The Record of Exterminating Evil from Ashes

Eternal devotion serves as bait, and unwavering obsession as sustenance.

The dark figure atop the Divine Core of the Miasma Forest uttered a single, chilling laugh that pierced the heavens and earth, shattering the brief glimmer of hope for a breakthrough atop the back mountain. The ancient torrent of rebellion that had surged into Cen Jin's Qi Sea instantly reversed and backfired. The grayish-brown power of obsession was no longer a guiding spark, but instead transformed into countless intricate chains, tightly binding Cen Jin's Dao Foundation and tearing at the origin of his divine soul.

This is a vicious scheme devised by Xuan Ye Zun for countless ages.

The struggles, obsessions, resentments, and bloodshed of all those who defied fate throughout the ages have never escaped the game of chess; instead, they have all been absorbed, refined, and accumulated by the divine core. The sparks that have broken the game throughout the ages have always been carefully nurtured by the player, waiting only for the day when the Twin Dao Masters reach their perfect state, so that they can turn back and sacrifice both sides.

Jing Ye staggered, collapsing heavily to one knee amidst the shattered remains of the game, spitting out a mouthful of scalding blood that soaked the barren earth beneath his feet. The once-solid and powerful aura around him crumbled and rapidly decayed, his body becoming faintly transparent and ethereal. As a remnant of the old game, he was originally the vessel for the convergence of countless ages' obsessions. Now, with the nourishment completely returned to its place, the very foundation of his existence was being forcibly erased by the rules of the game.

"As expected... so it is."

Jing Ye's voice was hoarse and broken, and the stubborn light that had accumulated in his eyes for thousands of years gradually dimmed. He had endured countless cycles of darkness, guarding the last trace of his defiant spirit and lying dormant for eternity, thinking that he had waited for the one who would break the game at the end. In the end, however, he was just the most perfect and most destined sacrifice in the game, offered up by the player.

The atmosphere in the back mountain instantly plummeted to freezing point, with despair and deathly silence enveloping the surrounding area.

Above the void, Shen Yanqiu's eyes darkened slightly, his composed demeanor completely shattered. His body sank slightly, and an unprecedented solemnity flashed across his brows. He had seen through the illusion of reincarnation, yet he had never interfered in the game. But today, Xuan Ye Zun's sacrificial move of nurturing the wheel had crossed the bottom line of the reincarnation game, a deadly move that would completely extinguish all rebellious sparks and sever any possibility of breaking the deadlock.

"Nurturing eternal rebellious thoughts, feeding a final sacrifice." Shen Yanqiu sighed softly, "Xuan Ye's move has kept me in the dark for countless reincarnations."

At the mountain peak, the lone bone armor suddenly trembled, its black and gold patterns blazing brightly. The ancient and heavy prison-suppressing array was fully deployed, firmly suppressing the scattered embers of its obsessive will. Its empty eye sockets shone with a ghostly light, and its eternally dormant will to protect it was fully awakened, no longer holding back its observation.

The next moment, three solitary figures stood simultaneously in the midst of the desperate situation, the three figures standing side by side, facing off against the dark chessboard in the sky.

Cen Jin, his white robes fluttering, his Qi Sea undergoing extreme cycles of light and darkness, forcefully suppressing the torrent of backlash. He no longer passively endured the backlash of his obsessions, but instead fully unleashed the balance of the Great Dao, embracing neither darkness nor karmic consequences, using his perfected Dao foundation to forcibly contain the out-of-control ancient obsessions, and locking the backlash power within his Dao Heart.

  

He knew very well that if he retreated or collapsed at this moment, not only would his own Dao heart collapse and the twin sacrifice be fully formed, but Jing Ye would also be instantly annihilated, the eternal rebellious star would be completely extinguished, and there would be no possibility of breaking the deadlock in the human world.

"The game of chess wants to gather nourishment, but I'll deliberately keep this eternally rebellious spirit."

Cen Jin's eyes were clear and sharp, and his voice shook the mountains and rivers, "Xuan Ye wants to sacrifice the Reincarnation Remnant, so I will defy fate and seize the Dao Fruit of His Obsession that He has nurtured for thousands of years."

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand and conjured a sword.

