Supreme Darkness Descends, the Primordial Chaos's First Calamity
Inside the secluded hall of the Immortal Emperor Palace, all was silent.
The eighty-one Primordial Chaos Immortal Crystal embedded in the ceiling of the hall were all treasures plucked from the depths of the High Antiquity Primordial Chaos Secret Realm. Each crystal had been tempered over billions of years, containing a wisp of extremely pure Primordial Chaos Origin Power. At this moment, the Immortal Crystal emitted a warm, jade-like halo, illuminating the hall. As the halo flowed, Primordial Chaos Pure Qi, like silver-white snakes, swirled and coiled around Ren Xiaoyao, precisely guided by the golden-purple Law Chains flowing around him, slowly merging into his limbs and bones like rivers flowing into the sea. He sat cross-legged on the Nine Dragons Jade Bed, which was refined from a complete section of the Nine Heavens Ancestor Dragon Spine Bone. The nine Xuanlong carved on the bed were lifelike, with clearly visible scales and prominent horns. From the mouths of each Xuanlong, milky-white Dragon Qi continuously spewed out, intertwining and entwining with the Primordial Chaos Pure Qi, transforming into... A series of fine Spiritual Energy Vortex nourished his body and soul. Ren Xiaoyao's eyes were tightly closed, and the Dragon Shape Imprint between his brows sometimes dimmed like a ghostly star, and sometimes shone brightly like the sun. In his sea of consciousness, the Ancestor Dragon Phantom and the Primordial Chaos Pure Qi had completely merged, transforming into a semi-transparent Dragon-headed Dao Embryo. The Dao Embryo's eyes were slightly closed, its Dragon Might whiskers swayed gently, and the four Principle of balance, birth and death, Fiend Suppression, and suppression of evil spirits surrounding its body were like four colorful ribbons that entwined endlessly. With each flow, the power within his body became more condensed and mellow, faintly showing signs of breaking through its shackles. Under the continuous impact of this immense power, the barrier of the Primordial Chaos Realm had already developed dense, fine cracks, like a lake about to break through the ice in the dead of winter. It seemed that only a final push was needed to shatter it completely and step into that supreme and eternally rare Primordial Chaos.
Outside the secluded cultivation hall, layers upon layers of law-based Principle operated ceaselessly, their Guardian Power impenetrable. The outermost layer was the "Nine Heavens Star River Formation," drawing upon the Stellar Power to form a boundless Star River barrier. The Stellar Power surged endlessly, like a vast ocean, enough to crush any invading enemy. The middle layer was the "Myriad Dragons Suppressing Prison Formation Dragon Might, " with the power of nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine High Antiquity souls as its core. With each roar of the dragon souls, their mighty power suppressed all evil spirits. Even Immortal Emperor- level experts would be trembling with fear at the power of the dragon souls. At the core was the Immortal Realm's most supreme protective array, the "Primordial Chaos Nine Revolutions Formation... " The Primordial Chaos Nine Revolutions Formation " was laid out by seven Immortal Venerable over a thousand years, using their own primordial Laws as a Guide and countless heavenly materials and earthly treasures. The three-tiered formation is interlocked and mutually supportive, with a golden light curtain like an inverted golden bell, completely enveloping the entire palace. On the formation, countless runes flicker and leap like living things, sometimes condensing into mountains and rivers, sometimes transforming into birds, beasts, fish, and insects, exuding a terrifying aura that suppresses the universe and resists all laws. Even Immortal Emperor- level expert would need several hours to break through it with all their might, and ordinary Immortal Venerable don't even have the qualification to get close.
However, just as Ren Xiaoyao was about to reach the Primordial Chaos Realm, and the Principle within his body were about to complete their final transformation—
"Buzz--"
A deep, resonant hum emanated from the deepest reaches of the universe. It was not a tangible sound, but a tremor at the level of Principle, like the Primordial Chaos roar of the Beginning of the Universe, or the final lament before the Annihilation of All Things. In an instant, it pierced through the layers of barriers of the Immortal Emperor Palace, ignoring the Stellar Power of the "Nine Heavens Star River Formation" and the dragon soul suppression of the "Myriad Dragons Suppressing Prison Formation," reaching the core of the secluded cultivation hall. The originally gentle, flowing Primordial Chaos Pure Qi within the hall suddenly became violent, churning and roaring wildly as if encountering a natural enemy, transforming into chaotic streams of air that collided in all directions. The Xuanlong statue on the Nine Dragons Jade Bed instantly dimmed, and the Dragon Qi spewing from its mouth abruptly stopped, as if its source had been severed by an Invisible Power. The golden-purple Law Chains surrounding Ren Xiaoyao trembled violently, emitting a hum that could not bear the weight, as if enduring a thousand pounds of pressure. The Dragon Qi, originally as solid as a substance, began to dissipate inch by inch, turning into specks of golden light that vanished into the air, leaving not a trace.
