CHAPTER 724: CHAPTER 590: COLLECTING THE FULL SET OF PLATES, RITUAL REVERSAL!

"Civil engineering is exhausting; why not study energy and power? It’s your passion," Wu Xiaode said.

Wu Xiaode sent over a scholarship form and continued speaking while holding his phone:

"This year’s outstanding new student in energy and power engineering will receive a generous scholarship, and you’re already on the list."

"Actually, I’ve always liked the energy specialization. Alright, then I’ll apply for the energy major," the student happily said.

"Alright, then I won’t disturb you anymore. Once your application is approved, the money will be transferred to your account quickly."

"Thank you!"

"Good, goodbye."

"Goodbye."

The phone call ended.

The next second.

Rows of ice crystal letters appeared in the void:

"You have unlocked the seventh critical point, also the last critical point."

"Please note, this critical point is intricately linked with mysterious beings; you will be cursed and transported to the Mysterious Evil Realm by various mysterious lives."

Wu Xiaode turned his head to look at the woman not far away.

The woman spoke solemnly:

"The moment of parting has come, I must venture into the Mysterious Evil Realm to explore, and perhaps create a big disturbance."

"Why?" Wu Xiaode asked curiously.

The woman looked up into the void as if seeing something through endless space and time.

"Firstly, to alleviate the pressure on Gu Qingshan; and secondly... your situation here is also very important."

She took out the beating Heart of the Sage.

Countless blood vessels emerged from the heart, gradually shrouding her body and beginning to transform her into a monster.

Wu Xiaode sincerely bowed with his hands clasped together and said:

"Thank you for guiding me in my cultivation and bearing this curse for me. I am deeply grateful."

"We will meet again. I hope you grow quickly, Little Wu."

"I have yet to ask for your esteemed name," Wu Xiaode asked earnestly.

"Flower Sect, Xie Tao Spirit," the woman said with a smile, speaking softly.

Wu Xiaode wanted to say more, but she was violently pulled by a force and vanished into the void in an instant, disappearing without a trace.

Only Wu Xiaode was left on the spot.

The surrounding scenery disappeared completely.

The Babylon Pillar appeared again before Wu Xiaode’s eyes.

The floating black brick suddenly lost its color, becoming just like the other bricks, and slowly fell onto the pillar.

As it landed, numerous bricks quickly appeared and automatically fell into place on the pillar, and the construction work began once more.

Seven distinct glows flashed in the void, converging into a single card.

The card depicted a pyramid made of cards, and in the Dark Void next to it, various strange shadows flashed from time to time.

Rows of ice crystal letters swiftly appeared:

"Congratulations!"

"You have obtained ’Graveyard Deck of Various Laws No. 6’:"

"The Endless Ritual."

"The reverse ritual card for ’Eternal Ascension,’ the sixth card of the ’Graveyard Deck of Various Laws’ set."

"Unique effect: Under the mighty influence of the Babylon Pillar, perform a summoning ritual opposite to ’Eternal Ascension.’"

"—After the human prologue, the mysterious beings take the stage, but if you reverse this ’Eternal Ascension,’ you will discover entirely new secrets."

Wu Xiaode solemnly placed the card into the Book of the Dead.

Up to this moment, he had collected "Eternal Night Star," "Descendent of the World Tree," "Babylon," "Radiant Holy Light," "Civilization’s Lament," and "The Endless Ritual," a total of six cards.

Only the last one was missing, and then the set would be complete!

Stay calm.

I must stay calm.

At this critical time, I have some urgent matters to attend to; otherwise, there could be trouble.

"Wish Wall."

Wu Xiaode spoke in a low voice.

The Book of the Dead automatically opened, turning to the page of the Wish Wall.

Wu Xiaode placed his hand on the wall, closed his eyes, and began to call silently in his mind:

"Master, please show yourself."

Looking back on the past, he had always been guided by the Human Emperor in his boxing practice and had gained many inheritances and knowledge, even sacrificing those skills!

However, following the reminder from his master Gu Qingshan, he revisited those pieces of knowledge and inheritances, only to discover a problem.

—When he began to transform into a world-class life form, the inheritances unveiled numerous new, higher-level, and more powerful pieces of knowledge and skills.

These were not sacrificable!

Could all of these be illusions?

Xie Tao Spirit had twice reminded him, saying "you have no one to guide you properly" and "it’s a pity that you never had a master to instruct you properly in your cultivation."

What was really going on?

As Wu Xiaode called out, a violent trembling suddenly came from the Wish Wall.

A figure appeared on the ancient, mottled wall.

—It was the Human Emperor!

"Little Wu, you were looking for me?" he asked gently.

"Yes, Master, I met someone called Xie Tao Spirit today," Wu Xiaode said.

"Oh, her. Was there anyone else?"

"There was also Gu Qingshan."

Wu Xiaode continued, "Master, why do they say I don’t have anyone to properly guide my cultivation?"

Instead of answering, the Human Emperor asked, "Have you already collected six cards from the ’Graveyard Deck of Various Laws’?"

"Yes," Wu Xiaode said.

"It’s also time to tell you some things," the Human Emperor sighed.

"Like what?" Wu Xiaode asked.

"Do you know what would happen if the perpetuum mobile was completed during the battle of ’Civilization’s Lament’?" the Human Emperor asked.

"The bugs would descend."

"And then?"

"The ritual begins... The prologue to human civilization ends, and they take the stage of history."

