Chapter 1678: Milky Way, Yanjing

Ye Guan stared in disbelief at the scene before him. He hurriedly pulled back the Qingxuan Sword, his face full of shock.

He looked again at the void ahead, filled with confusion.

What exactly is this place?

Little Pagoda suddenly said, "Let me try."

Ye Guan hesitated. "Are you sure, Master Pagoda?"

"Yes."

Ye Guan took out Master Pagoda and extended it toward the void. Very soon, Master Pagoda also began to fade, bit by bit.

"Holy crap!" Master Pagoda quickly retracted himself. "Damn..."

Ye Guan stared at the void with puzzled eyes. "What kind of place is this...?"

Little Pagoda trembled and said, "Shit... I've fallen behind again."

Little Soul sounded. "I'm... actually on the same level as Master Pagoda now."

Master Pagoda was dumbfounded.

Little Soul giggled, "I meant we're both suffering siblings now."

Master Pagoda sighed quietly. "Too hard..."

Ye Guan said solemnly, "This place is abnormal..."

As he spoke, he slowly extended his own hand. When he reached into the void, his right hand began to disappear before his eyes, and more terrifying was the fact that both his Mad Demon Bloodline and Mortal Bloodline were vanishing as well.

Ye Guan pulled his hand back, and it immediately returned to normal.

He stared intensely at the void, silent. Suddenly, his pupils shrank to pinpoints.

Then, he extended his hand again and watched as it slowly vanished into nothingness.

And right before his fingers could disappear, he pulled them back.

Looking at his hand, he muttered, "So that's what it is... So that's what it is..."

Little Pagoda asked, "What?"

Ye Guan was about to speak, but...

Boom!

A terrifying explosion roared from the lightning zone behind them. Ye Guan turned around. Within that tribulation region, waves of terrifying auras erupted one after another.

Ye Guan turned back and took a deep look at the void, then rose on his sword and vanished into the distance.

Ye Guan crossed the lightning tribulation area. Soon, the Boundless Master appeared beside him, faint arcs of lightning flickering on his body. He pulled out a cigar, lit it using the lightning on him, took a puff, and asked, "Did you find anything?"

Ye Guan said, "Let's talk on the way."

The Boundless Master nodded, and the two departed. The blood-red lightning cluster didn't pursue them.

On the road, the Boundless Master asked grimly, "There was no path ahead?"

Ye Guan nodded. "Right."

The Boundless Master frowned. "How can that be..."

Ye Guan replied, "There are a few possibilities. Either there was never an Ancient Era, or it has already been completely erased... or maybe...that void is actually a passage..."

The Boundless Master was silent for a while, then said, "Let's go back. Let your mother investigate this. There's no point in us guessing."

Ye Guan nodded. "Okay."

The Boundless Master asked, "Are you going to the Milky Way?"

"Yes."

The Boundless Master smiled. "I'll come with you."

Ye Guan nodded. "Alright."

The Boundless Master said, "Tell your mother first. Let me know once it's settled."

Ye Guan nodded again.

Soon, the two of them left the Time River, reappearing in a vast starry sky.

Qin Guan was already standing there waiting for them.

The Boundless Master said, "You two talk, I have things to do."

Then he turned and disappeared.

Ye Guan walked to Qin Guan and briefly recounted everything that happened in the Time River.

After hearing him out, Qin Guan furrowed her brows. "You're saying... after the Hundred Races Era, the path ended?"

Ye Guan nodded. "And the voice I heard from that void... the owner of that voice knew me. But I couldn't sense them, and I couldn't enter the void, either. Even the Qingxuan Sword and Master Pagoda couldn't withstand that terrifying void..."

Qin Guan was silent for a moment, then said, "I'll investigate. You go absorb the blood from the Forbidden Divine Tomb and head to the Milky Way."

Ye Guan nodded. He had planned this already. He left and headed to the Forbidden Divine Toms. In the underground palace, he could feel the blood stored below. A bloodthirsty gleam appeared in his eyes. The blood came from countless top powerhouses of a past era, and for the Mad Demon bloodline, it was a supreme feast.

He focused. From deep below, endless blood surged up like a tide, rushing toward him.

At that moment, he was like a giant vortex, madly devouring it all.

This blood had survived since the Chaos Era and was certainly no ordinary blood. As he devoured it, he felt the vast, potent energy within. Some even contained remnants of their original masters' unconscious will...

Of course, none of the negative energies affected him. With his powerful will and especially his Mad Demon bloodline, he was immune.

The more blood he absorbed, the more his Mad Demon bloodline boiled, and the stronger his aura became. His Mortal bloodline was also stimulated and kept growing in power, unwilling to fall behind.

