The prosperity of Returning Light Heavenly City did not immediately fade away as it moved away from the main street; only the ancient lanterns hanging along the way gradually became sparse, and the number of cultivators coming and going changed from shoulder to shoulder to two or three at a time.
After leaving the restaurant, Hua An walked slowly. He was clearly unaware that he was being watched. Occasionally, he would stop and glance at the shops along the street before continuing on his way.
The ordinary-looking man kept a considerable distance, neither following Hua An along the path she had taken nor letting his gaze linger on her back. He would sometimes drift with the crowd into another long street, and sometimes detour at intersections.
Occasionally, he would stop at a stall and glance around, only reappearing at another street corner after Hua An's figure had completely crossed into the next urban area. There were always a large number of pedestrians, buildings, and streets between the two, and the following had become so faint that even the traces of "following" were hard to detect.
Beneath the calm surface of the man's face, the words he had overheard in the restaurant still lingered in his mind. "That old scoundrel Hua Yin..."
His steps moved slowly forward with the crowd, his eyes revealing no murderous intent, but the hatred that had been building up in his chest for two years was beginning to rise again.
"Back then, you were determined to wipe me out, but I never imagined you would go to such lengths, even hiring Void Emanation Realm expert to annihilate my clan. If I hadn't hidden away to heal my wounds, I'm afraid I would have perished along with my clan by now."
A cultivator brushed past him as he approached. The man remained calm and even stepped aside slightly. No one knew who was hiding behind that unremarkable face.
Chen Jinrong.
Two years ago, it was he who stole the ancient box from Chen Yong. It was because of that incident that he embarked on a life on the run. Now, Chen Jinrong has long since abandoned the striking golden robe he wore back then and has completely changed his appearance.
The face that once made him instantly recognizable to many has vanished. Now, all that remains in the world's eyes is an ordinary man with unremarkable features and a restrained aura. More importantly, after two years of seclusion and life-or-death trials, his cultivation, which was originally at the True Annihilation Realm · Peak, has advanced further— to the Eternal Silence Realm Initial Stage.
But the breakthrough didn't bring him much joy. For the past two years, he had lived almost every day in the shadows, changing his identity, appearance, and where he stayed. If anything seemed amiss in a place, he would leave immediately, never leaving too many traces in the same spot.
He didn't know how many people Hua Yin had sent to search for him, nor did he know what that ancient box was involved in that made Hua Yin pursue him to such an extent. But after the destruction of the Primordial Dao Clan, one thing had been deeply etched into Chen Jinrong's mind—with his cultivation level, going directly to Hua Yin would only lead to his death.
Revenge? For him now, that's far from enough.
Therefore, Chen Jinrong and others, while hiding and enduring, also killed. In the past two years, he had lost count of how many Hua Lineage disciples had died at his hands. Sometimes it was one person, sometimes several. As long as his identity was confirmed, as long as the other party's cultivation level was lower than his own, and as long as there was a safe enough opportunity to strike, he never showed mercy.
He couldn't kill Hua Yin now, so he would tear apart the Hua Lineage's flesh and blood first, killing one person at a time, causing chaos in one place at a time. One day, he would let the Hua Lineage know that those they had driven to the brink of despair were still alive.
Chen Jinrong raised his eyes. In the far distance, Hua An's figure was crossing a bone-white stone bridge. The coldness deep in Chen Jinrong's eyes gradually solidified. He had already confirmed that there was no other outcome for the Hua Lineage disciple at the True Annihilation Realm · Advanced Stage; he had to die.
... After another half hour, the surrounding buildings became increasingly sparse. Hua An had already passed through several districts of Returning Light Heavenly City and was gradually approaching a relatively secluded area.
The tall buildings on both sides have been replaced by low bone walls. A wide road runs between several pale, skeletal peaks, with a few scattered gray-white ancient trees growing along the roadside. In the distance, a few buildings can occasionally be seen half-embedded in the huge ancient ruins. There are very few pedestrians left.
Hua An did not turn back. He walked between the two skeletal peaks.
Chen Jinrong stopped. Standing at a great distance in the shadow cast by a massive bone wall, his ordinary face finally lost the affable demeanor he had displayed in the restaurant. His gaze gradually turned cold, and his Dao Foundation at the Eternal Silence Realm Initial Stage silently unfolded. He didn't shout. He didn't reveal himself. He didn't even give Hua An a chance to confirm the attacker's identity.
The next instant—a murderous intent arose!
Boom!!! The previously peaceful space behind Hua An suddenly collapsed, and a long-awaited destructive divine power erupted from the depths of the void. The terrifying power crossed the distance between the two sides almost at the same moment it appeared. Large areas of the ground along the way collapsed, and bone fragments were crushed into dust before they could even fly up. The suppression of the realm formed by the Eternal Silence Realm Initial Stage against the True Annihilation Realm · Advanced Stage was revealed at this moment!
Hua An's expression changed drastically. Too fast! He didn't even have time to turn around and see who had made the move. In that instant, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and the death crisis surging from the depths of his Fate Soul made him react almost instinctively. His right hand suddenly reached into his robes!
