Overdraw the future and become a peerless martial god

Chapter 208 The Demigod's Breakthrough Imminent
Just as he was immersed in exploring the new abilities of the Boundary Lock, an extremely violent and ferocious aura originating from the projection of the Jade Star Water Mirror Disk and transmitted across space suddenly assaulted his senses.

That aura was like the wailing of billions of living beings in lava, carrying a terrifying will to burn everything and tear the earth apart—the Blazing Bone Ape Lord.

Chu Ning suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of golden flame disappearing from his pupils.

He opened his palm, the five-patterned Soul Lock glowing subdued, yet exuding a profound and weighty feeling, as solid as a mountain.

“Demigod…Blazing Bone Ape Marquis…” he murmured the name, his eyes showing no fear, only a cold, murderous intent and the heavy responsibility that a new wielder of power must face.

He stood up, walked to the window, and his gaze seemed to pierce through the void, landing on the burning scorched earth.

"It seems it's time for a battle with you..." Chu Ning's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable determination.

But just as he was about to get up, his soul sea suddenly trembled—his fifth soul rune was not yet stable, and a slight crack seemed to be torn open deep within his consciousness core, with chaos surging in.

He paused, covered his forehead and frowned, as if his entire soul consciousness space had fallen into a deep dream.

In his dream, he walked along the ruined path of Locking Source, his feet pierced by the remnants of the ancient war of Hunyuan, and a faint yet solemn whisper reached his ears—

"Those who burn the world cannot be destroyed by force, but must have their souls purified."

Those were words of primordial chaos, echoes that seemed to penetrate the ages.

Immediately, the dream shattered, and he awoke abruptly amidst the tide of soul fire. Thunderous energy rippled in his palm, and his fifth soul rune trembled slightly, like a nascent flame. He closed his eyes for a moment, suppressing the strange change.

With a thought, a talisman condensed from his soul essence silently flew out of Jingyunzhai, its target being the Inner Cabinet's Power Platform and the Soul Diagram Pavilion:
"Summon: Elder Li Jing'an, Elder Yu Xingshui, Elder Bai Xiu, come to Jingyunzhai immediately for a meeting."

Soul-locked with five patterns, power first grasped.

The calamity of demigods has begun, and the army's advance is already pointed.

Inside Jingyunzhai, the air was thick with the scent of sandalwood, yet the atmosphere was heavy and oppressive.

Li Jing'an and Yu Xingshui sat on either side, their gazes fixed on the young pavilion master in the main seat, whose aura was deep and whose brows were adorned with golden flames.

Chu Ning's gaze slowly swept over the Soul Seats. Elders Li Jing'an and Yu Xingshui were both present, but the seat of Bai Xiu, the Soul Form Pavilion Master, remained empty.

A gray-silver soul token lay there quietly, like a kind of "declaration of absence".

He frowned slightly, knowing that this person had objected to the "appointment of the Pavilion Master" before. His absence now was neither due to illness nor seclusion, but rather a show of force.

Li Jing'an's eyes also flashed, a fleeting hint of mockery appearing in them:
"That bastard Bai Xiu is probably practicing his old swords at the 'Preparation Hall,' waiting for this kid to get into trouble so he can promote his 'Waiting Blade' to the stage..."

He didn't speak, but kept the thought to himself and waited to see how things would develop.

Chu Ning didn't engage in much small talk, getting straight to the point, his voice calm yet carrying undeniable weight:
"The Blazing Bone Ape Lord, a demigod, is having his World-Burning Demon Flame eroding the boundary markers. This is an urgent matter, and we need to discuss a strategy for his annihilation later." His gaze swept over the two men, and his tone abruptly shifted, delving into deeper undercurrents:
"However, while there are powerful enemies abroad, we must also be mindful of internal troubles."

His gaze first fell on Li Jing'an, with an inquiring look:

"Elder Li, you are in charge of the laws and criminal matters within the Pavilion, and your eyes and ears are everywhere. The 'Blood Refining Hall' has been lying dormant for many years, and the 'Twelve Evil Spirits' under its command are elusive and have caused great harm. In recent years, have you had a detailed understanding of their activities, the extent of their infiltration, and especially... their possible collusion with our Pavilion?"