As the blood in the underground palace dwindled, Ye Guan's entire body grew blood-red. A terrifying killing intent erupted from within him, spreading out into the world.

All around him, strong cultivators from the Immortal Treasures Pavilion sealed the area to prevent the killing aura from leaking. If not sealed, this killing aura could erode the minds of others and cause massive chaos.

Time passed. Eventually, all the blood in the palace had been absorbed. Ye Guan's entire body now looked like it was forged from blood. Waves of slaughter aura continued to pour from him.

Around him, nine Circle Breakers experts worked together to suppress this aura. Yet even they struggled to endure the pressure.

Soon, five Circle Breakers arrived. Only by joining forces did they barely manage to contain the slaughter aura.

At that moment, Ye Guan opened his eyes.

Boom!

Twin pillars of blood-red light burst from his pupils. The space in front of him collapsed.

Simultaneously, a terrifying killing aura erupted around him, instantly forcing back all the Circle Breakers. To make matters worse, their eyes actually took on a blood-red hue!

Ye Guan raised his right hand and clenched his fist. In an instant, all that killing aura and malice rushed back into his palm. The experts' minds cleared and they looked down at Ye Guan in shock. Right now, he truly looked like a man of blood, radiating an unimaginable killing pressure, as if he were ready to destroy the universe itself.

Then, Ye Guan gently lowered his right hand.

The blood-red sea in his eyes faded.

His mind was clear again.

Above, the Circle Breakers quickly saluted, saying, "Greetings, Young Pavilion Master."

Ye Guan looked up at them and smiled. "Thank you for your help earlier."

They all responded respectfully, "We dare not accept your thanks."

Ye Guan lowered his gaze to his right hand. The veins beneath his skin pulsed slightly. He burst into hearty laughter, then turned into a streak of blood light and vanished into the far ends of the galaxy.

***

In a bamboo house, Qin Guan had cooked a full table of dishes. Ye Guan ate ravenously, wolfing it all down.

Qin Guan smiled as she watched him.

Ye Guan said, "Mother, I'm heading to the Milky Way now."

Qin Guan replied, "The teleportation array is ready. You can leave anytime."

"My current body and strength allow me to traverse space using the Qingxuan Sword."

Qin Guan smiled. "Up to you."

"Mother... if a war breaks out, will the Milky Way be affected?"

Qin Guan shook her head. "No."

Ye Guan looked at her. Qin Guan said, "That place has never been affected."

Ye Guan nodded. "I understand. By the way, Mother...regarding the Supreme Will. Is there any progress?"

Qin Guan shook her head. "We have some new leads, but nothing you need to worry about. We'll handle it."

Ye Guan nodded. "And... Yi Nian?"

Qin Guan smiled. "She's devouring the Evil Beliefs of various civilizations. By the time she appears again, you may not be able to beat her."

Ye Guan laughed.

Qin Guan looked at him. "You should go to the Milky Way now."

Ye Guan saw something in her eyes... and his expression grew solemn.

He knew that he didn't have much time left.

"Alright." Ye Guan nodded and stood up. Then, he remembered something and turned to her, asking, "Mother, leave Immortal Treasures Pavilion to me. Go find Father or return to the Milky Way."

Qin Guan walked up to him and gently straightened his messy collar. "Silly child... What kind of mother would abandon her own son?"

A wave of warmth passed through Ye Guan's heart. He was about to speak when Qin Guan said softly, "Don't blame your father. He's not like me. I can fight recklessly without a care, but he can't... You understand."

Ye Guan nodded. "I do. This is the path I chose."

Qin Guan smiled. "Everyone came here to walk their own path. And in the end... the final stretch, no one can help you. If you make it, you make it. If not, then it's over. That's the price you have to pay."

Ye Guan nodded. "I understand."

Qin Guan smiled again. "Go now."

"Okay." Ye Guan nodded. With that, he turned around and vanished.

After watching him go, Qin Guan stood there silently for a long time. Then she turned and arrived in a starry expanse. In the distance, she looked at the Ascension Battles Road.

A hoarse voice suddenly sounded beside her. "Pavilion Master Qin, we're running out of time."

It was a middle-aged man, Shendao Zong, the patriarch of the Divine Dao Clan.

Qin Guan looked at the Ascension Battles Road for a moment, then said, "Send word. Invite Apo, the leader of the Gate of Bitterness, and Hou Ci, the sect leader of the Nothingness Sect."

***

Milky Way, Yanjing.

A certain bridge was as lively as ever. On both sides were phone screen sticker vendors, fortune tellers, chess puzzle sellers, beggars, and melon sellers.

Just then, a stunning woman pushed a small cart onto the bridge. A small speaker was on her cart, and it repeated the following—"Books for sale! Wholesome books for sale!"