nashuaworldcup Chapter 455 Ashes
Chapter 455 Ashes
The Candle Dragon sped through the mist, its chaotic engine at the stern spewing out eerie blue flames, leaving the pursuing corrupted monsters dozens of miles behind.
Baili Pangpang collapsed on the deck, panting heavily: "Finally... we shook them off..."
Lin Qiye stood at the bow of the ship, his black-boxed sword sheathed, but his eyes still scanned the surroundings warily.
Michael slightly folded his six wings, the holy sword hovering beside him. He gazed at a calm sea in the distance and said in a deep voice, "This is it."
The sea area seemed ordinary, but when the Candle Dragon sailed into it, the surrounding seawater suddenly rippled with pale gold.
The gray fog in the sky gradually dissipated, replaced by a pure blue expanse. Sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone on the sea, forming beams of light.
“The realm of divine favor…” Michael said softly, “This is the boundary between heaven and the mortal world.”
Baili Pangpang's eyes widened: "How do we get in? Just charge in by boat?"
Michael shook his head: "The Kingdom of Heaven is not a place that mortals can reach. Only by finding the light within one's own heart can one enter it."
Michael raised his hand, and a pure white feather appeared in his palm. He tossed it gently—
The feathers transformed into countless points of light, sprinkling down on everyone.
“Close your eyes and feel the light within,” he said. “If there is still a pure place in your heart, it will manifest there.”
Everyone closed their eyes as instructed.
Beneath Lin Qiye's feet appeared an eternal night sky, but deep within the starry sky, there was a dazzling light—that was his memory with Jialan.
Within Zhang Yun's Chaos Flame, a wisp of Candle Dragon True Flame transformed into a golden stream of light, guiding the way forward.
Within An Qingyu's mechanical data stream, a piece of uncontaminated initial code emerges—representing his purest pursuit of truth.
Within Cao Yuan's murderous aura, there was a clear sword intent—the conviction he held when he first wielded the sword.
Baili Pangpang... well, a Manchu Han Imperial Feast table appeared directly at his feet, glittering with gold.
Everyone: "..."
Baili Pangpang scratched his head: "The light in my heart... is simply being well-fed and watered!"
Michael: "...That counts too."
Heaven, the land of the soul.
As Lin Qiye and his group stepped into the Gate of Holy Light, the scene before them suddenly changed—
An endless sea of clouds stretched out beneath my feet, twelve golden temples floated in the sky, and angels' wings swept across the clouds, scattering holy light. In the distance, a pure white holy city stood majestically, its walls shimmering with a glassy luster, as if forged from the purest light.
"This is... Heaven?" Baili Pangpang's mouth dropped open, and he almost dropped the peach in his hand.
An Qingyu's lenses reflected holy light, and the data stream scrolled rapidly: "Energy readings cannot be measured... This is not the material world, but a pure manifestation of the mind."
Michael spread his six wings slightly and said solemnly, "The size of heaven is as great as the heart."
Lin Qiye looked around and suddenly frowned: "Wait... where's Lao Shen?"
Everyone turned to look, only to see the Gate of Heaven still floating on the sea of clouds, its golden light swirling, but Shen Qingzhu's figure was nowhere to be seen.
Baili Pangpang scratched his head: "Old Shen might have gotten lost, right?"
Garan blinked, asking curiously, "Can you get lost in the Land of the Soul?"
Michael was silent for a moment, then sighed, "He has too many distracting thoughts and cannot concentrate the 'Land of Light,' so naturally he cannot enter."
Zhang Yun raised an eyebrow: "Then what should we do? We can't just leave him outside alone, can we?"
Michael raised his hand and waved it, a golden light shooting out from his fingertip, passing through the gates of heaven, and disappearing into the outside world.
"Let him wait."
The deck of the Candle Dragon.
Shen Qingzhu sat cross-legged on the edge of the ship, his brows furrowed, oblivious to the fact that the cigarette between his fingers had burned down to the end.
He has tried more than ten times—
Close your eyes and concentrate, recall your purest beliefs, even forcefully hypnotize yourself with "I am the most luminous, I am the purest"...
However, the sea beneath their feet remained pitch black, without a trace of golden light.
"Tsk..." He stubbed out his cigarette in frustration and lit another one.
Sudden--
"Shua——!!!"
A golden light descended from the sky, transforming into a row of floating characters before him:
If you can't get in, just wait outside!
Shen Qingzhu: “…”
He stared at the words for three seconds, then suddenly sneered and raised his hand to unleash an air domain!
"boom--!!!"
The golden characters were crushed and turned into specks of light that dissipated.
"Ha, so what?" He flicked the middle finger at the sky, a cigarette dangling from his lips. "I don't even want to go in!"
...
Heaven, the ruins of the holy city.
The group stood before the shattered golden temple. Beneath their feet was no longer a pure sea of clouds, but cracked holy light stone slabs, from which wisps of black mist seeped.
Baili Pangpang kicked the half-angel statue at his feet: "What happened to the pristine and holy place? This place looks like it's been bombed by a nuclear bomb..."
