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Chapter 466, Section 474: The Sea of ​​Annihilation

Chapter 474 The Sea of ​​Annihilation

Xu Qinghan knelt before the altar, tears silently streaming down her face. She knew this was not the end, but the continuation of the torch. The elders and those departed guardians had become part of that torch, and their will would forever guide her forward.

She wiped away her tears and slowly stood up. Her eyes no longer held sorrow, only a deep, dark golden light, and a maturity and resolve beyond her years.

"The flame will never be extinguished, and hope will endure forever!" she murmured to herself, her voice firm and powerful.

She focused the power of the ancient god's flame into her eyes, her gaze piercing through the endless darkness, trying to find those faint guides within the network of flames.

Her gaze suddenly sharpened.

In the distant depths of the starry sky, she sensed a faint fluctuation of the embers, a fluctuation carrying an ancient and unfamiliar aura, clearly another ember suppressed by nothingness.

It was a star field utterly corrupted by the power of nothingness, known as the "Sea of ​​Annihilation." Legend has it that it was once home to one of the most brilliant civilizations in the universe, but it was completely obliterated by the Lord of Nothingness in a great war of an ancient era, transforming into a desolate sea of ​​nothingness. Yet, the guidance of the torch pointed to the depths of that desolate place.

Xu Qinghan did not hesitate at all; she knew that this was a mission she had to undertake.

She took a deep breath and pushed the power of the primordial flame within her to its limit. Gold and black flames rose around her, transforming into a stream of light that shot into the sky, heading straight for the distant, desolate sea.

The journey was long and fraught with unknowns and dangers. She traversed star fields corrupted by the power of nothingness, avoided the void creatures wandering the universe, and even felt the omnipresent pressure of the Lord of Nothingness.

Her body gradually recovered during her journey, and the power of the Flame within her became more refined. She began to experiment with the power of the newly fused Flame Seeds. She discovered that the Flame Seeds from the Extinction Star Core and the Void Tomb not only enhanced her Flame Seed Power but also greatly increased her resistance to the power of nothingness. She could even sense a trace of primal fluctuation within the power of nothingness; though faint, it deepened her understanding of nothingness.

This was perhaps an outcome the Lord of Nothingness had not foreseen. As one of the birthplaces of the Flame of Annihilation, and as the battlefield where the Void Tomb fought against Nothingness in ancient times, even though it was eroded by Nothingness, its core Flame of Annihilation still contained some mystery that was connected to the origin of Nothingness.

She traversed the cold, desolate depths of the universe, feeling the corrosive power of nothingness. Each impact of the void torrent, each attack from void creatures, became an opportunity for her to hone the will to extinguish the flame. She no longer simply resisted, but actively devoured and transformed it. Enveloped in the golden-black flame, that power of nothingness was decomposed and purified, ultimately transforming into the purest energy, nourishing her flame.

Her ability to "transform the flame into nothingness" has become more and more proficient in actual combat. She can simulate a portion of the power of the flame into a form of nothingness, thereby better integrating into the nothingness, avoiding the perception of void creatures, and even, at certain times, briefly controlling the power of nothingness for her own use.

This ability allows her to thrive in the void-eroded star field. Although dangers still abound, she can traverse the ocean of nothingness in an unprecedented way.

Finally, after a long journey of several months, Xu Qinghan arrived at the edge of the Sea of ​​Annihilation.

This is a star field completely swallowed by the power of nothingness. The once brilliant stars are now nothing but dark remnants, like a graveyard of the universe. Endless void energy permeates the air, devouring all light and all life.

Xu Qinghan's heart sank. Even though she already possessed the power of annihilation, she still felt a sense of oppression from the depths of her soul when faced with such a vast sea of ​​annihilation.

She could sense that deep within this Sea of ​​Annihilation, there lay an extremely powerful force of nothingness, a force even stronger than that of the Lord of Nothingness. It seemed to be some kind of restriction personally placed by the Lord of Nothingness, or something extremely important that was being suppressed.

And the guidance of the torch points directly to the center of that power.

Without hesitation, Xu Qinghan took a deep breath, and the golden-black flames around her suddenly erupted, transforming into a stream of light that plunged straight into the depths of the Sea of ​​Annihilation.

The deeper one goes, the denser and more violent the power of nothingness becomes. Streams of pitch-black nothingness surge through the Sea of ​​Annihilation like cosmic storms, devouring all matter and obliterating all laws.

