A vast, white light filled the vision. Xiao Yan stood in confusion within this world of luminosity, with no other presence around him. Strangely, his memories seemed to be in a state of disarray. “What happened?” Frowning, Xiao Yan mumbled to himself. After a moment, he suddenly lifted his head and saw a halo of light not far from him. Hesitating briefly, he took a step towards it and stepped inside.
The moment he entered the halo of light, though it felt like an instant, Xiao Yan experienced a sensation as if decades or even centuries had passed. When he was lost in this daze, his body jolted suddenly, and a lush meadow replaced the blinding white world, appearing before his eyes. “Is this… the Ancient Primal Wilderness?” Gazing at the immense grassland, Xiao Yan mumbled in a daze. In his scrambled memories, there was a sense of familiarity about this place.
Hovering in mid-air, Xiao Yan looked around but only saw an empty expanse of meadow. The entire realm exuded a profound sense of solitude; it seemed he was the sole being here…
“Roar!”
As Xiao Yan scanned his surroundings, a deafening roar echoed through the land. Subsequently, a crimson tide of beasts surged toward him like a gushing stream of blood. Within a few blinks, the swarm closed in within a hundred feet, and the putrid stench washed over him.
Gazing at the overwhelming horde of ferocious beasts, Xiao Yan’s brows furrowed. He raised his hand, and an incomprehensible, terrifying energy, akin to a wave of destruction, emanated from his palm. As this destructive force spread, all the beasts that dared to enter within a hundred feet of him, regardless of their strength, turned to ashes.
Xiao Yan stared in disbelief at the greatly reduced beast tide and then incredulously at his own hand. This power, so potent beyond description, seemed capable of causing the heavens and earth to crumble under his will…
“Is this… the power of a Dou Sage?”
Muttering to himself, Xiao Yan’s eyes shone with unrestrained joy. He had pursued this strength for so long, and now, did he finally possess it?
“Roar!”
While Xiao Yan immersed himself in the might of his effortless destruction, another roar filled with malice reverberated. Countless beasts charged forward with their scarlet, malevolent eyes.
“Ha…”
Facing the relentless onslaught, Xiao Yan laughed maniacally, slamming both hands onto the ground. A massive handprint, nearly ten thousand feet in size, indented the grassland, and a terrifying ripple spread out in circles. Any beast touching this ripple dissolved into powder without even a shriek.
In a single strike, the uncountable beasts were utterly eradicated, evoking a deep sense of dread. Gazing at the colossal handprint, a peculiar emotion welled up in Xiao Yan, driving him to laugh thunderously, his laughter resounding through the heavens. He had finally achieved this power…
“Soul Temple, Soul Clan, I will obliterate you completely.”
As his roaring laughter subsided, a fierce murderous intent flared in Xiao Yan’s heart. Right as this thought arose, the sky behind him warped, and a group of figures, somewhat battered, were expelled.
“Hun Yu?”
Recognizing the leading figure, Xiao Yan’s expression changed. “Hun Yu,” he shouted, his eyes flashing red as he reached out to grasp the group.
“Run!” Hun Yu, seeing Xiao Yan’s action, paled and fled hastily. However, as he turned, he found the space thoroughly sealed, and before he could unleash his battle spirit, the space collapsed, transforming into a black void. Hun Yu and all the other Soul Clan members were brutally crushed into a bloody mass…
“This power is enough for my vengeance.”
Casually flinging the bloody mess aside, Xiao Yan’s face twisted into a chilling smile. Turning, he traversed the void, heading beyond the Ancient Primal Wilderness. Along the way, any beast within a thousand feet was instantly crushed into a bloody pulp by the overwhelming pressure.
A blue sky above, a flash of light streaked across, and below, a series of low explosions resonated, followed by rivers of blood. This flash moved with incredible speed, crossing the vastness of the wilderness in just a few minutes, reaching its edge. With each mile, the bloodiness in Xiao Yan’s eyes grew, but he did not seem to notice, his smile becoming increasingly eerie.
“Swish!”
At the edge of the wilderness, a beam of light revealed Xiao Yan on a mountain peak. His eyes were almost completely suffused with a blood-red hue, and a dense, murderous intent twisted his face. Gazing at a distant town—the Ancient Primal Town—Xiao Yan’s twisted countenance reflected some confusion. There seemed to be something off, but his fragmented memories prevented clear recollection.
“Buzz.”
After a moment of bewilderment, Xiao Yan prepared to lift his foot to leap, but a faint humming sound emerged from his Nether Ring. A cool aura flowed out, traveling up his arm and entering his mind. As this refreshing sensation coursed through him, Xiao Yan’s body shuddered violently. His chaotic memories and extraneous thoughts dissipated, and the blood-red in his eyes faded at a visible rate.
When the last vestige of red vanished, Xiao Yan’s face darkened. Looking into the void, he said, “As expected of the Bodhi Tree, creating such a realistic illusion, yet making those within unaware…”
“Here, my power, while immense, is ultimately illusory and false.”
Lifting his hand, Xiao Yan opened it, revealing a green pearl—the Bodhi Seed he once obtained. Had it not dispelled the hidden elements in his mind, he would have remained trapped in that vivid illusion. Now, he understood the fate of those half-sages; they, too, must have been consumed by the Bodhis tree’s illusions, losing their souls and becoming mere puppets…
As Xiao Yan raised the Bodhi Seed, the realm began to twist violently, shattering like a broken mirror with a loud explosion.
Stumbling, Xiao Yan found himself in a green expanse, where a majestic, emerald-green ancient tree stood. It emitted an astonishing vitality, resembling a smaller version of the vast Bodhi Tree outside, but shrunken by countless times.
Xiao Yan’s gaze hardened as he looked at the small Bodhi Tree, the source of the previous illusion. Under his watchful eye, the emerald tree trembled, and orbs of light floated out, hovering before him. Inside, various scenes played, showing Xiao Yan those who had entered the Bodhi Tree with him—Xuner, Hun Yu, and Jiu Feng—all trapped in their own illusions.
“What do you want?” Xiao Yan roared, summoning his Heavenly Fire. The Bodhi Tree was too bizarre, its highly realistic illusions impossible to distinguish. From the half-sages, they were clearly not the first to be ensnared.
Facing Xiao Yan’s rage, the tree shook, and another orb appeared, revealing a gargantuan Bodhi Tree. Yet, Xiao Yan’s gaze fixed on the black-clad figure suspended in the air, emitting a supreme aura, overpowering even the massive tree.
“Emperor Dou…”
Xiao Yan’s eyes were filled with shock, staring at the black-clad silhouette. Though it was merely an image, the power it exuded made his soul quiver. Who else, besides the mythical Emperor Dou of legend, could possess such a presence?
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