Chapter 512: Side story — The Lord of Life and Death (The Little Prince Who Loves the Big Drum)

"Where did I come from...where is this?"
A pair of eyes slowly opened.
Those eyes, still veiled in a thin mist, reflected the daylight, revealing a sense of bewilderment.
A plain white dress spread out on the ground. The woman slowly stretched out her palm, fingers spread, trying to grasp at the light.
Fragments of memories flashed through her mind.
She only remembered that she seemed to come from a very distant place.
Her existence had only one purpose:
To end the 'disaster'!
......
'Disaster', what is that?
The woman didn't know.
The fragmented memories in her mind didn't provide an answer.
However, the woman discovered that she seemed to possess boundless vitality. While others' appearances constantly changed, experiencing birth, aging, sickness, and death, her hair remained unchanged.
Ten years...a hundred years...a thousand years...ten thousand years
Never changing in the slightest.
She had witnessed the demise of countless people.
Her unparalleled beauty faded like dust before the passage of time.
Her cultivation was unmatched, yet she could not escape the concept of life and death.
As civilization faded, she was a witch who witnessed its end.
Though time is immortal, she was recognized by the world as an ancient immortal, wielding the power of life and death... She had no name; the world called her the Lord of Life and Death, a god who held the power of life and death, inconceivably powerful. Even the most powerful beings in the heavens could not keep pace with the Lord of Life and Death.
In truth, she had many names, but those names were gradually buried with the passage of time, until finally, only the Lord of Life and Death walked the heavens.
As her cultivation grew stronger, the fragments of memories in the Lord of Life and Death's mind multiplied, becoming clearer and clearer.
She did not belong here; she came from another place, but that place no longer existed, leaving only her... bearing the memories of that place, bearing the beliefs of countless powerful beings, with no one to confide in, nothing to confide in, only eternal solitude.
The Lord of Life and Death began nurturing all living beings. In her memories... countless immortal beings ultimately failed against the 'Calamity,' proving utterly inadequate on her own. She needed like-minded beings.
Having become 'invincible,' she could encompass infinite space and time, grasp the origins of all realms, and influence the ascension of Immortal Kings based on herself. Acquired beings had the potential to ascend to Immortal King status, relying on her foundation. Thus... a great war erupted among the innate Immortal Kings and gods. With the Lord of Life and Death easily slaying three ancient and powerful innate gods and demons, all innate gods and demons were forced to submit.
Immortal Kings emerged in droves, even supreme Immortal Kings far surpassing ordinary ones, looking down upon all realms.
Under the Lord of Life and Death's leadership, martial arts flourished and immortality shone brightly, even more magnificent than the fragmented images in the Lord of Life and Death's memories. This glorious world attracted the attention of the 'Calamity,' and a terrible calamity swept across all realms.
Countless minions of the 'Calamity' appeared under its gaze. Faced with the sudden onslaught of destruction, the Lord of Life and Death remained utterly unperturbed. He had awaited this day for countless years. An unprecedented war erupted, with all the Celestial Kings participating!
"You are the strongest being in this world?"
A colossal figure shrouded in the light of different rules lowered its head and spoke to the being imbued with the essence of life and death.
In the Lord of Life and Death's memories, this being was one of the culprits who destroyed another realm, known as the Lord of the Fourth Calamity, possessing the ability to grant cultivators immortality.
The Lord of the Fourth Calamity sniffed, then said with interest, "So, a remnant of another world. Very well... let's deal with them all then."
Besides the Lord of the Fourth Calamity, the 'Calamity's' side also had three other executioners as powerful as the Lord of the Fourth Calamity. They were the 'Calamity's' most trusted minions, traversing countless realms to destroy them.
The Lord of Life and Death stood at the forefront, the torrent of time converging beneath his feet to form a cliff face. Two terrifying figures accompanied him on either side of his back, countless fragments of spacetime swirling and swirling around him as they opened their eyes.
The Lord of Life and Death spoke calmly: "Just what I intended."
He wanted to sever the claws of 'Calamity.' In this great battle, the Lord of Life and Death displayed power that terrified even the quasi-Immortal Emperors.
"Impossible!"
The Fourth Calamity Lord roared. They had destroyed countless beings across the heavens, and encountered countless obstacles, but never had anyone been so powerful.
"Nothing is impossible."
The Lord of Life and Death's face was cold. He gathered... the conviction of all those who had ever given birth to the strong—a weapon destined to sever 'Calamity'! The only possibility born from all impossibilities!
Having eliminated the threat, the Lord of Life and Death did not stop. He knew this was not enough. As long as 'Calamity' existed, those enforcers would not be destroyed, and one day they would return, until... the heavens were overthrown!
"Fellow Daoist, take care!"
The two 'quasi-Immortal Emperors' who had fought alongside the Lord of Life and Death were severely injured in the previous battle and unable to continue. They could only place their hopes on the Lord of Life and Death.
The Lord of Life and Death nodded slightly, leaning forward towards the torrent above. The final battle to come was His mission, His destined fate! Perhaps even someone as powerful as Him would perish!
However, the Lord of Life and Death felt no fear at this moment, only anticipation!
He walked alone... How much time passed was unknown...
No news of the Lord of Life and Death ever returned. A flash of white light appeared... but the heavens did not disappear. A shattered wheel, imbued with the power of life and death, floated down from the direction the Lord of Life and Death had departed.
Time passed, and some things were gradually forgotten. The two supreme quasi-Immortal Emperors of the heavens also vanished without a trace, and the heavens were redefined.
...
Easter Egg 1:
An inextinguishable flame burned silently in the void. Countless eons passed, and from that flame, a wisp of consciousness was born.
"Is the calamity... about to return?"
A soft sigh echoed in the void.
It had a new name.
Gongsun Ling
But now, it was the Lord of Life and Death, the sharpest weapon against the 'calamity'!
......
Bonus Scene Two:
The Lord of Life and Death slowly opened its eyes.
It sensed a familiar cause and effect, seemingly related to its own body.
"Perhaps there will be different variables."
......
Bonus Scene Three:
In that great battle, they ultimately failed to stop the 'calamity'.
However, its strength was such that even the 'calamity' could not easily erase its traces.
This time, its name was Ling Xiyan.
The person before it seemed somewhat familiar; it was the aura of an old friend.
The Lord of Life and Death felt a sense of relief. It hadn't expected that in this world, there would still be an old friend who shared its existence with it.
However…
“My dear disciple, it’s been a long time.”
The Lord of Life and Death: “…”
He shouldn’t have helped this guy back then!
…
Bonus Scene Four:
A little girl with pigtails looked curiously at the handsome, imposing, and dashing young man before her.
The little girl blinked.
The young man slowly spoke.
“Long time no see, my dear disciple.”
In this new world, traces of old friends began to reappear.
The young man’s eyes were filled with smiles, showing exceptional warmth.