Without the brilliance of a sword, without any fierce power, an invisible sword, purely condensed from the Daoist principles of light and darkness, the merits of people's hearts, and the obsessions of countless ages, quietly took shape and hovered before him. The sword's body was interwoven with black and white, carrying countless rebellious and unwilling spirits, bearing the obsessions of all living beings, quiet yet containing supreme power to sever the cycle of reincarnation.

The second figure was Jingye, kneeling on the ground, on the verge of collapse.

In his desperate situation, he suddenly looked up, and a raging fire reignited in his dim eyes. Even though fate had abandoned him, the game of chess had deceived him, and eternity had wronged him, the rebellious spirit rooted in his very bones had never faded. He raised his hand to support himself on the ground, and his broken body rose against the tide, his aura of decay suddenly contracting and then surging in the opposite direction.

Since rebellious thoughts are nourishment, he used himself as a furnace and his obsession as fire to burn away the silence of eternity and transform it into a blade to break the deadlock.

A beam of desolate gray light condensed in Jing Ye's palm. It was the last bit of pride of all those who failed to break the deadlock, the wild bones of humanity that were not tolerated by reincarnation and would never yield. He did not confront powerful enemies, nor did he avoid fate. He only stared intently at the black shadow at the peak of the divine core, his eyes filled with a chilling hatred that transcended eternity.

The third figure was a solitary figure in bone armor, standing silently for eternity.

Layers of gray-white bone armor blazed with intense black-gold light, ancient array diagrams swirling with ultimate power, unleashing the ancient power of confinement, protection, and exorcism that had guarded the back mountain for millennia. It no longer simply suppressed old remains and sealed remnant souls, but transformed its ancient protective foundation into destructive force. The bone armor solidified into sharp edges, the array patterns into blades, silently standing beside the two, becoming the most solid barrier.

One governs the present world's great path, one inherits the rebellious spirit of all ages, and one guards the spark of reincarnation.

Three shadows stand side by side, shining together through the ages.

Above the void, Shen Yanqiu gazed silently at this scene, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes. Throughout countless cycles of reincarnation, never before had three generations of forces defying fate truly stood side by side. In the past, all those who broke the deadlock fought alone and perished in their own game. Now, they have finally broken the shackles of destiny and formed a true force to break the deadlock.

"With the three shadows gathered, we can test the Heavenly Heart Sword."

Shen Yanqiu spoke softly, then quietly raised his hand, a wisp of Daoist energy scattering from his fingertips, silently merging into the three of them. He remained detached from the game, neither participating nor taking the lead in the battle, but with the Daoist energy of an observer honed over millennia, he subtly smoothed the clash of their auras, made up for their weaknesses in combat, and facilitated this ancient-spanning trial of swordsmanship.

At the distant summit of the divine core, the shadowy figure's smile suddenly turned cold, and a corrupt and dark pressure swept down from the sky.

"These mere ashes and bones dare to defy my timeless strategy? How laughable."

"I have nurtured countless cycles of reincarnation, collecting all the remnants of those who defy fate. Today, I will make you three the final sacrifices, thus achieving complete and perfect reincarnation!"

The dark figure raised a hand and pressed down, causing the blood-red demonic energy of the thousand-mile-long miasma forest to surge. The countless ancient obsessions absorbed into the sky transformed into a dense, overwhelming rain of black swords, tearing through the void and crushing towards the three people on the back mountain. Each sword rain carried the rules of reincarnation and the shackles of destiny, possessing extremely strong killing power, specifically designed to destroy those who defy fate.

Facing a barrage of deadly swords, the three figures did not retreat an inch, demonstrating their first-ever coordinated attack and sword strikes side by side.

Cen Jin took the lead in the center, his invisible sword flashed out of its sheath, the Great Dao of Balance spread out, black and white sword light traversed the heavens and earth, accepting all the incoming sword rain of obsession, dissolving the killing power of the rules, melting away the power of destiny, turning calamity into tribulation with the Dao, and crossing the calamity with the heart, stabilizing the foundation of the entire battle.