"Um?"
Ren Xiaoyao suddenly opened his eyes, and golden-purple divine light burst forth from them, like two sharp swords piercing the heavens and earth, tearing apart the tranquility of the hall. But the moment he touched the direction of the hall door, his pupils suddenly contracted, and his eyes were filled with disbelief.
The gates of the secluded cultivation hall, forged from a mixture of ten-thousand-year-old mystic ice, star-refined gold, and nine-heavenly divine iron, were indestructible. Even a full-force attack from Immortal Venerable would hardly cause them the slightest damage. Yet, at this moment, they cracked inch by inch, like paper, the cracks spreading like a spiderweb, emitting crisp "crackling" sounds. From within the cracks, an extreme dark aura surged in like a tidal wave. This darkness was not the turbidity of ordinary demonic energy, nor the sinister evil of the abyss, but a pure and ultimate "Void"—no light, no sound, no Principle, no life force, as if it were the Primordial Chaos stillness before the birth of the universe, or the ultimate Void after the annihilation of all things. Wherever it passed, the air was swallowed up, the light was annihilated, and even space itself was constantly eroded and disintegrated, turning into an absolute dark vacuum, as if it wanted to completely erase all existence in the world and return it to Void.
"What kind of power is this?"
Ren Xiaoyao was deeply shaken. An unprecedented sense of crisis washed over him like ice water, instantly engulfing his entire body, making his hair stand on end and chilling him to the bone. He could clearly sense that this Dark Power far surpassed the combined power of the Dark Seven Emperors, and was even several times more terrifying than the unfathomable Evil Emperor of Profound Yellow Heaven. Its essence was the primordial will to "Annihilation all existence," completely opposite to the Laws of Life and Death and Death he cultivated—while the Laws of Life and Death and Death possessed the power of "annihilation," it always retained the opportunity for "life," cycling endlessly; but this power only had the end of "annihilation," and once one was tainted, it meant complete annihilation, leaving not even a trace of possibility for reincarnation.
"Boom!"
The doors of the secluded meditation hall shattered with a deafening roar, countless fragments instantly dissolving in the darkness, leaving not a trace of ash or dust, as if they had never existed. A figure stepped into the darkness, hovering in mid-air within the hall. He was enveloped in an impenetrable curtain of dark light, which flowed slowly like liquid, within which countless stars could be vaguely seen rapidly born and then Annihilation in an instant, as if carrying a miniature, lifeless universe, enacting the ultimate truth of "existence is destruction." He had no specific form; the darkness flowing around him writhed slowly like viscous ink. He possessed only a pair of eyes, two pure Void devoid of any light, yet capable of reflecting the trajectory of the demise of all things. Merely a glance from him was enough to make Ren Xiaoyao feel his soul being eroded by Invisible Power, as if being corroded by strong acid, causing unbearable pain. The Power of Principle within his body, like ice and snow encountering the scorching sun, began to slowly melt away, its circulation becoming extremely sluggish.
"The Great Sage of Supreme Darkness..."
Ren Xiaoyao gritted his teeth and spat out four words, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead, dripping onto the Nine Dragons Jade Bed, where it evaporated instantly. He had seen related records in the ancient Primordial Chaos Ancient Book: at the beginning of the universe, Primordial Chaos split into two major origins, "light" and "darkness." The Origin of Light gave birth to All Heavens and Myriad Worlds, the Life Force Law, and Nourishing All Things; the origin of darkness condensed into the Great Sage of Supreme Darkness, who wielded the three supreme Principle Annihilation, Void, and termination, and was the ultimate enemy of All Heavens and Myriad Worlds, taking the destruction of all existence as his mission. Billions of years ago, the Great Sage of Supreme Darkness attempted to destroy the entire universe, but was sealed away by the High Antiquity Gods at a terrible cost in the "Abyss of Annihilation" on the edge of the universe, a place of the ultimate Void, where even time could not be touched. He never expected that today the Great Sage would break free of the seal and head straight for him.
"Ren Xiaoyao, having merged with the will of the Ancestor Dragon and mastered the balance of birth and death, is only one step away from the Primordial Chaos..."
