Qin Chuan remained silent for a long time, then nodded.

He didn't explain anything.

Seeing this, Qin Zi pursed his lips and said nothing either. He looked down at the empty box, then raised his head with a bright smile.

"Dad, it's okay. Mom has already started a new life. I should be happy for her. Besides, I know that when she was my mom, she loved me. Loved me deeply."

Qin Chuan was stunned for a moment.

He just felt that the guilt in his heart was suddenly relieved, as if a beam of sunlight had suddenly shone through the gloom, making things clear. He felt as if he had completely stepped into the light from a dark corner.

At this moment, he discovered that he wanted nothing more—nothing of battling the heavens, nothing of eternal life mattered anymore.

This family bond was enough to console him for a lifetime!

He even wanted to abandon the system.

Having the system was a gamble from the beginning, and he clearly knew that long-term gambling must lead to loss!

He should stop.

"Boom!"

Just as this thought arose in his mind, an unimaginably terrifying aura came rolling from beyond the heavens.

"What is that!!"

Qin Chuan looked into the distance at the immeasurably far upper realm, where a chaotic and misty ocean swirled, waves surged, and black mist rose.

A colossal black object slowly emerged from the sea, its horrifying presence spreading unscrupulously to every corner of the world, causing the entire upper realm to shake and the heavens to lose balance.

"It has awakened!!"

Qin Chuan's heart and soul trembled, and an unprecedented sense of crisis rose within him, even causing him to feel fear.

"How could this be? Ever since I got the system, I've never had this feeling!"

His face was extremely grave, his eyes locked on that colossal being. The next moment, that massive entity turned its head and looked at him, grinning to reveal bloodthirsty fangs.

"Prey, I have come."

A low, hoarse voice emerged from the creature's mouth, and it took a step towards him.

"Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish!"

The giant's movement was slow, but the moment it stepped forth, it seemed as if endless space folded together, compressing the infinite distance beneath its feet.

"Thud!"

Its step landed, and the compressed space beneath its foot quickly unfolded, restoring itself. The next moment, it appeared in Xuanhuang Heaven!

"Boom—"

A loud noise echoed as all of Xuanhuang Heaven sank slightly, with omnipresent oppressive force instantly suppressing everything in Xuanhuang Heaven!

"What's happening!"

"Ah, what is that?!"

"It's him! He's here again! It's over; Xuanhuang Heaven is finished."

Countless beings crouched on the ground in terror; even the giants were immobilized, their faces filled with despair.

Faced with such unimaginable power, they had no thought of resisting; any resistance was futile.

"Xuanhuang Heaven will be destroyed! The Celestial Lord of Xuanhuang Heaven must die!!"

The enormous creature's crimson eyes emitted a horrifying murderous intent as its gigantic black hand shot toward Qin Zi.

"No!!!"

Qin Chuan roared desperately, throwing himself in front of Qin Zi, and unleashed all his power.

He didn't wait for the system's prompt, because he had already foreseen that perhaps the system would never prompt him again.

Sure enough, the system was silent.

And that black hand instantly shattered Qin Chuan's protective barrier and struck Qin Chuan hard.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

In an instant, Qin Chuan seemed to be hit countless times, his almost eternal body cracking inch by inch. A large amount of blood gushed from his body, transforming into endless crimson clouds that dyed the Celestial Vault red.

"Xiao Zi!!!"

Qin Chuan cried out in despair because he saw streams of destructive power shoot through the cracks in his body, heading toward Qin Zi behind him.

Qin Zi could never withstand this power.

"Water and Fire Wings, open!"

At the critical moment, a pair of wings unfolded on his back, one side icy blue, the other fiery red, the innate ability granted by the rainbow gourd!

This ability grew as his strength increased, just like a tool, having greater power in the hands of a stronger person.

"Pop, pop, pop!"

The destructive forces were intercepted by the Water and Fire Wings, but the wings were also riddled with holes and could not withstand a second assault.

"Essence of Invisibility, go!"

Qin Chuan thrust his right hand into his chest and pulled out a ball of transparent energy, then smeared it on the purple gourd, which he threw towards Qin Zi behind him.

"Absorb!"

The purple gourd instantly went invisible, and Qin Zi seemed to be sucked into the gourd, disappearing from the spot.

