novelnext Chapter 1597 821: End of the Cycle
Chapter 1597 821: End of the Cycle
All things self-transform.
After countless cycles, endless destruction and correction, among the many entanglements, the most suitable vessel has emerged, naturally receiving the favor and blessing of the Sorrow Workshop's principle.
Even Ji Jue couldn't stop it.
Consciousness blurred, plunged into a daze, even the self was reversed and controlled by obsession.
The hardest thing to face is oneself, that true self that even oneself did not foresee, a self countless times stronger than oneself!
Under the magic of the Sorrow Workshop, the self completely succumbed!
In this inevitable change, the uncontrollable Ji Jue instinctively complied with his own desires, starting to transform everything once more.
Yet when he truly utilized this power, cutting off all possibilities of the Sorrow Workshop's trickery and mutation, what he created was a silent world devoid of any change or variables.
A world that has been killed.
The sky hollow, the earth barren, within the earthly dust amidst countless streams of iron light, all things seemed frozen, innumerable machinery and vast constructs converged, transforming into a city covering everything.
In the Three Phases Flow, all materiality and spirituality were thoroughly extracted and drawn out, recreated into an eternally indestructible form, all creatures under his control became puppet-like creations, with no freedom or future to speak of. What remained were bodies of steel housing souls, laboring endlessly, repeating the cycle.
Doomsday was averted, an eternal severance.
Replaced by a brand-new doomsday!
And under the push of obsession, the refining of the Three Phases Flow continued... ceaselessly expanding, gradually spreading, once again casting the heavens and myriad things into a new refinement!
Something seemed off.
In a daze, he struggled to think, yet couldn't figure out what was wrong.
All things self-transform, naturally, everything is as it should be, isn't it? Since that's the case, what's there to worry about?
Continue, move forward.
Just one last bit!
One last step, his most important creation was about to be completed!
"Stop, Ji Jue!"
Jiang Tongguang roared, "You're about to lose control!"
When the remaining craftsmen, suppressed by the Sorrow Workshop's principle, charged with all their might into the hall he created, it was already too late.
Even wine of intoxication and dream couldn't shake him anymore.
In fact, it formed no interference.
Bang!!!
Merely an instinctive backlash nearly overturned Jiang Tongguang, heavily suppressed, he almost couldn't stand up.
The bell tower's phantom abruptly appeared, supporting the oncoming violent waves.
"Don't hesitate any longer Xiao Jiang, it's time for a decision!" urged the half-metamorphosed Li Lin hoarsely, "I'll bear all consequences!"
"I know! I just..."
Jiang Tongguang's expression twitched, hesitating for a moment.
Even now, he held a sliver of hope and luck in his heart, hoping Ji Jue might be an exception, that he might be different from others... Hoping that young man who somewhat resembled his former self wouldn't be bound by hatred and pain, could become someone stronger than him!
But now, everything was gone.
He closed his eyes, lifted the wine glass.
As if the scene of attacking the Sorrow Workshop not long ago reappeared, under the craftsmen's full force destruction, the last defense was torn apart.
Burning silver-gray flames cleaved from the center, a blazing figure advancing, face burning to exposed bone, hands gripping the Flame-shaped Sword bestowed by the King of Heroes.
"Witness with Beifeng, my friend—"
The craftsman named Yellow Beard roared, gripping the blade, giving his all in a slash, wagering soul and life, making a promise: from now on, these hands will avenge you!
Even if it grinds away ten nails, even if it breaks ten fingers!
Bang!!!
In the black flame on the throne, that figure merely lifted a gaze, a disdainful glance, thus the Flame-shaped Sword broke in the middle, under doomsday's blessing, infinite power exploded, easily overturning and blowing him away.
When Ji Jue lifted a finger, all craftsmen were oppressed by infinite power in place.
Between heaven and earth, the grand and magnificent refinement has reached its end.
The true doomsday is about to arrive.
It's over!
In that instant, when Yellow Beard closed his eyes in despair, he felt the booming rumble of doomsday shaking, earth-shattering roar, even, sparse footsteps.
Arising from outside the hall, step by step, coming toward this place.
As if after a long and lengthy journey, dusty, breathless, stepping with flame and ash, marching exhaustedly.
Heading toward the chosen direction.
Looking down, he saw a familiar face, then smiled, nodding in greeting: "So disheveled, Great Craftsman, are you alright?"
That is...
Amidst the ruins, Yellow Beard stiffly raised his head, incredulous.
Ji Jue?!
At this moment, from that grand and magnificent, doomsday-laden refinement, walking step by step towards the grand hall, was none other than the face Yellow Beard was incredibly familiar with, leaving everyone present dumbfounded, unable to comprehend.
If this was Ji Jue...
