304: Chapter 304 The Secret of Origin and Stepping into the Origin

"Clack."

A crisp cracking sound echoed harshly within the deathly silent Zhaixing Courtyard.

Star Child's aged body lay stiffly on the warm jade floor. Due to extreme shock, the Nirvana Origin circulating within him briefly spiraled out of control, accidentally crushing a top-grade ice-pith jade tile used to support the incense burner.

The crisp sound shattered the frozen air of the courtyard and made Star Child shudder, pulling him back to reality from the abyss of boundless fear.

He swallowed hard, his throat dry. He didn't even have the courage to lift his head, only kowtowing repeatedly like a pounding pestle toward the green-robed figure who had just entered the barrier, his voice trembling beyond recognition.

With a hoarse voice and near-frenzied reverence, Star Child said, "Supreme... Your Divine Might is such that this Junior could not repay even a fraction of it in ten thousand deaths. The primal divine spring... the spring water is ready. Qingying, quickly... serve the tea to the Supreme."

Nearby, Pure Shadow was in no better state than Star Child. Her beautiful face was as pale as paper, but hearing the Pavilion Master's scolding, she forced herself to bite the tip of her tongue, using the sharp pain to regain her senses.

With jade-like hands covered in fine sweat, she carefully lifted the white jade teacup emitting a faint fragrance. The tea rippled slightly, reflecting a mesmerizing purple-gold luster. The temperature was exactly as Zhou Wannian had requested—neither too hot nor too cold, perfect for bringing out the dao charm of the taixu dao source tea to its absolute Peak.

Zhou Wannian walked to the warm jade tea table, ignoring the two shivering figures on the ground. Instead, he sat down in an extremely comfortable and relaxed manner.

He reached out to take the teacup from Pure Shadow. His fingers were long and fair, without a single trace of the murderous aura from his recent slaughter.

Zhou Wannian looked down at the tea, his tone steady as if he were chatting with an old friend.

Zhou Wannian said calmly, "The heat is indeed well-managed. The purity of the primal divine spring has also refined the final trace of Impurities from the tea leaves. Only such tea is barely worthy of the vast starry sky of this Grand Void Firmament."

With that, he lifted the teacup and took a slow, deliberate sip.

The moment the tea entered his mouth, a surge of Grand Void Origin, even vaster and purer than before, turned into a warm torrent. It flowed through his Meridians without obstruction and poured into his inner universe.

The Great Five Elements Illusory World Art roared into operation.

The heavy, boundless grandmist mother earth continent, the magnificent great sea true water, the sharp primal geng metal divine iron, the nine nether earth core lotus burning with ghostly fire, and the vibrant chaos jianmu—the Five Primordial Origin Divine Objects—seemed to welcome the sweetest rain at this moment, erupting with unprecedented brilliance.

One hundred and eight time dao patterns spun rapidly in the sky of the inner universe, instantly crushing and assimilating the high-dimensional Grand Void Origin, converting it into the purest foundation for the inner universe.

Zhou Wannian could clearly feel his Physical Body undergoing a sublimation that transcended the material plane. Every inch of his skin and every bone began to emit an immortal charm—similar to the Eternal Origin Sea, yet more inclusive and more Advanced.

He closed his eyes slightly, enjoying this rare moment of tranquility.

Meanwhile, in the Void Realm billions of miles away from the Grand Void Central Divine City...

The Grand Void Dao Ancestor, riding the massive Chaos Giant Whale, had already fled to the deepest reaches of the Grand Void Firmament. Here, the Space Laws were in Chaos, and the flow of time exhibited a bizarre state of simultaneous regression and acceleration. In the void ahead, an ancient aura that filled all living beings with awe faintly emerged.

That was the absolute forbidden land within the Grand Void Firmament—the edge of the Eternal Origin Sea.

The Grand Void Dao Ancestor's face was pale, and deep palpitations still lingered in his pupil-less eyes. He glanced back toward the Grand Void Central Divine City. Confirmed that the terrifying youth in the Green Robe hadn't followed, he finally let out a long sigh of relief, his tense heart relaxing slightly.

The Grand Void Dao Ancestor panted, his voice carrying a mix of relief from surviving a disaster and venomous resentment.

The Grand Void Dao Ancestor gritted his teeth and muttered to himself, "That monster... which unknowable place did such an anomaly emerge from? The power within him can actually unilaterally crush the Grand Void River of Time. No, this matter concerns the survival of the entire Grand Void Firmament. I must immediately delve into the Origin Sea, awaken the other sleeping Dao Ancestors, and work together to set up the 'Grand Void Heaven-Sealing Array' to completely isolate that Star Domain."

He patted the Chaos Giant Whale beneath him, preparing to urge it to dive completely into the Eternal Origin Sea, which could swallow even one's gaze.

Just then.

A steady, soothing voice, devoid of any anger yet sounding like a whisper in the Grand Void Dao Ancestor's ear, rang out without warning in his Sea of Consciousness.

