Absolute Destiny Game.

Chapter 625 New Version: Echoes of the Apocalypse
It worked!
Watching the ice crystal powder drifting across the sky and gradually melting into the world, the surviving players all breathed a long sigh of relief.

Recalling the terrifying sight of the giant demon star rising from the ground and towering into the sky, and the suffocating sense of oppression, many people felt a sense of despair, thinking, "We're doomed."

At this moment, they actually managed to kill the monster, and their tense nerves finally relaxed. Some even slumped into their computer chairs.

Although most players only followed the four immortals to clear out some of the demon star's derivative forms in this battle and did not cause much substantial damage to the demon star itself, being able to personally participate in such a grand epic battle and witness the earth-shattering scene of several immortals fighting against a thousand-meter giant is an experience that is hard to replicate.

Everyone couldn't help but hope that, given the difficulty of such a world event, even if they only played a minor role, the system should at least give them a participation reward, right?

The Supreme Emperor's gaze was fixed on the corpse of the Demon Star Core. Although the Demon Star Core had been blasted into dust, it left behind a corpse aura that could be picked up.

He was filled with anticipation. This Demon Star, as the ultimate BOSS at level 99, possessed such heaven-defying strength and was also involved in the main storyline of the world, so its drops would definitely be extraordinary! He was just hoping that the Demon Star would drop a few more items. His own contribution should rank seventh, and as long as more than seven items dropped, he would get a share.

However, unlike the players' excitement and anticipation, the three immortals' attention was not on that; all three turned their gazes to Xiao Jie.

Lin Xuance's expression turned serious as he asked solemnly, "Fellow Daoist Suifeng, where did you learn about the 'Great Thousand Worlds,' 'Immortal Puppets,' and even the 'Demon Lord' you just mentioned?" This matter was of great importance, and he could not afford to be careless. Su Zhiqing and Wu Qingyue also listened intently, awaiting Xiao Jie's explanation.

Xiao Jie was prepared for this, and a look of solemnity and reminiscence appeared on his face as he slowly said, "This is a long story. Back when I was comprehending the Dharma Form of the Giant Kun in the North Sea, I happened to meet an Earth Immortal who called himself Ma Yuan and came from the so-called 'Great Thousand World'."

Ma Yuan seemed rather abnormal, almost insane, but I still managed to glean some fragmented information from our conversation.

It seems that the vast world is suffering from an unprecedented catastrophe, with immortals falling like rain and the world on the verge of collapse.

As for 'celestial puppets,' that's the name for immortals who have been corrupted by the Demon Lord's power, lost their sense of self, and become puppets… Just now, when I heard that demon star rambling insanely about 'walking corpses' and 'apocalyptic catastrophe,' I couldn't help but think of Ma Yuan's words and boldly made this conjecture.”

"Oh? Is that so?" A hint of surprise flashed in Su Zhiqing's eyes, her tone carrying a touch of inquiry. "Such important information, yet Fellow Daoist Suifeng didn't mention a word of it to us before." There was a subtle reproach in her words, after all, such news concerning the survival of the world should have been shared much earlier.

Xiao Jie smiled wryly and cupped his hands in greeting: "Fellow Daoist Su, please forgive me. The situation was urgent at the time. We were on our way to Canglin Prefecture to deal with the chaos caused by the Demon Star. I really didn't want to disturb the minds of you fellow Daoists with such unconfirmed and horrifying news, and affect the battle. I originally planned to resolve the immediate threat of the Demon Star before finding an opportunity to explain in detail to you all. However, I didn't expect that this Demon Star also originated from that catastrophe, and even directly revealed the words 'doomsday'."

That's when I made that connection.

Upon hearing this, Wu Qingyue nodded and said in a gruff voice, "I see, that makes sense. Alas, I never imagined that this demonic star would be involved with such a terrifying background. Fellow Daoist Suifeng, as far as you know, is that 'Demon Lord' really that powerful? So powerful that even the immortals of the entire Great Thousand World cannot contend with him?"

Xiao Jie nodded solemnly, “According to Immortal Ma Yuan, that Demon Lord… has an extremely high status and is very likely to have been corrupted or transformed from a legendary ‘saint.’ His magical power is beyond our comprehension.”

The immortals of the Great Thousand Worlds were utterly powerless against it; some died, others fled… According to him, that once prosperous and thriving Great Thousand World has now been transformed into a desolate wasteland, its laws broken and life extinguished. Even more terrifying is that this crisis… seems unlikely to stop at the Great Thousand Worlds; it may very well spread like a plague towards our Nine Provinces World.”

Lin Xuance frowned and interjected, "That demon star boasted before his death that the end of the world 'has already begun'... Fellow Daoists, how credible do you think this statement is?"

Wu Qingyue, however, was quite optimistic. "That fellow is clearly at his wit's end and is trying to distract us with nonsense so he can escape! I think he's probably just bluffing us."

