The Record of Exterminating Evil from Ashes

The wind suddenly stopped, and the earth trembled slightly.

The evening breeze of the abandoned city by the river seemed to be cut off by an invisible hand, freezing the turbid air, the calmed hearts, and the tamed demons in an instant. Cen Jin stood atop the ruined building, the black and white Daoist aura flowing around him suddenly becoming chaotic, and a fine yet piercing cracking sound came from the depths of his Qi Sea.

The crack in the heavens that had been quietly spreading suddenly expanded wildly after Xuan Ye Zun revealed the secret of heaven with a single sentence.

Inch by inch, the Dao was severed, severing the perfect cycle of the universe. It forcibly tore open an irreversible gap in the balanced foundation of his Dao, which he had painstakingly cultivated over two years, day and night. The flow of black and white energy became stagnant, the positive yang Dao aura dimmed slightly, and the hidden demonic Dao patterns stirred restlessly, waiting for an opportunity to rise.

He finally understood the cruelest truth.

He thought he was breaking the deadlock, mending the wounds of humanity, and reshaping the righteous path of heaven and earth. In reality, every move he made, every time he used the power of the Zhou Tian to harmonize good and evil and soothe the scars of the chaotic world, was to fill the cracks in the collapse of heaven and earth for Xuan Ye Zun. The devastation of humanity, the imbalance of heaven and earth, and the eternal gaps in the Dao were forbidden zones of the Heavenly Dao that the Demon Lord could not personally touch. Only he, with his unique Zhou Tian Dao Seed, could gently repair and perfectly close the loop with the power of his own heart.

His redemption is the other person's fulfillment.

His compassion became the deepest shackle of destiny.

Below the city, the four disciples who had vanquished evil remained frozen in place, their eyes filled with shock and bewilderment. The Blackwater Demon General, prostrate on the ground, also bowed his head obediently, awaiting the new Dao's command. None of them noticed the turbulent undercurrents above the nine heavens, nor did they know that behind the grace of establishing the Dao lay a deadly crisis of the Dao seed being quietly devoured.

Cen Jin lowered his eyes, concealing the momentary coldness and melancholy in them.

His Dao heart was in turmoil, but his true nature remained steadfast. Though cracks remained, his Dao foundation had not collapsed, and the game was not yet over. Since benevolent redemption would only serve to benefit others, he would henceforth choose a different path.

Without mending the sky, without filling the gaps, without following the will of Heaven, there is no perfection.

From then on, his path of balance was solely for protecting people, not for conforming to the will of Heaven; solely for breaking the deadlock, not for fulfilling others' wishes.

"Gentlemen, please guard this place, protect the people, and quell the turmoil in this region."

Cen Jin's voice remained calm and steady, showing no sign of internal injury. He spoke softly to the crowd below the city, "From now on, in the border region, demons will not harm the people and everyone can live in peace. Cultivators will not deceive mortals or kill indiscriminately, and that is following my new path."

The four disciples bowed deeply, their hearts completely subdued. What they had just seen and heard had overturned their lifelong obsession with cultivation. Compared to the corrupt rules of infighting within the sect, this new path that protected all living beings and embraced both good and evil was the true righteous way back.

The Blackwater Demon bowed its head, its massive body trembling slightly, accepting its promise to guard the border city with the most ancient and respectful gesture of the demon realm. After being cleansed by Cen Jin's Daoist aura, it broke free from its ferocious instincts and shed its evil nature, finally escaping its demonic fate and finding a sliver of peace.

Having settled the mess in the border town, Cen Jin did not linger.

With a flick of his sleeves, he rose into the air, shedding all his gentle and peaceful demeanor, his figure as upright as a solitary peak, speeding towards the depths of the sea of ​​clouds in the Demon-Slaying Mountains. The devastation along the river was merely the tip of the iceberg of human chaos. To truly end the catastrophe and escape the predetermined fate, one must ultimately return to the source of all conflict.

Only by confronting the undercurrents within the mountain gates and dismantling the ancient stalemate can we truly protect humanity and safeguard our true selves.

On the return journey, the demonic fog in the sky grew thicker and heavier, pressing down and dyeing the entire sky a dark gray-black. The thin moonlight struggled to penetrate the black fog, its pale light icy and devoid of any warmth. The balance of good and evil in the world was completely disrupted; the righteous spiritual energy was dwindling day by day, while the yin and evil turbid energy spread everywhere, and the vast land exuded a deathly desolation as if the end of the world was approaching.

After traveling for a hundred miles beyond the Zhuxie Mountains, the sea of ​​clouds ahead suddenly changed.

The once clear and swirling sea of ​​clouds in the mountains instantly surged and gathered, piling up layer upon layer and rising into the sky. The white, boundless clouds blotted out the sun and completely blocked the path to the main peak. From the depths of the sea of ​​clouds, spiritual light appeared, and ancient and complex restriction patterns slowly floated. The obscure and heavy array pressure spread out in all directions, forcefully isolating all outsiders who might try to spy or trespass.

