Sweeping across the heavens, starting with the first emperor of the ancient times.

Outside the realm of Daoxuan.

A faint chaotic current permeated the void as Jiang Hao and his two companions stood side by side.

Ahead lay a colossal world, countless times larger than the largest ancient life-bearing planet in the Origin Realm.

This world is only slightly smaller than the Origin Universe.

It floats in the void, its overall color is dark gray, and the outlines of mountains and rivers, as well as vast oceans, can be vaguely seen on its surface.

But the world's overall color is wrong; a normal world of life should be a vibrant green or azure.

But this world seemed shrouded in an aura of decay.

The world is surrounded by a layer of gray and desolate barriers.

The barrier was not a naturally formed membrane of the world, but rather resembled some kind of remnant that had been eroded.

Strange dark red patterns flashed across the surface of the barrier from time to time, spreading like blood vessels. With each flash, the world trembled.

Anyone who looks at this world can tell that something is wrong with it.

Jiang Hao and the other two stared silently at the enormous world shrouded in an aura of decay before them, their hearts heavy with sorrow.

Lingbao Tianzun frowned, and the intent of the Zhuxian Sword unconsciously flowed around his body.

He looked at the dilapidated barrier surrounding the Dao Xuan Realm, his tone solemn.

"As expected, that mysterious immortal has ruined this world. The Great Dao of this world has lost its spirituality."

Jiang Hao and Yuanshi Tianzun nodded slightly.

Compared to the Origin Realm, the Dao Xuan Realm is like a dying patient.

The Great Dao of the Origin Realm is alive and has a spirit; it is constantly flowing and evolving.

The Great Dao of the Dao Xuan Realm is rigid and inflexible, as if it has been forcibly suppressed and eroded by something, gradually extinguishing its original vitality.

The Heavenly Venerable of Primordial Beginning looked somewhat grave.

"This mystical realm is completely different from the one I saw back then."

Back then, although the Dao Xuan Realm was invaded by mysterious immortals and a great war broke out, causing mountains and rivers to be shattered, the Great Dao still had spirituality, and the world's membrane still had spirituality.

Unlike now, it's lifeless and filled with an atmosphere of decay.

Jiang Hao looked at the Dao Xuan Realm, his gaze piercing through the gray barrier and penetrating deep into the world.

He could sense the demonic and evil aura permeating the outer layer of the entire world.

That was not ordinary evil energy, but some higher-level existence that had gradually seeped into the foundation of the world's great Dao over the long years, obliterating its original spirituality.

Jiang Hao carefully sensed it for a moment, then said, "An Qiong's grandfather, that mysterious immortal, is still here; he hasn't left yet."

Upon hearing this, Lingbao Tianzun and Yuanshi Tianzun both looked at Jiang Hao.

"However, he has merged with the Heavenly Dao Will of the Dao Xuan Realm," Jiang Hao said, his tone somewhat heavy.

"He is using the very essence of the world to heal his own Dao wounds."

At this point, Jiang Hao's expression turned somewhat grim. To take direct action, he needed to first separate An Qiong's grandfather from the Great Dao of the Dao Xuan Realm.

Otherwise, even if we kill this mysterious immortal, it won't have much effect, and the Dao Xuan Realm will be destroyed as well.

Yuanshi Tianzun remained silent for a long time.

To shatter the very essence of a world and use it to nourish oneself is no different from destroying a world.

"Is this mysterious immortal still conscious?" Yuanshi Tianzun asked.

His tone was calm, but the murderous intent in his eyes was unmistakable.

Jiang Hao shook his head:

"No, he is still asleep. This deep slumber and fusion will have a great impact if it is interrupted."

Therefore, he chose the safest approach: to become the will of Heaven in this world, and to heal his injuries little by little over a long period of time.

Lingbao Tianzun frowned, looked at Yuanshi Tianzun, and asked.

"Fellow Daoist Yuanshi, in your battle against this mysterious immortal during the mythical era, were you injured this badly?"

Yuanshi Tianzun pondered for a moment before speaking.

"In that battle, Dao Zun and Qi Ming Zun joined forces and launched a desperate attack, which indeed severely injured him."

"But that injury shouldn't have kept him silent for so long."

"That's an injury that existed even earlier," Jiang Hao confirmed.

"Moreover, it is a wound to the Great Dao. He came to the Dao Xuan Realm, most likely to find a suitable world origin to heal his wounds."

Your battle aggravated his injuries, forcing him to enter this deep state of slumber prematurely.

If the injuries were only caused by Dao Zun and Qi Ming Zun, they wouldn't be so severe, requiring so many years of recuperation.

The three were silent for a moment.

Looking at the gray barrier of the Dao Xuan Realm, Jiang Hao wondered how many living beings were still alive in this world.

If the Great Dao is eroded to this extent, what will be the state of the mortals and cultivators living within it?

Do they know what kind of world they live in?

How miserable have they been all these years?

"If we take direct action, what are the chances of success?" Lingbao Tianzun asked curiously, the Four Immortal Slaughtering Swords swirling in his hand.

"Ten percent," Jiang Hao said. "If the three of us join forces, killing him won't be difficult, but if we attack directly, the Dao Xuan Realm will collapse. At least ninety percent of it will collapse."

With Jiang Hao's current strength, he was confident that he could kill An Qiong's grandfather on his own, not to mention he also had the spiritual treasure and the Primordial Beginning.

The difficulty lies in not destroying the Dao Xuan Realm, or at least not letting it collapse.

Yuanshi Tianzun sighed softly, "Then we can't take action directly. There are still innocent lives in this world."

Jiang Hao nodded: "Then let's go in first and find out the situation. We'll figure out a way to separate An Qiong's grandfather from the Heavenly Dao of the Dao Xuan Realm without harming the world."

"Alright," Lingbao Tianzun nodded. "Shall we split up?"

"Okay." Jiang Hao nodded. "The three of us together will be too conspicuous. Let's split up."

The Primordial Celestial Venerable nodded: "Excellent."

The three exchanged a few more words, and then each of their figures transformed into a stream of light and disappeared into the gray, desolate world barrier.

……

Dao Xuan Realm, Northern Wilderness.

Two figures, a man and a woman, ran wildly through the withered forest.

Both of them were very young; the man was in his early twenties, and the woman looked only seventeen or eighteen.

Both were minor cultivators at the Life Spring Realm. Their clothes were tattered and covered in blood. They staggered but dared not stop.

Hundreds of feet behind them, three strange figures followed at a leisurely pace.

Those were three alien beings standing upright, their figures tall.

They are largely similar to humans, walking upright, with hands and feet, but upon closer inspection, they are strange in every way.

Everyone has a pair of curved, pointed horns on their forehead, with faint lines flowing across them.

Its eyes were dark gold, with vertical pupils that emitted a faint glow in the dim forest.

Their skin colors varied, and the one running in front had dark skin, like burnt charcoal.

The one on the left has an abnormal red flush all over its body.

The last one has green skin.

These three are the alien demons who are currently wreaking havoc in the Dao Xuan Realm.

The leader was a demon in the Dragon Transformation Realm, with dark skin and the thickest and longest horns on his forehead.

The three demons carried enormous bone bows, arrows already on the strings, yet they hesitated to fire, like cats toying with mice.

"Run, keep running!" one of the demons sneered.

"It's been a long time since I've seen such innocent human cultivators, and they're even a brother and sister! Not bad at all!"