A Powerful Expert Descends on the Hua Lineage

In the Eternal Nonexistence Limitless Domain, a vast expanse of the Skeleton Star Sea lies, silent for eternity.

The East City · Returning Light Heavenly City hangs atop the Returning Light Cliff, the vast city rising suspended in mid-air by towering crystal walls. Below, the Skeleton Star Sea stretches endlessly, where fragments of ancient, collapsed continents, the skeletal remains of stars Annihilation of their brilliance, and the ruins of ancient palaces silenced by time slowly rise and fall. Occasionally, a wisp of grayish-white primal light pierces through the sea of stars, momentarily illuminating those colossal remains sealed for millennia, outlining a desolate and ancient silhouette.

Returning Light Heavenly City stands majestically at the most prosperous core of this ancient star sea, spreading out layer upon layer along the Returning Light Cliff. Magnificent palaces, ancient pagodas, and pavilions are all built upon the crystal walls, climbing straight from the bottom of the cliff to the top of the sea of clouds. Long bridges span dozens of suspended mountain platforms, and the flags of various merchant guilds and the emblems of aristocratic families are lined up along the way, showcasing the prosperity of the eastern part of the Eternal Nonexistence Limitless Domain.

Above the sky, a colossal crystalline dome covers the entire city, forged from the fusion of nine hundred and ninety-nine fragments of Annihilation universes. Within each crystal wall lies the last glimmer of a universe's final demise, thus this celestial city is free from absolute darkness.

Even late at night, the dome was filled with Annihilation light, in shades of crimson, deep blue, dark purple, and silver, which refracted and shifted in turn. Countless tiny specks of light spread across the palace streets, sometimes staining the eastern city streets red and sometimes covering the western city towers in blue.

A wondrous spectacle of light shone across the sky, ancient traces of light from vanished eras reflected from the depths of the void, flickering in and out of existence. This gave the First City of the East both Ultimate prosperity and the ancient, desolate silence inherent in its Skeleton Star Sea.

At the very heart of this prosperous and bustling region, on the edge of the Returning Light Cliff, lies the ancestral home of the Hua Lineage, one of the Lineage of the Eternal Nonexistence Limitless Domain.

The Hua Lineage family stretches for thousands of miles, surrounded by twelve ancient peaks suspended in the air, while palaces are arranged along the cliffs in the heart of the land. The vermilion and black eaves tiles are stacked, and the dark gold beams and pillars are intertwined, shimmering and shifting under the reflected light from the dome. In the deepest part of the ancestral home, a grand hall that is usually closed and rarely open to the public is brightly lit tonight.

The hall is named Stillness Blossom Ancestral Hall.

The gates of the hundred-zhang-tall hall were solemnly closed, and twelve massive black and gold pillars engraved with the ancient patterns of the Hua Lineage's origins stretched straight to the dome of the hall. A dark purple crystal disc hung in the hall, casting a faint, eerie light, which made the entire hall appear solemn and dignified.

Hua Nongrui, the patriarch of the Hua Family Lineage, sat high in the central seat, having shed the elaborate robes of the grand ceremony and donning only a simple, deep purple robe. Her dark hair was tied up, and she exuded a cool and aloof air. The vast aura of the Wuji Realm expert was completely concealed within her body, not revealing a trace. Her hands rested lightly on the armrests of the chair, her expression calm and composed, only the faint traces of melancholy that flashed deep in her eyes betrayed that her emotions were far from as calm as they appeared.

On both sides of the main hall, more than ten core elders of the Hua Lineage sat in rows. Compared with the usual orderly and solemn atmosphere of their meetings, the atmosphere in the hall tonight was oppressive and stagnant, so heavy that it was hard to breathe.

A respected elder rose first, straightened his clothes, and bowed respectfully, but the resentment and indignation between his brows were hard to conceal. "Clan leader," he said in a low and solemn voice, "Hua Jingmeng's Fate Soul essence has been severely damaged this time." As soon as he finished speaking, the faces of all the elders in the hall turned solemn.

The elder continued in a deep voice, "Since bringing it back from the Myriad Worlds Graveyard, the clan has used several top-tier Fate Soul to repair its treasures. Today, they even took out their most treasured Void Great Grotto Pill." Upon hearing this pill, the eyes of several elders in the hall twitched slightly.

From nothingness arises a vast void, which swallows all imperfections. This pill is a top-tier treasure of the Hua Lineage. Upon its formation, it inherently contains a dark, primordial void, specifically designed to cleanse the Fate Soul of foreign remnants, Annihilation poisons, and primordial fissures. By dispersing its power, it can restore a severely damaged Fate Soul to a state of purity and tranquility. Even ordinary clan elders rarely have the opportunity to use it in their entire lives.

