The Ancient Gods' Whisper

The apocalypse of humanity has not yet arrived—not because the time is premature,

but because the King of Qing still lives.

"Since your master and junior sister were willing to teach you the method of evolution, it proves they also believe I am right. They merely refuse to admit my greatness, as acknowledging it would indirectly confess their own foolishness. Of course, I do not despise them—they are indeed rare pillars and heroes of the Human World."

Huai Yin smiled and said, "They are only a little foolish compared to me, but not overly so. At least, compared to that fool of a king, you could already consider them exceptionally intelligent."

Tang Ling fell silent.

For a moment, Gu Jianlin didn't know what to say either.

"Actually, breaking Heaven's Punishment is not a difficult task for me. I found the method many years ago; I just hadn't bothered to attempt it because there was no need. Back then, my temper was rough, and if fools barked at me, I couldn't restrain myself from killing them."

Huai Yin tilted his gaze to the sky and suddenly sighed: "I spent two hundred years honing myself to finally learn how to patiently communicate with fools, all in preparation for this day."

"From today onward, I stand above the heavens."

He gently remarked, "Whatever you wish to do, go ahead. No one will stop you."

Tang Ling froze.

Gu Jianlin hesitated for a second: "What do you mean?"

"I have broken your cage. From now on, you needn't fear anyone—whether it's the President or Catastrophes, especially the Judgement Court. Go do what you think is right. If you succeed, pursue it boldly. If you fail, you bear the consequences yourself."

Huai Yin paused: "But as long as what you pursue is righteous, even if the sky collapses, I will bear it for you."

Those words carried many implications.

Gu Jianlin and Tang Ling understood them perfectly.

If you confirm someone is from the Order of the Hidden, you may kill.

If you kill in error, you bear the blame yourself.

If the kill is justified, even if floods rage across the world, someone will bear the consequences for you.

"After all, this world ultimately belongs to the young. It should be your decision to shape the future, not the decrees of old fools. The measure of youth is not age,"

Huai Yin said, "but whether the heart has already rotted."

"Two hundred years ago, they called me mad. You young ones have heard as much, though you haven't witnessed it firsthand, so there's no visceral sense—no fear."

He turned once more, gazing at the three Saints: "Now, I will let you see it."

With just a casual gesture of his hand,

the time and space where Xingye and Tianzhou—the two Saints—stood twisted and distorted.

In the blink of an eye, they were brought before the old man.

The two Saints, one male and one female, were still being burned by the Ghost Fire on the Cross Iron Sword. Yet, after enduring such long torment, they no longer screamed in agony—they seemed numb, dazed.

Huai Yin raised both hands, placing them atop their heads.

Golden blood burst forth from his palms and forced its way into their seven orifices like living creatures.

At that moment, the two Holy Sanctuary Level Ascenders howled in agony; the torment was a thousandfold worse than before, as if subjected to excruciating torture—souls boiling and writhing in Sulfur Hell's torment.

The golden blood seemed to possess an eerie quality.

Even Holy Sanctuary Level Ascenders couldn't endure it.

They spiraled into madness, white smoke billowing from their faces as their features twisted and blurred.

Simultaneously, their bodies began to swell grotesquely.

Flesh cracked open, horrifying appendages burst forth.

Convulsing bodies spilled pus and blood, with pale exoskeletons sprouting violently across their surfaces.

Their forms distorted monstrously.

In mere seconds, they had transformed into abominations.

"This is why they called me mad—because I discovered a way for humans to wield the Ancient God Power. But in doing so, I unleashed catastrophe upon the world. Countless experiments like this—I've lost count. I can't even remember the number of deaths at my hands. Heroes of the Human World, vicious criminals, Ether Association elites, countless souls from the Dark World..."

"After all, I succeeded. Why shouldn't others succeed like me? So I kept trying, bloodstaining my hands as I crossed forbidden lines, making countless enemies."

"Yet I have no regrets."

Bang.

The bodies of Xingye and Tianzhou rapidly expanded, emitting monstrous roars.

"Some claim I murdered innocents, that my accomplishments rest on the foundation of insane human experimentation. Others believe I am trying to destroy humanity, that I am no better than the Ancient God Clan."

Huai Yin softly murmured, "I personally opened Pandora's Taboo Magic Box. Countless souls were lured by its allure, chasing after evolution's chance in mad frenzy—pushing the Human World into an abyss."

He raised his hand again.

The agonizing cries of Tianzhou and Xingye abruptly halted, stuck in their throats.

Only compound eyes glowed blood-red, illuminating the darkness.

Behind them, Lee Qingsong—nailed to the ground—struggled to lift his head, his face revealing terror and despair.

Clearly, he had survived that era.

"Now, the moment of choice has come."

Huai Yin gazed at the boy and girl before him, surprisingly asking the latter first: "The little girl catches my eye. You also possess the Evolution Path method. Do you wish to become my apprentice? I can free you from the Sword Tomb."

Tang Ling clenched the Extreme Thunder Great Sword, supporting her weary body, replying solemnly: "No."

"My place in the Sword Tomb is to repay a debt—the Tang Family owes them. Over these ten-plus years, they've also nurtured me. If I leave now, I may gain freedom, but I'll forever despise myself."

She looked steadily at the old man, neither arrogant nor servile: "At least in the Sword Tomb, I can still see the hope of freedom. But if I became your apprentice, I'd be shackled for life, never escaping it."

Huai Yin, unfazed by the rejection, seemed to appreciate the girl more. His gaze shifted to the boy beside her: "And you? You've seen all I've done. They call me mad—a man who performs human experiments on innocents. Even these two Saints, who had contributed greatly to the Human World, fell victim."

He paused: "They say I am a butcher, crazed for power, the one who drove humanity into the abyss—an eternal sinner. Now that you've seen everything, would you still wish to be my apprentice?"

Gu Jianlin stared at the elder before him, scrutinizing those aged yet gentle eyes.

After a long, silent gaze, the boy said nothing.

He simply turned and walked toward the darkened road.

Tang Ling glanced at his retreating figure, bowed slightly to the old man, then followed him.

The answer was clear.

Yet, Huai Yin didn't seem disappointed; his smile only grew warmer.

For a moment, strange patterns appeared on the bodies of Tianzhou and Xingye. Countless boyish and girlish figures resembling malevolent ghosts silently wailed—they were so numerous it was harrowing.

Bang!

Their bodies exploded, scattering bone and flesh fragments across the ground.

"Hahaha, no one wants to be your apprentice."

Under the scorching Divine Sacrificial Fire, Li Qingsong spat fresh blood and laughed hoarsely, malicious and sinister: "Huai Yin, in the end, you still haven't found your legacy. So what if you were the first? In the end, you're like a Joker—even those you nurtured are frightened and hateful of you!"

The sea breeze roared past, while Huai Yin spoke softly: "Is that so? I disagree."

Suddenly, his figure turned ethereal, fading into the wind.

In his place sat the elderly man in a wheelchair.

Apart from being paler and seemingly much older, he appeared unchanged.

"Then let's make a bet,"

Huai Yin said with a smile. "Let's wait ten minutes."

·

·

In the dark alleyway, faint shadows stretched long under the dim moonlight.

Carrying the Extreme Thunder Great Sword on her back, Tang Ling glanced meaningfully at the boy beside her.

Gu Jianlin took out his phone and dialed. "Tell me Councilman Zhang's location. I'm heading over now."

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