Start from a baby to become a Taoist

Chapter 434 Mutation!

"Junior Brother?"

Xu Qinghan's voice trembled with disbelief and was filled with a deep sob; she called out softly almost unconsciously.

These two words seem to possess a certain magic.

The young man in black, Xu Ran, shuddered almost imperceptibly.

His eyes, which seemed to intertwine with divine light and nothingness, dimmed slightly for a moment, then seemed to become even more profound.

He did not respond immediately.

Instead, it slowly raised its head and looked out over the southern stars into the boundless depths of the universe.

His gaze seemed to pierce through layers of star fields, revealing some beings that were spying on this place.

Previously, he annihilated billions of demons with overwhelming force. Although the commotion seemed small, the power of will and law contained within it was enough to shake the top beings in this star field.

In particular, the way he tore through the cosmic barrier and returned from an unknown place was itself an extremely high-profile declaration!

It will definitely attract attention!
"buzz"

In the void, there seemed to be a grander, more ancient aura quietly spreading from a distant place.

With scrutiny, with doubt, and even with a hint of apprehension!
"Humph."

Xu Ran let out a very soft, cold snort.

This cold snort, though not loud, seemed to resonate directly in the minds of those who were watching!

It was like a thunderclap from the heavens!

Somewhere in a distant star field, several hidden yet powerful divine thoughts trembled violently, as if pricked by needles, and instantly withdrew!

Even from several ancient secluded retreat sites, faint groans could be heard!
With just a cold snort, he repelled several ancient beings who were capable of overlooking an entire star field!
How domineering! How terrifying!
After doing all this, Xu Ran lowered his head again, his gaze falling on Xu Qinghan once more.

This time, the coldness in his eyes seemed to have melted a little.

Although it remains profound and difficult to understand, it is no longer that absolute zero that keeps people at arm's length.

He watched Xu Qinghan's excited, trembling appearance, with tears streaming down her face again, and remained silent for a moment.

Then, slowly, he reached out his hand.

His movements were slow, as if he were somewhat clumsy, or perhaps afraid of startling the other person.

A faint, almost invisible, chaotic current swirled around his fingertips.

Gently, I wanted to wipe away the tear stains on Xu Qinghan's cheeks.

However, just as his fingertips were about to touch Xu Qinghan's skin!

Mutation!

Suddenly!

boom! ! ! ! ! !

An aura of evil, filth, and destruction, filled with the meaning of ending, which was countless times more terrifying than the previous billions of demons combined, suddenly erupted from the depths of that huge spatial rift without warning!
This aura is so dark! So viscous!

It's like a collection of all negative emotions and the very source of destruction in the universe!
Its appearance even disrupted the laws of heaven and earth that had just regained peace!

The sky instantly became even darker than the night!

It wasn't that the light was obscured by dark clouds, but rather that it seemed to be swallowed up!

A chilling fear, originating from the deepest part of the soul, enveloped everyone once again!

It was ten thousand times more intense than when facing the extraterrestrial demons!
"Jie Jie Jie Jie"

A sickeningly loud laugh came from the depths of the crack, as if countless wronged souls were wailing at the same time!
"Found it! Finally found it!"

"The aura of the Ruins and the smell of this damned 'variable'!"

So that's where you'd been hiding!

With that eerie laughter, a claw so huge it defied description appeared!
A terrifying giant claw, covered in black scales, burning with dark green flames, and with claws like curved stars, slowly emerged from the spatial rift!
It's just a claw!
The oppressive aura emanating from it caused the entire Southern Sky Star to tremble violently!

The core of the star emitted a mournful cry, unable to bear the burden any longer!
Countless mountains crumbled! Rivers flowed backward!

It felt like the end of the world had arrived ahead of schedule!
Under this oppressive force, everyone in the Backing Mountain Sect, including Xu Qinghan, almost had their thoughts frozen!
Their bodies and their souls were on the verge of collapse under the impact of this terrifying aura!

The difference is too big!
If the extraterrestrial demons of the past were jackals, then the owner of this giant claw that has appeared now is the world-destroying behemoth from mythology that feeds on the stars!
"not good!"

Xu Ran's expression changed for the first time!
No longer cold, no longer indifferent!
Instead, it was solemn!