Li Jing'an's expression turned serious, clearly not expecting Chu Ning to so precisely target this deeply hidden cancer so soon after taking office. He pondered for a moment, then said in a deep voice:

"Reporting to the Pavilion Master, the Blood Refining Hall and its twelve evil spirits are indeed like a malignant tumor clinging to the bone. In recent years, their activities have spread from the outer borders to the heartland of the Great Qian Dynasty, especially in resource-rich and densely populated prefectures and counties. Each of the twelve evil spirits has its own strengths, some are skilled in blood sacrifice to seize souls, some are adept at corrupting people's hearts with demonic influence, some are good at stealthy assassinations, and some control demonic beasts... Their whereabouts are elusive and extremely difficult to locate."

He paused, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes:
"As for internal collusion... I am ashamed. Although I have cleared out several hidden lines and removed a few corrupt deacons, its core network is extremely well hidden, and there seems to be a higher level of protection or transactions behind it. I have not yet been able to completely sever it. This is my dereliction of duty. Please punish me, Your Excellency."

He bowed slightly, his posture respectful, yet he also laid the problem bare—the Blood Refining Hall's roots run deep.

Chu Ning's eyes turned slightly cold, but she didn't criticize him; she simply nodded.

"This matter needs to be thoroughly investigated, and we must cut off its claws that have reached into our organization. The list of the twelve evil spirits and the known intelligence will be reported to me later."

He then turned to Yu Xingshui, his gaze deep and thoughtful:
"Elder Yu, the Soul Map Pavilion is in charge of the celestial phenomena and secrets of the realms. I have another question: What is the current situation of the 'Boundary Patrol Envoy' who maintains the balance of the realms and monitors anomalies 'outside the Heavenly Gate'? What is their attitude towards our First-Rank Pavilion, especially on such important matters as the change of ownership of the Boundary Lock and the unusual activities of the Blazing Bone Ape Marquis?"

Yu Xingshui's eyes flickered slightly, seemingly surprised that Chu Ning knew about the existence of the "Boundary Patrol Envoy" and brought it up without any hesitation.

Her fingertips unconsciously tapped lightly on the armrest of the seat, her voice ethereal yet tinged with a hint of solemnity:
"The border patrol envoys are detached from worldly affairs, acting on some ancient 'rules' that are beyond the comprehension of us mortals. Their whereabouts are unpredictable, and their attitudes are even more difficult to discern."

She slightly raised her eyes and looked directly at Chu Ning. "Based on sporadic observations and ancient records, it is speculated that the Border Patrol Envoys usually only appear to intervene when a 'collapse-level' anomaly occurs in the realm, or when a 'forbidden power' appears that is enough to threaten the balance of the realms. Their power... is unfathomable."

She paused for a moment, seemingly considering her words:
"As for the change of ownership of the Boundary Lock and the Blazing Bone Ape Marquis... when the Primordial Grandmaster fell, there was no sign of the arrival of the Boundary Patrol Envoy. Now that the Pavilion Master has been established, the Blazing Bone Ape Marquis is becoming more restless. Although his 'World-Burning Demon Flame' is strong, it has not yet truly broken through the seal and shaken the foundation of the realm... Therefore, the Boundary Patrol Envoy is most likely still 'observing'."

A complex light flashed in Yu Xingshui's eyes:

"They are like a sword of judgment hanging over our heads, neither friend nor foe, acting only according to the 'rules.' Rather than speculating about their attitude, it is better to... ensure that when our Pavilion deals with the calamity of the Blazing Bone Ape Marquis, our strength and methods are within the limits allowed by the 'rules,' and not trigger the 'opportunity' for its arrival."

This serves as both a warning and a subtle reminder—the use of boundary lock power must be done with discretion.

Chu Ning was silent for a moment, then said calmly:

"Elder Yu, there's no need to speculate on whether the border patrol envoy will arrive. I can be certain that the border patrol envoy will definitely arrive in a few years."

