Destiny is ashes

Chapter 1014 is a transitional chapter (a short chapter; I'm currently writing a longer chapter, which will jump to the main plot in one go later).
Beyond the Zhaolin Boundary.

Above the Heavenly Sea of ​​Zhongheng Dao Continent in Huaixu Realm lies the Heavenly Sea Dragon Court.

The once sacred Heavenly Sea Domain, the ancestral land of the Ten Continents Dragon Clan, is now shrouded in an unprecedented calamity.

The crimson demonic energy swept through every corner of the Dragon Court like a plague. Accompanied by painful roars and angry cries, the dragons that could proudly call themselves 'Heavenly Sea Dragons' and occupy the top of the dragon hierarchy were all being corrupted by the filth.

Scales bulged. Flesh swelled. Dragon eyes became tainted. All sorts of mutations and distortions appeared on these creatures that should have been the most perfect beings, causing them to grow fangs, tear flesh and bone spurs, and for savagery and malice to surge into their hearts, ultimately transforming them completely... into blood-sea demonic dragons.

This is a blood-soaked monster transformed from a dragon. They are so powerful that ordinary beings simply cannot withstand them.

Corruption originates from the Blood Sea Demon Cult and the Heavenly Demon.

It is almost an irresistible, nearly undetectable curse that erupts in its final stages, making it impossible to defend against.

With the possession of the Heavenly Demon, the power of these Blood Sea Demon Dragons surged. They began to traverse the void and spacetime, flying around at incredible speeds, descending upon various parts of Zhongheng Dao Continent, and even heading towards other continents.

The appearance of these demonic dragons, joining the battlefield, instantly worsened the already precarious situation.

Above the sky, the mountain gate formations of various martial arts sects swayed precariously like candles in the wind.

The once towering sect tower of Zhenyu Mountain in the central gate is now burning and collapsing under the breath of the demonic dragon. Meanwhile, the towering alchemy furnace of Wenyun Sect, also in the central gate, is pushed over by the giant claw, and endless, inextinguishable flames of alchemy surge out, transforming into an eight-hundred-mile-long fiery mountain.

Even the powerful forces coming to the gates are finding it difficult to completely resist—one of the powerful forces coming from Zhongheng Daozhou, the [Longshu Mountain Cangmeng Sect], is requesting the sect's most profound secret, the 'Great Dream Heart Sutra,' which can reflect the dreams and illusions of countless people, reverse reality and falsehood, and determine life and death, to fight against the Lingxiao True Spirit, [Blood Sea Spawn Kunpeng], which is spreading its wings and turning everything in its path into water vapor, clouds, and a boundless sea of ​​blood.

Wherever Kunpeng passes, mountains turn into seas, and all things transform into water vapor. Within the water vapor, blood and demonic energy surge forth. Under His will, all matter becomes water, becomes the sea, becomes an endless sea of ​​blood.

As can be seen, starting from the southern coast of Zhongheng Daozhou, a blood-red 'depression' appears on the earth, like a great river, or perhaps someone has used a long blood-red pen to scribble a mark on a map, and that is the path of the Kunpeng's flight.

Faced with the approaching Kunpeng and Blood Sea Demon Dragon, even the Cangmeng Sect could hardly resist. Although they could preserve the sect's foundation, the spiritual veins and blessed lands outside the core sect were now completely corrupted.

Those blessed lands surrounded by mountains, once pristine and immaculate, with the Dream Lake reflecting the human heart, are now murky and utterly polluted by viscous dragon blood and demonic energy.

After the deathly silence, something began to wriggle at the bottom of the murky lake.

Immediately following, from the dream of the sacred lake, a new and even more bizarre blood-soaked abomination was born—a strange curse and evil spirit that began to spread in a peculiar pattern.

The very existence of all life is subject to this.

At the heart of the storm, within the Heavenly Sea Dragon Court, a deadly battle is unfolding.

"You wicked creature! How dare you!"

A roar shook the heavens as the True Lord of the Dragon Clan, Wang Xuantong, fought against several Blood Sea Demon Dragons with his body as the final Divine Dragon.

He was surrounded by a vast river composed of endless black water, in which countless deathly stillness seemed to flow. That was his fundamental divine power, the Northern Dark River.

This dark celestial river transformed into a massive ring-shaped barrier, protecting a floating cloud vortex in the center of the Dragon Court.

Beiming Tianhe withstood all the attacks and erosions of the Blood Sea Demon Dragons, and each swing of its dragon claws carried a terrifying power that could extinguish the life of all things, crushing the head of a demon dragon.

With the River of Death on its back and cloud vortexes in its claws, Wang Xuantong was virtually invincible in the Heavenly Sea Dragon Court!

But this is just appearance.

