Chapter 987: Chapter 707: Withered and Flourishing Immortal Body
"The Red-clad has emerged."
Within the Mystic Sky Alliance, the Eternal Immortal learned of the news through the Martial Temple of the universe right away.
"The great calamity of the Three Thousand Worlds has arrived."
The Spirit Phoenix Dominator said helplessly.
Their strength was not sufficient, at most they could only stay in the Xia Realm and defend against attacks.
Leaving the Xia Realm to hunt the Red-clad was unrealistic.
Fortunately, Lu Chenzhou had the foresight to place the fire seeds of the Three Thousand Civilizations in the Xia Realm beforehand.
Surely, there were some who refused to leave their homeland worlds, and the Mystic Sky Alliance did not force them, as they had done everything they could.
"There’s no need to be too pessimistic. The Martial World plan has been in place for so many years. If the Red-clad wants to simultaneously invade the Three Thousand Worlds, they must continuously divide themselves, thereby weakening their strength. The strong in the Martial Temple will show them strength," the Eternal Immortal said. "Moreover, with over two hundred strong at the Heavenly Realm in our Tianxia, the Martial World has officially entered the second phase. The four major Town Vein Treasures have evolved into Supreme Treasures. The strength of Zhang Ancestor, Lv Ancestor, and the Kongwen Divine Monk is now infinitely close to a demigod. As long as the Red-clad dares to invade the Xia Realm, with the Dragon King and Senior Kunxu, they will gain nothing."
"However, it appears the Red-clad does not plan to invade the Xia Realm; they are also wary of us," said Kunxu.
"They are waiting, waiting for Long and the Demon Lord to emerge and act simultaneously," the Dragon King said calmly.
"If the three demigods join forces, then our chances of victory are very slim," Kunxu expressed some concern.
"The key is whether Chenzhou can bring out the Bright Moon Sword. With the God Slaying Sword Formation and four skilled in Sword Dao, it’s enough to fight beyond their own realm," said the Eternal Immortal.
"To defeat the Red-clad, these four skilled in Sword Dao must be at least at the third step, which only Sword Demon and Clam Fairy meet," Kunxu said.
"Haha, Senior may not know, but in our Da Xia, Lv Ancestor and Zhang Ancestor are top-notch in Sword Dao, though they rarely participate as they are in the Heavenly Spirit...Moreover, the Priest is proficient in the Time Sword Dao, and although Chenzhou is passionate about the spear, he also masters the Carefree Sword Manual, all are masters," the Eternal Immortal laughed.
As long as Lu Chenzhou is willing, skilled sword practitioners can be gathered quickly.
"That’s good. If the God Slaying Sword Formation’s power can be unleashed, there’s indeed hope, even the Heavenly Disaster Demon Lord can be contended with."
Hope ignited in Kunxu’s eyes, and he was eager to try.
...
"Has the Red-clad already gone out?"
The Heavenly Disaster Demon Lord was still hacking at chains, being close to emergence.
"Destroy, Red-clad, let the insects feel the wrath of a God."
...
Without top powerhouses to hold them back, the turmoil stirred by the Red-clad by monsters and demons swept through the Three Thousand Worlds in just half a year.
Martial Arts, Qi Refiners... various civilizations and races were forced to unite and resist the demon army.
Every day a world faced destruction, countless living beings were devoured by strange birds.
The strange birds transmitted their power across space into the Red-clad’s body, restoring their divine power.
The Tianxia Civilization condemned this but did not take action, instead inviting the Red-clad to the Xia Realm for a decisive battle to the death.
...
In a small world, the Red-clad sat cross-legged atop a mountain peak, with a disdainful gaze.
"As expected, Lu Chenzhou and the others are setting a trap in the Xia Realm, waiting for me to enter, but I’m not a fool."
Through Long, they knew that in the Xia Realm, Lu Chenzhou’s ability was enhanced by the Will of the Xia Realm, beyond ordinary estimates.
Once they went to the Xia Realm, they would inevitably expose their movements, and Lu Chenzhou could quickly arrive.
At the least, they must meet with Long before going to the Xia Realm.
With two upper demigods, even if they couldn’t defeat Lu Chenzhou and the others, they could retreat unscathed.
"Let’s see how long you can endure."
The Red-clad continued destroying worlds, trying to force Lu Chenzhou out.
They didn’t know that Lu Chenzhou was still in a black hole.
Tianxia purposely let the Red-clad think there was an ambush in the Xia Realm to make demigods wary and wait for Lu Chenzhou to return with the sword.
...
"Interesting." The Witch Master no longer interfered with the three demigods, letting them act freely.
But they had to admit, this was a good strategic move, and it was a test of Lu Chenzhou’s patience.
As long as they left the Xia Realm, with the strength of three demigods, success was still within reach.
...
Though a year had passed outside, Lu Chenzhou had only just entered the black hole.
A true void with no visible matter, more terrifying than even a demigod enemy.
Here, many concepts lose their meaning, exerting great influence on one’s mind and will.
With increasing gravity, Lu Chenzhou’s Boundless Golden Light was also difficult to resist.
He perused the essays of the Dragon Emperor.
"What is immortal? Heaven and earth are born with me, and all things are one with me. To reach immortality, one must empty the mind, forget the flesh, imagine oneself as a speck of dust in the universe, a grain in the vast sea, one world is me, one leaf is me, one point is me... Reaching this realm, no disaster or calamity can affect me, ordinary attack methods are useless against me, for I am heaven and earth, I exist simultaneously in any place, neither bound nor formed."
Watching, Lu Chenzhou seemed to realize something.
