The Record of Exterminating Evil from Ashes

Crimson light pierced the clouds as the divine core fell to the ground.

The earth's veins in the thousand-mile-long miasma forest cracked, and a crimson pillar of light pierced through layers of rock and soil, piercing the sky. The demon lord's divine core, dormant for millennia, sealed by countless layers of heaven and earth, and patiently accumulating power within a chessboard, finally emerged completely into the world. The divine core was as translucent as blood jade, flowing with the vast and ancient essence of the demonic path. It hovered above the miasma forest, slowly rotating. With each pulse, it drew upon the spiritual energy channels of the entire mortal realm, vibrating the fundamental order of all things in heaven and earth.

In an instant, mountains and rivers resonated, and all paths trembled.

All the cultivators of the Demon-Slaying Mountains looked up at the crimson light that stretched across the heavens and earth, and a profound sense of awe and fear arose in their hearts. It was the innate core of destiny that surpassed all cultivation, techniques, and spiritual hearts in the mortal world; it was the true ultimate trump card in Xuan Ye Zun's eternal chess game.

Inside the secluded valley of the Sword Tomb, Cen Jin's gaze suddenly sharpened.

He could clearly sense the terrifying pressure after the divine core was born, and he could also perceive that the demon lord's origin within Wan Tang's body was resonating wildly and rapidly recovering. The girl's shoulders trembled slightly, the blood-red core pattern that had faded between her brows reappeared faintly, and a cold and indifferent ancient consciousness quietly awakened deep in her eyes, constantly impacting her hard-won and stable human heart.

"Tangtang, calm down."

Cen Jin immediately suppressed his relaxed Daoist aura, raised his hand to form the Balance and Guardian Seal, and the warm black and white Daoist power enveloped Wan Tang in layers, isolating her from the remote pull of the divine core. Having gone through four trials against fate and been covered in blood, his Daoist heart was already as firm as a rock, but he still dared not be the slightest bit lax in the face of this ancient divine core.

With the appearance of the divine core, destiny has completely broken free from its constraints.

He reached the top four times, breaking the rules of the game, defying the natural order, and stabilizing people's hearts, but he could never completely sever the fundamental cause and effect rooted deep in the years.

Amidst the black mist of the nine heavens, Xuan Ye Zun stood in the void, his black robes fluttering, his expression indifferent and unwavering. He silently surveyed the turbulent mountains and rivers below, gazing upon the perfectly manifested Demon Lord's Divine Core, his eyes devoid of joy, only filled with a cold, resolute certainty. The prologue to this ancient scheme had ended; the true final act of the game had officially begun.

"The divine core returns to the world, and the original cycle is closed."

He spoke softly, his voice resounding throughout the land, "Humanity's brief resistance is ultimately no match for the eternal cycle of fate. Cen Jin, you can protect humanity for a time, but you cannot protect all living beings for eternity."

As soon as he finished speaking, the black mist slowly dissipated, and Xuan Ye Zun's figure completely disappeared into the void, no longer appearing to interfere. However, he left all the boundless pressure to the mortal world, leaving the entire mountain sect and the entire mortal realm to bear the heavy pressure of their impending destiny alone.

The crimson pillar of light between heaven and earth slowly receded, eventually merging into the blood jade divine core suspended above the miasma forest. The divine core hovered silently, emanating a faint demonic aura, neither rampant nor murderous, yet it tightly restrained Wan Tang's soul, becoming an unparalleled sword hanging over the mortal realm.

What appears to be calm is actually a crisis brewing.

Cen Jin knew that the current brief peace was merely the calm before the storm. With the divine core fully revealed, the shackles of destiny were complete. From now on, the game would no longer require trials, human calculations, or the restoration of order in the world. All that was needed was to wait for the origin to fully awaken, and it could overturn the world on its own.

He broke through the impasse four times, won the hearts of the people, and united the two paths, seemingly holding an immense advantage, yet he was still in a passive position. The new path was newly established, and although people's hearts were united, there were no rules to bind them or any precepts to restrain them. If they were to encounter temptations or dangers again on the road ahead, the hard-won sincerity among people could still crumble.

Without rules, there can be no path; without discipline, there can be no mind.

To resist the eternal destiny and stabilize the new order in the human world, we must first solidify the foundation of the temple, stabilize people's hearts with precepts, correct the path with standards, and record the great way in books.

"Return to the main peak."

