Parting for Thirty Thousand Years

“We meet again in thirty thousand years!”

The voice shook the vast land, echoing through the magnificent mountains and rivers, as if unwilling to fade so soon.

Those who boarded the Divine Ship waved farewell in sorrow, forever separated from family and friends, never to see each other again, becoming eternal regrets in each other's memories.

Ancestral Gods were kind, yet also merciless.

On the Ancestral Dragon Ship, not a single elite could bring their family or friends. The Nine Provinces and the Four Worlds had billions upon billions of living beings. Only those chosen could ascend; no one could board the Divine Ship through connections.

“Farewell!”

The final cry of farewell echoed between heaven and earth, leaving behind ten thousand years of melancholy and sorrow.

Everyone knew they would never meet again.

Xiao Chen felt his eyes blur. When he returned after thirty thousand years, the world might still be the same world, but the people deep in his memories would be gone forever!

Joyful laughter, sorrow and grief, unforgettable friends—all would pass away forever, turning into a wisp of wind between heaven and earth, a blade of grass on a riverbank, a bone among withered branches and fallen leaves…

Thirty thousand years would see the vast sea turn into mulberry fields; things would change and people would be different.

The past would all vanish into smoke and disperse into thin air.

A long song turned into weeping.

Unable to bear the weight, Xiao Chen's heart was stifled. He refused to accept this outcome. Even if he returned after thirty thousand years, what meaning would it have? Everything from the past would be gone.

Could mere vengeance resolve the eternal sorrow and grief?

“I will not accept this!”

This was the roar from Xiao Chen's very soul. He refused to yield, he was unwilling, he could not accept such an ending.

If everything from the past ceased to exist, even if he returned after thirty thousand years and annihilated all Otherworld gods, could he still reclaim what was once his?

And after thirty thousand years, would he truly be able to suppress the Otherworld Ancestral Gods?

The Ancestral Dragon Ship set sail. The two Ancestral Gods shot up into the sky, transforming into two colossal beams of light that tore across the void. They were staying behind to continue fighting.

“I want to stay!”

Xiao Chen soared into the air and flew out of the Ancestral Dragon Ship.

This was not a rash, hot-blooded impulse. He could not sever everything from his past.

Perhaps leaving was the best choice, the most rational act. Thirty thousand years of cultivation, countless days and nights of relentless training, would surely grant him battle power on the level of an Ancestral God, and returning then for a decisive battle would be wise.

But Xiao Chen could not let go. Perhaps he was not a qualified Holy War Saint; he was not ruthless enough.

Though he had shown a fierce side in the past, at this moment he had too many attachments.

“Whoosh!”

The little white beast Keke charged out of the Ancestral Dragon Ship and flew to Xiao Chen's side. Next, the Little Defiant Dragon also soared up and arrived in an instant.

“You two, don't be like this…”

“Ya-ya…” The little white beast grumbled in dissatisfaction.

The Inverse Dragon King spoke solemnly: “I cannot flee like this.”

No one wanted to escape like this. Many found it hard to abandon everything on the land. The Ancestral Dragon Ship stirred with commotion; many wanted to soar into the sky. But two gigantic beams of light swept over, sealing the ship.

The two Ancestral Gods made their move, blocking everyone.

“Remember, now is not the time for you to bleed and sacrifice. Return after thirty thousand years!”

A dragon's cry shook the nine heavens. The Ancestral Dragon Ship set sail, charging toward the uttermost void.

“We meet again in thirty thousand years!” Xiao Chen shouted toward the departing Ancestral Dragon Ship.

“We meet again in thirty thousand years. We believe you will survive…” The voices from the ship faded into the distance.

The dragon cries gradually grew faint, and the Ancestral Dragon Ship vanished into the void. The chosen elites of the Nine Provinces and the Four Worlds had been sent away, never to return.

Xiao Chen stared at the direction where the ship had disappeared, standing silently for a long time. He did not regret his decision in the slightest.

How could he just walk away like this? His parents and family were in Ancestral Dragon Village; his friends and enemies were still in this world. After thirty thousand years, the seas would change and people would be different. He could not abandon everything that existed now.

