Suspicion I

"What did you think the Great Calamity was?"

The Holy Master asked softly.

"Wasn't the Great Calamity the destructive tide triggered by the Heavenly Demon Warlord, the power behind the Void Demon Spirits?" another shadow answered gravely.

"That was merely the spark." The Holy Master smiled.

He quietly gazed at the ever-rushing River of Decay.

"All Heavens and Myriad Realms, countless universes, are all unified beneath the will of the Great Universe—grinding together, operating, shattering, and being reborn.

The Operation Lotus governs everything, keeping all things in perfect order.

But... the Operation Lotus has its limits as well..."

"!!!"

Several shadows shuddered from head to toe.

The Holy Master remained calm and continued.

"The Operation Lotus adjusts itself at intervals. That is what is known as the Great Calamity.

And this time, it has truly reached its limit."

"The Operation Lotus... could it collapse?!"

One shadow's voice began to tremble.

"How could that be possible?!"

"The Operation Lotus presides over all laws and rules; it is the root of all morality. If the Dao collapses, what will the world become??!"

"Will heaven and earth overturn, and all heavens be extinguished?!"

They were all rare, peerless experts, yet upon hearing such horrifying news, their hearts shook wildly. They began to doubt every word the Holy Master had spoken.

The Holy Master stood with his hands behind his back and said nothing.

Yes... what would it become?

He quietly watched the flowing river, sinking into unfathomable contemplation.

Countless streaks of white light flashed rapidly before Lin Xin's eyes.

He stood within an endless void, surrounded by bottomless black depths with no end in sight.

The white lights swirled and danced around him like tiny sprites, as though they were alive.

"The white shadow I defeated was...?"

The moment the thought arose