Cen Jin sheathed his sword, took Wan Tang's small hand, and with his upright posture, rose into the air on the breeze, flying straight towards the sacrificial altar on the main peak of the Demon-Slaying Mountain. Having undergone countless trials, he was no longer merely a Daoist who broke through the odds, but the sole wielder of the new path in the mortal world, the one whom countless hearts yearned for.

  

At this moment, on the main peak of the Demon-Slaying Sect, everyone stood solemnly and remained completely silent.

The two groups of cultivators, one new and one old, stood neatly on either side, without any commotion or agitation. All eyes were focused on the white-clad figure returning from the sky. The achievement of reaching the summit four times, the resolute act of protecting the path with blood, and the spirit of defying fate had already won everyone's complete admiration.

The Grand Elder and a group of elders stood solemnly before the altar, their expressions dignified and respectful. They had shed the prejudices of the old ways and were filled with awe and recognition for the new way.

Upon seeing Cen Jin land, thousands of cultivators bowed in unison, their voices deep and resonant: "Welcome back to the Dao Lord!"

A mountain wind howled, causing his white robes to flutter wildly. Cen Jin stood atop the highest point of the sacrificial altar, his gaze sweeping over the densely packed disciples below. His eyes were clear and bright as he said in a deep voice, "The fourth trial is over. The prologue to the game has ended. The origin of destiny has manifested in the world. The road ahead for mortals is uncertain."

"Previously, there were constant disputes, factional divisions, and restlessness among the people, all because there were no orthodox rules, no precepts for conduct, and no principles for guarding the mind. The old precepts of the Way were too harsh in their killing and too biased, and were no longer in line with the great Way of the world. From today onwards, the evil-slaying mountain gate will abolish the old rules, establish a new register, establish the Five Precepts, and inscribe the Way in our hearts."

As soon as he finished speaking, the mountains fell silent, and everyone listened intently.

With the old and new paths united and people's hearts aligned, a completely new set of precepts and laws is needed to regulate the words and deeds of the sect and restrain the cultivators' hearts, so that the new path is no longer an empty concept, but a legitimate path that can be upheld, followed, and passed down for generations.

Cen Jin raised his hand and gestured in mid-air, gathering pure Daoist energy at his fingertips, transforming it into a translucent, jade-like Daoist book phantom that hovered in mid-air above the sacrificial altar. The book was blank, awaiting the inscription of the Great Dao and the establishment of the sect's rules.

He did not follow the old ways of killing and killing, nor did he adhere to the rigid rules of the ancient schools. He established the new Five Precepts of the Way based on his own four trials of the Way, the resonance of all hearts, and the great righteousness of humanity. Every word came from his heart, and every rule was in line with the Great Way.

Cen Jin's voice was deep and powerful, each word resounding throughout the entire Demon-Slaying Mountains, etched into the heavens and earth:

"The first precept of the new way: not to adhere to good or evil."

There is no absolute good or evil in the world, and no biased right or wrong in the Way. Do not punish those who are different according to old rules, do not judge right and wrong according to personal feelings, allow light and darkness to coexist, embrace all aspects of the world, and maintain a balanced mind.

This precept breaks the century-old biases of the old path, resolves the dilemma of the opposition between good and evil, and forms the foundation of the new path's balance and righteousness.

"The second commandment of the new way: Do not deceive people's hearts."

"A cultivator's conduct is based on sincerity. He does not use righteousness for personal gain, nor does he use his power to bully the weak, nor does he confuse the obsessions of sentient beings, nor does he chill the sincerity of humanity. He guards his pure heart and acts with integrity."

This precept aims to prevent the hypocrisy and deceit of figures like Shen Qingyan, eradicate selfishness and chaos within the sect, and solidify the foundation of the Great Way that unites all people.

"The third commandment of the new way: Do not abandon warmth and compassion."

"The Great Dao transcends warmth and coldness, and cultivation does not abandon human feelings. One should not easily abandon one's blood relatives, nor should one ignore the lives of ordinary people. One should kill with restraint and protect with heart, and not be a heartless Daoist or a cold-blooded cultivator."

This precept is to protect the bond between him and Wan Tang, to preserve the warmth and humanity of the world, and to break free from the cruel fate of this game of chess.

The fourth precept of the new path: Do not avoid danger and hardship.

"The road ahead is fraught with peril, and calamity is imminent. Cultivators must stand up to protect the world, undaunted by danger, undaunted by power, and undaunted by destiny. They must dare to suppress evil, shoulder difficulties, and break through any predicament."

