287: Karmic fire scorches the heavens, reversing the flow to nothingness.

The dark red, almost black pillar of Karma Fire, entwined with countless faces of wronged Souls, tore through the sky of the Yan Realm, and also fiercely tore apart the hearts of all Yan Clan members!

A heatwave that incinerated all things, accompanied by frantic roars from the Soul level, swept forth like an apocalyptic storm. Within a hundred miles around the Ancestral Fire Altar, buildings instantly turned to ash, low-level clan members who couldn't escape were instantly vaporized, and even some Dou Zun Elders were heavily injured and vomited blood under this sudden terrifying impact, their Origin Qi chaotic, almost self-immolating!

"Karma Fire... how could this be?!" An Elder with white hair and beard cried tears of despair, gazing at the world-destroying pillar of fire, as if seeing the abyss of his clan's demise.

"Quick! Activate all defensive arrays! Evacuate the clan members!" A quick-thinking Elder shrieked orders, but his voice seemed so faint amidst the roar of heaven and earth.

Before the ruins of Yan Sha Peak, Yan Jin's eyes were bloodshot and splitting, his terrifying aura as a Five-Star Dou Sheng Late Stage erupted without reservation, his red hair danced wildly, and layers of crimson-golden flames rose around him, attempting to communicate with and appease the rampaging Karma Fire with his own Origin Fire Qi. However, the dark red, almost black pillar of Karma Fire was unresponsive to his calls, even backlashing with a more violent torrent of flames, staining the crimson-golden flames he released with an ominous dark hue.

"It's useless!" Li Ao's voice pierced through the roar, clearly reaching Yan Jin's ears. "That 'Mark' has been completely activated, the pollution has been ignited, and the Karma Fire Origin has fallen into complete madness and chaos! Ordinary communication and suppression will only add fuel to the fire!"

Yan Jin suddenly turned to look at Li Ao, his eyes filled with bloodshot agony. "Hall Master Li! Save the Yan Clan! As long as the Karma Fire can be pacified, the entire Yan Clan will be at your disposal!" This Clan Chief, who had always been overbearing and strong, now had a hint of despair and plea in his voice. The Red Lotus Karma Fire was the Foundation of the Yan Clan; once it completely lost control and went berserk, the entire Yan Realm would turn to ash, and billions of clan members would not be spared!

Huo Xuan also urgently said, "Hall Master Li, is there a way?!"

Li Ao's gaze was like lightning, fixed on the raging pillar of Karma Fire. The Power of Gui Xu within his body circulated frantically, performing an unprecedentedly high-speed deduction. The Purification Lotus Demon Flame's Origin was also eager to act, yet it carried an instinctive apprehension—after all, it was the fifth on the strange fire ranking list, renowned, and now in a state of ultimate madness: the Red Lotus Karma Fire!

"There's only one way!" Li Ao's voice was deep and resolute. "Forcefully intervene with a stronger 'purification' and 'nirvana' power, interrupt its berserk cycle, and temporarily 'strip away' or 'Return to Nothingness' the ignited pollution and chaotic Karma Fire Origin! But this requires time, power, and even more... Clan Chief Yan Jin, you must use your own Red Lotus Karma Fire Origin as a guide to open a 'channel' directly to its core for me, even if only for an instant!"

"Directly to the core?!" Yan Jin's pupils contracted. In his current state of being backlashed and polluted, rashly connecting his Origin to the completely berserk Karma Fire core would be like moths flying into a flame, very likely being instantly assimilated, devoured, and incinerated by the mad Karma Fire! But looking at the continuously spreading, all-consuming dark red sea of fire, and hearing the screams and wails of his clan members, a look of determination flashed in his eyes.

"Good! This life of mine was given by the Yan Clan! Today, I shall return it!" Yan Jin roared, no longer trying to suppress his own polluted fire Qi. Instead, he poured all his mind, all his Dou Qi, and even his Soul Origin into the Red Lotus Karma Fire Origin within him, which was also restless but originated from the Ancestral Land's Karma Fire!

"By my Soul, by my Blood, I summon our clan's Sacred Flame, open—the—way—!"

Boom!

Yan Jin himself transformed into a violently burning crimson-golden fire-man, rushing recklessly towards the dark red, almost black, sky-piercing pillar of fire! He was not attacking, but like a reversed meteor, he bravely crashed into that destructive torrent!

Hiss—!

