The Record of Exterminating Evil from Ashes

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."

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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 never allow those who defied fate to become bound together, to share a common purpose. The unity of hearts and minds, the fusion of obsessions, was the most feared and unbreakable force in this game of chess.

"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 with your own hands that 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.