144: Prison Node, Opening Date!

After an unknown period, Chen Xu slowly raised his head. His gaze seemed to pierce through the dome of the main hall, looking towards the extreme north, that region covered by endless storms.

"In this life, I do not revere Heaven and Earth, nor do I believe in ghosts or gods."

"I only believe that man can conquer nature."

"You think this is Heaven and Earth's punishment for me?"

"Hahahaha!"

At this, Chen Xu laughed, his laughter unrestrained.

"No, this is the cage... fearing! It fears me, fears our Chen Family, fears all those who refuse to be slaves and dare to raise their swords to the sky!"

"The more it fears, the more it proves that my path is correct!"

And just as Chen Xu was proclaiming his bold words in the main hall... in the backyard of the Chen Family Holy Land.

Qin Rouer was gently comforting her newborn son in the courtyard.

This child had been different since birth.

He didn't cry or fuss; most of the time, he was asleep.

But today, for some reason, he was unusually agitated, crying incessantly in his swaddling clothes.

His small face was scrunched into a ball.

"Xian'er, be good, don't cry, don't cry, mother is here."

Qin Rouer tenderly stroked her son's back, coaxing him softly.

But Chen Zhenxian in her arms seemed not to hear at all, still wailing loudly.

His voice was clear and piercing.

Just as Qin Rouer was at a loss, preparing to have a maid invite the wet nurse over.

The crying in her arms suddenly stopped!

Qin Rouer was startled and looked down.

She saw that Chen Zhenxian, who had been crying with a red face, had stopped crying at some point.

He opened his eyes and was staring fixedly at the sky.

And within Qin Rouer's sight.

Chen Zhenxian's dark pupils were as deep as night, yet they were not empty.

There seemed to be countless golden Formation patterns slowly flowing within them, ceaselessly!

These Formation patterns intertwined and outlined each other, eventually forming a vast and boundless star Formation diagram.

Just by being looked at by these eyes, Qin Rouer, a Golden Core Stage Cultivator.

Actually felt as if her Divine Soul was about to be sucked in, her mind shaking violently!

"Xian'er?"

She subconsciously called out.

However, the next moment, an even more astonishing scene occurred!

Chen Zhenxian in his swaddling clothes slowly extended a small, delicate hand, and his chubby little finger pointed directly at the sky!

He opened his small mouth and uttered two words in a babbling, indistinct voice.

"Formation... break..."

The voice was tender, yet it exploded in Qin Rouer's mind!

Formation... break?

What Formation?

Break what?

Qin Rouer held the child, completely stunned, her mind blank.

Clearly, she couldn't understand anything that was happening before her eyes.

An infant less than a month old, not only able to open eyes containing a Formation diagram.

But also able to speak?

This had already exceeded her comprehension.

After the shock, a strong premonition surged in her heart.

She knew that this matter was no small feat!

"Quick! Go report to the Family Head!"

Qin Rouer urgently instructed the maid beside her... In the main deliberation hall.

Chen Xu had just used a speech to re-Cohesion everyone's faith.

Just as he was about to announce the next step of his plan.

His expression suddenly changed.

"Father?"

Chen Daoxuan noticed the unusual look on his father's face.

Chen Xu didn't answer, merely frowned slightly and tilted his head, listening to something.

The next moment, his figure vanished from where he stood without warning.

When he reappeared, he was already in the backyard courtyard.

"Husband!"

Seeing Chen Xu appear, Qin Rouer felt like she had found her pillar of support and quickly came forward with the child.

Chen Xu nodded to his wife, signaling her to rest assured.

Then he fixed his gaze on the tiny infant.

At this moment, Chen Zhenxian seemed to have exhausted all his strength and had fallen back into a deep sleep.

His strange eyes were tightly closed, and there were still traces of tears on his small face.

He looked no different from an ordinary infant.

But what level of cultivation did Chen Xu possess?

He could feel that within his youngest son's body, the innate 'Formation Dao Sacred Body' Origin.

Was currently in an unprecedentedly active state.

Mysterious Formation Dao powers circulated autonomously within his young body, resonating faintly yet clearly with the invisible grand Formation that enveloped the entire world.

"Formation... break..."

The words the maid had just relayed echoed in Chen Xu's mind.

