Chapter 1397: I Refuse

I Refuse

The instant the pillar of fire shot into the sky, the Calamity of Taboo, the Calamity of Corruption, and the Calamity of Delusion froze simultaneously.

Even as the three great World-Ending Calamities, they hadn't caught Chen Ling's movements just now. They didn't even have the slightest perception of the ocean instantly turning into a pillar of fire... It was as if Chen Ling had assumed a posture far beyond their comprehension to reversely take control of this world!

"Mockery... why... can you also... control... your world?"

The three great World-Ending Calamities seemed to realize something, simultaneously looking at Thought Calamity floating in the air in the distance.

Thought Calamity's storm floated quietly in the air, seemingly unsurprised by Chen Ling's counterattack. In fact, seeing the other World-Ending Calamities just as shocked as it had been before, it felt quite a bit more psychologically balanced.

It had known since last time that Chen Ling could inexplicably use Thought Storm. In this world built from thoughts, it was not the sole ruler...

Chen Ling also possessed the authority to control this place.

Above the raging inferno, the great crimson theatrical robe fluttered silently.

With Chen Ling's vigilance, especially since he also possessed Thought Storm, how could he not notice Thought Calamity dragging his consciousness here... From the instant the Thought Storm appeared in the underground palace, Chen Ling had actually already woken up. However, he didn't react because he wanted to see exactly what tricks Thought Calamity was trying to pull.

The skeletal giant wings in the sea of fire extended outwards and flapped forcefully, the ensuing hurricane directly extinguishing the raging sea of fire below!

Cessation Calamity's wind tunnel pupils glared furiously at Chen Ling in the air, seemingly wishing it could tear him into ten thousand pieces. Just as it prepared to take to the air and have a massive fight with Chen Ling, Thought Calamity's intent sounded within the minds of all the World-Ending Calamities:

"Enough... Calling you all over... wasn't for infighting... Do you... still want to occupy the Human Domains or not?"

Cessation Calamity's raised giant wings stalled in mid-air. After hesitating for a moment, it still lowered them for the time being...

However, its gaze toward Chen Ling remained filled with chilling killing intent.

Chen Ling shot it a cool glance and casually took a step forward. His figure directly vanished, returning to the sea area where he originally was the next second.

Compared to the body sizes of the other great World-Ending Calamities, Chen Ling appeared insignificant and flimsy, but he didn't care. With a light snap of his fingers, that ferocious black throne from the underground palace manifested out of thin air.

The great crimson theatrical robe billowed in the wind as Chen Ling leisurely sat upon it. Resting one hand lightly on the throne and propping his chin with the other, his scarlet, mocking pupils emitted a heart-palpitating oppressive aura. He calmly gazed at the five great World-Ending Calamities before him. Despite the massive size difference, his aura didn't lose out in the slightest!

[Scarlet Master of the Ghastly Mocking Abyss, Formless King Who Mocks Fate]

—Calamity of Mockery, Chen Ling.

"Speak, what did you bring me here for?" Chen Ling spoke coolly.

"The Red Star... is returning... soon." Thought Calamity's thoughts sounded in the minds of all the World-Ending Calamities. "The war of attrition with the Human Domains... it is time for it to end... The decisive battle... is about to begin..."

Upon the throne, Chen Ling's eyes narrowed slightly.

A World-Ending Meeting, huh...

Interesting.

He had just finished organizing the joint meeting of humanity's Nine Monarchs, only to immediately be dragged into the decisive battle meeting of the World-Ending Calamities. His identity was constantly bouncing back and forth between savior and world-ender... He could only say that fate was truly marvelous and inexplicable.

However, come to think of it, it made sense. With only a few days left until the Red Star's Return, if these World-Ending Calamities wanted to leave the Gray World and use the last few major domains of Earth to preserve themselves and their subordinates, then right now was the best opportunity.

After months of attrition warfare, the combat power of humanity's major domains had long been worn away to almost nothing. As long as all the World-Ending Calamities launched an attack simultaneously, they could sound the horn for the decisive battle. Moreover, according to Chen Ling's judgment, the current Human Domains had almost no ability to fight back.

This was a true "world-ending" meeting.

Chen Ling originally planned to listen to Thought Calamity's deployment for this decisive battle. To be honest, he was still quite curious about Thought Calamity's intelligence. He wanted to see exactly how high a calamity's intellect could be... At the same time, he also wanted to see if he could coax out any useful intel that he could secretly relay to Jian Changsheng and the others via a remote Thought Storm.

However, Chen Ling was quickly disappointed.

He didn't know if Thought Calamity was deliberately avoiding him, but Thought Calamity was "connecting" individually with every other World-Ending Calamity within their minds. It was like a massive behind-the-scenes hand, silently directing the actions of all the World-Ending Calamities, ensuring that each one only knew what it had to do and remained entirely ignorant of the actions of the others.

One had to know what kind of existence every World-Ending Calamity was. They could actually trust Thought Calamity and allow it to command them?

Just how exactly did this fellow, Thought Calamity, brainwash them?

"Thought Calamity, what is the meaning of this?" Chen Ling spoke coldly. "Scheming in the dark on your own, yet refusing to tell us the situation? Are you really treating us as chess pieces? Doing it this way, what if one of us is used by you as bait or a discarded pawn?"

Since Chen Ling was here, he naturally couldn't let Thought Calamity proceed so smoothly. He deliberately threw out this question specifically to test the relationship between the several great World-Ending Calamities.

Thought Calamity's gaze turned toward him, and immediately after, a thought sounded in the minds of all the calamities:

"Why am I not making the plan public... Can't... you guess?"

Chen Ling's brows furrowed slightly:

"You're suspecting me."

"That's right... you are just a madman... No one knows... when a madman will go crazy. This concerns the survival of all the calamity territories... You can ask the other World-Ending Calamities... do they need me to make the plan public? You can ask them... do they trust you?"

Chen Ling swept his gaze over the other World-Ending Calamities. They were similarly looking at him, but not a single World-Ending Calamity was willing to trust Chen Ling.

Tsk...

The previous Calamity of Mockery truly committed some grave sins, to actually ruin its reputation to this extent?

"If you don't trust me, why did you have me come over?" Chen Ling retorted.

"Whether I trust you or not... you... are ultimately one of us." Thought Calamity paused for a moment. "Your subordinates... need a new habitat... and we... also need your power..."

"Oh?" Upon the throne, Chen Ling raised an eyebrow slightly. "What do you need me to do?"

"Of humanity's five great domains... there is still one left unresolved..."

"You mean..."

"We need you... need the Ghost Mockery Abyss... to destroy the Spirit Void Domain." The storm continuously drew closer before Chen Ling's eyes, and Thought Calamity's pair of pupils stared straight at him. "Destroy the Spirit Void Domain... control the Lord of Spirit Void... That domain... will become the new territory of the Ghost Mockery Abyss."

The storm churned in front of Chen Ling, and the great crimson theatrical robe upon the throne fluttered wildly. Chen Ling's scarlet pupils gazed at it for a long time before he let out a light, cold sneer:

"I... refuse."