“One mountain cannot harbor two tigers, one country cannot have two rulers, and one world cannot have two ‘Heavens’…”

An Qisheng shook his head slightly.

The enemy was Heaven.

However, it wasn't the 'Heaven' of this world, but the 'Heaven' of Huang Tian (Imperial Heaven).

An Qisheng had already sensed this, but hearing Gu Changfeng say it still stirred him.

Compared to the world, individual entities like the Yuan Shen Dharma Body (Primal Spirit Avatar), and the pure Mandate of Heaven, all seemed insignificant. Indirectly interfering was already the limit. Deciding the outcome wasn't something simple cultivation could achieve.

Nor was it something a single individual could accomplish.

"Yes, one world cannot contain two 'Heavens'."

Gu Changfeng was slightly surprised, seemingly astonished that An Qisheng knew, but he didn't ask further and continued,

"The origin of all these changes is now impossible to trace, but if we take the first Huang Tian Shi Li (Ten Calamities of Imperial Heaven) as the starting point, this calamity has lasted for over a million years…"

"The root of all this is a war between two worlds, but unfortunately, it's a war with such a vast disparity in strength that it can't even be called a war… No war has ever had such an imbalance between the opposing sides."

In the vast starry sea, there is mutual attraction. If the size of one celestial body is too large, it will absorb nearby meteorites, asteroids, and even stars.

This isn't even because that celestial body has any malice.

When planets meet, and when universes approach, the weak will die.

An Qisheng couldn't help but think of Xuan Xing (Profound Star).

The frequent replacements were likely due to the gradual approach of other universes. It was hard to say if the two universes wouldn't collide or overlap someday.

When that happened, what would become of Xuan Xing?

Compared to other universes and worlds, was the size of the spirit-severed universe where Xuan Xing was located large or small?

At this time, An Qisheng couldn't fathom the size of the universe, let alone predict the success or failure of the world and its future. But he knew that even if the spirit-severed universe where Xuan Xing was located was infinitely large,

and could attract and absorb all universes,

it wouldn't be good news for Xuan Xing.

The dust of the universe could already crush Xuan Xing's eternity and destroy the future of its billions of people.

An Qisheng lightly tapped the table, looking directly at Gu Changfeng:

"Did you still fail, even with the help of this world?"

"When worlds collide, humans are too small to do anything but borrow power. I borrowed power for a battle, originally with a 30% chance of success, but the poison of spiritual energy was beyond my imagination…"

Gu Changfeng looked at An Qisheng:

"Back then, all I wanted was for all living things not to perish. Interfering was just to cut off the connection between the two worlds…

Unfortunately, after a single defeat, my body died and my Dao extinguished, and Tian Gong (Heavenly Duke) has been nearly half-submerged, making it even harder to borrow power. That's why I said you were one step late."

With two 'Heavens' colliding, and no way to borrow power, how easy would it be to achieve one's goal?

An Qisheng naturally knew this.

But his expression didn't change at all. Instead, he asked, "The spiritual energy between Heaven and Earth should come from that great world, right?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Gu Changfeng's eyes, then he slowly nodded: "Correct."

"In that case, the Huang Tian Shi Li also originated from that great world?"

An Qisheng had doubts and asked what was on his mind:

"Or did they come from the sky above our heads?"

"You should already have the answer, so why ask me?"

Gu Changfeng said calmly.

"You are a firsthand witness. Hearing it from your mouth is naturally different from my own speculation."

An Qisheng's expression was calm, but he had an answer in his heart.

"Heaven and Earth have five poisons: Buddha, Dao, demon, ghost, and heresy… I call them the five poisons because they are poisonous to this world!"

Gu Changfeng didn't hide anything and was extremely frank:

"For this world, these five Dao auras, including spiritual energy itself, are all 'poisonous substances' that erode Heaven and Earth. I prefer to call them the Huang Tian Wu Dao (Five Paths of Imperial Heaven).

These five Dao auras are the tentacles of that great world called Huang Tian, used to pull and annex other worlds… The birth of the Huang Tian Shi Li, however, is the result of the two 'Heavens' playing against each other. Although this world's Tian Gong is far from comparable to the Heaven of that great world, it is not at a disadvantage in this world…"

The collision of worlds, the struggle between universes, could never be decided in a day or two.

The methods used weren't the usual displays of supernatural power by cultivators. There were too many things involved.

The successive world-ending tribulations over millions of years were perhaps the result of the collision between the two.

An Qisheng listened to Gu Changfeng's explanation of the world's secrets, lost in thought.

Thousands of thoughts raced through his mind, and he gradually understood:

"In that case, the Huang Tian Shi Li like to cultivate the souls and flesh of Daoists, which is the intention of this world's 'Tian Gong'. Is that also why the Huang Tian Shi Li destroy the world?"

"Correct."

Gu Changfeng nodded slightly in approval, feeling that talking with An Qisheng was quite pleasant.

They could both easily understand what the other wanted to say.

"The real enemy isn't the Huang Tian Shi Li, but the five poisons between Heaven and Earth: Buddha, Dao, demon, ghost, and heresy. Tian Gong destroys the world only to eradicate the five poisons and slow down this world's decline.