However, Su Zhiqing slowly shook her head. "No, I think... what it said is very likely true." She looked at the desolate wasteland in the distance, ravaged by the great war, and said softly, "Given the strange power and near-immortality of that demonic star, it was still so terrified of the 'doomsday catastrophe' that it went so far as to distort itself and seek a so-called 'perfect body' in order to survive... It is clear that the calamity was no exaggeration."

Moreover, the demonic star had lain dormant in Canglin Prefecture for thousands of years without incident. Why then did it suddenly unleash such a catastrophe at this moment? There must be a reason for this; perhaps… it sensed the beginning of some kind of change.

Several immortals listened from the sidelines, but their eyes were filled with fear. Immortals were already unattainable for them, but now this calamity had caused even immortals to "fall like rain". These people had always been aloof from worldly affairs as the leaders of the Nine Provinces, but now they suddenly found that they could no longer be aloof at all.

Master Qingfeng said with concern, "What my uncle says makes sense, but how should we deal with such a great calamity?"

"When soldiers come, we'll block them; when water comes, we'll dam it!" Lin Xuance said in a deep voice, a resolute glint in his eyes. "No matter what, we must prepare early! Fortunately, Fellow Daoist Suifeng had previously proposed three strategies to deal with future changes. Now it seems they have proven effective."

Especially the strategy of training the strong; I never imagined that so many heroes and valiant individuals would return home to fight alongside us.

As he spoke, his gaze swept over the crowd and landed on the Supreme Emperor. Then he looked around and asked with a hint of doubt, "Eh? Where did the other young friend, Hongfu Qitian, go?"

"I'm here! Put me down!"

Suddenly, a furious shout came from the sky. Everyone looked up and saw a huge snowy owl with a wingspan of more than seven or eight meters flying over, carrying Hong Fuqi.

As they neared the ground, the snowy owl loosened its grip, tossing Hong Fu Qitian to the ground with a thud. Then, a flash of light enveloped it, and it transformed into An Ran. "Damn it! You bunch of ungrateful bastards!" Hong Fu Qitian scrambled to his feet, covered in dust, and cursed at those around him, especially the two players from the Dragon Soaring Guild. "They watched me get knocked down by that Star Lord and didn't even try to catch me! Thank goodness An Ran is kind-hearted, otherwise these old bones of mine would have been killed by the fall!"

The two players he pointed at looked embarrassed. The battle was so intense that no one had time to look for him, and besides, they didn't know where he had flown off to. Now that he had returned unharmed, they didn't dare to say anything back.

Hong Fuqitian grumbled a few times, but seeing no one respond, he grew bored and turned to Su Zhiqing and the others, bowing respectfully: "Immortal Master, you wanted to see me?"

Lin Xuance's gaze swept over the Supreme Emperor and Hongfu Qitian, then looked at all the players and four True Persons around him who were listening intently. His voice was clear and resounding throughout the surrounding area: "You have all heard the arrogant words of that demonic star before his death. Regardless of whether what he said is true or false, we can clearly tell you all that the Nine Provinces world is indeed about to face an unprecedented calamity—that can be called the 'Doomsday Calamity'!"

He paused, allowing everyone to digest this astonishing news, and continued, "In comparison, the chaos caused by the demonic star that we eliminated today is nothing more than a minor ailment. The real crisis is yet to come! The reason the three of us have ventured into the mortal realm is that we cannot bear to see the billions of people in the Nine Provinces destroyed in an instant, the world overturned, and civilization severed. Therefore, we wish to make arrangements in advance and do the work of saving the world from collapse!"

"However, the task of saving the world concerns all living beings and is fraught with immense difficulties. It is impossible for the three of us to succeed alone. Therefore, inspired by Fellow Daoist Suifeng, we have decided to seek out a group of heroes among you 'Returnees' who possess courage, wisdom, opportunity, and decisiveness to form the [Heaven-Mending Alliance], to fight alongside us, jointly address this apocalyptic crisis, and seek a glimmer of hope for this world!"

"Today, after a series of fierce battles in Canglin Prefecture, and observing your performances, we have initially identified two candidates who meet the requirements." Lin Xuance's gaze fell once again on Supreme Emperor and Hongfu Qitian, and he solemnly extended an invitation: "Supreme Emperor and Hongfu Qitian, would you two be willing to join my Heaven-Mending Alliance and work with us to save the world from suffering?"
This Heaven-Mending Alliance was established to save the world and to act on behalf of Heaven. Joining will naturally bring you a share of karmic blessings, but once involved, you can no longer remain unscathed. If the salvation of the world fails, you too will suffer the consequences. You should think carefully before making your decision.

Upon hearing this, the two immediately understood! It seemed that "joining the Heaven-Mending Alliance" was the hidden reward they received for their outstanding performance in this world event—a special qualification directly and deeply tied to the game's main storyline and the immortal faction!
How could anyone refuse such a windfall? The two replied almost simultaneously, "Yes! We are willing!" At the same time, a system notification popped up in front of them, and they confirmed without hesitation.

