaze.
"Well done. As expected of you... the inheritor of my big brother."
A low, almost guttural laugh echoed through the endless void — a laughter that held no warmth, only bitter satisfaction.
"Hahaha!"
The sound never reached the world below. Not even the divine beings gathered beneath the sky noticed his presence. Not even the gods who believed they ruled this realm could perceive him.
Mo Su eyes gleaned one final time, the laughter fading into a knowing silence.
With that, his figure blurred into nothingness, vanishing from the void as though he had never been there.
This petty war was no longer his concern.
He would leave it to Ling Xian. She would know how to deal with it.
----------
"Attack!"
"Kill them all!"
The commands of both Divine Regents roared across the air like twin bolts of thunder, their voices reverberating through the trembling sky. The moment the words left their lips, their figures vanished — consumed by blurs of darkness and flame.
In the blink of an eye, they reappeared hundreds of thousands of miles away, the oppressive weight of their divine might distorting the air around them. The turbulent sky crackled beneath their overwhelming presence, as though the Abyss itself cowered in anticipation.
The moment their eyes locked once more, the air grew suffocating.
Pan Buwang stood cloaked in absolute darkness, the shadows twisting unnaturally around his body. The sheer depth of his godly presence bore down upon the world like a crushing tide. The void seemed eager to consume all before him, devouring even the faintest traces of light.
Across from him, Shen Yanye stood in unrelenting defiance. Though her title marked her as the Lightless Divine Regent, the aura that blazed around her was anything but dark. The crimson-gold flames of the Vermillion Bird roared behind her like a burning sun, illuminating the bleak sky with fiery brilliance. Every flicker of flame pulsed with boundless fury — the fury of a god who ruled with absolute dominance.
And yet, just before their figures could collide —
"BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!"
The sky split apart as an enormous barrier erupted into existence.
A radiant dome of divine power surged between them and the outside world, stretching endlessly across the heavens. It radiated a terrifying presence that surpassed even the power of the Divine Regents themselves. The sheer force of its manifestation sent shockwaves rippling outward, shaking the world beneath it.
This barrier, shimmering with ancient might, bore the undeniable aura of an Ancient True God.
It was an unmistakable reminder of the ever-watching eyes of Pure Land. No matter how vast the rage that fueled the two rulers, their battle would not be allowed to spill beyond its confines. The barrier would contain their destruction, preventing the divine clash from annihilating the world below.
Pan Buwang's eyes narrowed. He had anticipated this.
And so had Shen Yanye.
Neither of them were fools. They knew the gods of Pure Land would not stand idly by, nor would they risk allowing the Divine Regents to devastate the Abyss with unchecked power.
Here, they could fight to their hearts' content.
A twisted grin curled upon Pan Buwang's lips. The barrier was no restraint — it was freedom.
And without hesitation, the two gods surged forward.
"BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!"
The instant they collided, the heavens screamed.
The shockwave from their clash rippled violently through the barrier, the space around them fracturing under the sheer force of their divine power. The fiery brilliance of the Vermillion Bird clashed against the devouring void of Pan Buwang's darkness. Sparks of crimson and black erupted, sending destructive currents across the battlefield.
No one wanted this war.
But the seals and curses embedded deep within their bodies left them no choice. Every pulse of the accursed markings reminded them of the price of defiance — an agony far worse than death.
The command had been given. There was no turning back.
From the Owl Butterfly Divine Kingdom's side, an ominous darkness erupted. The sky twisted as the shadows slithered and writhed, corrupting the very air. Without hesitation, countless figures leapt from the hovering profound arks, their bodies cloaked in the suffocating embrace of dark profound energy.
Their eyes burned with the faint glow of their shackled power, but beneath the surface, there was nothing but silent despair.
Across from them, the warriors of the Eternal Night Divine Kingdom rose to meet them.
The crimson flames of the Vermillion Bird danced fiercely, illuminating the sky with a fiery brilliance. The flames roared, their heat battling against the encroaching darkness. Draped in blazing radiance, the figures of the Eternal Night cultivators stood firm — not out of loyalty, but because the cursed seal upon them left no room for hesitation.
