Chapter 1017 - Without Beginning or End, a Cycle of Life and Death

This was the white-haired man’s first time seeing a Profound Illumination cultivator capable of striking down one of his arrows.

How could he not be surprised?

But a moment later, he dared not give the matter any further thought, as Su Yi had attacked once more.

He was targeting the golden silkworm this time too!

“You’re seeking death!” The white-haired man was enraged, and he fired three silver divine arrows at once.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Chaotic energy churned and misty light surged as sword qi and silver arrow clashed. The impact produced a heaven-shaking boom, and destructive power swept outward.

These arrows were supposed to be a surefire one-hit kill, but the white-haired man had fired three of them, and Su Yi had blocked them all!

Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer’s heart shook. His eyes widened, and he was at a loss for words.

He’d experienced the silver arrow’s terrifying strength for himself. They’d instantly dealt him a devastating blow, and they’d come close to destroying his fleshly body!

Even now, the silver arrow’s power corroded and destroyed his vitality. It was strange and insidious to the extreme.

Who’d have thought that Su Yi would neutralize these arrows one by one, as if he’d figured out a secret method of countering them?

“How is this possible!?” The white-haired man cried out in alarm and anger. It seemed he was struggling to accept this.

His Dao of Archery should have been enough to destroy any Profound Dao cultivator with ease!

“He’s panicking! He’s panicking!” Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer let out a strange cry, and his face filled with mockery. Inwardly, he was incomparably delighted.

This left the white-haired man ashen-faced with anger, and his eyes practically spat fire.

But he had no energy to spare on Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer, as Su Yi was already charging toward the golden silkworm.

This time, Su Yi drew the Tiny Heart of the Cosmos.

Clang!

The boundless hum of a sword rang out.

An illusory, ethereal sword twirled in Su Yi’s grip, as if it were rolling back the river of stars. This mighty slash swept toward the golden silkworm.

Boom!

The sword qi was as boundless as the river of heaven breaking through a dam.

The white-haired man wanted to intervene, but his quiver of arrows was already empty. He’d already used all of his silver arrows up!

“Dammit!” His eyes bulged with fury.

But it was then that the silkworm, which had been gnawing on the leaf this entire time, raised its head and let out a somewhat unwilling sigh.

A moment later, its foot-long body surged with motes of golden light. They interwove like silk threads, forming a mysterious and inscrutable talisman gylph as dazzling as the rising sun. It illuminated the entire stretch of chaos.

What kind of power was this?

Su Yi’s pupils constricted as he sensed an impending lethal threat.

Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer felt a prickling pain all over his skin and a rending agony in his soul. He couldn’t even open his eyes.

Boom!

Su Yi’s sweeping sword qi shattered beneath the effects of the talisman glyph.

However, before the talisman gylph could release its power, the massive, mountainous Tree of the Ten Thousand Worlds of Samsara swayed.

Countless streaks of chaotic power surged with the terrifying power of the Laws and bore down all at once.

Crunch!

The radiant talisman marking split and dissipated without a trace.

But all of this wasn’t over yet!

The power of the golden glyph seemed to have awakened the massive tree from its ancient slumber. The tree swayed violently, its branches danced about like mad, and its leaves rustled.

Meanwhile, the boundless flood of chaotic power swathed in the most primordial power of the Laws descended ruthlessly upon the silkworm.

Crunch!

The leaf it was gnawing on—and the projection of the world on its surface—couldn’t take it. Both exploded into pieces.

“Dammit!!! Remember, my name is Qing Xiao, and I’ll be sure to take your lives and eradicate your entire families!” The white-haired man reflected on the leaf let out an utterly unresigned roar before his figure disappeared from view.

But before his voice had even finished echoing through the air, the silkworm was enveloped in the terrifying flood of chaotic power.

It shook violently, and the power of the Laws surged as if on fire.

Meanwhile, Su Yi had already carried Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer safely into the distance.

Furthermore, a dim, perfectly round bundle of light hovered over his left hand. As the raging power of the Laws swept toward them, the sphere of light neutralized it.

Upon closer inspection, the spherical light came from the snow-white jade record resting on Su Yi’s palm. It was like the page of a book, but one of its corners was damaged.

The Record of the Netherworld!

Profound and mysterious energy fluctuations flowed over its surface. It was like an unshakable pillar supporting the ocean; no matter how explosively the chaotic power raged, when it got within range of the light, its waves died down, and all was calm.

Under its protection, Su Yi and Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer were startled, but naturally, both were unharmed.

Boom!

The chaotic power surged like a volcanic eruption. Just watching it made Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer’s heart shake. This was far too terrifying!

He dared say with certainty that even at the pinnacle of his past life, Su Xuanjun’s cultivation base couldn’t possibly have withstood this power. He would have been reduced to power in a flash, and his soul would have dispersed!

After all, this was the source energy of the Netherworld, and it now seemed utterly enraged. It was as if the Laws of the Netherworld itself were attacking!

Su Yi couldn’t help but gasp too.

He’d come here in his past life, but he was extremely cautious, and he dared not act up.

Now, seeing the explosive onslaught of the Netherworld’s source power, he felt a suffocating sense of oppression bear down on him.

Fortunately, they had the Record of the Netherworld!

