Chapter 2751: Breaking the Shackles of the Abyss

Hurry up and wake up—I can't be trapped in this terrible dream!

The Earth Mother strained hard, the chains clanging loudly, as if they were about to snap.

With its current strength, forcibly breaking the ancient seal might not be impossible.

But just then, a face suddenly appeared above the fissure, blocking the blue sky and white clouds.

A person stood at the edge of the fissure looking down, locking eyes with the Earth Mother.

That face, that face… so familiar.

Upon seeing him, the Earth Mother let out a thunderous roar:

"Shangguan Biao!"

This is completely, utterly a dream—just like the old nightmare!

Not only is there Changfeng Valley, not only the contract's seal, but even Shangguan Biao has appeared!

In the Earth Mother's memory, there are several versions of Shangguan Biao: the youth who visited it, the young man who tried to heal it with Wind Dew Golden Lotus, and the later ruthless demon lord.

The Shangguan Biao above the fissure now mimics the youth's posture exactly, but his face is that of a man in his thirties, his gaze toward the Earth Mother carrying the later coldness and calculation.

Yes, it matches the Shangguan Biao it hates most in memory, without the slightest difference.

"As expected, you should have been locked away here forever." Shangguan Biao smirked, each word cutting deep, "You have such immense power, yet Changfeng Valley uses you as a watchdog. Only with your Stone Heart in my hand can it truly shine."

"You're already dead." The Earth Mother glared at him, "This is just a dream!"

I personally witnessed the Nine Abysses Great Emperor kill him!

"Of course I'm dead." Shangguan Biao raised his eyebrows, speaking with a sinister tone, "Liu Yisheng schemed against me, and I died at the Dan Yan Pavilion in the Lei Ting Heavenly Wilds—have you forgotten?"

The Earth Mother's heart gave a sudden jolt.

All of this happened thousands of years ago. Though Shangguan Biao seemed to die in the Lei Ting Heavenly Wilds, he actually used the Wind Dew Golden Lotus and the Flowing Light Secret Realm to quietly trap the Earth Mother's soul, then took over her body, slaughtered Changfeng Valley, and began wreaking havoc upon the world.

Shangguan Biao died long ago, yet even after death he could still stir up storms, perfectly embodying what it means for "calamity to linger for a thousand years."

What does he mean by saying this now?

Has he once again escaped certain death? Did the Nine Abysses Great Emperor still fail to kill him?

"What kind of nightmare are you, daring to use Shangguan Biao's shell to scheme against me?" the Earth Mother retorted, not one to be trifled with, "He's long been dead by the Nine Abysses Great Emperor's hand!"

I've already reclaimed the Stone Heart—this is the best proof!

"Fine, if you say it is, then it is." Shangguan Biao shrugged, looking utterly indifferent, "Normally, people aren't foolish enough to fall into the same trap twice. Fortunately, you're not human."

"What do you mean?" the Earth Mother said, already nearly crawling to the fissure's entrance, reaching out to grab him.

Even if it's just a dream, I don't want to see this thing strutting arrogantly before me.

"You've let your guard down. I've waited over three years just for this moment." Shangguan Biao's smile, to the Earth Mother, looked like that of a demon, "Let me borrow your body once more."

Then he pointed at the Earth Mother and shouted loudly:

"Retreat!"

The Earth Mother's forepaw was nearly outside the fissure, just a little more and it could reach into the sunlight above—but as Shangguan Biao's words fell, the chains on its body jerked violently, dragging it hard back into the depths!

The force was immense, far greater than before; the Earth Mother was pulled back seven or eight zhang, countless rocks clattering down into the abyss with it.

The distance between it and Shangguan Biao suddenly widened, but the sneer on his face, reflected in its eyes, became all the more distinct.

This pulling force was exactly like the chains Shangguan Biao once used to bind it in the Void of Nothingness!

Thinking of this, the Earth Mother flared with rage, blazing furiously as it surged toward the surface again.

Sure enough, as it neared the surface, that force erupted again from behind, violently dragging it downward.

The Earth Mother roared in anger, straining with all its might—but the underground power was too strong, still inch by inch pulling it back.

"Let me be honest with you," Shangguan Biao said, hands behind his back, speaking lightly, "this place is still my Void of Nothingness. Give up this pointless struggle and let me have your body again."

These words were nothing short of a replay of the Earth Mother's nightmare, stirring in its heart the deepest fear!

Shangguan Biao extended his index finger, wagging it back and forth: "Don't bring suffering upon yourself—you can't get out."

Above, the blue sky and white clouds were peaceful; below, utter darkness, a bottomless abyss. Though the Earth Mother was born of the earth's core, it now longed intensely for the world of light above—

The freedom it had suffered so much to win must not be taken from it again by Shangguan Biao!

Red light flared in the Earth Mother's eyes; its rocky body rapidly swelled, fingers digging deep into the stone wall, nearly merging with the surroundings. The chains strained desperately to pull back, tearing chunk after chunk of stone from its arms, but the Earth Mother stood firm, stepping steadily upward.

It must break free—this time, even without the Nine Abysses Great Emperor's help, it will break out of Shangguan Biao's Void of Nothingness!

Once again, it drew near the fissure's mouth.

Shangguan Biao couldn't help but retreat a few steps.

"How is this possible?" his astonishment and fear plainly visible, "You shouldn't be able to crawl out!"

"So you can die again!" the Earth Mother's deep, muffled roar echoed through this small world, "Your Void of Nothingness shall never trap me again!"

Before, it had slept for thousands of years in Shangguan Biao's void world, deceived by the Wind Dew Golden Lotus, utterly unaware of its predicament.

Now, with a clear goal and a clear mind, it is absolutely impossible for Shangguan Biao to trap it again!

Finally, its forepaw pressed against the fissure's exit—just half a foot away bloomed a small purple flower.

The abyss's power dragged it back with all its might, as if a faint, elusive voice whispered in its ear:

"Don't go……danger……"

Given that this is Shangguan Biao's Void of Nothingness, such soul-tempting words—how could the Earth Mother possibly heed them?

"Break—open!" it roared, summoning all its strength to leap upward, regardless of how many stones were torn from its body.

At last, the chains snapped inch by inch, no longer able to bind it.

The whispering in its ears vanished; the Earth Mother leapt from the crack, soaring over ten zhang, and finally stood beneath the bright sunlight!

The world above teemed with flying bees and dancing butterflies, flowers in full bloom—this vibrant life stood in stark contrast to the dark, empty void below. But after leaping out, the Earth Mother looked left and right, and suddenly realized:

"This isn't Changfeng Valley!"

It knew exactly what Changfeng Valley's medicine fields looked like, but here there was no signature five-clawed locust tree, no row of small houses, nor any neatly arranged medicine fields.

This is just an uninhabited valley, overgrown with purple alfalfa, which under the blue sky and white clouds looks like a beautiful purple dream.

What place is this?

It steadied itself, then strode forward toward Shangguan Biao.

No matter what twists and turns arise, first kill this guy — that's the right way. This is what is meant by myriad changes never departing from the root!