Chapter 1366: (End)

Time flows on.

Eastern Wanggu has passed three hundred years.

In these three hundred years, Eastern Wanggu has been peaceful, and there is no longer any anomaly between heaven and earth, while the spirits of Eastern Wanggu, three hundred years ago, with Xu Qing's return, mostly chose to depart.

Few remain.

After the God Sovereign's disappearance, the divine spirit system in the entire Ninth Star Ring has dissipated.

Only the Upper Wasteland remains.

It still hangs high above Eastern Wanggu, that complete face, forever closed-eyed.

As for the acquaintances familiar to Xu Qing, in these three hundred years, they each have their own opportunities and fortunes; among them, Seventh Uncle, due to the special nature of his cultivation method and having reached the end of his own cultivation, chose, as before...

to re-enter reincarnation.

Only this time, he did not enter Eastern Wanggu's reincarnation.

He went to the Thick Earth, to be reborn in the Thick Earth.

This is his Dao.

After making this decision, he told Xu Qing.

"We will meet again in the future."

Xu Qing would not stop him; after silently nodding, he personally escorted Seventh Uncle to the Thick Earth, watching him dissipate in the Thick Earth Star Ring, and he bowed deeply.

Afterwards, Xu Qing went to the Radiant Heaven.

There, he gazed upon the still-sleeping eldest senior brother.

With Xu Qing's current cultivation and experience, he has, to some extent, a direction regarding the eldest senior brother's origin.

"Unrelated to the primordial mother star, eldest senior brother... should be related to the divine umbilicus."

Xu Qing spoke softly, turned, and left the Radiant Heaven, returning to Mount Zhaoxia.

Continuing his three-hundred-year realm advancement.

The Immortal Venerable realm, for Xu Qing, has already been touched.

The fusion of the twin stars can achieve true unity, and is also the path of the Immortal Venerable.

But the required time is immeasurably long.

However, Xu Qing is not in a hurry.

Even this cultivation, he is not completely immersed in it, but with a calm heart, silently experiences life, sharing the passage of time with Immortal Zixuan, through spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

Year after year.

One day, after some years.

On Mount Zhaoxia, Xu Qing was smiling as he listened to Immortal Zixuan recount their past encounter, when suddenly his heart stirred, he lifted his head and gazed toward the azure sky.

In the next instant, he was still on Mount Zhaoxia, but another him had already appeared above the firmament, appearing before that lofty Upper Wasteland face.

Gazing at the closed-eyed Upper Wasteland, Xu Qing sat cross-legged, silently waiting.

Until after dozens of breaths...

This Upper Wasteland, motionless for a thousand years, its eyes... slowly opened!

No longer as before, one eye scarlet, one eye void.

In the opened eyes, clarity shone, gazing at Xu Qing.

"You have awakened."

Xu Qing spoke calmly.

The Upper Wasteland fell silent; after a long while, the entire Eastern Wanggu transmitted a heaven-shaking roar.

If at this moment, from the starry sky beyond Eastern Wanggu, one looked toward Eastern Wanggu, one could clearly see the Upper Wasteland like a centipede, coiling the entire Eastern Wanggu's spine, and now it was actually unfolding!

In an instant, it completely unfolded, no longer coiling, but while unfolding, rapidly shrinking.

Together with the Upper Wasteland's complete face!

Everything, in an instant, seemed to vanish!

On this day, at this moment, all beings of Eastern Wanggu had their hearts and spirits tumultuous to the extreme.

Because, in the memories of their ancestors generation after generation, the残面 hanging in the天际, had disappeared!

And in the firmament above, before Xu Qing, a figure appeared.

Clad in a black long robe, with black long hair, sitting cross-legged before Xu Qing, he raised his head, revealing a face similar to Xu Qing's.

"These ages, my appearance has brought trouble to you and your world; this is the karmic fire of my destiny, and it will accompany my destiny, always existing."

"Therefore, on the day I become a god, I make a divine vow... all living beings who perished because of me will, in the future, shine brightly together with me!"

This figure spoke softly.

Xu Qing gazed deeply at the figure before him.

"Should I call you Prince Ziqing, or Upper Wasteland?"

"I also do not know who I am; I may be the Upper Wasteland, or I may be Prince Ziqing, or more likely, a fusion of both consciousnesses, but I prefer the name Prince Ziqing."

Prince Ziqing looked at Xu Qing and smiled.

"Then, can you now tell me of my origin?"

Xu Qing asked calmly.

A hint of profundity appeared in Prince Ziqing's eyes.

"Do you truly wish to know?"

Xu Qing nodded.

Prince Ziqing fell silent; after a long while, he raised his head, gazing toward the distant void.

His voice seemed to come from the ages, echoing in Xu Qing's ears.

