Catalysis

The sea and sky were steeped in darkness. High above the howling wind and raging storm, the Eye of Great Sin expanded unceasingly at a stupefying speed, churning up wave after expanding wave of disturbance. Looking down from the heavens, the terrifying torrent of ripples turned into surging tides, scouring again and again the already fragile mortal world. Every tremor set hearts pounding with dread. No one knew when it would all fall completely to pieces. "It's drawing closer to the Vortex!" "The degree of overlap is deepening even further—" Inside the pale space, reports laced with suppressed dread continued, until a shout of uncontrollable excitement broke through the suffocating gloom: "Word from the T5—the Celestial Rail will hold the line to ensure the mortal world is preserved!" In an instant, cheers erupted. Everyone could barely keep from dancing with joy. Yet the elder's expression remained grim. Somber. With things collapsed to this extent, could the Celestial Rail really make it in time? And with the Seal of the Shadow Sun to maintain, how much power could it actually muster? "At this point, we can no longer expect the Celestial Rail to turn the tide—" The elder let out a raspy sigh and raised his voice. "Have the Focus Foundation begin charging! If necessary, take the initiative to sever that section and completely annihilate it before it plunges into the Vortex!" Everyone turned around, stunned and in disbelief. Then, the alarms stopped dead. Innumerable aberrant readings instantly returned to normal. Within the colossal projection, the spreading darkness abruptly froze. The teetering Border Realm held its ground in miraculous defiance—as if propped up by an invisible hand! It held fast. Just like that, it contended against the horrifying gravitational pull of the Vortex, permitting neither wavering nor collapse. In that instant, deep in the lightless dark, lightning flashed across the howling tempest. It illuminated a gaunt figure standing upon empty air beneath the firmament. His features were indistinct, imperceptible to the naked eye. Yet his snow-white robes whipped like a banner. The moment the walking stick in his hand tapped through the air, visible ripples diffused through the void. Disturbing the torrential rain! Raising a tempest! Reversing the sky! A small walking stick, yet like a foreign wedge jammed into the operational hub of a mechanism, it brought the invisible gears to a sudden halt. The overlapping of the Vortex and the mortal world ceased at once! At the pivotal moment, he turned the tide! Blazing radiance surfaced from the walking stick, winding and snaking like a brand-new Heavenly Pillar propped between sea and sky, stabilizing heaven and earth! It was unimaginable that such magnificent power could manifest from a single person's palm. Yet what was even more astounding was that at this very moment, such magnificent, boundless power failed to steal even a fraction of the figure's presence. No witness could tear their eyes away from that gaunt form. Directly above his head, amid the absolute darkness of Great Sin, the brilliant radiance of the stars rose once more, converging, pouring down like kindling, cascading toward the mortal realm like a waterfall. The manifestation of Tianlu appeared! "Leave it to me." Inside the pale space, while everyone stood frozen in place, a low voice rang out. Like an anchor dropped into the sea, it stabilized the situation in an instant. "L-Lord Tianlu?!" The elder was overjoyed. "Thank heavens!" "It's really Lord Tianlu!" The others broke into exuberant celebration. "We're saved!" "No ti—me to chat—" As if muffled by heavy interference, Tianlu's voice cut in and out. "Leave every—thing to me. For now, no need... to worry. Tell Ellis and Pang Pei to hurry up... "Faster..." Before the transmission severed, the last thing that came through was a weary sigh from carrying a crushing burden. "Things are... a bit troublesome." *Snap!* Across the back of Tianlu's hand, a crack surfaced in silence. In the hour of peril, he propped up the falling heavens! Before witnessing this, no one could have imagined that someone could single-handedly wedge himself between the Vortex and the mortal world to force them apart, holding back an entire Border Realm about to plunge into the abyss! From the domain of Great Sin, he opened up anew the foundation of Summum Bonum. Even if this pillar of kindled flame seemed slender and tiny compared to that infinite darkness, the mere moment it manifested caused the sinister silhouettes in the shadows to freeze where they stood, instinctively retreating. "Tianlu..." From the deepest reaches of the dark came a venomous whisper, followed immediately by eerie shapes emerging from the gloom. Their eyes gleamed crimson, malice surging like a tide. Among them, two colossal outlines writhing like long worms had encircled Tianlu without anyone noticing, cutting off every retreat! Yet looking closely, those uncanny worm-like forms were actually stitched together from countless silhouetted human bodies. It was as if a disordered timeline had superimposed the primary bodies atop one another, dragging out an endless afterimage from chaotic void and time... At the very front, from the "heads" of the two worms, two emaciated figures rose from the dark, their faces resembling twin brothers. Fugitives