"Rise!"
Whoosh! A primordial radiance suddenly unfolded before Hua An! It was a protective Primordial Supreme Treasure personally given to him by Hua Yin. The treasure expanded on its own the moment it left his body, its ancient patterns lighting up layer by layer, and a thick primordial light barrier instantly blocked Hua An from the destructive divine power. The light barrier had barely formed—the attack had already arrived!
Boom! The entire quiet street trembled violently. The destructive divine power struck the Primordial Supreme Treasure, and the terrifying shockwave exploded outwards from the point of contact. Several nearby bone walls shattered instantly, the ground caved in, and cracks spread wildly. Hua An was thrown backward by the aftershock, his feet leaving two deep tracks in the ground. His blood and qi surged violently in his chest, and his face turned deathly pale.
But he survived. The Primordial Supreme Treasure that had been blocking his way was still hanging there. Hua An stared at it intently, a hint of relief rising in his heart.
The next moment—crack. His pupils contracted sharply. A crack appeared in the center of the Primordial Supreme Treasure. Then a second, a third. Crack, crack, crack—spiderweb-like cracks rapidly spread across the surface of the treasure, and the originally thick Primordial radiance dimmed rapidly, with the internal Dao patterns losing their luster one after another. When Hua An reached out to retrieve it, he could even feel the subtle tremors constantly emanating from the inside of the treasure in his palm.
It can't be used anymore. If it were to withstand another attack of that level, this Primordial Supreme Treasure would most likely crumble on the spot.
The effects of the alcohol on Hua An's face had completely vanished. A layer of cold sweat even seeped out from his back. If it weren't for the Primordial Supreme Treasure that Hua Yin had given him—that attack just now—he would already be dead.
In the distance, amidst the shadows of the bone wall, Chen Jinrong was slightly taken aback. He had originally prepared to watch Hua An die directly from this attack. Unexpectedly, at the last moment before the attack landed, it was forcefully blocked by a suddenly appearing Primordial Supreme Treasure. Chen Jinrong's eyebrows slowly rose, and a genuine surprise flashed in his eyes.
"Primordial Supreme Treasure for self-defense?" He looked at the treasure in Hua An's hand, which was already covered in cracks, and even felt a sense of disbelief. "As expected of a disciple of the Hua Lineage. I've never seen such a grand gesture before."
Since the first attack didn't kill him, then let's try again.
The shadow beneath the bone wall rippled gently. Chen Jinrong stepped out. His figure gradually appeared from the void, still the same inconspicuous appearance in the restaurant, but at this moment, that ordinariness could no longer conceal the pressure brought by his Eternal Silence Realm Initial Stage cultivation. His robes swayed gently with the aftershocks that had not yet subsided. He stepped over the bone fragments scattered on the ground, his gaze always fixed on Hua An.
Hua An suddenly turned around. Their eyes met for the first time. Hua An did not back down. He knew he couldn't escape. His opponent was at the Eternal Silence Realm Initial Stage, while he was only at the True Annihilation Realm · Advanced Stage.
The Primordial Supreme Treasure he had just used to save his life had cracked again, and it was unknown whether he could withstand the attack if he forced it to be activated once more. The more this was the case, the faster Hua An suppressed the panic on his face.
He stared intently at Chen Jinrong's completely unfamiliar face, his eyes unwavering, his gaze utterly calm and undisturbed. The composure he forced to suppress his fear only exuded a chilling gloom.
He was trying to remember, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find the person in front of him. He had never seen him before, nor had he ever provoked any cultivator in the Eternal Silence Realm.
Hua An's voice deepened. "Eternal Silence Realm Initial Stage?" He stared at Chen Jinrong, his hand gripping the damaged Primordial Supreme Treasure slowly tightening. "I have no grudge against you, why did you betray me?"
Chen Jinrong stopped in his tracks. Upon hearing the words "no grudges or hatred," the coldness on his face deepened. The anger that had been suppressed in his chest for two years surged again. The Primordial Dao Clan. Fleeing. Hiding. Hunting. And the words he had just heard in the restaurant— that Void Emanation Realm expert had annihilated the Primordial Dao Clan in search of Chen Jinrong. All of these things pressed into his eyes at this moment.
"Hmph." Chen Jinrong's lips curled into a cold smile. "Well said—no grudges or hatred."
Hua An's brows furrowed suddenly. Chen Jinrong slowly raised his hand, and the power of the Eternal Silence Realm Initial Stage spread out from his body once again. The shattered bones beneath his feet vibrated silently, and one by one, they floated up. When he spoke, every word was filled with the anger that had been building up for two years, and the chill seemed to reach Hua An's Fate Soul directly through his voice.
"Remember," his gaze suddenly sharpened, "Your deaths—were all caused by Hua Yin."
Hua An's pupils constricted sharply. But Chen Jinrong was no longer going to give him a chance to speak. Boom!!! The bone ground beneath his feet exploded. Chen Jinrong took a step forward, and the offensive power of the Eternal Silence Realm Initial Stage surged up again. His figure, wrapped in overwhelming killing intent, rushed straight towards Hua An!