That voice belonged to Zhou Wannian.

Zhou Wannian's voice echoed like a nightmare.

Zhou Wannian said casually, "You run quite fast. However, although this Grand Void Firmament is vast, in my eyes, it's nothing more than a slightly larger courtyard. You, a stray fly, must be swatted in the end."

"Who's there? Get out!"

The Grand Void Dao Ancestor was scared out of his wits. He jumped up, his withered hands frantically forming seals, trying to mobilize the surrounding chaotic Laws to protect himself.

However.

In the Void Realm less than a hundred feet in front of the Grand Void Dao Ancestor...

A transparent ripple, like water, suddenly spread out.

His Green Robe fluttering slightly in the astral winds of the Grand Void's depths, Zhou Wannian's tall and slender figure strolled out of the ripples. He still maintained his relaxed posture with his hands behind his back, his eyes as calm as water, as if he had been waiting there all along for the Grand Void Dao Ancestor's arrival.

The Grand Void Dao Ancestor's pupils shrank violently; he could hardly believe his eyes.

Even for someone of his level traveling at full speed, it would take several days to reach this place from the Grand Void Central Divine City. Yet this youth had ignored all spatial obstacles and time flows in an instant, crossing the endless distance to appear before him.

This method was no longer mere spatial teleportation; it was true omnipresence, an absolute control that transcended the highest Heavenly Dao of this Universe.

The Grand Void Dao Ancestor roared in despair, knowing he had no way to retreat.

With a distorted face, the Grand Void Dao Ancestor roared, "You anomaly, don't push things too far! This is the edge of the Eternal Origin Sea. If you dare to act here, you will trigger the backlash of the Origin Sea. When that happens, you won't survive either!"

Hearing this blustering threat, a faint trace of mockery flashed in Zhou Wannian's deep eyes.

Zhou Wannian commented steadily, "Even at death's door, you're still relying on external forces. You so-called Dao Ancestors' understanding of power is truly impoverished to the extreme."

He gave the Grand Void Dao Ancestor no further opportunity to stall for time.

Zhou Wannian slowly withdrew his right hand from behind his back, spreading his fingers. With his palm facing the Grand Void Dao Ancestor, he made a simple, casual grasping motion in the air.

"Hum."

At this moment, the Great Five Elements Illusory World Art erupted with a brilliant golden light that illuminated the entire depths of the Grand Void.

Great Perfection Space Prison.

Great Perfection Time Deprivation.

Great Perfection Five Elements Disintegration.

The three Supreme inner universe rules instantly fused, transforming into an invisible, colossal hand. It completely ignored the layers of Origin shields on the Grand Void Dao Ancestor's body and firmly gripped him and the massive Chaos Giant Whale.

"No—!"

The Grand Void Dao Ancestor let out the most shrill and desperate scream of his life. He frantically burned his Eternal Dao Fruit, trying to force open the invisible prison.

But before that absolutely overwhelming inner universe power, his struggle was like that of a fly trapped in amber—pitiful and powerless.

Without any hesitation, Zhou Wannian's right hand gently clenched.

"Crack."

Accompanied by a crisp cracking sound that seemed to make the entire Grand Void Firmament tremble.

This ancient Dao Ancestor, who held a Supreme status in the Grand Void Firmament and had lived for countless eons, along with his formidable Chaos Giant Whale...

...exploded in mid-air like crushed withered leaves.

There was no gruesome scene of flying flesh and blood.

Under the washing of this Great Perfection disintegration Law, their indestructible bodies—tempered through countless ages—from flesh and bone to Divine Soul and Dao Fruit, all instantly disintegrated into basic dust.

"Puff."

A very faint muffled sound.

The Grand Void Dao Ancestor and the Chaos Giant Whale turned into a large cloud of gray powder, scattering into the chaotic void at the edge of the Eternal Origin Sea, completely vanishing into nothingness.

Instakill.

A true, absolute instakill.

A top existence of the Grand Void Firmament had been reduced to the dust of history by Zhou Wannian's casual grasp.

Zhou Wannian slowly withdrew his right hand, his expression as composed as ever, as if he had merely swatted a buzzing mosquito.

He ignored the scattering ashes and turned his gaze toward the bottomless Eternal Origin Sea ahead, which exuded an ancient, forbidden aura.

With a soothing tone and a hint of faint anticipation, Zhou Wannian murmured to himself, "There's nothing left on the surface of this Grand Void Firmament to interest me. Since I'm here, I might as well take a trip into this so-called Origin Sea and see what those cowards hiding in the shadows are actually meditating on."

He took steady steps, his Green Robes elegant, without the slightest hesitation or fear.

The indestructible spatial barriers beneath his feet rippled like water before his Great Perfection Space Law, opening a path to the unknown depths.

With his hands behind his back, Zhou Wannian strolled directly into the Eternal Origin Sea, a place regarded as an absolute taboo by all worlds.

