In the six months since the Shadows of Oblivion was repelled, the Co-Prosperity Zone has established a tight "memory defense line." The mark of the Tree of Chaos has been planted in the sea of consciousness of every living being, the core history of all civilizations has been backed up in the database of the Star Patrollers, and even the leaves of the Symbiosis Grass are engraved with symbols of various races—this is a protective net woven with "traces of existence," so that even if one is eroded by the Shadows of Oblivion again, one can find oneself through countless "backups."
But beneath the calm surface, undercurrents never ceased.
While sorting through the markings of the Tree of Chaos, Xiao He discovered some strange "blank spots"—the markings of several ancient cultivators who had long since passed away had vanished silently, as if they had never existed in the Co-Prosperity Zone. Even more alarming was that the ancient books recording their deeds had corresponding missing pages, the ink stains appearing as if washed away with water, leaving only blurry traces.
"Not the Shadows of Oblivion." Xiao He projected the image of the blank spots onto Qing He, her fingertips trembling slightly with tension. "These marks dissipate extremely slowly, exhibiting characteristics of 'natural annihilation,' as if... the universe itself is 'actively forgetting' them."
Qing He's gaze fell on the deepest rings of the Tree of Chaos. There, the history before the establishment of the Co-Prosperity Zone was recorded. At this moment, a faint black shadow was spreading along the rings. Wherever it passed, the ancient marks gradually became blurred, like sand paintings encountering the tide.
"It's the ' Origin Power of Oblivion ' from the Bottom of the Void." Qing He's voice was solemn. " The Shadows of Oblivion is merely its 'gaze,' and now, that gaze has set its sights on our 'roots'—the ancient memories that sustain the existence of the Co-Prosperity Zone."
As soon as the words were spoken, the sky over the Co-Prosperity Zone suddenly darkened. It wasn't that dark clouds covered the sun, but rather that the light itself was "disappearing"—sunlight would inexplicably dim as it passed through the atmosphere; the searchlights of the Star Patrollers would turn into nothingness midway when they shone into the void.
"The traces of light are being erased!" Meng Ke's crimson energy condensed into a ball of light in his palm, but the light from the ball was constantly diminishing. "At this rate, it won't be long before the entire Co-Prosperity Zone is plunged into eternal darkness!"
The Dream Guardian transmitted an urgent scene through the dream: a huge "pupil" cracked open in the Bottom of the Void. There was no scene in the pupil, only pure "nothingness"—no light, no sound, no memory, not even "existence" itself. This pupil was staring at the Co-Prosperity Zone through countless gaps in space and time, and the vanished light and marks were the result of being "watched" by this gaze.
"It's 'observing' our resistance." Qing He looked at the increasingly dim light in the sky and suddenly understood something. " The Shadows of Oblivion is a test, the Origin Power of Oblivion is pressure, and this gaze... is judging whether we are 'worth being completely erased'."
Xiao He suddenly pointed to the roots of the Tree of Chaos: " The Tree Spirit said that the only thing that can resist 'Original Oblivion' is the 'spark of civilization'—not specific memories, but the 'belief' that sustains the continuation of civilization."
She crouched down and gently brushed aside the soil around the tree roots, revealing an inconspicuous stone. Engraved on the stone was the oath left by all the tribes when the Co-Prosperity Zone was established. "Based on balance, driven by symbiosis, and illuminated by existence." At this moment, these words were emitting a faint golden light, resisting the spread of the black shadows on the tree rings.
"This is the spark?" Meng Ke was stunned. He had never imagined that the one who could fight against such a terrifying threat was a stone engraved with a vow.
"Belief is more stubborn than memory." A light rekindled in Qing He's eyes. "Memories may fade, but the beliefs that brought us together—the pursuit of balance, the commitment to symbiosis, the yearning for existence—are etched into our souls. Even if all memories are erased, we will reclaim this belief and rebuild the Co-Prosperity Zone."
She raised her longsword and infused the stone with the Power of Chaos. Golden light erupted instantly, spreading along the roots to the entire Tree of Chaos. The blurred growth rings on the tree trunk became clear again, and the ancient, vanished marks shone like stars, forming a magnificent "scroll of civilization" on the trunk—from the first handshake between the Heavens and the Destruction Clan, to the addition of the Flowing Colors Clan, to the gifts from the Time Condensation Clan, and to every battle against the Star Devourers and the Shadows of Oblivion...
"Pass the torch to everyone!" Qing He's voice echoed throughout every corner of the Co-Prosperity Zone. "Nourish it with your faith! Let it know that we not only 'exist,' but 'deserve to exist!'"
All living beings responded enthusiastically. Cultivators infused their beliefs into the Symbiosis Grass, causing the symbols on its leaves to shine brightly; Star Patrollers wrote new vows in the database, and the code transformed into streams of light that flowed into the Tree of Chaos; even the youngest children recited the vows on the stone in their tender voices, their voices soft yet carrying an unyielding determination.
When all beliefs converged, the golden light erupting from the Tree of Chaos pierced the dim sky, striking directly at the eye at the Bottom of the Void. Within the golden light was not concrete power, but the "principles of existence" of countless civilizations—the resilience of the Destruction Clan, the agility of the Flowing Colors Clan, the composure of the Time Condensation Clan, the interplay of reality and illusion of the Dream Clan, and the balance that all races pursued together.
The moment the golden light collided with the pupils, the dim light in the sky suddenly brightened, and the vanished light returned like a tide. Sunlight once again bathed the earth, and the searchlights of the Star Patrollers pierced the void, illuminating the distant stars.
The pupils of the Bottom of the Void contracted violently, as if stung by the golden light. It slowly closed, and the gaze that had been fixed on the Co-Prosperity Zone vanished. The black shadows on the rings of the tree receded like a tide, and the oppressive feeling brought by the Origin Power of Oblivion also dissipated.
The sky over the Co-Prosperity Zone returned to its azure hue, the golden light of the Tree of Chaos gradually faded, and the stone engraved with the oath still lay quietly beside the tree roots, yet it seemed to have come to life, every mark telling a story of the resilience of civilization.
Xiao He stroked the vow on the stone, feeling a continuous warmth at her fingertips. "It... backed down?"
"It's not retreating, it's 'temporary acceptance.'" Qing He gazed towards the Bottom of the Void, where the darkness remained profound. "It saw our conviction, and knows it cannot easily erase our existence. But if that conviction wavers even slightly, it will gaze upon us again."
Meng Ke walked to the stone, tapped it lightly with the handle of his axe, and a deep, resonant sound echoed, "Then let this belief grow deeper than the roots of the Tree of Chaos."
In the days that followed, the people of the Co-Prosperity Zone erected stone monuments inscribed with their vows in various places. These monuments were not just for commemoration, but also "beacons" of civilization. No matter what threats they faced in the future, as long as these monuments stood and as long as their faith remained, the Co-Prosperity Zone would never be truly forgotten.
In the distant Bottom of the Void, behind that closed eye, a far larger shadow seemed to be slowly writhing. It did not launch another attack, but the chill left by that "gaze" made everyone in the Co-Prosperity Zone understand that the real test was yet to come.
But at this moment, looking at the stone tablet gleaming in the sunlight, and at the smiles that had returned to the faces of all the creatures, Qing He knew that they had grasped the most powerful weapon.
That is the belief that "we have existed, we exist, and we will continue to exist."
This conviction is stronger than any law and more enduring than any force.