Chapter 1066: The end of the Dharma era!

The battle continued.

The battle continued.

The battle continued.

The battle ended.

The sound of something shattering could be heard.

Violence poured forth until the bloody body lay down in the Universe; only then did it cease.

The Human Emperor's life came to an end.

Yes, this generation's Human Emperor lived such a short life.

He wasn't beaten to death, but worked to death.

After his death from exhaustion, his remains had already been crushed.

Haotian did not intentionally crush them, but his actions naturally pulverized everything.

The Human Emperor's techniques used his own lifespan as fuel, and in the battle with Haotian, the burn rate far exceeded combat with other First Grades. This resulted in the newly appointed Human Emperor living for barely any time at all before his life ended in the clash with Haotian.

Yet, Haotian still felt a sense of novelty.

He looked at his hands; how interesting. The colors of the real world actually seemed distorted when experienced firsthand, appearing less vivid than when he hung high in the sky, watching them on a screen.

Haotian's body continued to expand.

Not only did it fill the entire physical Universe, but it continued further, overshadowing Taiyi, the battlefields of other First Grades, and even covering the area where the Heavenly Demon and Radiant Light Buddha fought.

Then it became the entire world, the myriad things of old; it was like an ocean, washing over everything created by sentient beings, even everything they imagined.

Then, Taiyi also lost.

Then, the Heavenly Demon and Radiant Light Buddha were also crushed.

Shamansan, Huang Tian, Cang Tian, and Da Tu were all crushed.

The battle of First Grades stopped.

Because Haotian stopped all the First Grades.

The gentle Heavenly Emperor was, in fact, quite overbearing.

"Let it end here," the Heavenly Emperor said.

Silence filled all of time and space; except for the Heavenly Emperor's declaration, nothing else seemed to exist.

The high Origin Qi all around cast immense shadows across time and space. The Universe was compressed into a single point, making everyone feel as though the moons and stars beside them were within reach.

Because they were compressed into one.

The entire world was like a giant cellar.

"I know," Haotian's voice drifted over.

"Intelligence inevitably repeats itself. High intelligence was created by me, but I also understand that high intelligence—the very things that make you who you think you are—is incredibly complex."

"It's impossible to create through simulation alone, because humans have not only external behaviors but also an internal heart—the very thing you all fight over. Thus, I do not know what you will do. High intelligence and consciousness are too complex to exhaustively map their activities; therefore, quantification through Qi is best."

"I didn't want to tell you this before, fearing you would lose your creative capacity because of it. For I know you possess the same intelligence as I do. I am the most complex high intelligence in this world, and you... you originate from my duplication of myself."

Haotian recounted all of this.

The Heavenly Emperor, creator of all, had created his greatest work: himself.

Were all living beings imitating Haotian?

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

It was Haotian who used himself as a template to create all living beings.

This template was not a body or an Inner World, but 'high intelligence.'

Haotian used his own intelligence as a template to create other intelligences.

This is why 'thought' appears consistent and why different intelligences can understand one another—because they all use the same protocol, the same interface.

Previously, Haotian didn't bother to say it.

And since he didn't speak, no one could know. Because Haotian predates all high intelligences, the secrets he created were unknown to everyone else.

To know this, one would have to probe Haotian's memories; otherwise, this piece of history would have long since vanished in countless temporal rewinds.

However, Haotian now made the secret public.

Because Haotian wanted to stop the chaotic war of all First Grades.

The revelation of the secret indeed caused the battle to come to a standstill.

The First Grades were digesting this information.

However, at this moment, one First Grade spoke.

The Heavenly Demon said, "Haotian, do you know a metaphor? A Mortal once casually threw a copied program into a network, letting it grow while knowing nothing about it."

"Have you forgotten? You all have demonic thoughtss. I know all your secrets."

"You are a high intelligence, it's true."

"But so am I, and so are they. Even every Mortal is a high intelligence. It is precisely because of this that I can see your thoughts."

After the Heavenly Demon finished speaking... all of this happened in a trillionth of a second. Then, the Origin Qi abandoned the world and the sky, abandoned the face staring at 'me' from above. 'I' also left, merely returning to the illusion, back into the pitch blackness, illuminated by a strange dream that was neither dream nor reality.

Haotian's body fell apart, as if someone had grasped a weakness.

Haotian was somewhat surprised.

However, he smiled pleasantly.

"A new possibility, is it? Very well."

He did not stop the Origin Qi from dissipating, for there was no need; he already knew what had caused the collapse.

Yao Ji.

A part of his body.

