Chapter 381: Shadow in the Flame, Sword in the Picture

The night was too long.

In the darkness that swallowed heaven and earth, the entire Rift Realm echoed with hair-raising loud noises, and the rioting shadows raged, raging and sweeping like a torrent.

Even more hair-raising were the eerie variants walking out of the Forbidden Domain.

Massive bodies the size of giants, searching for any living thing that violated the taboo, roaring cruelly, emitting thunder-like loud noises when trampling the earth.

And above the firmament, when the fleeting fierce light passed, it illuminated figures that seemed to have iron wings on their backs and golden armor on their bodies, stirring up storms and ravaging in all directions!

Earth Guard Heavenly Might!

Even if it was only a phantom remaining from the past, the ferocious and violent appearance was enough to make one tremble and feel uneasy...

In the riot of the sacrificial temple, the darkness almost turned into substance, completely swallowing the entire Rift Realm.

The cruel Law of Heavenly Origin, after distortion, was like a noose around the neck of all living things, bringing suffocation and fear at every moment.

Under this terrifying impact that was almost like heavenly might, all survivors could only tremble beside the campfire, terrified and tormented.

Waiting for dawn...

Around that gorgeous palace lamp, all the surviving survivors were injured, their faces pale, and their numbers were not even half of those who had just entered the Rift Realm.

Most of the cannon fodder used for scouting and consumption had completely annihilated in the riot of the sacrificial temple, devoured by hungry afterimages, torn apart, and turned into part of the afterimages...

At this moment in this remote and dilapidated hall, those afterimages that had just finished transformation kept lingering outside the dim light of the palace lamp.

Under the agitation of the remaining resentful poison, they wandered back and forth, wanting to devour people.

It was just that, in the area illuminated by the lamp light, it seemed as if the afterimages couldn't see at all, completely unable to find their traces.

Clearly, besides being used for consumption, they had no value when alive, but after death, they became such troublesome things... Among Wuyou Gong’s subordinates, the steward in charge couldn't help but be annoyed.

If he had known, he should have solved these troublesome things before the riot of the sacrificial temple!

He glanced resentfully at those lingering afterimages, and after turning back, he squeezed out a fawning and enthusiastic expression, serving soup and medicine.

On the base at the bottom of the gilded palace lamp that unfolded layer by layer like a giant tree, leaned a broken figure, bones exposed, suffering and convulsing.

Wuyou Gong!

The majestic and solemn aura was gone, leaving only madness and resentment.

The flesh on his face peeled off, as if burned by fierce fire, ferocious like a ghost.

At this moment, on one hand, he maintained the light of the palace lamp, and on the other hand, he had to be distracted by the Law of Heavenly Origin rioting in his body, strands of flames continuously rising and dissipating from the wounds.

Unprecedented weakness.

However, the situation soon changed.

After brief preparation, the graceful maid lifted the gorgeous wine goblet, pouring the scarlet nectar that seemed infinite into Wuyou Gong’s mouth. Massive vitality spread from his body, rapidly repairing his body.

And the blind attendants circling around cut open Wuyou Gong’s body, skillfully removing the broken bones and internal organs from it, and incidentally, the absolute punishment law descended by the sacrificial temple together.

Then, one by one, internal organs made of gold and silver were taken out of the box and placed into the abdomen in categories.

The moment they connected, the light and texture of the metal faded rapidly, turning into a texture like flesh and blood, operating again.

Thus, repaired completely, finely stitched, the long stitches like centipedes entered beneath the gorgeous robe, hiding in the darkness.

In just a few short minutes, the Wuyou Gong who was on the verge of death returned to his original appearance.

As if, regrouping!

And those people also returned to the box like paper people and disappeared.

Amidst everyone’s congratulations, the steward cried with joy, prostrating on the ground, kowtowing like a pestle, crying bitterly: "This subordinate failed to see clearly and failed to manage properly, causing the Lord’s great plan to collapse. Ten thousand deaths are not enough to redeem, and the iron of the Nine Provinces is not enough to cast this great mistake. Please, Lord, punish—"

"What kind of talk is that? Who can know everything before it happens, and have absolutely no accidents?"