Both sides surged forward.
"BOOOOMMMMM!!!!"
The collision was instant.
Darkness and flame clashed in an explosion that tore through the air. The violent shockwave rippled across the sky, sending echoes of destruction in every direction. The very space trembled, unable to contain the unleashed power.
"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!"
Bolts of crimson fire intertwined with tendrils of devouring shadows. Fiery embers scattered, illuminating the battlefield for only a fleeting moment before they were swallowed by the endless dark.
The force of the clash struck the earth below, splitting the ground apart. Jagged fissures tore through the land, sending boulders and debris flying like dust. The sky itself cracked, resonating with the raw might of two armies that had been unwillingly set upon each other.
"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!"
Another deafening blast erupted. The force of it sent figures tumbling through the sky, their bodies crashing against the ruined landscape. Blood spilled, staining the shattered ground beneath them.
And yet, neither side relented.
The ground quaked, and the sky split apart as torrents of power clashed in a chaotic storm. Waves of profound energy collided, sending violent shockwaves that tore through the air. Blood splattered across the shattered earth, staining it crimson as one figure after another fell.
They never wanted this.
But the choice had never been theirs.
Bound by the seals and curses etched into their very souls, the cultivators of both sides were forced to wield their strength against one another. At first, they hesitated — their strikes restrained, their eyes clouded with unwillingness. Even as their powers clashed, they fought with the bare minimum, praying that perhaps, just perhaps, this battle could end without the unbearable weight of bloodshed.
But fate was never so kind.
The moment one side faltered, the inevitable happened. A single, accidental death — one that sent a trembling ripple of devastation across the battlefield.
The anguished cry of a fallen comrade echoed through the air. And with it, restraint gave way to vengeance.
"You bastards!"
A surge of profound energy erupted as retaliation struck. Blades of flame cleaved through the air, while tendrils of darkness twisted and devoured all in their path. One death led to another — and then another. The chain of violence spiraled without end.
Rage consumed reason.
Desperation consumed regret.
The longer they fought, the more blood was spilled. Soon, neither side held back. Flames roared, darkness surged, and the battlefield descended into utter chaos.
Blood fell like rain, painting the sky in crimson. The anguished cries of the dying mingled with the deafening roars of power. The very heavens trembled under the weight of their fury.
But even amidst the storm, the battlefield was not without order.
The weaker cultivators clashed in a frenzied struggle, their battles unfolding like violent ripples across the cracked earth. Though their strength was far beneath that of the gods, the destructive force of their confrontation shattered mountains and dried rivers. Each blast of power carved deep scars into the land, while the sky above remained darkened by the relentless war.
Yet, above them, the true monsters fought.
The stronger cultivators had long abandoned the earth. Their battles transcended the ground, tearing through the sky with terrifying force.
Every clash shattered the air, sending devastating shockwaves that distorted space itself. Stars flickered, as if trembling from the sheer magnitude of their power. The sky twisted and fractured, cracks of dark void spiraling through the air like veins of destruction.
Each figure fought with the desperation of one bound by chains.
There was no glory to be won.
No honor to be gained.
Only survival — and the unbearable weight of knowing that the blood on their hands could never be washed away.
The land beneath them crumbled, sinking into ruin. The once-majestic plains were now nothing but scorched remnants, twisted by the clashing forces. The sky itself seemed on the verge of collapse, unable to bear the strain of divine power.
But even as the world tore apart around them — the war raged on.
And with every fleeting moment, more lives were claimed.
-------
"Heh, is this all you can do?"
Shen Yanye's taunting voice echoed through the battlefield, laced with contempt. The flames around her surged, the crimson light illuminating her figure like a divine flame. Behind her, the majestic wings of the Vermillion Bird spread wide, their fiery brilliance radiating with overwhelming might. Cloaked in red-gold flames, she seemed like a celestial being, untouchable and proud.