A teeth-grating sound of erosion rang out. The crimson-golden flames on Yan Jin's body were rapidly polluted and assimilated by the dark red flames. His skin cracked, blood evaporated as soon as it flowed out, and his Soul endured the extreme pain of the Karma Fire burning his Soul. But he gritted his teeth, relying on his powerful cultivation as a Five-Star Dou Sheng and his suicidal will, he forcibly tore open a tiny crack leading to the core of the flames amidst the violent dark red Karma Fire!

"Hall Master Li! Quick—!" Yan Jin's hoarse roar came from within the flames, filled with pain and defiance.

"Now!"

Li Ao's eyes flashed with brilliance, his figure transforming into a blurry gray line, following closely behind Yan Jin, rushing into the crack opened with life and Soul!

Upon entering, it was like falling into the deepest layer of a fiery Hell! All around were viscous, violent, madly spinning dark red flames. Countless twisted, pained faces wailed and roared within them, and endless destructive intentions impacted his Soul. Even the protective shield formed by the Power of Gui Xu groaned under the strain, being frantically eroded. The Purification Lotus Demon Flame automatically protected his body, white flames forming a light shield around him, fiercely confronting the dark red flames, the sounds of purification and annihilation incessantly ringing out.

Li Ao had no time for anything else. The Power of Gui Xu was operating at its Peak, his eyes turned pure gray, ignoring the surrounding destructive scene, directly targeting the deepest point of the flame's core—there, the originally stable Karma Fire Origin structure had completely collapsed, replaced by a massive, foul, constantly wriggling and expanding dark red "tumor." At the center of the tumor, a deep black Mark pulsed like a heart, continuously releasing commands that caused chaos and destruction. This was the ignited core of pollution and the activated ancient Mark!

"Found you!"

Li Ao let out a low shout, his hands rapidly forming seals. No longer was it a single Purification Lotus Demon Flame or Power of Gui Xu, but an unprecedented attempt to fuse the two! Pure white flames rose from his left hand, and gray Qi currents swirled in his right, slowly drawing together before his chest.

Two fundamentally different, even subtly repellent, supreme powers, under his strong Soul control and the all-encompassing nature of the Guixu Great Dao, began to blend with difficulty yet steadily. Pure white was tinged with gray, and gray permeated with pure light, finally forming a constantly shifting, seemingly ethereal yet solid, strange energy cluster that emitted a contradictory yet unified aura of "Purification and Nirvana."

"World Purifying Guixu Seal!"

Li Ao fiercely pushed the fused energy cluster forward, directly aiming at the black Mark in the center of the dark red tumor!

Wherever the strange energy cluster passed, the mad and violent dark red flames retreated and dissolved as if encountering a natural enemy, actually being forcefully carved out a temporary passage!

The black Mark seemed to sense a fatal threat. Its pulsation suddenly intensified, releasing even more violent chaotic commands. The surrounding dark red tumor wriggled frantically, spewing out more foul flames, attempting to block it.

However, the characteristics of the "World Purifying Guixu Seal" were too special. It possessed both the Purification Lotus Demon Flame's characteristic of purifying all "pollution" and "abnormalities," and the Power of Gui Xu's concept of "erasing" and "ending" at the rule level. For this berserk state, ignited by external pollution and maintained by a specific Mark, it was precisely the right medicine!

Hiss—!

The strange energy cluster penetrated the layers of foul flame without hindrance, precisely imprinting itself upon the black Mark!

In that instant, time seemed to stand still.

Immediately after, the black Mark let out a sharp wail capable of tearing the Soul. Countless fine cracks appeared on its surface, and the pulsation releasing chaotic commands abruptly ceased! Originating from this, the massive dark red tumor began to tremble violently. Countless purified, relatively pure crimson Karma Fire Origin, like lotus flowers breaking free from mud, began to peel away and seep out from the tumor! At the same time, the tumor's own structure became unstable, and under the continuous action of the "World Purifying Guixu Seal," it began to be eroded and erased from the concept of its existence!

"It's working!" Li Ao's spirit was invigorated, but his face instantly turned pale. Maintaining this fused power consumed an unimaginable amount, and his Dou Qi and Soul Power were rapidly draining.

Outside, the dark red, almost black pillar of fire, as the black Mark at its core was suppressed and the tumor began to disintegrate, visibly weakened in power, and its color began to shift back to its original crimson. Although still violent, the insane destructive intent was receding.

"The Karma Fire... is stabilizing?!" Outside, the Yan Clan Elders, who were desperately maintaining the arrays and evacuating clan members, were pleasantly surprised to find that the world-destroying pillar of fire was no longer expanding, but rather contracting and fading!