His eyes instantly became incredibly profound.

He almost immediately guessed the truth.

The appearance of the Dao Transformation Calamity indicated that the Cage Grand Formation's operation was intensifying.

It was eliminating 'variables' in a more intense manner.

And his son, who possessed the 'Formation Dao Sacred Body'.

Was naturally endowed with an unimaginable affinity and perception for the Great Dao of Formations.

It was the intense operation and changes of the Cage Grand Formation that activated the Sacred Body Origin within him.

Waking him from his slumber, and even, by instinct.

Premonishing a certain future direction of this Cage Grand Formation!

"Formation break... does it mean this Cage Grand Formation will shatter?"

Chen Xu's thoughts churned as he stared at his sleeping son in his arms.

He tried to find more clues from him.

Perhaps sensing his father's extremely focused intent.

In the swaddling clothes, the already sleeping Chen Zhenxian's tiny brows suddenly furrowed.

He once again murmured in a dreamlike voice.

This time, he still uttered two words.

"Sacrifice... offering..."

His voice was even weaker than before, almost inaudible.

But these two words, falling into Chen Xu's ears, made his entire body tremble violently!

"Formation... break..."

"Sacrifice... offering..."

These two seemingly unrelated words rapidly combined and clashed in Chen Xu's mind!

A scene was instantly recalled!

It was the black Jade Slip left by Lu Cun Demon Lord!

It was the few words recorded in the Jade Slip about 'Guixu' and 'beyond the realm'!

Among them, there was a sentence that had made him feel a chill at the time!

"Sacrifice all spirits, break the shackles!"

In an instant, Chen Xu's pupils suddenly contracted!

He understood!

He finally understood!

It turned out that the Dao Transformation Calamity was not a punishment from Heaven and Earth at all, nor was it the cage's self-repair!

It was a selection! The activation of a sacrificial ritual!

This super grand Formation, which enveloped the entire world, in its final stage of decline and collapse.

Needed enormous energy to complete its final leap, thereby completely 'shattering'!

And where would this energy come from?

It was the billions of living beings living in this cage!

The so-called 'Dao Transformation' was the Cage Grand Formation forcibly reclaiming the spiritual power, Origin, and even Divine Soul from these Cultivators' bodies!

Using them as fuel, as offerings.

To provide energy for the ultimate shattering of the grand Formation!

And Lu Cun Demon Lord, that Demonic Path magnate he had slain, had apparently also glimpsed a corner of this cruel truth through some channel.

That's why she left behind the words, "Sacrifice all spirits, break the shackles"!

Her thinking coincided with the operational logic of this Cage Grand Formation!

However, the 'sacrifice' of the Cage Grand Formation was passive and slow.

It followed certain rules, 'reclaiming' them one by one, starting from those with the highest cultivation.

But Lu Cun Demon Lord's idea was even more insane, more direct!

She wanted to actively sacrifice!

Sacrifice all living beings in the entire world, using an extremely fast method to prematurely detonate this Cage Grand Formation.

Thereby obtaining a glimmer of hope to break the shackles!

"So that's how it is... so that's how it is!"

Chen Xu held the child, standing in the courtyard, muttering to himself.

All his previous conjectures were confirmed at this moment!

He hadn't taken the wrong path!

To sit idly by was to wait to be 'eaten' one by one by the Cage Grand Formation, turning into its shattering nourishment.

But to take the initiative, head to the Guixu Demon Eye, and search for the core of the Formation.

Was the only way to survive!

"Haha... hahahaha!"

Having understood all this, Chen Xu burst into laughter again!

His laughter pierced the clouds and cracked stones, resounding throughout the entire Chen Family Holy Land!

Chen Daoxuan and the others, who were anxiously waiting in the main deliberation hall, were first startled by this familiar laughter.

Then, expressions of ecstasy appeared on their faces!

They knew that their father, theirAlliance Leader (Alliance Leader), must have found a way to break the situation!

"Husband?"

Qin Rouer was startled by Chen Xu's reaction and looked at him with some worry.

"I'm fine!"

Chen Xu stopped laughing, looked down at his wife, his eyes brighter and more confident than ever.

"Rou'er, you have given our Chen Family an immense treasure!"

