Daqin Zhentiansi

"Stay close to me."

Zhang Yuan's voice was calm and even. He took a step forward and walked straight towards the rolling Soul-Devouring Fire Miasma without dodging or avoiding it!

The dark gold runes on the Chaos God and Demon Body suddenly lit up, forming a layer of chaotic light membrane as thin as a cicada's wing yet indestructible on the surface of the body.

Upon seeing this, the Vermilion Bird's golden-red true flames naturally rose from its body, transforming into a pure flame barrier that followed closely behind.

"Sizzle sizzle sizzle—!"

The moment Zhang Yuan stepped into the fiery miasma, it was as if boiling oil had been poured onto snow!

The raging demonic flames and miasma, like billions of crazed, blood-red venomous snakes, frantically coiled, tore, and eroded the chaotic light membrane, emitting a piercing corrosive sound.

The soul-corroding power contained within the miasma transformed into invisible sharp needles, piercing fiercely towards Zhang Yuan's sea of ​​consciousness.

However, the body of the Chaos God and Demon is the foundation of invulnerability to all laws!

The dark gold runes flowed, forcibly decomposing and devouring all corrosive forces, transforming them into chaotic energy that nourished itself.

Zhang Yuan's steps were steady and his speed undiminished. He moved as if he were in an empty field, carving out a passage in this desolate area that even made the Saint Realm tremble with fear!

As Chief Jinran gazed at the Xuanmo figure moving effortlessly through the overwhelming demonic miasma, his awe reached its peak.

Passing through layers of thick, swamp-like fire miasma, the outline of a massive, charred and twisted ruin, licked by demonic flames, finally came into view.

The broken, massive stone pillars resemble the ribs of a giant beast, and the fractured foundations of the palace are covered with traces of melting, still faintly revealing the grandeur of ancient times.

But everything was shrouded in an even denser, almost liquid, dark red demonic flame, radiating a suffocating despair and distortion.

Stepping into the ruins of the main hall, the light was dim.

Although the surrounding walls were mottled and damaged by the demonic flames, some huge murals painted with special minerals and spiritual blood still stubbornly preserved some of their images.

Zhang Yuan's gaze swept across the remaining murals with lightning speed.

At the center of the first image is a majestic, sacred giant ape bathed in pure golden-red flames.

This is the mythical beast Zhu Yan.

It stands on auspicious clouds, holding a lotus of light in its hands. Below, the earth is at peace, and all spirits bow their heads, creating a scene of tranquility and protection for Nanli.

In a corner of the mural, there is an ancient inscription: "The guardian deity of Nanli, the Holy Venerable Zhu Yan. His fire shines brightly, cleansing away inner demons and bestowing blessings upon all living beings."

Upon seeing the statue of Zhu Yan, Zhu Que looked up, a complex expression in his eyes.

Zhang Yuan turned his head and looked at the second picture.

The scene became eerie.

The flames of the Zhu Yan Saint Venerable remained, but several figures with blurred faces and dressed in the robes of the Heavenly Palace appeared beside him.

They held objects that emitted a faint glow in their hands, and were showing them something to several devoutly kneeling figures below the seat of the Holy Venerable Zhu Yan, whose forms resembled auspicious giant apes.

The inscription on the mural is blurred, but it is still faintly discernible: "Heaven bestows blessings, purifies the turbid world, elevates bloodlines..."

The third scene takes a sharp turn for the worse!

The eerie light of the abyssal flames invaded Zhu Yan's golden-red flames, turning the sacred flames into something mixed, twisted, and violent!
Those giant ape elders who received the "blessing" roared in agony, their bodies torn and deformed in the sacred and evil flames, their claws and fangs growing wildly, their auspicious aura vanished, and they transformed into ferocious Qiongqi!

The murals are filled with chaotic scenes of exploding flames and cracking earth.

The words carried a bloody accusation: "The wicked fire entered the body, the holy flame was tarnished, the bloodline was cursed, and betrayal was committed!"

