Chapter 402.1: I Am the Great Calamity, Who Is There to Eliminate Me?

On the sixteenth day of the fifth month, a light rain fell over Phoenix Heaven. A streak of blood-red light seemed to be heading toward Central Heaven, carrying an unmatched momentum.

Numerous cultivation sects, aristocratic families, and reclusive sects were startled awake. They raised their heads toward the sky. Even with their extraordinary eyesights, no cultivators could catch sight of the figure. Wherever that blood-red light passed, heaven and earth were dyed completely red. The sunlight filtering through the crimson sky was tinged with the same hue.

Later, this phenomenon would be known to countless cultivators as the Blood Sun Slaughtering the Heavens.

A Yin Spirit trembled. "So Qi Yuan really is the Blood-Clothed Sword God! It seems he's about to eliminate the Great Calamity!"

The Blood-Clothed Sword God simply could not be judged by common sense. Not only did he openly declare war on the Great Calamity, but he was even rushing it! After contacting all the experts, he simply charged straight at it three days later! He was going to face the Great Calamity alone!

This left every Yin Spirit Venerable and Great Venerable utterly astonished.

A Great Venerable asked, "The Blood-Clothed Sword God's confidence is overwhelming... Could it be that, like that man back then, he has stepped into the Yang Spirit realm?"

"That man only failed because Mountain of Fate leaked the secret. Now that the Mountain of Fate is long gone, maybe there truly is a chance!"

A Venerable said helplessly, "You're dreaming. It's not like there was a need for the Mountain of Fate to leak anything? Blood-Clothed Sword God leaked it himself!"

Countless gazes looked toward the heavens, trying to catch that streak of crimson light.

"Wait, even the sky over our Wave Rain Region has turned red!"

"I just came out of seclusion. Why has the sky over the Northern Desert turned red? Ah? Blood-Clothed Sword God... What's going on?"

"It's not just the Northern Desert. The skies of the other regions have also turned red. What exactly is Blood-Clothed Sword God doing?"

Many were baffled, discussions erupting everywhere. Everyone was going about their own business—taking naps, eating, washing underwear—when the sky suddenly turned crimson. All of the Canglan sky had been dyed by blood-red radiance. The descending light resembled strands of blood.

Countless people were confused, though many were deeply shaken. Blood-Clothed Sword God is unbelievably fast.

Of course, many cultivators were skeptical.

"If Blood-Clothed Sword God is this powerful, then just how powerful must the Great Calamity be?"

"We know far too little about the Great Calamity. Is it human, demon, devil? How strong is it? What has it done? We know nothing."

"Perhaps the Great Calamity might actually coexist peacefully with us?"

The world's understanding of the Great Calamity was simply too limited. In remote places like the Divine Radiance Sect, people didn’t even have a concept of the Great Calamity. Only Violet Palace great clans like the Jiang Clan could learn fragments of the truth through treasured artifacts, and even then, they knew very little.

While the Yin Spirits had heard of the Great Calamity, their understanding was limited to one thing: garvesting. As for what exactly the Great Calamity was, who stood behind it—none of them had any clue. The only certainty was that it was likely around the Yang Spirit level, since a Yang Spirit of the Canglan World had failed to overcome the Great Calamity.

Thus, when "Qi Yuan Eliminates the Great Calamity Plan" appeared, many people throughout the Canglan World dismissed it. Some even believed that the so-called "poison of cultivation techniques" was merely an exaggeration, just like "poisonous spiritual qi." After all, every cultivator who cultivated using spiritual qi ultimately perished. The Great Calamity was far too distant.

Some female cultivators, confident in their beauty, even declared, "If the Great Calamity took a fancy to me, it certainly wouldn't leave empty-handed. It might even become my dao companion."

Some exceptionally gifted male cultivators said, "Perhaps the Great Calamity will fancy my talent and take me as a disciple."

Opinions regarding "Qi Yuan Eliminates the Great Calamity Plan" varied wildly.