Wuyou Gong glanced at him and waved his hand: "I am still in need of people now. You are my confidant, how can you be so self-deprecating? Don't mention these words again."

Instantly, the steward’s eyes filled with tears, and he trembled with excitement: "My lord’s profound virtue and vast grace are such that this subordinate could not repay them even if he were smashed to pieces; in the next life, I will surely..."

After a scene of mutual understanding between monarch and minister, the atmosphere of the team became much more active, especially the wine and food that continuously emerged from Wuyou Gong’s box finally made everyone’s pale and hesitant expressions gradually stabilize.

As the riot outside the light gradually showed a trend of slowing down, morale began to recover again.

And the Master of Wulou Temple, who had been sitting in meditation without drinking or eating from beginning to end, finally opened his eyes.

"Such an accident, world affairs are hard to predict. I didn't expect that more than ten years of planning would fall short." The Master asked: "What are Wuyou Gong’s arrangements next? Please instruct."

For a moment, everyone in the team moved slightly, holding their breath.

"Master, what are you saying?"

Wuyou Gong smiled but didn't smile: "Just a few setbacks, not worth mentioning. It’s just a small episode that doesn't damage the overall situation. Why come to test me again?"

The Master remained calm, like withered wood: "The Audience Tower has been destroyed, and even the Audience Bell has been completely shattered. Does Wuyou Gong still have a way to open the sacrificial temple?"

"..."

Wuyou Gong’s expression was gloomy for a moment, but he was still solemn, not shaken at all: "Admittedly, without an audience, there is indeed no way to step before the Imperial Presence.

However, wanting to enter the sacrificial temple, there might not be only this one way."

For a moment, in everyone’s shocked gaze, he smiled slightly.

"Everyone, rest assured. For this day, my Wuyou lineage has been preparing for hundreds of years, and it is absolutely impossible to have any omissions.

As for the method, everyone just needs to cooperate with me. I guarantee that the contract will definitely be fulfilled—after getting the Imperial Seal, everything else in the sacrificial temple will belong to everyone!"

"Good." The Master smiled and picked a flower.

Everyone seemed to be beaming, full of expectation.

I don't know how long it had been, in Wuyou Gong’s increasingly hurried review, the light of the palace lamp gradually dimmed. Fortunately, before it completely extinguished, the darkness storm outside finally ushered in a pause.

Amidst the waves, strands of dark shadows still shrouded the sacrificial temple.

The fury was not over, but rather like a short interval before the next riot. The dark mist emitted from behind that wall of death still filled the Rift Realm, making it difficult for everyone to breathe.

Suppression and exclusion, even the operation of the matrix and blessings slowed down.

Like being in the deep sea, the larger the object, the more astonishing the pressure it had to bear; the higher the rank, the more difficult it was to move.

If it were an "alien object" like a Celestial Being, let alone approaching, just entering the Rift Realm would instantly suffer from the blockade and suppression of the tower’s shadow, with unpredictable consequences.

On the contrary, Wuyou Gong had accidentally fallen from the rank of Celestial Being before, belonging to the same Great Sin of the Unfinished Tower. At this moment, he had a bit of the pleasure of a fish in water.

Amidst the praise of his subordinates, it also became evidence of his destiny, and after repeated flattery, it was as if he would ascend to the throne and rebuild the empire today.

However, Wuyou Gong’s expression did not show any pride.

Instead, it was slightly gloomy.

When everyone came to the wall outside the Forbidden Domain again, the giant faces on the gorgeous and solemn doors were still ferocious and violent.

Looking coldly at any intruder who dared to approach, ready to descend absolute punishment at any time.

After spending two more cannon fodder to measure the safe distance, everyone was vigilant against the surroundings outside the boundary, looking at Wuyou Gong in the center.