Zhang Yuan narrowed his eyes.

This painting clearly shows the reason for the changes in the bloodline of the Qiongqi.

It was the Heavenly Palace that invaded with demonic flames and devised a plan to alter the bloodline inheritance of their divine beasts!
The cruel truth revealed by the mural caused the flames around Suzaku to fluctuate violently, and his killing intent almost solidified into a tangible form.

Chieftain Jinran let out a low, grief-stricken roar, his massive body trembling violently with rage and the folly of his ancestors.

Zhang Yuan's eyes were icy cold as he looked into the deepest part of the ruins.

There, the concentration of demonic flames reached its peak, forming a viscous, blood-red lake of fire. At the center of the lake, space was distorted, emanating a chilling primal fluctuation.

He could sense that something was sealed there, connected to the core of the demonic flames of the entire Ancestral Ruins!

"The core is right there!"

Zhang Yuan took a step forward, and the space beneath his feet seemed to be compressed, his figure instantly appearing at the edge of the fire lake.

Without any hesitation, he leaped into the dark red lake of fire, which was powerful enough to melt divine metal!

"boom!"

Like a boulder thrown into lava!

The entire lake of fire instantly boiled!

Countless ferocious fire monsters, condensed from the purest demonic flames, roared and pounced out of the lake, their claws and fangs wrapped in soul-corroding demonic fire, frantically tearing at the chaotic light membrane covering Zhang Yuan's body.

From the bottom of the lake, an even more terrifying suction force emanates, threatening to drag everything into an eternal inferno of demonic flames!

"roll!"

Zhang Yuan let out a low shout, and his Chaos God-Demon Body erupted in full force!

The dark gold runes seemed to come alive, forming a boiling chaotic vortex on the surface of the body!

He swung his fists, without any fancy moves, only pure and extreme power!

Each punch carried the immense power to crush space, blasting the oncoming fire monster into primordial demonic flames, which were then swallowed by the chaotic vortex!

Like a ferocious humanoid beast, he surged upstream in the boiling sea of ​​demonic flames, forcefully carving out a path and crashing headlong into the distorted spatial node in the center of the lake!

Forcefully penetrating the viscous, almost tangible layer of demonic flames, Zhang Yuan finally reached the center of the lake.

What was before them was not a physical object, but a distorted spatial node bound and sealed by countless dark red demonic flame chains.

But at the very core of this point, a tiny, yet breathtakingly pure, golden-red flame flickered tenaciously, like a candle burning in the wind.

Around the flame, some ancient golden fire patterns remained, almost assimilated by the demonic flame, yet still stubbornly flickering.

Within Zhang Yuan's sea of ​​consciousness, the dormant phantom of the golden bead of the Great Dao suddenly began to spin at high speed!
An invisible analytical force, far exceeding the laws of this world, was projected out, instantly enveloping the wisp of flame and the surrounding golden fire patterns.

Countless extremely complex laws and information flooded into Zhang Yuan's sea of ​​consciousness like a torrent, and under the guidance of the Great Dao Golden Pearl, they quickly became clear and his mind was purified.

One of the core characteristics of Zhu Yan's origin!

It not only drives away external demons, but also deeply purifies the mind and spirit, stabilizes the foundation of the Tao, eliminates internal tribulations, and nurtures the true spirit.

This is the foundation of its "guardian god," possessing fundamental restraint against all inner demons, spiritual erosion, and soul pollution!

The power of the mural to "cleanse one's inner demons" originates from this.

Protect against evil spirits.

It is inseparable from "purifying the mind"!
It is not a passive defense, but an active control, transformation, and utilization of the violent, fierce, and negative energies in the world, such as battlefield killing intent, earth vein malevolent energy, and even abyssal demonic energy!
By harnessing the "evil" energy, one can enhance their offensive capabilities, use evil to control evil, absorb the evil energy into their body to temper themselves, and even build a protective barrier to ward off evil!
This is the fundamental reliance that enables Zhu Yan to guard the perilous land of Nanli.

