The Record of Exterminating Evil from Ashes

The Daoist heart is pierced with pain, and twins secretly arise.

On the sacrificial altar at the main peak of the Demon-Slaying Mountain, the lingering echoes of the solemn oaths uttered by the masses had not yet dissipated when the vast and sincere new Dao merits that filled the world suddenly froze. Cen Jin stood atop the high platform, a tearing pain shooting through his chest. Within his Qi Sea, the previously stable but incomplete Zhou Tian Seed Patterns began to surge wildly and reverse without warning. The balanced Dao rhythm of black and white instantly became disordered, and a blinding crimson emanated from the deepest part of his Dao Heart, resonating and subtly echoing the Demon Lord's divine core above the thousand-mile-long miasma forest.

The illusory image of the crimson Dao Seed, which had been hidden for countless ages and had never appeared in the world, finally broke free from its shackles and quietly awakened within his original Dao foundation.

"The Twin Dao Masters..."

Cen Jin silently muttered to himself, instantly discerning the deepest, ultimate calculation in this ancient chess game.

Everyone knows that Wan Tang is the vessel of the eternal demon lord's destiny, the core origin of the closed loop of the game, but no one knows that from the moment the blood ties between the brother and sister were forged, the game was set in an unsolvable twin game. Wan Tang carries the origin of the demon path, while secretly harboring the seeds of humanity; one righteous and one evil, one bright and one dark, one born and one destroyed, the twin lords rely on each other, check and balance each other, and are each other's final game.

Xuan Ye Zun had prepared more than one chess piece. He spent countless ages nurturing two Dao Seeds of the same origin, laying out a twin destiny. No matter how Cen Jin defied fate, broke the game, established the Dao and rules, and won over people's hearts, he could not escape the terrifying truth that he himself was the other half of the closed loop in the game.

High in the sky, the crimson phantom formed from the divine core floated silently, its appearance identical to Cen Jin's, except that its eyes held no trace of human warmth, only an ancient, frozen indifference and desolation. It silently looked down upon the true body on the high platform, who was enduring pain, as if mocking, scrutinizing, or waiting for the final moment to begin.

The golden Dao book formed from the five precepts trembled violently, and the patterns stained by the blood-red demonic energy flickered. Under the impact of the twin destiny, the new iron law of the Dao actually showed subtle cracks and signs of collapse.

Thousands of cultivators tensed up, gazing blankly at the sky. Their cultivation was still shallow, unable to see the awakening of the hidden seed deep within their Dao hearts, but they could clearly sense the sudden change in the atmosphere of heaven and earth, the sudden disruption of the Dao order, and the sudden emergence of danger. The clarity of the mortal realm that had just been stabilized was instantly shrouded in an invisible haze of destiny.

Wan Tang keenly sensed her brother's unusual condition. She tightly gripped Cen Jin's sleeve with her small hand, her brows and eyes filled with worry: "Brother, you're feeling very unwell, aren't you? I can feel it. There's an aura similar to the divine core awakening inside your body."

She possessed the essence of the Demon Lord and was most sensitive to the power of destiny shared by the same origin. At this moment, her unease grew stronger, fearing that her brother would be corrupted by this sudden dark force and repeat the same fate.

Cen Jin suppressed the sharp pain in his chest, forcibly calming the chaotic Dao patterns. The crimson in his eyes vanished instantly, and his expression remained calm and composed. He gently patted Wan Tang's hand and whispered reassuringly, "It's alright, just a backlash from an ancient ailment. It will be fine in a moment."

He did not want his thousands of disciples to fall into panic, nor did he want the newly solidified hearts of the Daoists to waver due to the hidden crisis of their twin destiny. The game had not yet ended, and the chaos had not yet appeared; at this moment, it was most dangerous to lose his composure.

With his mind made up, Cen Jin raised his eyes, his clear gaze once again tinged with composure and majesty, suppressing the restless atmosphere in the room, and spoke in a loud voice: "Destiny is in flux, and the undercurrents have not yet subsided, but the foundation of the new path is solid, and the order of the mountain gate should remain stable."

"With the four trials concluded and the two paths united, the number of disciples at the sect has doubled. New and old disciples are mixed together, their residences are scattered, and the system is disorderly. From today onwards, we will regulate the sect's layout, assign residences, divide areas, and stabilize the hearts of the people, so that all fellow disciples have a place to belong, a place to settle down, and a path to cultivate."

In the current situation, externally, there is the looming presence of a divine core, the watchful eyes of those who hold the reins, and the hidden destiny of twins; internally, there is a mix of old and new disciples, a chaotic cultivation hierarchy, and lurking, unpredictable hidden dangers. Rather than hastily confronting an unknown destiny, it is better to first stabilize the internal affairs of the sect, restore order, and reassure the people, so as to solidify the foundation for dealing with the ensuing catastrophe.