This precept establishes the spirit of the sect, defines the responsibilities of its members, and ensures that all members of the new sect are protectors of the world, not those who shun it.

"The fifth precept of the new path: Do not stray from your original mind."

"No matter where you are in illusions, people's words, the rules of heaven and earth, or the eternal game of chess, always adhere to your original Dao heart, do not be tempted by profit, do not be changed by calamity, do not be altered by fate. If your original heart is not extinguished, your Dao path will be immortal."

The Five Precepts were set in order, each word shining with golden light, and were all engraved into the Taoist book in mid-air.

The blank Daoist book instantly shone brightly, the five precepts were clearly and neatly arranged, and the aura of the Great Dao was naturally formed, transforming into the eternal iron law of the mountain gate, hanging high above the sacrificial altar, illuminating every member of the Exorcising Evil Sect.

With the Five Precepts fulfilled, a new path was established.

The thousands of cultivators gazed silently at the hanging Dao book, their restlessness and confusion vanishing. Previously, they only knew to follow the Dao Master, but did not know what the new Dao was or the meaning of cultivation. Today, with the Five Precepts engraved in their hearts, they finally understood their own path and the principles of conduct.

The last vestiges of the old and new paths completely dissolved, and the century-long factional strife came to an end. Everyone bowed their heads, sincerely accepted the precepts, and deeply imprinted the Five Precepts of the Great Way into their hearts.

"We will strictly abide by the precepts of the Dao Master, uphold the Five Precepts, maintain our original intentions, protect humanity, and follow the new Dao!"

The unified oath resounded through mountains and rivers, sincere and boundless, soaring to the heavens, resonating with the merits of heaven and earth, so that the new path of humanity would be thoroughly and eternally established, truly taking root in the eternal mortal world.

The Grand Elder gazed at the hanging Daoist scriptures, his aged eyes filled with tears, and bowed deeply: "From this day forward, the Demon-Slaying Sect sheds its old shell and dons a new one, for all eternity, it will follow only the new Dao!"

The temple gate is established, the five precepts are engraved in our hearts, the lineage of the Way is unified, and the human heart is strengthened.

Cen Jin stood quietly on the high platform, gazing at the scene below where the masses were united and the lineage was secure, his heart filled with clarity and peace. Through four trials, he had broken through the impasse; today, he established his precepts, defining his path and founding his sect. The Great Dao of Balance was no longer a solitary obsession, but a righteous path upheld by countless people.

Wan Tang stood obediently beside him, looking up at the Daoist book that shimmered with golden light, and said softly, "Brother's rules are very good, and Tang Tang will also abide by them well."

Cen Jin lowered his eyes and gently ruffled her hair. His eyes were full of tenderness, but his heart was filled with seriousness.

He established five precepts, secured the mountain gate, and unified the hearts of the people. It seemed perfect and stable, but in reality, it was all passive defense. No matter how prosperous the new path became or how united the people were, it was ultimately the power of the human world. The demon lord's divine core hanging overhead, the chess player hidden in the void, and the destiny that had been closed for eternity never truly faded away.

Just as the sect's lineage was fully formed, the crimson divine core suspended above the thousand-mile-long miasma forest suddenly trembled violently.

The originally dormant and gentle demonic origin suddenly surged, and the crimson radiance swept across thousands of miles of mountains and rivers, forcefully penetrating the protective light barrier of the new Dao precepts, and landing remotely on the Dao book of the main peak of the Demon Extermination Peak.

Clang—!

The golden light of the Daoist book trembled violently, and the five newly formed precept patterns were instantly stained with blood, their brightness fluctuating.

An even more terrifying phenomenon suddenly descended: on the ancient divine core, a phantom figure with the exact same appearance as Cen Jin, but entirely scarlet and with indifferent eyes, slowly emerged.

The illusory figure stood within the divine core, overlooking the entire mountain gate, and spoke indifferently, its voice cold and hollow, resounding throughout heaven and earth:

"You uphold the Five Precepts of the Human Realm and guard your original heart in the mortal world, but little do you know that the closed loop of destiny has always required a twin Dao Master."

As soon as he finished speaking, the incomplete Dao Seed deep within Cen Jin's Qi Sea suddenly throbbed with pain. The black and white Dao Patterns reversed wildly, and a blood-red Dao Seed phantom, hidden for countless ages and originating from the same source as the Demon Lord's divine core, was quietly awakening in the deepest part of his Dao Heart.