But the only response she received was a cold, twisted smile.
Pan Buwang's eyes gleamed with malice, a chilling dark light erupting from their depths. The oppressive aura of darkness surged from his body, devouring the space around him. It was not mere darkness — it was purer than night itself, a force so ancient and malevolent that even the void trembled beneath it.
Pan Buwang spat, his voice low and venomous. "Let me show you just how foolish that is."
Before Shen Yanye could react, he vanished.
"What—?"
Her eyes barely widened before the air twisted.
"BOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!"
Pan Buwang appeared before her like a phantom, his speed so terrifyingly swift that the flames around her barely stirred. His clawed fist, drenched in dark energy, struck without mercy.
The blow landed with a devastating force.
A sickening crack resounded through the void as Shen Yanye was sent hurtling through the sky. Blood sprayed from her mouth, staining the air in a crimson trail. Her body twisted uncontrollably, the sheer impact sending violent shockwaves across the battlefield.
The gods who witnessed the clash could only stare in disbelief.
But Pan Buwang wasn't finished.
Like a shadow chasing light, he reappeared before her in an instant.
"BOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!"
Before she could even groan in pain, Pan Buwang slammed his leg down, driving her descending body straight into the fractured ground below. The force of the impact detonated the earth, sending debris and dust flying in every direction.
"AHHHHHHH!!!"
A pained scream tore from Shen Yanye's lips, the once-majestic wings of the Vermillion Bird shattering under the brutal force of the strike. Feathers of flame scattered into the air, their embers quickly consumed by the overwhelming darkness. The land beneath her caved in, forming a massive crater that seemed to swallow her whole.
The earth trembled, and the sky quaked.
Pan Buwang stood above her, his expression void of mercy. The twisted grin on his face only deepened as he loomed over her broken form.
"Yes, this is all I can do."
Pan Buwang's voice echoed coldly through the shattered battlefield, dripping with disdain. From high above, he gazed down at Shen Yanye, his expression devoid of pity. The once fearsome Lightless Divine Regent now lay battered and bloodied, her body trembling under the weight of her injuries.
Blood soaked her torn robes, staining the fiery crimson fabric. Deep wounds marred her pale skin, and the shattered remnants of her Vermillion Bird wings smoldered weakly behind her. Every breath she took was ragged, a painful reminder of the brutal force she had endured.
The difference between them was glaring.
Too vast.
She had always reigned with unquestionable might, her ruthless power commanding fear and submission. But she wasn't present during Dian Jiuzhi's rampage — she hadn't witnessed the terrifying strength of a Perfect God. And the gods who had fallen before Dian Jiuzhi had no desire to speak of their humiliating defeat.
They remained silent.
And now, Shen Yanye faced that same overwhelming power without understanding the storm she had provoked.
But unlike Dian Jiuzhi, Pan Buwang stood above them all.
With a Perfect Divine Essence and the boundless darkness that pulsed within him, his strength had far surpassed even what Dian Jiuzhi displayed in Pure Land. His cold, unwavering confidence came not from arrogance, but from the undeniable truth.
This outcome had been inevitable.
The shadows around Pan Buwang writhed like living entities, dancing along the fractured air. Dark tendrils extended outward, consuming the lingering embers of the Vermillion Bird's fire.
"You..."
Blood dripped from her trembling lips, staining the shattered ground beneath her. Her once majestic figure, now marred by torn robes and seeping wounds, struggled to rise. Yet, even as pain coursed through her body, her voice erupted in a furious roar.
"Puke... YOU DARE!!!!!!"
The words burned with hatred. Even with her eyes blinded, the seething malice within them seemed to pierce through the void. The weight of her rage bore down upon the battlefield, and the air itself quivered beneath her fury.
Pan Buwang's smirk deepened, but the growing surge of power beneath him could not be ignored.
"AHHHHHHHHH!!!"