The Grand Elder immediately bowed and accepted the order: "Please instruct me, Lord Dao, on how to divide the domains and how to assign residences?"

Cen Jin's gaze swept across the entire Zhuxie Mountain Range, his mind rapidly sketching out the mountain gate's topography and layout. For a hundred years, the Zhuxie Mountain Gate had revered the main peak, with the direct descendants of the old sect residing on the main peak, the disciples of the collateral sects residing on the side peaks, and the new sect members scattered in the side courtyards at the foot of the mountain. The hierarchy was strict and the distinction between superior and inferior was clear, which was one of the root causes of the factional divisions and the lack of unity among the people in the past.

Today, with the establishment of a new path and the fulfillment of the Five Precepts, we should break down the barriers of rank and status, not distinguish between high and low based on cultivation level, nor differentiate between close and distant based on factions, but only settle down with our original intention and settle down with diligent practice.

"Abolish the old hierarchical system and break down the barriers between the old and new factions' residences." Cen Jin set the tone in a deep voice, each word resounding. "The main peak has the most abundant spiritual energy and the purest Daoist charm, so it shall be designated as the core cultivation area. Regardless of whether one is old or new, or whether one's cultivation level is high, only those with pure hearts and who diligently observe the precepts may reside there."

"The east and west peaks are designated as regular practice residences, where most of the disciples of the mountain gate can meditate, comprehend the Tao, and practice the Tao daily."

"The Lingchuan Villa at the foot of the mountain is designated as a place for training and rest. Those who have returned from their pilgrimages, exorcising evil spirits and bringing peace to the people can stay here to recuperate and rest."

The implementation of these three regulations completely overturned the sect's thousand-year-old traditions and erased all factional barriers. There was no distinction between high and low, noble and base, or between old and new; the only standard of judgment was the five precepts of the new path and a sincere and pure heart.

  

Upon hearing this, all the disciples were shaken, and their hearts were filled with sincere fervor.

In the past, the old path was strictly enforced, with birth, faction, and cultivation level acting as insurmountable barriers. Countless lower-ranking disciples never managed to reach the main peak, and their path of cultivation was fraught with difficulty. Now, the new path is enlightened, with equality for all. One can reside in a spiritual land simply by observing the precepts, and one can advance through diligence. This magnanimous spirit of the Great Dao has completely dispelled the last doubts in the hearts of every disciple.

The group bowed again, their tone even more respectful and sincere: "We humbly obey the Daoist Master's decree!"

In the following days, all members of the Zhuxie Mountain Sect mobilized to orderly organize their residences, relocate courtyards, and divide up cultivation areas.

New and old disciples accompanied and helped each other, without suspicion, exclusion, or strife. The century-old antagonism and barriers completely melted away, and the atmosphere of the entire mountain sect was renewed. The flow of spiritual energy became smoother, the resonance of Daoist principles became richer, people's hearts were at peace, and their Daoist convictions were firm, presenting a prosperous and peaceful scene of cultivation.

Cen Jin did not rush to investigate the blood-red dark seed that had awakened within his body, nor did he rashly touch the demon lord's divine core that was hovering high in the sky.

He knew that the twin destiny was extremely mysterious, and that rashly probing it could easily trigger a complete backlash from the Dao Seed, unleashing the ultimate killing move hidden in the game. Only by first stabilizing the external situation and then consolidating his inner strength could he calmly deal with the crisis ahead.

After all the residences at the mountain gate were assigned, and everyone settled into their places and cultivated in an orderly manner, and the entire mountain returned to peace, Cen Jin led Wan Tang away from the noisy main peak and headed to the most secluded Wuguang Youxia in the back mountain.

The Dark Box in the Back Mountain is an ancient secluded retreat left behind by the Exorcising Evil Sect. This place is isolated from the light of day, shields spiritual energy, and conceals the Daoist essence. It does not attract the prying eyes of heaven and earth, nor does it attract the perception of the chess game. It is the only pure place in the entire sect that can isolate one from the probing of destiny and conceal one's own aura.

Inside the dark box, there was no wind, no birdsong, no flow of spiritual energy, only a deathly silence and chaos. This was exactly the opposite of the power of the ancient chess game to probe, and it could conceal the secrets of heaven, avoid the evil light, and hide the origin.

Choosing this place for seclusion and quiet recuperation was to avoid light, conceal hidden dangers, stabilize the awakened dark blood seed within the body, and at the same time soothe the restless demon lord's essence within Wan Tang's body, avoiding the remote pull of the divine core.

The moment one steps into the Netherworld Box, all the noise, pressure, and probing gazes of destiny from the outside world are shut out. The probing power of the Heaven and Earth Chess Game, the primal pull of the Divine Core, and the gaze of the Void Profound Night Venerable are all blocked by an invisible barrier, unable to penetrate even a fraction.

