The Longevity Family: Starting from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor

The massive fireball containing the entire Molten Core now pulsated with a deep and terrifying rhythm, like an ancient heart awakening. The dark gray "reverse-time" mist covering its surface was no longer calm; it frantically contracted and converged towards the core area, as if being squeezed and compressed by an invisible giant hand. The gray mist, which originally covered 30% of the area, shrank to less than one-tenth of its original size in just a few breaths, condensing in a relatively concave "fire eye" area on the eastern side of the Molten Core.

That area was now completely shrouded in a thick, ink-like, twisting, and writhing dark gray-black mist, emanating a chilling aura of evil and decay, as well as a vast pressure surpassing that of ordinary Taiyi Jade Immortals. Deep within the mist, two crimson lights, as large as houses, slowly lit up—the eyes of Shi Shi!

"Han—Mu—!"

A roar brimming with boundless rage, resentment, and chilling killing intent, like the combined screams of countless wronged souls, erupted from the deepest part of the black mist, instantly engulfing the entire Molten Core region. The terrifying sound wave, mixed with the Dao of "Reversal," caused strange ripples in space wherever it passed, dimming and distorting even the eternally burning flames, as if time itself was wailing.

Han Mu and his three companions, who had just rendezvoused with the Bone Dragon, were the first to be hit. Zhou Meng grunted, the "Time" mark on his forehead flashing wildly, automatically activating a layer of gray-white light to protect his entire body, but he was still shaken by the will contained in the sonic wave, his face turning pale and a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. Bai Ling swayed slightly, her eyes still cold, but the veins on the back of her hand gripping the sword bulged. Luo Feng even coughed up a small mouthful of blood, his face deathly pale, his legs weak, and he cried out, "My goodness! That old monster's roar is worse than my stomach upset!"

Only Han Mu remained steadfast as a mountain, his robes fluttering in the wind, but his gaze was extremely solemn. This oppressive aura had definitely reached the peak of the Taiyi Jade Immortal realm, and even... faintly touched the threshold of the Great Luo Loose Immortal realm! This was not only the power of Shi Shi's true form, but also included the remaining power of the entire "Reverse Time Array," as well as the portion of the Molten Core's essence that had been forcibly extracted and corrupted! At this moment, in this core lair that he had cultivated and arranged, Shi Shi could be considered half a "pseudo-Great Luo"!

"My lord, this old monster is fighting desperately! He's forcibly shrinking the great formation, gathering all his power into one body. He's going to either succeed or die trying!" Zhou Meng gritted his teeth and transmitted his voice.

"I know," Han Mu said calmly, his gaze piercing through the void to meet the two crimson giant eyes deep within the black mist. "He has no way out. The array's core is destroyed, the key has been taken, and his divine sense is backfiring. If he doesn't take me down while he still has his last bit of power, he'll be completely finished. So, this is his final act of madness."

"Han Mu, you little thief! I spent ten thousand years painstakingly setting up this 'Reverse Time Rebirth Array,' stealing the essence of molten fire and nurturing the 'Lotus of Time,' all to refine the 'Seed of Time' that could help me break through to the Great Luo realm and reach the throne of the 'Time Venerable'! Now all of this has been destroyed by you!" The hoarse and crazed voice of the Eclipse's true form rang out again. Black mist churned, vaguely revealing the outline of a thousand-foot-tall, indistinct dark gray giant. Between the giant's brows, a twisted hourglass mark was spinning wildly, drawing out the corrupted essence of molten fire from the fire eye below.

"Today, I will use you, the variable possessing the 'Origin,' as a sacrifice, the remnant array as a furnace, and molten fire as fuel, to forcibly refine everything about you and complete my Dao Fruit! Even if my foundation is damaged, the 'Time Lord' will help me rebuild it one day!" Eclipse roared, and the dark gray giant raised an arm made entirely of "Reversed" gray mist and dark red magma, grabbing fiercely at Han Mu's location!

"The Power of Reversing Time—A Tragedy for All Ages!"

Boom! The gigantic hand blotted out the sky, and within its palm, countless fragments of time seemed to shatter, wail, and flow backward, forming a dark vortex that devoured everything. Wherever it passed, space was annihilated inch by inch, and even light could not escape! This grab contained the terrifying power of Shi Shi's lifelong cultivation, the remnants of the great formation, and the essence of molten fire. Its power had already surpassed the realm of Taiyi Jade Immortals and was infinitely close to the attack of a true Great Luo Loose Immortal!