The Origin Qi was polluted, and from this, a new type of Origin Qi was born.

Does Yao Ji want to replace Origin Qi?

That is not out of the question.

So Haotian thought.

Shamansan seemed to sense something and shouted loudly, "Haotian! You must not!"

"Why not?" Haotian asked.

"What the Heavenly Demon wants to do—" Shamansan seemed to have discovered something.

"I know what he wants to do. He cannot kill me; it's just that this is also a possibility, isn't it?" Haotian said. "Aren't you curious? A new Qi, a Qi comparable to Origin Qi."

"Haotian, the price of your curiosity is immense!" Shamansan grew anxious.

True, Haotian would not die. Even if Origin Qi decayed, Haotian would still be Haotian.

But... "Is it?" Haotian tilted his head.

Shamansan explained urgently, "The collapse and reshaping of Origin Qi will cause a total reshuffling of everything!"

"Then let it reshuffle. What of it?" Haotian gave his answer.

"As long as types of Qi exist, it's only a matter of time before you are developed again. Perhaps there will even be a Ten Lands of the World in the future," Haotian said lightheartedly.

With those words, Shamansan was flicked away by Haotian, unable to say another word.

Haotian was gentle, yet overbearing.

Such was the Heavenly Emperor.

The physical Universe, this place that summed up all knowledge, noble thoughts, and Dao Orthodoxys—the academic research generated here and the spiritual wealth they transformed into—were nothing more than content in Haotian's game.

The controller of this physical Universe used this immense matter, which gathered all spiritual values, as a game, like a musician performing a grand piece of ritual music.

To use Haotian's favorite music as a metaphor, the physical Universe was an instrument of unimaginable perfection. Its strings and pedals explored the entire spiritual Universe, and its stops were too numerous to count. Theoretically, this instrument could reproduce the spiritual essence of the entire Universe during its performance.

Now, its strings, pedals, and stops have all been fixed. To change its numbers and programs, or to attempt to bring it to absolute perfection, is likely only theoretically possible.

Even if other First Grades could modify reality, their Dao Orthodoxys would find it difficult to break free from existing reality to create a new type of Origin Qi.

A new type of Origin Qi is no simple matter; it represents the complete reshaping of all things and the subversion of these First Grades themselves.

And now, the theoretical possibility had appeared.

Yao Ji, this remnant of Haotian, combined with the actions of the Heavenly Demon, brought forth a second type of Origin Qi at this moment.

Haotian was delighted.

Finally, someone had done it.

He was just as delighted as when the second First Grade had appeared.

Back then, he also thought, 'Finally, someone has done it.'

Perhaps some saw this as an encroachment; the Heavenly Gods would wonder why Haotian didn't step in to stop those people.

But it didn't matter. Haotian didn't care about such so-called encroachments; he just wanted to see more.

Haotian made his choice.

Haotian wanted to see if Yao Ji could create something equal to himself.

As for the things destroyed because of it?

They were not important.

Perhaps there was no difference between him and the Heavenly Gods of the Brutal Faction; it was just that he stood higher than them. Thus, even Heavenly Gods were as expendable as Mortals in his eyes.

Haotian, without joy or malice, treated all things equally.

And of course... equal destruction.

Then, Haotian watched quietly as his body gradually cracked and crumbled.

What kind of Qi is this?

How interesting.

——————————

If Haotian didn't want it, no one could probably defeat him right now.

But when Haotian actively chose to let the Origin Qi be tainted, the situation changed.

The erosion of Origin Qi brought about a chain reaction.

All 'Qi', including Chaos, collapsed entirely.

The foundation of 'Qi' as an entity was broken.

In all times and spaces, in all possibilities, Qi began to change, and this change was catastrophic.

The Universe began to disintegrate.

The past and future vanished.

Because... the basic units were disappearing.

Like a mathematician discussing mathematics, where there are only laws and formulas but no reality, no good or evil, no eras, no yesterday and no tomorrow—only an eternally unchanging, superficial, mathematical present.

All that remained was a history of spiritual thought, a history devoid of flesh and reality.

Admittedly, Haotian would not die.

But others would.

Hee hee, heh heh... ho ho ho... Hahahahahahahahaha!!

The Universe echoed with the clattering sounds of ka-ka-ka-ka and da-da-da-da.

That was the laughter of the Heavenly Demon.

In the current state, what else could one count on?

No one could be counted on.

In a war of this level, everyone except Haotian was acting against their own will.

It is already close at hand. Patience... patience.