As Wan Tang stepped into the secluded box, her tense mind, which had been strained for many days, suddenly relaxed. She said softly, "It's so quiet here. I can't hear any of those noises that bothered me."

For days, the Demon Lord's divine core had been constantly pulling at her soul from afar, assimilating her essence and keeping her restless day and night. Now, inside the lightless box, all the constraints had dissipated, finally allowing her a moment of peace.

Cen Jin raised his hand and formed multiple balancing barriers, layer upon layer enveloping the entire Netherworld Box, completely sealing off the flow of internal and external energy, and preventing any external prying or disturbance. After doing all this, he slowly sat down cross-legged, his eyes calm, and began to introspectively examine his own Qi Sea.

Deep within the Qi Sea, the crimson Dao Seed phantom floated silently, facing and coexisting with the original black and white Zhou Tian Seed Pattern. One bright, one dark; one righteous, one evil; one human, one demon, perfectly matching the destiny loop of the twin Dao Lords.

The crimson Dao Seed is gentle and restrained, without violent killing or severe backlash. It seems safe and harmless, but it is like a malignant tumor, deeply rooted in the Dao Heart, completely bound to his Balance Dao, and cannot be separated or eradicated.

Cen Jin gazed silently at the dark seed, his mind clear and lucid.

Xuan Ye Zun's scheming throughout the ages was most ruthless not because of the appearance of the Demon Lord or the calamity on earth, but because he made himself a part of the game. Throughout his life, he defied the heavens to break the game, upheld justice to protect the people, and resisted fate, only to find in the end that he was the other half of the most crucial piece in the closed loop of destiny.

If the Dark Seed fully awakens and the Twin Dao Lords unite, the eternal chess game will come to a perfect end on its own without the need for external forces to finish it.

"You want to use me to close the loop in this game?"

Cen Jin muttered to himself, his tone calm and fearless, "I won't do as you wish."

He circulated the Great Dao of Balance, gently enveloping the crimson dark seed with the Dao's pure and clear essence. He neither suppressed, crushed, nor stripped it away, but slowly nurtured, balanced, and locked it in with his own Dao heart. The Dao of Balance can encompass both light and darkness, and can accommodate both good and evil. Since the dark seed originated from the same source and coexisted with him, he used the Great Dao to balance it, turning the backlash into his foundation and destiny into his Dao basis.

At the same time, he raised his hand and drew upon the remaining golden light of merit, transferring it all into Wan Tang's body to help her stabilize her soul, suppress her origin, and isolate her from all external divine core pulls.

The dark box is designed to ward off light, protect against evil spirits, and conceal energy and potential dangers.

While the outside world was in turmoil and destiny hung in the balance, this place remained a peaceful little world of its own. The brother and sister sat quietly within it, cultivating their bodies, stabilizing their minds, and biding their time to accumulate strength to resist the final outcome.

But Cen Jin knew perfectly well that this peace was only a temporary retreat from the world. The Dark Box could conceal the secrets of heaven for a time, but it could not stop the eternal cycle of destiny.

He calmed his mind and regulated his breathing deep inside the dark box, slowly suppressing the awakening speed of the crimson dark seed. However, the dark seed resonated with the divine core in the sky, quietly absorbing the destiny energy between heaven and earth every moment, slowly growing stronger and gradually awakening.

What made him even more uneasy was that, as the dark seed became more and more stable, he vaguely sensed that the end of this eternal twin chess game was never the destruction of the world by the demon lord and the collapse of humanity, but rather the **union of the twins and the return of the Dao Lord to heaven**.

After an unknown amount of time, outside the deathly silent Netherworld Box, the sound of spiritual energy flowing backward across the entire Demon-Slaying Mountain range suddenly came.

The originally gentle and flowing spiritual energy of the mountain gate suddenly became wildly agitated and surged in reverse, all converging towards the demon lord's divine core above the thousand-mile-long miasma forest. The clear and bright Daoist aura between heaven and earth rapidly faded, and a faint, deathly gray-white once again enveloped the mountains and rivers.

Inside the dark box, everything remained peaceful and normal, but the changes in the outside world still managed to seep in through the subtle barrier.

Cen Jin suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp as a blade.

He clearly sensed that the divine core in the high sky was no longer lying dormant, but had begun to frantically absorb the essence of heaven and earth, the Taoist charm of the mountain gate, and the fortune of all people in the human world.

Most fatally, as the divine core reached its critical point in absorbing fortune, the crimson dark seed deep within his Qi Sea suddenly surged, and a faint yet clear transmission of consciousness directly pierced through the barrier of his Dao Heart, resounding deep within his divine soul:

"The twins are back in their rightful place, the end is near... Brother, neither of us can escape it."