Inside the Great Elder's Hall of the Hua Lineage, the night was deep and still, and the ancient lamps in the hall flickered, their light and shadow shifting.
Hua Yin sat alone on the high seat, his mind calm and composed as always. Suddenly, an extremely subtle jade-like voice transmission pierced through the layers of restrictions in the hall and quietly reached his ears. The voice was weak and trembling, showing signs of severe depletion of his vital energy.
"My lord, the 'Azure Wood Divine Forest' mission failed. At the critical moment, a direct descendant of the 'Lord of the Great Dao Charter' from the Chi Lineage forcibly disrupted the battle. Our clan lost six top experts, and the Fate Soul essence of our subordinates was also severely damaged. They are now hiding in a secluded cave to recuperate and repair themselves."
A brief telepathic message foreshadowed a disastrous defeat.
The glint in Hua Yin's eyes suddenly vanished, a chilling and ruthless shadow flashing across them before disappearing in an instant, his face remaining impassive. But the aura in his eyes had completely changed, now covered with layers of cold and sinister intent.
He sat still, his mind racing, calculating countless pros and cons in an instant. The Azure Wood Divine Forest mission had failed, powerful members of the clan had been killed, and the Fate Soul of core subordinates had been severely injured. Furthermore, the direct descendants of the Chi Lineage had become involved, making the situation suddenly extremely complicated.
He mentally reviewed all the variables, weighed the pros and cons, made choices, and quickly formulated a plan for the future. A cold, decisive thought was already brewing in his mind. After a moment, he suppressed all the murderous intent and calculations in his heart and sent out a calm and steady reply, his tone flat and without any trace of hostility.
"You must remain completely hidden and not reveal the slightest sign of your presence. I will immediately send someone with top-grade healing medicine to your location." Meanwhile, in a secluded mountain cave far from the city center of Returning Light Heavenly City...
Chen Jinrong, a disciple of the Primordial Dao Clan, sat cross-legged, his Dao aura fluctuating chaotically. His already damaged Fate Soul essence trembled and slowly repaired itself. The battle in the Azure Wood Divine Forest had severely injured him, causing his Dao foundation to loosen and his essence to be depleted. Every time he adjusted his breathing, his soul was torn by excruciating pain.
Before long, Hua Yin's telepathic message entered Chen Jinrong's mind. Chen Jinrong, who was closing his eyes to regulate his breathing, stiffened slightly. Instantly, all sorts of suspicions arose in his heart, and countless thoughts surged endlessly.
"The mission was a complete failure, resulting in the loss of six clansmen and my own severe injuries and near-collapse... That old scoundrel Hua Yin is ruthless and extremely cunning; he only ever seeks personal gain and never supports useless people."
"Now that I've lost my usefulness, and instead know countless of his secrets, will he silence me to eliminate any future trouble?" "No, we can't just sit here and wait to die. We must take precautions and prepare backup plans!"
With his mind made up, Chen Jinrong remained outwardly calm, silently suppressing the injuries to his Fate Soul. He appeared to be focusing on recuperating, but in reality, he had already secretly activated his source energy, quietly laying out a backup plan and waiting for the unexpected turn of events.
The time it takes for an incense stick to burn passes in the blink of an eye. Outside the cave, three deep and heavy auras quietly enveloped the surrounding area, their cold and murderous energy locking down the entire mountain forest.
Chen Jinrong snapped to attention, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, realizing that everything was exactly as he had anticipated.
He slowly rose and walked calmly out of the cave. Looking up, he saw three figures floating in the air above, their robes fluttering in the wind, exuding a heavy aura.
These were the three stewards of the Hua Lineage — Hua Ciyuan, Hua Junmo, and Hua Ziye.
All three were at the top level below the Eternal Silence Realm, possessing the True Annihilation Realm · Supreme. They had profound foundations and were extremely powerful in killing. In the past, it was Hua Yin who secretly ordered these three to hunt down Qin Yu. Their methods were ruthless and their execution was extremely strong.
Hua Yin's intention in sending these three people here is all too clear—it's not to deliver medicine and heal their wounds, but to eliminate them completely, eradicate all those who knew about the mission's failure, and remove any loopholes.
A cool breeze blew outside the cave, and a murderous aura permeated the surrounding area.
Chen Jinrong's gaze appeared casual and relaxed, as if he hadn't noticed any danger at all. In reality, his mind was Ultimate tense, every inch of his senses locked onto the three people above him, and he was on guard and cautious at every step.
He concealed all his hostility and wariness, his face calm and expressionless, revealing not a single flaw. No one could see the layers of vigilance and calculation in his heart. "I suppose you three fellow Daoists are the ones Lord Hua Yin came here specifically to bring me medicine to heal my wounds?"
His voice was calm, with a hint of feigned nonchalance.
In the sky above, Hua Junmo, standing in the center, suddenly turned piercing with a cold light, like a blade drawn from its sheath, his eyes covered in frost. His expression was filled with murderous intent, devoid of any human warmth. One glance from him was enough to chill one's soul and instill fear in one's heart.
He didn't answer, but instead slightly turned his head towards the two people beside him, giving them a sharp look.