A violent cry echoed from Shen Yanye as flames erupted from her body. The once faint embers ignited into a raging inferno, twisting and spiraling around her like a blazing tempest. The ground beneath her, already fractured, trembled and shattered further as torrents of crimson-gold fire surged into the air.
The heavens roared in response.
"BOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!"
The sheer force of her blazing aura split the sky, illuminating the darkness in a brilliant cascade of flames. The crimson light swept across the battlefield, engulfing the fractured remnants of the earth. It was no longer just divine energy — it was will, fierce and unrelenting.
And then, from the very depths of the blazing inferno—
"SCREEEEHHHHHH!!!!"
A piercing cry shook the heavens.
From the churning flames, a colossal figure emerged. Towering and majestic, the form of a Vermillion Bird took shape, its fiery wings spreading wide enough to eclipse the fractured sky. Each feather blazed with crimson-gold light, flickering with an ethereal glow. The powerful surge of life and profound energy coursed through its radiant body, igniting the air itself.
But it was more than just a manifestation of flames.
The divine presence that radiated from it — the boundless spirit that pulsed with ancient power — was undeniable.
If Yun Che were present, he would have recognized it without question.
A God Manifestation.
The Vermillion Bird roared, its piercing cry shaking the heavens as it surged forward, radiating unstoppable godly might. The very air ignited in its wake, burning away the shadows that clung to the battlefield. Every flap of its blazing wings sent waves of destructive force crashing through the void.
This — this — was why Shen Yanye did not fear the other gods.
Among the six Divine Kingdoms, she alone bore the legacy of the ancient divine beasts. The blood of the Vermillion Bird flowed through her veins, granting her unparalleled dominion over flame.
And now, with the manifestation of her ancestral spirit, she stood as a force that could rival any god.
Though the technique drained her power rapidly, the overwhelming might it unleashed was undeniable. A second godly presence, burning with life and fury. The heavens quaked beneath its radiance, as if bowing to its ancient lineage.
It was as though the Vermillion Bird itself had returned.
"Die!!!!"
With a ferocious burst of flames, Shen Yanye exploded forward. Her body became one with the fire, her form trailing behind the raging inferno of her divine beast. Blazing tendrils of crimson and gold twisted and coiled around her, igniting the fractured sky in a sea of flame.
The sheer pressure of her presence sent cracks through the already shattered battlefield. Even the profound energy that lingered in the air seemed to retreat, cowering before the monstrous blaze.
But none of it stirred even a flicker of fear in Pan Buwang.
He stood unshaken, his dark robes billowing under the violent gales. The shadows that clung to his figure pulsed in rhythm with the ancient darkness within him. His cruel smile returned, the light in his eyes gleaming with frigid amusement.
"Fool."
The word was whispered, yet it carried the weight of the abyss itself.
Shen Yanye's strength could have torn lower gods apart, her God Manifestation serving as an unstoppable force in the face of most opponents. But there were always exceptions.
And standing before her now was one of those exceptions.
Pan Buwang.
A Perfect God.
The void around him darkened further. The oppressive weight of his power swelled as the shadows consumed the remnants of the sky. But this darkness was unlike any ordinary profound energy. It twisted with malicious intent, devouring the light as though it existed only to snuff out the brilliance of others.
"No matter how bright your flames burn..."
With a single step forward, the shadows beneath him surged like a rising tide. The twisted forms of abyssal energy slithered and writhed, their presence infecting the very air. It was not just darkness — it was the end. A force that sought to consume and extinguish all it touched.
"...They will never reach me."
The colossal Vermillion Bird roared once more, its burning eyes fixed on Pan Buwang. The beast's wings flapped, sending pillars of golden fire spiraling into the sky.
"SCREEEEEEHHHHH!!!!"
And in that instant, it lunged.
Shen Yanye followed, her body surging alongside her divine beast as one unstoppable force. Every ounce of her remaining strength ignited, the flames intensifying as her resolve burned fiercer than ever. She would tear him apart. She would make him pay.
But Pan Buwang did not flinch.
And just as the inferno reached him — the darkness answered.