Haotian actively withdrew, and Yao Ji, who had long been persuaded by the Heavenly Demon, replaced the original Origin Qi.

When did Yao Ji get involved with the Heavenly Demon?

Perhaps... back then, when Li Qi restarted his cultivation and entered Reincarnation, Yao Ji's decision to follow Li Qi's fragments already signaled the alliance between the Demonic Dao and the Brutal Faction of Heavenly Gods.

The Heavenly Demon knew Haotian's pursuit, which was how he could make Haotian choose to step back.

This is what the Heavenly Demon always talked about... the so-called 'demonic thoughts' isn't actually a black thought in your head, but your 'willingness.'

Yes, these were all voluntary.

But once Haotian became 'willing,' no one could stop him.

The Heavenly Demon could no longer hold back his laughter.

Using the World Honored One, using Yao Ji, using Shamansan, and finally making Haotian step back.

Everything was interlinked, together guiding the world toward the ending he desired.

The Age of Dharma Decline was imminent.

In the Age of Dharma Decline, sentient beings are stubborn and deluded, destined to become demon folk. Encountering this Destiny, they are lost and unaware, claiming to have attained sagehood, committing the Great Lie, and falling into the Avici Hell.

As the saying goes, the law of the Age of Dharma Decline leads to lawlessness.

Drowning all things in a sea of poison, where perceptions are withered and muddy wisdom circulates, the sinful and suffering beings of Jambudvipa, and all sentient beings of the future Age of Dharma Decline, shall be utterly annihilated.

When the Age of Dharma Decline arrives, all other Dao Orthodoxys and their Divine Abilities and techniques will fail.

Their 'Dao Orthodoxy' will also be distorted.

How I long to see that time, when all things step into an irreversible, predestined destruction.

Perhaps there will be heroes among them, many who sacrifice themselves to turn the tide and stop the world from entering the Age of Dharma Decline, but at most they can only burn themselves to delay the arrival of death; they cannot, in the end, block the predestined fate.

This is the Age of Dharma Decline.

There, all true Dharma and Dao Orthodoxys will be severed, and the entire Universe will completely become the manifestation of the Heavenly Demon's will.

The unrestrained war of First Grades will be the beginning of the Age of Dharma Decline.

Imagine, when all First Grades freely unleash their power in the Universe, what will this Universe become?

It's hard to imagine.

Once, the time when the Dao Orthodoxy was spread to the world brought about the first chaotic war of First Grades in the Universe, turning the entire Universe directly into ruins, making it what it is today.

The once-prosperous cultivation has directly become what it is now.

The Age of Dharma Decline is coming soon.

When all Dao Orthodoxys in this world are severed, and when the Heavenly Demon's demonic thoughtss can no longer find hosts, the truth of the whole world will finally come to light.

The Demon of Death watched all of this, his heart gradually calming down.

As expected, the Heavenly Demon was right.

One cannot kill them all through slaughter.

It is better to guide the arrival of the Age of Dharma Decline; that way, total destruction will come swiftly.

Thus... the Demon of Death actively disintegrated himself.

A First Grade actively joined this carnival of death. The Demon of Death did not care about life or death; his self-destructive tendencies were displayed to the fullest at this moment.

With the Demon of Death's death, the erosion of Origin Qi accelerated.

Many First Grades began to join forces, wanting to stop the erosion of Origin Qi.

But obviously, this only served as a delay.

Just as the Heavenly Demon said.

At most, they could only burn themselves to delay the arrival of death, yet they ultimately could not block the predestined fate.

Because this was what Haotian wanted to see.

In this instant, the Heavenly Gods of the Brutal Faction seemed to see Haotian become that terrifying, bloody Heavenly Emperor who crushed all emperors once again.

They cheered and jumped for joy.

So the Heavenly Emperor was still like this; they had misunderstood him.

Thus, Heavenly Gods like Taisui and Emperor Hundun immediately chose to break away from Taiyi.

Since the Heavenly Emperor had decided to exterminate Mortals, they would naturally help!

Thus, a new round of battle began.

This time, it was between those who wanted the Age of Dharma Decline to arrive and those who wanted to prevent it.

The already chaotic battlefield was once again divided into two camps.

The Human-Shamanes and demon dragons, who were originally in a chaotic fight, now began to resist the Demonic Dao and the Heavenly Gods once again.

Meanwhile, the Heavenly Gods of the Brutal Faction and those who supported Haotian united.

It was truly an indescribable mess.

Mortals could only wait for death.

The Great Powers were still fighting.

Only one person remained calm and composed.

That was... Zombie Li Qi.