"Purify the mind and ward off evil, one body, two lives... this is the complete origin of the Zhu Yan!"

Zhang Yuan understood immediately.

The "Abyssal Flame" that the Heavenly Palace cast in is essentially an extreme chaotic and destructive evil energy. The reason it can "coexist" with the Zhu Yan Fire Source is precisely because it exploits the loophole in the "evil-controlling" characteristic!

The wicked fire disguised itself as a controllable "evil spirit," deceiving the first Qiongqi elder and invading the core of the source.

However, the chaotic nature of the evil fire constantly erodes and distorts the "purifying heart" characteristic, ultimately leading to the pollution of the fire source, mutation of bloodline, and loss of control of the evil spirit!

Just as Zhang Yuan grasped the secrets of the origin, the extremely faint golden-red flame sealed in the core of the demonic flame seemed to sense the aura of the Great Dao Golden Pearl and the warmth of the "Life Flame" on Zhang Yuan's body suddenly throbbed!
A weary, aged voice, filled with boundless grief and a hint of relief, resounded directly deep within Zhang Yuan's soul, like a sigh that had traversed eternity:
"Finally... we've waited for... the aura of chaos... and... the undying flame..."

An extremely illusory, seemingly about-to-disappear afterimage of the Zhu Yan was painstakingly formed from the wisp of flame.

Its gaze toward Zhang Yuan was filled with complexity.

There is endless pity for the decline of the bloodline of the younger generation, deep hatred for the poisonous plot of the Heavenly Palace, and a glimmer of hope for liberation and rebirth.

"Heavenly Palace... Shackles of Evil Flames..."

The voice of the remnant soul was intermittent, conveying the most crucial information.

"The clear and turbid spring is not an antidote... but a deadly poison."

"It suppresses my 'purifying heart' spark... and stimulates the 'evil fire' to become active, just like... paralyzing the host and nurturing a malignant tumor!"

This perfectly matches Zhang Yuan's previous prediction!
The Clear and Turbid Spring is not an antidote, but a vicious shackle used by the Heavenly Palace to control and deepen enslavement!

It ensured that the Qiongqi clan could never escape suffering and would forever have to wag their tails and beg for mercy from the Heavenly Palace!
"I... am exhausted... my essence is about to dissipate..." The remnant soul of Zhu Yan grew increasingly ethereal, giving Zhang Yuan a deep look, as if placing its last hope in him, "This... is for you..."

The remnant soul used its last strength, and the faint golden-red flame suddenly collapsed and condensed inward!
A strange stone, only the size of a thumb, perfectly round, and containing an eternal, golden-red radiance, emerged from the void and slowly drifted toward Zhang Yuan.

The moment the stone appeared, the illusory golden pearl of the Great Dao in Zhang Yuan's sea of ​​consciousness emitted an unprecedentedly strong tremor!
Suzaku, standing on the periphery, suddenly looked up, his golden-red eyes flashing with disbelief!

This small stone contains the most primordial, purest, and unpolluted source of fire from Zhu Yan!
It is like a seed, containing the true essence of flame that transcends the comprehension of this world!
“Nirvana Stone, my bequest…may you ignite a new fire…burn away the shackles…”

With his last breath, Zhu Yan's remnant soul finished speaking, and his illusory figure vanished completely into the raging demonic flames like smoke and dust.

Only the "Nirvana Stone" floated quietly in front of Zhang Yuan, radiating a warm and eternal light.

Zhang Yuan reached out and solemnly received the heavy "Nirvana Stone".

The instant your fingertips touched the stone—

"boom!"

A vast, ancient, and extremely pure torrent of fiery essence instantly rushed into his sea of ​​consciousness!

This true meaning transcends destruction and creation, as if it contains all the mysteries of the flame from the very beginning of the universe to the resurgence of all things after their annihilation!
It points directly to the ultimate realm of the Flame Path!
Zhang Yuan's mind was instantly overwhelmed by this supreme truth.

