Chapter 870: A Superior Envoy

With the world's core being taken away, the destruction of the world proceeded at an ever-increasing rate. The skies continued to crumble, and spatial rifts spawned all over the world.

Before they could suck Zhang Lie in, he escaped from the world with brute force. Moments after his escape, the spatial rifts merged together and summoned a huge storm.

The remnant energy in the world burst in a magnificent explosion, swallowing up the world in a shower of light.

The light illuminated the void and was just about to release a huge wave of energy into the realm when the will of the world suddenly descended, locked the surrounding space down, absorbed the energy from the impending explosion, and prevented its destruction from affecting other nearby worlds.

In the end, all that remained of the xuluo world was a cloud of rubble where it once stood.

The xuluo world, one of the ten superior worlds, was wiped off the face of the third realm. This was the karmic backlash that resulted from use of heaven's might. The moment the entire race adopted that overwhelming power, the fate of the xuluo world had been written in stone.

Where the xuluo world once stood, the rubble from the world was slowly condensing. Under the influence of the will of the world, after countless years, the rubble would form a brand new world. This was part of the cycle of the third realm. As older worlds were destroyed, newer ones formed. The three thousand worlds were continuously undergoing such a cycle of rebirth.

The xuluo world was rather far from the Zongming world, but fortunately, Zhang Lie knew roughly in which direction he was headed.

At his current level of strength, he wouldn't need to make use of wormholes to travel between worlds. He was able to brave the void with no protection at all, and it only took him ten days to return to the Zongming world, whereupon he shared the good news with Li Zongming.

Li Zongming was simultaneously overjoyed and overwhelmed by Zhang Lie's strength.

Zhang Lie had taken down a superior world, one that had existed since antiquity! He had never heard of anyone managing the like—and especially not alone.

However, Zhang Lie had done so. Zhang Lie had created a miracle.

The xuluo world was a superior world that had existed since antiquity, and the xuluo king was without equal in this realm. None but the other superior kings could be its match—save for Zhang Lie alone.

Zhang Lie's appearance had rewritten history.

Li Zongming wasn't sure whether this was good or bad news. Would the other superior worlds consider Zhang Lie such a huge threat that they would band together in an attempt to get rid of him?

Li Zongming was worried about this possibility, but he had already chosen to side with Zhang Lie.

𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Back during the merger of the worlds of east and west, Zhang Lie hadn't backed down even though he knew that he might be facing the kings of superior worlds. Even if they were all going to band together and target him now, Li Zongming would surely stand by his side.

Li Zongming sighed and shook his head with a bitter chuckle. "All I wanted to do was to merge the two worlds and finish something no generation of eastern kings before me managed to accomplish—and it caused a whole slew of problems."

Li Zongming could hardly have predicted the ramifications his success would bring.

He had at least gained a little insight into the chain of events that followed after talking to Zhang Lie, but he was wholly unprepared for Zhang Lie's complete victory in the xuluo world.

"I wonder what's going to happen now...?"

"At the very least, we're all fine at the moment."

Li Zongming gave Zhang Lie a small smile. "You're not wrong. While you were gone, my dear daughter pined after you, calling your name left and right. She's been very worried—you should talk to her."

Zhang Lie nodded and left.

Li Zongming sighed, both hands at his back. "It's well past time my daughter got married..."

Despite the sigh, Li Zongming's lips were quirked up, and he looked pleased. To be able to attract such a powerful son-in-law—perhaps he should consider having a few more daughters?

After a dozen days or so, the remaining xuluo invaders had all been captured by Li Zongming, and he had repaired what had been destroyed during their invasion attempt.

The worst was over: the Zongming world had successfully evolved into a superior world, and the immediate crisis was past. However, none of those fighters who had died in battle would be able to revive.

As Li Zongming had suggested, Zhang Lie headed to the young woman who was waiting impatiently for any news of her 'husband'.

Zhang Lie grinned as he hid his aura, appeared behind the young woman, and covered her eyes with his palms. "Guess who I am!"

The young woman, startled, elbowed her assailant's stomach—only to yelp in pain as she felt her elbows slam into something harder than steel, harder than anything in the third realm.

"My elbows," she cried.

Zahng Lie's eyes widened. "Are you alright?"

.

Luckily for Li Qianlin, Zhang Lie had disabled the genetic-energy barrier that now surrounded him subconsciously. Otherwise, she would have been screaming in pain.

Zhang Lie caressed the young woman's elbows tenderly as he sighed. "Why did you suddenly attack me?"

Li Qianlin glared at him. "What do you mean, why did I attack you? You were the one who appeared behind me out of nowhere! I was so scared that I responded instinctively. It's all your fault—ouch, my arm!"

"Alright, alright, it's my fault."

Li Qianlin glared at him. "So you're finally done gallivanting around, are you?"

Zhang Lie blinked. "Were you waiting for me, my dear wife?"

Li Qianlin blushed. "Hmph! Didn't you go take down a superior world? How did it go? Are you hurt?"

Zhang Lie smiled cockily. "Heh—shouldn't you ask about the superior world instead? I took over the entire world easily!"

Li Qianlin made a chopping motion with her hand at Zhang Lie's head. "That's not something to brag about! Your opponent was a superior world that's been around forever! Aren't you being too rash?"

"Are you worried about me?"

"Of course!"

Zhang Lie and Li Qianlin chatted the afternoon away, growing closer and closer. His relationship with Li Qianlin had been developing gradually in steady and stable companionship, but just as they were growing comfortable with each other, an unwelcome guest arrived in the Zongming world: an envoy from a superior world.

When Zhang Lie received the news and went out to meet with this envoy, whose body was a pillar of flame, he was understandably upset. "What's the matter? Are there other superior worlds who want me to invade them?"