Jing Ye, positioned on the left, unleashed all his desolate Dao power. A gray light pierced through the air, shattering the shackles of the chessboard amidst the rain of swords, severing the ties of obsession, and stripping away the rules of reincarnation parasitizing the rebellious thoughts. He forcefully carved out a sliver of life from the sacrificial nourishment.

The lone figure in bone armor stood on the right, while the black and gold array diagram rotated and unfolded, transforming into an eternal protective barrier that blocked all stray attacks, suppressed the turbulent ley lines in the back mountain, protected the Dao foundations of the two, and stabilized the overall battlefield situation.

Without prior discussion or deliberate practice, the three were of one mind, complemented each other's tactics, and were adept at both offense and defense, advancing and retreating in unison.

Cen Jin is responsible for maintaining balance and overall control of the battlefield; Jing Ye is responsible for breaking rules and breaking locks, and attacking against fate; Gu Jia is responsible for guarding the battlefield and stabilizing the foundation. The three complement each other and complement each other, making up for each other's shortcomings, forming a perfect battle formation that spans the past and present and balances the cycle of reincarnation.

Clang—!

The three forces converged, and the three distinct sharp edges merged into one. A three-colored sword light, encompassing the Great Dao of Balance, the rebellious spirit of eternity, and the protection of a thousand years, soared into the sky and traversed the entire gray sky.

One sword tests the will of Heaven; one sword shatters the cycle of reincarnation.

The rain of black swords instantly shattered and vanished, the decaying demonic energy that lingered in the sky dissipated layer by layer, and the sacrificial chains extending from the divine core trembled violently and crumbled inch by inch. The seemingly unsolvable sacrificial scheme was, for the first time, torn apart and forcibly broken through by the combined efforts of the three.

The malevolent aura on the back mountain dissipated, and the sky began to brighten. The oppressive gloom of eternal reincarnation was temporarily cleaved open by this sword strike.

The black figure at the summit of the divine core suddenly fell silent, his aura becoming violently chaotic, revealing for the first time genuine rage and fear.

"Ancient and modern times joined forces, the three shadows broke the deadlock... You actually managed to break free from the shackles of the game and become a unified entity!"

The shadowy figure never expected that the sacrificial nourishment it had accumulated over countless ages would become the opportunity for the game-changers to join forces; what was originally a certain death situation was forcibly reversed by the three of them into a key force to break the cycle of reincarnation.

At the summit of the back mountain, the dust has settled.

The dissipating aura around Jing Ye completely stabilized, his body, on the verge of annihilation, solidified again, and his decaying obsession with defying fate was revitalized. He slowly straightened up, looked at the white-robed youth and the silent bone armor beside him, and the ancient loneliness in his eyes vanished, replaced by an unprecedented sense of certainty and peace.

Having walked alone for ages, today I finally find companions on this journey.

The solitary figure in bone armor retracted the oppressive array, its black and gold patterns returning to calm. It stood quietly to one side, silently guarding, its posture already acknowledging its status as a companion.

Cen Jin sheathed his sword and stood still. Within his dantian, the light and dark energies circulated smoothly, and the shackles of his Dao heart loosened once more. The ancient obsessions that had been backfiring were now transformed into nourishment for his own Dao foundation, achieving perfect balance in the Great Dao. He looked at the two of them and spoke softly, his tone firm and steady.

"Xuan Ye uses reincarnation as a game of chess and all living beings as pieces. The three of us can break free from the game, be unfettered, and support each other."

"From this moment on, the Breakthrough Team was formed, unconcerned with reincarnation, undaunted by fate, determined to break the deadlock and never give up."

With a single word, the outcome was decided.

A three-person team, spanning millennia, was formed in dire straits, carrying the hopes of generations of defyers and shouldering the ultimate responsibility of severing the cycle of reincarnation and ending the game.

Above the void, Shen Yanqiu's eyes flickered slightly, and he nodded gently: "With the three shadows aligned, the variables in the game have been fully formed. This round, the final outcome is within reach."

Just as the team was taking shape and the momentum for breaking the deadlock was beginning to take hold, from the depths of the void thousands of miles away, the sound of ancient footsteps, layer upon layer, and boundless, suddenly resounded.

With each step, the heavens and earth trembled, the cyclical energy surged wildly, and the rules of the entire chessboard in the void became restless and chaotic.