And after Wuyou Gong was silent for a long time, he finally took out the most precious treasure from his box.

"Things have come to this, there is no other choice. Ancestors are above, the time for breaking and establishing is today, please forgive Wuyou for offending."

In that amber the size of a fist, the pitch-black flame still maintained a rising posture, as if frozen forever at that moment.

But the moment it was taken out, as if sensing the aura of the sacrificial temple, the frozen flame suddenly trembled violently, as if furious, about to wake up.

That is...

"—The Burning Que Fire of the Mohists?" Xie He gasped in shock, unbelievable.

It wasn't that he couldn't believe it still existed in the world, but he didn't expect that in Wuyou Gong’s hands, there would still be such a huge piece of evidence and fragment of the Empire’s shame!

The collapse and fall of the Heavenly Origin Tower was just the end of the Empire.

And before this, the Mohists had calculated and created countless weapons and destruction, including tools for breaking the palace forbidden area and death walls before attacking the Heavenly Origin Tower.

At this moment, the small flame in Wuyou Gong’s hand...

That was the power created specifically targeting the Heavenly Origin lineage, exhausting the true essence of the Remnants and the White Deer, and consuming who knows how many materials!

It is said that before the collapse of the Heavenly Origin Tower, the ten-thousand-mile palace of the Empire was already shrouded in infinite black flames.

And after the collapse of the Heavenly Origin Tower, the flames continued to burn for ten full days, until the palace of the Eternal Empire, which had searched the world for thousands of years and gathered countless treasures and wealth, was burned into a ruin.

Only ashes remained.

On the day of the collapse of the Heavenly Origin Tower, the infinite flames stretching for ten thousand miles undoubtedly burned the most precious foundation of the Empire!

Who could have imagined that when it reappeared hundreds of years later, it would be in the hands of restoration remnants?

"Besides this, there is no other way."

Wuyou Gong’s expression was gloomy and solemn, slowly holding up the amber covered in cracks.

Since birth, Wuyou, Changle, and Anguo, who did not take pride in the magnificent Eternal Kingdom of the past? Now reduced to using this kind of thing, the name of a rebellious minister is secondary; the first thing to put down is the pride and dignity regarded as life in the heart.

If it were known to others, even if he held the Imperial Seal, there would inevitably be a stain on the name of orthodoxy.

But at this moment, today here, are you going to turn and leave because of some empty name? That is the real brain damage!

Since that’s the case, then only break and establish!

It’s just...

While everyone was shocked, they were also inevitably suspicious.

How huge the scale of the Burning Que Fire was in the past is no longer known, but at this moment, just a small flame, facing the magnificent and massive sacrificial temple, how much effect can it have?

Even if it is targeted in quality, when facing the insufficiency of quantity, it still has to suffer annihilation.

But immediately after, the moment the amber shattered and the Burning Que Fire rose, another core covered in cracks had already emerged from the crack in Wuyou Gong’s chest.

Flame Tide Seed!

The moment the black fire and the disaster seed collided, under Wuyou Gong’s powerful suppression and control, they were forcefully fused into one, using the Flame Tide Seed as the foundation, catalyzing the Burning Que Fire again!

Can this fucking work?

Even if it is possible, can you actually do it?

Before everyone could react, amidst the constant suspicion in their brains, they heard Wuyou Gong’s cold voice: "Please everyone help me..."

In an instant, screams erupted from the team.

First was the fawning steward behind him, then one subordinate after another...

Sensing the terrifying black hole suddenly appearing in their bodies, rapidly swallowing their life, soul, and everything.

They looked up in shock, wanting to beg for mercy, but saw Wuyou Gong’s indifferent face.

Even, too late to resist...

The Heavenly Origin Path, taking and grabbing, it is simply simpler than eating and drinking for a superior to plunder everything from his subordinates.

Only keeping a few confidants who still had strength, not only those subordinates who were useless, but even from the back basket on the ground, bursts of wails came, and the living things stored in it were all sacrificed.

Viscous blood color surged from the gaps in the back basket.