Lin Xuance then looked at the other players who looked envious and encouraged them, "You don't need to be discouraged. Joining the Heaven-Mending Alliance carries a heavy responsibility. It's not enough to just have courage; you also need the corresponding strength and opportunities. Right now, your strength is still lacking, so you can't join for the time being. But as long as you cultivate diligently and follow the righteous path, you may be able to gain recognition in the future and become a part of our Heaven-Mending Alliance, contributing your strength to saving this world!"

Upon hearing this, the players were somewhat disappointed, but they could only agree and secretly wonder what kind of special benefits this seemingly prestigious "Heavenly Mending Alliance" would offer.

Just then, a series of system announcements rang out again—

[System Announcement: The monster levels and environmental threat level in the adventure map [Demon Wilderness] have been reduced. The recommended adventure level has been lowered from 40 to 30.]

[System Announcement: The high-risk restricted area adventure map [Demon Star Tower] has been permanently removed! The original area has been replaced with the new adventure map [Demon Spirit Ruins]. The Demon Star Tower was completely razed to the ground in the epic battle between the immortals and the returning travelers. However, the resentment and souls of the many demon kings slaughtered and devoured by the Demon Star have not completely dissipated, still lingering in this blood-soaked ruin, posing a new threat. At the same time, some demons who escaped during the battle of Canglin Prefecture have also regrouped here, wandering and searching for traces left by their vanished masters.]

[System Announcement: The Boss-level World Boss [Demon Lord] has been removed from the spawn list of the Canglin Prefecture region.]

[System Announcement: New open-world bosses added: [Demon King's Vengeful Spirit] (Level 40-50: Wandering Type) and [Demon Overlord] (Level 45-55: Stronghold Type).]

[System Announcement: After the Longxiang Kingdom's army took over and purged the remaining evil forces, the entire Canglin Prefecture has been officially incorporated into the Longxiang Kingdom, becoming its fourth prefecture! The Longxiang Kingdom's power has greatly increased, rising from [Strong] to [At its zenith]! The Longxiang Kingdom now occupies more than half of the core territories of the Nine Provinces, and its ruler, Long Xingtianxia, ​​has unlocked a new privilege—[Emperor]! Related main storyline quests are now available.]

[System Announcement: Players Supreme Emperor and Great Fortune, based on their outstanding performance and immense potential in the "Mystery of the Demon Star" incident, have received a joint invitation from three immortals to join the hidden force [Heaven-Mending Alliance], becoming its newest members. The shadow of the apocalypse has descended, and new crises and missions await the brave returnees.]

[World Announcement: With the main storyline quest "The Mystery of the Demon Star" completed and the relevant world progression conditions met, the Old Land world is about to receive a brand new game version update—[Old Land 1.4.3: Echoes of the Apocalypse]! Please stay tuned to the official website for specific update times, version update details, and new content introductions.]

A new game version has been released!

The crowd was initially surprised, then began to discuss animatedly. The game's update speed was simply too fast! Back in the first three years after the game's launch, there was hardly any activity, and content updates were slow. But in the last six months, it's like the game has been on fast-forward, with three major patch releases in quick succession, the world's storyline progressing rapidly, and a constant stream of new systems, maps, and events.

However, despite the surprise, what players are most concerned about right now is not the upcoming new version content, but the most practical problem at hand—

What amazing loot did the final boss, the Demon Star, that we finally managed to defeat after such a huge struggle, drop?!
While most players certainly wouldn't qualify for loot distribution based on contribution, just seeing firsthand what divine gear the legendary level 99 boss dropped is a huge source of enjoyment and conversation for any player. Not to mention, these top-tier drops could potentially have a profound impact on the future power dynamics of the server.

"Ahem," the Supreme Emperor coughed twice, trying to steer the conversation back to reality. "Fellow immortals, the great cause of saving the world is of course of utmost importance, but perhaps we should... take stock of the 'relics' left behind by the Lord of the Demon Star? Perhaps among them are divine artifacts that can help us better cope with the apocalyptic crisis?" He spoke these words in a grand and dignified manner, but the expectation in his eyes almost overflowed from the screen.

Lin Xuance exchanged a glance with Su Zhiqing and Wu Qingyue, and nodded slightly: "What the young friend Emperor said is not without reason. Fellow Daoist Su, in this great battle, you first protected everyone and then used your immortal techniques to trap the core of the demon star. Your contributions are outstanding. You shall be in charge of picking it up."

Su Zhiqing didn't refuse and readily nodded in agreement: "Okay."

Arriving at the final annihilation point of the demon star's core, I gently probed the halo around the corpse—

The next moment, the list of items dropped by the Demon Star popped up in front of all the players who participated in the battle.

(End of this chapter)