who slipped through the net of the Star Core Association, Sins of Chaos of the Shadow Sun—and two of them at that! Behind those two Time Worms, in the dense, pervasive dark all around, countless outlines seemed to shift, faintly converging into a fluid, ever-changing silhouette that defied a fixed shape. It was a Defilement Demon, a breed almost thought to be extinct! And these were merely the ones stepping forward. In that expanse of Great Sin's darkness, no one knew how many Sin-Bearers had converged, or how many opportunists lurked in the wings, waiting to profit from the chaos. "Who would've thought a rotten piece of meat could draw so many flies?" Tianlu sighed softly, glancing toward the origins of those frigid gazes. Then, he offered a mocking smirk. "Yet... you neither advance nor retreat. Why is that?" In an instant, the darkness erupted. Countless crimson eyes flared to life. The two entwined Time Worms enclosing Tianlu swelled violently, their murderous intent savage and hideous. Around Tianlu, the trace of the Defilement Demon flickered in and out, letting out a contemptuous chuckle. "I have heard that although Lord Tianlu rarely takes the field, you are revered as the Ember Sage closest to the seat of Director-General of Summum Bonum in a thousand years. Seeing you today, you truly live up to your reputation. Impressive indeed!" The sound of clapping rang out, both admiring and mocking. "However, I am curious—with you maintaining the mortal world right now, just how much strength do you have left to bluff?" Tianlu fell silent, saying nothing. He merely raised his eyes in bewilderment. *Who's that barking?* For a single moment, the entire world seemed to freeze. Everyone's vision blurred, and in that fleeting instant of transformation, a bloodcurdling shriek suddenly ripped through the air. *Boom!* A squirming, multicolored mollusk monster materialized out of thin air from the shadows and flew backward, an ink-like fluid as thick as blood spewing uncontrollably from the tears in its body. The Defilement Demon concealed in the void had been wounded in a fraction of a second. Not only that— Of the two enormous worms, one had vanished into thin air. The remaining one let out a shriek of bereavement! A wound suddenly opened on Tianlu's chest, leaving a pierced, hollow void. He had taken a hit! Yet in his other, previously empty hand, an oil lamp had mysteriously appeared. Within that archaic and uncanny oil lamp, a worm-like shadow swam in terrified frenzy amid the lamplight, unable to break free. It could only struggle in vain, crackling as it was scorched by the flame. Piteous wails rose from the faint glow, wave after wave. Soon, all went silent. "Don't misunderstand. Even if the vast majority of my strength has to go toward stabilizing the mortal world, taking care of trash like you... is hardly any trouble." Tianlu paid no mind to the wound on his chest, lowering his eyes with disdain. "Who's next?" "Or better yet—" Just like that, one hand planted on the walking stick anchoring the mortal world, he lifted the other hand and crooked a finger at the darkness. He spoke: "Come at me together!" No further words were needed, nor was there any point in waste talk. A living Sage, the artisan standing atop the peak of Embers, the greatest Tianlu in history made his move! Blazing radiance burst forth within the dark. Heaven and earth shook! *Tch...* Inside the Border Realm, Ji Jue raised his eyes expressionlessly, watching the spectacle outside—that towering figure holding up the Border Realm and maintaining the mortal world with one hand while blocking out the heavens and suppressing all darkness with the other. Ji Jue could barely resist the urge to step out and give the old man a couple of hard slaps across the face! *Old dog, what the hell are you showing off for?* *Holding up the mortal world, cleaving away the Vortex—you made such a grand scene with so many special effects, but did it cost you half an ounce of effort?!* *And you're telling me this tiny bit of noise could actually wound you?* Ji Jue didn't buy it for a second. Even if others couldn't see through it, how could Tianlu fail to recognize that this was his nominal junior brother's handiwork? How could he not see something was up? Besides, Ji Jue only planned to gather the rats, snakes, and insects in one spot and blow up the cesspool; he had no intention of punching a hole in the mortal world. Otherwise, if the Celestial Rail took damage, what would President do? Right now, master control of the entire ritual rested firmly in his hands. What did it matter how tightly the Vortex and the mortal world overlapped? Whether the Border Realm plunged or not was entirely up to him! Yet this dog of a man just had to indulge his acting itch and put on a whole theatrical show! Fine, act if you want, but you even had to coordinate lighting and props... That glance he had cast toward the Border Realm while showing off a moment ago was ten-thousand percent meant for Ji Jue! In fact, it wasn't just a glance. At this moment, within the immense structure enveloping the entire Border Realm, among its countless spiritus circuits, a subtle shift took place. Amid the intricate surges of spiritus, a ripple traveled along the sequence's conduction, miraculously delivered right before Ji Jue's eyes. It registered in his perception as an unmistakable signal. It was an alchemical rune, a variation derived from the insignia of Summum Bonum: Entropy, signifying an explosive release after stagnation. The technical term for it was "Catalysis." Like a teacher leaving a margin note while checking homework. Offering guidance and direction. *The heat is set; extraction and mutation are at hand.