Start from a baby to become a Taoist

Chapter 517 Devour!
Chapter 525

Bai Guya dared not hide anything and told everything he knew, like pouring beans from a bamboo tube.

It turned out that this vast and boundless skeletal realm was divided into countless regions, named according to the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, with a strict hierarchy. The "Geng" region they belonged to was a lower-middle level region.

In the deepest part of the Skull Domain, there exists an ancient organization called the "Council of Tomb Keepers".

This organization, though seemingly not composed of skeletal beings, established the fundamental law of the Skeleton Realm—every Skeleton Realm must have a lord. The lord's duty is not to rule, but to "guard."

Guarding the "things" that have been suppressed within their respective areas!
If any of the "suppressing objects" in a certain area show unusual activity, or if the suppressed entity shows signs of awakening, the lord must suppress it again at all costs. Failure to do so will result in its ruthless annihilation by the "Covenant of the Gravekeepers"!

The so-called "change of monarchs" is the most cruel part of this system.

Any being in the Skeleton Realm may challenge the Lord. The victor will inherit everything from the Lord, including power, status, and... that inescapable "responsibility".

"So, you lured me here not just to use me as a tool to kill someone, but also to make me take over this mess for the Skeleton King?" Xu Ran's tone remained calm.

"I...I..." The soul fire of the Bone Raven flickered violently, "The Bone King...it...it can no longer suppress the riot of the 'Abyss of Bone Demons'! It has long wanted to find a scapegoat! I was forced into this situation!"

"The Abyss of Bone Demons?" Xu Ran caught this key phrase.

"It's...it's what's being suppressed beneath that giant pillar!" Bai Gu Ya pointed to the base of the dragon-elephant leg bone, where the ground was an ominous dark red, as if viscous blood was seeping from the earth.

“Every hundred years, the ‘Abyss of Bone Demons’ erupts once. Each time, the king must sacrifice nearly half of the creatures within his territory, using their essence and soul fire to strengthen the seal. There are less than three years left until the next eruption!”

"This uprising is unprecedented in scale. The Skeleton King knew he was powerless to reverse the situation, so he... came up with this plan. As long as a new king is born, the 'Gravekeeper Contract' will automatically transfer. Even if the sky falls, the new king will hold it up!"

It turned out to be the case.

Xu Ran finally understood the whole story.

From beginning to end, he was a carefully chosen "scapegoat".

However, this sheep was too ferocious and killed the hunter.

"The Council of Tomb Keepers... the Abyss of Bone Demons..." Xu Ran chewed on these two words, feeling as if he had been drawn into an even larger and more dangerous vortex.

“New King, the contract took effect the moment you killed the Skeleton King,” the Bone Raven added cautiously. “Your...your will has already formed a preliminary bond with this Skeleton Realm and with this ‘Boundary-Suppressing Bone’.”

Xu Ran closed his eyes and carefully sensed.

Sure enough, he could clearly feel that his will had transformed into countless invisible tentacles, spreading to every corner of this territory. He could "see" every wandering skeleton and "hear" the whispers of every wisp of soul fire.

He truly became the master of this place.

At the same time, he also felt a heavy, shackle-like "responsibility" weighing on the core of his will. That responsibility originated from the dragon-elephant leg bone beneath his feet, and from the abyss it suppressed!
He could even vaguely sense that beneath that dark red earth, a will filled with savagery, greed, and madness was slowly awakening, like a lurking beast waiting to break free of its cage.

This is a complete trap! A calculated scheme!
Whether he likes it or not, from the moment he killed the Skeleton King, he had to bear the consequences.

escape?
The thought flashed through Xu Ran's mind.

With his current strength, as long as he doesn't actively provoke the abyss, leaving this Geng 73rd Remains Domain shouldn't be difficult.

However, he immediately dismissed the idea.

Firstly, Bai Guya mentioned that if the lord neglects his duties, he will be hunted down by the "Coven of Gravekeepers." That is a terrifying organization that can set the laws of the entire Skeleton Realm, and he is currently far from being a match for them.

Secondly, and most importantly.

His gaze fell once again on the dragon-elephant leg bone.

Here lies the foundation for his growth! Here lies the "Tao" he yearns for!
The indomitable will of the ancient dragon and elephant, and its overwhelming power that has suppressed all ages, are deeply imprinted in his heart.

