221: A figure in a black robe?

Chen De, the old man he possessed, looked at the Black-Robed Figure in front of him with a solemn expression.

Originally, Chen De had planned to directly enter the Lin family mansion and borrow a remnant soul to use.

After all, Chen De's Soul Capture talent was most friendly towards things like remnant souls.

However, just as Chen De was about to make his move, this Black-Robed Figure had already appeared.

Chen De's current strength could be said to be unrivaled in the Void Union Realm.

But this Black-Robed Figure, in terms of actual strength, was even slightly stronger than Chen De.

Moreover, what Chen De found strange was its state.

Because the system detected that the opponent belonged neither to wild monsters nor to demonic beasts.

This was the first time Chen De had encountered such a special existence.

Both sides looked at each other tensely, and the next moment, they moved.

The two simultaneously appeared in an unknown space, engaging in a series of exchanges.

During their clashes, they shattered countless spaces and created an unknown number of spatial crack.

These spatial crack influenced each other, actually triggering spatial turbulence.

In an instant, both of them were swallowed, and then they were teleported to an unknown location.

However, this kind of ordinary spatial turbulence had almost no effect on a powerhouse of Chen De's level.

Then, they continued to fight.

As they fought, Chen De revealed his true form, which was Chen De's strongest form—the Chaos Mark Beast—yet he still couldn't do anything to the opponent.

Finally, neither side could defeat the other, so they stopped fighting.

The old man Chen De possessed was covered in blood and gore, his head smashed open, with brain matter oozing out.

The Black-Robed Figure's robe was also tattered by Chen De's attacks, and its aura was chaotic.

Both sides could sense that these minor injuries were probably of no consequence to the other.

Chen De was not fighting on his home ground; in a sense, this was someone else's territory.

He didn't want a prolonged battle, as it would be extremely disadvantageous for Chen De.

What if the opponent sent up a signal arrow, and a thousand troops and ten thousand horses arrived to meet him?

What if a Heavenly Imperial Realm expert was even summoned? Wouldn't Chen De be completely finished?

However, having fought until now, Chen De also felt that the opponent didn't have the ability to summon a Heavenly Imperial Realm expert.

For some reason, the Black-Robed Figure also seemed disinclined to prolong the fight.

So, without a word or exchange, both sides tacitly retreated fifty li.

Seeing that neither had any intention of making a move, they turned and vanished from their original spots.

After emerging, Chen De did not continue to search for the Lin family's Eldest Daughter.

That Black-Robed Figure was most likely her guardian.

Chen De couldn't defeat the opponent for now, and acting rashly again might lead to an ambush.

On the other side, the Black-Robed Figure also constantly shifted, arriving at a seaside, its eyes flickering beneath its black robe.

What's going on? After those eight evildoers performed the Slaying of the Heavens, the World's Origin was damaged.

How could such a powerful expert still appear in this world?

Damn it, he had originally calculated that Lin Zhao of the Lin family would be his mortal enemy.

So, he had planned to kill her while she was still weak.

Originally, he hadn't thought that Lin Zhao, a mere insect from a remote corner, would have the qualifications to contend with him and become his mortal enemy.

He hadn't expected such an existence to be hidden here.

It seems that Lin Zhao becoming his mortal enemy is inextricably linked to that person.

If only his identity couldn't be exposed, otherwise...

...

Just as Lin Zhao was about to choose the Eight Ancestors Heaven-Shaking Devil Art.

The ethereal old man suddenly spoke, "Wait a moment, you must choose carefully!"

Lin Zhao heard this and stopped her movements, "What do you mean? Is there some other problem with this cultivation art?"

The old man shook his head, "It's not that the cultivation art itself has a problem. Frankly, I myself hope you choose this cultivation art."

"Then why?" Lin Zhao asked.

The old man pondered for a moment, then explained to Lin Zhao, "

Isn't it true that as soon as you hear the name 'Eight Ancestors Heaven-Shaking Devil Art', you feel it's an evil cultivation art?"

Lin Zhao nodded.

"Actually, it's not!"

The old man smiled, "In fact, not only is it not an evil cultivation art, on the contrary, it's a rare righteous cultivation art."

Lin Zhao was puzzled, "Then why does it have an evil-sounding name?"

The old man began to explain, "This brings us to the origin of this cultivation art."

"Legend has it that countless years ago, probably in the ancient era.

The Sky Dome Continent, or rather, our Heaven, developed consciousness.

Of course, this isn't crucial. The Great Dao is ruthless; merely developing consciousness would have been fine.

However, what it developed was human consciousness, selfish consciousness.

Thus, it sought to enslave all living beings in the entire world.

The power of the World Consciousness was incredibly unimaginable and difficult to resist.

Even the legendary Ancestors appeared insignificant when facing the World Consciousness.

The World Consciousness was boundlessly powerful; it could change and control all perceptions and thoughts of living beings in the world.

So, the Eight Ancestors of the Sky Dome Continent at that time took action.

None of them, individually, were a match for the World Consciousness.

Even working together, they could barely protect themselves against the World Consciousness.

Therefore, they collaborated and jointly created a cultivation art of combined power—the 'Eight Ancestors Heaven-Shaking Art'!

Its purpose was to contend with the World Consciousness and directly challenge Heaven and Earth.

They succeeded; they did create such a cultivation art.

With this cultivation art, they were able to fight the World Consciousness to a draw.

However, the World Consciousness still affected all living beings in the world, except for the Eight Ancestors.

In their eyes, the Eight Ancestors were evil, and the 'Eight Ancestors Heaven-Shaking Art' was thus called the 'Eight Ancestors Heaven-Shaking Devil Art'.

At the same time, because the World Consciousness was attached to the world, as long as the world existed, the World Consciousness would be immortal and indestructible.

Thus, the struggle between the Eight Ancestors and the World Consciousness continued for over a thousand years.

The Eight Ancestors completely became targets reviled by everyone on the Sky Dome Continent.

But during these thousand years, through careful study and understanding gained from fighting the World Consciousness, the Eight Ancestors finally found a permanent solution.

They had no way to destroy the World Consciousness, nor could they.

However, the human and selfish aspects within the World Consciousness constituted only a very small part.

They could choose to sever this selfish part of the World Consciousness.

So, the Eight Ancestors took action, successfully severing that part of the World Consciousness using the Eight Ancestors Heaven-Shaking Devil Art.

And the Eight Ancestors, having almost exhausted their origins, perished together in their final frenzy against that World Consciousness.

After that part of the World Consciousness was severed, all living beings regained clarity.

They also felt gratitude for everything the Eight Ancestors had done for them, so they built eight stone statues to worship them.

Although the Eight Ancestors died, each left behind a remnant soul, enshrined within their respective clans.

At that time, those in the know wanted to change the 'Eight Ancestors Heaven-Shaking Devil Art' to the 'Eight Ancestors Heaven-Shaking Divine Art'.

But the Eight Ancestors' remnant souls refused, saying to let it remain as a memory.

And the 'Eight Ancestors Heaven-Shaking Devil Art', because of the Slaying of the Heavens, carries a hint of inauspiciousness within it."