  Remember us, 101kanshu.com

The sea of ​​clouds conceals the formation, and the mist shrouds the mountain gate.

This is not the inherent protective formation of the Exorcising Evil Division, but a high-level restriction that was temporarily activated. It is hidden in the sea of ​​clouds, invisible and traceless, with hidden killing intent. Once an ordinary cultivator steps into it, he will be swallowed by the sea of ​​clouds and strangled by the formation's power, leaving no trace of his body.

Clearly, the pro-war faction at the mountain gate had anticipated his return and deliberately set up a cloud sea maze to block the main passage of the mountain gate, intending to keep him out and secretly plot an attack.

They dared not confront Cen Jin, who held the Demon-Suppressing Token and was in charge of the New Life Path, so they used formations to surround him and clouds to block him, attempting to delay the opportunity, secretly fabricate charges, and gather forces to definitively label him a heretic and evil traitor, so as to legitimately surround and eliminate him.

"Blocking mountains and roads, concealing one's true intentions and hiding one's true feelings."

Cen Jin stood before the sea of ​​clouds, his gaze clear and cold, seeing through all the schemes in an instant. "Not daring to confront them in court, only daring to ambush them from outside the formation, their corrupt and stubborn nature will ultimately prevent them from attaining the Great Dao."

The layers of clouds rolled endlessly, the array power grew increasingly violent, and faint thunder rumbled, concealing countless killing restrictions. Ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators, or even Golden Core cultivators, who entered this place would have their spiritual power torn apart and their Dao foundations destroyed in an instant by the array power of the cloud sea.

But Cen Jin was not afraid in the slightest.

He raised his hand and slowly took out the talisman he kept close to his body.

The black and white interwoven patterns shimmered under the moonlight, the golden light of the sun heavy and ancient, the scarlet demonic patterns dark and profound. The two completely contradictory auras were perfectly balanced and intertwined. Having undergone several changes and refinements, this waist token was no longer just a simple token of the righteous path. It had completely coexisted with his Great Dao of Balance, bearing the power of the transition between the old and new paths. It could break old formations, suppress old rules, and lead new paths.

hum-

The waist tag trembled slightly in mid-air, and a clear, melodious sound echoed through the mountains and fields, piercing through layers of clouds and mist.

The previously raging, sealing cloud formation trembled violently. The restrictive patterns that filled the void melted away layer by layer, dimming and fading, upon encountering the Daoist aura of the waist token. The orthodox authority of the thousand-year-old sect suppressed all privately set formations. No matter how the pro-war faction secretly activated the formation's power, it was ultimately a heretical and vulnerable approach before the orthodox Daoist aura of the evil-suppressing waist token.

The sea of ​​clouds slowly dispersed to both sides, and the thick fog layer carved out a straight and clear path through the clouds.

The clouds dispersed and the fog lifted, revealing a path to the heavens.

The mountain gate restrictions hidden deep within the sea of ​​clouds were completely rendered ineffective, and the hidden killing intent, ambushes, and schemes were all neutralized by the Daoist aura of the waist token.

Cen Jin stepped into the air, steadily moving forward along the path in the center of the sea of ​​clouds. His aura was restrained and deeply concealed. Even though the cracks in his celestial body had not yet healed and his foundation was secretly incomplete, his posture remained as steady as a mountain, stepping on the clouds step by step, neither hurried nor slow.

Passing through the barrier of clouds, the entire view of the Demon-Slaying Peak suddenly comes into view.

The once solemn and majestic thousand-year-old mountain gate is now filled with chaotic spiritual energy and somber atmosphere. Along the mountain paths, cultivators hurry to and fro, their expressions tense, sword energy crisscrossing, and the chilling atmosphere of factional confrontation permeates the entire gate. The pro-war disciples stand in formation, menacing, while the defensive disciples are cautious and prepared, ready for battle. Undercurrents surge between the two factions, swords are drawn, and only a trigger is needed for a full-blown internal conflict.

At the summit of the main peak, the council hall was filled with spiritual light, and dozens of ancient and imposing cultivators swirled in the air, layer upon layer sealing off the four sides of the hall. All the elders of the mountain gate were gathered, each holding their own opinion and arguing endlessly. Their vast divine senses swept across the entire mountain gate, and finally locked onto the direction of the cloud sea passage, staring intently at Cen Jin who was riding on the clouds.

"They're here."

An old, cold voice resounded from the depths of the main hall, piercing through the clamor of the mountains and spreading across the surrounding wilderness.

"Disregarding the affairs of the mountain gate, he has roamed the mountain on his own, arbitrarily altering the ancient rules governing good and evil, befriending demons and finding peace in evil, thus disrupting the order of the human realm. This child's heart is skewed, his actions rebellious, and he has completely fallen into the evil path!"

