Boom.
The strike was decisive, without the slightest hesitation.
With a single slash, the blade landed on the Black Whale Sovereign’s body, instantly cutting off a large chunk of flesh.
The Black Whale Sovereign let out a pained roar.
Its eyes burned with fury as it stared at Xu Zimo.
Xu Zimo paid it no mind. He simply raised Shadow Tyrant again and said calmly, “Do you still want to test whether my blade is sharp?”
“Fine, you win,” the Black Whale Sovereign snorted coldly.
Then it replied, “Up ahead is Death Spirit Island. That’s where Lord of Death resides.”
“Is your Mirage Tides Heaven really that small?” Xu Zimo asked in surprise.
As a whole domain, aside from the Black Whale Sea, he had only seen this single island.
That left him sowhat disappointed.
The Black Whale Sovereign explained, “This is a forbidden land of the Mirage Tides Heaven. It’s Lord of Death’s private territory. Of course you wouldn’t see any other islands here. Our Mirage Tides Heaven has trillions of small islands alone, and countless large ones.”
“So that’s how it is. Then tell , is there any danger on Death Spirit Island?” Xu Zimo asked.
“The greatest danger is naturally Lord of Death himself,” the Black Whale Sovereign replied.
“In truth, Death Spirit Island is mostly safe. As Lord of Death’s place of residence, no one dares disturb him. If there’s any real threat, it would be the Forest of Death.”
“Forest of Death?” Xu Zimo frowned.
“That’s right. It’s a special space,” the Black Whale Sovereign said.
“It’s said that every living being who enters it has never co out.”
“How do you know this?” Xu Zimo asked in return.
“Several hundred years ago, a few spirit entities wanted to leave the inner domain. They sought out Lord of Death. After learning their intentions, Lord of Death set a condition. Whoever could leave the Forest of Death would regain their freedom,” the Black Whale Sovereign explained.
“But hundreds of years have passed since then, and not a single spirit entity has succeeded in leaving.”
This made Xu Zimo more cautious.
He knew that on the surface, the Mirage Tides Heaven appeared to be entirely ruled by the Lord of Death.
But those spirit entities were living beings too, with thoughts and wills of their own. There was no way they would willingly submit forever.
That inevitably ant the Lord of Death faced many challenges.
Yet he hadn’t expected that a single Forest of Death could block so many.
“If I pass through the Forest of Death, can I et the Lord of Death?” Xu Zimo asked.
“Yes,” the Black Whale Sovereign nodded.
“Then where is the teleportation formation in the inner domain? If I want to go to Jade Court, how should I proceed?” Xu Zimo decided to ask everything at once.
The Black Whale Sovereign shook its head and said, “If you don’t go through Lord of Death, you won’t be able to see the teleportation formation. The Mirage Tides Heaven controls teleportation formations very strictly, precisely to prevent spirit entities from escaping.”
“I understand,” Xu Zimo said inwardly, already forming a plan.
“I’ve told you everything. When are you going to release ?” the Black Whale Sovereign asked impatiently.
“When the ferry docks, you’ll be of no use anymore. I’ll let you go then,” Xu Zimo replied.
It was also a precaution. If he released it too early, who knew whether the Black Whale Sovereign would turn against him again.
The Black Whale Sovereign didn’t object.
Right now, it was a fish on the chopping block, completely at another’s rcy.
It could only sigh inwardly. Failing to capture Xu Zimo ant it had lost this chance to regain its freedom.
…
The ferry boat began to approach the shore.
Xu Zimo gradually saw the full appearance of the island.
In this decaying, death-filled world, the island looked like a paradise untouched by the mundane.
The island wasn’t large, only a few tens of thousands of square ters. The scenery was pleasant, like eternal spring.
Peach trees and plum trees spread their twisted roots deep underground. A gentle breeze stirred the air, spring water gurgled softly, and immortal springs flowed low and clear.
Petals filled the sky, drifting through the air as if they would never fade away.
“I can’t go ashore. Hurry and let off,” the Black Whale Sovereign said anxiously.
It clearly feared the Lord of Death.
Xu Zimo didn’t say much. He stepped onto Death Spirit Island and sent both the ferry boat and the Black Whale Sovereign away.
Although it was called Death Spirit Island, the na was completely at odds with the scenery.
However, the mont Xu Zimo set foot on the island, he felt an unease in his heart.
It was as if so unseen beings were watching him at all tis.
“The Lord of Death,” Xu Zimo murmured as he looked around.
His soul slowly spread out, attempting to sense any other presence on the island.
Finally, faintly and indistinctly, he sensed a powerful aura at the far end of the island.
That aura seed to be sleeping. Though difficult to perceive, the pressure it gave off was imnse.
Xu Zimo walked straight toward that aura.
Since he had already decided to et the Lord of Death, there was no need for hesitation.
Moreover, Xu Zimo felt that although he had been attacked continuously since entering the Mirage Tides Heaven, those encounters had mostly been tests.
There had been no true, deadly ambush ant to kill him outright.
He believed the Lord of Death bore him no great hostility.
There was also the matter of the Black Whale Sea. When he sensed the ferry boat there, he had seen an identical version of himself.
He wanted answers.
The Nine Heavens were vast beyond asure. There were always mysteries even he could not easily unravel.
Passing between the beautiful peach and plum trees the fragrance of blossoms filled the air, causing one to lose themselves without realizing it.
No one who saw such a paradise could imagine that this was the Forest of Death.
Without realizing it, Xu Zimo had already entered the Forest of Death.
More importantly, there had been no warning signs at all, not even a trace of killing intent.
Everything happened as gently as spring rain soaking into the earth.
From an outside perspective, Xu Zimo had already fallen into the illusion of the Forest of Death.
But he himself was completely unaware.
The Forest of Death was a realm of illusion. One could say it fulfilled every desire and every wish.
With Xu Zimo’s level of cultivation, it was already extrely difficult for illusions to influence him, which was why he had no guard up at all.
Yet within the Forest of Death, not only could one’s defenses be lowered, but one’s greed would also be naturally amplified.
The Forest of Death was a world prepared solely for you.
Xu Zimo didn’t know how much ti passed.
Within the Forest of Death, he lived through his entire life.
He t the Lord of Death, not only gaining the chance to go to Jade Court, but even battling him and ultimately subduing him.
After that, his cultivation advanced at a terrifying speed.
He soon opened the Three Blossoms, then severed the Three Selves, and in a single sweep destroyed the Heavenly Court.
He discovered that no matter what he did, it felt as if the heavens themselves were helping him.
When the Heaven-Defying Crusade began, he even defeated the thieving heavens themselves and created an era of his own.
People revered him as the supre ruler.
At the mont he ascended the throne as the Lord of the World, Xu Zimo’s eyes suddenly shone with clarity.
“An illusion? It really does make one nostalgic. But what’s fake is fake in the end.”
Xu Zimo’s figure twisted, and in the next instant, he reappeared among the peach trees.
It was as if nothing had ever happened.
Only the countless peach blossoms continued to drift down around him.
“I’m very curious. There were no warning signs at all. How did you see through the Forest of Death?”
A voice sounded by his ear.
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