Time flowed swiftly.

Sunlight poured down from the horizon, piercing the gaps in the clouds to illuminate the forest below. It filtered through the canopy, fragmented by emerald-green leaves into countless shards of light that dappled the grass, imbuing the scene with a sense of leisurely comfort.

A slight breeze stirred, swaying the tallest trees in the woods; whenever the wind blew, it was always the highest branches that moved first.

In the heart of this forest, the loftiest tree now rustled its leaves with a soft shushing sound under the gentle breeze. Some brittle, withering leaves could no longer cling to their stems, fluttering down to the ground where, given enough time, they would wither yellow and be trodden underfoot by passing beasts or animals.

At this moment, this colossal, ancient tree, long embraced by the multitude of smaller trees, began to shake with a continuous rustle. This sound grew louder until, with a sudden, violent tremor, it began to heave. Its deeply embedded roots, anchored firmly in the earth, were slowly being pushed upward from the soil, causing the entire mound around the base of the great tree to bulge slightly.

The earth, which had remained undisturbed for ages, reacted to this sudden upheaval with fissures that split open like wounds carved by a knife. Through these cracked seams, deeply buried roots were revealed, and these roots now emitted faint wisps of decay.

Beneath this once steadfast tree, it seemed some terrifying entity was about to emerge. Roots stretching seven or eight zhang long were wrenched free, and then the entire tree crashed down with a resounding boom. As it fell, a single speck of light seemed to drop from its height.

Rumble.

The collapse of the colossal ancient tree shook the surrounding forest, crushing several large trees rooted behind it and kicking up a massive cloud of dust. After a long interval, the disturbed dust gradually settled, drifting back to the ground.

Then, as if summoned, a dark cloud drifted across the sky, positioning itself overhead, obscuring the warm light and casting the entire forest into shadow.

The birds and beasts within the woods seemed to sense something, suddenly bolting in panic away from the forest’s center, which they usually favored.

Birds burst from their nests, flapping desperately toward the distance at their utmost speed. Beasts as fierce as lions bounded through the undergrowth; normally, the only reason for such rapid flight would be the pursuit of prey.

Today, however, they were fleeing. Run, run, run!

Just as a few small deer-like creatures managed to escape to a distance, they suddenly heard the earth churning up behind them in a massive cloud of dust. The vibrations grew increasingly violent, like a volcanic eruption, and from the deepest point below rose a roar of absolute fury: “GIVE—ME—BACK—MY—HEAD!!”

Some of the timid animals, and those trailing at the rear, were instantly stunned by the sheer sonic force of the shout, their minds going numb. They then collapsed to the ground, blood weeping from all seven orifices. Their forward momentum caused their bodies to tumble repeatedly; those who had been running fastest ended up the most disheveled, rolling over a dozen times or more.

Boom-boom-boom.

The center of the forest seemed ready to invert itself as the earth was violently ripped open. Slowly, a hand emerged from the depths—a hand with skin the color of ancient bronze, coated in soil. Though not decayed, it carried the faint scent of earth and a nauseating stench from having been buried for so long.

A stench like that of a corpse.

The owner of the palm crawled out, casting aside the soil that had weighed upon him for untold ages. He stood up like a furious, rebellious beast, his body slightly tilted back, yet his neck was gone. From his stance, it was clear he was gazing up at the blood-red moon in the sky.

Then, he raised his fist and performed an incredible act: he swung his arm toward the blood-red moon while emitting deafening roars.

But no one could understand what he was saying.

Having been silent for countless ages, the language he knew had long since vanished from this world.

This headless ancient corpse roared toward the heavens for a while, appearing intensely enraged. Then, he lowered his head and surveyed the surrounding forest. The fury in his body transformed into surging energy that dispersed outwards. A torrent of power erupted from beneath his feet, causing the ground around him to shake violently.

Immediately, a wave of heat, like flames, shot out from his feet in all directions, completely engulfing and submerging the earth that had once covered him. Countless segments of the forest became mere kindling in this fiery blast; immense amounts of soil were incinerated, and the minerals within could not long endure the heat, quickly turning to charcoal.

Naturally, all the animals were included in this incineration.

The headless ancient corpse roared and beat its chest, as if only this action could release the rage in its heart. After a long time, its anger slightly subsided. The ancient, magnificent figure then strode toward the distance. With every step, the earth was deeply impressed, leaving behind a hollowed footprint, as if mocking the very ground that had once concealed him.

He moved like a primordial behemoth; where he passed, disaster followed. Countless living beings and trees were trampled underfoot. Along his path, he encountered a city but spared it even a glance, stepping right over it. His foot crushed the man-made atmosphere surrounding the city, along with the layered energy shield.

