Chapter 697: Where the Hùn Dùn Lóng Zhǔ Fell?

Just as the Nine Heavens Dragon Emperor's words fell, the surroundings fell into Dead Silence.

Ye Wuque's heart and spirit suddenly stirred, and the calm on his face was instantly shattered.

He clearly felt that the golden, radiant Great Dragon Halberd he bore suddenly emitted an extremely clear, intensely overwhelming sorrow.

The emotion was deep and mournful, filled with endless longing and unwillingness, as if a being crucial to the Great Dragon Halberd, blood‑bound to it, had forever fallen on this Dark Main Path, leaving not even a Remnant Soul, causing the weapon to generate such intense grief.

This Great Dragon Halberd, having accompanied Ye Wuque through countless journeys and countless life‑and‑death battles, had long been in sync with his heart and soul.

Their connection was beyond others' comprehension; this halberd was the one Ye Wuque happened upon during his exploration of the Tongtian Divine Tomb under the Forbidden Starry Sky, and after many trials it willingly recognized him as its master, thereafter accompanying him in campaigns across the Zhutian.

At this moment, the emotion emitted by the Great Dragon Halberd was extraordinarily genuine and intense, far surpassing any before; Ye Wuque naturally captured it with perfect clarity, without the slightest error.

Ye Wuque's Dark Eye suddenly hardened, a flash of surprise crossing it, then a heavy sense of gravity and inquiry rose; he lifted his hand to gently grasp the halberd's shaft, feeling the continuous sorrowful waves from the weapon, and his mind instantly flashed with all memories of this great halberd.

This Great Dragon Halberd was once the personal armament of the human ancestor—Hùn Dùn Lóng Zhǔ—who was famed across the Zhutian and revered by ten thousand spirits!

This Great Dragon Halberd once followed the Hùn Dùn Lóng Zhǔ in campaigns across the Nine Heavens Ten Earths and the Zhutian Wanjie, slaying demons, sweeping away foes, forging an invincible reputation, becoming a legendary Divine Weapon revered by all in the Zhutian Wanjie.

Later, the Hùn Dùn Lóng Zhǔ attained the pinnacle of cultivation, reaching the summit of the Zhutian, and to protect the endless beings of the Zhutian Wanjie and to block the arrival of the Inauspicious Cataclysm, he resolutely entered this nine‑in‑ten death No Return Path, single‑handedly confronting the Inauspicious Clan, forging a great achievement that rang through the heavens.

When Endless Darkness and despair fell upon the Zhutian, and ten thousand spirits trembled without refuge, he stepped forward, plunged into the Dajie Shenchu, fought his way through cataclysmic battles, slaying endless Inauspicious foes, using his life and cultivation to safeguard the peace of the Zhutian mortals, achieving unparalleled great deeds for all beings of the Zhutian Wanjie.

Yet at this moment, the Great Dragon Halberd that had accompanied the Hùn Dùn Lóng Zhǔ throughout his life emitted such intense sorrow before this Dark Main Path, and its intensity was something Ye Wuque had never felt before, never experiencing such a strong emotional surge.

A bold and heavy thought instantly surfaced in Ye Wuque's mind.

Could it be that…

Ye Wuque's spirit trembled greatly, silently speculating: could it be that the Hùn Dùn Lóng Zhǔ had, long ago, stepped onto this Dark Main Path, waged a cataclysmic war against the Dark Clan, and ultimately fell within this Dark Main Path, never emerging again?

Before endless ages passed, the Hùn Dùn Lóng Zhǔ had slain into the unimaginable Dajie Shenchu, and after stepping onto the No Return Path, never returned, with no word, so the beings of the Zhutian Wanjie generally believed that the Hùn Dùn Lóng Zhǔ had most likely fallen, sacrificing himself.

Later, the Great Dragon Halberd shattered and fell into the Forbidden Starry Sky, where Ye Wuque obtained it; this fact undeniably further substantiates the speculation of the Hùn Dùn Lóng Zhǔ's fall, for the bond between the Hùn Dùn Lóng Zhǔ and the Great Dragon Halberd had always been inseparable—weapon and master together—unless the Lord fell, causing the halberd to lose its master and break, ending up in this state.

Thinking of this, Ye Wuque's intuition grew clearer; he was absolutely certain that deep within the Dark Main Path lay the very place the Hùn Dùn Lóng Zhǔ once entered and ultimately rested, which undeniably meant that this Dark Main Path harbored endless danger and unimaginable terror—so much so that even a peerless powerhouse like the Hùn Dùn Lóng Zhǔ seemed to have fallen there, attesting to its peril.

Even though Ye Wuque's disposition is steadfast, having endured countless life‑and‑death battles without ever retreating, a trace of heaviness inevitably rose in his heart now; yet this heaviness did not turn into fear, but instead became an even firmer conviction.

Even a peerless sage like the Hùn Dùn Lóng Zhǔ seemed to have fallen here; the horror of this Dark Main Path needs no further words.

Yet, even knowing the road ahead is a nine‑in‑ten death path, even knowing it hides a terrifying scheme capable of erasing the Heavenly Dao Supreme, would Ye Wuque ever be afraid or retreat?

Within the Zhutian Wanjie, countless senior sages such as Ye Shizu, Jiang Clan ancestor Jiang Tianyan, Tianling Laozu, the Great Thousand Divine Universe's ruler, and others have, for the great cause of the masses, unflinchingly stepped onto the No Return Path, sacrificing themselves without regret.

He, Ye Wuque, as a junior, inheriting the sages' will, could not fall behind anyone.

Even if this Dark Main Path truly is a one‑way dead end, even if it ultimately ends in No Return, Ye Wuque will still venture in, to explore to the end!

Now, with the speculation that the Hùn Dùn Lóng Zhǔ may have fallen on this Dark Main Path, another reason to step in has arisen in Ye Wuque's heart.

He intends to uncover the truth of the Hùn Dùn Lóng Zhǔ's fall, retrieve the last traces of the sages, fulfill their unfinished mission, and thwart the havoc of the Dark Clan.

Ye Wuque's gaze, from the initial gravity, gradually became exceedingly resolute, his Dark Eye clear and exuding unwavering determination; he turned to the Nine Heavens Dragon Emperor beside him, his voice steady and strong, without a hint of fear, and asked, "How about it, senior? Are you ready?"

The Nine Heavens Dragon Emperor, hearing this, looked up at Ye Wuque, saw his steadfast eyes, felt a surge of heroism; the solemnity on his face eased a bit, he raised his head and let out a booming laugh, bright and resonant, breaking the surrounding oppressive atmosphere, his voice like a great bell as he said:

"Hahaha! Since Ye Xiaoyou has already decided, with no hesitation, how could I possibly retreat? This Dark Main Path, even if it is a world‑ending abyss, I, today, will forge ahead!"

The two exchanged smiles, their gazes meeting; no words were needed, their convictions already aligned, both filled with steadfastness and persistence, without any hesitation or regret.

Then, the two no longer hesitated, inhaled deeply together, their auras circulating to the limit, fully prepared, and stepped forward in unison toward the Dark Main Path before them, which symbolized infinite terror and the Dark Source.

This step, seemingly ordinary, crossed the boundary of life and death, entering the timeless forbidden land; they officially stepped into… the Dark Main Path, one of the ten apocalyptic core routes of the No Return Path!