The Eternal Supreme Chapter 2405 - 2406: A smile after a thousand years (finale)

“Hmph!”

Gripping the Thunder with his left hand, Yunxiao swung his blade with his right. A complex sword talisman radiated outward, warping the surroundings into a bizarre spatial configuration that defied logic.

A sudden spark of inspiration flickered in Yunxiao’s mind. As he focused on the sword’s form, his gaze sharpened with sudden clarity.

Ever since his fusion with Qing Zhu, those five years spent in a state of idiocy had allowed the pure Yi Wood Spirit energy to be fully integrated into his being. While his Cultivation and insight had surpassed the Realm King level, he had hit a plateau.

However, amidst the relentless storm of Yuan’s strikes, he suddenly grasped the spatial essence within the blade. It felt as though a massive portal had swung open, revealing a vast, unobstructed path before him.

“It truly is a profound armament forged from Super Profound Space! It is no wonder Six-Winged was defeated by you!”

Yuan’s expression twisted into a mask of malice. The rune etched between her eyebrows bled down to her palm, manifesting as a polygonal sacred relic which she violently thrust forward!

Yunxiao’s eyes burned with a cold, fierce light as he shouted, “Slay the demon and purge the devil!”

“Boom boom boom!”

The massive blade descended with the weight of a mountain, crashing against the palm force, only to be halted by an unseen wall of power!

These two catastrophic energies collided in mid-air, instantly carving the sky into two separate, clashing domains!

Despite wielding his strongest lightning and sword arts, Yunxiao found himself unable to overwhelm his foe, leaving him inwardly shaken. Had it not been for the sudden breakthrough in his sword essence moments ago, he likely would have already fallen.

Yuan was equally stunned. The sacred relic she held possessed a formidable lineage; even a Lord of a Thousand Worlds would hesitate to face this strike directly, yet this youth had neutralized it.

Yunxiao remained immersed in his comprehension of the sword intent. Even under the crushing weight of the battle, his heart remained as tranquil as if he were in deep meditation. This was a rare opportunity for growth that even years of closed-door Cultivation could not provide.

As time stretched on, sweat began to pour from both combatants, falling in heavy droplets.

Nearby, Yi and the others watched with bated breath. Xiao Hong and Yi attempted to intervene several times, but they were held back. Given the sheer magnitude of the clashing forces, any attempt by the three of them to disrupt that volatile equilibrium would likely result in their instant vaporization.

Suddenly, a new realization stirred within Yunxiao’s soul, and his eyes flared with an intense, burning radiance.

He manifested the form of Three Heads and Six Arms. While his primary hands held the line, his four rear arms rapidly wove complex hand seals. The lightning and sword light before him merged into a singular, vast divine brilliance, causing its destructive power to surge exponentially!

“BOOM!”

The stalemate shattered instantly. The space surrounding Yuan collapsed, and she was hurled backward, coughing up a thick, ink-black fluid.

Yuan’s complexion turned deathly pale, her face contorted by a mixture of physical agony and sheer terror.

“No, please... do not kill me!”

Watching Yunxiao approach with measured, relentless steps, his sword still drawn, Yuan’s courage finally broke. She pleaded for her life, her eyes wide with dread.

Yunxiao let out a soft sigh. The immense pressure of the fight had pushed his realm forward, but with Yuan’s defeat, that state of enlightenment had vanished. He felt a pang of regret that the moment had passed so soon.

“Not kill you? Give me a single reason why I should spare your life.”

Yunxiao spoke coldly, the tip of his blade leveled at Yuan’s head to prevent any last-ditch treachery.

Ashen-faced, Yuan stammered, “There is no true blood feud between us. Why must you take my life?”

Yunxiao’s expression darkened as he let out a scoff. “So, you have no reason for me to let you live?”

Feeling the icy bite of the sword’s aura, Yuan shrieked in panic, “I have one! I have a reason!”

Her expression shifted through a kaleidoscope of emotions before she finally steeled herself. She held up the strange, multi-sided sacred object. “I will give you this. It is a price high enough to buy my survival.”

“What is that?” Yunxiao’s pupils contracted as he stared at the object.

After a brief silence, Yuan asked, “As a Realm King, surely you have heard of the ‘Coat of Arms’?”

“What?!”

Yunxiao recoiled, nearly losing his composure. “What kind of game are you playing? I know the true origins of the Realm Emblem! How could you possibly possess such a thing?”

Yuan let out a dry chuckle, a cold glint returning to her eyes. “Why wouldn’t I? When this King refined the Devil Realm, it manifested naturally!”

Yunxiao froze as a realization dawned on him. “You... you are from the ancient Devil Realm? The madman who attempted to refine it? Were you not mortally wounded by Ancient God Maha and forced to flee into the Chaotic Great Cosmos?”