Under such immense pressure, the Bone Dragon groaned in agony, its protective shield flickering erratically. Zhou Meng, Bai Ling, and Luo Feng wore expressions of despair; this attack was beyond their comprehension and even resistance.

Han Mu closed his eyes at this moment. The three fragments of the "Key of Time" that had just begun to fuse within him seemed to be stimulated by the terrifying pressure of Eclipse, which was almost at the level of a Great Luo Immortal, and the fusion speed suddenly accelerated! A strange power that was far more profound and primordial than before, and seemed to be able to communicate with the long river of time of all heavens, was born and flowed in his dantian.

He brought up the system panel and quickly scanned it.

Name: Han Mu

[True Realm: Late Stage (Peak) of Taiyi Jade Immortal]

[Time Law: 92% (The three fragments are initially fusing, accelerating their integration under external pressure)]

[Status: Good. "Key of Time" (incomplete) is initially activated, granting the passive ability "Projection of the River of Time" (weak) and the active ability "Anchoring the Present" (basic).]

[Celestial Aura: -4700 points]

[System Prompt: A fatal threat beyond the current level has been detected facing the host. The incomplete instinct of the "Key of Time" has activated, attempting to connect to a tributary of the River of Time... Connection successful! Temporary buff gained: Temporary +3% to the understanding of the laws of time; can use the "Time Anchor" ability once (temporarily anchors oneself or an attack to a safe/favorable point in the past/future). Warning: This ability consumes a huge amount of resources and places a heavy burden on the incomplete key; after use, the key will enter a brief period of dormancy.]

Just as the colossal hand was about to descend and crush Han Mu along with the Bone Dragon, Han Mu opened his eyes. His eyes were no longer gray; instead, they reflected a dazzling, ethereal river that seemed to stretch across the past, present, and future!

"Anchor—now!"

Han Mu extended a finger and gently touched the descending giant hand.

There was no earth-shattering explosion, no dazzling confrontation. The colossal hand of "Eternal Sorrow," imbued with the power of a Grand Luo Immortal, suddenly froze and stopped less than a hundred feet above Han Mu's head! It wasn't blocked by force, but rather seemed to be forcibly "anchored" to the "present" moment by some higher-level rule involving the very essence of time. It couldn't fall, nor could it be withdrawn, and it remained strangely frozen in mid-air, the dark vortex in its palm ceasing its rotation.

"What?! This is impossible! How could you interfere with the River of Time?!" Deep within the black mist, the Eclipse itself roared in disbelief and fury, and for the first time, horror appeared in its two giant crimson eyes.

"Your 'rebellion' is ultimately just distortion, not control." Han Mu's voice was calm, yet carried an aura of indifference to eternity. "But I have already touched the source."

As he finished speaking, the finger he had pointed out did not retract; instead, it slowly traced a line across the frozen giant hand. "Origin—Return to Nothingness."

A sliver of grayish-white light emanated from his fingertip and disappeared into the solidified giant hand. The next moment, the thousand-foot-tall giant hand, composed of "rebellious" gray mist and molten lava, silently transformed from its fingertip into the most primordial grayish-white particles, collapsing and dissipating like a sand sculpture, leaving no trace.

A single strike, a terrifying divine power almost comparable to that of a Great Luo Immortal, was easily neutralized!

"No—!!" The Eclipse's true form let out an extremely shrill scream, and the entire giant body formed from black mist trembled violently, its aura becoming noticeably disordered and declining. The forcibly gathered power was broken, and the backlash had already begun.

"Your madness ends here." Han Mu took a step forward and walked towards the area of ​​black mist that had been condensed to its extreme. A faint phantom of the river of time surrounded him, making him appear like a god who controlled time.

"Fatty, am I seeing things? The master... wiped away that scary thing?" Luo Feng rubbed his eyes hard, feeling like he was dreaming.

Zhou Meng and Bai Ling exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock and excitement in each other's eyes. It seemed that their master's strength always seemed to unleash an even more terrifying trump card when facing dire situations!

Deep within the black mist, the true form of Eclipse went completely mad. "You forced me to this! Han Mu! I will perish with you! Reverse Time Array—Ultimate Sacrifice! Molten Heart, explode for me!!!"

Rumble! The entire Molten Core fireball began to collapse and contract violently inward, centered on the condensed black mist area! A terrifying energy, destructive enough to severely injure or even kill an ordinary Grand Luo Immortal, was frantically brewing, compressing, and about to erupt!