At this moment, he seemed invincible, but his body beneath the dragon scales was already covered in cracks, and every breath he took was accompanied by burning pain.

Because he is not only fighting, but also protecting.

Inside the cloud vortex firmly protected by the Northern Sea Heavenly River was his mansion and residence.

At this moment, dozens of beautiful maids and servants stood in the main hall, corridors, and rooms of the Dragon Palace.

They had furry animal ears and soft animal tails, but at this moment their eyes were tightly closed, their faces frozen in extreme pain, and faint blood-red lines were visible beneath their skin.

The demonic energy within their bodies was already on the verge of exploding.

But all of this was forcibly 'terminated'.

Wang Xuantong used the power of a True Lord to freeze the flow of time within the entire cloud vortex.

As long as the future cannot come, they will never become those abhorrent blood-soaked creatures.

Of course, this required an immense amount of power, especially since he was still fighting to the death against several demonic dragons possessed by celestial demons and who had broken through the True Monarch realm, as well as celestial demons lurking further away. Theoretically, he didn't need to do this.

These maids with animal ears and tails are not natural beings, but rather 'creations' personally created by the Heavenly Sea Dragon Court after it seized the technology of the Blood Sea Demonic Sect. They were designed to be flawless; each one is intelligent, loyal, beautiful... and, absolutely, would never betray them.

They are not human, they have no human rights, and they will not be questioned by the human race.

They are not dragons, so they will not be questioned by other dragons.

They were not as stupid as the sea creatures, and they even had a fishy smell, making them the perfect servants of the dragons, and deeply loved by all the dragons.

However, how could a technique originating from a demonic cult not have backdoors? Even though Tianhai Longting had checked it countless times, many subtle details were simply incomprehensible unless one delved into the essence of life to a certain extent.

The Blood Sea Demonic Cult easily used this connection to turn them into the source of corruption.

In the Heavenly Sea Dragon Court, countless dragons were silently corrupted and ultimately turned into demonic dragons through their interactions with these closest and dearest servants.

Protect these culprits? Or protect these ordinary 'maids and servants'?
Theoretically speaking, Wang Xuantong did not need to do this.

Wang Xuantong can be abandoned.

As long as he disperses his supernatural powers and lets time flow freely within the cloud vortex, causing them to turn to ashes or spawn, he can be relieved of this burden.

With his True Monarch strength, even if the Pure Yang Envoy of the Blood Sea Demon Sect or the Great Heavenly Demon of the True Demon Sect were to come, he could retreat calmly even if he was no match for him.

but……

Wang Xuantong chose to bear the burden.

He chose to bear the consequences of creating these lives to serve him, and chose to protect the place he called "home".

And these maids he regarded as 'family'.

Dragons are strange creatures that are both arrogant and easygoing.

If they don't admit it, even if they are truly wrong, we will never let them back down even a little. Even if it means death, or even if the universe is destroyed and reborn, they will remain stubborn to the end.

But if they admit... want to admit to bearing it, then... everything is the same.

Even if it means death, even if it seems like an incredibly foolish choice to others, whether mortals or martial artists, the dragon will persevere to the end.

Although he never actually said it aloud, Wang Xuantong did indeed 'love' his maids.

However, simple love is useless.

As Wang Xuantong fought fiercely on all sides, a pitch-black giant claw formed from pure demonic thought silently appeared behind him and then ruthlessly slashed down!
A great demon has made a move!
"roll!"

Realizing this, Wang Xuantong's eyes widened in fury, his dragon tail whipped back, and he lashed out fiercely with the ultimate power of the Northern Underworld River.

boom!
The violent collision exploded above the sky and sea, the dark river water and the pure black demonic energy annihilated each other, forming a void several miles in size.

Wang Xuantong successfully repelled the attack, but the demonic energy contained in that demonic claw still managed to penetrate the dragon scales, leaving a deep, bone-revealing wound on his broad dragon spine.

puff!
A mouthful of scalding dragon blood gushed out, staining the dark celestial river in front of him red. Wang Xuantong's head suddenly sank, and the divine power that maintained the time freeze of the cloud vortex was momentarily disrupted.

Inside the cloud vortex, the expression of pain on the face of a cat-eared maid suddenly intensified, and a wisp of blood oozed from the corner of her eye.

"No!"

Wang Xuantong was terrified. He forcibly suppressed his injuries and once again focused all his attention on the Time Flow Divine Power, stabilizing the precarious still spacetime.

He licked away the blood, raised his bloodshot dragon eyes, surveyed the menacing demonic dragons around him, and sensed the mysterious Great Heavenly Demon hidden in the void.

He knew he might not be able to hold on much longer.

And this scene is not unique to Tianhai Longting.

It is also found in various parts of the world.

(End of this chapter)