"Indeed, after the appearance of the worm, a ceremony will be held, and only by going through that ceremony will the prelude truly come to an end. Otherwise, after the destruction of civilization, the world will only turn into ’The End,’ and could even advance further into ’Doomsday,’ " the Human Emperor said.

"What will happen then?" Wu Xiaode asked.

"Humanity will not be exterminated, for with the destiny woven by countless Laws, a new human civilization will be born, and there might even be a new human world that emerges," the Human Emperor said.

"That means the prelude is still not over," Wu Xiaode said.

"And so, the worm must perform the ceremony, allowing all Laws that serve all beings, all things, and the world to die."

"The ceremony is called the ’Eternal Ascension’ ceremony."

"——From that moment on, human civilization will be considered entirely extinct, and the prelude will truly be over."

Upon hearing this, Wu Xiaode realized and said, "So the Laws, in order to save themselves, went all out in weaving the ’graveyard deck’?"

"It’s not just that——"

The Human Emperor looked at him, his voice grave, "What I want to tell you is that the ceremony has once been successfully conducted."

Successful?

Wu Xiaode was stunned.

If it had been successful, why does human civilization still exist, the prelude is still ongoing, and the Mysterious life hasn’t been born yet?

"Someone defeated the first appearance of the Mysterious life... in ways you cannot even begin to imagine. The process is too lengthy, taking up more than 6 million words, and if I were to explain it in full detail, another 2 million words would need to be added. Let’s not get into the specifics," the Human Emperor said.

"What do you want to tell me, then?" Wu Xiaode asked.

"The Mysterious life has been defeated, but they were only the weakest and lowest of all Mysterious life..."

"Now those slumbering high-level Mysterious life have all awakened."

The Human Emperor sighed and said:

"The times... have truly descended into despair."

Wu Xiaode stayed silent for a few moments, unwilling to accept this, and said:

"At least we still have the ’graveyard deck’. Once I get my hands on the seventh card, there might be hope!"

For all beings struggling in the dark, hope supports them to continue fighting!

If not for that glimmer of hope, why would he himself tirelessly seek the complete set of cards?

The Human Emperor reached out and made a sweeping gesture.

The Void suddenly revealed waves of light and shadow.

In those lights and shadows, a massive, black skeleton slowly broke free from the bronze pillar.

Its gaze pierced through endless worlds and looked towards Wu Xiaode’s direction.

Wu Xiaode’s body jerked in realization.

——It has discovered me!

Damn it.

If it came for him, how would he deal with it?

Wu Xiaode’s mind raced, but he could come up with no further strategies to cope with the situation at hand.

"Little Wu, you’ve done very well," the Human Emperor continued:

"The things you asked me earlier, I can tell you now."

"Many skills are in the possession of the Heroic Spirits and are reliable, so I can pass them on to you."

"As for the later knowledge, it is something you cannot touch."

"Untouchable? Why?" Wu Xiaode asked.

"Because they have not yet arrived in this era, so you cannot truly obtain them, nor can you use them," the Human Emperor said.

"Finally, what I want to tell you is——"

"Prepare yourself for the coming of hope."

"Your actions have earned you this right, to truly grasp that hope."

As the Human Emperor spoke, he gradually detached himself from the wish wall and floated in mid-air.

The Book of the Dead automatically opened.

The six cards of the "graveyard deck" lined up in the Void in sequence.

The Human Emperor stood beside the sixth card, "Endless Ceremony."

Wu Xiaode was shaken and couldn’t help but say:

"Could you be——"

Before he could finish, a line of ice crystal small print appeared in the Void next to the Human Emperor:

"?"

"The Hidden Card, the Eternal Returner, the True God long imprisoned in the mortal realm, ’The Seventh of the graveyard deck’, the main soul of ritual."

"Description: The main soul of the ritual for the eternal extinguishment of the prelude."

The Human Emperor radiated layer upon layer of boundless light.

Under the illumination of this splendid light, every brick on the Babylon Pillar lit up, revealing the infinite civilizations of humanity.

One after one, Heroic Spirits appeared around the pillar, singing around the seven cards in mid-air:

"As heaven shall fall, its darkness turns fierce."

"Friend, please persevere again and again, tirelessly, without hesitating to save yourself from perils, for only with you alive will there be hope;"

"Friend, please ignite the rage in your heart amidst these surging tides of darkness;"

"This red heart-fire shall erase the tears and regrets of all living beings;"

"These blazing flames shall light up your path ahead, making all evils nowhere to hide;"

"Friend, you wield the Book of the Dead, raising light in the darkness, please go all out to reach the ends of fate and ascend to the highest throne, to be the lord of thousands of Heroic Spirits;"

"Friend, we have come from the distant serene lands, to bless you here."

"May you always be valiant."

Wu Xiaode listened quietly, suddenly recalling that this was the scene he had witnessed when he first awakened the ability of the Book of the Dead.

It turns out that the Heroic Spirits had noticed him from that moment...

...Because he was the only one who had awakened the "Book of the Dead" ability!

But what about now?

That black skeleton was about to attack!

Wu Xiaode looked towards the Human Emperor in mid-air.

The Human Emperor looked back at him and smiled, saying:

"Little Wu, the summoning of the Mysterious life will be reversed, and you shall witness the true secret of eternity."

Before Wu Xiaode could speak, he had already said the words:

"After the prelude come the Mysterious life, but when everything is reversed, you’ll find that they were always Eternal before all creation."

"——Eternal is also known as ’Holy.’"

"We are about to call forth the coming of the Holy Realm for you!"