"It's the Clan Chief! And Hall Master Li!" Huo Xuan looked at the two indistinct figures visible within the pillar of fire, clenching his fists, trembling with excitement.

However, just when everyone thought the crisis was about to pass, another anomaly occurred!

At the edge of the Ancestral Fire Altar ruins, a slender figure shrouded in flames and dust slowly rose into the air. It was Huo Zhi!

At this moment, she had lost all traces of her gentle and meek demeanor. The light red flame Mark on her brow had turned into a bizarre, ink-black rune, and around her body swirled black flames, originating from the same source as the dark red Karma Fire, yet even colder and more foul! Her aura had inexplicably surged to an incredible level, faintly reaching the Three-Star Dou Sheng Realm! But this power was full of ominousness and instability, clearly a forced elevation through some evil secret technique.

In her hand, she held a fist-sized, heart-shaped object that continuously dripped black, oily liquid—it was the "Yan Heart" of an ancient Yan Clan ancestor who had long since passed away, but whose Physical Body had been secretly preserved! At this moment, this Yan Heart was completely polluted, becoming a terrifying source and amplifier of pollution!

"Yan Jin! Li Ao! Do you think this is over?!" Huo Zhi's voice became sharp and venomous, filled with madness. "The 'Furnace Project' isn't just two steps! Today, I shall use this Yan Realm as the furnace, billions of Yan Clan members as fuel, and the Red Lotus Karma Fire as the guide, to welcome Lord Void Swallowing Flame to descend as a projection and devour the fire Origin of this Realm!"

She suddenly hurled the contaminated "Yan Heart" in her hand fiercely towards the contracting pillar of Karma Fire, whose core pollution tumor had not yet been completely cleared!

"Sacrifice with the blood of the ancient Yan Clan! Guide with the Souls of traitors! Void Gate—open!"

The moment the contaminated Yan Heart plunged into the pillar of Karma Fire, the dark red tumor, which was originally being disintegrated by the World Purifying Guixu Seal, suddenly expanded again as if injected with the most potent catalyst! The cracks in the black Mark were forcibly mended, even becoming stronger. What it released was no longer mere chaotic commands, but commands with a clear direction—reception! Devour!

At the top of the pillar of Karma Fire, the Void Realm suddenly twisted and tore, and a slowly rotating, bottomless black vortex, like a demon's eye, slowly opened! From the depths of the vortex, a terrifying aura that could freeze Souls and seemed capable of devouring all things into Guixu emanated! That was... the aura projection of the Void Swallowing Flame!

"Void Swallowing Flame!" Yan Jin and Li Ao were simultaneously shaken to their cores!

Huo Zhi, or rather, the Hun Clan's deep-cover agent within the highest echelons of the Yan Clan, her ultimate goal was to forcibly summon a projection of the Void Swallowing Flame by detonating the Red Lotus Karma Fire, to devour one of the most powerful flame Origins in this world! If successful, the Void Swallowing Flame's power would skyrocket, and the Yan Clan... would completely lose its Foundation and fade into history!

"Stop her! Stop that door!" Yan Jin roared, disregarding the imminent danger of being completely corrupted, and lunged towards Huo Zhi.

However, the re-strengthened corrupting tumor erupted with even more terrifying suction and erosive power, firmly entangling Yan Jin and Li Ao. The suction of the Void Vortex also began to manifest, not only energy, but even space, light, and even Soul intent began to flow towards that abyss-like vortex!

Outside, the Yan Clan members, who had just rekindled hope, once again plunged into an ice cave. A projection of the Void Swallowing Flame! That was a nightmare more terrifying than the rampage of the Karma Fire!

Huo Zhi floated in mid-air, looking at the struggling Yan Jin and Li Ao, and at the gradually forming Void Vortex, a fanatical and twisted smile appearing on her face: "It's too late! The ritual is complete! The Yan Clan's flames will become a sacrifice for Lord Void to ascend to the Peak! You all will turn into void dust!"

Under dual pressure, Li Ao's Dou Qi and Soul Power were on the verge of exhaustion, and the Fusion of the Power of Gui Xu and Purification Lotus Demon Flame was also at the brink of collapse. He looked at the continuously expanding Void Vortex, then at Huo Zhi, who was frantically urging the corrupted Yan Heart and maintaining the ritual, and then at Yan Jin, who was barely breathing but still struggling to resist the corruption's erosion.

A crazy and resolute thought instantly formed in his mind.

