Heaven and Earth Annihilated

Su Zhan turned and glanced at him.

"The way you're saying that makes it sound like I'm about to run away."

Yuan Ji chuckled dryly twice.

Su Zhan walked out of the Core Space and went up the Golden Spiral Staircase.

At the end of the stairs is a platform atop the Altar.

He walked to the edge of the platform and looked down.

The Skeleton Wasteland is no longer what it used to be. After Yuan Ji restored the core permissions, the Spiritual Qi concentration of the cave heaven increased significantly, and specks of green sprouted on the originally barren wasteland. New grass shoots emerged from the cracks in the piles of bones.

In the distance, the forest that was once filled with blood mist is now fading from red. Normal green leaves are beginning to appear on the treetops.

The entire Mustard Seed Grotto-Heaven is slowly repairing itself.

Su Zhan descended the steps of the Altar.

Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine steps; the last time I climbed them, the repulsive force of the Principle overwhelmed me.

Now, as we walk down, I feel nothing at all.

The cave has already accepted him.

After descending from the Altar, Su Zhan stepped into the Skeleton Wasteland.

The bones are still there, but a layer of light green moss has begun to grow on their surface. Life Element is covering death.

Su Zhan chose a direction and started walking.

There was no specific destination— Thousand-Thread Lock was helping him search for the Stone Stele; he only needed to wander around and wait for the results.

But after walking for about the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn, Su Zhan stopped.

His left foot stepped on something.

I looked down.

Beneath the pile of bones, a corner of gray stone surface was visible.

Su Zhan squatted down and brushed aside the surrounding bone fragments.

A Stone Stele.

Half-buried among the soil and bones, only the top corner is visible. There are shallow engravings on the surface of the monument, most of which are covered by soil.

Su Zhan was stunned for a moment.

"Thousand-Thread Lock, aren't you still searching? I think I found it first."

[Shadow Thousand Silk Lock]:... Where are you located?

"About ninety li northeast of the Altar lies the heart of the Skeleton Wasteland."

[Shadow Thousand Silk Lock]:... My threads haven't even reached that area yet. Isn't your luck a bit...?

Su Zhan ignored it.

He started digging.

The Immovable Wisdom King Wall condensed into a small shovel-shaped object of light in his palm. Using this makeshift tool, Su Zhan quickly dug out the Stone Stele.

The stele is intact. It is made of gray stone, about two zhang high and one zhang wide. The surface is covered with densely packed texts and patterns.

Su Zhan wiped the dirt off the surface of the monument and began to examine it carefully.

The inscription is written in a High Antiquity script—close to the Ancient Language System remembered by the Thunder Emperor Divine Seat.

[Thunder Emperor Divine Seat]: I'll translate.

The inscription is much more detailed than the quote in the Sect Master's notes.

The story begins with the builder's own account.

"My name is lost to history. High Antiquity methods to create this world, and sealed the Primordial Demon Embryo deep within."

"The demonic fetus cannot be killed or destroyed. Only by constructing an eternal Sealing Formation with the Five-Direction Heaven-Mending Stones can it be condemned to eternal damnation."

The five stones are hidden in Five Domains: the Eastern Domain Canglan Sea, the Western Domain Withered Bone Desert, the Southern Domain Blazing Sun Volcano, the Northern Domain Eternal Icefield, and the Central Domain Kunlun Ruins.

Each stone contains an Origin Principle. Collect all five stones and embed them into the core to Sealing Formation permanently.

A simplified map was drawn in the middle of the inscription, marking five locations—distributed in five extreme environments of the outside world.

The last paragraph of the inscription reads:

"If anyone reads this inscription later, go and retrieve it immediately. Do not let the Sealing Formation be exhausted. Once the demonic embryo is released—heaven and earth will perish."

Su Zhan stared at the last four characters of the inscription for a long time.

Heaven and earth were destroyed.

He took a breath and memorized the five locations on the inscription.

Eastern Domain Canglan Sea; Western Domain Withered Bone Desert; Southern Domain Blazing Sun Volcano; Northern Domain Eternal Icefield; Central Domain Kunlun Ruins.

Five places. Five stones.

Su Zhan transmitted the complete information of the inscription to Thousand-Thread Lock for backup, and then stood up.

He looked up at the sky above the cave—the semi-transparent dome that separated the outside world from the Sealing Formation.

Beyond the dome lies the true world.

Five stones are scattered in five extremely dangerous areas. Just from their names, you know that none of them are to be trifled with.

Which one should we go to first?

Within the Sea of Consciousness, the Cultivation Method each had their own opinions.