They turned their heads with difficulty, looking at the throne in the hall, the figure engulfed by the black flame.
Then who is that?
In the moment of dead silence, no sound remained.
Only the step-by-step advance, they looked at each other, so similar, yet entirely different.
One is above, one is below, one exists here, while the other drifts far away, like a void. As if the reflection of reality and illusion.
The difference between strong and weak, like heaven and abyss.
But now, a clear sound rings out, beneath the steps, Ji Jue draws his sword, aimed at the demon of the abyss that has long been irretrievable.
Unreasonably, he challenges himself.
Making the demon in the flame silently smile.
Staring at that elusive phantom, as if waking from a long dream, he slowly raises the corner of his mouth... this is his final creation, just as he wished, coming to him.
Just like Ji Jue.
Just like what Ji Jue ought to do!
Thus, he nods with pleasure.
Draws the sword.
Points at the challenger in front of him, then releases his grip.
Letting the blade fall from his fingers, shattering on the steps, amidst countless fragments reflecting light, the challenger walks up step by step.
Unhesitatingly raises the blade.
Severs his head!
Boom!!!
At that moment, all that Ji Jue has created comes to an end with Ji Jue's final creation.
The cruel scene covering the entire doomsday, in turmoil, turns to ashes.
Everything returns to its origin.
Yet above the sky, those blurry pupils twitch violently, and amidst infinite darkness, suddenly a fissure appears.
Doomsday turmoil!
The Holy Fool's Artifact shakes violently between sea and sky, as if roaring aloud, fiercely screaming. Making Elder Anvil frozen in place, clenching his fists, forcibly restraining his urge to rise.
Then, he sees across the Heavenly Furnace, that mocking smile.
The doomsday about to prove its truth suddenly sees progress plummet, returning once again to its original level... even cracks appear on the Doomsday Theory.
The doomsday to replace doomsday hasn't arrived.
Ji Jue's final creation killed Ji Jue himself!
No craftsman could imagine such a scene and possibility— a craftsman, discarding arrogance, letting go of obsession, even denying himself!
Willingly abandoning everything he has created.
Because in this world, there is something more important than himself!
This isn't the final result of struggle between good and evil, but the key that existed in obsession from the beginning, forming the foundation of Ji Jue himself, naturally allowing All Things Self-transform!
If one day, he becomes an ugly form that even he cannot bear, then he will completely deny himself as well!
Like the decisiveness when he drew his sword against Zhi Fu.
To fight against monsters.
If the current Ji Jue becomes a monster, then let the next Ji Jue draw his sword against the monster!
No need for words, and there's no need to call.
When such a figure appears before him again, no matter what kind of monster it has degenerated into, no matter how unrecognizable it looks, the former monster named Ji Jue will gladly embrace destruction!
And now, Ji Jue lifts his head, looking at the doomsday in front of him.
Draws his sword once again!
The cycle continues, doomsday restarts!
Everything of futile struggle, replayed once more.
But this time, Elder Anvil's pupils no longer contain any expectation, instead it's the Heavenly Furnace, without hiding its mockery and teasing.
Laughing aloud.
"Please teach, Craftsman Grandmaster, where is Bei Gong? Why don't I see it?"
At this moment, amidst the evolution of doomsday happening, everything has completely lost control, not neatly destroyed as the Heavenly Furnace wished, nor completed amidst painful struggle like Elder Anvil.
But instead, after exceeding the expectations of both sides, it triggered a strange change.
Under the entanglement of Bei Gong's logic, Ji Jue continuously corrected and changed, becoming the largest deadlock within the entire Doomsday Theory.
This is not the solution to doomsday, nor the proof of doomsday, but a malignant bug catalyzed from degeneration and mutation!
It can't negate the current doomsday, nor allow the current doomsday to negate itself...
Under the distortion and support of Bei Gong's logic, when Ji Jue draws his sword again, it foreordains that all will create a new doomsday in chaos.
But before the new doomsday is created, the pivotal Ji Jue will once again die at the hands of the self he created!
Then, the progress close to completion returns to the starting point once again, beginning another futile cycle, returning to the source once more...
It's like a progress bar that never fills up, after ninety-nine percent progress, it starts anew.
The two hinder each other, restrain each other, inhibit each other, yet catalyze each other.
So much so that as long as Ji Jue exists, doomsday cannot be completed. And as long as the cycle continues, Ji Jue will never end!
Henceforth, a single track turns into a blockage at both ends, completely stalled!
But amidst the stall and cycle, the evolution of the Doomsday Theory can endlessly continue, but... how many times can the Holy Fool's Artifact endure such consumption and torture?
Crack!
A fissure appears from the countless twisted and malformed fingers.
The unstoppable collapse begins!