"Even with all that resources..." The elder frowned, his tone full of helplessness. "His cultivation still cannot return to the Eternal Silence Realm Initial Stage." The hall suddenly fell into a brief silence.

On the other side, an impatient elder could no longer contain himself. He abruptly stood up, whipping his sleeves around, his face ashen. "The injuries from that battle were far too severe and gruesome!"

"Her Fate Soul essence was torn apart and severely damaged several times, and her cultivation was ultimately forced down to the True Annihilation Realm · Initial Stage! Although the Void Great Grotto Pill can cleanse the remaining injuries, it cannot repair the already depleted foundation of her Fate Soul essence! If this continues, even if Hua Jingmeng awakens, whether she can ever reach the Eternal Silence Realm again is unknown!"

Another elder echoed in a deep voice.

"The most fatal thing was his final forced opening of the Life Silence Return to the Ruins, a move that sacrificed his own cultivation and Fate Soul foundation. Although he survived thanks to the lotus source bestowed by the clan leader, the core foundation he burned and damaged could not be repaired or recovered by ordinary pills."

The elder who spoke first showed an even stronger sense of resentment in his eyes, and solemnly cupped his hands. "Clan leader! Hua Jingmeng has been driven to the brink of despair and suffered such a severe injury. Our Hua Lineage must not let this go!" "That's absolutely right!" someone immediately echoed in agreement.

"In this battle, he represented the honor of the Hua Lineage! The outside world only knows of his defeat; no one is delving into the dangerous trump card he played! Various Rogue Cultivator have already elevated the Chi Lineage's outsider to the pinnacle. If the Hua Lineage remains silent, it will only be seen as weakness, and we will be completely overshadowed by the Chi Lineage!"

This matter must not be let off easily!

More than ten elders spoke up, and discussions broke out in the hall, making the atmosphere increasingly noisy and chaotic. Some suggested sealing off the news of the injury to cover up the truth that Hua Jingmeng's foundation had collapsed; some pleaded to open the clan's deep healing forbidden area; and some even mentioned the Fate Soul treasure that had been sealed for eternity and would never be used except in cases of the clan's survival.

Amidst the chaos, a calm and steady voice suddenly rang out, silencing the clamor. "Clan Chief." The crowd paused briefly, then turned to look at him.

Hua Yin slowly rose to his feet. Tonight, his face was gloomy and cold. Although his old injuries had stabilized, the sullenness between his brows lingered for a long time. He did not argue with the others about the method of healing. He first respectfully bowed to Hua Nongrui before calmly speaking.

"The losses suffered by the Hua Lineage in this Grand Competition are far more than just the loss of Hua Jingmeng." The elders' expressions changed slightly.

Hua Yin's voice grew increasingly low.

"Our clan's Ultimate guardian beast, Huang Wuming, Nameless all others, firmly holding the top spot and preserving the clan's foundation and prestige. However, the Four Great Lineage's Grand Competition of Prodigies concerns the reputation and standing of the younger generation for centuries to come. The news of Hua Jingmeng's defeat and the Chi Lineage's outside help winning the championship has now spread throughout the entire Eternal Nonexistence Limitless Domain."

He paused briefly, a chilling glint in his eyes. "I just received messages from the major affiliated forces of the Eastern City. After the Chi Lineage's victory, countless Rogue Cultivators and small and medium-sized families within the region have flocked to the Chi Lineage land."

The elder in the hall suddenly became serious. "Several powerful families have even come to our door with their most prized clan treasures, seeking only the long-term protection of the Chi Lineage. Many merchant alliances that previously remained neutral between the Hua and Chi families are now secretly contacting the Chi Lineage."

"Insolence!" An elder gripped the armrest of his chair, his face ashen. "The competition has only been over for a few days, and these opportunists are already eager to switch sides!"

Everyone was filled with resentment, and the atmosphere in the hall became increasingly heavy. Hua Yin said no more, lowered his eyes and clasped his hands, handing over the final decision to the host. Hua Nongrui, who had been listening to the trial in silence, finally slowly raised her eyes.

Her gaze was calm and serene, a thoughtful expression flickering between her brows. Her fingertips lightly touched the armrest as she silently considered the situation. After a few breaths, she raised her hand slightly, signaling for silence. "Elders, please hear me out."

As soon as she finished speaking, the room fell silent. Hua Nongrui's gaze slowly swept over everyone, her voice clear, measured, and steady.