"Since you want to 'devour,' to 'Return to Nothingness'..." Li Ao's eyes suddenly became incomparably sharp, a kind of desperate resolve born from facing certain death, "Then let me show you what true — 'Return to Nothingness' is!"

He abruptly reversed all the remaining Power of Gui Xu within him, no longer fusing it with the Purification Lotus Demon Flame, but completely detonating and burning it! The target was not the corrupting tumor, nor the Void Vortex, but... the 'Pure World Guixu Seal' he had just cast, which was currently suppressing the tumor and the black mark!

"By my Dao, sacrifice my Seal! Guixu Origin — Burn!"

Boom!!!

The 'Pure World Guixu Seal,' actively detonated and strengthened by Li Ao burning his Guixu Origin, suddenly erupted with terrifying power several times greater than before! That strange energy instantly expanded and spread, no longer purifying and erasing, but transforming into a miniature, yet gray Guixu Vortex emanating ultimate nirvana and the aura of all things returning to nothingness!

The moment this gray vortex appeared, whether it was the raging Karma Fire, the filthy tumor, the black mark, or the Void Swallowing Flame projection vortex that was taking shape, all suddenly froze, as if sensing the arrival of a higher-level, more fundamental 'ending' power!

"Nirvana Guixu, all methods Return to Nothingness! Give me — Devour!"

Blood spilled from Li Ao's mouth, his face instantly aged ten years, but his eyes shone terrifyingly bright. He manipulated the gray Guixu Vortex, not to attack a single point, but to... envelop himself, along with the corrupting tumor, the black mark, and the Void Swallowing Flame projection channel that had just formed and was not yet stable!

He wanted to use himself as a guide, at the cost of burning his Guixu Origin, to forcibly drag everything within this hundred-zhang radius — including himself — into a small-scale, temporary 'Return to Nothingness' state!

This was a true gamble for his life! The risks were immeasurable! If it went out of control, he himself might be completely erased by the Power of Gui Xu first!

"Hall Master Li! No!" Yan Jin sensed the terrifying meaning of nirvana and termination within the gray vortex and cried out in alarm.

Huo Zhi's smile also froze; she felt something in that gray vortex that made her heart palpitate more than the Void Swallowing Flame's 'devouring void' — it was a complete, indiscriminate 'erasure of existence'!

The gray vortex rotated silently, light and shadow distorted within, colors faded, as if enacting a miniature Universe ending. The raging Karma Fire, the filthy tumor, the black mark, and even the just-opened Void Vortex, all rapidly became transparent and illusory in the gray light, their structures disintegrating, their concepts of existence forcibly erased!

The corrupted 'Yan Heart' in Huo Zhi's hand bore the brunt, weathering away and dissipating in the gray light like a sand sculpture.

"No—! My ritual! Lord Void!" Huo Zhi let out a desperate and unwilling shriek. She wanted to escape, but her body seemed to be locked by the gray light, her movements became sluggish, and the ethereal black flame power within her rapidly dissipated.

Outside, everyone watched dumbfounded as the pillar of Karma Fire, connecting heaven and earth, erupted with a strange gray light from within. Immediately, the pillar, along with the terrifying Void Vortex at its top, became transparent and faded at an astonishing speed, like a pencil drawing erased by an eraser, finally... completely disappearing!

As if it had never existed.

The sky returned to a reddish color; although still scorching, the world-destroying pressure and frantic roars were gone. Only in the direction of the ancestral fire altar remained a huge, smooth as a mirror, scorched circular deep pit. At the bottom of the pit, a faint but pure crimson flame could be vaguely seen quietly burning; that was the Red Lotus Karma Fire Origin seed, stripped of its contamination and restored to purity, though extremely weak.

At the edge of the deep pit, two figures fell from mid-air.

Yan Jin was charred all over, his aura extremely weak, almost at the end of his rope, but his eyes were filled with the excitement and disbelief of having survived a catastrophe.

Li Ao's condition was worse. He knelt on one knee, coughing violently, each cough bringing up dark golden blood foam, a backlash from burning his Origin and overdrawing his life force. His aura plummeted to rock bottom, even his Dou Sheng Realm was somewhat unstable, his face pale, and a few strands of dazzling white hair appeared at his temples. But his eyes remained deep, with a sense of calm after experiencing life and death nirvana.

Not far from the two, Huo Zhi lay collapsed on the ground, the black rune on her forehead already shattered, her aura decaying, even weaker than a Dou Zun. Her eyes were hollow, filled with despair and the numbness after madness. The ritual had been forcibly terminated, and the backlash of power had completely crippled her.