If not for the repeated world-ending purges over the past million years, this world would have already been completely captured…"

While Gu Changfeng spoke, he kept paying attention to An Qisheng's expression.

Back when he had gradually uncovered the world's secrets, he had been greatly shaken.

And after learning the truth, he did many things.

He even swallowed 90% of the Yin Sha Yuan Zeng Qi (negative energy) in Heaven and Earth at the cost of his own inner world.

But he couldn't truly eliminate this negative energy.

Because spiritual energy had filled this world and had become an indispensable part of it, impossible to erase.

Just like a drop of water, no matter how you destroy it, it will still exist in this world in another form.

"Destroying the world is self-preservation, and stopping it is the real destruction of the world…"

An Qisheng was indeed shaken, and his expression couldn't help but change slightly:

"So that's it, so that's it."

Tian Gong destroys the world for self-preservation, while the Daoist cultivators who resist the destruction of the world are the tumors of Heaven and Earth, the original sin that destroys the world?

Coming to this conclusion, An Qisheng wanted to laugh, but he also felt a little sad.

To force a world to repeatedly purge the 'toxins' within it by destroying the world, how tragic was that?

And how bleak was the fate of the living beings who were purged along with them?

No wonder Gu Changfeng ultimately embarked on the path of fighting Heaven, because he had no other choice.

Gu Changfeng quietly watched An Qisheng, waiting for him to calm down.

Back then, after he learned this news, he couldn't calm down for a long time either.

It seemed like a long time passed before Gu Changfeng spoke, until the red light around An Qisheng seemed to dim:

"Whether you kill the Huang Tian Shi Li or not, the destruction of the world will eventually come. No one who has spiritual energy can survive, unless they ascend to immortality…"

"You can't save everyone."

In the hazy red light, An Qisheng's divine will fluctuated slightly.

Listening to Gu Changfeng's words, he slowly raised his eyebrows:

"What if I insist on trying?"

"If you insist on trying, then in addition to the nine layers of Heavenly Punishment from Huang Tian, you will also have to face the thunderous wrath of this world's Tian Gong…"

Gu Changfeng's gaze was a little erratic:

"Are you going to fight two Heavens at the same time?"

"I'm not a good person, and I don't want to be a saint, but…"

An Qisheng slowly stood up, and the red light around him dimmed even more.

Gu Changfeng looked at him indifferently, waiting for what he would say next.

"I have experienced despair…"

"And I have also seen the dawn…"

An Qisheng stood tall, and in the hazy red light, his divine will seemed to disappear:

"And I am willing to become a ray of dawn in the desperate situation of others!"

Having lived two lives and crossed three realms,

he could never forget the struggle between life and death that year, the desperation of having no way to go to Heaven or earth, and the helplessness of looking around without a glimmer of light.

He had a lucky encounter, saw the dawn, and achieved today's success.

Why not be a ray of dawn in the desperate situation of others?

Whoosh!

As the red light flowed, An Qisheng's wisp of divine will gradually disappeared:

"What does it matter to fight two Heavens alone?"

As his voice echoed, the red light flashed and disappeared, taking An Qisheng's wisp of divine will away from this space.

What was taken away was Gu Changfeng's last warning:

"The Huang Tian Shi Li must not be killed!"

"Hmm?!"

An Qisheng's heart shook, and he looked back at the last moment, only to see that the space flashed in the endless darkness and then disappeared.

But in that instant, he saw that in the tavern, the pale-faced boy who had been silent and seemingly illusory from beginning to end suddenly raised his head.

Was that Xie Qi?

.......

In the endless darkness, the small space was like a firefly, flickering and about to go out.

Inside the tavern.

"What does it matter to fight two Heavens alone?"

Gu Changfeng stood tall, looking into the boundless darkness, as if seeing An Qisheng off, and seeming to see his former self.

Whoosh~

Beside him, the fair-faced boy, only about ten years old, slowly raised his head.

In this instant, he seemed to have stepped from nothingness into reality, and hoarsely spoke:

"Fu Jun (Lord)..."

"Xiao Qi."

Gu Changfeng gently stroked the boy's long hair, his eyes gentle:

"Ascend to immortality."

"For ten thousand years, Xiao Qi has listened to you in everything…"

The boy looked up at Gu Changfeng, his eyes filled with a deep nostalgia: "Only this matter, I can't."

"My Dao has extinguished, and I have dissipated into chaos. I am already dead."

Gu Changfeng sighed: "Life is long. Everyone is a passerby except oneself. You and I have a relationship of ten thousand years, which is already better than countless people in the world. When the relationship ends, why force it?"

The boy lowered his head, as if not daring to look him directly in the eye, but his expression was firm, and his tone was as unshakeable as a mountain:

"I insist on forcing it!"

"Some things cannot be forced."

Gu Changfeng shook his head slightly: "I left the only trace here just to see him. Now that I have seen him, I have no regrets. I die, then I die. Why burden yourself?

You have already done enough."

"Ascending to immortality is just a snap of the fingers, but the ascension of one person is not what I want…"

The boy held the wine glass on the table, looking at the ripples in the wine:

"If gods block, kill the gods. If Buddhas block, kill the Buddhas. Demons and ghosts can be killed. Humans can also be killed. If Heaven wants to obstruct, then I will slaughter Heaven!"