In an instant, the auras of the three surged simultaneously, and the True Annihilation Realm · Supreme crashed down. Their figures broke through the air at the same time, carrying the force of destruction, and ruthlessly slashed towards Chen Jinrong!
The three Supreme killing powers landed simultaneously, engulfing Chen Jinrong's figure with a deafening roar. The Dao patterns exploded, their power overwhelming, covering the entire cave area. Smoke and dust billowed, and the Dao rhythm shattered.
As the storm subsided, the figure on the spot had completely Annihilation without a trace, as if it had never existed. But at that moment, Hua Ciyuan's mind was suddenly shaken, and Ultimate sense of crisis arose in his heart. He shouted sharply!
"Not good! This is just a remnant of his Yingling that he deliberately preserved! Retreat immediately!" The words fell, but it was already half a step too late. As Chen Jinrong's Yingling spirit completely dissipated and returned to nothingness, the entire world suddenly trembled and roared, the earth sank, and folds appeared in the void.
With a thunderous roar, a colossal magic array, ancient and imbued with the aura of Dao, rose from the void beneath the earth, its layers of Dao patterns unfolding and instantly locking down a space spanning tens of thousands of miles.
Hua Ziye's eyes widened suddenly, her pupils trembling violently. Her eyes were instantly filled with Ultimate panic, and the fear that went deep into her bones almost broke through her mind and overflowed between her eyebrows and eyes.
"Damn it! This is the exclusive array technique of the Primordial Dao Clan! This person had already taken advantage of the unique terrain of this place to lay a trap in advance, setting up this deadly killing array!"
Hua Junmo's anger surged, his malevolent aura soaring to the heavens, his Fate Soul trembling violently, his heart filled with regret and rage. "Damn it! We actually forgot that the Primordial Dao Clan cultivators are most adept at using external forces to spread their teachings and casting spells at the Fusion Realm!"
He gritted his teeth and roared, his voice rapid and panicked, all traces of his previous calm and collected demeanor gone. "Quick! Before the formation is fully closed, escape immediately!" The three of them instantly turned around, activating their life's worth of Daoist energy, attempting to break through the still-forming formation barrier and escape into the void.
Just as the three were about to depart, a solitary and aloof figure silently appeared in the void a hundred feet away, upright and exuding a chilling aura. "Since you're here, then Annihilation. There's no need to leave."
Chen Jinrong spoke indifferently, without the slightest ripple. He raised his hand and leisurely swung his sword. The sword light was clear and sharp, traversing the sky and instantly sealing off all space, dimensions, and escape routes in front of the three, completely cutting off all escape paths!
Upon seeing this, Hua Junmo was both shocked and enraged. His eyes turned bloodshot, and he shouted angrily, "Chen Jinrong! You're courting death!! We are here on the orders of Elder Hua Yin. If you dare to harm the three of us, the Elder will surely grind you to dust and never forgive you!"
A malicious glint flashed in Chen Jinrong's eyes. His gaze was cold and piercing, as if he could see right through Hua Yin's scheme, the three's intentions, and all the truth behind their actions.
"Hmph." "He sent you all here with the intention of eliminating me to prevent future troubles. Now that things have come to this, what do I have to worry about?"
As they spoke, the giant magic array behind them was fully formed, with layers of Dao patterns closing in and locking them in place, completely enveloping and trapping Hua Ciyuan, Hua Junmo, and Hua Ziye without leaving any gaps.
Chen Jinrong said no more, his hands rapidly forming hand seals, profound and mysterious Dao techniques flowing through his palms, as he uttered the true name of the formation in a deep voice. "Dao-Defying Primordial Beginning!"
This formation is domineering and unconventional, transcending the common sense of killing and destruction in the universe, and disregarding the natural order of creation and destruction. It uses its origin to disrupt the universe, making it the ultimate, unsolvable killing formation of the Primordial Dao Clan.
The core of the formation is named "The Trace of the Unbegun".
Neither gold nor jade, neither qi nor pattern, without substance or origin, it was created by the caster using unparalleled divine power, forcibly seizing a piece of absolute Space Silence before the creation of chaos and the birth of the universe. All things in the world arise from the space between "existence" and "non-existence," but this wisp of primordial emptiness is unique.
Before the birth of all laws, it is neither true nor false; it is the origin before the order of heaven and earth was written. The deployment of the magic array is to forcibly bring this ancient silence into the present world, covering this ancient space for eternity.
The formation is divided into inner and outer layers, with dual tracks of Annihilation that complement each other, locking each other in place and leaving no chance of life. The outer layer is "Myriad Phenomena Return to the Ruins," which suppresses the macrocosmic Dao across vast distances.
Once the magic array was activated, the entire vast territory became a logical dead zone. Hua Ciyuan and his two companions possessed the True Annihilation · Supreme, accustomed to devouring the real and the illusory, and Annihilation all laws. However, at this moment, if they activated even a fraction of their Dao power or used even a single divine ability, their own Dao foundation would spontaneously generate a paradoxical backlash. Their Annihilation Dao could devour all "existence" and "non-existence" in the world, but it just couldn't swallow the absolute void of this primordial origin.
