Chapter 80: Annihilation

Xisha.

Beneath the vast sky and sweeping clouds stood an ancient temple, solemn and unyielding. The temple itself seemed like a manifestation of the Buddha, offering peace to the heart.

This was the Temple of Summoning Thunder, from which many monks had ascended to immortality. Crowds came and went without end, incense burned vigorously.

Yet now, dark clouds pressed low above the temple, and a distant roar echoed ominously. Before anyone could react, a violent wind descended from the heavens, sweeping away all the pilgrims in its path.

The entire temple sounded the alarm at once. The deep tolling of the great bell reverberated endlessly.

Inside the ancient hall, monks who had sat in meditation for centuries suddenly opened their eyes and rose to their feet.

“Demonic forces are attacking!”

With these words, every monk in the Temple of Summoning Thunder stood up and gathered at once as quickly as possible, prepared for battle. The devouring wind turned black as it pressed against the temple’s edge.

Countless monks began chanting sutras in unison, their voices merging into a sacred hymn meant to save souls from disaster.

The statues of the Bodhisattvas enshrined in the temple opened their eyes. As the monks continued their chanting, the Bodhisattvas leapt down from their lotus thrones and appeared at the temple’s entrance, ready to confront the black wind.

But the black wind was not so easily repelled. It opened its massive maw and swallowed the temple and the Bodhisattvas whole.

Sand swirled, the wind howled, and in a short time the yellow dust fell, restoring silence. The surroundings were empty—there was no trace of the Temple of Summoning Thunder. It was as if it had never existed.

...

Northern Wilds.

Eastern Domain.

Xisha.

The Celestial Martial Realm suffered numerous calamities within a single day. The skies and ground alike issued warnings, cracks appeared suddenly in the earth, and blood rained from the heavens.

People panicked, sensing the end of the world. There was not a single place in the Celestial Martial Realm untouched by the upheaval. The world was shocked!

“My goodness! What on earth is happening? Are we really facing the apocalypse?”

“Why is blood raining from the sky? Is the spiritual energy of the realm drying up? Is this a warning from Heaven?”

“It seems we have no hope of survival!”

All cultivators in the Celestial Martial Realm discussed these events with fear. The strange phenomena made every cultivator tremble. They dispatched their disciples to uncover the truth behind these disasters.

Each region of the realm contained a sacred site, places where communication with Heaven and Earth was most direct. Everyone hoped to find answers there.

But when the disciples sent by the various sects arrived at the sacred sites, they were utterly shocked.

They could hardly believe these were the grand sanctuaries, once filled with life and majesty. Now, not only were they destroyed, but left utterly unrecognizable.

“What is happening here?”

“This can’t be possible!”

In Northern Wilds, an elder from a sect hurried to a sacred site seeking answers, but found only terror and devastation. The Northern Star Sanctuary, once towering above all, had vanished without a trace. All that remained were collapsed structures and cracked earth—no sign of life.

...

Xisha.

“Hurry, we must move faster! The Temple of Summoning Thunder is just ahead. Once we arrive, we’ll know what happened here.”

An elderly monk called to a younger monk behind him, and together they pressed toward the temple.

“Something isn’t right. I remember the temple was here. Did we take the wrong path?”

The old monk was puzzled, gazing at the barren yellow sand before him. He had been to the temple many times; even walking with his eyes closed, he should have reached it easily. Yet now, there was no sign of the temple.

“Master, there seems to be a sand dune where the temple should be!”

“No!”

The young monk’s face turned pale, unable to accept what lay before him. He pointed with a trembling finger. “Master, look! Isn’t that the corner of the Buddha statue from the temple?”

Hearing this, the old monk walked over and brushed aside the sand, revealing a small fragment belonging to the temple’s Buddha statue.

“Impossible. Only the Temple of Summoning Thunder had such things, and now it appears here. Could the temple truly lie beneath our feet? Impossible!”

He dared not continue, unable to voice the unthinkable.

The young monk was also frightened, his legs shaking. “Master, has the temple... vanished?”

...

“Sister, hurry up! We’re almost there. See that river ahead? That’s the city moat. Once we reach the noble family’s estate, all our questions will be answered!”

In Eastern Domain, two figures sped through the air. Their swords carried them swiftly toward their destination.

Once disaster struck, their sect immediately sent them to inquire at the noble family’s estate.

Soon, they arrived near the river.

“Sister, I told you this river was spectacular—what do you think?”

The woman looked in the direction her companion pointed, her beautiful eyes filled with shock.

“Brother, you say this is the river?”

“It seems... it doesn’t look like a living river anymore. There’s no sign of movement at all...”

The man was stunned and turned to look at the river.

...

Such events occurred throughout the Celestial Martial Realm. Those who went to investigate the sacred sites each witnessed the devastation.

Within a short time, news of the destruction of the sacred sites spread.

“Northern Star Sanctuary has been annihilated!”

The news shocked the entire world. In Northern Wilds, every cultivator was seized with panic.

That was the Northern Star Sanctuary, after all!

“What happened? How could it be destroyed?”

“We still don’t know what happened. By the time we arrived, it was a heap of ruins—nothing remained. There were signs of battle, but...”

But no one survived.

“What in the world is happening to the Celestial Martial Realm?”