“Old Ancestor, am I truly required to die today?” Elder Qianduo felt utterly miserable, plagued by a terrible sense of dread.
The wisps of Divine Sense belonging to the magnates sealed within the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone offered a chilling reminder. “We merely caution you. If you breach the perimeter first, the Xuanji Holy Lord will certainly intervene.”
The Silent Destruction Old Man’s eyes were cold and filled with arrogance. “Let her come. She cannot stop me!”
With that declaration, the Silent Destruction Old Man stepped toward the exit of the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone. The clones of the Silent Destruction Sect’s elders and the true body of Elder Qianduo followed closely behind, all of them struggling against the crushing Grand Terrain Stance and the surrounding, pervasive Eerie Power.
One of the elders spoke, his face grim. “This journey has drained us severely. We need vast amounts of life force to replenish ourselves! Now that the Heavenly Net Hall has been annihilated, Old Ancestor, we must quickly establish a new faction to serve us!”
A sharp glint flashed in the Silent Destruction Old Man’s eyes. “I will arrange it.”
***
At the same time, deep within the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone, in the belly of a collapsed mountain range, a woman sat cross-legged. Her slender jade hands constantly shifted, shrouded by mysterious mist. Her figure was ancient and desolate, resisting the Grand Terrain Stance of the region, appearing lonely and cold.
Suddenly, her hair burst forth, cascading down like a massive waterfall—Three Thousand Zang of White Hair. Every strand pulsed with brilliant Dao patterns. The white hair veiled her exquisite face and wrapped around her delicate frame, revealing the smooth curves of her body. Her long, pale legs were as pristine as white snow.
Slowly, her eyes opened, gazing toward the direction of the Silent Destruction Old Man. Her gaze was icy, and her lips parted as she spoke in a slow, detached voice.
“The Heaven and Earth Change has not yet begun. Is the Silent Destruction Old Man truly so impatient to step out of the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone?”
The white-haired woman rose, her long hair falling away to form a flowing white dress that wrapped around her body, making her appear breathtakingly majestic.
She was the Xuanji Holy Lord mentioned by the Silent Destruction Old Man. She was also Bai Li, the Grey-robed person who had saved Ye Chen sixteen years ago.
Bai Li instantly rose into the air, using the technique of Traversing the Void to rush toward the Forbidden Zone’s exit. All those sealed within the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone were tainted by Eerie Power and Ominous Power, and they were forbidden from leaving before the Heaven and Earth Change opened. This was the Iron Law.
And she was one of the judges who enforced this Iron Law.
Boom! Bai Li tore through the void and vanished into the sky.
***
Half a day later, the Silent Destruction Old Man arrived at the exit of the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone with Elder Qianduo and the others.
The area was a bizarre spectacle of inverted reality—a lake reflecting the sky, where the water met the heavens. The outside world’s firmament connected with the Forbidden Zone’s earth, and ancient, obscure energy surged through the air. This strange phenomenon, appearing like solidified mountains and rivers, was actually the manifestation of Great Emperor, Half-step Supreme, and Quasi-Dao Supreme Dao Patterns.
The Silent Destruction Old Man and his followers gazed at the exit, filled with complex emotions. The Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone was, in reality, a separate world carved out by countless magnates over endless ages. It was a self-contained space, where Quasi-Dao Supreme Dao Patterns mimicked the Heavenly Dao.
Bai Li, the Xuanji Holy Lord, was one of the first magnates to enter this place. Later, countless aging magnates arrived, modifying this world into what it was now.
This was the history of the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone.
Now, the Silent Destruction Sect members halted. Behind them, numerous wisps of Divine Sense belonging to other sealed experts locked onto them, eager to see if they could successfully step out.
The Silent Destruction Old Man looked at Elder Qianduo. “Are you ready?”
“Just a moment.” Elder Qianduo took a deep breath. Even a Half-step Supreme felt a profound sense of mortal danger when tasked with testing the Heavenly Dao.
Just then, Boom! Crack! The void tore open, and space twisted violently.