For him, some bonds were dearer than life itself.

Even in death, he would rather stay with his parents and family. He could not bring himself to escape alone.

“We return to the Nine Provinces.”

The Little Defiant Dragon and Keke followed Xiao Chen as they charged from beyond the heavens toward the land below.

“Heaven is unjust…” In front of Ancestral Dragon Village, Jin Sanyi clutched the Doomsday Heavenly Halberd and banged it against the ground with a clang, his eyes gleaming brightly as he yelled loudly: “A peerlessly great existence like me wasn’t chosen! No justice! Ancestral Gods… you made a mistake! A genius like me, rare through the ages, how could you not take me away?!”

“Heaven envies talents…” The stutterer's words were cut short.

“Boom!”

A colossal bolt of lightning struck down, blasting Jin Sanyi until his head smoked, his hair standing on end like a fluffy hedgehog, his whole body charred black as steam rose from him.

“Damn it! When a man's luck turns foul, he gets struck by lightning even under a clear sky!” Jin Sanyi jumped and hopped in fury.

The sky was cloudless, blue as washed jade.

“Which bastard is scheming against Third Uncle?”

Jin Sanyi glared around but saw nothing.

Suddenly, three blazing rays of light flew toward him. Three enormous meteorites streaked across the sky, exceptionally bright.

“Damn, meteors in broad daylight, pissing me off on purpose? Time to make a wish for the Ancestral Dragon Ship to come back for me…” Jin Sanyi wore a smarmy look as he leered at the three meteors.

But then his expression changed instantly. In the distance, a dark gate appeared in the void, and more meteors burst forth.

Though most burned to ash when they struck the ground, quite a few reached him.

“What the hell, how can I be so unlucky? Do I deserve to be struck by lightning and meteors?”

Dozens of beams of light shot straight down, piercing toward him. Jin Sanyi leaped and dodged, but still took several hits that sent him stumbling.

“This is really unreasonable! End of the world, monsters everywhere—even meteors are crossing space!”

Just then, Jin Sanyi clamped his mouth shut and slithered away like a cat, swift and agile, faster than a flying hare. In the blink of an eye, he appeared on a desolate mountain dozens of li away.

Because he sensed that terrifying auras were constantly surging from the enormous black space gate—the unmistakable signature of top-tier Otherworld experts!

Meteors kept bursting forth, a clear sign that this newly opened divine gate was horrifyingly powerful—likely a passageway for Otherworld Ancestral Gods to descend.

“Here comes a big one…” On the barren mountain, Jin Sanyi shuddered with lingering fear. He felt that the Doomsday Heavenly Halberd in his hand was now a scorching hot potato, and he very much wanted to throw it away.

The enormous black divine gate was even more vast than the black hole Li Huiyou had opened when his true body descended earlier. Demonic clouds surged and rolled.

Still, it was clear that the Otherworld Ancestral Gods could not descend anytime soon.

But this gate was certainly not opened by a single Otherworld Ancestral God; it must have been the joint effort of several, sharing this one massive divine gate.

The storm had come so quickly. No sooner had the Ancestral Dragon Ship departed than the Otherworld Ancestral Gods were about to appear.

The seven demonic diagrams had severed the path to the Primordial Celestial Realm. The Otherworld Ancestral Gods, now cautious, were joining forces to cleave open a passage that could allow Ancestral Gods to cross through.

Just then, Xiao Chen, Keke, and the Inverse Dragon King descended from beyond the heavens. The massive black divine gate made Xiao Chen's heart sink.

Too fast—everything was happening so fast.

Jin Sanyi waved desperately at him from afar. Xiao Chen rushed over.

“Brother Xiao, damn, you're unlucky too—not chosen? Hurry up and take me to the Death World!” Jin Sanyi grabbed at Xiao Chen like a drowning man seizing a life raft. “The Divine Tribe people from the Death World haven't shown up yet; waiting here is no good. Lucky you came.”

“Thirty thousand years is too long; I'll seize the day. I returned on my own.”

“Heaven is unjust! If that's the case, why didn't you recommend me? What a waste!”