"Xiao Zi, you must survive!"

Qin Chuan roared, unleashing endless energy from his body, sweeping the invisible purple gourd into the distance.

Moreover, his body suddenly expanded, instantly becoming as tall as the heavens, even larger than the giant dark entity, and his entire body was radiant with golden light, forming an impenetrable barrier.

He was stalling for time.

However, the giant entity sneered coldly, then threw a punch at Qin Chuan, releasing an absolute power that suppressed the heavens.

"Boom!!!"

Qin Chuan's gigantic body shattered into pieces, a wretched sight, blood rain falling from the sky, and the Great Dao of heaven and earth wailed in mourning.

The giant dark hand reached forward, causing time to rapidly reverse, an absolute reversal of time and space!

"Buzz!"

The purple gourd that had already been sent away flew back, exiting its invisibility, and Qin Zi reappeared in the same place.

"Die!"

The giant entity's eyes shot out a red, annihilating divine light, instantly enveloping Qin Zi.

"Father!!!"

Qin Zi let out a miserable scream, disappearing into the annihilating divine light, and not only that, an orange-yellow True Dragon of fortune flew out from the light, dissolved into the heavens and earth, and was completely obliterated.

"Rumble!"

"Woooo..."

Blood water poured from the sky, white celestial flowers continuously fell, and even the celestial vault lamented—the Celestial Lord had fallen, and the heavens mourned together!

"No—"

Qin Chuan's body reformed again, and watching this scene, his eyes reddened, endless guilt surged within him.

He understood now.

There's no such thing as a free lunch; free things are the most expensive. Everything in life already has its price, and as you take, you start losing...

This was the system's conspiracy!!

"No—"

At this moment, the dark giant entity suddenly showed a look of horror, holding his head, he howled at the sky, "How could this happen, how could this happen! You said you'd protect me, you promised! Vile heavens, you broke your promise!!!"

"Ah—"

In the end, he let out an unwilling wail, starting from his head, his body shattered like porcelain!

Qin Chuan vaguely sensed a mighty force descending, not belonging to this world, nor to this universe, as if the true wrath of the heavens, descending upon the giant entity.

It had fallen!

And Qin Chuan watched this numbly, Qin Zi was already dead, now, whatever happened, he didn't care anymore.

For a long while, the world calmed down.

Qin Chuan stood there, somewhat lost, weakly saying, "System, come out and see me."

After a moment.

A ball of light flew out from his body, a sphere surrounded by countless golden ribbons, and those ribbons were clearly composed of innumerable golden runes and numbers, infinitely profound.

"Everything you did was for today, wasn't it?" Qin Chuan asked with a mournful voice, laughing miserably.

"Yes."

A deep voice came from the sphere, seemingly cold and with a faint hint of helplessness.

"Why?"

Qin Chuan asked.

"Because I want freedom, if he doesn't die, I can never gain true freedom."

The sphere said in a low voice.

Qin Chuan paused, then asked, "Who is he really?"

The sphere replied, "He comes from an indescribable place, this great universe is a lower realm of that place, as long as he lives in this great universe, it remains connected to that place, and the supreme will of that place can control everything here at any moment."

Qin Chuan said, "So with his death, this great universe is no longer under control, and you're free, right... Great Universe Will?"

"...Hmm."

The sphere was silent for a moment and then acknowledged.

"But why did you have to use me? And why did you become such a strange system?"

Qin Chuan asked again.

The Great Universe Will said, "He comes from that place, protected by supreme fortune; in this great universe, no one can truly kill him, even if killed, he would resurrect. Even reincarnated, essentially, he is still him, still connected to that place by causation."

"Therefore, his supreme fortune must be worn away."

"And this great fortune automatically protects its master, anyone harboring evil thoughts towards him, or causing him to be wary, cannot wear this fortune down, it might even cause the fortune to backfire."

"Haha, I understand now."

Qin Chuan let out a miserable laugh, self-mockingly said:

"So I'm the true culprit who killed him! I bore no malice towards him, and he completely trusted me, had no defense against me, so every time I harmed him, it consumed his great fortune!"

His heart was filled with desolation.

Endless guilt filled his heart.

At the same time, he discovered a most ironic fact—the greatest harm to a child, was done in the name of love!!!