Only a single crude rack stood there, which was somewhat unexpected to Xu Zimo.
He walked into the grand hall and approached the rack, where several items were placed.
Casually picking up a book and glancing at it, his gaze instantly froze.
“Heaven-Shattering God-Scripture,” he murmured to himself. “One of the Ten Primordial God-Scriptures?”
He then picked up a second book. [Heaven-Unity Three-Gates God-Scripture]
The third book: [Creation-Devouring God-Scripture]
[Infinite-Samsara God-Eye]
[Aryan-Swastika God-Scripture]
[Primordial-Alchemy God-Scripture]
[Primeval-Buddha God-Scripture], consisting of Present Tathagata Sutra, the Past Maitreya Sutra, and the Future Birthless Sutra.”
[God-Devil Creation Atlas]
[Heaven-Earth Dharma-Codex]
[Infernal-Creation Eternal-Canon]
Looking at the ten scriptures before him, the shock in Xu Zimo’s heart was hard to calm.
To be precise, it was beyond anything he had expected.
He casually opened the Heaven-Shattering God-Scripture and the Heaven-Unity Three-Gates God-Scripture, two Primordial God-Scriptures he had already practiced.
He discovered the contents were exactly identical.
“Why would the Ten Primordial God-Scriptures be here?” This was a tremendous question.
The only explanation Xu Zimo could think of was that after the Holy Progenitor returned from the Outer Heavens, he placed all the Primordial God-Scriptures he had obtained inside the Ancient Celestial Court.
But what was his reason for doing this?
Was it specially prepared for Xu Zimo? But at that time he probably hadn’t even been born yet.
Unable to figure it out, he chose not to dwell on it and instead collected all ten Primordial God-Scriptures first.
On the rack, besides the ten Primordial God-Scriptures, there was also a long flute.
The flute seemed to be made of jade, warm to the touch in his palm.
Some strange patterns were carved upon it.
They depicted an ascender, neither male nor female, neither demon nor immortal.
It was hard to distinguish. Holding the jade flute, Xu Zimo could feel a powerful energy lingering within.
He didn’t study it further and stored the jade flute away as well.
Casting his gaze around once more, the rack held only one last book.
[Chronicles of the Outer Heavens]
“So everything has been prepared, hasn’t it,” Xu Zimo chuckled softly.
After collecting all the items, he surveyed the surroundings. Finding nothing else unusual, he directly departed.
He returned to the grand hall where he had earlier encountered the painting scroll.
The robed man gave Xu Zimo a token.
He said it was a symbol of identity for the Ancient Celestial Court, and that if Xu Zimo ever went to the Outer Heavens, perhaps there would be a chance to meet the Holy Progenitor again.
After bidding farewell to the man, Xu Zimo left the Ancient Celestial Court.
He looked back once, watching as this sealed-off world was once more shrouded by celestial mist.
Xu Zimo had asked about the Blood Rune Race, but the robed man gave no answer, only saying that everything would be for Xu Zimo to decide himself.
…
Arriving at the gate of the Ancient Celestial Court, the three members of the Blood Rune Race were still locked in battle with the two Desolate Beasts.
It seemed they could not determine a victor anytime soon.
“Enough, let’s go,” Xu Zimo waved his hand.
Patriarch Shuo snorted coldly at the Desolate Beasts, then withdrew.
“You’re cheating,” the two Desolate Beasts glared at Xu Zimo angrily. “You didn’t defeat us, we don’t acknowledge your identity.”
“Why the fuck would I need your acknowledgment?” Xu Zimo laughed lightly.
“Did you succeed?” Patriarch Shuo asked, looking at Xu Zimo from the side.
“Something unexpected, really. I hadn’t planned to gain much,” Xu Zimo replied.
“Then do you have further instructions for us?” Shuo continued to ask.
“Find me a quiet place, I want to forge a weapon,” Xu Zimo said.
Having visited the Ancient Celestial Court, the True God Sword was no longer of much use to him.
He planned to reforge Shadow Tyrant, for Shadow Tyrant was truly his life-bound weapon.
“If you forge here, it’s actually a fine place,” Patriarch Shuo smiled.
“This Blood Rune Space can resist heavenly tribulation; no matter how powerful, no tribulation can pierce this seal.”
“Such a thing exists?” Xu Zimo was surprised.
After all, when he reforged the True God Sword, the heavenly tribulations he faced had given him no end of suffering.
