Chapter 690: Finale (5) (Continued Ending)

The pure white realm was like a new world, locking the two of them firmly within it.

The sounds of the wind and rain had completely dissipated; everything returned to tranquility.

The gods outside the realm could still be seen, but indistinctly. It was as if they, much like the Firmament's face, had been shrouded in a thick layer of mist.

"Where is this..."

The Firmament desperately controlled his voice, doing his best not to expose the trace of fear in his heart.

The corners of Yan Jing's lips curled up.

"I told you, this is a world with only you and me."

"A... brand-new world."

"And also..."

"A world under my control."

In the next instant, countless trails of light bloomed once more from his battered body. It was like the setting sun rising again in the east, or the parting of clouds to reveal the bright moon.

It seemed no different from his previous methods, but the gap in power was as vast as the difference between the bright moon and faint starlight.

With a slight flick of Yan Jing's fingertips, the trails of light plummeted, painting streaks of color across the pure white realm.

The Firmament's pupils trembled. His hand jerked, and another wave of firelight surged from the silver lamp.

The flames and the trails of light clashed once again, but this time, the outcome was completely reversed!

The feeble firelight was suppressed by the trails of light almost instantly. Like a baby chick encountering a towering behemoth, it was swallowed in a single bite.

Then, the trails of light pierced straight through the Firmament's body.

"Ah!!!!"

An agonized howl erupted from the Firmament's throat.

His face twisted, and the layers of clothing around his body were almost entirely destroyed.

The layer of hazy mist covering his face rapidly evaporated under the illumination of the light trails.

It was as though his skin and flesh were being peeled away with it, drawing continuous, wretched screams from his lips.

Even though it was a clash of the exact same methods, he was the one who lost this time.

Yan Jing's eyes were calm.

Before, he couldn't win.

Because that world was the Firmament's world.

But now...

This was his world.

He had learned the Firmament's methods. In other words, he was the Firmament of this pure white realm.

"Die!!!"

Struggling back to his senses through the pain, the Firmament roared at Yan Jing.

His fighting style had completely changed.

Pitch-black energy seeped from his body bit by bit, rising slowly like oil or mist. A jet-black longblade materialized in his hand, its tip gleaming with a chilling cold light that seemed capable of severing the void itself.

Yes, it was the exact same style used earlier by his origin, that disguised Firmament Envoy.

The blade was the Dao he truly walked.

To be exact, it was the Dao of his Clan.

However, he had learned too much, and his skills had become too mixed, surpassing his original Dao. Because of this, he rarely used these methods on a normal day.

But now he had no other choice.

In Yan Jing's world, using his previous methods gave him zero chance of victory. His only shot at winning was to cleave this world apart with the blade in his hand.

By relying on this Dao he had long since abandoned.

By relying on this blade he hadn't wielded in ages.

He steadied his breathing, focused his mind, and exhaled.

Only now did he realize his hands were trembling.

It wasn't just because he hadn't swung a blade in a long time.

It wasn't just because of his lack of confidence in his original Dao.

It wasn't just because he didn't know if he could break through.

More than anything, it was a primal, instinctual fear stemming from the depths of his heart.

What if Yan Jing interrupted his opening stance right now? What if Yan Jing had a backup plan even after he cleaved through this layer of the world?

Not only were his hands shaking, but his heart was trembling as well.

That blade felt infinitely heavy.

But ultimately, he raised it.

With this strike, he gritted his teeth and calmed his heart, hoping to split this world apart and carve out a path to survival.

He steeled himself with ruthless desperation.

And like many desperate people, the moment he steeled himself, he felt he could win.

But...

Yan Jing casually pointed a finger.

The pure white blade instantly scattered in the wind like embers.

Then, a spear thrust out.

The pitch-black spear tip tore through the sky like a thunderbolt.

Fear Stance Third Layer State, Power of the White Stone, Universal - Fear Intent.

The three layered abilities bloomed in front of the Firmament, manifesting in the air.

It was a monster that even the Firmament had never seen before.

"Bang, bang, bang—"

Terrifying bloody holes exploded across the Firmament's body. Silver-white blood plummeted, raining down upon the boundless earth.

"Rumble—"

"Rumble—"

As if a hidden beast bowing between heaven and earth were roaring, the sky and the earth let out a violent rumble at the exact same time.

The clouds, the rain, the wind, and all living creatures began their second carnival at this moment.

That silver-white blood was the Firmament's origin. Just like Yan Jing's blood earlier, it now transformed into their healing medicine, restoring them to how they were before.

Yan Jing's expression was calm.

"Do you hear it? They are also cheering for your death."

Enduring the excruciating pain, the Firmament struggled to lift his head and looked at Yan Jing across from him.

His injuries were too severe. His vision had already blurred, and looking at Yan Jing was like seeing thick, overlapping double images.

Even so, after hearing Yan Jing's words, those bloodshot eyes still erupted with intense unwillingness:

"That's why they're stupid!!!"

"They don't care who is right or wrong, only who is strong and who is weak! They will only gnaw on the corpses of the defeated and bow at the feet of the strong!!!"

"Light is like this, and shadow is like this! This world, all living things—they are all like this!!!"

"You think you're going to win!!! Win against me?! But one day, you will lose, too!! Just like earlier, you'll still be the one getting eaten in the end!!!"

"One day, they will cheer for your death instead!!"

Yan Jing looked at the Firmament with calm eyes.

He didn't actually pay much attention to what the Firmament was saying.

The mist dispersed.

What appeared before him was a face so ordinary it couldn't be any more ordinary.

It wasn't the scheming old monster he had imagined, nor was it the heroic and valiant heavenly prodigy he had pictured.

It was a face with no memorable features, the kind that would instantly disappear if tossed into a crowd.

No acne, no moles. It couldn't be called handsome, nor could it be called ugly.

That layer of mist had been hiding a face exactly like this.

Without the mist's obstruction, Yan Jing utilized Pathways related to spirit and soul, instantly seeing into his opponent's heart.

The one standing opposite him had learned far, far too much from the outside.

So much that it often made him forget his original self.

He needed an anchor point.

For a loner like him, this face was the most suitable anchor point.

He actually didn't like this face.

This face was too ordinary.

At his current realm, changing his face was child's play.

But he couldn't do that.

So, he covered it up.

That way, at least he wouldn't feel annoyed looking at it.

Just like that.

Wearing such a face, he had spent ten thousand years in this "backwater" he wasn't familiar with at all.

He was in pain, and he was lonely.

In a land like this, he had no way of speaking his true thoughts to any existing entity. Even sharing his daily life was an extravagant hope.

Amidst the boundless loneliness, what he liked most was talking to himself in the mirror.

And he talked for ten thousand years.

The thing supporting him.

Was merely the thought of returning to the myriad worlds one day and proving his return amidst the Great Chaos—a thought that sounded incredibly childish.

But now he was going to die.

"..."

Yan Jing looked at his opponent, who was still roaring hoarsely, his eyes completely calm.

He felt that he should say something right now.

As a closing remark to this farce.

But for a moment, he couldn't think of what to say.

Looking at the man across from him.

Looking at this sky riddled with gaping wounds.

Looking at the gods standing in battle formation outside.

He thought of that River.

Before it died, that River had still entrusted him with keeping the Fertile Earth safe.

It had said a lot of things.

Over and over, those chaotic words were only trying to express a single meaning.

"Help me, that is my only friend."

Even though, for various reasons, they had met less than five times in total.

It was still its only friend.

Finally, Yan Jing spoke softly:

"It's nothing. We are all the same."

"...Time is also lonely."

As his voice fell, the spear in his hand pierced through his opponent's throat.