"Immortality is blood rebirth; true immortality is transforming the body into the smallest particles that compose the universe. Only then, could one survive in a black hole. Perhaps I was wrong; I shouldn’t resist the black hole, but rather, embrace it, let it and myself, become one. The black hole can collapse particles; I should use its power to collapse myself into the smallest components of this universe, thus hoping to reach immortality."
Of course, all this has a prerequisite, that one must survive.
"How to stay alive?"
Lu Chenzhou knew, if he directly withdrew the defense, he had a 99% probability of being swallowed by the black hole, dying without a trace.
He continued to ponder deeply, not knowing how much time had passed.
A sudden flash of insight struck him, and he murmured:
"The body is tangible, the will intangible. It is unrealistic to think of using tangible things to counter a black hole. The Martial Arts Will of the ancient sages could traverse time and influence future generations... If I could fully merge the body and will, so they are indistinguishable from each other, I could leave my Martial Arts Will inside the black hole as an anchoring point when I become void. Once I comprehend the secrets of immortality, I could resurrect and rebuild my body."
Lu Chenzhou originally came searching for the Bright Moon Sword but unexpectedly discovered the path to immortality.
He recalled the Dragon Emperor’s notes, which did not mention such an immortal method of leaving a mark within a black hole.
"Oh well, it must be tried. What’s the point in hesitating? At most, I’ll lose this true self." After preparing thoroughly, Lu Chenzhou withdrew the Golden Light, allowing the extreme gravitational pull of the black hole to instantly distort his form, turning from three-dimensional to two-dimensional, then transforming into a singularity, evaporating from the human world.
...
"Who am I? Where am I?"
In unfathomable chaos, Lu Chenzhou sensed and perceived.
Suddenly, he looked around, his gaze intense.
Endless chaotic Qi flow and Yin Yang Five Elements Power intertwined, birthing endless matter within Void Things.
"This is the scene of creation... Where is this place?"
Lu Chenzhou murmured.
Such scenery, he had seen many times in the Enlightenment Stele.
"You’ve entered the interior of the Black Star, into the essence of all singularities, where the secrets of the universe’s creation are held."
A voice suddenly resonated in his mind.
"Who are you? Elder Hong?" Lu Chenzhou asked with his consciousness, addressing the surroundings.
"You can understand me as Hong, or merely a historical silhouette trapped at the spacetime singularity within the black hole." The voice replied.
"This..." Lu Chenzhou was somewhat puzzled.
"In the late ancient times, the Supreme Sword Realm was shattered by a True God, the God Slaying Sword Formation disintegrated and scattered across the heavens. I came to the Xia Realm searching for the Bright Moon Sword but encountered Demigod Lagu. Unable to defeat him in battle, I devised a way to lure Lagu here, using the Black Star to set up a formation to trap and kill him. My physical form was annihilated, leaving only a wisp of Sword Dao Intent, trapped in the core of the Black Star. This is the [Primordial Point], containing secrets of the universe’s Heaven and Earth Creation, where spacetime holds no meaning—only the eternal chaos exists. The memory of battling Lagu feels like yesterday to me. How many years have passed outside?"
Lagu, Lu Chenzhou had heard of him—a high-ranking demigod, as renowned as Longge.
Judging from Hong Sword Immortal’s performance at the Star-Picking Tower, he truly wasn’t a match for Lagu.
Lu Chenzhou shook his head: "The historical record has stopped, no one documented it. It’s known that it was a long time ago—the ancient era has ended, and now is the Great Destruction Era."
"What was the outcome for the Divine Court?" The voice inquired.
"Defeat and demise." Lu Chenzhou replied.
"Can cultivators nowadays reach the Divine Realm?"
"No."
"Indeed, it was defeated, but there are still people who can cultivate to Great Power, so perhaps our contingency has taken effect." The voice mused.
"Yes, but I am not that Great Power."
"Hmm?" The voice was surprised, "Not a Great Power? How did you get here?"
"My physical form is nearly undying, attempting to prove Dao and immortality here."
Given that Hong’s Sword Dao Intent could persist here, his idea was deemed successful.
A black hole can swallow all things, but the Martial Arts Will is never obliterated.
"Immortality? It seems you’re a successor of the Heavenly Dragon Sect, wanting to use the black hole to grind your body to the smallest particle, then use the power of will to reforge it, achieving immortality?" The voice asked.
"Yes."
"A good idea, I also thought of it. Unfortunately, my physical foundation was too weak, and the will could no longer retrieve physical particles."
"Then I will try." Lu Chenzhou’s will endeavored to perceive the body fused with the black hole.
He could sense that the flow of time with the black hole differed from outside, needing to depart promptly.
Otherwise, if too late, everything could be settled to dust.
In the chaos, the voice fell silent, waiting quietly.
Lu Chenzhou did not know how long his will searched in the darkness until he saw a speck of light, a strange sense of familiarity arose.
"This is my body..." His expression turned joyful.
The speck of light, akin to a world of its own, as consciousness delved inside, chaotic Qi flow suffused, and the scene of creation emerged.
Lu Chenzhou realized: "The immortality of the World Dao is to transform the body into endless worlds, forging the strongest physique."
Speck by speck of light was gently retrieved, like fireflies gathering at the Primordial Point.
Lu Chenzhou’s head began to materialize.
Finally, it became torrents, surging within.
His hands, feet, internal organs, bloodline, and bones gradually emerged,
This, as if creating ex nihilo, was miraculous.
The owner of the voice seemed to be silently observing, without speaking to interrupt Lu Chenzhou’s cultivation.
Until divine light emerged in his gaze, Lu Chenzhou opened his eyes and rose with laughter.
"It’s done."
[You’ve created new martial arts, please name it.]
He looked towards the Martial Arts Tree, the words crookedly forming new martial arts.
[Withered and Flourishing Immortal Body: Perfection]
[Resurrection Count: ∞]