[Vol. 6] Chapter 237: The Lord of Destruction
The endless darkness gradually faded away, retreating from around her. The girl opened her eyes, her silver-blue gaze sweeping over the world before her. A world that had completely changed.
"A physical place…? This isn’t some special dimension or a mental realm. It’s a real, tangible world… Could it be somewhere in the [Ancient Spirit Realm]?"
Feeling the solid ground beneath her feet and the immense magical energy surging within her body, Violet silently pondered.
If that was the case, then the destructive force that had previously spilled out, after being absorbed by that silver crystal infused with spatial laws, must have created something akin to a portal. [Mirror Valley] itself was the core node of an advanced spatial magic formation, and with the existence of those [False Mirrors] , it wasn’t surprising that a teleportation field had formed within the valley.
But one thing was certain. This was no ordinary teleportation.
"Hmm?"
Sensing something, the black-haired girl instinctively raised her hand, catching something light and delicate as it drifted from the sky.
A feather.
A colorless feather.
She lifted her gaze to the heavens and watched as countless feathers fluttered down, filling the air like a silent snowfall.
Qilin’s words still echoed in her mind.
[Perhaps as vengeance against this world for daring to resist, the Feathers of the God of Destruction descend from the sky, guided by the threads of causality, bringing forth a catastrophe that overturns all creation.]
"So this… is what it looked like back then."
Understanding dawned on Violet.
So that’s how it is… The seal within [Mirror Valley] was never meant to contain “Destruction” itself, but rather, the causal bond linking this world to the true source behind “Destruction”.
Causality, the invisible thread through which divine power is transmitted, cannot be severed by any means.
Just like how, even in this unknown world, Violet could still summon [Snow Wing] as easily as before.
It seems that this causal bond was stripped away and sealed within [Mirror Valley], cutting off the source that allowed the Evil Spirits to continue multiplying. This was how the [Demon Rebellion] finally came to an end.
If destructive energy were compared to an invading army, then [Void Prison] would be the fortress where the forces that had already entered the [Ancient Spirit Realm] were imprisoned. However, over the past thousand years, more and more reinforcements had continuously arrived, following the threads of “causality”.
The only reason these forces didn’t overrun the land was that the [Mirror Valley] seal trapped every single one of them the moment they appeared, locking them away in the [Seal of Heaven and Earth], the core of the great “formation”.
Over time, the accumulated “destruction” inside that confined space continued to build up, compress, and expand, much like a raging flood held back by a dam. Sooner or later, it would reach the limit of what [Mirror Valley] could withstand and break free, swallowing everything in its wake.
That was why Spirit Veil Immortal Island had no choice but to proactively release the formation before that day arrived. To guide and disperse this energy before it became unstoppable.
No matter when, this was an inevitable event. The remaining Evil Spirits were merely waiting for their chance. The [God of Truth] had foreseen this disaster, and both Immortal Island and the Four Nations had long been preparing for the calamity that would befall this era.
And now, Violet, someone who stood beyond that level of existence, had stepped into “causality” itself. This force, unbound by time and space, naturally led her to a critical moment in history.
For instance…
The [Demon Rebellion] from a thousand years ago.
Amidst the endless falling [Feather of Destruction], a towering shadow loomed over the heavens and earth.
Violet turned around, her gaze locking onto the colossal figure that reached beyond the skies, its titanic form crushing mountains beneath its feet. The sheer pressure of its presence tore apart the clouds, sending waves of destruction surging through the air.
A strange sense of recognition surfaced in her heart.
"So this is the true [Beast of Chaos], Taotie."
*BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!*
With just a single step, the beast’s massive, pillar-like legs caused the entire earth to tremble, shaking the land violently. In an instant, the world was thrown into turmoil. Mountains quaked, the sky cracked with thunder and lightning, and the entire scene resembled the end of days. A sight truly worthy of the name of the Lord of Destruction.
…This looks like a tough opponent.
Violet wasn’t sure if this [Beast of Chaos] was the real [Taotie] from history, or merely a “phantom” formed by a thousand years' worth of destructive energy in this parallel timeline.