He lowered his head and heavily kissed his sleeping son's tender forehead.

This child was his key to breaking the Formation, the greatest gift Heaven had sent him!

Subsequently, Chen Xu's mind began to frantically calculate.

Since this cage was a grand Formation heading towards collapse, it needed to sacrifice living beings to replenish energy and complete its final 'shattering'.

Since the Dao Transformation Calamity was its passive, slow method of feeding.

Then... I will actively feed you!

Yes, he was going to turn the tables and utilize this Cage Grand Formation!

To buy himself, and the entire Chen Family, the most precious time!

Chen Xu held the child, his figure flashed, and he returned directly to the main deliberation hall.

"Father!"

"Alliance Leader!"

Seeing him return, everyone immediately gathered around him, their faces filled with eagerness.

Chen Xu's gaze swept over the crowd, then he spoke loudly: "I have found the root cause of the Dao Transformation Calamity."

"From now on, everyone obey my command!"

"Dao Xuan, immediately transmit my Alliance Leader's order, let all Cultivators in Central Province watch! Watch how I break this so-called Heavenly Scourge!"

"Tyrant Blade, Liu Ruyan, you two immediately lead people to the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, seal off a thousand miles, and do not allow anyone to approach!"

Orders were issued in an orderly fashion.

Although everyone didn't understand what the Family Head was going to do, seeing his confident demeanor, they naturally had no objections.

They only needed to believe.

Believing in this man was enough!

...A few days later.

Above the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's mountain gate.

Chen Xu's figure descended once again.

This time, he did not hide his tracks.

Under his instruction, the Chen Family used the communication Formations spread throughout Central Province to broadcast the scene here.

Live to every Immortal city, every Sect!

The entire Central Province, billions of Cultivators, all looked up at this moment.

They watched through the huge water mirror screens.

They saw the black-robed figure standing between the Heaven and Earth.

"It's Alliance Leader Chen! What is he doing at the ruins of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion?"

"Could it be... could it be that he truly intends to act Heaven-Defyingly and anger the Azure Sky again?"

"He's crazy! He must be crazy! He's trying to drag all of us down to die with him!"

Panic, confusion, anger... all sorts of emotions spread through the hearts of countless Cultivators.

They didn't understand why, in the face of the terrifying "Calamity of Dao Transformation."

Chen Xu would still make such a provocative move.

However, within the light screen, Chen Xu completely ignored the thoughts of the world.

He merely looked down indifferently at the Dao Lineage he had personally destroyed below.

His eyes were ancient, like still water.

The next moment, he moved!

Chen Xu slowly raised his right hand, spread his five fingers, and then fiercely clenched his fist toward the ground below!

"Rise!"

A single word, like Nine Heavens thunder, echoed through the sky!

Boom, rumble—!!!

The entire earth began to tremble violently!

Centered on the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's mountain gate, mountains, rivers, and terrain spanning thousands of miles shook madly at this moment, as if the Earth Dragon had turned over and the apocalypse had arrived!

"What is he doing?!"

"Heavens! The earth is splitting open!"

All the Cultivators watching this scene through the Water Mirror were frightened, their faces pale.

They saw massive fissures appearing out of thin air on the ground of the ruins.

Deep and bottomless.

Vast and mighty Dragon Qi erupted from deep beneath the ground!

Immediately after.

Under the horrified gaze of billions of Cultivators.

A massive Dragon shadow, ten thousand zhang long and formed by the convergence of Spiritual Qi, was forcefully dragged out from deep within the earth by him!

That was the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's Ancestral Spiritual Vein, a High Grade, Fourth-Tier Spiritual Vein that had been passed down for tens of thousands of years!

"Awwwnngg—!!!"

The Spiritual Vein let out a painful, angry roar, its massive body struggling wildly.

Trying to burrow back underground.

That power was enough to instantly tear apart ten Great Cultivators of the Late Nascent Soul Stage!

"Hmph! You dare to act presumptuously in front of this Lord?"

Chen Xu let out a cold snort, and the human emperor seal on his brow burst forth with golden light!

Imperial Dao Pressure violently suppressed it!

The struggling ten-thousand-zhang Spiritual Vein instantly froze, its massive body trembling, daring not to move an inch further.

