A Century-Long Plan, Accumulating Strength for a Burst

The aura surrounding this old man was unfathomably deep.

Even with Lin Yan's current insight, he could not discern its true nature.

Yet for some reason, Lin Yan sensed a faint anomaly from him.

Rather than making him uncomfortable, this anomaly carried an unusual gentleness.

Upon reflection, it bore an extremely similar feeling to when he was with Duke Lu.

"Which great deity are you, sir?"

Lin Yan suddenly asked.

"Let the matters of the past remain unspoken."

The old man's expression was complicated as he slowly said, "What divine ability has the Dao Fruit of the Nine Heavens Demon Quelling Patriarch given rise to now?"

"Demon Quelling!"

Lin Yan said, "Any evil demon or heretical entity in this world, any aura of bizarre corruption, can be suppressed and extinguished with a flip of my hand!"

The old man sighed with emotion. "What a Demon Quelling Divine Ability! For it to evolve to such a degree is no easy feat."

"The ancestors of the Human Race accepted offerings of incense, seeking peace and stability for their descendants... Their intent was pure. Across thousands upon thousands of years, countless sages entrusted the aspirations in their hearts to this!"

Lin Yan said, "What I have today is the blessing bestowed by the Human Race's ancestors throughout the ages!"

"You need not be so modest."

The old man said slowly, "Before you, it was not as though no one had ever borne this Dao Fruit..."

"Oh?"

Lin Yan raised his brows slightly. "There was such a thing?"

With his hands clasped behind his back, the old man began walking forward.

Lin Yan followed behind him, his expression solemn.

The old man's tone remained casual as he spoke lightly.

"After the great calamity of antiquity, this Dao Fruit also fell into the hands of