Chapter 1284: I Won't Be Fooled!

Chapter 1284: The Old Man Won't Fall for It!

At this moment, across countless universes of the Fourth Stellar Ring, all living beings and every divinity felt their souls tremble in divine unrest.

Since the Aurora Prince arrived at the Primordial Motherworld, only a single day had passed.

Yet within that day, events unfolded with such staggering force—a veritable tempest surging with unprecedented might, rippling through the entire Fourth Stellar Ring.

Temples crumbled to dust, deities withered like autumn leaves, divine realms lay in ruins, and even celestial dynasties were swept away in the violent tide.

This had already shaken the very foundations of the Fourth Stellar Ring!

Not to mention that within the Divine Path of the Fourth Stellar Ring, the true name of the Aurora Prince was eternally inscribed, while the fortune of the Fifth Stellar Ring was drawn in—a further collapse upon foundations already trembling.

One could only imagine: henceforth, the Divine Path of the Fourth Stellar Ring would no longer remain pure; the resurrection of deities would face interference; more terrifying still, the Aether of Immortal Spirits would manifest within the Fourth Stellar Ring itself!

The realm of existence was compressed from both within and without.

And yet...

There remained one crucial point...

Namely... the Divine Sovereign’s abandonment of the Fourth Stellar Ring and final departure!

He had forsaken all deities within the Fourth Stellar Ring, using them as vessels to absorb his own calamity, freeing himself of future peril, then choosing to enter the Umbilical Cord of Divinity.

Such an act dealt an immense blow to the deities of the Fourth Stellar Ring.

Thus, wails echoed from the Divine Path, reverberating through the souls of the remaining deities across the Fourth Stellar Ring now.

They lingered, refusing to fade.

In stark contrast stood the Fifth Stellar Ring.

Amidst surging fortunes, as the Aurora Prince ascended and returned, as the Fourth Stellar Ring was invaded, through this ebb and flow, all beings of the Fifth Stellar Ring were nourished in turn!

Its influence spread wider, its fortune denser.

And jubilation permeated the entire ring.

Truly, this war between the two stellar rings had, after these events, traversed ninety percent of its course, drawing near its end.

And the spoils... were immeasurable!

Henceforth, whether by absolute might or the very tier of the stellar rings, the Fourth Stellar Ring could never reverse its fate—only consumption awaited it.

And their time had become a countdown!

For the Immortal Sovereign’s decree of total occupation now spread across the ring at this very moment.

Every Immortal Lord who had entered the Fourth Stellar Ring held nothing back, unleashing full force against the Divine Lords.

Simultaneously, colossal gateways materialized in an instant, summoned by the Immortal Sovereign’s will at multiple locations within the Fourth Stellar Ring.

Legions of cultivator armies blazed forth from within.

They surged into the Fourth Stellar Ring!

A near one-sided war erupted across the very soil of the Fourth Stellar Ring.

Watching from the midair above the Primordial Motherworld, the Aurora Prince perceived each scene with crystalline clarity, knowing the grand design was sealed. He raised his right hand, plunging it deep into his chest.

He grasped the divine core that severed all karmic threads and wrenched it free.

As silver blood spilled forth, the divine core... was completely torn from the Aurora Prince’s grasp.

Holding it, the heavens and earth quaked; the essence of fate clung thickly to this artifact.

Sensing its weight, the Aurora Prince felt no hesitation.

He knew this karma was beyond his bearing.

According to the Immortal Sovereign, perhaps only two beings in all existence could shoulder such a burden.

One was Xu Qing.

The other, per the Immortal Sovereign’s plan, should have arrived during his own ascension—but for reasons unknown, remained unseen.

"Very well..."

The Aurora Prince’s gaze settled upon Xu Qing.

"Xu Qing, this object brings both boon and bane!"

"Of its origin, you are aware; thus, before that entity truly perishes, none within the upper stellar rings dare claim it."

"Yet it remains a supreme treasure!"

"Whether to take it or not is your choice. This is the second gift I prepare for you... my thanks."

Hearing this, Xu Qing’s eyes fixed upon the divine core in the Aurora Prince’s hand. He felt the profound connection binding it to himself.

Precisely, this bond resonated with his divine form.