"Holding the ancestral master's inheritance token, instead of upholding righteousness and eliminating evil, he indulges in demonic possession and condones the source of calamity, secretly raising demonic siblings and eroding the righteous energy of humanity. Today, we will show no leniency; we will abolish his cultivation, confiscate his token, and uphold the sect's rules!"

The voices of the elders piled up in layers, carrying immense pressure as they pressed down from the sky, attempting to completely crush this newcomer and variable with their seniority, rules, and authority.

Amidst the chorus of condemnation, faint voices of rebuttal quietly arose. A few elders and disciples of the conservative faction secretly spoke up for Cen Jin, recounting his achievements in bringing peace to the people and quelling the chaos after descending the mountain, and questioning the bias of the old regulations. However, they were ultimately outnumbered and their voices were quickly drowned out by the overwhelming condemnation.

With factions out of balance and the old forces overwhelming, Cen Jin now appears to be the antithesis of the entire righteous path of exterminating evil.

Faced with overwhelming pressure and rebukes, Cen Jin remained calm, showing no fear or panic.

He descended from the clouds, standing alone beneath the thousand-step jade platform of the main hall, facing the old forces of the entire mountain gate. Though slender, his figure was as imposing as a mountain; his eyes were clear, yet they pierced through a thousand years of illusion.

"The rules of the sect, whether right or wrong, are determined by human nature."

Cen Jin raised his eyes, his voice clear and steady, piercing through the noise of the hall, each word resounding as he spoke, "The ancient rules, which judge good and evil by bloodline and determine good and evil by birth, bind the hearts of cultivators and imprison the lives of ordinary people. Seeing the country fall and the people displaced, they still cling to dogma and talk about righteousness in vain. Such a righteous path is vain and useless, and should have been abolished long ago."

"I traveled thousands of miles down the mountain and witnessed firsthand the devastation of the world. The old ways were filled with endless killings and strife, yet they never brought an end to the calamities or protected peace. Therefore, I established a new way: good and evil reside in the heart, righteousness and wickedness are manifested in actions, those who protect the people are righteous, and those who bring disaster to the world are wicked."

"Today I return to the mountain with my badge, not to seize power or defy the mountain gate, but to abolish the corrupt old rules, establish the righteous path for all people, stop the infighting among men, and quell the chaos of demons in the world."

His words were frank and straightforward, directly addressing the ills of the old ways.

On the jade platform, the elders' faces were ashen, their anger surging, yet they were momentarily speechless. They knew the old ways were biased, but they clung to their power and convictions, unwilling to break the millennia-old rules, unwilling to relinquish their established authority.

"Sharp-tongued and deceitful, you're just trying to mislead the masses!" The leading elder roared angrily, his sleeves billowing out a powerful aura of a Golden Core cultivator. "Without the old rules, where is the righteous path? Without distinguishing between good and evil, where is peace? Tolerating demons is like raising a tiger to cause trouble. If we don't eliminate you today, tomorrow the entire mortal realm will be turned into a demon domain!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand and grabbed at the air. Several binding chains burst forth, their spiritual light chilling and their killing intent fierce, directly locking Cen Jin's limbs and meridians, intending to forcibly capture him into the hall, destroy his Dao foundation, and strip him of his inheritance.

Cen Jin neither dodged nor avoided; the waist token in his palm suddenly rose into the air, and the black and white Daoist charm burst forth.

The grappling techniques of a dignified Golden Core elder instantly froze in mid-air and shattered inch by inch before the authority of the Great Dao in its transition from the old to the new. The chilling chains turned into countless fragments of spiritual light, dissipating into nothingness, and the domineering pressure was disintegrated layer by layer, scattering to nothingness.

With this card in hand, one can suppress the elders of the mountain gate and break the age-old rules.

The entire hall fell into a sudden, deathly silence. The angry shouts ceased, and countless eyes were fixed on Cen Jin and the waist token floating in mid-air, filled with shock, fear, complex emotions, and disbelief.

Just as the old and new righteous paths were locked in a standoff and the stalemate at the mountain gate was taking shape, the shattered wooden box in Cen Jin's arms suddenly became scalding hot. Cen Wantang, who had been silent inside the box, suddenly became restless, and a faint scarlet demonic light pierced through the wooden box and quietly overflowed.

At the same time, the cracks in the depths of his Qi Sea began to ache again, and the black and white Dao Foundation began to be quietly pulled and slowly peeled away by an invisible force.

Even more terrifying, deep within the crossbeams of the council hall, an ancient jade disc, sealed for a thousand years, slowly glowed with a dim red light, untouched and unactivated, faintly reflecting the incomplete state of Cen Jin's Qi Sea.

A faint, cold, unfamiliar whisper followed the patterns on the jade disc, silently filling the entire Demon-Slaying Peak:

"The waist token leads the way back to the mountain, the seed of the Way appears in the world... The chessboard of a thousand years has finally come to an end."