"Internal and external troubles, a sword hanging overhead..." Chu Ning's voice was low, yet it carried a determination to break through the fog, "However, we will meet force with force and water with earth!"

He turned abruptly, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over Li Jing'an and Yu Xingshui: "Elder Li, regarding the Blood Refining Hall matter, I require you to submit the most detailed dossier within three days, and to draft a 'Purification' plan, specifically tasked with purging the internal forces and monitoring evil spirits!"

Yu Xingshui did not get up immediately. Instead, she turned her head slightly and her gaze lingered on the Soul Lock in Chu Ning's palm.

Her eyes were clear as a mirror, yet beneath their restraint lay a profound depth.

"When the Pavilion Master activated the Five-Patterned Soul Lock just now..." Her tone remained unchanged, but her voice hesitated slightly, "I seemed to sense a... extremely faint and shallow anomaly."

Chu Ning raised an eyebrow: "Strange phenomenon?"

Yu Xingshui said in a low voice, "The mirror plate of the Soul Chart Pavilion has a similar record - if the five patterns of the Soul Lock are connected to the Heavenly Laws and a sixth light trace appears, it may be regarded as a critical signal of 'bearing the authority of the boundary'. Ancient books call it: 'Soul Crown'."

She paused, then suddenly chuckled softly:
"Of course, it's also possible that my perception is distorted. The Pavilion Master has just taken over this power, with his five patterns resonating together and his will burning fiercely... It's not surprising that it interferes with normal perception."

Chu Ning's gaze sharpened for a moment, but he remained silent.

Yu Xingshui, however, added casually:
"However, if such a phenomenon truly exists... then it is not merely a matter of succeeding Hunyuan's ambition, but rather a possibility of rewriting that ambition."

After saying that, she turned and stood up, saying no more.

"As for the Border Patrol Envoy... Elder Yu, continue to observe. If there is any unusual activity, no matter how small, report it to me immediately! At the same time, review all the records and texts concerning the rules and taboos of the Border Patrol Envoy. I need to know where their bottom line is!"

Finally, he tapped his finger heavily on the "Northernmost Cangque" mark on the map, producing a dull thud.
"Now--"

"Our primary enemy is the Blazing Bone Ape Lord!"

"Gentlemen, tell me everything you know about this fiend: the weaknesses of the seal, the characteristics of the demonic flames, its activity patterns... tell me everything, no matter how small!"

"Today, we must devise a plan to eliminate this demigod!"

The five Soul Lock patterns shimmered faintly in his palm, reflecting the resolute profile of the young pavilion master.

Inside Jingyunzhai, a top-level strategic meeting concerning the survival of Yipinge and even this world officially commenced amidst the invisible smoke of battle.

The direction of the demigod's calamity also marks the beginning of the new pavilion master's strategic planning and initial emergence of his prowess.

Chu Ning's words, "We must devise a plan today," were like the sound of war drums, completely igniting the solemn and heavy atmosphere within Jingyunzhai.

Li Jing'an spoke first, and with a flash of soul light at his fingertips, a more detailed picture of the "Far North Cangque" and its surrounding area, condensed with soul power, appeared before the three of them.

The map clearly marks the locations of three boundary markers corroded by dark red demonic flames and with dimmed runes, as well as the outline of a giant ape bound by chains in the core sealing array.

“Sect Master, Elder Yu,” Li Jing’an said in a steady and clear voice, “According to historical records and recent observations, although the Blazing Bone Ape Marquis has been sealed, the essence of his ‘World-Burning Demon Flame’ originates from the core of chaotic lava and is nearly inexhaustible. Although the sealing chains were forged from the ancient treasure ‘Nine Nether Cold Iron’, which is specifically designed to counter fire, they have been eroded by the demon flame over the years. In addition, after the fall of the Primordial Master, the boundary lock’s enhancement to it has weakened, and its power is not as great as before.”

