“I’m here.”


  The Eastern Wasteland Bell’s true body appeared in front of Long Chen. Although it only looked to be three meters tall, its dull color had changed. It had gone from drab bronze to dark gold.

  Countless carvings were on top of it. There were flowers and birds, fish and bugs, mountains and seas. Divine light flowed within it. It was as if its body was its own world.

  The Eastern Wasteland Bell had gathered all the fragments of its body and all its power. With its complete body, it contained boundless divine might.

  “How amazing.” Long Chen couldn’t help being emotionally moved when he sensed the boundless power of the Eastern Wasteland Bell. As expected of the leader of the five supreme divine items, its aura was stunning.

  “It’s thanks to you. I've finally recovered. We’ll be able to fight against the Heaven Devastating Bracelet again,” said the Eastern Wasteland Bell with burning battle intent. “Back then, if it wasn’t for the betrayal of the master of the Southern Sea Zither, we wouldn’t have lost so miserably. This time, we will end everything with the divine families and the other worlds.”


  “Senior, can you tell me what is going on for the divine families and the other worlds to attack the Martial Heaven Continent? What do they hope to gain?” asked Long Chen. “Lei Linger, continue. But have him shut up.”


  Long Chen suddenly turned to Lei Linger because the Heaven Executioner’s pig-like screams were quite loud. Long Chen hadn’t expected the Heaven Executioner, the master of all kinds of tortures, to be so weak against his own tortures. He fainted many times but was forcibly woken by Lei Linger.

  The Heaven Executioner’s various techniques were all replicated by Lei Linger. She returned all the tortures that he had used on Long Chen.

  Although Long Chen was extremely refreshed by the Heaven Executioner’s screams, he was getting fed up. As a result, Lei Linger made it so that the Heaven Executioner didn’t even have the right to scream. A net of lightning formed in the air, binding him. The Heaven Executioner’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets, and his body was constantly twitching violently, but he couldn’t make a sound.

  Long Chen sat down. Having just escaped his bindings, he still had many wounds. There was no way he could fight in this state. He focused on recovering, while the Eastern Wasteland Bell explained some of the history of the Martial Heaven Continent.

  “The battle is about to start, so most karmic taboos are no longer relevant. I will tell you this: their goal has always been to obtain the core of the star-field. This refers to the heart of the star-field, the origin from which a world is born and grows, the existence that allows all the lifeforms between heaven and earth to evolve. It is the heart of the Martial Heaven Continent. The Heaven Devastating Bracelet is the only thing capable of sucking away this core. Thus, in order to protect the Martial Heaven Continent, the top priority is being able to fight off the Heaven Devastating Bracelet.”


  “Doesn’t the Heaven Devastating Bracelet belong to the sea demon race? I’ve pretty much exterminated the sea demon race. Can someone else control the Heaven Devastating Bracelet?” asked Long Chen.

  “No, you’re wrong. The Heaven Devastating Bracelet has no master, and it will not follow anyone. It is an immortal item from a higher plane. It has only one mission, and that is to destroy the Martial Heaven Continent. The power it requires is the Blood Qi, spiritual energy, and resentment produced from slaughter. When the battle starts, whether it is the invaders dying to our defense, or the invaders slaughtering us, the Heaven Devastating Bracelet will still get stronger. Once it has enough power, it will activate the formation to take away the core of the star-field. That is the moment that this world will be destroyed.”


  “What is this core? What is the point? Furthermore, with so many different forces fighting for it, how are they supposed to split it? They seem to be working together without any backstabbing. Even the experts of the other worlds seemed aware that the divine families were traitors of the continent. That must mean that they have some existence backing them. Furthermore, the one thing that I truly can’t understand is why did the Sovereigns not say anything? I refuse to believe that they didn’t realize this,” said Long Chen.

  The Eastern Wasteland Bell sighed. “This is a trap, a giant, heaven-encompassing trap. You can consider the core of the star-field as a treasure that can give birth to a new star-field world. However, once it has been taken, it will no longer be the old world. To us in the mortal world, this core doesn’t have any meaning. But it is useful to those who have ascended. Or perhaps I should say it is useful to gods. They can create a world of lifeforms that are their believers, who will give them an unending stream of faith energy. Perhaps you will understand once you ascend. As for your point about there being a backer behind them, you are correct. But no one knows who or what it is. That relates to the higher plane. It might even have to do with competing gods. The reason that the five Sovereigns didn’t reveal this to the world is because this is all a trap. The board was set in motion, encompassing the invading world, as well as the Martial Heaven Continent. You think that you just happened to be caught and trapped here, and just happened to encounter me? No, there are not that many coincidences in this world. The day that you set foot into the cultivation world, your fate deviated from its original path. The Martial Heaven Continent arranged for you to reach this point. If we consider this battle of fates as a gameboard, then you are the Martial Heaven Continent’s destined gamebreaker. The Martial Heaven Continent has bound its fate to you. You are its only hope. As for why the Martial Heaven Continent would choose you, you are the only one who knows.”


  “Aren’t you the head of the five supreme divine items of the Martial Heaven Continent? You came into existence at the same time as the continent. I always thought that you could represent the Martial Heaven Continent,” said Long Chen with surprise.

  “The five supreme divine items are the companion divine items of the Martial Heaven Continent. Let me put it to you this way, when the Martial Heaven Continent was born, we were also born by the creator.”


  “The creator?” Long Chen’s heart leaped.

  The Eastern Wasteland Bell didn’t reply to this question. “You can view the Martial Heaven Continent as a monarch, while we are its protectors. Protecting the Martial Heaven Continent is our duty. If we die, then the Martial Heaven Continent will continue to live, but if the Martial Heaven Continent is destroyed, we will also be destroyed. Everyone has been drawn into the board. No one can stay out. Long Chen, if you want to save the people beside you, then it will depend on the survival of the Martial Heaven Continent.”


  Long Chen nodded. He didn’t feel resentment toward the Martial Heaven Continent. Instead, he felt great admiration toward all five Sovereigns. Even if he was a game piece, he was willing to carry out his role. Even if he died in the process, he would not blame the continent.

  As he listened to the Eastern Wasteland Bell divulge the secrets of the Martial Heaven Continent, he rapidly healed. Although his injuries were so severe that he could almost be considered half-crippled, his new star map that had come to life was unleashing endless energy, rapidly restoring his spiritual yuan and Spiritual Strength.

  As for the primal chaos space’s life energy, it rapidly flowed throughout his body, restoring his flesh and blood. An hour later, he had recovered about ninety percent. He finally stood.

  The violently twitching, frothing-at-the-mouth Heaven Executioner lay on the ground. At this moment, Long Chen pointed a single finger.

  Blood splashed and a hole appeared in the Heaven Executioner’s head. His body instantly became limp.