Michael's six wings drooped slightly, and his voice was deep: "Heaven... has long since collapsed in the war of the gods."
He pointed into the distance—
A massive, jet-black sword plunged straight into the earth, its blade wrapped in crimson chains. The surrounding ground was cracked in a spiderweb pattern, as if the entire space had been pierced by this sword!
“That is…” Lin Qiye’s Eternal Night Domain instinctively warned.
"The Gates of Hell." Michael's holy sword blazed with flames. "Lucifer's 'Fallen Blade'."
As the group approached the giant sword, they discovered that its blade was covered with twisted runes, each one flowing with a foul, bloody light.
As soon as An Qingyu's detector approached, it exploded with sparks: "The energy properties are completely opposite... This is 'Reverse Holy Light'?!"
Michael nodded: "Back then, Lucifer betrayed the Holy Lord and used this sword to sever Heaven and create Hell."
His fingertips traced the sword wound, and a memory suddenly surfaced—
The magnificent dome of heaven was cleaved open by a single sword!
Countless angels fell in the black flames, their wings burned away!
Lucifer's maniacal laughter echoed through the heavens: "Since you can't tolerate my light... then let's all fall into darkness together!"
Zhang Yun's Candle Dragon Mark glowed slightly: "So, this is the current state of Hell..."
“It is the other half of heaven,” Michael said coldly, “and hell… is hidden below.”
Passing through the ruins, the group arrived at the former residence of the Holy Lord—
What should have been a sacred and solemn sanctuary is now nothing but ruins.
On the central altar, where the Ark of the Covenant should have been placed... it was completely empty!
"The Ark of the Covenant has been stolen!" Michael's holy sword plunged into the ground, and blazing white flames engulfed the entire hall!
Within the flames, a wisp of dark golden divine rune slowly emerged—
It was a rune that no one had ever seen before, twisted like a snake, yet exuding supreme divine power!
Lin Qiye's pupils shrank sharply: "This is..."
“Odin’s runes,” Michael’s voice was icy cold. “He’s been here.”
An Qingyu suddenly squatted down and picked up a crystal from the ashes: "The residual energy indicates... someone broke in from the direction of Hell."
Michael's wings suddenly unfurled: "Impossible! Hell and Heaven are mirror images of each other; there is absolutely no way an evil god could enter Heaven through Hell!"
Shen Qingzhu sneered: "Unless... he was already in hell."
Everyone suddenly realized—
Odin has long since sided with Cthulhu, and Hell... is precisely the place most corrupted!
Enrage blazed in Michael's eyes. "Odin?!"
Michael suddenly raised his holy sword high, and blazing white flames shot into the sky, tearing a crack in the heavens!
"Sacred Eye - Observation of the World!"
A vision of hell emerged from the crack—
A crimson blood moon hung high, illuminating the twisted ruins of the temple;
The rotting bones of angels piled up like mountains, with black tides writhing within them;
Deep inside, a one-eyed figure stands before the altar, holding in his hands... the golden Ark of the Covenant!
"Odin—!!!" Michael's roar shattered the clouds!
Odin in the scene seemed to sense something, his one eye suddenly turned to the void, and a ferocious smile appeared on his lips.
Deep in hell, beneath a blood-red sky.
Michael, his six wings burning with blazing white holy flames, wielding the Sword of Judgment, traversed the void as he arrived.
His gaze was piercing, fixed intently on what lay ahead—
Odin sat alone on a throne made of bones, toying with the golden Ark of the Covenant in his hand, a faint smile playing on his lips.
“Michael, it’s been a long time.” His voice was deep and hoarse, as if he hadn’t spoken for millennia.
“Odin…” Michael’s holy sword pointed directly at the other party, his voice icy and chilling, “How dare you lay a finger on the sacred relics of Heaven!”
Odin chuckled softly, a crimson glint flashing in his single eye: "Why be so angry? You and I are both supreme beings, why should we fight each other over mere mortals?"
Odin slowly rose to his feet, his body wreathed in black lightning, and the ground trembled with each step he took.
“Michael, you and I both know… this era has changed.” His voice was seductive. “Cthulhu will eventually awaken, and the only way for the divine kingdoms to survive is to submit.”
He raised his hand, and a jet-black crystal appeared in his palm, sealed within a wisp of pure white light—the “Light of Creation” that had been stripped from the Ark of the Covenant!
"Look, this is the 'light' you worship..." Odin grinned maliciously, "Before absolute power, it... is utterly vulnerable!"
"Shut up!" Michael's holy flames surged suddenly. "Those who cooperate with Cthulhu... deserve to die!"
"boom--!!!"
Michael's holy sword slashed out, and the blazing white flames transformed into a pillar of light that instantly tore through the darkness of hell!
Odin let out a wild laugh, crimson lightning shooting from his single eye, and his right hand clenched the void—
"Gungnir, the Eternal Spear!"
A divine spear shrouded in black mist appeared out of thin air, its tip pointing directly at the holy flame!
"clang--!!!"
The moment the guns and swords clashed, a terrifying shockwave swept across the entire hellish landscape!
The throne of bones shattered instantly!