Without delay, he nodded.

The Aurora Prince met Xu Qing’s eyes. With a sweep of his right hand, the divine core transformed into a beam of seven-colored light, streaking toward Xu Qing.

Xu Qing caught it. The moment it touched his palm, his spirit trembled, sensing the core’s vibrations with newfound intensity and clarity.

He felt the incomparable, terrifying power contained within.

As if... holding multiple stellar rings within his grasp.

"This divine core... my divine form upon Wanggu Continent should be able to contain it..."

Xu Qing drew a deep breath, securing the core carefully. He then surveyed the horizon, knowing this chapter here had closed.

"Now, will you remain within the Fourth Stellar Ring to join the final battle, or come with me? Perhaps there is a place you wish to go? I can see you there."

Above, the Aurora Prince spoke gently.

"I wish to return to the Left Wing Battlefield of the Fifth Stellar Ring."

Xu Qing considered, naming his desired destination.

He had not forgotten the Immortal Ascension Pill promised by the Zhanlu Immortal Lord.

Though now at the peak of Quasi-Immortal, lacking only comprehension of the Statutes, that pill... held great purpose for Xu Qing.

He wished to bring it back for Zi Xuan.

Hearing this, the Aurora Prince raised his hand. Instantly, the void rippled; fortune coalesced into a swirling vortex.

"Then... we shall meet in the Fifth Stellar Ring."

The Aurora Prince smiled.

Xu Qing nodded, bowed to the Linghuang Immortal Maiden beside him, then gazed outward, a tide of emotion rising within.

Scenes flashed through his mind, yet he stilled every ripple, leaving only his unwavering resolve to ascend as a Summer Immortal. His form blurred, rushing toward the vortex.

In an instant, he drew near, plunged within, and vanished.

He departed the Primordial Motherworld.

As his figure disappeared, the Aurora Prince hovering midair turned toward Linghuang.

His smile softened further, his voice a tender whisper.

"You’ve worried for me..."

Spirit Phoenix Maiden’s eyes rimmed with red, she ascended into the half-sky, arriving beside the Aurora Heir.

"One final task remains. Then we may find peace."

The Aurora Heir smiled faintly, took her hand, and turned, stepping with her into the void.

……

Meanwhile, within the Fourth Stellar Ring, at the secret realm of heaven and earth where Xu Qing had once wandered…

This sanctuary had now collapsed.

The Aurora Heir’s ascension and redirection had reshaped the entire Fourth Stellar Ring, and this place was no exception.

Long shattered.

Above, the firmament bore a colossal fissure, its totality appearing shattered, broken beyond repair.

Below, upon the earth, lay two corpses.

One was the black flesh-ball, now rotten, dissolved into foul corruption.

The other, shaped like a man, was the Earth Deity.

He was not decaying, but rather dissolving as if purified, ascending in slow effacement.

And from within this dissolution, a figure cursed and struggled to crawl free.

"Damn it, I was halfway through my meal when everything started vanishing!"

"Thank the heavens I’m mighty—sacrificed everything to unleash the Heaven-Devouring, Earth-Consuming, Ancient-Defying, God-Surpassing Technique. Managed a decent bite before the end."

"Hah! All the while, some blasted teleportation array flickered nearby, flashing like bait, trying to lure me in."

"Clearly this god couldn’t fight back, so he tried tricking me into stopping my feast!"

"Me? Erniu? This old dog isn’t fooled that easily!"

His clothes torn, his expression ragged,

it was Erniu.

Yet for all his disarray, his belly was swollen, as if stuffed full.

Now fully emerged, he surveyed the ruins, his gaze tracing the rift toward the outside world. He sensed the air, then froze.

A sharp inhale, his face twisting with disbelief.

"What’s happened out there? Chaos in the air—what madness is this?"

"Sounds like war breaking loose…"

"What in blazes… Damn it, did I linger too long? Feels like I missed the main event."

Erniu muttered, then suddenly his eyes lit up. He slapped his thigh, heartened.

"If war truly rages out there, all the better! Gods fall like ripe fruit in battle. Maybe this time, fortune favors me—I’ll feast my fill!"

Erniu licked his lips, excitement surging.