Chapter 2288: Origin Tribulation

God of Creation Stage divine beings were extremely difficult to kill as they possessed countless different methods to heal themselves and resurrect. Even if one were significantly more powerful than their God of Creation Stage opponent, the God of Creation Stage divine being would still have tens of thousands of methods to protect themself.

In fact, the easiest way to kill a God of Creation Stage divine being was to enter their origin world and destroy it. Along with this, one would also need to destroy the Heavenly Dao of the origin world. By doing so, the God of Creation Stage divine being would suffer a fearsome backlash that would most likely cause them to die.

As Asura gazed at Liu Jin, he was already considering the practicality of this method.

At this moment, in the eastern region of the Tai Chu Continent.

In the Purple Star ruins.

A woman in white appeared and slowly descended into the Heavenly Fracture.

Her white dress billowed in the wind like a holy lotus that was blooming in an apocalypse.

Her eyes were pure and limpid, and her expression was full of benevolence.

"My children…" the woman in white said softly.

Her voice was gentle, and it didn't contain any imperfections. The higher-ups of the Heaven Crushing Sect who had been brimming with battle intent just then suddenly softened their expressions.

In fact, they even felt a sense of peculiar belonging and trust toward that woman.

"Why are you doing this?" the woman asked in grief as she gazed at Chen Chen.

However, Chen Chen's expression was calm, and he said, "In order to kill you and reconstruct you. If we don't kill you, then we'll slowly descend into destruction. No one will be able to escape."

The woman appeared saddened, and her voice was faint yet penetrating as she said, "Once upon a time… there was a woman who stood alone amid the void and chaos. In order to have a family, she created countless children and kept them protected in a world of beauty and joy.

"They enjoyed a period of peace and happiness. The children grew up happily, and they brought great joy to their mother.

"However, as the children grew older, their growth eventually came across barriers. At that time, they started to plunge knives into their mother's body, yearning to sacrifice her in exchange for their own growth. Do you think these children were right?"

There wasn't anger in the woman's eyes as she gazed at Chen Chen, only puzzlement and grief.

Chen Chen fell silent.

"The mother punished some of her children, yet the other children were worried that they would also be affected and dragged down by their mother. Thus, they also chose to kill their mother. Do you think… these children were right?"

Grief and puzzlement started to spread, and each of the woman's words was like a knife that plunged deep into the hearts of the members of the Heaven Crushing Sect.

The woman was denouncing and interrogating the hearts of each member of the Heaven Crushing Sect.

The hearts of some Return to Void Stage members shuddered upon hearing her words, and a boundless sense of guilt, remorse, and self-doubt flooded into their minds.

Indeed, why were they doing this?

As children, were they really right to treat their mother like this?

Was this not the behavior of sinister demons?!

"When you desire to destroy me, don't forget that without me, there wouldn't have been you in the first place. I'm the origin of all matter, and it was I who bestowed life upon you. It was I who gave you everything, and it was I who allowed you to become who you are…

"However, in order to protect yourselves, you're now trying to kill the mother who gave you everything… Is this truly what you desire?"

The woman's voice slowly crept into their ears.

The soldiers of the Heaven Crushing United Army fell to their knees, with tears of remorse and agony falling from their eyes. At this moment, they finally understood the profound meaning of the woman's words. Guilt and torment tore at their hearts.

This was a devastating mental attack.

However, this wasn't simply a mental attack. At the same time, it was also an interrogation of their Dao.

They were none other than the sinister children that the woman spoke of…

The members of the Heaven Crushing Sect also fell to their knees, unable to withstand the hefty pressure of the woman's accusations.

Even Xue Yan and the Ancient Dragon Empress trembled slightly as they fell into a boundless mental struggle.

Because he had lost some of his power and support, Cyril's face also started to become as white as a sheet. However, he continued to tightly grip his black and white spear. He was the sinister child that she spoke of, but he couldn't retreat!

Meanwhile, slight fluctuations flashed across Chen Chen's eyes.

His mind wavered slightly.

The woman's words were a reflection of the truth. This was the naked and cruel truth, and each of her words was based on fact.

This was a terrifying realization.

If they couldn't overcome this challenge… then their act of crushing the heavens would definitely fail right here and now!

"To kill the heaven and earth that nurtured us in order to survive?" Chen Chen suddenly said.

He slowly walked toward the woman, gazing at her with a calm expression.

The woman's eyes were brimming with tears as she asked, "Is that not the case?"

Chen Chen shook his head and answered, "No, you're wrong. Although I'm doing something in defiance of the Heavenly Order and in defiance of my roots, I'm not doing it for the sake of my own existence…

"Perhaps other beings are doing this for their existence, but I'm not one of them…"

Chen Chen reached over and grabbed the woman's neck. There was an expression of strong resolve in his eyes, and he said, "I don't want to become the Heavenly Dao, nor am I doing this for my own existence. To kill you… is for the sake of the trillions of beings in this world…

"As you said, this is a heinous crime, an unforgivable crime. So, let me become that sinful criminal. Let me bear the weight of this action."

"You… you're also my child…!" the woman said in disbelief. She was dazed as she gazed at Chen Chen, yet Chen Chen replied with an expression of calm and apathy.

"Sorry…" Chen Chen said.

His white Spotless Realm started to spread outward and engulf the woman's body.

The woman's body rapidly dissolved in his Spotless Realm, quickly vanishing into nothingness.

Tears flowed down her cheeks as she silently gazed at Chen Chen.

However, Chen Chen shut his eyes.

The woman's body vanished once and for all.

The phenomenon in the sky also disappeared.

The unexplainable emotions in the minds of the people who were kneeling and crying in agony also disappeared without a trace. Their eyes gradually regained clarity. They looked up, only to see that young man standing in the sky, resolute and unwavering…

"Heavenly Disciple Chen Chen blocked her for us?"

"Heavenly Disciple Chen Chen…"

"We're not worthy of the Heaven Crushing Sect, and we brought disgrace upon you…

Guilt and shame appeared on the faces of the members of the Heaven Crushing Sect. At the same time, however, the sense of torment in their minds didn't become a single bit weaker. This was because the woman's words had all been true. This caused them to feel a sense of unimaginable torment.

The woman had appeared for no other reason than to reveal the fundamental truth of their actions. She had revealed the bloody truth and sowed a seed of hesitation in their minds.

Had Chen Chen won?

One could say that he had won. However, one could also say that he hadn't won.

Regardless, Chen Chen had ultimately helped them overcome this "Origin Tribulation".

Xue Yan's eyes involuntarily reddened as she looked up at the solitary and lonely young man. "Chen Chen… why do you have to shoulder this…? Why…?"

Chen Chen slowly opened his eyes—his pure and emotionless eyes. He gazed up at the sky and said calmly, "It's here, the fourth tribulation of the Nine Tribulations of the Heavenly Dao…"