220: Awakening from the Ruins, a Single Thought Severs Life

Just as the madness in Medusa's eyes reached its peak, and the destructive energy within her was about to erupt uncontrollably—

"Buzz!!!"

An indescribable, terrifying tremor suddenly came from the direction of the beast bone cave in the distance!

It was neither sound nor energy impact, but a feeling... as if the rules of the entire "Desperate Land," the 'End' Dao rhythm of this heaven and earth itself, were fiercely grasped by an invisible giant hand, and then... trembled in worship!

Time seemed to solidify at this moment.

The three stone statue guards, rushing forward with monstrous malevolence, had the gray ghost fire in their eyes flickering violently as if blown by a strong wind.

Their massive bodies, mid-charge, froze stiffly in mid-air, as though encountering an existence that terrified them on an instinctual level.

Even the pervasive Qi of decay and Nirvana that filled the entire plaza halted and retreated, as if in fear and submission!

The violent energy about to erupt within Medusa was forcefully suppressed and calmed by this sudden will that transcended all things.

She abruptly turned her head, looking disbelievingly toward the cave, her heart pounding relentlessly as if struck by a heavy hammer.

That aura... was it Li Ao?!

But how could that be?

What kind of aura was that?

Cold, deathly silent, and empty, yet imbued with an absolute majesty that overlooked all creation and commanded the end!

It was as if he was no longer the man she needed to protect, but... the Dominator of this Desperate Land itself!

The next moment, the answer was revealed.

There was no earth-shattering commotion, no dazzling brilliance.

In the Void Realm between Medusa and the three stone statue guards, a point of ultimate "darkness" silently appeared.

That was not darkness; it was the purest "nothingness" beyond darkness, the "emptiness" where even the concept of "existence" was erased.

It rotated slightly and rapidly expanded, turning into a fist-sized black hole that seemed capable of devouring all light, Soul, and even rules.

No, that was not a black hole.

That was—the Eye of Return to Stillness!

What Li Ao finally comprehended during his Nirvana, through the Fusion of the residual Dao rhythm of the Nirvana True Understanding and borrowing the Origin of the nirvana star core, was the realm beyond "Nirvana"—Return to Stillness!

The instant this "Eye of Return to Stillness" formed, an invisible force field spread out from its center.

The three stone statue guards, whose strength rivaled that of Dou Zuns, couldn't even let out a whimper.

Their indestructible stone bodies, like weathered sand sculptures, began to disintegrate inch by inch from the edges touching the "Eye of Return to Stillness," turning into the purest gray Qi, which was greedily devoured by that small "eye"!

It wasn't just their physical forms; even the ghost fire in their eyes, the Nirvana Dao patterns within their bodies, and all traces of their existence were forcefully "returned to nothingness" at this moment!

In the span of a single breath, the three stone statue guards that had cornered Medusa vanished without a trace, as if they had never existed.

The "Eye of Return to Stillness" rotated slowly, emitting the rhythm of universal termination, and then quietly disappeared into the Void Realm.

Only then did the terrifying pressure that enveloped heaven and earth recede like a tide.

On the plaza, only Medusa remained, standing dumbfounded, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she stared at the empty ground before her, her mind blank.

Instant kill?!

Those were three Dou Zun level guards!

They were... instantly erased just like that?

She slowly turned her head, looking toward the depths of the ancient hall, and then toward the direction of the cave, her beautiful face filled with extreme shock and a certain... tremor that she hadn't even realized herself.

He... not only woke up, but... became this powerful?!

This kind of power completely exceeded the scope of her comprehension!

Just then, a voice, calm yet containing a hint of unconcealable weakness but also supreme majesty, rang out directly and clearly in her heart:

"Cai Lin, it's alright now."

The voice paused, seemingly carrying a hint of lingering fear and immense heartache.

"Next, leave it to me."

The instant the words fell, Medusa felt the space before her slightly distort, and a figure had silently appeared beside her.

It was Li Ao!

He was still wearing his damaged robes, and the cracks on his body seemed to have faded slightly but had not completely vanished.

His face was pale from his unhealed severe injuries.

However, his eyes had completely changed!

Those eyes were no longer sharp or cold as before; they had become a bottomless profoundness, seemingly containing the ultimate panorama of the birth and destruction of stars and the Return to Stillness of all things.

Merely being looked at by him, Medusa felt as if her Soul and her Dao were about to be sucked into that boundless "Return to Stillness."

Standing there, his aura was perfectly in Fusion with the entire Desperate Land, as if he himself was Nirvana, he himself was the end.

He stretched out his hand and gently wiped away the blood that had spilled from Medusa's lips due to her previous Soul injury.

His movements were tender, forming a stark contrast with the meaning of Return to Stillness that disregarded all things in his eyes.

"You..." Medusa opened her mouth, but found herself momentarily speechless.

Should she question him? Reproach him? Or feel relieved?

A myriad of emotions clogged her chest.

Li Ao looked at the shock and exhaustion lingering in her eyes, as well as the injuries she had forcefully suppressed, and a trace of pain flashed in his profound gaze.

He didn't offer any explanation, merely gently pulled her behind him, using his body to shield her from the dilapidated ancient hall.

He raised his head, his gaze cast toward the depths of the ancient hall.

There, more numerous and complete Nirvana True Understanding Dao rhythms radiated a fatal attraction toward him, like a lighthouse in the darkness.

His voice was calm and unwavering, yet carried an absolute will, like a judgment:

"The Dao here belongs to me."