Chapter 24

One can escape for a moment, but not forever.

The Curse Department struck out, dooming all enemies who had luckily survived the previous battle.

As the Great Yi said—

Those who offend the Wu Clan, though far, shall be punished!

Even if one goes to heaven or enters earth, they cannot escape death.

The means they used are precisely the strange and mysterious witchcraft of curses.

Either resonating with the spirits of heaven and earth, or driving nameless ghosts and gods, they unleash Absolute Kill strikes from a higher, more hidden level, possessing the traits of beyond-visual-range and indefensible.

In later ages, when people mention curses, they inevitably think of 'wu', not without basis.

The Wu Clan's innate nature stems from Pangu's bloodline that opened heaven and earth, closely tied to this Honghuang universe; what other beings could more easily summon that Pangu, that heaven-and-earth spirituality?

Thus the art of curses has become a major trait of this clan.

Drawing a circle, cursing enemies to death beyond the myriad heavens, that's all routine operation.

When cultivation reaches its peak, one can surely match or even surpass the terrifying, weird godly ability of the 'Seven Arrow Nail-Head Book'; even Great Luo-level powerhouses must fear it, lest a careless mistake destroy one's lifelong fame, kneeling without knowing why.

——like some wealth deity.

The Way of Curses is not an heretical side path; it also directly points to the ultimate method.

After all, even a certain Saint hides such a bottom-of-the-box treasure, called the 'Six Soul Banner'; after the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation was broken and he suffered a society's beating, he quietly set it up, hoping to give the opponent a harsh blow at the decisive battle.

Of course, this method's means are strange and easy to learn, yet extremely powerful, but not without hidden dangers.

Either it's easy to make operational mistakes and suffer backlash; or one directly summons an evil ghost or strange god that cannot be restrained……The rules to follow in this study are many, its difficulty not sparing dealing with devils.

Moreover, even for the Wu Clan, if one investigates to the root and eliminates all hidden dangers from operational mistakes, it is an orthodox, couldn't-be-more-orthodox method that points directly to the source of heaven and earth—Pangu, yet there is a barrier almost impossible to cross.

——contaminating the higher level, eventually one will be assimilated, ultimately losing self, soul becoming Dao, sinking into heaven and earth.

However, this is not absolute.

As long as one's spirit and will are firm, brilliant, vast and grand, able to stand shoulder to shoulder with Pangu and contend, one can naturally withdraw intact.

Heaven and earth are born together with me, and all things are one with me.

Upon reaching the realm of non-existence, 'no-self' is not 'loss of self'……I am like all things, all things are like me.

Achieving that supreme spiritual realm, I dream of Pangu, Pangu dreams of me; mentally realizing great fulfillment, great transcendence, great liberation, all calamities will become trivial.

But such peerless talents, considering endless ages, how many could appear?

……

One curse wiped out ten thousand spirit empresses; the manifestation of Pangu's eye between heaven and earth finally dispersed.

The Grand Witch Commander of the Curse Department reported to Di Jiang Zu Wu: 'Ancestor Wu, the invaders have been exterminated!'

'I already know.' Di Jiang slightly nodded, his eyes deep and distant: 'The merits to be recorded shall be given to the lads who fought……They did well.'

'After this diplomatic mission ends and we return to Buzhou, we shall then discuss rewards for merit.'

'Yes, sir!' The Grand Witch slightly bowed, accepting the order.

'The lads' performance was splendid; as an onlooker I am very satisfied.' Di Jiang Zu Wu said to himself, 'My hot blood is somewhat boiling, I want to move my muscles and bones.'

'Just right, there is a very good target worthy of me using it as a test.'

This ancestor witch slowly rose to his feet, a world-overwhelming aura spreading, shaking the vast universe.

'Friend in the void, what else are you hiding?'

'Come out and exchange a couple moves with me……Isn't that exactly in line with your purpose for this trip?'

Di Jiang's countenance turned stern, his usual gentleness gone, replaced by a hint of killing intent showing.

'Dispatching armies of demon spirits and strange monsters to attack, the purpose is to gauge our Wu Clan's regular military strength and also our command of battle tactics.'

'And you, this lurking Great Luo, want a chance to peek at the strength of the peak existence of us two ancestor witches and the Wu Clan, right?'

'The former, I have already satisfied you, soldier against soldier; now the latter I also fulfill for you—it shall be king meets king!'

'I fear you……cannot bear it!'

Di Jiang raised a palm, slowly yet powerfully pressing forward.

'Boom!'

An unparalleled surge, shaking heaven and earth.

Fengxi stared wide-eyed, the direction that Di Jiang's palm faced began to collapse the endless distant void, wanting to shift from a three‑dimensional world to a two‑dimensional one.

It twisted the rules, forcibly lowering spatial dimension; the ancestor witch himself instead became the supreme, greatest omniscient ruler, his thoughts determining order, his will dictating outcomes.

The universe's common sense was changing; the vast expanse in Fengxi's eyes shifted, all color faded, the surrounding scene seeming to become a black‑white photograph, becoming history and others' collection.

Great Luo beings, standing at that height, are already at the ultimate of the Great Dao……Thus their battles have long departed from simple divine ability and power, turning into a contest of 'knowledge' and 'capability'.

Because no divine ability is truly flawless; ultimately there exists a method to restrain and break it—as long as your wisdom is profound enough, what you know and can do exceeds the opponent's!

Omniscience is omnipotence!

Thus in the slaughter and duel, each contends for this domain……No one dares to easily let go, letting the enemy seize the initiative.

'Hum!'

The Great Luo hidden in the dark, when Di Jiang Zu Wu acts, is destined to no longer be able to remain concealed.

Then a sheet of darkness, an endless expanse of darkness, began to surge.

The darkness, flowing in the space where Di Jiang Zu Wu lowered dimensions, is that vast, that deep, like endless variables converging into an information black hole, flowing with change and the unknown.

It blocks Di Jiang Zu Wu's observation, resisting the rule's suppression……At the same time there is a mysterious fluctuation, resonating with the transcendent essence that is omnipresent in boundless spacetime.

Relying on that resonance, the information black hole frenziedly expanded; countless complex laws and principles combined, constructing divine abilities, sweeping away Di Jiang's delicate precise Dao domain, the ultimate intricate chaotic theme, ultimately turning into a sheet of Chaos that permeates here.

Chaos——the great enemy of order!

Using Chaos to wash away the rules the enemy set, pulling the opponent to the same starting line as oneself.

Then within that Chaos, a strange bolt of lightning flashed, evolving the scene of heaven opening and earth parting, transforming Chaos into heaven and earth—the heaven and earth controlled by the lurking Great Luo's own will!

Next, this gloomy, dark expanse of the universe unfolded, swallowing back toward Emperor River!

(End of chapter)