“Our former Patriarch, when breaking through to the Nirvana Void Realm, also encountered heavenly tribulation,” Shuo explained. “But alas, even heavenly tribulation could not split this seal; otherwise, we would have long left.”
Hearing this, Xu Zimo nodded slightly.
The group returned to the territory of the Blood Rune Race.
The three guarded Xu Zimo, allowing him to forge weapons in peace.
In front of them, Xu Zimo first set aside the True God Sword, then took out the Supreme God Hammer.
And the fragments of Shadow Tyrant from before.
The Nine-Curve God Flame encircled the fragments of Shadow Tyrant and the True God Sword.
He needed to fuse the two perfectly before he could hammer them into shape.
This was destined to be a long process.
Golden-red flames roared and burned.
For more than half a month, Xu Zimo worked to melt the two together.
Fortunately, the Tree of Life continually replenished his strength; otherwise, the consumption was so great that even he would have struggled.
Gripping the Supreme God Hammer, Xu Zimo envisioned the form of Shadow Tyrant, striking it again and again.
Booming echoes resounded continuously throughout the space.
Another half month passed as he hammered.
By the later stages, heavenly tribulation had already gathered above the Blood Rune Race.
With each strike, the tribulation grew stronger.
This scene was even more grand than what he had faced back at the Heavenly Dao Academy.
Dark clouds pressed down, threatening to crush the city!
When Shadow Tyrant and the True God Sword fused perfectly and the blade’s form emerged, the lightning above the firmament also reached its peak.
Crackling explosions erupted as it descended in bombardment.
The seal of the Blood Rune Space transformed into a crimson barrier, blocking all lightning outside.
Heavenly Dao seemed provoked, growing furious.
One bolt of lightning after another rained down, carrying destructive power enough to annihilate everything.
“Judging from this scale, it’s at least a Level 5 Tribulation,” Shuo remarked.
Inside the Blood Rune Space, turbulence grew violent.
Countless seas of blood churned and roared.
Waves surged in layers.
“You want to leave, don’t you,” Xu Zimo said to Shuo and the others, smiling.
“We beg you to grant it,” Shuo nodded respectfully.
“Blade, complete,” Xu Zimo whispered, tightly gripping the trembling saber before him.
The familiar feeling of Shadow Tyrant surged back into his heart.
“My old friend, welcome back!”
The heavenly tribulation above grew even more violent, reaching an uncontrollable state.
It was preparing its ultimate strike.
Finally, with the last strike seemingly draining all its power, the thunderclouds began to dissipate.
But that final, world-ending bolt still descended.
“It’s now,” Xu Zimo declared, brandishing Shadow Tyrant as earth-shattering blade intent erupted.
With the Level 5 Tribulation outside, and his own full-force saber strike within, the combined assault crashed against the seal of the Blood Rune Space.
The great doors slowly opened with a thunderous rumble.
Two ultimate forces surged outward, slaughtering everything in their path.
Even within the Blood Rune space, it seemed unlikely they could be resisted.
This was what everyone was thinking at that moment.
The sea of blood itself seemed to have sensed something. Within the Blood Rune space, the heavens and earth turned upside down, stirring the wind and clouds.
Towering waves roared furiously, as if trying to overturn the heavens and the earth.
The group suddenly felt like tiny boats drifting in this stormy sea, tossed wherever the waves desired.
The force of those tides was so overwhelming it seemed capable of drowning everything.
The outside heavenly tribulation, Xu Zimo’s blade intent, and the surging sea of blood all collided at once.
Yet, the anticipated explosion never came.
Suddenly, silence fell all around, as if everything had been sealed in place.
Even Xu Zimo realized that apart from his thoughts, his body could not move at all.
From within the blood sea stretched out a hand.
A yellowed palm. With a slight grip, the once raging sea of blood instantly calmed down.
Then that hand waved once, heavenly tribulation vanished instantly.
A second wave, Xu Zimo’s blade intent dissipated into nothing.
Everything was restored as if nothing had ever happened.
That terrifying collision from moments before had dissolved into emptiness, as though it had never existed.
“This…” Patriarch Shuo and the others’ faces changed drastically.
Only they understood just how powerful that force had been.
Yet it had been dispelled with such ease.
The closer one was to the Heavenly Dao, the more one could sense the difference in power.
That saying was no lie.
“A Nirvana Void cultivator?” Chang, the Blood Rune beast, said gravely.
“Not so simple. It’s not something just anyone at Nirvana Void could do,” Patriarch Shuo shook his head slightly.
Their Blood Rune Race also had an old patriarch at Nirvana Void, but compared to that power just now, it wasn’t even on the same level.
