Blood-Stained Heavens

Bloody droplets fell from the heavens like plum blossoms in full bloom, dyeing the sky a canvas of gore.

No one wept. No one mourned. The Nine Provinces were deathly still, their life-force already utterly extinguished.

Xiao Chen wiped the blood splattered across his cheek. In this moment, he was cold-blooded, close to cruelty. He drove the broken half of the Great Annihilation War Spear into the chest of the Otherworld Ancestral God before him.

Under the twisted and savage gaze of the enemy, he twisted the shaft, violently shaking it. The spear tip burst forth with deathly radiance within the enemy's chest. The true meaning of the Great Annihilation exploded outward. In the despairing roar of the Otherworld Ancestral God, the half-spear shattered his five viscera and six bowels, tore open his chest, crushed his form, and extinguished his soul.

Bursting flesh scattered in the sky. White bone splinters and crimson blood smeared across the firmament like gaudy paint. The scene was a vision of chaos.

Xiao Chen bared his teeth, but no emotion stirred within him. Like a blood-soaked butcher, he threw a punch that shattered the escaping remnant soul in midair.

"Niu Ren, Liu Mu, Jin Sanyi, Chen Fang, Wu Ming — can you rest in peace? I offer you the blood of an Otherworld Ancestral God as a sacrifice!"

Grief weighed on Xiao Chen's heart, but his words were cold, level, and emotionless. He attacked again, seizing the fleeing soul-light, offering up the ancient scroll, and utterly smelting the enemy's flesh, blood, and shattered bones into it.

On his rush toward the Eternal Unknown, he used the Pan Gu Stone Token to conceal his movements. Cold-blooded and ruthless, he struck at an isolated Otherworld Ancestral God and succeeded in killing one.

"Boom!"

As he neared the Eternal Unknown, a muffled sound rang out. An Otherworld Ancestral God struck out with ten thousand bolts of lightning, blasting toward Xiao Chen.

The High Ancestral Gods had already rushed toward the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps to battle Ke Ke's father. At this moment, the scattered Ancestral Gods in the surrounding regions were not all that terrifying.

Xiao Chen did not retreat. Cradling the Primordial Demon City in his hand, he soared against the heavens. A murderous aura filled the earth. Behind him, as if a sea of blood and a mountain of corpses materialized, a sight that touched the heart.

The endless lightning fell silent before the Primordial Demon City, all of it flowing like a hundred rivers returning to the sea into the ancient city within Xiao Chen's palm. He soared upward, the city expanding until it seemed to gather Mount Sanwu and Mount Wuyue together, to amass the great mountains of the Nine Provinces, crushing the Ancestral God until he could not move.

Thinking of the Nine Provinces' utter annihilation, of his old friends reduced to blood and mud, a torrent of hot blood surged in Xiao Chen's chest. Like a great river rolling and roaring, he wanted to scream, to kill, to bathe himself in the blood of his enemies, to see their flesh bloom before his eyes.

"Ah..."

A suppressed roar burst forth. For the first time since returning to the Nine Provinces, Xiao Chen vented the grief and fury in his heart. His massive hand reached out emotionlessly.

The Otherworld Ancestral God, pinned by the Primordial Demon City, could not move. Though killing light blazed in his eyes, he was utterly powerless to resist.

Xiao Chen's hand shot out, seizing him by the neck, gripping it firmly.

"Yan Qingcheng, whose beauty could topple cities, lies buried beneath the withered cliff. Her rosy powder has turned to yellow earth. With the blood of an Otherworld Ancestral God I make my offering. Can you rest in peace?"

In Xiao Chen's ice-cold, level voice, his hand tightened. The Ancestral God's expression twisted in agony, his eyes bulging, blood trickling from the corners of his mouth.

"Wretched ant!" he choked out, his face ferocious, his gaze unwilling, as if he would devour Xiao Chen alive.

"Crush."

Xiao Chen's hand clenched, snapping his neck in one motion. Then he flung hard, violently separating the ghastly head from the trunk. Divine blood sprayed, drenching Xiao Chen from head to foot, but he felt nothing. He laughed wildly, almost madly: "Hahaha..."

And as he laughed, a few teardrops fell. He shouted at the heavens: "Blood soaks the void, yet cannot wash away my eternal hatred. Who can bring life back? Who can restore the fallen spirits? Who can return the people of yesterday to this world? No one. Only hatred remains, and hatred cannot change the outcome."

Xiao Chen's eyes turned red. Returning to the Nine Provinces, everything was gone, utterly destroyed. Yet he had been sinking, silent, until this very day when he finally erupted.

Looking at the war body of the Ancestral God — the head and trunk trying to reconstitute — Xiao Chen bared a cruel, cold smile. One step, and the Primordial Demon City blotted out heaven and earth, smashing the man to pieces!