The voice of the Great Sage of Supreme Darkness seemed to emanate from an ancient, deathly abyss, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, yet carrying a terrifying oppressive force that struck directly at the soul. Each word seemed to contain the power of Annihilation, causing Ren Xiaoyao's soul to resonate violently. As the dark light curtain rippled slightly, countless tiny dark threads, like spiderwebs, coiled towards Ren Xiaoyao. These threads, as fine as hair, contained the ultimate Power of Void; wherever they passed, the space was etched with minute Black Cracks that refused to heal for a long time. "Your existence has touched the ultimate 'balance,' shattering the eternal confrontation between light and darkness, and hindering the perfection of the Path of Annihilation. Today, you shall be slain!"
Before he could finish speaking, the dark threads had already reached him, faster than anyone could imagine, leaving no room for evasion. Ren Xiaoyao dared not be careless in the slightest. With a thought, his natal immortal Immortal Artifact, the Lightning Fire Creation - World-Breaking Spear, instantly appeared in his hand. The Golden Dragon Phantom on the spear felt the deadly threat and let out a mournful and angry dragon roar. Golden-red Principle flames burned fiercely, like a prairie fire, attempting to resist the erosion of the dark threads. He activated the four Principle within his body at full power, and the golden-purple Law Chains instantly surged, transforming into thousands of thick chains that collided and intertwined with the dark threads like an angry dragon emerging from the sea.
"Sizzle--Sizzle--"
A series of piercing sounds rang out, like a red-hot iron falling into ice, or a sharp blade cutting through solid ice. The moment the golden-purple Law Chains collided with the dark threads, the runes on the Law Chains quickly dimmed, and the originally brilliant light flickered like a candle in the wind. The power of the Dragon Might's might attempted to suppress the darkness, but it was like a mud ox entering the sea, having no effect whatsoever; the power of Fiend Suppression wanted to purify the Void, but was instead constantly eroded and annihilated by the dark threads. With each collision, large swathes of the Law Chains turned into ashes and dissipated. Where they dissipated, even space became unstable, rippling with waves. The Golden-Purple Spear Light fired with all its might from the World-Breaking Spear contained the ultimate power of the Life-Death Balance. When it touched the dark light curtain Great Sage of Supreme Darkness, it was completely swallowed up without even causing a ripple, as if it had never existed, leaving not even a trace of energy fluctuation.
"Useless." The Great Sage of Supreme Darkness's Void eyes remained undisturbed, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable, absolute confidence. "Your Principle originate from 'existence,' born from the All Things in Heaven and Earth and earth; while my Principle originate from ' Void,' the ultimate destination of the universe. Existence will ultimately return to Void; this is an irreversible ultimate truth of the universe. The difference between you and me is like an ant compared to the bright moon—utterly incomparable."
He raised his hand and waved it, causing the dark light curtain to instantly expand, transforming into a gigantic dark hand that blotted out the sky. On the gigantic hand, the trajectories of countless Star Annihilation were clearly visible, deeply engraved like brands, radiating a terrifying power capable of annihilating everything and ending all things. Before the gigantic hand even landed, Ren Xiaoyao felt the space around him completely imprisoned, as if he had been trapped in solidified amber. The flow of the Power of Principle within his body became extremely sluggish, requiring several times the effort for each circulation. His Dragon Qi was like frozen ice, impossible to mobilize even a fraction of its power. Even the Ancestor Dragon Phantom in his sea of consciousness trembled, its Dragon Might almost completely suppressed, lacking even the courage to utter a dragon roar.
"Let's give it our all!"
A resolute glint flashed in Ren Xiaoyao's eyes. He knew there was no chance of survival today; retreat meant certain death. Only by burning his source Essence Blood Essence Blood was most of his Profound Dragon Qi of Creation and the Ancestor Dragon Origin Imprint, the foundation of his cultivation to this day. Every drop was incomparably precious. The moment the Essence Blood hit the ground, it transformed into a huge dragon-shaped rune. The rune swelled to several meters in size, radiating dazzling golden light, and merged with the World-Breaking Spear. The Golden Dragon Phantom on the spear instantly became more solid, and the dragon's roar grew even louder.
"Dragon Intent Burning Heaven, Life and Death Journey! Break through boundaries--"
Ren Xiaoyao roared, his voice shaking the universe. The last remaining Power of Principle within his body surged into the World-Breaking Spear- Breaking Spear without reservation. The Golden Dragon Phantom on the spear instantly grew to ten thousand feet long, its scales gleaming with golden light, as if cast from pure gold. Its claws were incredibly sharp, tearing through the void, and with a Jade and Stone Shattered determination to destroy everything, it slammed fiercely into the giant dark hand. At the same time, the Dragon Shape Imprint between his brows suddenly exploded, transforming into a golden protective light barrier that tightly enveloped his soul—he wasn't going to fight the Great Sage of Supreme Darkness head-on, but rather to use the recoil from this attack to break free of the imprisoned space and escape!