He pointed to the core of the seal:
"Its weakest point is not the Ape Lord's true form—a demigod's body, which we cannot easily break through—but the connecting points of the sealing chains, especially the points corresponding to the three eroded boundary markers! The Demon Flame is using this as a breakthrough point, attacking from both inside and outside, attempting to completely melt the chains!"

“The most urgent task,” Li Jing’an said with piercing eyes, “is to reinforce these three boundary markers immediately! If we can temporarily isolate the demonic flames from eroding the nodes, the sealing power can be kept safe for the time being, buying us more time.”

Yu Xingshui nodded slightly, her fingertips lightly touching the illusory image on the mirror plate. The image of the eroded boundary marker was magnified, and the dark red demonic flames flowing through the spiderweb-like cracks seemed to carry a scorching aura.

“Elder Li is absolutely right. Reinforcing the boundary marker requires materials that are extremely cold, pure, and contain powerful ‘order’ energy as the core, supplemented by specific ‘Demon-Sealing and Flame-Suppressing’ array patterns. My Soul Diagram Pavilion can provide the array diagram and the ability to guide star power for positioning.” She changed the subject, her delicate eyebrows furrowing again, “However, this Blazing Bone Ape Marquis is ferocious and cunning. Although it is trapped, it is not an inanimate object. When we reinforce the boundary marker, its demonic flames will surely launch a frenzied counterattack, and it may even forcibly condense a clone projection to impact and interfere. At that time, we need an extremely powerful force to directly withstand its attack, buying time and space for the reinforcement.”

Although her words did not explicitly name him, her gaze had already subtly fallen upon Chu Ning. This "supreme power" could only belong to the new Pavilion Master, who possessed the Five-Patterned Soul Lock and held the authority of the Realm Lock.

Chu Ning stared at the map and images, silent, her fingertips unconsciously tapping lightly on the armrest of her seat, producing a rhythmic sound.

The pressure was immense, but it only made his thoughts clearer and more focused.

"Reinforcing the boundary markers is imperative," he said in a deep voice. "Elder Li, you are in charge of the necessary materials. Use all the resources in the pavilion to prepare them as quickly as possible!" His words were filled with an unquestionable determination.

"I entrust the array diagram and star power guidance to Pavilion Master Yu." He looked at Yu Xingshui, "Make sure to ensure that nothing goes wrong."

Finally, his gaze, sharp as a knife, pierced the illusory image of the giant ape at the core of the seal:
"As for directly confronting its demonic flames and clone projections..." Chu Ning slowly raised his palm, the five-patterned Soul Lock glowing with a deep, vast, and powerful aura, intimately connected to this world, quietly spreading out, "...I will personally oversee it!"

A glint of light flashed in both Li Jing'an's and Yu Xingshui's eyes.

Chu Ning's sense of responsibility and courage were on full display at this moment.

"However," Chu Ning's tone shifted again, tinged with icy killing intent, "reinforcing the seal is merely a temporary measure, treating the symptoms but not the root cause. This Blazing Bone Ape Marquis is a major threat; if he is not eliminated, this realm will never be at peace!"

He looked at the two of them: "Does Yipin Pavilion have any method to completely annihilate this demigod?"

Yu Xingshui's voice carried an unprecedented solemnity:
"Our Soul Map Pavilion spent a huge amount of money to trace back the energy trajectory left in the core area of ​​the Rift Valley at that time. That battle... was far more intense than imagined, and even the laws of space were briefly distorted. Ape Marquis's 'World-Burning Demon Flame'... seems to be more than just a fire of destruction. It also contains a terrifying characteristic of 'filth' and 'assimilation,' which can erode spiritual power, corrupt the soul, and even distort the will! The fall of the Primordial Master is probably related to his soul being eroded by the demon flame and the backlash of the power of the boundary lock."

She looked at Chu Ning with a meaningful gaze, "The Pavilion Master possesses a five-patterned Soul Lock, and his position is secure, but he must be extremely cautious when facing such filthy demonic flames, and must never allow them to invade the core of the Soul Lock!"

Upon hearing this, Chu Ning's pupils contracted slightly.

"Filth...assimilation...corrosion of the soul..."

These words are like nails to the soul.

(End of this chapter)