Yuan looked stunned, her eyes filling with resentment. Gritting her teeth, she hissed, “So Mahākāśyapa and the others have already reached out to you! Yes, I am that ‘lunatic.’ However, I never escaped into the cosmos. I was too broken to survive the void back then. I used a deception to slip back into the Devil Realm to heal in secret. I used a grand formation to mask my Qi so those in the Land of Reincarnation wouldn’t find me. But I eventually realized that the resources here are too meager for me to ever return to the rank of a Lord of a Thousand Worlds!”

“I see,” Yunxiao murmured. “And what of Six-Winged? He must have known you were here.”

“Hmph, do not speak of that failure!”

Yuan’s face twisted in disgust. “I saved him from the brink and molded him into the new Demon Master. I even helped him ascend to the Lord of a Thousand Worlds, yet he still managed to get himself killed! Utter trash! My plan was for him to refine the two realms and escort me into the Chaotic Great Cosmos. Only there can I truly restore my power!”

Yunxiao finally pieced the puzzle together. He smiled thinly, reaching out with his left hand to seize the seal. “This item is indeed worth your life. Now, vacate Yuan’s body and depart on your own.”

“What? You expect me to just leave?”

Yuan’s eyes bulged with fury. “It took immense effort to possess this vessel! Had you arrived just a few months later, I would have crushed you! I will not abandon this body!”

“Since you have been defeated,” Yunxiao sneered, “you must face reality. Forget your ‘what-ifs.’ I promised you life, not this stolen body. If you refuse to leave, I will be forced to end you here.”

“You coward! Damn you!”

Though she screamed in rage, the looming threat of the sword left her no choice. She began to extract herself.

In an instant, black bubbles erupted across the woman’s skin. A dark fluid seeped out, pooling on the ground until it formed a viscous, pulsating mass of meat. With a sharp whistle, the mass shot into the air, trying to flee into the horizon.

Suddenly, a streak of incinerating heat cut through the sky as a terrifyingly fast blade of flame struck the mass!

“AAAHHH!”

A final, desperate shriek echoed from the meat paste. It exploded in mid-air, and the lingering flames reduced every scrap of it to ash.

The attacker was the real Yuan. She stood there trembling, her face pale and drenched in cold sweat, her eyes still reflecting her lingering trauma.

“You thought you could just walk away? You are lucky I didn't slice you into ten thousand pieces for what you did to me!”

As the last of the meat paste vanished, Yuan’s terror turned into a fierce, vengeful glare. However, her strength failed her immediately after, and she collapsed toward the ground.

Yi and the others rushed over. Yi caught her, his face full of worry. “Lady Yuan, are you alright?”

She simply shook her head, unable to speak, and looked up at Yunxiao.

Yunxiao observed her weakened state and said softly, “I have come to Xuanji.”

“Save your breath, I can guess your reasons,” Yuan replied, closing her eyes in a mix of exhaustion and pain. “You took Zhuo Kun’s life, but you just saved mine. I am no longer your match. From this day forward, we are nothing more than strangers.”

Yunxiao gave a small smile and a nod. “That is for the best.” He cupped his fists in a respectful gesture. “My lords, I have accomplished what I came for. I shall take my leave now. Perhaps our paths will cross again if fate allows.”

“Lord Li is departing?” Yi asked, looking stunned. Her eyes showed a clear sense of loss.

“Every journey must have an end,” Yunxiao said warmly. “Focus on your Cultivation. We may yet meet again on the road ahead.”

Yi was unaware that he was bound for the Land of Reincarnation, but she felt a profound, inexplicable sadness at his departure.

With a final nod, Yunxiao and Xiao Hong vanished from sight.

The referee watched the empty space where they had stood, whispering, “I truly envy little sister Xiao Hong.”

Upon returning to the Holy Region, Yunxiao immediately entered seclusion.

The battle in the Demonic Realm had provided him with numerous insights that required time to process. Furthermore, obtaining the Realm Emblem had left him energized, and he began to study its secrets with great intensity.

Two years passed. Suddenly, a miraculous spiritual radiance erupted over the Holy Region, expanding until it blanketed the entire sky.

The whole Northern Region was submerged in this divine light. Every martial artist felt a strange resonance in their souls, as if the mysteries of the world were being revealed to them.

The phenomenon lasted for hours before the light condensed into a golden rain, soaking the land with spiritual nourishment.

Across the region, countless warriors found their bottlenecks shattering, allowing them to ascend to higher realms instantly. A wave of profound gratitude swept through the populace.

At the center of it all, the main palace of the Sanctuary was wreathed in holy light. Experts gathered in the vicinity, discussing the event in hushed tones, while many sat down to meditate and absorb the ambient energy.

Inside the Great Hall, a figure materialized in the air. It was Zhuo Qingfan, who looked at Yunxiao with genuine astonishment. “You have actually attained the rank of Lord of a Thousand Worlds. Truly incredible.”