Extracting a Spiritual Vein!

He was actually forcefully extracting a living Fourth-Tier Ancestral Spiritual Vein!

This scene directly overturned the understanding of everyone present!

This was no longer the great power Mortals could possess.

This was a method only Immortals possessed!

Chen Xu held the constantly wailing Spiritual Vein with one hand, while with the other, he fiercely tore at the Void Realm!

Rip—!

The sky, like a piece of cloth.

Was torn open by him, revealing a pitch-black fissure.

Behind the fissure was the chaotic Void Realm, and heart-pounding, endless darkness.

Subsequently, Chen Xu made a move that no one had anticipated.

He took the ten-thousand-zhang Spiritual Vein in his hand, and like discarding trash.

Threw it directly into the Spatial Fissure!

After completing all this, he slowly spoke.

That voice, enhanced by his supreme magical power of the Great Perfection Nascent Soul Stage, clearly spread throughout the entire Central State, resounding in the ears of every living being!

"Heaven and Earth are ruthless, treating the myriad things as straw dogs."

"In this world, the Spiritual Qi is declining, and Dao Transformation is descending. This is not a heavenly punishment; it is truly a Great Formation about to collapse, seeking to use all living beings as sacrifices to prolong its existence!"

"Today, I, Chen Xu, shall use this Spiritual Vein as a sacrifice!"

"To offer a sacrifice and announce to Heaven and Earth!"

The moment his voice fell!

The Spiritual Vein thrown into the Void Realm let out a mournful cry.

And exploded with a roar!

Transforming into the vast Origin energy of this world.

And was instantly devoured by the invisible "Cage Great Formation"!

Buzz—!!!

The moment the Spiritual Vein was sacrificed.

The entire Cultivation World violently shook!

All Cultivators, regardless of location or cultivation level, clearly felt that the strange aura that had been shrouding them, making their hearts palpitate and threatening to 'Dao Transform' them at any moment... had vanished!

The trend of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi rapidly decaying and constantly approaching Death Qi... was actually curbed!

Although the Spiritual Qi had not returned to its previous concentration, it had stabilized!

It was no longer declining!

This single action stunned all the Cultivators across the world!

They all stood with their mouths agape, staring blankly at the black-robed figure in the Water Mirror, who resembled a God or Demon.

So... it could be done like this?!

Sacrificing a Fourth-Tier Ancestral Spiritual Vein to that invisible Heaven and Earth Great Formation.

In exchange for the temporary stability of the entire world?

What kind of boldness was this!

What kind of grand feat was this!

A moment ago, they were cursing Chen Xu in their hearts, calling him a lunatic and a Tyrant.

At this moment, in the hearts of everyone.

Only endless reverence and fanaticism remained!

A God!

This was the true God!

In the face of the Great Calamity of Heaven and Earth, all beings could only passively wait for death, yet this man chose to take the initiative and strike.

He even managed to utilize the rules of Heaven and Earth!

The reverence for Chen Xu, at this moment, once again rose to an unprecedented height!

...After stabilizing the situation, Chen Xu did not linger for a moment.

He took one step... and his figure vanished from above the Heavenly Secret Pavilion.

When he reappeared, he was already back at the Chen Family Holy Land, in the rear courtyard.

From Qin Rouer's hands.

He once again took his youngest son, Chen Zhenxian.

"Husband, you..."

Qin Rouer looked at him, her eyes filled with worry.

That earth-shattering action just now must have consumed a huge amount of energy.

"I'm fine."

Chen Xu shook his head, looking down at his son in his arms, who had once again opened his strange eyes.

A smile appeared on his face.

"The real show has only just begun."

After speaking, he held Chen Zhenxian, turned, took a step, and his figure instantly vanished.

When he reappeared.

He was already inside the ten-thousand-zhang-tall [Myriad Dao Pavilion]!

Inside the pavilion, star rivers flowed, and the Great Dao resonated.

The Seven-Colored Qilin, formed by the convergence of ten thousand Dao Rhymes, sensed its master's arrival.

And affectionately approached him.

Chen Xu stroked its head and sat down cross-legged in the center of the starry sky.

He placed Chen Zhenxian, still swaddled, upon his knees.