The golden-black flame barrier surrounding Xu Qinghan roared under the impact of the void torrent. The power of the flame within her was being consumed rapidly, but she gritted her teeth, her eyes flashing with determination.

She no longer simply resisted, but actively expanded the golden-black vortex, beginning to devour the torrents of nothingness. The void energy, carrying the power to corrode all things, was decomposed and purified within the golden-black vortex, ultimately transforming into the purest energy, nourishing the flame within Xu Qinghan's body.

Although the conversion rate was still low, this ability provided her with an inexhaustible source of power in this ocean of nothingness. Like a traveler going against the current, she stubbornly forged ahead in the raging tide of nothingness.

After an unknown amount of time, Xu Qinghan finally reached the deepest part of the Sea of ​​Annihilation.

This is a pitch-black space formed entirely from the power of nothingness. There is no light, no matter, only endless silence and coldness.

However, in this deathly darkness, there was a huge, pitch-black altar, seemingly woven from countless ethereal runes, exuding a suffocating aura of annihilation.

On the altar, a blurry yet colossal figure sat cross-legged. Its form resembled that of a Void Lord, but was far more solid and powerful. Countless Void chains coiled around it, each connecting to various nodes of the Sea of ​​Annihilation, as if it were the very center of this Sea of ​​Annihilation, the Void Lord's representative in this place. It was the guardian of the Sea of ​​Annihilation—the Void Grand Monarch!
The Void Lord slowly opened its eyes. In its eyes were two deep, void vortexes, seemingly capable of devouring everything.

"Flame Ignitioner... You actually dared to venture into the Sea of ​​Annihilation..." The voice of the Void Lord was like an ancient whisper from the depths of the universe, carrying a cold and indifferent majesty, "For billions of years, no being born of the Flame has ever set foot here. You are the first, and you will be the last."

It raised its giant hand, formed from the power of nothingness, and with a gentle squeeze, the entire Sea of ​​Annihilation suddenly contracted. Endless void energy transformed into tangible chains, wrapping around Xu Qinghan from all directions, intending to crush her completely.

Xu Qinghan felt the space around her completely solidify, and the terrifying pressure made the flame within her tremble. She suddenly unleashed the ancient god's flame, the golden mark between her brows shining brightly, and blazing golden-black flames burst forth from her body, transforming into a towering phantom of a flame war god, firmly protecting her within.

"Lord of Nothingness, your attempt to devour all life is the true death throes!" Xu Qinghan roared, her voice echoing through the Sea of ​​Annihilation, carrying an indomitable will. "As long as the flame burns, hope endures! Your annihilation can never extinguish the life force of the universe!"

The phantom of the God of War suddenly swung his fist, and torrents of golden and black energy shot into the sky, colliding violently with the entangled chains of nothingness!
"Rumble--"

A deafening roar erupted in the Sea of ​​Annihilation, distorting the void and shattering the laws of nature. The golden-black flames and the pitch-black power of nothingness collided violently, eroding and annihilating each other. Xu Qinghan felt a terrifying backlash assail her; the phantom of the Flame God trembled violently, its light dimming. She coughed up a mouthful of blood, her body thrown backward by the shockwave.

"You ignorant ants!" The voice of the Void Lord grew even colder. Its blurry figure suddenly expanded, transforming into an endless expanse of darkness, turning the entire Sea of ​​Annihilation into its domain.

"The Sea of ​​Annihilation is an unparalleled killing formation laid down by my lord using the annihilation energy of billions of stars as a guide and the origin of nothingness as a foundation! It can devour all things and obliterate the soul; even the immortal kings of ancient eras have perished within it!" The voice of the Void Lord was filled with boundless majesty and pride. "How can you, a mere igniter who has just entered this realm, possibly withstand it?"

Its words, like law, unleashed the full power of the entire Sea of ​​Annihilation. Countless invisible, pitch-black hands reached out from the void, piercing through the phantom of the God of War and directly grabbing at Xu Qinghan's soul!

Xu Qinghan felt her soul tremble violently as a cold, decaying power attempted to erode her consciousness, dragging her into endless despair and illusion. She saw the vanishing figures of the Flame Guardians and the apocalyptic scene of the universe being completely swallowed by darkness.

"No!" Xu Qinghan let out a painful growl as she abruptly activated the ancient god's smoldering mark between her brows.

At the critical moment, the mark burst forth with unprecedented light, and a blazing golden-black flame shot out from the depths of her soul, transforming into a small, chaotic golden-black sun that instantly vaporized the ethereal hands that were trying to erode her soul!

