367: The truth of the Great Calamity

"Three stars converge, Evil Qi rushes to the Purple Mansion?" He swept his gaze over the three Disciples below, and instead of being wary, a satisfied smile appeared on his face:

"Po Jun, Qi Sha, Tan Lang? All are stars governing slaughter and conquest! Good! Very good! It aligns with my intentions!

With you three generals as my assistants, why would I worry about not winning the competition? The Evil Qi soaring to the heavens will just clear the obstacles for me!"

"Hahahahaha!" Xu Fu couldn't help but let out a hearty laugh that echoed through the ice cave, "Good! A good divination! Mud Buddha, you truly live up to your reputation! This divination perfectly suits my Heart-Nature!"

He looked at Broken Wave and the other two with high spirits: "Did you hear that? You are my three general stars!

One year from now, follow me to the World Society, defeat Feng Yunshuang, and I will properly mock Lu Jiuyuan! Hahahahaha!"

"We respectfully obey your Master's command!" The three responded in unison again, their voices colliding and echoing in the ice cave.

Xu Fu's laughter slowly subsided in the ice cave, but the pride and eagerness in his eyes did not diminish in the slightest.

His gaze shifted, falling once again on the Mud Buddha, who lay limp on the ground, barely breathing.

He paced to Mud Buddha's front, the hem of his dark robe sweeping across the cold ground, his voice carrying an unquestionable authority: "Mud Buddha, the divination for the competition is complete.

Now, tell this old man, what exactly is the 'Millennium Great Calamity'? What is its root cause?"

Upon hearing this, Mud Buddha's body trembled violently, more intensely than any time before.

The poisonous sores on his face began to uncontrollably ooze cloudy pus, emitting a nauseating stench.

He desperately shook his head, guttural "ho ho" sounds of resistance coming from his throat, as if merely hearing the question had violated some absolute taboo.

"Speak!"

Xu Fu's eyes turned cold. Without him making any visible movement, an invisible pressure descended, tightly enveloping Mud Buddha and forcing him to raise his head.

"Cough... cough cough... Emperor... Emperor Shi Tian... cannot... cannot be spoken... heavenly backlash... certain death..."

Mud Buddha's voice was filled with desperate fear.

"Death?"

Xu Fu scoffed: "Before this old man, how can life and death be determined by heaven? If heaven wants you dead, I will make you live!"

He reached out and grabbed, and Mud Buddha was immediately in his hand. The Sacred Heart Art circulated, and a vast life force capable of reversing life and death was injected into Mud Buddha's body.

"Tell me, if I don't let you die, it will be hard for you to die!"

Mud Buddha received this life force. He used his last bit of strength, his voice hoarse and broken, to speak:

"The Millennium Great Calamity... is not... not a natural disaster, but indeed a man-made calamity... it is... it is the convergence of extreme evil thoughts... it is... it is the condensation of world-shattering resentment..."

He took a sharp breath, and the poisonous sores on his face and body spread and festered at a visible rate.

"Its... core... lies in Dongying! That island nation, isolated overseas, with treacherous terrain and narrow-minded people... easily gathers malevolent Qi, resentment Qi, and calamity Qi... like a huge vortex, constantly absorbing the world's negative Qi..."

"It needs... needs a nation as its Foundation, its people as fuel, and... and countless conspiracies, wars, betrayals, massacres... to temper... ultimately... ultimately, all of this... all this sin and resources... forcefully... forcefully piled... onto one person..."

Mud Buddha's body began to twitch unnaturally, as if countless small insects were wriggling beneath his skin.

"At that time... Dongying will rise... lives will be plunged into misery... and a... a 'World-Destroying Demon God' that has gathered the resentment and resources of the entire Divine Land and even wider regions... will be born... Its... its power... far exceeds a Mortal's imagination... like a god or demon..."

