Worlds’ Apocalypse Online

Plish.

Fresh blood was dripping nonstop.

A faint shadow was lying on the ceiling right above Gu Qing Shan.

It reached out with its long tongue, coiling around Gu Qing Shan's neck, and gradually squeezed.

However, Gu Qing Shan was indifferent, he instead displayed a contemplating expression.

An unknown spirit took advantage of the illusion Card to pull me into some sort of unique world illusion.

This might seem dangerous.

But in reality, [Illusion: Dark Inviter] isn't an Inner Plane Card, nor is it a World Technique created by fusing Cards together.

In other words, this Card has limited power.

This was the reason why Gu Qing Shan didn't retaliate right away.

----------he held in his repertoire two actual World Techniques.

[Parallel Dream].

And [Time Recollection].

At this point, Gu Qing Shan already had a certain understanding of creating unique worlds, so as soon as he entered an unknown world illusion, the first thing he attempted to do was to probe the characteristics of this World Technique.

From a certain perspective, this was a form of sparring and research between two technique users.

And so.

When that long tongue extended from the ceiling, he didn't move.

When the tongue licked his back, he didn't move.

Even when the tongue coiled around his neck, he remained motionless, still silently sensing the composition of this technique.

It was only after he had a certain idea in his mind that Gu Qing Shan put up one hand and formed a seal.

-------the Clear Mind Seal.

This was one of the basic techniques of the cultivation world, capable of helping a cultivator expel excessive thoughts.

For a cultivator of Gu Qing Shan's level, this level of hand seal should already be useless.

However, what Gu Qing Shan wanted to expel this time wasn't his thoughts.

But his spirit sense.

"Scatter!"

He silently shouted.

Spirit energy poured from his Dantian and gathered into his hand, completing the seal.

Gu Qing Shan felt mind becoming blank, his inner sight completely clear of any excessive details.

Right away.

The tongue, the blood, the narrow room, the gloomy ceiling, even the building vanished from Gu Qing Shan's inner sight.

The scene around him changed.

Gu Qing Shan noticed that he was standing in the middle of a luxurious palace.

He turned around .

Behind him, at the other side of a long dining table sat a middle-aged man with a dignified presence.

「How did you notice? 」the middle-aged man asked.

Gu Qing Shan answered curtly: "My spirit sense is filled with the exact same sensation of the upcoming battle, so I noticed"

「You are quite the sensitive person to magic techniques------- I welcome you, please have a seat」

The middle-aged man gestured to Gu Qing Shan to sit down.

Gu Qing Shan glanced at the dining table and stood motionlessly.

"My apologies, I don't have a habit of sharing a meal with strangers"

He looked at the other party and replied.

The middle-aged stood up, gracefully bowed to greet him, and spoke up again:

「I should be the one to apologize------- forgive my recklessness for using such a method to summon you here」

「Then, let me introduce myself, I am the Previous Kings of Calming Soul Country 」

Previous Kings?

How could a single person call themselves the 'Previous Kings'?

Perhaps noticing Gu Qing Shan's doubt, the middle-aged man thought briefly and replied:「 It should be fine to show you 」

His body abruptly expanded into a transparent spirit that was over 5 meters tall.

Over a hundred faces appeared on the outside of the spirit.

Their appearances were all unique with different expressions, but they were all looking at Gu Qing Shan.

This scene would be a bit harsh for the faint-hearted.

Gu Qing Shan remained expressionless and clasped his fist: "Nice to meet you. Then, what exactly did the Previous Kings summon me here for?"

Instantly, the expanded spirit retracted and turned into that middle-aged man once again.

He replied: 「There is no need to be surprised------ I believe you already know this, but the monster is unable to find the souls of royal family members, so we were not devoured and instead existed for countless years following our deaths through this way 」

「Please have a seat, we shall slowly explain it 」the middle-aged man offered again.

"Very well"

Gu Qing Shan sat down on his side of the dining table.

The middle-aged man swung his hand.

The table was immediately filled with steaming hot dishes of food.

「These are the most favorite foods of us kings, I think at least a few of them should fit your taste 」the middle-aged man smiled as he said.

Gu Qing Shan looked over at these dishes.

He understood both the art of cooking and the art of World Techniques, so he was naturally able to infer what had transpired.

These dishes were created from concentrated consciousness.

Simply put, they were literally created from memory.

-------once somebody tasted these dishes, recorded the taste in their minds, then manifested them once again through willpower.

This way, when other people ate these dishes, they would be able to experience the same wonderful tastes they originally had.

Gu Qing Shan praised: "What a grand feast, and such exceptional techniques as well, truly an eye-opening experience for me"

He chose a knife among the utensils provided on the table and thrust it towards a small dish.

Half-way through, the knife turned into a pair of chopsticks that squarely caught the dish.

Gu Qing Shan had a taste.

Hm…

This sensation is very genuine, enough for me to faintly detect how it was made from the taste alone.