The Xuanji Holy Lord, Bai Li, slowly emerged from the spatial rift. Her Three Thousand Zang of White Hair wrapped around her delicate body, revealing her graceful curves. Her long, white legs stood upon the void, and her eyes held no emotion as she coldly looked down upon the Silent Destruction Old Man.
Black mist, the combination of Eerie Power and Ominous Power, swirled around Bai Li.
Everyone looked up at the Xuanji Holy Lord, slightly startled. How many years had it been since they last saw her? How had the Xuanji Holy Lord changed so drastically? The Three Thousand Zang of White Hair suggested she had endured some terrible upheaval. Yet, she remained as cold, aloof, and intimidating as ever.
The Xuanji Holy Lord did not speak, merely watching the Silent Destruction Old Man.
The Silent Destruction Old Man’s gaze trembled, his heart tightening. There was a time when this woman was an object of extreme reverence. Although endless years had passed, and the Eerie and Ominous Power had caused her cultivation to drop, he still held a sliver of respect. She was, after all, one of the founders of the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone.
After a moment of silence, the Silent Destruction Old Man spoke first. “Xuanji Holy Lord, I am merely letting Elder Qianduo test the Southern Wilds Heavenly Dao.”
The Xuanji Holy Lord’s lips barely moved, her voice devoid of feeling. “The Southern Wilds Heavenly Dao has not changed.”
The Silent Destruction Old Man transmitted the details of his battle in Tianluo State against Lu Xuan to the Xuanji Holy Lord via Divine Sense. The Xuanji Holy Lord remained silent.
Seeing this, the Silent Destruction Old Man urged Elder Qianduo to step out of the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone.
Innumerable wisps of Divine Sense locked onto Elder Qianduo. He was already terrified, especially after the Xuanji Holy Lord confirmed that the Southern Wilds Heavenly Dao remained unchanged.
But the Silent Destruction Old Man had given the order, and he had no choice but to comply.
In the next instant, Elder Qianduo stepped out of the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone. The Dao Patterns of the two different worlds immediately began to intertwine and clash upon his body.
Just then, a sudden, terrifying change occurred!
Crack! Above the void, bolts of lightning as thick as small mountains erupted. The previously clear sky outside the Forbidden Zone was instantly filled with raging winds and a sea of thunder. A sharp, lethal intent pierced the firmament, bearing down directly upon Elder Qianduo.
Elder Qianduo cried out in alarm, realizing he had been locked onto by the Heavenly Dao Killing Intent! Even a Half-step Supreme was utterly powerless before the Heavenly Dao!
His scalp tingling with terror, Elder Qianduo tried to retreat back into the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone. But it was too late!
The Heavenly Dao Killing Intent, capable of deciding life and death, seemed to transcend the river of time, descending directly upon Elder Qianduo’s head!
Boom! “No! No…”
“Old Ancestor, save me! Save me…”
Elder Qianduo tried to unleash a Supreme Secret Art to resist, but he didn’t even have time to scream. He was instantly obliterated by the thunderous force, reduced to dust.
Dead beyond dead! An instant kill by the Heavenly Dao!
A profound silence fell over the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone. Everyone was stunned.
This was the Heavenly Dao Killing Intent, the power of life and death!
The Silent Destruction Old Man stood frozen, his face a mask of disbelief. “How is this possible? How can that White Robe Great Emperor ignore the Heavenly Dao Killing Intent?!”
The Xuanji Holy Lord frowned slightly. “He? Then he must not be a Half-step Supreme.”
“Impossible!” the Silent Destruction Old Man roared.
The Xuanji Holy Lord remained expressionless, saying nothing more. She tore through the void and departed.
The Silent Destruction Old Man had suffered a massive blow. A Half-step Supreme from the Silent Destruction Sect had perished just like that! He could not accept it.
“Old Ancestor, let us return,” the remaining Silent Destruction Sect elders urged.
***
Blackflame Mountain Range.
The five-day period had ended.
At this moment, the momentum of the Fuyao Dynasty’s campaign to annihilate the remaining Heavenly Net Hall branches had reached its zenith. Major powers from across the states had taken action, already sealing off more than a dozen branches, waiting for Ji Fuyao and her loyalists to arrive and execute the final blow.