"The Demon God... will be born... to destroy... the Divine Land! Wiping out all life in the Central Plains... This is... the truth... of the Millennium Great Calamity..."

Before he finished speaking, Mud Buddha suddenly let out an extremely shrill scream. The poisonous sores on his face burst open with a bang, black pus and blood splattering out.

At the same time, thick black smoke billowed from his seven orifices, and within that black smoke, resentful souls seemed to be wailing.

His body quickly turned charred and shriveled, as if burned from within by an invisible flame.

Even the life force of the Sacred Heart Art could not sustain this decay from the inside out.

"Heaven's secrets... cannot... be revealed..."

The last few words were almost inaudible. Mud Buddha completely turned into a charred skeleton, slumping to the ground, utterly devoid of life.

The ice cave was eerily silent.

Broken Wave, Sword Morning, and Absolute Heart were all shaken by this terrifying scene. Although their Heart-Natures were different, at this moment, they all felt a chill run from the soles of their feet to the tops of their heads.

Revealing heaven's secrets led to such a tragic end!

Xu Fu slowly withdrew his palm, his fingertips seemingly still retaining the ominous chill from when Mud Buddha's life force completely vanished.

The arrogance on his face slightly receded, replaced by an extreme solemnity.

He stared intently at the charred bones, muttering word by word:

"Calamity fire burning the body, soul and spirit annihilated, not even the Sacred Heart Art could bring him back... Such a backlash cannot be faked."

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, "Mud Buddha's dying words, their credibility... is extremely high!"

He suddenly looked up, his gaze once again directed eastward, but this time, it was no longer towards the World Society in the Divine Land, but as if it pierced through endless seas, landing on Dongying!

"Dongying..." Xu Fu's voice carried an unprecedented chill, "What a Dongying! Great Boss... Great Demon God, what you have been secretly operating is such a world-destroying scheme!

Using an entire nation as a cauldron, and its people as fuel, to temper a Demon God? Truly... what grand ambition, what a cruel Heart-Nature!"

Lu Jiuyuan had told him about two old fellows. Although he was cautious, he prided himself on his Seven Nothings Ultimate Realm being unparalleled in the world, believing that as long as he was careful, no one in this world could kill him.

But at this moment, he was somewhat uncertain!

"Such a source of disaster must not be allowed to remain!" Xu Fu's killing intent surged in his eyes:

"Dongying, must be destroyed!"

Absolute Heart's expression shifted, but he remained standing there, silently.

"You three, I will impart a set of martial arts to each of you. Practice your own, and do not secretly learn from each other, understand?"

"Yes, Master!" The three responded in unison, their eyes burning with fervent light. To receive the true inheritance of this thousand-year-old monster was undoubtedly a great Opportunity.

Xu Fu's gaze first fell on Broken Wave: "Broken Wave, you possess the Fire Kylin Corroding Sun aspect, and your ambition burns brightly, which perfectly suits this technique. I will impart to you—Blood Calamity Claw!"

"Thank you, Master!" Broken Wave suppressed the tremor in his heart and bowed respectfully.

Xu Fu nodded slightly and turned to Sword Morning: "Sword Morning, you come from a prestigious family. Although your Sword Heart is clouded, your Foundation is still there.

Nameless taught you the Nameless Sword Art. Today, I will impart to you the supreme sword Dao ultimate technique—Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Origin!"

"Ten... Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Origin..." Sword Morning murmured, his eyes complex.

"Integrate this sword art into your own use. Don't re-cultivate it after abolishing your previous achievement like your teacher. You don't have his Realm and Aptitude, but if you can integrate it, in a year, it will be enough to make Nameless look at you with new eyes."

Finally, he looked at Absolute Heart: "Absolute Heart, your Heart-Nature is tenacious, you are good at enduring, enduring what ordinary people cannot. I will impart to you—Snow Blood Claw!"

"Snow Blood Claw... This Disciple will not fail Master's high expectations!" Absolute Heart said respectfully.