"I know that this defeat is a great loss for my Hua Lineage. Over the years, our Hua Lineage has always been at the top in the competition among the elites, and everyone in the clan has long been accustomed to the position of the top. This time, I feel the resentment in everyone's hearts."

She shifted her tone slightly, revealing a clear understanding of the situation. "But the battle is over, the outcome is decided, and any further argument is futile." The elders who had wanted to argue further all fell silent. "Right now, there is only one matter of utmost importance."

When Hua Nongrui mentioned Hua Jingmeng, a genuine and solemn look finally surfaced in her eyes.

"After this battle, Hua Jingmeng's revealed talent and abilities completely overturned the clan's previous assessment of him. His ability to reach the final battle and cultivate the Great Dao of the Great Void lineage to such a level means his future value cannot be measured by the outcome of a single competition. The most important task now is to repair his Fate Soul essence and safeguard the foundation for his return to the Eternal Silence Realm."

She made a calm and decisive statement. "As for the external forces wavering and taking sides, let them be. The foundation of a powerful family is never determined by the outcome of a grand event." As she finished speaking, her gaze suddenly sharpened, concealing an unfathomable edge. "As for that Chi Lineage ally... Qin Yu ..."

She didn't call him by his name directly, her tone calm yet undeniably confident. "I have my own plans." Hua Yin lowered his eyes, composed himself, and didn't reply.

With that one sentence, the conflict within the hall was completely reversed. Everyone stopped worrying about winning or losing and saving face, and focused entirely on Hua Jingmeng's healing. A new round of heated discussion was sparked once again.

An elder with white hair was the first to suggest. "The Void Great Grotto Pill can only cleanse flaws, not repair the foundation. In my opinion, we can open the clan's Dark Embryo Stillness Grotto, nurture and strengthen the Fate Soul for forty-nine days, and then slowly nourish it with the Lineage's essence to support its fallen cultivation."

Immediately, someone shook their head in rebuttal. "That's inappropriate. The Dark Embryo Stillness Grotto is only good at stabilizing the soul and calming the mind. He is currently suffering from a deficiency in the origin of his Fate Soul, not from restlessness of his soul thoughts. Forty-nine days of quiet recuperation can only stabilize the existing remnants and cannot help him return to the Eternal Silence Realm at all."

"Do you have a better method?" "Use the Revival Dream Lotus."

"Absurd!" someone retorted sharply. "How rare is the Revival Dream Lotus? It is a treasure kept by our clan, used specifically to lock the soul and preserve the life of experts at the Wuji Realm. How can it be used to save a junior who has fallen in realm!"

"Junior?" The other party wouldn't budge an inch. "Nangong Xingyun personally intervened to save him; don't you realize his current importance!" "The Revival Dream Lotus only cures the crisis of soul annihilation and Dao dissipation, not the deficiency of one's origin and the collapse of one's foundation; it's completely unsuitable for the condition!"

"Then draw upon the ancestral essence to infuse his body!" That would be an even greater taboo! His Fate Soul is riddled with cracks; forcibly infusing it with the ancestral essence would only shatter his remaining soul, completely crippling him!

"We can use the Great Void Marrow-Cleansing Dew of the Great Void to first cleanse the residual foreign sword intent deep within its Fate Soul, and then have three Eternal Silence Realm · Supreme elders take turns protecting and nurturing it..."

"This method is too slow! It will take a thousand years and be of no use!" "Slow is better than completely crippling him!" "Are we just going to let him sink into this state for hundreds of years?"

The hall was once again in chaos, with the elders each holding their own opinions and arguing endlessly. Some advocated for gentle nurturing, some insisted on reforging the Soul Foundation, some requested to activate the ancestral vein, some wanted to open the forbidden area, and some even proposed temporarily sealing their cultivation and allowing them to remain silent for decades before resuming the Great Dao of Eternal Silence.

Each side had its own reasons and drawbacks, and the argument escalated, ranging from methods of healing to ancient precedents. The room was in chaos. Hua Nongrui, seated at the head of the table, remained silent and detached, observing the argument without interrupting or intervening, letting everyone debate as they pleased.

Until one instant—her gaze suddenly sharpened, the calm in her eyes shattering instantly. Her right hand, which had been lightly resting on the armrest, abruptly rose. "Quiet." The two words fell in the hall, cold and solemn, carrying the absolute authority of a clan leader.

The clamor in the hall abruptly ceased. More than ten elders turned their heads in unison, their hearts tightening. Hua Nongrui slowly rose to her feet, her posture upright and aloof, her gaze fixed on the Emptiness space in the center of the hall, her expression extremely solemn.