The Otherworld Ancestral God's final struggle: ten thousand bolts of purple lightning pierced through heaven and earth, shattering the barriers of the great worlds, disrupting the continuity of space, destroying the flow of time. Like ten thousand rivers of stars falling from the nine heavens, a vast, blinding expanse.

But it was still useless. It could not change a thing. The ancient scroll was hazy and indistinct, swallowing it all.

Having killed another Ancestral God, Xiao Chen grew even colder. He scanned the surroundings. Behind him, a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood appeared vividly real!

These were the sins of the Otherworld Ancestral God. Now they all manifested before him. Boundless resentment gathered at his side. Killing intent supported his murderous thought, firming his resolve to kill.

The commotion here naturally alarmed the High Ancestral God in the distance. A towering figure like a mountain spanned ten thousand li in an instant. In his hand he held a jet-black heavenly halberd that gleamed with a cold, deadly light.

"The Doomsday Heavenly Halberd?!"

Xiao Chen's eyes shot out two sharp beams, locking onto that gleaming, deathly black halberd. He thought of Jin Sanyi — stuttering, his face always wreathed in a peach-blossom smile. This man who wandered through life with lightheartedness, using his shameless exterior to hide his true heart. He had lost the Doomsday Heavenly Halberd, which meant he had lost his life.

"Br-br-brother, I'm Jin Sanyi. A man of elegance like me has no kindred spirit in this world. My greatest pleasure in life is is is watching beautiful women bathe."

Those familiar words seemed to echo in his ears again. A voice he had once found somewhat annoying now sounded precious and endearing.

Xiao Chen's mind grew hazy. He felt as if he could really hear that lecherous man's signature lines.

But in that instant, it seemed he also saw a blood-smeared face, a pair of peach-blossom eyes blinking with difficulty, forcing a smile at him. "Third Brother, I'm done. Won't be watching any more beautiful women bathe. Take care of Binglan and Xuewu for me. If... if they're still alive. Even if they never looked up to Third Brother..."

The peach-blossom eyes slowly closed. The forced smile slowly froze. The blood on his face gradually grew cold. All of this seemed to play back before him, so vivid, so real. Was this the message the Doomsday Heavenly Halberd had passed on to him? Why did that once somewhat grating voice now make his heart ache?

"Great Annihilation War Spear, is all of this truly what you recorded? Jin Sanyi..."

Xiao Chen clenched his fist. The sharp light in his eyes slowly went hollow, losing all luster, like two abysses drained of life's color.

"Even if you learn all this, what of it? The rise and fall of an ant's civilization is but a snap of the fingers. A single dream of my race, and ten thousand years have passed in your world!"

The Ancestral God spoke. He was as huge as a mountain, standing in the void, his entire body wreathed in surging blood light — the condensed resentment of countless living beings, gathered in an eternal shroud.

"Doomsday Heavenly Halberd! Doomsday Heavenly Halberd!" Xiao Chen muttered, then roared. His hollow eyes fixed on the mountain-like Otherworld Ancestral God. "I want you dead!"

The words were simple, but the killing intent that filled them shook the heavens and made the temperature of the Eternal Unknown plummet.

"Retreat!"

From far away, someone sensed the abnormality and sent a warning to this Otherworld Ancestral God.

But Xiao Chen had already acted. Wrapped in the ancient scroll, he charged forward like a savage ghost surging from the deepest hell, lunging at the giant before him.

"Pitiful race! Even now you don't understand. Your destruction was fated long ago. If I were you, I would have hidden myself long ago and never come out to die!"

The Ancestral God's mountain-like body radiated unimaginable energy. This was a High Ancestral God of the Seventh Heaven. The Doomsday Heavenly Halberd in his hand bloomed with an eerie, monstrous light. The black radiance extinguished the world, shattered the barriers of the realms, channeled the power of destruction from ten thousand worlds, and smote down at Xiao Chen.

"Bang!"

Xiao Chen raised a single arm, his five fingers spread wide, and grabbed at the thousand-zhang black halberd. His physical body was tough enough to rival a supreme Ancestral God; few could match it. Wrapped in the ancient scroll, even the primordial divine laws of ten thousand worlds could not touch him.

With the heaven-defying battle treasure as his shield, Xiao Chen resolved to deal with this blood-soaked enemy from another world in the most primitive way. He needed a fierce release, an outlet for his tempestuous heart.

"Clang!"

Xiao Chen seized the thousand-zhang Doomsday Heavenly Halberd. Though his body was dwarfed by the enormous weapon, his grip was unshakeable. The mountain-like Otherworld Ancestral God shook violently but could not budge it a single inch.

The primordial divine laws of ten thousand worlds surged at Xiao Chen, seeking to destroy his spirit and shatter his flesh. But the ancient scroll emitted a hazy light, shielding him thoroughly.