An unprecedented solemnity!
Even beneath that solemn expression, a hint of killing intent was hidden! A terrifying killing intent that seemed capable of completely freezing all the heavens and myriad worlds!
He abruptly withdrew his hand from Xu Qinghan!
It's not about giving up, it's about protecting!

hum!
Within his body, the power that seemed to be intertwined with divine sun and nothingness suddenly began to circulate!

An invisible barrier instantly enveloped the entire Kaoshan Sect, along with the land below!

It isolated them from that terrifying, world-destroying pressure!
This made Xu Qinghan and the others gasp for breath, like drowning people!

But their faces were still filled with extreme fear and horror!

They stared at the giant claw that was still emerging from the crack, and at the dark green flames burning on it, flames that seemed capable of incinerating everything!
"What is that thing?!" an elder cried out in a hoarse voice, filled with despair.

“We don’t know, but it’s definitely not something we can imagine,” another elder said, his face ashen.

Xu Qinghan's heart sank to the bottom!
The newly ignited hope and the immense joy of confirming the return of their junior brother were instantly shattered by this sudden and even more terrifying crisis!
She looked at Xu Ran's back, who stood in front of everyone, facing the terrifying giant claw alone, and her heart was filled with worry and an indescribable sorrow.

What exactly did my junior brother go through?
Why does it possess such immense power?
And why would it attract such a terrifying enemy?

"Hide behind me."

Xu Ran's cold voice interrupted Xu Qinghan's thoughts.

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable will.

The ancient, heavy black longsword in his hand emitted a deep hum!
On the sword's blade, the profound darkness that seemed to contain the entire universe began to flow!
A sword intent, equally terrifying yet filled with the meaning of annihilation and end, soared into the sky!

It stood fiercely in confrontation with the destructive aura emanating from that giant claw!
"So it was you, you mouse!"

Xu Ran raised his head, his strange eyes fixed on the giant claws that kept emerging from the cracks, his voice icy cold.

"Back then, outside the 'Gate of Return to the Ruins,' you were lucky enough to escape with a wisp of your remnant soul."

"I never expected that instead of hiding and eking out a living, you would actually dare to follow my scent and come all the way here."

"It seems you really don't want to 'exist' anymore!"

The words fell!
The sword rises!

There was no earth-shattering sword light!
There was no sword energy that could tear the sky apart!

Xu Ran simply swung his sword at the outstretched giant claw!
This sword!
It looks ordinary!

Yet it seemed as if cause and effect had been severed! Time and space had been torn apart!

It contains a terrifying law called "The End"!
Shila——

A barely perceptible black crack appeared silently in the void in front of the giant claw.

Then, that enormous, terrifying claw, large enough to crush stars, along with the dark green, world-destroying flames burning upon it, touched the black crack the instant—

Suddenly!

solidification!

Next!

Like weathered rock!

Inch by inch!

fracture!

collapse!

dissipate!

The entire process was completely silent! It was as if that world-destroying giant claw had never existed at all!
"what--!!!"

A roar filled with pain, rage, and disbelief erupted from the depths of the spatial rift!
"No!! Impossible!!!"

"How could your 'Final Sword Intent' have improved to such a level?!"

"This has already touched upon 'that' level!!"

"Who exactly are you?! You are definitely not just a descendant of Guixu!!"

That roar was filled with terror and resentment!

He seemed unable to accept that his all-out attack had been so easily annihilated!

"Who I am is not for you to know, you piece of trash who doesn't even have the right to step into the 'door'."

Xu Ran stood with his sword in hand, his black clothes fluttering, his tone cold and domineering.

"Since we're here, let's stay for good."

His eyes flashed with murderous intent!
Step out!
It was heading directly towards that deep, terrifying, and enormous spatial rift that connected to the unknown!
initiative!

Charge in!
"Do not!!!"

From the depths of the crevice came an even more terrified roar!

And the sound of something struggling violently, trying to escape but being locked in place by an invisible force!
Rumble!
The entire spatial rift began to twist and vibrate violently!
An even more terrifying energy storm erupted from it!

It was as if two unimaginable beings were engaged in a life-or-death struggle beyond comprehension on the other side of that rift!

In front of the mountain gate of Kaoshanzong.