“Have Liu Mu and Niu Ren been here?”

“No.” Jin Sanyi shook his head.

Before leaving, Xiao Chen had told them to wait before the Dead City for the Divine Tribe people to appear and take them to the Death World. Now that the Otherworld had made their move early, they had not yet arrived. The later they came, the more dangerous it would be.

“Come with me to find them.” Xiao Chen patted Jin Sanyi's shoulder.

Jin Sanyi's face crumpled even more piteously than if he were crying. Clutching the Doomsday Heavenly Halberd, he followed behind Xiao Chen.

“Don't worry. Stay with me, and if we run into an Otherworld Ancestral God, we can slip into the Death World at any time,” Xiao Chen reassured the agitated stutterer.

At this moment, the Nine Provinces were in turmoil, with fear rife. The Ancestral Dragon Ship had already sent away the elite experts. Those left behind felt utterly hopeless, seeing no light at all.

Many had even lost their will to fight, wandering like the walking dead.

The scenes along the way weighed heavily on Xiao Chen's heart. With this state of mind, how could they resist? Before the battle even began, their side would be spiritually broken.

“Liu Mu and the Bull Demon King sure are carefree. At a time like this, they're still relaxed, not rushing to report at the Dead City. I was the first one there, you know…”

“Not everyone is as afraid of death as you are,” Xiao Chen said bluntly.

“I'm preserving my strength, alright? I'm a genius destined to slay Otherworld Ancestral Gods in the future. I need to lie low now; they can't do without me later…” The guy was insufferably narcissistic.

They didn't find Liu Mu or Chen Fang, but they did witness many injustices.

The Otherworld cultivators who had first arrived with the seven demonic diagrams—some had been killed by the two Ancestral Gods, some had gone into hiding days before—were now stirring up trouble again. Some could no longer hold back; before their Ancestral Gods descended, they were already moving.

“There's sword light up ahead, shooting into the sky!”

As they passed a mountain range, beams of sharp sword light erupted in the distance, like divine spears stabbing between heaven and earth, dazzling and brilliant.

Xiao Chen and the others rushed over.

“Ha, it's Baldy Two!” Jin Sanyi laughed loudly. “So Baldy Two wasn't chosen either! I was just saying, a peerless talent like me wasn't picked by the Ancestral Gods; how could someone like Baldy Two be chosen?”

A chaotic battle was underway ahead. A strikingly beautiful young girl stood out—bright eyes, white teeth, dazzling beauty, sword light flashing, killing intent soaring to the heavens, her swordsmanship extremely fierce.

“Dugu Nine Swords!” Xiao Chen's eyes narrowed in surprise.

Not far away, the tall and imposing Bo Shi was also locked in battle with Otherworld cultivators.

“When I see injustice on the road, I roar. When it's time to act, I act. I'm going to help!” Jin Sanyi shot forward like an arrow, appearing exceedingly gallant.

Of course, it was obvious he was going to help the beautiful young girl, not Bo Shi on the other side.

The strongest Otherworld cultivators who had descended upon the Nine Provinces were terrifying figures at the Half-Ancestor Ninth Heaven, while the weakest were all above the Fish-Leap realm.

The Otherworld cultivators ahead, though not among the top-tier horrors, were not the weakest either. All of them had reached the Perfected Man realm.

Without a word, Xiao Chen swept his War Sword across. Radiant light burst forth, sword energy shook the heavens, and he cleaved the several cultivators surrounding Bo Shi in two at the waist. Blood sprayed into the air.

On the other side, Jin Sanyi used the Doomsday Heavenly Halberd to help the girl pierce through one enemy.

At the same time, the Inverse Dragon King struck, his Inverse Dragon Seven Steps stomping out and gravely wounding the remaining three.

Sword light blazed as the young girl beheaded those four in a single stroke.

Xiao Chen looked at the young girl in astonishment. How did she know the Dugu Nine Swords?

“You… you're Uncle Xiao Chen?” The clear-eyed girl looked at the little white beast and then at Xiao Chen, quickly deducing his identity.

“I am. Who are you?”