The artificial sun was struck merely by his thigh, shattering into countless streams of light that tumbled into the city. This sun, which once brought warmth to all, now smashed into several buildings and killed numerous people.

The entire city instantly plunged into chaos. Everyone watched this unprecedented creature in terror. Some, whose minds reacted quickly, scattered like ants, while others were paralyzed by fear, frozen in place.

However, this confusion did not last long; total silence descended.

The foot of the headless ancient corpse crushed the city walls, pulverized countless structures, and killed innumerable people. The entire city was utterly submerged; not a single living creature remained.

Then, his form did not pause, seeming uncertain where to go, so he could only continue forward, and forward...

Perhaps in the endless expanse ahead, there was something he needed?

The Heavenly Dao Divine Boat sailed across the sky. The hazy moonlight cast by the blood-red moon bathed the vessel in a crimson glow, lending it an air of the arcane and the bizarre.

“Three days,” Bai Yijun murmured, gazing at the unmoving Ye Chen. She studied his stern face: sword-like eyebrows swept sharply against his skin, his brow ridge commanding, his high nose sharp as a slanted peak. His chiseled, profound contours radiated unyielding resolve, and his entire being exuded the distinct, detached aura of a man.

As the saying goes, a focused man is most captivating, a truth Bai Yijun deeply understood now. She was momentarily lost in this quiet observation, wishing time would simply stop.

In her eyes, there was only the beloved man before her; the countless ferocious beasts and the headless ancient corpse outside held no impression on her heart.

She propped her chin on her hand. Her bright eyes, clear as a mountain stream, reflected Ye Chen’s image, like the gentle ripples of Lake Yingying, filled with boundless, tender affection.

Suddenly, Ye Chen, who had been perfectly still, twitched his eyebrow slightly, then slowly opened his eyes. His deep black pupils were vast as the starry sky, carrying a contemplative spark.

Bai Yijun’s eyes instantly lit up, brilliant as the dazzling stars above. With delighted surprise, she exclaimed, “You’re awake?”

Ye Chen turned his head and finally noticed the beautiful woman who had remained there the entire time, never abandoning him, no matter the moment. The corner of his cold mouth lifted slightly, tinged with tenderness. He reached out and grasped her small hand, his voice soft as her cheeks flushed: “You’ve had a hard time, running everywhere with me.”

Bai Yijun raised her beautiful eyes, gazing at him, “It’s not hard for me. Wherever you are, that is paradise!”

Ye Chen was momentarily stunned into silence.

After a long pause, his seemingly frozen body regained mobility. His first instinct was to pull her exquisite figure into his arms, embracing her tightly.

The Heavenly Dao Divine Boat traversed many cities, soaring above the ancient continent. Occasionally, flocks of black wild geese would cross their path. These birds were not gentle; their blood-red eyes were filled with savagery, as if unwilling to allow any color other than red to exist in the world. Upon spotting the Divine Boat, they would immediately dive to attack.

Their fate was to be annihilated by Xiao Zhongsheng’s various auxiliary cannons. Their scorched bodies fell from the sky like rain, creating a crimson shower. The molted feathers drifted down slowly on the breeze.

The Heavenly Dao Divine Boat continued forward without much pause, quickly flying past a dozen cities. Eight of these cities were engulfed in warfare. The city defense forces were fully mobilized: armored warriors armed with weapons clashed with brutal evil beasts.

These beasts burrowed up from the earth, seemingly inexhaustible, and each one possessed terrifying strength. Only through the fearless charges of countless Divine Realm experts could more ordinary civilians be saved—perhaps in years to come, some of these commoners might also cultivate into Divine Realm experts.

All for the continuation of the race...

Divine experts and Pseudo-Gods alike threw themselves at the evil beasts, many wearing explosives strapped to their bodies or charging directly into the beasts to self-detonate, hoping to inflict even minor damage.

Then, their bodies exploded, becoming the most beautiful, most dazzling flowers in the sky—delicate and vivid, a spectacle unrivaled by any other color.

To many who were clear-headed, their actions were foolish.

On the city streets, buildings were reduced to wreckage, leaving ruins everywhere. The roads were split by deep fissures, like dried-up riverbeds, stained here and there with scattered crimson blossoms and piled high with corpses.

Seated within the Heavenly Dao Divine Boat, Ye Chen looked out through the porthole at the tragic scene. He saw countless human warriors charge forward only to die swiftly, their sacrifices exchanged for the life of a single evil beast under the attacks of many humans.

Ye Chen slightly bit his lower lip, cold light flashing in his eyes.

Is weakness a sin? (To be continued)