Xu Qinghan and the others stared blankly at the figure who rushed into the crack without hesitation, at the violently twisted crack that seemed to be on the verge of collapse at any moment, and at the terrifying fluctuations that emanated from it, making their souls tremble!
Everyone's heart was in their throat!

Junior brother (Xu Ran) actually chased them inside?!

What kind of terrifying place does the other side of that crack lead to?
What exactly was that terrifying being that almost destroyed the Southern Star with just one claw?
Can my junior brother (Xu Ran) win?

Endless worries overwhelmed Xu Qinghan like a tidal wave.

She instinctively gripped the spirit sword in her hand, her knuckles turning white from the force.

At this moment, how she wished she had even the slightest bit of power so she could stand by his side!

Instead of being forced to watch helplessly as he faces the unknown and endless terror alone, as is the case now!
Time, in its agonizing pace, slipped away second by second.

The vibrations of the spatial rift were sometimes violent and sometimes gentle.

The energy fluctuations emanating from it caused the laws of heaven and earth in the southern sky to wail incessantly with each collision!
Even the ancient beings in distant star systems have once again turned their attention to this matter, but this time, they are more cautious and filled with deep apprehension.

They couldn't see the battle within the cracks.

But they could sense that the level of power contained within it far exceeded their comprehension!
"That's forbidden power!"

"Who is battling the remnant will of the legendary 'Source of Filth'?"

"Could it be that Guixu has truly returned?"

Countless speculations arose on different ancient stars and in different secluded places.

And the Kao Shan sect.

For Xu Qinghan and the others, every second felt like an eternity.

at last!

I don’t know how long has passed!
It might take an incense stick's time, an hour, or even longer!

boom! ! !
An unprecedentedly violent explosion suddenly came from the depths of the spatial rift!

The entire crack looked as if billions of suns had been thrown into it!

It expands instantly! Then it contracts abruptly!
Finally, it completely transformed into a tiny singularity!

disappear!

Along with that suffocatingly evil aura, it all vanished into thin air!
Peace returned to the world.

Only the broken mountain gate and the mess on the ground proved that what had just happened was not an illusion.

All eyes were fixed on the spot where the crack had disappeared!
My heart is pounding!

I held my breath, afraid to even breathe!

Where is my junior brother (Xu Ran)?
How is he?

Did we win?
Or just when everyone's hearts sank to the bottom, thinking that the worst might happen—

hum!
A figure appeared silently in the original spot.

He was still dressed in black, and still wielded that ancient longsword.

However, his face seemed a little paler than before.

A faint, barely perceptible trace of blood was visible at the corner of his mouth.
Although extremely faint, it was still keenly detected by Xu Qinghan, who had been staring intently at him!
"Junior brother!"

Xu Qinghan exclaimed in surprise and rushed forward without thinking!
However, Xu Ran raised his hand to stop her.

He gently wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his movements remaining calm, and the coldness in his eyes seemed to have returned somewhat.

It was as if the earth-shattering battle just now was nothing more than dealing with a slightly troublesome insect to him.

"It doesn't matter."

He said it calmly, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger.

His gaze swept over the Kaoshan Sect once more, over those familiar yet unfamiliar mountains, and finally settled on the cave dwelling deep within the Kaoshan Sect, the one he had once lived in, now somewhat dilapidated.

A complex emotion flashed in his eyes.

It seemed like a recollection, a sense of melancholy, and a kind of indescribable weariness.

He is back.

He returned to the place he once called "home".

But things have changed.

He is no longer the same person he used to be.

Having endured countless years, traversed mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and borne unimaginable burdens.

Returning home, but I wonder if I can still find that sense of belonging I once had?

He slowly withdrew his gaze, taking one last look at Xu Qinghan. His eyes seemed to hold a thousand unspoken words, but in the end, they were reduced to just two words.

"wait for me."

Done.

He did not linger.

His figure swayed, as if merging into nothingness.

They vanished without a sound.

Only the members of the Backing Mountain Sect remained, looking at each other in disbelief, still immersed in the immense shock and the dazed feeling of surviving a calamity.

And Xu Qinghan's outstretched hand, and the rekindled, unwavering light of waiting in her eyes.

She knew that her junior brother had not left.

He just needs a little time.

She will wait.

No matter how long it takes.

(End of this chapter)