The Flame Dragon Guard quickly moved forward and apprehended Huo Zhi.

Yan Jin struggled to stand up and walk towards Li Ao, but stumbled. Huo Xuan quickly supported him, and they went to Li Ao's side together.

"Li... Hall Master Li..." Yan Jin's voice was hoarse. Looking at Li Ao's pale face and white hair at his temples, the dignified Five-Star Dou Sheng's eyes reddened, and he choked with emotion. He knew that if Li Ao had not risked his life today, triggering that mysterious Power of Gui Xu to forcibly erase everything, the Yan Clan would have been annihilated. And the price Li Ao paid was visible to the naked eye.

Huo Xuan directly knelt on one knee, cupped his fists, and bowed his head, his tiger eyes filled with tears: "Hall Master Li's great kindness, the Yan Clan will never forget! Huo Xuan pledges to follow you to the death!"

The surrounding Yan Clan Elders and surviving clansmen now understood what had happened. Gaze after gaze focused on Li Ao, filled with the gratitude of having survived a catastrophe, deep awe, and unspeakable shock.

This young Master of the Ruins Hall not only helped them clear external hidden dangers and expose the traitor but also, at the brink of the Yan Clan's annihilation, saved the Yan Clan's last spark of hope in a near self-sacrificial manner!

Li Ao took a deep breath, suppressing the surging weakness and intense pain within him, waved his hand at Yan Jin and Huo Xuan, his voice somewhat hoarse: "The crisis... is temporarily resolved. The Red Lotus Karma Fire Origin still exists, though weak, it is pure. With careful nurturing, it can be restored to its former glory in time. Huo Zhi... I'll leave her to you; I'm sure you can extract a lot of information."

He looked up at the crimson sky, which had returned to calm but was scarred, and slowly said: "The Hun Clan's ambitions are vast. Although they failed this time, they will certainly not give up. Clan Chief Yan Jin, the most urgent task is to restore order as soon as possible, treat the wounded, and consolidate defenses. An Alliance... is imperative."

Yan Jin nodded heavily, saying resolutely: "From today onwards, the Yan Clan, the Gu Clan, and the Ruins Hall will be eternal allies, sharing life and death! All the Yan Clan's resources and power will be at the disposal of Hall Master Li and Clan Chief Gu Yuan!"

After this battle, there was no longer any dissenting voice against the Alliance among the Yan Clan. Li Ao had won the absolute trust and loyalty of the entire Yan Clan with his strength and sacrifice.

Days later, Li Ao, whose injuries had somewhat stabilized, accompanied by Gu Xun'er, Medusa, and Xiao Yi Xian, formally signed the tripartite Alliance blood pact with the initially recovered Yan Jin. At the same time, a thorough purge was launched within the Yan Realm, uncovering several Elders and deacons connected to Huo Zhi.

And regarding Li Ao's earth-shattering 'Return to Nothingness' strike within the core of the Karma Fire, and the price he paid for it, it became a deep imprint and legend in the hearts of the Yan Clan, and soon, the high-level members of the Gu Clan and Medicine Clan who would learn of it.

The name of Li Ao, Master of the Ruins Hall, accompanied by the deeds of 'Nirvana Guixu, turning the tide,' truly began to become a symbol of awe and dread among the continent's top forces.

The crisis in the Yan Realm was temporarily resolved, but everyone knew that the storm clouds of a decisive battle with the Hun Clan were gathering at an unprecedented speed.

Inside the Yan Heart Separate Courtyard, Li Ao sat in meditation, watching a faint but tenacious wisp of Power of Gui Xu regenerate in his palm, feeling the nirvana star core slowly releasing energy to repair his body, his gaze directed towards the distant Central Plains.

"Hun Tiandi, Void Swallowing Flame... next time, it won't be this simple."

Within him, the 'nirvana ancient talisman,' dormant for a long time, seemed to brighten slightly after experiencing the fluctuations of the Yan Realm's Karma Fire nirvana, and the sensation pointing to the extreme south of the continent became clearer.

Fragments of the bridge of the other shore... the truth of the nirvana source core... the road was still long.

And in the depths of the Void that devoured everything, a figure seemingly condensed from endless darkness slowly opened its abyss-like eyes, looking towards the Yan Realm, and uttered an unintelligible, low murmur.

"Guixu Great Dao... interesting..."

The storm never ceased, it was merely brewing for the next, even more violent eruption.