When they first arrived here, Su Yi sensed that the record’s aura came to life, and it emanated strange energy fluctuations, as if resonating with the Netherworld’s source.

From this, Su Yi inferred that the rumors were most likely true: the Record of the Netherworld probably really was a Xiantian treasure born alongside the Netherworld’s source.

Otherwise, this miraculous transformation could never have taken place.

This was what led to Su Yi’s decision to attack the golden silkworm; with the Record of the Netherworld, he wasn’t afraid of the tree’s power.

As he watched the Record of the Netherworld display its power and neutralize the sweeping chaotic power, Su Yi was increasingly convinced that he’d been right on the mark.

“That guy said his name was Qing Xiao, and that he’d be back for revenge. That really is a bit troublesome,” said Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer. He was well aware that someone capable of crossing time and space to appear reflected on a leaf of the Tree of the Ten Thousand Worlds of Samsara had to have terrifying and extraordinary origins!

“I’d actually just love that,” said Su Yi, a hint of murderousness in his expression. “There was no grudge between us, yet he struck to kill right from the start. People like that are better off killed!”

“Actually, yeah! He might be strong, but it seems your power is a natural counter to his, you old monster,” said Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer. “If he comes back, I’m afraid he won’t be able to get past you.”

As they conversed, the raging storm of chaotic power gradually died down, and the tree stopped swaying.

The entire chaotic stretch returned to its former tranquility.

Su Yi and Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer looked over.

“It isn’t dead!?” Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer exclaimed.

Su Yi’s eyebrows rose. He, too, was stunned.

The originally foot-long silkworm had shrunk to the size of a pinky. Its glittering golden body had dimmed, and it was covered in numerous, bleeding cuts, each as thin as an ox's hair.

The leaf it was on was severely damaged, as if it had lost its vitality. It was singed black, and its veins had snapped.

Even so, the mysterious golden silkworm was actually still alive!

Who wouldn’t have been astonished?

“Quick, destroy it while it's weakened! Old Monster Su, hurry up and kill the blasted thing!” Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer boiled over with murderous intent. He had a premonition that if the silkworm recovered, it would lead to enormous trouble.

Su Yi naturally realized this too, and he shot toward it.

“You can’t kill me.”

It was then that the silkworm quivered, opened its eyes, and spoke in a weak voice as cold and clear as ice.

Its eyes were pure, without the slightest contaminants, like a deep spring. As its cold gaze landed on them, Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer’s heart inexplicably palpitated.

Su Yi’s eyes narrowed, and he suddenly attacked.

Clang!

The Tiny Heart of the Cosmos hummed, and a streak of unstoppable sword qi swept toward the silkworm.

As it flew, it was as if the chaotic power weren’t even there. The sword qi effortlessly cleaved a rift right through it; it was no obstacle at all.

This sight seemed to enrage the silkworm, and its body surged with radiant golden light.

But in the end, its injuries were so severe that its golden defenses lasted only a few moments before collapsing, and Su Yi’s sword qi cleaved right into it.

Boom!

Sword qi scattered, and misty light surged.

A new gash appeared on the silkworm’s body, almost bisecting it!

“If not for the Tree of the Ten Thousand Worlds of Samsara injuring me, how could ants like you possibly have any chance of survival?” The golden silkworm’s icy voice rang out.

“Talking tough even in the face of death? Cut it up, Old Monster Su!” bellowed Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer.

“....” Su Yi said nothing. This guy seems to be getting used to ordering me about!

But despite thinking this, Su Yi raised the Tiny Heart of the Cosmos and was just about to attack when the silkworm cried out frantically, “Wait! Don’t you want to know how I got here? Or where that Qing Xiao guy came from?”

“No,” Su Yi and Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer said simultaneously.

Meanwhile, a streak of sword qi was already flying toward the silkworm.

Both Su Yi and Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer sensed that the silkworm was strange and terrifying. It would be best if they could squish it now. If it survived, it would undoubtedly cause endless trouble down the line.

Boom!

Sword qi rumbled and boomed.

At this incomparably perilous juncture, the silkworm curled into a circle, holding its tail in its mouth. It was like a mysterious symbol as it emanated faint gray mist. Shockingly, it neutralized the full force of Su Yi’s attack!

“Hm!?” Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer was stunned.

Su Yi frowned, and he looked alarmed.

With its tail in its mouth, the silkworm was like a perfect circle, and it had a strange, mysterious air about it. It had become a cycle—reaching its end and returning to its beginning over and over and over again.

No, there was no beginning, and there was no end. It had formed an uninterrupted cycle of life and death without beginning or end!

Interesting. The silkworm’s origins are surely extraordinary… Su Yi thought to himself.

He’d seen countless True Spirit Divine Beasts and unmatched monstrosities in his past life, but none were stranger or more mysterious than this golden silkworm.

Most importantly, it could survive the suppression of the Netherworld’s source.

And it had blocked two of his attacks even while injured seemingly to the brink of death!

Especially since both strikes were emblazoned with the power of reincarnation!

All of this only made it increasingly obvious how extraordinary and terrifying the silkworm was.

But this only increased Su Yi’s resolve to kill it. After all, how strong would the silkworm be if it survived and recovered to its peak state?