The father and son exchanged glances.

Chen Xu could see in his son's eyes, which contained endless Formation Patterns.

A trace of innate closeness and reliance.

"Xian'er, I'll be relying on you next."

Chen Xu took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes.

Buzz!

His vast Divine Sense, which had reached the peak of this world, erupted like a breached sea of stars.

Exploding with a roar!

Using his Great Perfection Nascent Soul Stage Divine Sense as the leader!

And using Chen Zhenxian's "Formation Dao Sacred Body" as the primer, as the key!

The powers of the father and son, at this moment, through the connection of their Bloodlines.

Perfectly merged together!

Chen Xu's Divine Soul, aided by his son.

Instantly soared to an unprecedented level!

He seemed to have transformed into this Heaven and Earth; he "saw" a massive, golden net covering the entire world.

An boundless golden net!

That net was the Cage Great Formation!

"Show yourself... manifest!"

Chen Xu roared internally!

All his Divine Sense power, carrying Chen Zhenxian's unique Formation Dao Origin aura.

Madly poured into the deduction process of the Myriad Dao Pavilion!

Boom!!!

Inside the Myriad Dao Pavilion, star rivers reversed, and ten thousand Daos resonated!

The Heavenly Secret, which was originally a state of Chaos and impossible to deduce, finally had a gap torn open under the combined effort of the father and son.

Strands of golden lines.

Began to emerge in the starry sky of the Myriad Dao Pavilion.

Those lines intertwined and outlined.

Constructing an incredibly complex three-dimensional Formation Diagram!

The mere sight of the embryonic form of that Formation Diagram.

Was enough to cause a Nascent Soul Cultivator's Dao Heart to collapse on the spot!

The model of the "Cage Great Formation" was painstakingly constructed in the starry sky of the Myriad Dao Pavilion!

As time passed, the resolution of the model continuously improved.

Chen Xu's understanding of this cage also deepened.

He saw the Great Formation's Energy Nodes and its weak areas.

He saw the trajectory of its connection with the countless Spiritual Veins across the entire world!

The moment the model resolution of the Great Formation reached one percent!

A sudden change occurred!

The Broken Compass in Chen Xu's arms, obtained from a System reward.

The [World-Breaking Compass] suddenly erupted with extremely brilliant golden light!

Following this, it began to tremble violently!

It was no longer as lifeless as before.

The incomplete ancient patterns on it, guided by the deductive power of the Myriad Dao Pavilion and the Origin of the Formation Dao Sacred Body, actually repaired and completed themselves as if they were alive!

The pointer in the center of the compass, which had been rusty and rigidly pointing north, completely came alive at this moment!

It broke free from its original constraints and began to spin madly!

One rotation, ten rotations, a hundred rotations, a thousand rotations!

The pointer spun faster and faster, until finally, it became a streak of cyan afterglow undetectable by the naked eye!

As if performing some kind of calculation that surpassed the comprehension of this world!

Chen Xu's eyes remained tightly shut.

His entire focus was immersed in the boundless.

Deduction of the Great Formation covering the entire world.

He could feel that as the compass spun wildly, his analysis of this "cage" was skyrocketing at an incredible speed!

Every Energy Node and every weak link of the Great Formation became clearer than ever within his Divine Sense!

Time passed, moment by moment.

Who knows how long passed!

Just as the pointer reached its rotational peak!

Clang—!

A crisp, prolonged sound, seemingly traveling through countless ages, burst forth from the compass!

Resounding throughout the entire Myriad Dao Pavilion!

The wildly spinning pointer came to an abrupt halt!

It seemed to be firmly locked by an invisible force, once again pointing towards the distant northern extreme!

The Guixu Demon Eye!

At the same time, an illusory light screen appeared above the compass out of thin air.

On the light screen, a line of cold, small characters composed of Ancient Seal Script.

Slowly condensed into form.

[Node Activation Countdown: Seven Days!]

Seven days!

The moment this line of small characters appeared!

Inside the Myriad Dao Pavilion, Chen Xu suddenly opened his eyes!

...And at this very moment!

Far away, hundreds of millions of miles away, in the Extreme Northern Sea covered year-round by ice and snow!

The situation drastically changed!