Supreme Emptiness

Chapter 2296: Chapter 2343: Merit Bridge

However, the moment he turned around, the rune he had transformed into suddenly found itself unable to move. The Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis looked down and discovered, to his astonishment, that a slender branch had wrapped around him like a tentacle.

What shocked him even more was that a slightly teasing elderly voice rang out from the top of the Divine Tree. "You didn’t really think this boy’s soul would be so easy to enter, did you?"

The Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis’s expression changed drastically. He looked up at the top of the Divine Tree in disbelief. "How could there be someone on the Void Divine Tree? Who are you?"

He tried to struggle. However, this soul curse, which had gathered the Soul Power of his Semi-Saint cultivation, couldn’t break free in the slightest. What kind of terrifying existence could trap his soul like this? Panic welled up in the Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis’s heart.

"Even that little girl didn’t dare to ask who I am, yet here you are asking.

"Alright, the boy is about to come in.

"Since you’re here, don’t leave. Be a good source of nourishment for him.

"Consider it my congratulatory gift to him for proving his path to the Ancestor Dao Sage realm," the old man said nonchalantly.

The Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis panicked. "What are you going to do..."

The only response he received was a forceful squeeze from the branch. The Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis’s remaining consciousness within the soul curse was immediately and irresistibly wiped out.

"No... No... I’m going to take Jiang Fan down with..."

The old man didn’t give the Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis a chance to finish his last word, ruthlessly obliterating him.

Having lost the Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis’s consciousness, the "Death" soul curse embedded itself into Jiang Fan’s soul, slowly releasing pure Soul Power to nourish it. Just as all this was completed, Jiang Fan’s figure appeared beneath the Void Divine Tree. With his hands behind his back, he silently gazed at it.

"You must have your own consciousness, right?" he asked.

He had intentionally let the Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis’s soul enter to verify one thing. The Void Divine Tree absolutely possessed its own sentience. Whenever he encountered a predicament on the soul level, the Void Divine Tree would emit a rustling sound to resist external influences. Several times when he retrieved items from the Divine Tree, he had experienced what felt like subtle teasing. Everything indicated that the Divine Tree had its own consciousness.

Now, even the Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis, who had barged into his mind with the ferocious intent of mutual destruction, had been silently neutralized. This proved his speculation correct. But if it was true, the implications were terrifying to think about. This seed, which had been incubating in his stomach for eighteen years, was actually... conscious!

RUSTLE, RUSTLE...

The canopy of the Void Divine Tree merely rustled as if blown by the wind, offering no answer. Jiang Fan was not surprised, nor did he press the matter. He calmly glanced at the Holy Infant and silently turned around.

RUSTLE...

The Void Divine Tree rustled again, seemingly urging Jiang Fan to stay and claim the Holy Infant, his reward for attaining the Sage realm.

"Leave it on the tree," Jiang Fan said without looking back. "Carrying this fruit around is tantamount to a Death Sentence. Leaving it on the tree is the safest option."

He could simply harvest it when he truly needed it.

The Void Divine Tree stopped swaying. A moment later, a series of sounds rang out.

CLATTER, CLATTER...

Something heavy had fallen from the tree. Based on past experience, every time he broke through a major realm, an extra treasure would drop in addition to the standard reward. The Void Fishing Rod and the dog bowl were both examples of this. He turned his head to look, finding a strange object lying quietly beneath the Void Divine Tree.

It was a ten-foot-square bronze object carved with mountains and flowing water, as well as an exquisite little bridge. Jiang Fan had imagined all sorts of possible bonus gifts, but he never expected it to be a Mountain and River Copper Sculpture.

As he stood there puzzled, a wisp of unfamiliar information flooded into his mind. "Merit Bridge, Top-grade Boundary Artifact. The fragrance lingers on the hand that gives the rose; selfless help to others will surely bring rich rewards."

Top-grade? A ripple finally flickered in Jiang Fan’s eyes, which had been cold and indifferent for so long. He had anticipated that the dropped item would be extraordinary, but he hadn’t expected it to be a Top-grade Boundary Artifact! However, Jiang Fan was completely baffled by its function. What did it mean by "selfless help to others will surely bring rich rewards"? Could it be that if he helped someone else, this World Artifact would richly reward him? It was a pity there was no one else around right now, otherwise, he could test out the function of the Merit Bridge.