“I am Dugu Shanshan. My father is Dugu Jianmo.”

“You!” Xiao Chen was instantly shocked. He had held the infant Dugu Shanshan in his arms back then. But Dugu Jianmo had disappeared years ago and had not been seen since.

“What are you doing here? Where is your father?”

“My father went from the world to seclusion for sword training, then back to the world, and now he's gone again. He's been missing for many years.” Tears welled up in Dugu Shanshan's eyes. “Uncle Xiao Chen, please go save my mother and—”

“What happened to A Bing?” Xiao Chen was alarmed.

“We were hiding in the deep mountains two hundred li away, but today Otherworld cultivators broke in. Only I managed to break out.”

Xiao Chen quickly understood the situation. Dugu Shanshan had been chased here by Otherworld cultivators. Bo Shi had come to offer sacrifices at the site where Yi Zhen fell back then—Mount Song. They had both been targeted by Otherworld cultivators and surrounded.

“Let's go. Show me the way!”

The matter was urgent. Xiao Chen immediately rose into the air, using his Eight-Aspect Extreme to carry Dugu Shanshan.

Even if this weren't Dugu Jianmo's daughter, he would not stand idly by. He had left the Ancestral Dragon Ship precisely to fight.

Mount Song was deep and secluded, with ancient trees reaching the sky. About two hundred li ahead, sword light pierced the heavens.

“We're not too late.” Xiao Chen relaxed slightly.

But in the next instant, Xiao Chen, Keke, and the Little Defiant Dragon all stiffened simultaneously, their nerves tensing in an instant.

For some reason, just a moment ago, Xiao Chen's heart had trembled violently; Keke felt the same. The others, except for the Little Defiant Dragon, sensed nothing at all.

“Ahead—the sword light up ahead has vanished!” Dugu Shanshan was terrified.

Xiao Chen and the others charged into the forest. On the ground lay over a dozen Otherworld cultivators, their faces full of terror, as if they had seen the most dreadful thing imaginable. Jin Sanyi quickly examined them and reached a startling conclusion: every single one had been scared to death.

Not far away, A Bing, whom Xiao Chen had not seen for years, stood in a blue dress stained with flecks of blood. Her graceful bearing was unchanged, still elegant and beautiful, now with a touch of mature radiance. Beside her were two upright youths—her other two children with Dugu Jianmo, their features carrying both the swordsman's heroic spirit and A Bing's beauty.

They were unharmed, having been rescued at the critical moment by someone.

“Xiao Chen, it's you.” Though years had passed, A Bing could not forget Xiao Chen.

“A Bing, what happened just now?” Xiao Chen's heart was full of questions. Even meeting an old friend after so many years, he set aside greetings.

“An old man appeared just now. I don't know how, but he glanced at these Otherworld cultivators, and they all died.” A Bing still seemed unable to believe what had happened.

“Where did he go?” Xiao Chen pressed.

“He went down the mountain. I tried to keep him, but couldn't.” A Bing pointed toward the foot of the mountain. A hazy figure could still be faintly seen, yet no one could sense his presence.

Xiao Chen immediately shot into the air and chased after him. The others followed closely.

“Senior, please wait!” Xiao Chen shouted from behind, but even with his Eight-Aspect Extreme pushed to the limit, he could not catch up.

The figure was actually moving very slowly, yet Xiao Chen could not close the distance. Between them, it seemed as if a starry sky stretched.

Suddenly, the figure ahead stopped at the foot of a barren mountain. Xiao Chen rushed closer and finally saw the back clearly—it was an old farmer with graying temples.

His hands were callused, his calves below the knees stained with mud, as if he had been working in the fields not long ago.

Though he did not turn around, Xiao Chen was certain this truly seemed to be an old farmer.

“Don't follow me. Go do what you need to do.” The old farmer still had his back to Xiao Chen, his voice very calm. “Don't be too pessimistic. The Otherworld wants to wipe out all life in the Nine Provinces and the Four Worlds—it's not that easy. Back then, they wanted to annihilate the Heavenly Race and the Dragon Race too, but didn't those two races survive and pass down their legacy?”