"Bam!"

A peak Ancestral God's flesh contained boundless divine power. Xiao Chen wrenched the Doomsday Heavenly Halberd away in one motion, holding it aloft with one hand — a weapon thousands of times larger than himself. His hollow eyes were dead and lifeless as he calmly asked the High Ancestral God before him, "Which hand did you use to kill?"

"You ant, do not put on such airs before this ancestor!"

The mountain-like Otherworld Ancestral God's body blazed with ten thousand strands of colorful light, condensing into a thousand laws and ten thousand divine abilities, all sweeping down to kill Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen's expression was wooden, his eyes hollow, but he moved like lightning. He swung the Doomsday Heavenly Halberd. The ancient scroll veiled everything, blocking all primordial divine laws, while the great Dao imprints, like points of divine law, surged into the black halberd, bursting with dazzling radiance.

"Pch!"

Blood sprayed. Xiao Chen sheared off the Otherworld Ancestral God's right arm with the halberd. It fell like a mountain ridge, severed, while the spurting blood was like a great river in torrent.

A roar of anguish. The Ancestral God tried to reconstitute his body, but in that moment Xiao Chen was the incarnation of cruelty and emotionlessness. Like an ice-blooded creature with no feelings, his eyes were two abysses that devoured all color. He swung the Doomsday Heavenly Halberd again.

The ancient scroll was hazy, channeling the great Dao imprints. That part of the scene made the halberd mysterious and unfathomable, blurring into indistinct shadow yet covering the whole of heaven and earth, leaving not an inch untouched — no possibility of dodging.

"Pch!"

This time, the Doomsday Heavenly Halberd cut the Otherworld Ancestral God clean in two at the waist. His enormous body, like a giant mountain, was severed in half. Blood spurted in the void, shaking the heavens.

Xiao Chen let out a low, beast-like roar. Discarding the Doomsday Heavenly Halberd, he charged forward madly, unleashing his grief and rage in the most primitive way.

"Bam!"

His palm was like a blade, tearing off both of the Ancestral God's legs in one go. He swung them in the air, blood flying everywhere.

"Crush!"

A blast of savage force. Xiao Chen stamped on the Otherworld Ancestral God's chest, shattering it into pieces.

"Pch!"

A fist soared to the sky. The enormous head burst like a thousand peach blossoms blooming — red blood drenching the white brain matter, a gruesome sight.

Xiao Chen struck like a wild beast, releasing his fury with cruel cruelty.

The ancient scroll shook, covering this patch of heaven and earth, cutting it off from the outside world. What happened within grew even more brutal.

Only when divine light came blasting in from far away did the place finally quiet down. A High Ancestral God had been ground down, smelted into the ancient scroll.

The gods in the distance who had sensed this all changed color. Yet no one charged over again. It was not fear of Xiao Chen, but because the member of the defying heaven family who had broken into the Eternal Unknown was too terrifying. No one could afford to divide their attention.

The most pressing matter now was not to kill Xiao Chen, but to surround and kill this supreme powerhouse who had broken through to this place.

Xiao Chen, holding the Pan Gu Stone Token, finally arrived at the Eternal Unknown. His hollow eyes had regained a trace of color. With the release of his fury, he had calmed down.

In the distance, a frozen corpse silently floated in the void. It had been cleaved in two by a supreme divine art — the crown of the head split all the way down to between the legs, perfectly bisected. It was the Supreme Ancestral God who had possessed the Immortal Heavenly Shield.

Now his blood had long since dried. Though his flesh was preserved, his consciousness had been utterly killed by Ke Ke's father!

What a terrifying divine art! It had split the Supreme Ancestral God's flesh while simultaneously grinding his soul to nothing. Such a feat was beyond imagination!

Now, the Eternal Unknown was filled with the shouts of battle. The gods had surrounded Ke Ke's father, but his figure was hazy as smoke, ethereal as clouds, completely untouchable as he moved among them.

"This is the divine law of the Thousand Ages and Ten Thousand Worlds. One step traverses a thousand ages and ten thousand realms. Elusive and untraceable, impossible to grasp. Everyone must guard their consciousness, wait for the right moment to strike, and not be caught off guard by him!"

Two Supreme Ancestral Gods in the distance had not attacked; they were merely issuing warnings.

"I wander free between heaven and earth. Who can block me? Who can defy me?!"

Ke Ke's father's silhouette was hazy, his stature commanding. But now, because of the grievous loss of Ke Ke, his former carefree, leisurely nature had vanished entirely. His words were sharp, his voice shaking heaven and earth.

"Once the slaughter begins, rivers of blood will flow!"

"Bam!"

A High Ancestral God was swept by his divine light, instantly reduced to mud — his soul scattered.

"Seal him with space! Grind him with time! Kill him!"

