Chapter 1857: Ninth Rank

Chen Ling rushed into the torrent. His eyes were bloodshot, and his whistling sleeves smashed into the ferocious faces of one spectator after another, slowly and arduously carving out a bloody path.

Ever since Chen Ling stepped onto the eighth step, the light and shadow of the Divine Path Self-Verification had been almost completely obscured. Whether it was the citizens of the Red Dust Prison or the figures from the major prisons who saw this scene through wish power, doubt appeared between their brows.

"We could still see a little bit just now... why is it completely gone now?"

"Has his past ended just like that?"

"Doesn't look like it... it feels like it's been blocked by something."

"Look, he seems to be blocked by a group of black shadows!"

"What are those black shadows?"

"Can't see clearly... looks like patches of mist?"

"His speed is getting slower and slower... can he still break through?"

"Don't know, feels very difficult."

“……”

Unknowingly, the public opinion of the citizens toward Chen Ling had changed.

Although most of them still couldn't understand Chen Ling's past, they could vaguely perceive from those fragmented images that Chen Ling was not the heinous existence they had anticipated.

Perhaps even they themselves didn't realize that some of them had already begun to look forward to Chen Ling finishing this Divine Path and completing his self-verification.

Pairs of eyes watched nervously at the figure struggling forward at the end of the twisted Divine Path.

*Bang*—!

In the melee, Chen Ling was kicked in the calf, almost losing his center of gravity and falling to his knees.

Chen Ling was a good fighter, but after climbing so many steps and facing the near-endless siege of spectators, his stamina was ultimately limited... Not to mention that two fists were no match for four hands; under the human-sea tactic, the space left for him to maneuver was becoming smaller and smaller.

But Chen Ling was like grass in the wind; no matter how big the waves around him were, he could always stubbornly stand firm again and continue forward.

*Swish*—

*Swish*—

Chen Ling stepped step by step on the twisted Divine Path. Whenever he was about to reach his limit, the bits and pieces of his journey on this Divine Path would emerge in his mind.

Aurora Realm, Red Dust Realm, Ancient Theater Path, Heavenly Pivot Realm, Infinite Realm, Fusion Faction, South Sea Realm, Abyss of Ghost Mockery...

And Cang Yun, Ling Xu.

What supported Chen Ling to walk to this point on this Divine Path was never the gaze of the spectators or others... but his former self.

*Bang, bang, bang*—!!

Chen Ling roared and threw punches, knocking several spectators blocking his way to the ground again.

He could see that the last step on this twisted Divine Path was not far from him...

But the airtight spectators still surrounded it, not only blocking Chen Ling's progress but also obscuring the light and shadow of the Divine Path Self-Verification.

If he couldn't clear an empty space here, even if Chen Ling stepped onto the ninth step, his past wouldn't be displayed between heaven and earth, and naturally, he wouldn't be able to complete the Divine Path Self-Verification.

This was the last hurdle standing in front of Chen Ling.

Chen Ling took a deep breath. He couldn't think of any other way to get out besides using brute force... So, he could only rush forward with a whistle.

*Bang, bang, bang, bang*—

The distance between Chen Ling and the ninth step was getting closer and closer.

But the spectators around Chen Ling still didn't slacken at all... They seemed to know they couldn't beat Chen Ling, so they just huddled together, wanting to prevent Chen Ling's promotion by obscuring the self-verification.

Countless fists landed on Chen Ling, smashing the already injured figure until he was tottering.

He walked silently through the endless malice, letting those fists hit him. He would occasionally counterattack, but he knew these counterattacks were useless... Extinguish one malice, and there were still thousands upon thousands of others.

On this twisted Divine Path, in this world, everything was his enemy. The black torrent occupied everything, and only Chen Ling's theatrical robe and the Divine Path Star hanging high in the sky were lonely and red... thin, stubborn, and tiny.

But Chen Ling was used to it.

Just as Chen Ling was unable to move an inch in the final black torrent,

A palm reached out from the side and firmly grabbed a spectator's fist that was about to land on Chen Ling's back.

Suddenly, Chen Ling felt that the fists landing on him were much fewer, as if someone was standing behind him, blocking the surging black tide for him.

Chen Ling subconsciously looked back.

A figure in a vest was stuck behind him like a rivet. In this black torrent, his figure was out of place with the surroundings.

Chen Ling's pupils contracted slightly.

"The last step is right in front, go ahead boldly... I'll block them for you." Wen Shilin looked back and smiled slightly at Chen Ling.

"Remember, you are not alone."

Wen Shilin's body also appeared fragile and tiny before the black torrent, but he still firmly clenched his fists, shouted, and smashed toward those spectators.

The iron fist of justice, in this dense torrent, forcibly tore open a small gap for Chen Ling...

At the same time,

The Divine Path Self-Verification light and shadow, which had been obscured for a long time, appeared again.

"Since the establishment of the Twilight Society, there has always been only one goal..."

"And you, coming from different realms, different organizations, different Divine Paths, for different reasons, finally chose to join the Twilight Society..."

"In this process, perhaps you have also been confused and questioned, but I think since everyone can walk together to this point, it means that everyone has firmly bet everything on this goal..."

"Reverse the era, restart the world."

“……”

"But before that, we still have one last mission... kill the Calamity of Taboo and grab back the last piece of Witch Path fragment."

"This mission, except for Black Jack who is still in the Ling Xu Realm, all other members will participate. After arriving at the Sea of Taboo, each of you will receive a poison I made myself..."

"Keep the poison in your mouth. If death is unavoidable, take the poison immediately."

"As long as you do this, no matter how far apart we are, I can recall your souls."

"And then..."

"We will go to the new world together."

“……”

In the biting cold wind, Chen Ling's past was displayed before the eyes of every citizen. They saw the world crack, saw all things become ruins, and saw figures standing before the Frozen Sea, silent.

"It's back, the image is back!"

"What node is this?"

"Don't know... but it seems to be talking about the Twilight Society."

"No, look at the sky, is it dyed red? Could it be that the Red Star is coming back?"

"They..."

"Could they really be preparing to restart the world?"

“……”

Everyone's attention was attracted by the flickering light and shadow.

Chen Ling on the twisted Divine Path took a deep look at Wen Shilin, who was blocking the torrent, his lips pressed together... He didn't say any thanks, just turned silently and walked toward the last step.

As Chen Ling arrived before the ninth step, the light and shadow above the sky also came to an end. They saw a figure in a theatrical robe standing in the middle of nine coffins on the ruins of the realm, the light of civilization surging above his head...

At this moment, everyone held their breath. The absurd possibility they couldn't believe seemed to be becoming reality under their witness.

"Everyone."

"Human civilization..."

"—Shall never be extinguished!!"

Chen Ling's voice echoed above the firmament.

Chen Ling smashed the surrounding spectators with punch after punch, then stared fixedly at the Divine Path Star within reach... The blood-stained sleeves were lifted silently, and he reached out to grasp the star from afar.

Then,

He stepped heavily onto the ninth step!!

Boom—！！！！

In an instant, a roaring sound echoed between heaven and earth.

Ten thousand miles of auspicious light parted the thick clouds, like a waterfall hanging from the sky, spilling down...

A Ninth Rank aura, powerful to the extreme, erupted at the end of the Divine Path.