Li Er sacrificed the Taiji Diagram and said to Ji Mo, "Mo Bao, you should hide quickly. This time, I'll deal with this bastard."
He still remembered how Ji Mo had been beaten to smithereens last time, almost dying. This time, he absolutely could not let Ji Mo take risks again. This time, he would bear everything.
"No, you're the one who should hide. You absolutely cannot be discovered. Otherwise, if Qi Hei senses something is wrong, he might completely destroy this starfield. We can't take that risk."
Ji Mo analyzed seriously. He had already been exposed and absolutely could not hide.
It would be best for Li Er not to show himself, to avoid any unforeseen circumstances. After all, if handled poorly, Blue Star could be finished.
Li Er said anxiously, "How can that be? I can't let you face a life-or-death crisis alone."
"Don't worry, I can handle it. Besides, I'm stronger than you."
An incredibly powerful confidence surged from Ji Mo. His combat power now surpassed Li Er's.
Li Er stopped talking, concealed his aura, performed the Innate Bagua technique, and his figure gradually vanished.
He did not leave but hid nearby. If Ji Mo was losing, he would decisively intervene.
Beside them, Tian Tu's soul fire sneered, "Why struggle in vain? It's useless. When the Master awakens, he will kill all enemies. You and Li Er will both die."
Ji Mo glanced at Tian Tu, his sharp gaze surging, almost shredding him to pieces on the spot.
If this guy wasn't still useful, he would have slapped him into oblivion with one blow.
At the end of the universe, an immeasurably vast eye opened. Although it was only a sliver, even the sun was merely a tiny speck in comparison.
Qi Hei had awakened. His eyes were cold and devoid of emotion, looking down upon the entire universe with an attitude of supreme authority.
His gaze traversed the distant starry sky and landed on Ji Mo. For the first time, a slight emotional fluctuation appeared: "It's you. You're not dead."
Ji Mo was not afraid at all. He met Qi Hei's gaze directly and said, "You're not dead, so how could I be?"
"Just an ant. Then I'll kill you again."
Qi Hei's pupils were filled with boundless killing intent, unleashing rays of light capable of destroying everything, intending to finish Ji Mo completely, just like last time.
In an instant.
The sea of stars trembled, the void distorted, and the laws of the Great Dao quivered.
All realms buzzed, and countless beings trembled, fearing they would be affected and annihilated.
"This move again. A Saint Seiya cannot be defeated by the same move twice."
Ji Mo muttered, taking out the Zhuxian Sword.
The Zhuxian in his hand shone with resplendent light, its sharp sword intent filling the galaxy, and terrifying sword beams crisscrossed as he met the attack.
Bang...
The energies of both sides collided, space-time collapsed, and runes of the Great Dao surged and exploded.
Ji Mo was sent flying back, his tiger's mouth aching, the hand holding the Zhuxian trembling, and his face as pale as paper.
However, despite being at a disadvantage, he had directly withstood Qi Hei's attack, which was of great significance.
"This kid has indeed surpassed me."
Li Er showed a look of comforting satisfaction. Ji Mo's growth speed was beyond his imagination.
In just over a decade of cultivation, he had achieved such a cultivation level. Truly, there was no one before him and no one after him.
Tian Tu was stunned into silence.
Qi Hei did not continue his attack, which also greatly exceeded his expectations. It had only been a short time, and Ji Mo already possessed such strength, causing him to feel a sliver of unease.
"I see all beings as leeks, harvesting them epoch after epoch. I must say, you are the only one who makes me feel a bit uneasy. You are the most monstrous genius I have ever seen. Then let me personally end you, along with this epoch."
"Next, I will fully awaken from my slumber and usher in the prelude to the apocalypse. Cherish this final time."
Qi Hei spoke. Ji Mo's appearance had piqued his interest, and he decided to start the dark harvest early.
Afterward, the colossal eyeball closed, but a cold, evil, and bloody aura erupted violently, spreading throughout the universe.
All cultivators could sense that something was wrong. The sky dimmed, shrouded in a suffocating smog.
And in various parts of the universe, some dark strongholds let out roars that echoed through the heavens and earth.
These dark lackeys and butchers emerged, ready to harvest all things. As soon as Qi Hei fully awakened, it would be the prelude to the end of the epoch.
"How much time does Qi Hei need to fully awaken?"
Ji Mo squeezed Tian Tu's soul fire, beginning to interrogate him, wanting to extract more information about the enemy.
Tian Tu did not dare to hide anything. "Seven days. Just seven days. Why don't you surrender? Perhaps there's still a way to survive. Otherwise, the Master will make you regret being alive."
"My dictionary does not contain the word 'surrender.' At worst, I'll die, but if I don't die, I'll live for ten thousand years."
Ji Mo interrogated Tian Tu further, and when he could no longer extract any useful information, he directly crushed him, annihilating his spirit and form.
"With the last seven days, although time is pressing, it is enough for me to bring you and our kin into the Doomsday Shelter and then evade the dark harvest."
Li Er spoke, having planned for so many years, he was not flustered at all.
Ji Mo looked into the deep space and shook his head, "I will take the initiative to attack and divert Qi Hei's attention. Otherwise, the Doomsday Shelter may not be safe and could be discovered."
In any case, Ji Mo felt a constant sense of crisis. He truly did not want the most tragic events to occur, so he would sacrifice himself to make the Doomsday Shelter safer.
Li Er fell silent for a long time. Ji Mo was already targeted by Qi Hei, and the latter would not rest until he was eliminated. Therefore, Ji Mo indeed could not hide.
But he truly could not bear to trade Ji Mo's life for the safety of the Doomsday Shelter.
"Old Li, you can rest assured. I'm very tough, not so easily killed," Ji Mo comforted Li Er, having already made up his mind.
He intended to embark on a solo journey through the starry sky, fighting his way to the depths of the universe for a final confrontation.
The two returned to the Doomsday Shelter. Li Er, with a face full of sorrow, took out a bronze coffin and gave it to Ji Mo, "Originally, I intended for you to relax. I never expected that in the end, you would have to bear everything."
Ji Mo put on a stern face. Could this old Li be more reliable? Giving a coffin was such an inauspicious gesture.
However, when Li Er told him what was inside the coffin and gave him several solemn instructions, Ji Mo's expression turned horrified. He carefully put away the bronze coffin.
Afterward, Ji Mo went to see Leng Bao Bao.
It was truly difficult to meet and even harder to part. He never expected to be separated again so soon after meeting, and this time, he might never return.
However, fortunately, Leng Bao Bao was still asleep and did not have to endure the pain of separation.
"Can you not go?"
Sha Wu, who had learned the news, found Ji Mo, her delicate little face filled with reluctance.
Ji Mo did not answer. Instead, he drew some of his own blood and gave it to Sha Wu, "My blood should be no less effective than Pangu's blood. If you truly want to grow, take it."
This was considered repaying Sha Wu's kindness from back then.
Sha Wu bit her lip, tears subtly welling up in her eyes. This parting might be forever.
Next, Ji Mo went to see the Great Immortal Kong Xu, and then returned to his own Spring Blossom Orphanage.
Anubis had already cleaned up the battlefield and even raided the gods' nests, obtaining mountains of heavenly treasures.
Ji Mo had a windfall. The spoils of war were enough for him to upgrade the Sky City.
He gave Anubis some instructions and resolutely embarked on the path to the stars.