Origin Rift Seeks Core, Martial Immortal Remnant Soul Guards Riddle

After entrusting the defense of the life nodes to the Demon Race's demon kings and disciples, Chen Fan, Su Muxue, and Lin Xiaohu set out with the Evil Suppressing Jade Pendant toward the "Origin Rift" it guided them to. According to the Origin Secret Record, the Origin Rift was where the world's origins converged, and also where the Will of the Heavenly Dao had been born. The core of the Heavenly Dao's remnant soul was very likely hidden there.

The Origin Rift lay deep within Boundary Severing Mountain in the Eastern Region. The space there remained unstable year-round, and the air was saturated with dense origin fluctuations. Tiny spatial cracks occasionally appeared, revealing hazy phantoms of origin within. As they neared Boundary Severing Mountain, the Evil Suppressing Jade Pendant's radiance grew ever more brilliant. The chaotic patterns on its surface resonated with the rift's origin fluctuations, guiding the three of them deeper inside.

"Judging by the pendant's resonance, we're already very close to the core of the Origin Rift." Su Muxue watched the pendant, her eyes filled with vigilance. "But the closer we get to the core, the stronger the Heavenly Dao remnant soul's power will be. We must proceed carefully."

Lin Xiaohu tightened his grip on the Soul Suppressing Seal as Soul Suppressing Power slowly circulated around him. "I can sense a powerful soul fluctuation ahead. It's even stronger than the demon kings from before, and it carries an ancient aura—most likely the remnant soul of an ancient Martial Immortal that has been assimilated by the Heavenly Dao remnant soul."

Just as Lin Xiaohu had said, when the three reached the entrance to the Origin Rift, a pale golden figure slowly emerged from within. It wore ancient Martial Path battle armor, golden blood-qi swirling around its body, and held an archaic spear in its hand. It was none other than the remnant soul of the ancient Martial Immortal, Hou Yi. Yet its eyes were now covered in black veins, and black assimilating power mingled with its golden blood-qi. It had clearly been controlled by the Heavenly Dao remnant soul.

"Outsiders... halt... The origin core... must not... be approached..." Hou Yi's remnant soul spoke with ancient weight, yet without any true self-awareness. With a wave of his hand, the archaic spear shot toward the three of them. Golden blood-qi and black assimilating power gathered at its tip, its might far surpassing an attack from a Void Refinement Realm cultivator.

Chen Fan did not dare let his guard down. The power of his Nine Meridians of Chaos condensed into the Chaos Resonance Axe, and he swung it against the spear. Axe and spear collided with an earth-shattering boom. The tremendous impact sent Chen Fan staggering back again and again, his arms numb. The power of an ancient Martial Immortal truly lived up to its reputation—even as a mere remnant soul, it possessed terrifying combat strength.

"Martial Immortal Hou Yi once shot down nine suns with his bow. He was one of the foremost Martial Immortals of ancient times, and after his remnant soul was assimilated, his combat strength has increased all the more." Su Muxue hurriedly drew upon the Evil Suppressing Jade Pendant's power. A white curtain of light rose before the three of them, temporarily blocking Hou Yi's remnant soul's attacks. "And his remnant soul contains an 'Origin Riddle' from the Origin Rift. Only by solving it can we pass his guard and enter the core region."

Lin Xiaohu carefully observed Hou Yi's remnant soul and noticed that, though its attacks were fierce, they always remained around the rift's entrance, as though guarding something. "I can sense that deep within his remnant soul, there's still a trace of self-awareness. That fragment is trying to convey a message—perhaps the clue to the riddle is hidden in his attacks."

Chen Fan nodded and raised the Chaos Resonance Axe again, launching another attack at Hou Yi's remnant soul. This time, he did not attack with full force, instead carefully studying the remnant soul's movements. Sure enough, every time Hou Yi's remnant soul thrust its spear, it left behind a golden rune in the air. Together, these runes formed a hazy riddle: "All things share one origin; why then are they different? All methods return to one; what then is the core?"

"This is the Origin Riddle!" Su Muxue's eyes lit up. Drawing on the records in the Origin Secret Record, she swiftly interpreted it. "'All things share one origin; why then are they different?' asks why all things, though born from the same origin, possess differences—the answer should be 'will.' The independent will of each life gives rise to those differences. 'All Methods Return to One; what then is the core?' asks what lies at the heart of all methods merging—the answer should be 'emotion.' Emotional resonance is the key to the fusion of all methods, and it is also the core power for resisting the Heavenly Dao remnant soul!"

Chen Fan drew a deep breath, merging the power of his Nine Meridians of Chaos with the light of his own emotional resonance, then shouted at Hou Yi's remnant soul, "All things share one origin; will creates difference! All Methods Return to One; emotion is the core! That is the answer to the riddle!"

The instant his words fell, Hou Yi's remnant soul abruptly stopped attacking. The golden blood-qi around him began to flicker, while the black assimilating power was gradually suppressed by the golden blood-qi. A trace of clarity returned to the remnant soul's eyes as he looked at the three of them and slowly said, "I never thought... after thousands of years... someone would still solve... the Origin Riddle... The core of the Heavenly Dao remnant soul... lies in the deepest part of the rift... It is absorbing origin power... attempting to reforge the 'Heart of Origin'... You... must stop it..."

After saying this, the golden blood-qi around Hou Yi's remnant soul suddenly surged, completely purifying the black assimilating power around him. The remnant soul transformed into a ball of golden light and merged into the Origin Rift. The spatial fluctuations at the rift's entrance stabilized, revealing a path leading toward the core region.