He moved his chopsticks towards another dish.

The middle-aged man stared closely at Gu Qing Shan, his eyes displaying clear praise.

This young man used his own willpower to alter the knife, manifesting it as a pair of chopsticks, meaning that he understands this technique enough to slowly hold the initiative within this place.

------and it was also a silent warning.

With that in mind, the middle-aged man's expression turned serious:

"I have something that I simply must trouble you for"

"You're too formal, I've never been one to eat without repayment, please go ahead" Gu Qing Shan continued to taste the food and replied.

「As the Previous Kings, I really want to know what became of my unfilial descendent」

"Ah? Who is this unfilial descendent you are referring to?"

「The one that was bestowed the Divine Skills of all previous kings, was still defeated at your hands, only to enter the God of Life's ruin and never returned」

Gu Qing Shan was startled.

So that's what this was about.

The king's ancestors spared no efforts to activate this technique and pull me in, just to learn of the king's whereabouts, this makes perfect sense.

From a certain point of view, this is a case of the old seeing the young off.

But, how do I say this … The king's death at the time was a little underserved.

At one point, Gu Qing Shan was truly considering taking him into his group.

But the Occultism spirit acted too quickly, and the king's leftover skin was also swept away by the space vortex vanishing without a trace.

So there truly was no longer any way to save him.

Gu Qing Shan thought for a while, then decided to recount the exact circumstances leading to the king's death without withholding anything.

The middle-aged man silently listened and became silent for a while.

Gu Qing Shan sincerely added: "Regarding this matter, I truly feel regretful as well, please do not grieve too much"

「Grieve? No, we are not grieving him」 the middle-aged man answered with a hold expression: 「Dying so meaninglessly without leaving even his soul behind, devoured by some monster. What a meaningless waste of our efforts 」

Gu Qing Shan was startled.

That attitude is a bit different from what I expected.

If the other party's main goal isn't to learn about the king's death, then what is it?

Gu Qing Shan asked straight: "Forgive me for being frank, what is the reason that you summoned me into this technique?"

The middle-aged man shrugged: "Naturally, that is to form an agreement with you, we will cooperate with one another and run away from Calming Soul Country"

His gaze appeared unprecedentedly serious.

It was now that Gu Qing Shan understood the other party's goal.

"Even with your spirit form, your majesties aren't able to leave Calming Soul Country?" Gu Qing Shan pursued further.

The middle-aged man casually answered: 「If we could, we would have already left------- as you can see, other than those souls that are devoured, only we can use this form to prolong our existence, drifting within Calming Soul Country for almost a hundred million years」

「Although our strength continues to grow, the barrier of Calming Soul Country was created from the oath of Gods, other than those who fit the oath, no one can enter or leave」

「Including yourselves, who only gained entry through the oath of the Greatest Above the Star Crown」

Gu Qing Shan clearly expressed his attitude: "I want to make this transparently clear------- my companions and myself are more than willing to break through this world's barrier and flee from it"

Indeed, anyone else would only choose the same.

Both sides have no conflict of interest, no grudge, only a single common goal: to flee Calming Soul Country.

This was the most suitable basis to achieve cooperation.

The middle-aged man lightly nodded to express his agreement.

He spoke: 「Gu Qing Shan, you are a smart person, and one with ample abilities. Although your strength is a bit lacking, strength isn't necessarily the key within our plan 」

Gu Qing Shan asked right away: "Then, what do your majesties need me to do?"

The middle-aged man paused and fell into thought.

He seemed to be reminiscing about something, as if it was something hard to mention.

A long while later.

He finally opened his mouth and slowly explained: 「Before our cooperation, you need to understand a certain piece of information first, otherwise it would only ruin everything 」

"What information?" Gu Qing Shan asked.

「Regarding the God of Life's death over a hundred million years ago 」the Previous Kings replied.

"Ah, I know about this. The Seven Deities lost their lives one by one during their long fight against the monster of the void"

Gu Qing Shan continued: "For the sake of their descendants, the Demis, the Deities truly dedicated everything, only stopping after death. Truly respectable"

The middle-aged man's lip slightly curled to display a sarcastic smile.

「Only stopping after death? 」

The middle-aged man continued: 「I do not know of the other Deities, but what the God of Life understands best is the way to survive, how could such a great and noble Deity actually die?」

Gu Qing Shan froze, then exclaimed in shock: "You mean, the God of Life is still alive?"

The middle-aged man nodded and told him a certain secret.

「At their deathbed, in order to survive, the God of Life had come up with a way to take over that monster's body. They then hid within Calming Soul Country for the past countless years, feeding on the souls of Demis in order to heal themselves 」

「 Deities are entities that are completely different from us from their very essence. In truth, after becoming a Deity, they were already an emotionless, indifferent monster 」

「For such a monster, using the souls of their descendants as food is a completely reasonable act」