Yunxiao sat shrouded in holy light, his aura harmonizing with thousands of divine flames to create an atmosphere of supreme sanctity.

With a faint smile, he performed a hand seal, drawing the celestial phenomena back into his body. “It was mostly luck.”

“Hehe.”

Zhuo Qingfan chuckled. “Success is often called ‘luck’ by those who are humble.”

“I thank Lord Maha for the praise,” Yunxiao said. “Much of this was due to the secrets found within the Realm Heraldry.”

Zhuo Qingfan sighed with emotion. “We assumed that madman had vanished into the deep cosmos. We never expected him to be hiding in the minor starfields. Regardless, even if he had lived, his path to recovery was effectively blocked.”

“There is no need for sorrow, my Lord,” Yunxiao replied. “The heavens move in cycles; cause and effect always find their balance.”

Zhuo Qingfan nodded. “Go and finalize your affairs. The passage was stabilized last month, and the Cosmic Disc will arrive shortly.”

Yunxiao nodded and, in a blink, appeared outside the hall. The gathered crowd immediately straightened up and bowed deeply. “Greetings, Alliance Leader!”

Yunxiao raised a hand, his Qi gently lifting everyone to their feet. “There is no need for such formality. I am no longer the leader of the Heavenly Martial Alliance.” His eyes turned toward a green-robed man standing nearby. “Wei Qing, the future of this world rests in your hands.”

Wei Qing looked moved. He hesitated, then simply nodded solemnly.

“Then my mind is at ease,” Yunxiao said with a smile.

The area outside the hall was packed with the elite of two worlds. Familiar faces were everywhere, including Bi and An, who had traveled from the Devil World. Li Changfeng and the members of the Li clan were present as well, many of them visibly weeping.

Yunxiao caught the eye of one man and smiled. “Luo Qingyun, it seems our final duel will have to wait for another time.”

Luo Qingyun’s expression was a whirlwind of emotions. He cupped his fists and declared, “The Land of Reincarnation? I shall meet you there!”

“Haha, well said!”

Che You slapped Luo Qingyun’s shoulder and laughed. “We are both of the Dragon Race, the strongest beings under the sun. Let us strive for the peak together!”

Yunxiao looked at his old friend, the man who had walked beside him through two lifetimes. For a moment, he found no words.

“Why the stare?” Che You laughed. “I’ve had to look at your face for two lives now. It’s enough to ruin a man's appetite. Finally, I’ll have some peace.”

Yunxiao stepped forward and pulled the man into a firm embrace. “My deepest thanks.”

Tears began to stream from Che You’s dragon eyes. He hugged back tightly while cursing, “Two grown men hugging... how revolting! I am a True Dragon; how can I show my face if people see this?”

Zhuo Qingfan’s expression suddenly shifted. “They have arrived sooner than expected!” He began casting a series of rapid hand seals into the sky.

A sphere of kaleidoscopic light expanded above the hall, drifting like a divine mist. Within the halo, a miniature universe seemed to form. Beneath a canopy of brilliant stars, a pillar of silver light carrying the primordial power of the cosmos descended, vanishing as quickly as it appeared.

In its wake, a silver compass hovered in the air, radiating a soft glow.

Yunxiao’s eyes lit up with joy. He beckoned the disc to his hand and struck it gently. A silver ripple flowed across the surface, and an exquisite pill emerged.

“Water Deity!” he called out happily.

The Water Deity had already manifested the Ru Wo Wen. Upon the Golden Lotus, Fei Ni’s life flame flickered weakly.

Yunxiao guided the Nirvana Pill toward the flame. As the heat of the spark began to roast the pill, spirals of spiritual energy began to circle and nourish the dying ember of life.

Yunxiao watched intently, catching a faint glimpse of Fei Ni’s silhouette within the growing glow of the flame.

“Fear not,” Zhuo Qingfan assured him. “With the Nirvana Pill, Fei Ni’s restoration is guaranteed. Do not linger; you must follow the path of the star disc back to its source. The longer you wait, the more the path fades, and the danger increases.”

“I wish to see her fully restored before I go,” Yunxiao said, his brow furrowed.

Zhuo Qingfan gave a small laugh. “That is not possible. Reincarnation takes days, and she will be in a deep coma for a long time after. It will be a year before she can even speak. Are you willing to risk the star path for a year of waiting? It is too dangerous.”

Qu Hongyan and the others stepped forward, urging him to go. “It has only been fifteen years. Surely Feiyang intends to return to us?” Qu Hongyan said, a forced but brave smile on her face.

Yunxiao exhaled a long sigh, looking at the beautiful women he was leaving behind. They were all struggling to hold back their tears.

With a gentle smile, Yunxiao turned and began to walk away, his voice echoing through the hall as he faded into the brilliance of the star compass. “I shall return soon.”

His solitary figure slowly dissolved into the infinite light of the stars.

It was as they say:

The Yi River flows, carefree and full.