The dark figure atop the Divine Core suddenly suppressed its anger, revealing a cold and eerie smile that echoed softly:

"The three shadows testing their swords, the initial formation of the team, has indeed exceeded my expectations."

"But do you really think that breaking the cycle of sacrifice is the true way to reverse the tide of war?"

"The game of chess has gone through countless cycles, and those who fall are never just those who defy fate. If you can team up to break the game, I can naturally do the same—**summon the defeated souls of all the games throughout the ages to enter the game in this mortal world**."

Before the words were finished, a rift in the void opened wide, and countless dark phantoms slowly emerged from it. Their auras varied and their strength differed, but they were all chess players, gatekeepers, and destiny apostles who had fallen in the past.

Most terrifyingly, at the deepest part of the rift, an ancient figure, majestic and boundless, surpassing all defeated souls, slowly opened its eyes. Its aura was none other than that of the First Twin Dao Lord, who had been completely annihilated in the previous round of the game.

Chapter Forty: Sworn Brotherhood Under the Moon, Through Thick and Thin

The rift opened, and an ancient spirit descended upon the world.

Above the void, a pitch-black crack stretched for thousands of miles, and boundless deathly silence poured out from its depths. Countless chess masters and defeated remnants from past chess games floated silently, their shadows overlapping and their aura heavy. Each phantom carried the killing rules of the old cycle of reincarnation, and was wrapped in the deathly pressure of ages past, completely enveloping the entire Demon Extermination Mountain.

At the deepest part of the rift, the ancient and desolate figure slowly raised its eyes, a faint, chaotic light awakening within them. Without needing to move, without unleashing killing intent, merely a wisp of remaining Dao Lord aura was enough to stagnate the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and cause the earth's veins to collapse. That was the first generation of twin Dao Lords, utterly destroyed in the previous round of the game, a pioneer sharing the same origin as Cen Jin, yet ultimately perishing in the cycle of reincarnation as a sacrifice.

Two masters, one ancient and one modern, gaze at each other across lifetimes.

The black and gold patterns on the bone armor rotated endlessly, and the ancient protective array was once again unfolded, firmly protecting the two people in front of him. His aura was solemn and fierce, ready to meet this fateful duel that spanned thousands of years at any moment.

Only Cen Jin stood quietly in white, his expression calm and composed.

He could clearly sense the overwhelming pressure emanating from the First Dao Lord, yet he couldn't detect even a trace of malicious intent. Within that aura lay neither the cold calculations of Xuan Ye Zun nor the decaying resentment of a defeated soul; only endless vicissitudes, eternal regrets, and a faint yet pure obsession with defying fate.

The dark figure atop the Divine Core overlooked the heavens and earth, his cold laughter echoing across the mountains and rivers, displaying utter mockery and control.

"The first generation of dual masters has appeared, and the ancient and modern times are in the same predicament. Cen Jin, your proud team that broke the deadlock will be buried at the hands of the eternal defeated souls today."

"Those who broke the deadlock throughout history all perished in the cycle of reincarnation. Even with the perfect path to enlightenment and the assistance of past and present, you still cannot escape your predetermined fate!"

The shadowy figure spoke sharply, but did not rush to urge the ancient soul to start the battle. It was waiting for the outcome, waiting to watch the newly promoted Twin Dao Lord be devoured by its past life, crushed by the remnant soul of eternity, completely severing all hope of defying fate, and perfectly concluding this ancient game.

Above the void, Shen Yanqiu gazed intently at the ancient figure deep within the rift, and sighed softly, "The first Dao Lord, his obsession had not dissipated, and his original heart had not been extinguished, but unfortunately he was trapped in the shackles of reincarnation and became the ultimate trump card of the chess player."

He succinctly revealed the key point. The first Dao Lord did not enter the game voluntarily, but rather his remnant soul remained after death, his obsession persisting. He was trapped in the rift of reincarnation by Xuan Ye Zun, who refined and enslaved him for many years, making him the ultimate killing move to suppress each round of those who broke the game.

The situation may seem hopeless, but there is a glimmer of hope hidden within.

