Seeing Li Xiaofei's puzzled gaze, the old Chancellor calmly explained.
"Our human race’s mortal enemies, the Reapers, are divided into two factions. The Wisdom Faction, symbolizing rationality, and the Primal Faction, symbolizing wildness.
"The Wisdom Faction possessed intelligence comparable to that of humans. They pioneered various branches of civilization. They excelled in everything, from technology, martial arts, superpowers, to other systems. They boasted unparalleled knowledge and mimicking abilities. You should have encountered Reapers from this faction before.
"As for the Primal Faction, they were pure beasts, endowed with formidable evolutionary abilities. They all shared a common mother known as the Mother of All Beasts. It is worth noting that the Mother of All Beasts is not singular, there were several of them, supporting the sheer numbers of the Primal Faction’s Reapers.
"Some scholars from Heaven studied this and believed that the progenitors of the Wisdom and Primal Factions were blood relatives, representing clarity and chaos within the universe, respectively. Some scholars even proposed theories that Reapers were born before humanity...
"Both factions were immensely powerful. However, during later wars, Heaven received some strange information. It was discovered that the Reapers from these two great factions were not entirely harmonious as once thought. Disputes arose between them, and a peculiar phenomenon of mutual disdain was observed."
As an outstanding graduate of the Celestial Academy, the old Chancellor’s theoretical foundation was exceptionally solid.
He continued, "The creatures you refer to as Night Fiends are, in fact, academically named Ruo. They are oviparous offspring of the Mother of All Beasts, a type of creature from the Primal Faction, possessing extraordinary evolutionary and adaptive capabilities."
The name sounded a bit odd. Li Xiaofei could not help but wonder if the Heaven scholar who had named the Night Fiends had been kicked in the head by a donkey.
"Besides Ruo, is there anything else?" Li Xiaofei asked.
The old Chancellor replied, "When you sailed across the Heavenly River, did you notice the monsters in the water?"
Li Xiaofei thought for a moment and said, "I caught glimpses of them."
The old Chancellor nodded and said, "There is another aquatic creature called Ruò, also an oviparous product of the Mother of All Beasts. They lurk within the Heavenly River. I have not observed their evolutionary direction yet, but I am certain they will be extremely difficult to deal with."
Li Xiaofei rubbed his temples and said, "So it seems that Heaven has now been completely overrun by these Ruo. Doesn’t that mean it has effectively become a Reaper nest?"
The old Chancellor said, "These Ruo are not much to fear. As long as they are not given time to evolve, even you could wipe them out completely. Heaven’s fall could not have been caused by these Ruo alone. If I am not mistaken, there must be a Mother of All Beasts entrenched here."
Li Xiaofei frowned, feeling a headache coming on.
He asked, "How strong is the Mother of All Beasts in combat?"
The old Chancellor sighed and gave a one-word answer, "Invincible."
Li Xiaofei's expression froze instantly.
Damn it, how are we supposed to fight something like that?
The old Chancellor continued, "The Mother of All Beasts has always been the pinnacle of combat strength in the Reaper world. Not only can it endlessly produce Ruo at any moment, but its combat strength is at the Annihilation level, eternal and indestructible. In the human world, only Emperor level ultimate forces could hope to battle against it."
Li Xiaofei let out a deep sigh and said, "Then what are we waiting for, elder? Let’s run for our lives."
The old Chancellor chuckled and said, "There's no need to panic. Although I don’t know exactly what happened back then that allowed such a terrifying entity to invade Heaven, one thing is certain, it must have paid a heavy price. Otherwise, Heaven wouldn’t have simply fallen, it would have been completely overrun and turned into a full-fledged Reaper nest."
Li Xiaofei's eyes lit up and said, "You mean..."
"If that Mother of All Beasts truly exists here, then it must be extremely weakened right now," the old Chancellor said firmly. "You have a chance."
Li Xiaofei remained skeptical. The old man sounded like he was digging a pit and pouring poisoned chicken soup into it. Still, no matter what, he had to give it a try.
"Senior, you have much more experience and a deeper understanding of Heaven. Why don’t we join forces?" he invited.
The old Chancellor gently shook his head and said, "I can’t."
As he spoke, he slowly made his way to the center of the courtyard. He carefully lifted a fallen bench and set it upright. He seemed lost in thought for a moment, then slowly sat down. His left arm lifted slightly, as if supporting someone in front of him, while his right hand gently wrapped around an invisible companion. A smile appeared on his face.
"Just making it here has drained all my remaining strength. I am about to die," he said, his expression one of profound relief. "When I left all those years ago, I took a photo here. I sat exactly in this spot, with my younger siblings in front of me, and my parents beside me..."
He closed his eyes, as if imagining time reversing and returning to that beautiful, fleeting moment of the past. At the same time, the old Chancellor’s life force rapidly declined. It was the unmistakable sign of life nearing its end.
Five hundred years. He had held on until the very last moment, enduring just long enough to return home. The final battle against the Ruo had completely exhausted the last traces of vitality within him.
"No..." Luo Ge cried as she rushed forward.
The old Chancellor kept his eyes closed, a gentle smile lingering on his face as he said, "I once had grand ambitions in this life, and for a fleeting moment, I tasted glory. Yet, I squandered it all in the endless passage of time. In the end, I failed to fulfill the youthful promise I made to become the greatest of my era..."
Suddenly, he opened his eyes and looked at Li Xiaofei. Content orıginally comes from 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹•𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖•𝗇𝗲𝘁
"In the end, I was just an ordinary man, not a hero," he said. "I hope you will be."
Li Xiaofei stood solemnly in silence.
The old Chancellor then turned to Luo Ge and said, "Child, my road has come to its end, but yours has only just begun. Carry my blessings and continue to fight. For the sake of the human race."
As his voice faded, a stream of light flew from his body. It was a fragment of an alchemy furnace. It fit perfectly into a damaged section with a crisp ding. And with that sound, the old Chancellor's life came to an end.
Luo Ge broke down, crying bitterly. She was a descendant of Heaven’s people, who had finally returned to this land, only to lose her last remaining kin.
Li Xiaofei bowed his head in silent mourning. The once-renowned figure of the Celestial Academy, once full of promise, had seen his bright future crumble with the fall of Heaven. The old Chancellor had lost his drive, wasting away in endless waiting, never regaining the sharp spirit of his youth. In the end, he was buried in that small courtyard.
Luo Ge wiped away her tears. She said, "From now on, I will follow you."
As she spoke, she also took out a fragment of metal.
Another missing piece of the alchemy furnace was repaired. Now there were only two gaps left. Once they were filled, the alchemy furnace would be completely restored.
It seemed that every person who entered Heaven had obtained a fragment of the alchemy furnace. Perhaps it could be understood that those who managed to step into Heaven were all blessed with Fate Qi.
Li Xiaofei was about to say something when, all of a sudden, the ground shook violently. It felt as if an Earth Dragon had turned over beneath the surface. His expression changed slightly. He leapt onto a nearby tall building and looked toward the source of the tremors.
His face turned pale.