Picking up the ten-foot-square Merit Bridge, Jiang Fan took a step forward, his Heart Spirit returning to his physical Dao body.

Outside, a torrential Spirit Rain was pouring from the heavens. A Semi-Saint had fallen, and the heavens were weeping. The fierce deity who had terrorized the myriad heavens across all ages, the Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis, was finally, completely dead.

Jiang Fan bathed in the Spirit Rain. His right hand, holding the Merit Bridge, sank slightly, while his left hand, gripping the Heaven-opening Battle Axe, loosened. He looked down.

Having slain the Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis, the Heaven-opening Battle Axe seemed to have fulfilled its mission, gradually turning into crystalline specks of light and drifting away. It was a blessing from the Heavenly Dao, destined to not remain by his side forever. Allowing him to continuously pursue the Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis to his death was already an exceptional favor from the Heavenly Dao. How could Jiang Fan dare to demand more?

He silently cupped his hands in a salute toward the sky above. In the unseen depths, a towering Barbaric Giant marched into the distance, carrying blood and fire.

After a long time, Jiang Fan silently took out the withered Demon Infant Fruit. There was no joy of having avenged a great enmity on his face. All that remained was an unspeakable loneliness.

Sitting cross-legged on the paper crane, he cradled the Demon Infant Fruit and murmured blankly, "I thought that with the Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis dead, you would be able to come back to life like Ling Shu did.

"So, you’ve really gone..."

The turbulent currents of the Void blew over, sending his black hair flying and his clothes flapping wildly. The only thing it couldn’t stir was his indifferent gaze. The price for stepping into the Sage realm on the Ancestor Dao was a lifetime of guilt. For the rest of his life, he owed someone an encounter in their next life. This regret could never be made whole. He lay down on the paper crane, closed his eyes, and let it drift toward an unknown direction amidst the blowing turbulent currents of the Void.

Not far away.

A burst of Thunder Light descended. With his hands clasped behind his back, the Young Emperor gazed at the ruins still stained with the blood of the Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis, revealing a rare hint of a smile. "First battle after entering the Sage realm, and he kills the Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis.

"Truly worthy of the person I have set my sights on."

Not far behind him, the Black Lotus of Tribulation moved its body, drifting toward the direction of the paper crane.

"Let him go," the Young Emperor said calmly. "Learning how to say goodbye is a lesson everyone must face."

The Black Lotus of Tribulation stopped, quietly facing Jiang Fan and watching him depart into the distance.

CLOP, CLOP...

At this moment, deep within the Void, a White Bone Warhorse came galloping at lightning speed. It was the battle steed of the Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis, and also an Eighth Grade Heavenly Pill. It arrived before the ruins, lowered its head, and sniffed. As if sensing the destruction of the Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis, it raised its head to the sky and let out a mournful neigh.

After pausing for a long time, it sensed the Thunder God Bloodline within the Young Emperor’s body. Showing a look of intimacy, it slowly walked over to him and lowered its head.

"You wish to follow this Emperor?" The Young Emperor understood the White Bone Warhorse’s intention. "You are an Immortal Heaven Pill, so you can never die or perish?"

"My life and death are decided by me alone!" the Young Emperor laughed arrogantly. "It is not the place of a mere pill to worry on my behalf! You are only fit to be my mount!"

Faced with the Young Emperor, who was even more domineering than the Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis, the White Bone Warhorse knelt excitedly in complete submission.

The Young Emperor leaped onto the White Bone Warhorse, grabbed the Godslaying Spear with one hand, and looked around disdainfully. "I have my mount.

"Now, I only await the great chaos of heaven and earth, when I shall dye the myriad heavens with the blood of ten thousand!

"Hya!"

The White Bone Warhorse raised its hooves and strode into the distance with the Young Emperor on its back.

One day later.

At the end of the Void, six eerie colors and terrifying auras descended. It was none other than the Six Lords of Chaotic Ancient! Relying on the unique barbaric aura connection shared among the Seven Lords of Chaotic Ancient, they had tracked him to this place.