But one thing was certain. If it had appeared here, then that meant the Priestess was currently facing a calamity no less devastating than the original [Demon Rebellion] itself.
The situation deep within [Mirror Valley]… had already deteriorated to this extent?
If she hadn’t appeared here, who would the [Ancient Spirit Realm] have sent to face this second [Beast of Chaos]?
…Forget it. Then let’s fight.
Soldier against soldier, general against general… king against king.
She raised her hand lightly, and a pure, flawless holy staff descended into her grasp. One by one, snow-white wings emerged from her back, unfolding until there were six in total.
An endless radiance burst forth from her body as she slowly ascended, rising high into the sky amidst the countless falling [Feather of Destruction], soaring beyond ten thousand meters into the heavens.
And there, she finally saw, with perfect clarity, the true form of the [Taotie] that she had long been curious about.
It was a monstrous beast with four legs and two heads, crowned with dual horns.
Its colossal body, towering over ten thousand meters, was divided into two distinct sections. The lower half resembled a lizard, with a massive devouring maw, as deep and unfathomable as a black hole that could consume all existence.
From its upper half, which stood upright like a humanoid figure, two enormous arms extended outward. Oddly human-like, as though the creature had been stitched together from two separate beings.
It was bizarre, yet it carried an indescribable divinity and beauty. A terrifying blend of monstrosity and majesty. Its muscular, rock-hard body exuded an overwhelming presence, as if capable of tearing apart heaven and earth.
And now, Violet finally understood the truth behind the towering pillar she had once seen in the [Great Secret Realm of Chaos]. It was undoubtedly one of Taotie’s horns.
…But judging by what she saw now, the Taotie buried beneath the [Great Secret Realm of Chaos] likely lacked an upper body, and one of its horns had already been broken.
Who could have possessed such power to inflict such a wound?
The Fox God?
As the priestess observed the beast, deep in thought, the terrifying entity known as the [Beast of Chaos] suddenly began to move!
It opened its massive devouring maw and began to inhale everything around it!
*Rumble…!!!*
With just a single breath, an unimaginable storm erupted, carrying a force so bizarre and overwhelming that words could hardly describe it.
The [Feather of Destruction] floating in the sky, the mountains, rocks, dust, trees, and all living things, even the very energy particles in the air, were instantly swept into a massive vortex, spiraling toward the bottomless abyss within its mouth.
That place… was more than ten times larger than the [Tidal Deep Valley] beneath the Qilin’s hidden island!
"Ugh…!"
Reacting instantly, Violet unfurled her six “divine wings”, wrapping herself in a golden protective cocoon. Only by doing so did she manage to counter the force pulling at her. An overwhelming suction that was strong enough to shatter entire mountain ranges into dust.
She couldn't help but feel a chill down her spine.
So this is the [Beast of Chaos] said to be capable of devouring entire worlds...
Purely in terms of raw power, this [Taotie] was by far the strongest being she had encountered since arriving in this realm. It was probably not even weaker than her little dragon.
But… it doesn’t have a [Divinity].
And yet, despite lacking a [Divinity], it had broken past the Lv80 barrier. A level that should have been impossible.
Just now, that one breath alone was something no being below god could withstand through sheer physical strength. And given that this beast was defined by “destruction and devouring”, if anyone were to be swallowed into that abyss… even powerful warriors wouldn’t stand a chance of survival.
However… this is probably just the beginning.
Even as that thought formed in her mind, an invisible force suddenly erupted from Taotie’s mouth, radiating pure annihilation!
There was no color, no form, and to the naked eye, there was no visible attack at all.
But Violet didn’t even hesitate.
She swung her staff, instantly unleashing the magic she had already prepared!
"Multi-Layer Barrier: Holy Shield Bastion!!!"
Hummmmm!!!
A brilliant wave of sacred energy surged forward, forming an interlocking shield of layered holy light. So vast and dense that it completely enveloped her small frame, standing between her and the terrifying formless distortion that was about to tear through the heavens and the earth!