Escaping is not in line with the "beliefs" he has just established.

Martial arts training involves cultivating not only strength, but also the mind. If the mind is timid, one cannot go far on the path.

"An abyss on the verge of rebellion, a mysterious and unpredictable council... Interesting."

Instead, Xu Ran's lips curled upwards into a cold arc.

Crises are often accompanied by opportunities.

If the "Abyss of Bone Demons" can make even a Bone King in the Burning Fire Realm feel despair, then how vast must the energy and origin contained within it be?
If we could absorb all of this surging energy and make it our own...

What terrifying state will his "Primordial Dao Bone Scripture" and his "Return to the Void and Extinction Arm" evolve to?

Fortune and wealth are found in danger!

"Very good." Xu Ran opened his eyes, and the soul light in his eye sockets was brighter than ever before.

He issued his first order to Baiguya, which was also his first command as the new king.

"From today onwards, this territory will be renamed 'Dragon Elephant Domain'."

"Pass on my order: summon all beings within the territory who have reached the Bone Forging Realm to assemble beneath the 'Bone of the Suppressing Realm.' I don't care what methods they use; they must all be present within three days!"

"Yes! As you command! Great Dragon-Elephant Lord!"

The Bone Raven felt as if it had been granted a pardon; it knew it had made the right bet! This new king did not choose to flee, but instead chose to face the challenge head-on!
This means that its life has been saved for the time being.

It dared not be negligent in the slightest. With a flap of its wings, it transformed into a streak of black light and vanished into the sky in an instant to carry out Xu Ran's orders.

The entire battlefield fell silent once more.

Only Xu Ran and that silent giant bone remained.

"The king is dead, but the trouble has only just begun."

Xu Ran sat cross-legged and began to take stock of the biggest gains from this battle—the three relics from the Skeleton King.

He first picked up the "Lord-level Bone Core".

This core, roughly the size of a fist, was a deep, dark blue, resembling a natural sapphire. The skeletal essence it contained was extremely pure, far surpassing that of the skeletal soldiers or even the two-winged demonic apes.

"Perfect, I can use it to solidify the realm I just broke through."

Xu Ran did not hesitate and directly activated the "Primordial Dao Bone Scripture".

On the "Arm of Return to Nothingness and Annihilation," a dark gray light flowed, and a miniature vortex formed in his palm, slowly devouring the bone core.

boom!
A torrent of incredibly pure energy surged through his arm and into his entire body.

He had just broken through to the "Minor Completion of Bone Forging Realm," and under the impetus of this immense energy, his strength was being rapidly consolidated and solidified. His entire skeleton was making soft "crackling" sounds, as if undergoing a new round of strengthening.

"Bone reserve increased by 2000 units!" "The efficiency of the *Primordial Dao Bone Scripture* has increased by 0.5%!"

"The minor completion of the Bone Forging Realm has been achieved and the realm has been stabilized!"

With just one core, he was spared months of arduous training.

Then, his gaze fell upon the "Fragment of Law (Death)".

It was an irregularly shaped black crystal, about the size of a fingernail, with no luster on its surface, yet it exuded a chilling aura. Just looking at it was as if one could see the terrifying scene of all living beings withering away and all things decaying.

This is the power of "laws" that only those at the Burning Flame Realm can initially come into contact with! It is the manifestation of the "Dao"!
If an ordinary living being dares to touch it directly, its soul will be instantly eroded by the true meaning of death contained within, turning it into a mindless living corpse.

But Xu Ran was fearless.

"Death is also part of the end. The Void is the end of all paths."

He once again activated the power of "Return to Nothingness," carefully enveloping the fragment of law.

Chi chi chi——

Two completely different "ways" began to clash fiercely.

The Law of Death, domineering and unparalleled, attempts to assimilate and decay the power of "Return to Nothingness".

The power of "Return to the Void" is even purer and more fundamental. It does not fight against the laws of death, but rather "decomposes" and "disassembles" them, and then "devours" them!
Like a sophisticated machine, it breaks down a piece of stubborn iron into its most basic molecules and then recombines them into what it needs.

This process was incredibly dangerous, and the strain on one's willpower even surpassed that of previous major battles.

Xu Ran's core will flickered violently like a candle in the wind, but he held fast to that sliver of clarity, desperately maintaining the operation of the "Return to the Void" power.