The blood moon was shattered, creating a gap in it!
Even Lucifer, who was watching from afar, had to spread his tattered six wings to defend against the aftershocks!
Michael's offensive poured down like a torrential rain—
"Holy Judgment - Seven Heavens!"
Seven blazing white halos emerged from the void, like rings of judgment swirling toward Odin!
Odin grinned as he hurled his spear: "Pierce through fate!"
"boom--!!!"
Gungnir transformed into a jet-black meteor, actually shattering the triple light wheel!
With undiminished momentum, it pierced straight at Michael's heart!
"Shua——!!!"
Michael's wings snapped shut, and holy flames condensed into a shield—
"boom--!!!"
The divine spear pierced the light shield three inches deep, and the black lightning and holy flames clashed wildly!
"You think... I'm still the Odin I once was?" Odin's single eye turned completely bloodshot. "The me I am now... possesses the power bestowed upon me by the Lord!"
He clenched his fist and the divine spear exploded with a deafening roar!
"laugh--!!!"
Countless black lightning bolts shot out like venomous snakes, instantly coiling around Michael's six wings!
"Uhhh-!!!"
Michael's wings were scorched by the black lightning, but the fighting spirit in his eyes burned even more fiercely!
"The Holy Flame...will never be extinguished!"
He ripped the black lightning chains off, raising the holy sword high above his head—
"In the name of the Holy Lord—Purify the world!"
“Rumble——!!!”
The sky suddenly split open, and a pillar of holy light with a diameter of one kilometer crashed down!
Odin's single eye flashed crimson, and his body was crackling with black lightning. He suddenly raised his hand, and the eternal spear "Gungnir" pierced into the void—
"Click——!!!"
The space shattered like a mirror, and a pitch-black crack was forcibly torn open!
"Michael, you can't catch me!" Odin grinned and leaped into the crevice.
"Traitors to the gods... don't even think about escaping!"
Michael's six wings ignited with blazing white holy flames, and the Sword of Judgment slashed out a streak of light that reached the heavens, following closely behind as it rushed into the rift!
"boom--!!!"
The moment the figures of the two supreme gods disappeared, the entire hell trembled violently, as if it could not withstand their pressure and was about to collapse!
The crack did not close; instead, it continued to widen, its edges curling and turning black like scorched paper.
"Susususu..."
Countless ashes drifted down from the cracks, as light as snowflakes, yet carrying a suffocating sense of oppression.
Even stranger things happened—
Throughout hell, countless dark figures surged forth like a tide!
The rotting remains of an angel crawled out from the pile of corpses and looked up at the ashes of snow.
The twisted demon knelt on the ground, reaching out its bony hand to devoutly receive the ashes;
Even the unconscious ghosts gathered together as if summoned!
"Susususu..."
The ashes snow fell heavier and heavier, gradually covering the entire hell.
With each speck of ash that falls to the ground, a dark shadow completes its evolution.
The ashes snow kept falling.
They drifted down from the torn sky, silently, light as a feather, yet heavy as lead.
Every speck of ashes is a remnant of the divine war, carrying shattered laws and twisted faiths, falling into this long-rotten hell. They are not snow, yet colder than snow; not fire, yet hotter than fire.
Ashes fell onto the scorched earth, seeping into the cracks. The ground began to undulate, like a slumbering beast awakened, slowly stretching its body. Crimson flesh sprouted from the cracks, spreading like vines, entwining the long-dead skeletons.
Ashes fell on the dried-up river of blood, and the river flowed again, but not as clear water; instead, it was a viscous black slurry, with countless tiny eyeballs floating on its surface, blinking and peering at this forgotten world.
Ashes fell on the kneeling shadows.
They—rotting angels, twisted demons, shattered ghosts—raised their heads, opened their mutilated mouths, and let the ashes fall into their throats.
Their bodies were reshaped from the ashes, flesh and blood clung to their bones, and their tattered wings grew back, but no longer the pure white of the sky, but the pitch black of a raven.
Their eyes gradually turned scarlet, and their mouths split open, revealing a smile that did not belong to any living being.
Ashes fell on the ruined palace.
Those once magnificent buildings are now just ruins, yet they seem to slowly undulate under the patina of ashes.
The reliefs on the walls are twisted and deformed, the gargoyle statues open their scarlet eyes, and the broken stained glass windows are pieced back together, reflecting a scene that does not belong to this world—a giant shadow in the deep sea, an ancient being that sleeps.
Ashes fell upon the blood moon.
The blood moon hanging in the hellish sky had a crack on its surface, like an eye slowly opening.
Deep within the pupils, countless distorted shadows were reflected, writhing and whispering, as if waiting for a certain moment to arrive.
Ashes fell into the silent abyss.
There, where there should have been endless darkness, a faint light appeared amidst the falling ashes.
The light was neither warm nor bright, but a morbid pallor, like a rotting firefly, weak yet stubbornly persistent.
Ashes fell upon everything.
They silently cover this land, like some kind of ritual, some kind of sacrifice, some kind of indescribable gestation.
Hell breathes in the ashes, transforms in the ashes, and waits in the ashes...