* *Time to bring out the heavy stuff!* Applied to the current situation, the meaning was blatantly clear: *I've got your back. Do as you please.* *Whatever you want to do, I want to see rivers of blood!* He didn't care what had happened, nor did he care what consequences might follow if Ji Jue lost his mind and bungled the job. He just sat right down at the table and started ordering dishes! Seriously, how could any bastard in this world be this infuriating? Yet on one point alone, Ji Jue was in complete agreement, offering no objection whatsoever. It truly was time to bring out the heavy stuff. "Fine, rivers of blood it is!" Ji Jue raised his hand expressionlessly, clawing forward at the world before him to trigger the final transformation. The sacrifices and accumulation were already sufficient. Though it was a little earlier than anticipated, since someone was willing to pick up the tab, Ji Jue naturally wouldn't hold back— *Every single one of you, die!* At that instant, wild laughter soared into the sky from the dead center of the sacrificial temple. Amid the chaotic melee, a battered, blood-drenched Shehri flashed into view. He had taken Duke Anguo's full-force strike head-on, suffering grievous injuries in the process. Yet he had finally seized this crucial opportunity, crossing the final stretch of distance. A strange green light spewed from his mouth. The Rotting Scale poison he had nurtured for so long tore through the palace's final defense, breached the grand doors, and pulled back the final curtain. It was like an imperial court. Inside the hall, a solemn throne stood high above, as if awaiting the kowtows and audiences of civil and military officials. Yet eternity had ended, the Empire had crumbled, and of the court, not a trace remained. Majesty and glory had long departed. All that remained atop the throne was an ancient, ornate coffer resting quietly in the dust, silently regarding the ugly, desperate spectacle of treacherous subjects tearing at each other's throats. Without a word. "The Imperial Seal of the Realm—" Shehri's eyes blazed. Paying no heed to the roars and fury behind him, he pounced forward in wild ecstasy. Just a little more! Just a sliver more, and he could seize into his grasp this supreme Heavenly Work that controlled the Unfinished Tower and Summum Bonum Tianyuan—yet that single sliver felt like an insurmountable chasm! Utterly out of reach. Midair, a winding black thread stretched out from the sacrificial temple, silently wrapping around his ankle. Like a hand, it tightened! The aberrant Law of Tianyuan instantly suppressed the changes in his wolf blood. Beneath the shroud of the Shadow of the Tower, it displayed the targeted dominance of a natural predator. There was no escape. Then, before everyone's stunned gazes, it yanked Shehri back, swung him round, and hoisted him to the highest point— *Boom!* Before Shehri could even scream, he was slammed into the jade steps of the plaza, snapping the pristine jade-carved stairs in two and burying him into the crater. Immediately after, the black thread yanked, swung, and slammed him down again! *Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!* The thunderous impacts were ceaseless. Under the brutal bludgeoning, the plaza was instantly riddled with craters, dark green gore, and mangled flesh. Until, with a sickening *splat*, Shehri was torn completely in two, his leg crushed into paste—only then did an earth-shattering roar erupt from beneath the sacrificial temple! One, two, ten, a hundred, a thousand... Countless black threads hauled wailing afterimages from the earth, resurfacing from below. But now, guided by an invisible hand, those sky-dancing black threads converged, intertwined, and channeled the power of the entire Border Realm, taking shape once more. Using the entire Border Realm as a Crucible and Non-Offensive as flame, it remade this massive sacrificial temple! Nourished by boundless death and souls, born from this immense sacrifice, the monster created by Ji Jue finally revealed itself before everyone's eyes! The Border Realm fell dead silent. Everyone stared with wide eyes, struggling to breathe. It was as if an invisible mirror had suddenly appeared between heaven and earth. The broken tower hanging high in the sky cast an eerie reflection across the earth. Wailing, squirming shadows turned into masonry, laying the foundation of the tower. All the taboos of the sacrificial temple coalesced into solid substance, forming the tower's iron walls. Immediately after, the faces of all the deceased wept tears of blood as they surfaced along the tower, studding its surface. Amid the interweaving of tens of millions of black threads, a pitch-black tower rose from the ground, towering between heaven and earth! Finally, an eerie flame ignited at the summit of the pitch-black tower. The blazing fire resembled an eye, looking down with cruel malice upon those ants and specks of dust who knew not their place. The slaughter began here!