All the gods responded, together unleashing the divine laws of space, sealing the Eternal Unknown.

"Time, stop!" the gods shouted in unison.

"For me, time is but grains of sand between my fingers. Whether it falls or not is for me alone to decide!"

Under the stunned gazes of the gods, Ke Ke's father walked through that frozen space, step after step, like an illusory flower and a phantom light — flickering and fading. He bellowed, "Three lives and three worlds, the formula of yin and yang parting!"

"Pch! Pch!"

Blood sprayed. An ordinary Ancestral God turned to ash in an instant. Another High Ancestral God, having tasted the yin-yang parting of three lives and three worlds, saw his body and soul separate and simultaneously shatter, dying a violent death.

"Time, reverse!"

The gods roared, all pouring out their divine power to unleash this forbidden law. They wanted to strike Ke Ke's father back to his infancy. Even more rushed into the past, seeking to kill him in that bygone age.

"Time is a river to me. I swim in it freely. Who can drown me?!"

He cried out in one breath, "The light of ages snaps! The years grind to dust!"

"Pch!"

Among the gods who had rushed into the past, two could not retreat in time and shattered forever in the river of time.

The enemy's methods and divine powers were unmatched through the ages! The divine arts and curse techniques of the defying heaven family were supreme, without equal!

"Are you walking the path of the Supreme Ancestral God? Have you already taken the final step?"

The two Supreme Ancestral Gods before the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps showed expressions of unimaginable shock as they stared at Ke Ke's father.

"Not yet, but I am close."

Originally a wanderer at ease between heaven and earth, Ke Ke's father's voice grew colder and colder. He was determined to open a great slaughter.

"Then we cannot let you go. We must kill you, utterly wipe out you sinners of the cursed land!"

The two Supreme Ancestral Gods were no longer as calm as before. Not only did they stir, but they were filled with fury.

"Summon your progenitor. I have come here without fear!"

Ke Ke's father's silhouette grew hazier and hazier. With a trace of sorrow, he said, "If my child cannot return, then with my blood I shall rend the otherworld. Even if I have to smash my body to dust, I will take all of you, and half the life of your progenitor, with me!"

"Progenitor? Ha!" A Supreme Ancestral God laughed, his voice indescribably cold. "It seems you still do not truly understand the secret of these Ninety-Nine Stone Steps. When these stone steps shake, that is the moment of your death!"

With that, the two Supreme Ancestral Gods shouted to the gods, "Guard your progenitor's physical body well!" Then they went up the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps together, crossing three huge, mountain-high steps in succession.

The 'progenitor's physical body' they spoke of was naturally the Supreme Ancestral God who had been slain by Ke Ke's father. The gods were shaken — could it be that a Supreme Ancestral God could still be resurrected?

"There is no such thing as a dead man on the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps!" This was the reply of the two Supreme Ancestral Gods.

The gods were shocked, and at the same time a powerful confidence surged in every heart. All were overjoyed.

"No dead? If I want to kill, even the heavens cannot interfere!"

Ke Ke's father, who had once cared for nothing, was consumed with rage today, appearing forceful and domineering. "You two Supreme Ancestral Gods — one more of you shall fall!"

Upon hearing this, all the gods moved, everyone striking out to block him. The two Supreme Ancestral Gods showed solemn expressions, on guard as they walked up the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps.

"Seven-world reincarnation! Eight-path succession! Nine-nine return to the origin! The ultimate killing art — the thousand ages and ten thousand worlds!"

Ke Ke's father roared. The great divine art of the thousand ages and ten thousand worlds was not merely a footwork technique; it was a divine law that shook the ages, supreme and unparalleled!

Boundless radiance lit up the Eternal Unknown. In that instant, there was only light in heaven and earth — nothing else could be seen.

The gods struck with millions of divine laws and curses, but all of them were powerless to stop it. The brilliant light rushed up the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps, colliding and clashing fiercely with the two Supreme Ancestral Gods there.

Finally, blood rain fell. Divine blood dyed the sky. Beneath the Eternal Unknown, it rained the blood of Supreme Ancestral Gods.

"Bam!"

One Supreme Ancestral God fell from the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps. His body was smashed into pieces. Though his corpse was preserved, his consciousness was utterly extinguished.

This was the terrible result of Ke Ke's father's ultimate technique — the unparalleled divine art of the thousand ages and ten thousand worlds!

The gods were shocked, almost trembling. And the last Supreme Ancestral God gradually vanished, rushing up the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps.

"Ya-ya, ya-ya..."

Xiao Chen watched all of this in silence. It seemed he could hear that childish voice again, see Ke Ke's fragile silhouette.

He felt a crushing weight. Holding the Pan Gu Stone Token to conceal his form, he swept out with the ancient scroll, gathering the flesh of both Supreme Ancestral Gods into it — leaving them no chance to revive!