I don't know how much time passed, maybe an hour, or maybe a day.

hum!
The black fragment of law finally dissolved completely, transforming into the purest understanding of "death," which merged into the core of Xu Ran's will.

"Successfully analyzed 'Fragment of Law (Death)'!"

"My understanding of the Dao of 'Return to the Void' has deepened!"

"Gain innate ability: Death Gaze (can consume Willpower to mark the target with a death mark, weakening their life force)."

Xu Ran slowly opened his eyes, and in his eye sockets, it was as if black lightning flashed and disappeared.

He felt that his understanding of the world had reached a new level. He could see the invisible particles floating in the air, representing "decay" and "end".

This is the law! It's the underlying code that makes the world work!

"The Burning Fire Realm is indeed another world."

Xu Ran felt a surge of emotion, and his yearning for a higher realm grew even stronger.

Finally, he picked up the most precious item of the trip—the complete "Seed of Soulfire"!
This spark, like a deep blue heart, floated quietly in his palm, pulsating rhythmically. Each pulsation emitted a powerful fluctuation of divine soul energy.

This is the key to entering the "Burning Flame Realm"!

Once refined, it can ignite one's own "soul fire" within the body, allowing for a fundamental leap in one's life level!

The Skeleton King rose above countless skeletal creatures to become a powerful ruler thanks to this spark.

But Xu Ran frowned.

This Soulfire Seed has the attribute of "death" and originates from the same source as the Skeleton King. If he were to refine it, he could certainly ascend to the heavens in one step and immediately possess the strength of the Burning Fire Realm.

But in that case, his "Dao" would inevitably be affected by this spark, and even dominated by the Dao of "death".

His "Return to the Void" path is his most fundamental reliance, and he must not allow any impurities to contaminate it.

“Using ‘death’ as a basis to ignite the soul fire is ultimately a inferior approach.”

"My soul fire will be fueled by 'Return to the Void,' made of 'Dragon and Elephant,' and nourished by 'Myriad Paths,' forging a path never before trodden!"

A resolute glint flashed in Xu Ran's eyes.

He made a decision that could be described as extravagant.

He has no intention of refining this spark.

He wants to...swallow it!

Using the "Arm of Return to the Void and Annihilation," he used this complete Soul Fire Seed as the best "nourishment" to nourish his arm and allow it to complete its next evolution!

If any being in the Skeleton Realm at the peak of the Bone Forging Realm knew about this idea, they would probably go crazy on the spot!
That's an unparalleled treasure for those who have reached the Burning Flame Realm! And it's going to be treated as a disposable item?

But Xu Ran's mind was made up!

His path is different from others. What he seeks is not temporary power, but an everlasting foundation!
"Come on, let me see how far you can evolve my 'Arm of Nirvana'!"

Xu Ran took a deep breath and focused all his attention on his right arm.

The dark gray arm shone brightly, and the dark blue patterns on it seemed to come alive, transforming into a greedy maw that swallowed the "Seed of Soulfire" in one gulp!

Rumble——! ! !
An energy storm, more than a hundred times larger than the one that had previously devoured the core of the skeleton, exploded in Xu Ran's right arm!

That was not just energy, but also the purest and most refined spiritual power, and the lifelong "Dao" enlightenment of a Burning Fire Realm expert!

Click!Click!
Xu Ran's right arm made a cracking sound as it could no longer bear the weight!
Cracks appeared on the dark gray bones, as if they were about to completely collapse at any moment!

Severe pain!

The unimaginable pain shot straight to the core of his will!

But he gritted his teeth and urged the "Primordial Dao Bone Scripture" and the true meaning of "Return to the Void" to frantically refine this violent power!
Decompose! Devour! Reassemble!

His right arm is undergoing a cycle of destruction and rebirth!
"Warning! 'Arm of Nirvana' is overloaded! Evolution failure rate is 99%!"

"Unwavering host will detected..."

“Remnant echo of the will of the ‘Primordial Dragon Elephant’ detected…”

"The 'Dragon Elephant Suppressing Prison' divine power automatically protects its master!"

Om-!
Just as Xu Ran was about to give up, the huge dragon-elephant leg bone behind him once again emitted a soft, jade-white light, enveloping him.

(End of this chapter)