Your fusion has reached its end, perhaps you can complete the final step of the celestial ring ascension at any moment.

Whether it is a god venerable or the path of immortal venerable you walk, there is actually no distinction of before and after realms, only the strength of the perceived authority, to a certain extent... once reached, it is reached.

This is the limit of ascension.

But not the limit for us and many predecessors; according to the most primitive records of the strange realm, after our realm, there still exists a higher level.

The strange realm calls it... strange brightness.

And now ascension calls it god brightness.

As for you cultivators, in the future you also have a special name for it, called the vast and unfathomable, which is also the embodiment of the Dao.

Saying this, Prince Ziqing withdrew his gaze from the distance and landed it on Xu Qing.

Xu Qing looked at Prince Ziqing, thoughtful, and slowly spoke.

To reach the level you speak of, the only way is to leave ascension and walk the god umbilical cord!

Prince Ziqing, upon hearing this, nodded.

The name god umbilical cord originates from the strange realm; in the era when the strange realm occupied that place, it was called the strange umbilical cord.

It is the only way to leave ascension; walking that path allows one to pursue a higher realm.

And when I was in the god umbilical cord back then, I walked to the deepest part...

This process was also my advancement, or rather, every one who walks the god umbilical cord begins their own advancement at the moment they step onto it.

If someone can completely walk out, they can become a god.

And I am only one step away.

Prince Ziqing sighed lightly.

Does it have to do with me? Xu Qing suddenly spoke.

Prince Ziqing's gaze became even deeper, and he slowly nodded.

In the deepest part of the god umbilical cord, I saw a long corridor, with many doors there, each door representing a god venerable or a strange venerable!

In this world, the more venerables there are, the more doors there will be there.

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing's eyes narrowed.

Prince Ziqing's voice continued.

On the door, carve one's own name, push the door open, walk out... then one can truly advance.

And at the end of that long corridor, there still exists a chair, upon which... sits a person, in his hand holding a purple crystal, beside him accompanying are a female skeleton and a withered blue worm, all long dead.

He sits there alone, his body emanating antiquity, as if traceable to the strange realm... I do not know who he is, but at the moment I saw him, two words appeared in my mind: Gate Master!

He was on the brink of death, and I was at my peak; he blocked me from carving my name, so we engaged in a life-and-death battle!

In that battle, I lost, leaving only my残体 to escape back, and he also did not truly win...

Because he坐化 in the deepest part of the god umbilical cord.

And before his坐化, through my returning power, he sent out a possibility.

Even now when I recall, his blocking me might be because he himself had already reached the end before me, and my appearance gave him hope, so after my defeat, he did not slay me but deliberately let me go, in order to... take away his possibility.

That possibility merged with my possibility, and thus together they went to the primordial mother star of Huangtian.

And then, became you.

Prince Ziqing looked at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing remained silent; these words stirred ripples in his heart.

He thought of his purple crystal, thought of the long corridor deep in his soul, thought of that chair...

Most importantly, the female skeleton and blue worm mentioned by Prince Ziqing...

After a long while...

Prince Ziqing stood up.

Since I have awakened, I must continue walking the god umbilical cord.

This time, no one will stop me, and you... will you see me off?

Prince Ziqing spoke with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing slowly nodded.

The god umbilical cord can exist anywhere in the celestial ring.

But to open it, one needs the self-opening of the ascension will.

This opening is unwilling for the ascension will.

But for Prince Ziqing, this is not a problem; when he chose to walk the god umbilical cord in the eighth celestial ring, the will of the eighth celestial ring, in the midst of trembling, actively opened itself for him.

Releasing a great vortex.

That is the entrance of the god umbilical cord.

And Prince Ziqing's departure was not concealed by him, so on the day he left... all the god venerables of the entire celestial ring appeared.

Including the giant beast and the black tower.

They understood that if the upper wilderness wished to act, their coming or not coming would be the same outcome; thus... it is better to face it openly.

Among them were also the immortal venerable of the fifth celestial ring and Bai Dashi beside him.

The two of them, together with all the god venerables, gazed at Prince Ziqing and gazed at Xu Qing.

Gazing at them, Prince Ziqing, who had walked to the entrance of the god umbilical cord, suddenly spoke.

Do you have anyone willing to walk with me?

As his voice sounded, all the god venerables around felt their hearts and spirits stirred.

The god venerables knew well the danger of the god umbilical cord, but this is the path to a higher level.

Those who can reach the realm of god venerable all have their own pursuits and ambitions.

If there is a possibility, they naturally would not be content to stop at their realm.

So, this is an opportunity!

In the end… some god venerables, due to their different needs and thoughts, chose to go together with Prince Ziqing into the divine umbilical cord.

But many more god venerables were not like that; they stood with Xu Qing and watched this departure.