Cen Jin's eyes were clear, instantly discerning the advantages and disadvantages. Now that the great battle had begun, even with their combined strengths and the newly formed team, they were no match for the ancient, accumulated legion of defeated souls, nor could they contend with the primordial Dao Lord of the same origin. Ultimately, they would all be annihilated, becoming nourishment for reincarnation. To break this deadlock, they must first stabilize hearts, bind bonds, and unify their obsessions, allowing their ancient and modern powers to completely merge before facing this ancient and powerful enemy.

With his mind made up, Cen Jin raised his eyes to look at the ancient soul phantoms floating in the sky, and spoke loudly, his voice resounding through the void and piercing through layers of deathly silence and gloom.

"Xuan Ye uses reincarnation as a cage and remnant souls as sharp blades to enslave those who defy fate throughout the ages, making the living defy fate and the dead restless."

"Even though our predecessors perished in the game of chess, their rebellious spirit remained undiminished and their original intentions unbroken. Today, they are being forcibly enslaved and forced to attack us, which is by no means what they truly desire."

Instead of condensing his sword to prepare for battle, he used the Great Dao of Balance to send forth wisps of pure white Dao rhyme, gently spreading across the void rifts. He neither attacked nor suppressed, but used his perfect Dao heart in this world to soothe the resentment and regret of the remnant souls of past generations.

The restless phantoms of defeated souls suddenly paused, their murderous aura slightly subsided, and fragmented memories of countless cycles of endings surfaced in their eyes—conquest, fall, resentment, annihilation—a myriad of emotions intertwined and surged, breaking free from the brief confinement of the chess game.

Deep within the rift, the eyes of the First Dao Lord, Chaos, flickered faintly.

Taking advantage of this brief moment of stagnation, Cen Jin turned around and looked at the two figures standing side by side with him.

On one side is Jingye, who has endured countless ages of darkness and bears all the regrets of defying fate alone; on the other side is Gujia Guying, who guards countless cycles of reincarnation and silently protects the sparks of defying fate.

The solitary courage that has walked alone for millennia has finally met today; the scattered sparks that have been scattered for thousands of years have finally come together.

Night fell, and a thin moon rose in the sky.

A ray of clear light pierced through the thick black clouds, scattering across the desolate back mountain and landing on the three figures standing side by side, washing away the murderous aura and smoke, making this desolate place appear more serene and solemn.

Cen Jin stepped forward slowly, looked at Jing Ye, and said sincerely, "You bear the rebellious spirit of all ages and the resentment of all generations. You have guarded the endgame alone for many rounds and never given up."

He then looked at the silent, solitary figure in the bone armor and said softly, "You guard the ancient remains, protect the rebellious sparks, and silently guard the cracks in the chessboard, never retreating."

"I, Cen Jin, defy fate in this world, establish a new path for humanity, and break the shackles of reincarnation. Today, in this desperate situation, I have the two of you to help me; it is the greatest fortune of my life."

The coldness in Jing Ye's eyes gradually faded, and his eternal loneliness was melted away by warmth. He had seen too many cultivators who sought profit and avoided harm, and too many people who would turn against him in times of crisis, but no one had ever been able to understand the torment he had endured for eternity, or to see the sincere devotion of the bone armor that it silently protected.

He nodded emphatically, his voice still hoarse, yet incredibly resolute: "I have lay dormant for countless ages, not seeking fame throughout the world, but only hoping that one day, someone will be able to ignite a prairie fire, sever the cycle of reincarnation, and end this endless cycle of rise and fall. If you dare to defy the heavens, I dare to fight you to the very end."

The solitary figure in bone armor, its black and gold patterns trembling gently, its hollow eye sockets shimmering with a faint light, its ancient guardian will transforming into the most solemn response. For countless ages, it has guarded the seal and protected the remnant soul; today, it has finally awaited someone worthy of its utmost devotion and unwavering loyalty to break the deadlock.

The moonlight grew brighter, its clear glow covering the ground.

The three stood atop the mountain behind the mountain, not seeking the heavens as witnesses, nor the mountains and rivers for their fame, but only swearing an oath of their hearts and a promise to defy fate. They swore brotherhood under the moon and walked together through wind and rain.

