Chapter 281: The Woes of the Celestial Ship
“……”
After an unknown amount of time, or perhaps just an instant, Luo Xue slowly opened her eyes.
Her consciousness was clearer than ever before, her gaze seemingly able to pierce through everything, but her expression was calm, as if she had already lived through countless years.
“Xuan Gu Celestial Spirit…”
Luo Xue looked up, but the Xuan Gu Celestial Spirit’s figure was gone… The wandering soul had finally found peace, the shadow of obsession completely dissipated.
“It’s good,” Luo Xue sighed softly, “It’s time for all of this to end.”
She turned and looked at the small Xuangu Ship, her consciousness easily taking control of the vessel, clearly seeing the anxious and worried expressions of the people inside.
“It seems not much time has passed.”
A faint smile appeared on Luo Xue’s lips, but as she looked into the distance, her expression turned serious.
“The true enemy… the god ‘Doomsday’?”
From the Xuan Gu Celestial Spirit’s words, this god “Doomsday” and the divine mark she carried were two completely different beings, unrelated.
But they both brought only disaster.
The unknown god had almost destroyed an entire world bubble, leaving behind only a small, uncontaminated fragment, a sliver of mercy.
And the god “Doomsday,” upon appearing in the ancient era, had destroyed all Great Daos except for the Law of Ending, causing a world bubble level collapse, the Great Thousand Worlds shattering, leaving behind only scattered world fragments… and slightly larger world fragments.
And what was even more terrifying was that the otherworldly demons had become a persistent nightmare for the Great Thousand Worlds, until now, when the god “Doomsday” finally brought true doomsday.
Under the otherworldly demon’s invasion, there was no hope for any living being.
But what role did Dugu Di play in all of this? Was he a pawn of “Doomsday”?
Or…
“Luo Xue?”
Just then, a familiar voice brought Luo Xue back to reality. She turned and saw a tall figure standing in the Primordial Chaos, a graceful, purplish-red dress flowing around her, faint flames flickering on its surface.
“How did you get here?”
Another voice, filled with confusion, echoed, also coming from this tall woman.
Seeing her face, Luo Xue’s expression turned to surprise.
“Phoenix Venerable? And… the Phoenix Emperor?”
“It’s me.”
Phoenix Venerable nodded, and as her voice faded, her figure dissipated, then reappeared before Luo Xue.
On her shoulder perched a small, cute purple bird, its feathers carrying intricate, mysterious Dao patterns, a single glance enough to burn one’s eyes.
“You can touch the Primordial Chaos?” Phoenix Venerable looked Luo Xue up and down, her brow furrowed in disbelief. “And with a living body…”
“You too…”
Luo Xue started to speak, but the Phoenix Emperor interrupted.
“We are just blood flame avatars, our consciousnesses temporarily residing here through the Law of Ending—what about you?”
“That’s… a long story.” Luo Xue said helplessly. “Let’s go back to my ship first, Xiao Yao hasn’t seen you yet.”
At the mention of Su Yiyao, Phoenix Venerable’s eyes softened slightly.
“Alright.”
She still had many questions for Luo Xue about the other world.
Although she hadn’t wanted Luo Xue and the others to return, she had… welcomed them back.
…
After Luo Xue returned to Xuangu Ship, everyone was relieved.
Luo Huaxin wasn’t surprised to see Phoenix Venerable and the Phoenix Emperor, as she had informed them before leaving, just in case.
After so many years, Su Yiyao missed her master and ancestor, and after a brief reunion, Phoenix Venerable dismissed everyone, creating a barrier, leaving only Luo Xue.
“First, who are you?” Phoenix Venerable asked calmly. “Currently, only otherworldly demons can directly exist in the Primordial Chaos… although I don’t want to doubt you, I have to be cautious.”
“I…”
Luo Xue, having just learned the truth, smiled wryly and sighed, then slowly explained her situation.
Including the fact that she was the Xuan Gu Celestial Spirit and carried the mark of an unknown god, which stunned Phoenix Venerable and the Phoenix Emperor, the only two who had survived the ancient tribulation.
After Luo Xue explained about the god “Doomsday,” Phoenix Venerable’s expression turned serious.
She reinforced the barrier, then said slowly,
“Indeed, there is such a being… a god above even Great Emperors. Calling Him ‘Doomsday’ is quite fitting.”
“Because… except for the Law of Ending, all other Great Daos have collapsed.”
Phoenix Venerable paused, a strange expression on her face.
“Actually, the reason the Law of Ending hasn’t collapsed… might be because there’s no corresponding Great Emperor.”
“Weren’t you… Great Emperors back then?”
Luo Xue’s eyes widened. She had always thought Phoenix Venerable and the Phoenix Emperor had fallen from the Great Emperor Realm, like Yudu Cheng and other Great Emperors of the ancient era, most of whom were now stuck at the early stage of Saint, few able to reach quasi-emperor again.
“No, because Nangong, who also cultivated the Law of Ending, became a Great Emperor.” Phoenix Venerable said. “But she also cultivated other Daos, and it was through another Dao that she became a Great Emperor… Whether it was a coincidence or a loophole, the Law of Ending survived in this strange way.”
“As for after Nangong’s death… I never took that final step, because I know that reaching the Great Emperor Realm will inevitably attract His gaze.”
Clearly, Phoenix Venerable wasn’t confident in facing a god, so she remained at quasi-emperor.
…Countless Great Emperors in the ancient era hadn’t been able to escape His gaze, how could she?
“I didn’t expect… that you carry the mark of another god.”
Phoenix Venerable stared at Luo Xue, her expression tense, and so was the Phoenix Emperor on her shoulder.
Only those who had faced a god knew its true terror, a power beyond comprehension.
Because His existence represented the absolute.