Xu Qing's gaze remained on the divine umbilical cord's vortex until it vanished, then slowly withdrew.

He did not see the corridor that Prince Ziqing spoke of.

And the venerables also each went their separate ways.

Upon reaching the level of god venerable and immortal venerable, they would not easily make a move against each other, and the paths of spirit and cultivator, before the divine umbilical cord, seemed hardly significant.

However, the immortal venerable of the Fifth Star Ring and Master Bai, before departing, had some old talk with Xu Qing.

Afterwards, they returned to their respective star rings.

As for Xu Qing, he also returned to Mount Zhaoxia, continuing to listen to Immortal Zixuan recount the past events of how they met, his smile gentle.

……

Time, ceaselessly flowing.

Years, silently passing.

The story of time continues to unfold, one thing, one matter—new cultivators rise, old cultivators drink hatred.

Spirits are no different.

Cycles repeat, as if since ancient times, the trajectory has not changed much.

As for the divine umbilical cord, in the time that followed, it opened several more times.

Each time, some god venerables chose to depart, seeking the divine!

But no one knows whether Prince Ziqing and his companions from back then succeeded, nor whether those god venerables who later entered the divine umbilical cord are still alive.

Beyond ascent, it is like beyond time—unfathomable.

Until, this year.

March, the Awakening of Insects.

Chen Erniu woke up.

The moment he awoke, the entire Huangtian rang with thunder, the sound immense, accompanied by his heroic words and laughter, echoing through Eastern Wanggu.

"Little Ah Qing, your senior brother I have awakened; now I am far stronger than before—I'll deal with that whatever Prince Ziqing for you!"

"And the scarred face, I..."

Chen Erniu's expression was arrogant as he spoke, his body bursting through Huangtian and appearing in the sky above Lookout Wanggu, raising his hand to point at the heavens… where the scarred face had originally been.

But in the next instant, his eyes widened, his voice cut off, and he stared blankly at the empty sky.

After a while, he swiftly turned his head, his gaze scanning the sky in several circles…

"Eh… what's going on? Where's the scarred face?"

"Senior brother..."

Xu Qing's voice, as Chen Erniu stood bewildered, came from the void.

Then the sky rippled, Xu Qing appeared holding Immortal Zixuan's hand, smiling as he looked at Chen Erniu.

Chen Erniu stared blankly at Xu Qing, then sucked in a sharp breath.

On Xu Qing, he sensed an aura far surpassing that of a god lord—that aura…

"God venerable? Immortal venerable?"

"What… what is this situation? I slept one night, and everything changed… the scarred face in the sky is gone? Prince Ziqing is gone too? How did Little Ah Qing become a venerable?"

Chen Erniu was dazed.

Xu Qing smiled, his voice gentle.

"Senior brother, I have waited for you a long time; I wish to enter the divine umbilical cord—will you come with me?"

……

The divine umbilical cord, in this endless time, after Prince Ziqing departed years ago, opened for the seventh time.

This time, it opened in the Ninth Star Ring.

The immortal venerable and Master Bai came to see them off, but they did not choose to go.

Instead, they decided to remain in the Upper Star Ring.

Thus, outside the vortex entrance of the divine umbilical cord, Xu Qing brought Immortal Zixuan, and together with Chen Erniu, they stood there, gazing at the immortal venerable, gazing at Master Bai.

Master Bai nodded slightly.

"Do you still remember my words from back then? Heaven and earth are the inn for all things and beings; time is the traveler of ages past and present… back then, you saw me off; today, I see you off."

"As long as one does not die, we will meet again."

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing bowed deeply toward Master Bai.

Afterwards, he turned his head to look toward Eastern Wanggu.

Raising his hand, he scooped out from his memory the true spirits of countless people, including his own parents.

Having done this, his eyes showed resolve as he looked at Immortal Zixuan and Chen Erniu.

Immortal Zixuan gently nodded, being protected by Xu Qing.

And Chen Erniu transformed into a blue wriggling worm, lying on Xu Qing's shoulder, emitting cries.

"Let's go—it's just a broken umbilical cord; let's go in and see if there's anything good to eat!"

Hearing this, Xu Qing smiled, no longer hesitated, and stepped forward toward the vortex, taking the final step.

Stepping into the divine umbilical cord.

Pursuing a higher level……Emptiness!

"I don't know how many times this has been, but this time, I will definitely succeed!"

—

The ending.

Regarding the people of Eastern Wanggu, I wanted to write each of their stories more richly, but due to length, and also being accused of dragging the pacing, and my update frequency being one of the reasons.

So, regarding these people of Eastern Wanggu, please refer to the multiple postscripts after the conclusion.

I will write in detail in the postscripts, and set them as free chapters.