Cen Jin raised his hand first, his palm clear and flowing with Daoist energy. His heart was pure and sincere, and his words were resounding: "I, Cen Jin, am willing to abandon the shackles of fate, take my Daoist heart as my blade, and care for all living beings. I will sever the cycle of reincarnation for eternity, and in this life, I will not betray those who walk the same path, those who defy the enemy, or the world!"

Jing Ye raised his hand, conjuring a desolate gray light. His defiant will soared to the sky, dispelling the gloom around him: "I, Jing Ye, am willing to ignite the remnants of countless ages, using my rebellious spirit as a blade and my unwillingness as fire, to overturn the shackles of the game. In this life, I fear neither slaughter nor the final outcome, and I will never abandon you!"

The solitary figure in bone armor raised its hand, conjuring black and gold protective array patterns. The power of eternal protection erupted, and an ancient will resounded throughout the mind: "I guard the eternal order, protect the eternal flame, using my crippled body as a wall, taking this as my vow, to protect the Dao for life, to walk alongside you to the death, and not to return until the barrier is broken!"

Three distinct yet shared Daoist energies converged dramatically under the moon, their black-and-white, gray-brown, and black-gold radiances intertwining and rising straight into the sky, traversing the heavens.

Without elaborate ceremonies or blood oaths, relying solely on three unyielding hearts and three undying convictions, they forged an eternal alliance that spans time and reincarnation.

From then on, regardless of time, appearance, strength, or weakness, the three of them were of one mind, weathered storms together, fought the game of chess together, and broke the cycle of reincarnation together.

The sworn brotherhood has been formed, and the bond has taken root.

The three forces, which were originally fighting separately and with their auras separated, have now completely merged into one, with their Dao hearts connected, their combat strengths complementing each other, and their obsessions coexisting. The defiant aura of the entire back mountain surged several times over, steadily suppressing the decaying death aura that filled the sky, and the previously tilted situation was once again forcibly leveled.

Above the void, Shen Yanqiu's eyes revealed approval as he softly sighed, "The rebellious sparks scattered throughout the ages have finally coalesced into a single sword today. From now on, the game has an opponent, the cycle of reincarnation can be broken, and the final outcome is in sight."

The shadowy figure atop the Divine Core's peak froze completely, a genuine apprehension and chilling glint in his eyes. He could accept a contest of strength, could tolerate defiance and resistance, but He would absolutely not allow **those who defy fate to form bonds, to become one in heart and mind**. The unity of hearts and minds, the merging of obsessions, was the most feared and unyielding force capable of breaking the deadlock in this game.

"Swearing brotherhood under the moon? How utterly ridiculous!"

The shadowy figure laughed in fury, a chilling killing intent sweeping across the land. "You think that by forming an alliance, you can defy fate? Little do you know that bonds, affection, and the will to walk together are your most vulnerable weaknesses!"

"What reincarnation excels at most is separating those who travel together, erasing the will to stay together, and betraying sincere promises!"

As His furious roar fell, the void rift suddenly trembled violently. The countless defeated souls, their stagnation dissipated, were once again enslaved by the rules of the chess game, and a murderous aura surged skyward. At the deepest part of the rift, the first generation of twin Dao Lords slowly raised themselves. The power of the Dao Lord, dormant for countless ages, was fully awakened. The ancient Dao rhythm, interwoven with black and white, overwhelmed the surrounding area. A pair of chaotic eyes were fixed on the three sworn brothers under the moon.

Moreover, on the main peak of the Demon-Slaying Mountain, thousands of miles away, the originally peaceful and quiet Wan Tang suddenly felt the demon master's mark between her brows become scorching hot, her peacefully sleeping soul trembled violently, and the invisible chains of fate tightened frantically.

The shadowy figure's chilling whisper pierced the heavens and earth, settling deep within Cen Jin's heart, each word a dagger to his soul:

"You have forged an eternal bond, seeking to break free from the inevitable fate."

"Then I will let you witness it with your own hands—**all those companions you are risking your life to protect today will eventually perish, becoming the most heart-wrenching sacrifices on your final journey.**

Before he finished speaking, the First Dao Lord moved, carrying the power of countless reincarnations, and took the first fatal step across countless ages towards the three people on the back mountain.