At roughly evening time, the skies of the entire Canglan World fully turned crimson. Countless cultivators solemnly gazed at the heavens, feeling as though they were witnessing history.

***

Inside a pavilion, beads of cold sweat formed on the forehead of Jiang Lingsu, who was dressed in a light green dress. Endless worry filling her beautiful eyes. The simple green dress could barely conceal her graceful figure, leaving one to imagine the breathtaking beauty beneath it. Though the skirt hem was long, glimpses of her flesh-colored stockings created an oddly mismatched yet peculiarly alluring look.

Just now, she and Qi Yuan had been playing chess. She was distracted, appearing to be struggling with some decision. Yet now, Qi Yuan had disappeared to face the Great Calamity, leaving her behind. She recalled the glimpse she had once seen through her clan’s artifact: blood rain pouring from the heavens, the world overturned, an inevitable catastrophe.

Jiang Lingsu clenched her teeth. "Senior Brother, you absolutely must come back safely!"

Throughout the world, countless pairs of eyes gazed toward the heavens. Where was the Great Calamity? How was the Blood-Clothed Sword God going to fight it? What exactly was the Great Calamity, anyway? And just how powerful was the Blood-Clothed Sword God?

Blood-red light illuminated the world. A desolate sorrow arose in countless hearts as an overwhelming fighting spirit steadily gathered. Everyone who gazed toward the crimson sky felt a resolute desire to fight.

***

Qi Yuan came to a halt at Central Heaven. He stood tall and straight, with long hair flowing. Standing before him were three Yin Spirits from the Xingli World.

Wang Lingtong respectfully bowed. "Senior, I wish to offer you a talisman containing the combined full-power strike of ten Mythic cultivators!"

Wang Lingshan also lowered her head. "I have an array plate that can probably trap the Great Calamity for a moment or two. I would like to offer it to you, Senior."

When she saw Qi Yuan's incomparably handsome appearance, every ridiculous thought she'd previously had disappeared.

A man dressed entirely in black stepped forward, despair written across his face. Even his eyes were filled with death. "The destiny of the Thousand-Mo World... I offer it all to you, Senior!"

The Thousand-Mo World was another one of the three thousand pig farms, much like Canglan World. Its fate, however, had been even more tragic. The Great Calamity seemed to have devoured the world’s potential entirely, leaving behind only ruins. Eventually, even its land, mountains, rivers, seas, and sky became nourishment for it.

The black-robed man was the sole survivor, having escaped into the Xingli World. And yet, had nowhere to go beyond the three thousand pig farms. He would die the instant he set foot in any other world.

The three Yin Spirits spoke no nonsense. Facing Qi Yuan, who was about to confront the Great Calamity, they each presented their treasures, contributing what little strength they could.

At a moment like this, persuasion, warnings, advice, or even descriptions of how terrifying the Great Calamity was meaningless.

Qi Yuan said in a low voice, "Good."

Every word was carefully measured as though he was brewing on something.

Wang Lingtong and Wang Lingshan said together, "May you soar straight into the heavens and slay the Great Calamity!"

Even the black-robed man’s dead-fish eyes finally regained a trace of sharpness and determination. "Senior, beat the damn Great Calamity to death!"

His voice was hoarse, but it perfectly expressed his fury.

Qi Yuan turned back to glance once at this world. "Good."

Then, he leaped into the endless chaos and disappeared. The three Yin Spirits remained where they stood, their expressions complicated.

Wang Lingshan said softly, "I hope Senior wins."

Only if Qi Yuan emerged victorious would Xingli World truly gain a sliver of hope. Yet they all understood that once a hero departed for battle, few ever returned.

From ancient times until now, prodigies throughout the three thousand worlds had been as numerous as carp crossing a river. Many lived mediocre lives. Many hid themselves away from the world. Nevertheless, there would always be prodigies like Blood-Clothed Sword God raising a single call to arms, daring to confront the Great Calamity head-on with nothing but mortal flesh.

"No matter the outcome, we will remember this battle forever."