Finally, it gathered and coiled around the Flame Tide Seed!

Living sacrifice!

Once again, the living sacrifice began!

And in the team, all the Sin-Afflicted who had signed contracts with Wuyou Gong also felt their own spiritual quality continuously flowing out, and couldn't help but scold and want to resist.

But they were all ignored by Wuyou Gong.

"Those who achieve great things do not care about trifles. Now that the treasure mountain is in front, I have even discarded so many subordinates, are you still stingy with this little essence and spiritual quality?"

All the power, spiritual quality, and even life and soul plundered were invested in the disaster seed.

The scarlet color instantly rose from the cracks in the Flame Tide, and the pitch-black Burning Que Fire temporarily merged into one... In the end, accompanied by the violent shaking of the entire Rift Realm, black-red flames rose into the sky, turning into a flame tornado that reached the sky, swirling and spreading in all directions.

The tower’s shadow shook violently under the burning of the fierce fire.

Heaven and earth shook.

Strands of fierce fire fell into the ruins and buildings, spreading rapidly, and finally, under Wuyou Gong’s control, turned into dozens of torrents, raging and converging toward the sacrificial temple at the highest point!

The giant face roared.

Countless phantoms and traces of the past continuously manifested, darkness rioted, and one huge crack after another appeared on the high wall, spreading rapidly.

The Forbidden Domain was disintegrating!

And under the raging of the Burning Que Fire, the darkness within the sacrificial temple rolled and rose, as if thinning rapidly... revealing the true core of the Rift Realm!

Everyone fell into suffocation.

Countless dancing flame lights reflected the firmament, reflecting that solemn shadow hanging upside down from the high sky!

Tower!

Half a broken shadow tower extended from the raging waves, hanging upside down in the sea, pointing to the location of the sacrificial temple.

The fulcrum of the Heavenly Origin Tower of the past finally revealed its true face—even if the broken tower had fallen beneath the Vortex, this place was still beneath the high tower!

The raging Burning Que Fire triggered the true power within the sacrificial temple, and under the coverage of the tower’s shadow, it suddenly stagnated, unable to expand.

Stalemated in one place.

But the sound of heaven and earth collapsing continued... incessant!

Until, the wall of death finally reached its limit.

Collapse—

Behind the huge gap of collapse, the towering palace within the sacrificial temple was revealed, and even the countless phantom lights sealed and circled within the palace.

"Haha, hahahaha, hahahahahaha!!!"

Wuyou Gong was overjoyed, dancing with joy, unable to restrain himself, looking fanatically at the palace shrouded in phantom light, as if he could feel the call of the Imperial Seal.

The authority of the tower was already close at hand!

It’s just...

In that instant, amidst the burning of the fierce fire, the shaking of the Rift Realm, and the collapse of the city, it seemed as if other sounds had rung out.

Vaguely, and far away.

In the thick smoke and firelight, so elusive.

It was like a low humming sound, echoing in the fire and ruins,

Behind, amidst those gradually collapsing buildings and dancing fierce flames, countless illusions and traces rose again.

As if a blurred figure walked by slowly, strolling in a leisurely courtyard, and focused, behind, one huge shadow after another manifested from the thick smoke.

As if the burned-out souls were leading the monsters to patrol in their own hell.

Looking back disdainfully, he glanced at him and disappeared into the fierce flames again.

The footsteps went far away.

What exactly... was that?

Clearly just one of countless illusions, yet it made Wuyou Gong’s heart sink slightly, his heart contracted instantly, but no matter how he looked for it, he couldn't see it clearly.

And there was no time to care.

Now the top priority was...

Pop!

The moment he turned back, his heart suddenly turned cold.

The blade pierced into his heart, then, the poison of the Corroded Scale spread from the spiritual quality, instantly, filling the soul, reaching everything.

A stab planned for a long time!

"It’s you..."

Wuyou Gong’s body shook, his pupils contracted instantly, staring dead at that face covered in bandages.

Xie He!