He seemed to see a single, eternally burning spark rekindled in the ashes after the raging flames had burned away the starry sea...

That is the prototype of a Nirvana Realm that transcends the "Creation Realm" and touches the origin of the universe!
The nineteenth level of the Fire Vein Cultivation Inheritance!

The tightly closed gate, symbolizing the ultimate mystery of the Flame Path, actually cracked open for him because of this "Nirvana Stone"!
Zhang Yuan gripped the Nirvana Stone tightly, standing at the core of the raging demonic flames. His chaotic divine body circulated naturally, resisting the erosion from the outside world.

His mind had already sunk into the vast ocean of true meaning of flames, and in his eyes it seemed as if starlight was dying and being reborn.

An indescribable aura, seemingly capable of burning away eternity yet giving birth to new life, began to develop within his dormant body.

------------------

Deep within the Burning Bone Wasteland lies the core of the Zhu Yan Ancestral Ruins.

Zhang Yuan sat cross-legged on the churning lake of demonic flames, his chaotic divine body like a calm reef, unmoved by the violent soul-devouring miasma.

In the palm of his hand, the "Nirvana Stone" obtained from the remnant soul of Zhu Yan floated quietly, with an eternally burning golden-red flame within it, radiating a warm and vast ancient truth.

His mind had sunk into the deepest realm of deduction.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, the illusory image of the golden pearl of the Great Dao spun wildly at an unprecedented speed, its golden radiance flowing as if it were a tangible substance.

The painful laws of the Demonic Flame that burn and devour the soul are like the most insidious fuse. They are stripped away and analyzed, and their backlash is precisely captured.

The resilience and purification qualities of living beings transform into pure and flawless flames, radiating a glimmer of hope.

The original essence of Zhu Yan, which encompasses all things and purifies the mind to ward off evil, was shaped into the prototype of a furnace that encompasses heaven and earth.

The Great Dao Golden Pearl has been deduced ten thousand times. Each deduction opens up a path of flames in the chaos, and seeks the final balance in collision and annihilation.

Countless runes were created, destroyed, and recombined in the sea of ​​consciousness, ultimately engraving the cruel yet powerful concept of "using pain to control fire and the lamp of the heart to illuminate the prison" into the core doctrine of a cultivation technique!

The Purification and Destruction Sutra!
This scripture is not about conforming to Heaven and responding to people's wishes, but about doing things against Heaven and changing one's destiny!

Its core essence is to guide the Qiongqi bloodline, using the endless pain it endures as fuel to ignite the heart lamp within its body, which is lit by the fire of life.

Using this heart-lamp as a guide, one can reverse the flow and control the burning heart-burning demonic flames within the body, which are like maggots clinging to one's bones!

The demonic flames are no longer shackles, but weapon embryos that have been repeatedly tempered and forged by the will of the Heart Lamp!

Pain is no longer torture, but the source of power that drives this peerless weapon of destruction!
The inclusiveness and purifying essence provided by the Zhu Yan origin become an unbreakable furnace to contain this ferocious power!
Ultimately, the corrosive poison of the abyssal flames, the destructive power of the Zhu Yan's burning evil, and the purifying light of the living flames were fused together to forge an unprecedentedly malevolent flame—the Purifying Demon Flame!
This flame burns away evil and destroys magic; it can ignite anything and possesses the corrosive properties of the abyssal demonic flame, yet it is under the absolute control of the will of the Heart Lamp.

What's even more terrifying is that the deeper and more intense the pain endured by the bearer, the more violent and brutal the power of this flame becomes!
Transform shackles into divine weapons, forge a world-burning edge through one's own purgatory!

"BOOM—!!!"

The moment the final chapter of the *Purifying the World and Burning Demons Scripture* solidified within the Golden Pearl of the Great Dao, the entire sky of the Burning Bone Wasteland was suddenly enveloped by an indescribable aura of chaos! (End of Chapter)