It was even higher.
That yellowed palm, after dissolving everything, tore apart the void before them. From it stepped out a man.
The man’s gaze was calm, his long black hair flowing without wind.
Just by standing there, it felt as though the world’s focus was drawn to him.
He wore a yellow robe embroidered with flowers of unknown kind.
When his gaze swept over them, everyone felt an invisible pressure.
“My True God Sword,” the man murmured softly. “After so many years, at last a successor has come. You… what is your name?” the man asked Xu Zimo.
“Xu Zimo,” Xu Zimo frowned and replied.
“Yes and no,” the man shook his head slightly.
The next moment, his expression twisted hideously. Clutching his head, he roared in pain.
Within his voice was endless torment.
The three Blood Rune beasts instinctively retreated a few steps. Judging from the power earlier, if this man went mad, their only choice would be to flee, fighting was impossible.
Xu Zimo just stared at him, trying to determine whether this was the Holy Progenitor himself.
But unfortunately, he had never truly seen the Holy Progenitor.
The man roared for a long while before regaining his calm.
“I want to see you,” he said, staring at Xu Zimo.
“Am I not standing right here?” Xu Zimo replied.
“No, I mean truly see you,” the man shook his head, pointing skyward. “I am waiting for you up there.” At this, his brows furrowed again, teeth clenched. “My time is running short. It feels like I have something to tell you, but I cannot remember what it is.”
“Don’t rush. Take your time,” Xu Zimo said.
“Not to be trusted, not to be trusted. None among all beings can be trusted,” the man muttered, shaking his head. His face once again became calm. “You wish to release them?” he asked.
“Why not?” Xu Zimo countered.
“If the Blood Rune Race returns to the world, are you sure you can contain them?” the man asked. “There is no second Holy Progenitor to step forth this time.”
“Respected one, our Blood Rune Race harbors no ill intent. We only wish for freedom,” Patriarch Shuo hurriedly said from the side.
“This world never needed a Holy Progenitor. All beings have their place,” Xu Zimo said. “Someone will always step forward, whether Holy Progenitor or another.”
“If you insist, then I will grant it,” the man said with a wave of his hand.
The surging sea of blood began to dissipate, the sealing power weakening bit by bit.
Even the man’s shadowy figure seemed affected.
He looked at Xu Zimo once more. “Remember this, you must never forget, I am waiting for you up there.”
As his words fell, the Blood Rune Space shattered, and the man’s figure vanished.
Countless beastly roars resounded through the void.
As though after endless years of waiting, the Blood Rune Race could finally vent.
Some even wept tears of joy, desperately breathing the air of the outside world.
“Keep your people in line,” Xu Zimo told Patriarch Shuo. “Remember my words. I am not as merciful as the Holy Progenitor. If you cross the line again, I will eradicate you and destroy your race.”
Beside them, Chang and Xu’s faces were uncertain, but Patriarch Shuo simply nodded with a smile.
“Rest assured, respected one. As long as none oppresses us, my Blood Rune Race will never go too far.”
“Heh... If your Blood Rune Race wishes to challenge my authority, you may try,” Xu Zimo glanced at them, then turned and left.
The Blood Rune Space was gradually dissipating.
His reasons for helping the Blood Rune Race were twofold. First, some of their actions had moved him.
Second, he himself needed to leave this place, he could not remain trapped here forever.
…
Looking upward from the Land of Destruction, the sky was dyed crimson.
It was a rare phenomenon in this desolate land.
Every creature living within that realm lifted their heads to the heavens that day.
The heavens were collapsing, the seal breaking.
The Lord of Destruction stood below, shaking his head with a sigh. “In the end, I still could not hold it.”
First, a single Blood Rune beast burst out from the seal, then hordes followed, thousands upon thousands swarming forth.
“Put everyone on guard,” the Lord of Destruction told the Thunder Martial God at his side. “Without my command, no one is permitted to clash with the Blood Rune beasts.”
“This…” Thunder God hesitated.
“City Lord, given the current situation, wouldn’t it be wiser to strike first?”
“Do as I say,” the Lord of Destruction said calmly.
…
Watching Xu Zimo’s departing figure, the Blood Rune beast named Xu snorted coldly.
“This brat is far too arrogant. Does he think wielding the True God Sword makes him the Holy Progenitor?”
“Patriarch, why did you…?” Chang, the Blood Rune beast, asked in confusion.
Patriarch Shuo narrowed his eyes. “Do you think that boy looks like a fool?”