If you try to break the formation with the true way, then the very essence of "truth" will collapse, and the true will become false; if you try to escape with the ethereal, then the support of "emptiness" will cease to exist, and the emptiness will also return to nothingness. This killing formation does not sever the physical body, nor destroy the spirit and soul, but only breaks the heart of the Dao and disrupts the principles of the law.
Every action they took became a denial of their own spiritual attainment; every break free became a shackle binding their own self-imposed limitations. The knowledge and Dao Path they cultivated throughout their lives were transformed into a cage that imprisoned them.
The inner layer is "the Mutual Erosion of Dao and Self," erasing the root of the microscopic origin.
The outer layer locks in the physical form and Daoist essence, while the inner layer directly destroys the Fate Soul and Daoist self. Within the formation arises a "Mirror of the Counter-Self," which does not reflect the physical body or light and shadow, but only reveals a person's entire cultivation journey from the mortal realm to the Dao, from the path to the True Annihilation · Supreme, including all the choices, obsessions, and inner demons.
The mirror reflects the heart, and a question severs the Dao. "You can annihilate all things, but who exactly are you now, being annihilated?" With these words, the Dao heart crumbles.
True Annihilation Realm cultivators are the very embodiment of the laws themselves. They cultivate annihilation and wield the power of Annihilation, but this question forces their own annihilation Dao Fruit to flow backward and backfire, creating a closed loop of cause and effect and self-referencing. The Great Dao they sought to prove throughout their lives ultimately became their own grave, leaving no room for maneuver.
The reason this formation is unsolvable is that it seals off both the "existence" and "non-existence" states of heaven and earth, severing all foundations for escape.
The array locks away all existence, isolating all information, energy, and dimensional flow. All escape techniques, leaps, and traversals in the world rely on real-world coordinates, but the emptiness within the array isolates all existence in the world. In the eyes of the three, there is no heaven and earth, no direction, nowhere to escape, and nowhere to land.
The array forbids "nothingness," sealing off the escape route to the void. True Annihilation cultivators are accustomed to dissolving into nothingness and concealing their forms to return to emptiness, but ordinary nothingness is merely a denial of "existence." However, the primordial void of this array is the primordial origin where existence and non-existence were not yet separated, which is more fundamental and more fundamental than nothingness.
A cultivator's attempt to vanish into nothingness is like a drop of water trying to melt a stubborn rock—it has nothing to rely on and will only be forcibly bounced back into reality, trapped in a strangling predicament with no way out.
The internal and external formations alternated, eventually reaching the Ultimate of Annihilation. The most terrifying aspect of this killing formation was that it was not killed by external forces.
Locked in a desperate situation, their Dao hearts collapsed, and their principles crumbled. The three True Annihilation · Supreme cultivators, relying on their life's Dao fruits, would ultimately only have one profound realization—that their existence was nothing but illusion.
When this thought arises, all phenomena cease, and all traces vanish.
No weapons are needed, no tribulations are needed. The soul, the foundation of the Dao, the physical body, and karma all dissolve into the primordial stillness of the "Trace of the Unbegun." In the instant a thought arises, both form and spirit perish, without any transition period or room for struggle.
Even when people perish, traces and causes remain.
They were completely erased from existence by the fundamental laws of heaven and earth. In the vast expanse of the starry sky, these three never descended, never appeared; they were merely a speck of dust wiped away by the universe itself.
Chen Jinrong in the void, his cold gaze fixed on the formation, his expression utterly indifferent. "This formation was originally forged to annihilate six True Annihilation · Supremes. To use it to suppress the three of you is to waste its potential and squander its precious resources."
Inside the formation, Hua Ciyuan and the other two had long since shed all their murderous and violent aura. Ultimate fear, inescapable despair, and the regret of their shattered Dao hearts completely engulfed them.
They watched helplessly as their own Dao fruits reversed and their Fate Soul dissolved, unable to even utter a roar. In the end, they silently disintegrated amidst layers of Annihilation Dao rhyme, their forms and spirits vanishing completely, leaving not a trace in the world.
Boom! The great formation was completed, the heavens and earth trembled, and the intricate Dao patterns slowly merged into the void. The price to activate such a rebellious primordial killing formation was extremely high.
Chen Jinrong's already severely injured and depleted Fate Soul was further drained of most of its foundation, causing his body to tremble violently and his Dao aura to become disordered and dissipate.
Pfft—A mouthful of scalding blood gushed out, scattering across the sky. His face turned ashen, his aura became weak and unstable, and his life force was nearly exhausted. His injuries were even more severe than when he was defeated by Azure Wood Divine Forest.
A chilling hatred, buried deep within his heart, seeped into his bones; every word was deadly. "You heartless scoundrel Hua Yin, you abandoned your foes after achieving your goal, and now you're silencing me after your defeat. I, Chen Jinrong, will remember this grudge. You just wait!"
He forcefully suppressed the surging blood and excruciating pain in his soul, lingering without hesitation. With a flicker, he merged into the deep night, disappearing into the profound darkness of Returning Light Heavenly City, vanishing without a trace.