"Clang--"
The moment the golden dragon collided with the giant dark hand, heaven and earth seemed to freeze, and time and space lost their meaning. Golden dragon flames and dark Void intertwined and collided wildly, and destructive energy surged and spread like a tsunami. The Nine Dragons Jade Bed in the secluded hall instantly turned to ashes, the light screen of the Primordial Chaos Nine Revolutions Formation trembled violently, and countless runes collapsed and dissipated. The top-level array set up by the seven Immortal Venerable actually showed signs of collapse under the impact of this terrifying power. The light screen was covered with dense cracks and could break at any moment.
The golden dragon crumbled inch by inch under the crushing force of the dark giant hand. Its golden-red Principle extinguished continuously, and its Dragon Might completely dissipated, eventually turning into specks of golden light that were swallowed up by the darkness. But this brief collision also bought Ren Xiaoyao a critical opportunity—the dark giant hand was slightly blocked by the golden dragon, and a barely perceptible crack appeared in the confined space. Without hesitation, Ren Xiaoyao enveloped his tattered body with his divine soul, transforming into an extreme purple-gold stream of light, and frantically fled along the crack.
"Trying to escape?"
The Great Sage of Supreme Darkness snorted coldly, a chilling killing intent flashing in his Void eyes. The dark light barrier surged once more, transforming into countless dark spears, each containing the ultimate Power of Void, shooting towards Ren Xiaoyao's back like a meteor shower. Wherever the spears passed, space was completely annihilated, leaving behind trails of pitch black that could not be healed for a long time. Their speed was so great that they instantly caught up with the fleeing Ren Xiaoyao.
"Puff--"
A dark spear struck Ren Xiaoyao precisely in the back. The ultimate Power of Void surged into his body like a tidal wave, frantically devouring his flesh, meridians, and the Power of Principle. Ren Xiaoyao groaned, spitting out a mouthful of blood, which was instantly annihilated by the Power of Darkness in mid-air, leaving not a trace. A terrifying hole appeared in his body, about a foot in diameter. The flesh and meridians inside had been completely devoured by the Power of Void, leaving only a dark, Void aura that continuously eroded the surrounding flesh. Wherever it passed, the skin and flesh melted away inch by inch, exposing the white bones—a horrifying sight.
He dared not look back, nor dared he pause. Even though the excruciating pain was piercing his soul, he still mustered his last bit of strength to activate the remaining Balance Law within his body, tearing a Space Cracks in front of him. Beyond the rift was Space Passage leading to the "Meteor Belt" at the edge of the Immortal Realm—a place filled with jagged rocks, chaotic space, and Space Turbulence powerful enough to tear apart an immortal body. It was a forbidden Forbidden Land of the Immortal Realm, but it might also become his only refuge from the Great Sage of Supreme Darkness.
"Ren Xiaoyao, you can't escape."
The voice of the Great Sage of Supreme Darkness rang out behind him, carrying a cold certainty, like the pronouncement of Death God, causing Ren Xiaoyao's heart to tremble violently, "Void is everywhere, Annihilation will eventually come. Once I refine the origin of the Immortal Realm of the Heavens and control the Principle hub of this world, I will search every corner of the All Heavens and Myriad Worlds and completely annihilate you, leaving not a trace."
The dark spear, like a leech, relentlessly pursued Ren Xiaoyao, striking his body repeatedly. Terrifying holes appeared in his back, shoulder, and left leg, his injuries worsening. His Power of Principle was almost completely exhausted, his Xuanlong Dragon Qi utterly dissipated, and the Ancestor Dragon Phantom curled up deep within his sea of consciousness, having lost all its luster, like a dying candle. Relying on his indomitable will to not perish, he forcefully supported his broken body and slipped into the Space Cracks. The rift closed rapidly behind him, isolating him from the pursuing dark spear and the suffocating aura of the Great Sage of Supreme Darkness.