This is the power of extinguishing the flame! In times of crisis, it demonstrates a powerful resistance and purification ability against the power of nothingness. It is not merely a simple resistance, but rather carries a trace of insight into the origin of nothingness, like a wisp of extinguishing light in the flame, capable of purifying nothingness in reverse.

Xu Qinghan's consciousness snapped back to reality, a flash of understanding crossing her eyes. The extinguishing of the flame not only strengthened her own flame power but also gave her a deeper understanding of the essence of nothingness. Nothingness is not simply "emptiness"; it also contains a certain origin of "extinction," while the flame is the origin of "life." Life and death, extinction and hope, are two sides of the same coin in the universe.

"The flame of knowledge is extinguished!" A thought suddenly flashed through Xu Qinghan's mind. This is not depravity, but transcendence!

She abruptly closed her eyes, immersing herself completely in the realization that came with the extinguishing of the flame. She no longer simply used the flame to fight against nothingness, but tried to "understand" nothingness and "master" it.

The ancient divine flame within her was no longer simply golden, but a tapestry of gold and black, like the deepest night blending into golden flames. This was not a result of being corrupted by nothingness, but rather the initial fusion of the flame with the essence of nothingness—an unprecedented transformation!
"Hmm?" The blurry figure of the Void Lord trembled violently. It sensed that the aura emanating from Xu Qinghan had become even stronger in the Sea of ​​Annihilation, and even showed a slight resonance with the Sea of ​​Annihilation!
"Impossible! How can you control the power of nothingness?!" The Void Lord exclaimed in surprise and doubt, its voice carrying a hint of emotion for the first time.

Xu Qinghan suddenly opened her eyes. In her eyes, there was no longer a simple gold, but a chaotic light interwoven with gold and black, deep and mysterious.

She raised her hand, and a flame of interwoven gold and black rose from her palm. The flame did not have a scorching temperature, but it carried a kind of annihilation and rebirth that could devour everything.

"The Lord of Nothingness laid down the Sea of ​​Annihilation, intending to obliterate all life, but little did he know that life and annihilation are inherently interdependent and mutually reinforcing, each being an inseparable part of the other!" Xu Qinghan's voice became ethereal yet majestic, as if containing some profound universal truth. "The Sea of ​​Annihilation, today I, the one who ignites the flame, will reverse the course of fate for you!"

She suddenly thrust out the golden-black flame from her palm, and the flame instantly expanded, transforming into a golden-black vortex that crashed towards the Void Lord!

"Reversal? Wishful thinking!" The Void Lord roared angrily. Its enormous body suddenly solidified, transforming into a pitch-black demon god. Its ten-thousand-foot-tall body stood tall and firm, surrounded by countless void chains, each chain connecting to various nodes of the Sea of ​​Annihilation.

It swung its arms violently, mobilizing the power of the entire Sea of ​​Annihilation to its limit. Countless jet-black runes flew out from the formation, transforming into torrents of nothingness that crashed towards Xu Qinghan, intending to crush her along with the golden-black vortex!
"The flame of life dissipates into nothingness, and all laws return to one!" Xu Qinghan roared. Instead of retreating, she advanced, her body transforming into a golden-black stream of light, rushing straight into the void!
The golden-black vortex around her suddenly expanded, and began to actively devour the torrent of nothingness! The nothingness energy, which carried the power to corrode all things, was decomposed and purified in the golden-black vortex, and finally transformed into the purest energy, nourishing the flame within Xu Qinghan's body!

This is a miracle brought about by the extinguishing of the flame! It gave Xu Qinghan the ability to transform the power of nothingness into the energy of the flame. Although the conversion rate is extremely low, in this sea of ​​extinguishing, it is like a fish entering the ocean, giving her an inexhaustible source of power!
The Void Lord was utterly shocked. It had never seen any living being accomplish this; it was tantamount to blasphemy against the laws of the Void Lord!

"Kill! Kill her! We must not let her grow stronger!" The Void Lord roared hysterically as it charged towards Xu Qinghan, its Void Chains coiling around it like millions of venomous snakes, reaching out to ensnare her.

Xu Qinghan moved like lightning, weaving through the gaps in the void chains. She no longer simply dodged, but actively faced those void chains. With each contact, the golden-black vortex on her body would suddenly suck in, devouring and transforming a portion of the void chains' power.

(End of this chapter)