Inside the Hall of Ten Thousand Laws Returning to Origin.
Sandalwood incense burned soundlessly, green smoke rising in a straight line.
Hundreds of jade Life Tablets stood quietly arranged upon enormous black wooden racks, giving off a hazy glow.
Li Yi, an Inner Sect disciple, sat cross-legged on a cattail mat near the entrance. His eyes were slightly closed, while pale blue astral qi flowed faintly around him.
Being selected to stand guard here might have been tedious, but it was also an opportunity.
He was immersed in the circulation of his inner breath, forgetting both self and world.
"Crack... crack..."
An almost imperceptible sound of breaking suddenly pierced the hall's silence.
Li Yi jolted, and the astral qi around him instantly scattered into disorder.
He abruptly opened his eyes.
That sound... had come from the Life Tablet rack!
He sprang to his feet, his gaze anxiously sweeping across the forest of jade tablets.
Very soon, his eyes fixed upon a spot near the edge.
A jade tablet that should have been perfectly intact was now covered in spiderweb-like cracks. Its spiritual radiance had completely dimmed, like ashes after the fire had burned out.
A chill shot from the soles of his feet straight to the crown of his head!
Li Yi's face instantly went deathly pale.
He knew all too well what this scene signified!
Every Life Tablet was linked to the consciousness of a True Origin Realm martial uncle, martial aunt, senior brother, or senior sister. If a Life Tablet shattered, there was only one possibility—the owner had already perished, their Dao extinguished!
His hand trembling, he carefully removed the cracked jade tablet.
The three ancient characters upon it remained clear: "Deng Ziheng."
"Martial Uncle Deng... has fallen?" Li Yi's scalp tingled.
The fall of a True Origin