When Ren Xiaoyao's figure appeared in the Meteor Belt, he could no longer hold on. His body plummeted like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily onto a massive meteorite. This meteorite, over ten thousand miles in diameter, was covered with jagged ravines and sharp rocks. It was the remnant of an ancient star, brimming with a dense Annihilation Aura. The moment Ren Xiaoyao fell, the rocks on the meteorite's surface instantly shattered, forming a crater several meters deep. He spat out a mouthful of pitch-black blood, which sizzled as it hit the ground, corroding a small pit the size of a fist, demonstrating that the Power of Void within him had penetrated to his very bones. His aura was extremely weak, like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment. His physical body was mangled, his meridians severed, and only scattered specks of light remained on his Law Chains. If it weren't for the wisp of Ancestor Dragon Origin remaining from the Dragon Shape Imprint protecting his soul, he would have already perished completely under the erosion of the Power of Void.
Within the Meteor Belt, Space Turbulence roared past, emitting sharp whistles like the howls of ghosts and wolves. Huge boulders collided and tumbled within the turbulence, producing muffled sounds that shook the very void. All around was deathly silent, devoid of any life, only endless darkness and cold, as if it were a forgotten corner of the universe. Ren Xiaoyao lay on the cold rock, his eyes half-open, his gaze unfocused, staring at the chaotic starry sky above. The once brilliant stars appeared dim and lifeless in his eyes. A bitter smile played on his lips, "The Great Sage of Supreme Darkness... the Annihilation Origin... this is the true dead end... I never imagined that I, Ren Xiaoyao, who defied the heavens my entire life, traversing countless perilous places and defeating countless powerful enemies, would ultimately end up like this..."
He could clearly feel the Power of Void within his body spreading at a visible speed, like a leech, eroding his remaining flesh and soul. Wherever it passed, even his soul ached. If he couldn't find a way to purify it soon, his soul would be completely annihilated, truly turning into Void. But he didn't completely despair; instead, an even more intense will ignited within him—he couldn't die. The abyss was not yet destroyed, the Darkest Realm had descended upon the world, the Immortal Realm of the Heavens was in imminent danger, and All Heavens and Myriad Worlds were about to fall into Annihilation. He was currently the only one with any hope of confronting the Great Sage of Supreme Darkness. He had to live, break through to the Primordial Chaos Realm, and control the Primordial Chaos Origin to have the means to contend with the Great Sage of Supreme Darkness and to have any possibility of saving this world.
With great difficulty, he mobilized the last remaining Primordial Chaos Pure Qi in his sea of consciousness, slowly enveloping the spreading Power of Void as if manipulating a fine thread. That Primordial Chaos Pure Qi contained the vitality and Path of Balance of the Cosmic Origin; though weak, it was resilient, like a firefly in the darkness, temporarily halting the speed of the Power of Void's erosion. Then, he used his last bit of strength to completely conceal his aura, merging into the deathly silence of the meteorite, like an ordinary rock, quietly hidden in a pile of rubble, even his breathing becoming almost imperceptible.
In the distant starry sky, the figure of the Great Sage of Supreme Darkness hovered above the Immortal Emperor Palace. The dark light curtain, like a giant storm cloud, rapidly enveloped the entire Immortal Emperor City. Wherever it passed, houses and palaces melted away, turning into Void. Countless immortal soldiers Immortal General, under the Erosion of Aura, didn't even have time to scream before instantly dissolving into Void. Only a few immortal Immortal General with profound cultivation could barely hold on for a moment, but they were like candles in the wind, about to be extinguished at any moment. The seven Immortal Venerable Venerables joined forces to activate the remaining great formation, attempting to stop the spread of the dark light curtain, but it was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. Under the continuous erosion of the dark light curtain, the great formation was collapsing at a visible speed. Blood kept spilling from the corners of the mouths of the seven Immortal Venerable, their faces as pale as paper, clearly having suffered severe injuries, their eyes filled with despair.
The Great Sage of Supreme Darkness's Void eyes swept across the vast starry sky, his gaze piercing through layers of space as if it were tangible, yet he found no trace of Ren Xiaoyao. He paused for a moment, seemingly sensing something, then transformed into a stream of dark light and flew towards the core of the Immortal Realm of the Heavens —he wanted to first refine the origin of the Immortal Realm, control the Principle of this world, and then completely eliminate Ren Xiaoyao, this last Hidden Danger, to complete the perfection of the Path of Annihilation.
Above the meteorite, Ren Xiaoyao slowly closed his eyes, falling into a semi-conscious state. Only a Primordial Chaos Pure Qi and the Ancestor Dragon Origin in his sea of consciousness were silently nourishing his broken soul and body, like a firefly in the darkness, waiting in the boundless silence for an opportunity to fight back against all odds, and also waiting for that faint glimmer of hope.