As his figure completely vanished into that darkness and nothingness, the chaotic edge of the Grand Void Firmament returned to a deathly silence.

Meanwhile, in the Zhaixing Courtyard of the Lanxing Pavilion...

Star Child remained prostrate on the ground, not daring to move a single finger. Pure Shadow stood blankly by the tea table, staring at the now-empty white jade teacup.

Just moments ago, they had watched Zhou Wannian finish his tea, casually mention he was going to deal with a fly, and then vanish from the spot.

And in less than the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn...

Star Child's keen Divine Sense once again sensed the intense Law fluctuations from the depths of the Grand Void Firmament. It was the wail of the Heavenly Dao's Origin upon the fall of the Grand Void Dao Ancestor.

Star Child's aged face was filled with unmaskable, extreme shock and awe. He knew that from this day forward, the sky of the Grand Void Firmament had completely changed.

The youth in the Green Robe had used the most composed and unreasonable method to trample all the Supreme rules of this high-dimensional world under his feet.

His voice hoarse, Star Child kowtowed heavily once more in the direction Zhou Wannian had departed.

With a tone of blind fanaticism, Star Child muttered to himself, "Supreme... a true, peerless Supreme. This Grand Void Firmament is but a small stop on his long journey."

By now, Zhou Wannian was already inside the mysterious and unpredictable Eternal Origin Sea.

The environment here was completely different from the outside world.

There were no stars, no sea of clouds, and even basic light and sound were completely swallowed. The surroundings were filled with a strange, chaotic grayish-white substance that was neither gas nor liquid, yet contained an Origin power ten thousand times purer than the primal divine spring.

Time here was extremely blurred. Sometimes an instant felt like ten thousand years, and sometimes ten thousand years felt like the blink of an eye. Space was even more distorted and overlapping; one step could be in the same spot, while the next could cross countless parallel Universes.

But none of this had any effect on Zhou Wannian, who possessed a perfect Great Thousand Universe within him.

His one hundred and eight time dao patterns were like bright lighthouses here, forcibly anchoring the chaotic flow of time and maintaining a rhythm in absolute synchronization with his own inner universe. Meanwhile, his Great Perfection Space Law allowed him to walk through this distorted space as if on level ground.

Zhou Wannian strolled through this chaotic grayish-white world.

Zhou Wannian commented steadily, "The Origin Substance here is indeed much purer than the leftovers outside. It seems those so-called Dao Ancestors hiding here do have some tricks. Unfortunately, if one's inner universe is not perfect, absorbing these substances is like drinking poison to quench thirst; eventually, they will just become nourishment for this Origin Sea."

He didn't intentionally devour these substances, simply allowing the Great Five Elements Illusory World Art to operate naturally, slowly and steadily absorbing the surrounding energy to temper his Physical Body and Divine Soul.

He walked in this Origin Sea, devoid of direction or time, for an unknown duration.

The chaotic grayish-white substance ahead suddenly churned violently.

A magnificent palace, so massive it was stifling, slowly emerged from the Chaos.

This palace was not built of any known substance but was condensed entirely from countless intersecting Supreme Law chains. The palace emitted an eternal aura of being indestructible through ten thousand tribulations and existing for all eternity.

Above the main entrance of the palace hung a plaque emitting a piercing light, with three large characters written in ancient Origin Divine Script:

Eternal Palace.

This was the gathering place for the most ancient Dao Ancestors who hid in the depths of the Origin Sea, attempting to comprehend the Eternal Realm.

When Zhou Wannian's green-clad figure appeared on the plaza in front of the Eternal Palace...

The tightly closed, magnificent palace doors let out a heavy boom and slowly opened to both sides.

A terrifying pressure that surpassed the Grand Void Dao Ancestor and truly reached the Half-Step Eternal Realm surged out from the palace doors like a materialized storm, directly locking onto Zhou Wannian on the plaza.

An old, grand voice, filled with endless majesty and coldness, drifted out from the depths of the hall.

The old voice exploded like thunder.

The old voice shouted majestically, "What anomaly dares to trespass into the Eternal Palace? You have committed boundless slaughter outside and killed the Grand Void Dao Ancestor. Now you come here—do you truly believe that in all these worlds, no one can deal with you? Kneel and be bound at once!"

Facing this terrifying pressure that could instantly shatter the Dao Heart of an ordinary Dao Ancestor, along with the haughty scolding...

Zhou Wannian stopped in his tracks.

He didn't release any protective divine light or use any Magic Treasures. His Green Robe fluttered slightly in the storm of pressure, and he exuded an absolute relaxation and indifference that came from his very core.

He tilted his chin slightly, his deep eyes calmly looking at the open palace doors.

With a casual tone and a trace of impatient mockery, Zhou Wannian spoke calmly, "After being in seclusion for countless eons, have you only learned how to bark like a dog from behind a door? If you want to deal with me, then get out here and let me see just how much weight you so-called Eternal beings truly carry."