“Actually, I haven’t felt anything,” Luo Xue touched her nose. “It’s only when crossing the world bubble barrier that I used His power.”
With just Xuangu Ship, it was impossible to cross the world bubble barrier, that was the domain of gods.
Even Xuangu Ship at its peak had only entered the post-apocalyptic world by accident, due to the “divine disaster.”
“Before a god, we are all mortals.”
The Phoenix Emperor sighed deeply. The scattering of her remains in the Primordial Chaos was also related to a god.
“By the way, your current state… can I understand it as… the reincarnation of the Xuan Gu Celestial Spirit?” Phoenix Venerable asked curiously.
“I… suppose so?” Luo Xue scratched the back of her head. “I have some of the ship’s memories, but not many, and I can use all its power… but I’m not the original Xuan Gu Celestial Spirit. She… told me herself.”
“Such a strange existence…”
Phoenix Venerable was amazed. Even in her long life, she had never seen anything like Luo Xue.
Then her expression turned serious.
“Actually, I witnessed the departure of the nine celestial ships. They were created by the ingenious artifact refining sects of the ancient era… and those ships were their greatest creations.”
“However, they encountered the ‘divine disaster,’ and three were destroyed, only six escaped into the Primordial Chaos… you should know the rest.”
Luo Xue nodded. The ships that encountered the divine disaster again in the Primordial Chaos were almost all destroyed, only Xuangu Ship, escaping to another world, survived.
She also knew that the reason these artifact refining sects were so determined to leave the Great Thousand Worlds was that they were the first to be noticed by the god “Doomsday” at the beginning of the great tribulation.
His gaze left a mark, and those marked would forever be under his watch, unable to escape the “divine disaster” brought by “Doomsday.”
“Dugu Di controls five of the celestial ships’ remains, but the other three… are still in my possession.” Phoenix Venerable revealed this shocking secret, her expression calm. “Since these three didn’t enter the Primordial Chaos, they are… more complete than the ones Dugu Di has.”
“If you truly possess all the power of the Xuan Gu Celestial Spirit, perhaps they will be useful to you.”
“This…”
Luo Xue’s pupils constricted. She had overlooked the three ships that were destroyed before even departing.
Because most of her memories about the celestial ships were from after their departure—the Xuan Gu Celestial Spirit’s consciousness was fragmented, only forming a complete self-awareness after a long time.
“Phoenix Venerable, how…” Luo Xue asked, puzzled.
“The artifact refining sects couldn’t have created the nine celestial ships alone. It was a joint effort of all the ancient sects, so there were others on board besides the artifact refiners.” Phoenix Venerable said softly. “And coincidentally, on one of the three ships that crashed… Huang and I were the pilots.”
Countless died when those three ships crashed, but Phoenix Venerable and the Phoenix Emperor were powerful and saved many, including themselves.
Almost all the Great Emperors had their cultivation crippled when the Great Dao collapsed, but quasi-emperors like Phoenix Venerable and the Phoenix Emperor weren’t affected as much.
Phoenix Venerable had regretted the destruction of her ship, but after learning about the fate of the other ships, she felt a mix of heartache and relief.
The Primordial Chaos was a true place of death, souls annihilated, no reincarnation.
“If that’s the case, wouldn’t there be… three celestial spirits like me?” Luo Xue asked.
Phoenix Venerable shook her head. “Those three ships crashed shortly after being built, their spirits hadn’t formed yet, so they couldn’t survive.”
Luo Xue was silent. She had learned so much about the ancient era, its glory, and its destruction caused by an invincible god.
If her true enemy was such a terrifying being… did she even have a chance?
Perhaps she couldn’t even defeat his pawn…
“At least, you can defeat Dugu Di,” Phoenix Venerable, seeing Luo Xue’s hesitation, smiled faintly, “At least, you can delay… the arrival of ‘Doomsday’ in this world…”
Luo Xue also smiled, but her smile was strained.
Just then, Luo Xue remembered something she had overlooked, her expression turning serious.
“By the way, Phoenix Venerable, when did the otherworldly demons appear? Before or after the divine tribulation?”
Phoenix Venerable thought for a moment.
“After, about one or two thousand years later—why, is there a problem?”
“…Just an uncertain guess.” Luo Xue’s eyes flickered.
“Perhaps this is a mystery only you can solve.” Phoenix Venerable said, then looked towards the sealed door. “Do you want to say goodbye to them?”
“I…”
Luo Xue opened her mouth, then realized that she wasn’t ready.
“It’s best to say goodbye. They’ve waited for you for too long.” Phoenix Venerable, also knowing about Ling Ling, said with a hint of regret. “It’s a pity… that you’re in such a world…”
If not for this disaster, there wouldn’t be such a separation.
This was a gamble against a god, with this world as the stake, and the only one qualified to play… was Luo Xue, the only one who could withstand His gaze.
“Okay.”
Luo Xue nodded seriously.
Just then, Phoenix Venerable suddenly smiled.
“Luo Xue, I want to ask you a question.”
“Ask away, Phoenix Venerable.”
Luo Xue looked at Phoenix Venerable and saw a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“Su Yiyao and Ling Ling, who do you like more?” Phoenix Venerable asked, a sly smile on her lips. “If they both fell into the Primordial Chaos, and you could only save one, who… would you choose?”
“…”
Luo Xue was speechless. She wanted to say, “Don’t joke about such things,” but she couldn’t help but ponder.
Xiao Yao?
Or Ling Ling?
Who… was more important to her?
After a long, terrifying silence, Phoenix Venerable waved her hand.
“Alright, no more teasing. Go and talk to them. Perhaps… there won’t be another chance.”
Facing a god, the chance of survival… wasn’t a choice, but a desperate gamble with a slim chance of success.
