110: Inside the Hall of Inheritance, the primordial chaos began to emerge.

The White Jade Platform was smooth as a mirror, reflecting the eternally shifting sky light and cloud shadows of the Flowing Cloud Illusionary Realm. Ye Chen stood before the tightly shut, massive doors of the Inheritance Hall. The ancient doors were neither metal nor wood, cold to the touch, and carved with the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, and various profound and indescribable Runes, exuding a vast and ancient aura.

He could clearly feel the source behind the doors that was causing his chaos primordial fetus to resonate intensely—the chaos spirit pearl—as well as a more vast and ethereal stream of Consciousness that carried a hint of scrutiny.

Without hesitation, Ye Chen took a deep breath, adjusted his state to the Peak, and then stretched out his hands to press against the cold doors.

"Buzz—"

The doors were not as heavy as expected. The moment he touched them, the carved Runes lit up one by one, flowing with gentle brilliance. The cloud key in his embrace automatically flew out, transforming into a streak of Flowing Cloud Light, sinking into a groove in the center of the doors.

"Creak—Creak—Creak—"

A heavy and ancient grinding sound rang out as the massive doors slowly opened inward, revealing a gap. A purer, more Origin Chaos Qi surged out like a tide, causing all the pores on Ye Chen's body to involuntarily open, and his chaos primordial fetus vibrated with joy.

The scene behind the doors was not a magnificent palace, but an endless Void Realm.

In the Void Realm, there was no distinction between up, down, left, or right; only endless streams of Chaos Qi slowly flowing, colliding, and undergoing creation and destruction. This place was like the Origin point before the heavens and earth were separated, the most primordial scene before the birth of myriad things. Suspended in the center of this Chaos Void Realm were two objects.

On one side was the chaos spirit pearl that Ye Chen had been yearning for. Here, it appeared even more miraculous; the speed at which the Nebula on its surface rotated, created, and destroyed seemed synchronized with the entire Chaos Void Realm, inhaling and exhaling the most Origin Chaos Qi, as if it were the core of this Chaos.

On the other side was a blurred figure. He wore a simple Cloud-Patterned Daoist Robe, his face veiled by Chaos Qi, making him indistinct. One could only sense a tranquil, vast Concept, as if he had merged with the Dao. He sat cross-legged in the Void Realm, his form slightly transparent, not a physical body—it was the True Form Imprint left here by the Flowing Cloud Hermit!

Ye Chen took a step into the hall. The doors behind him silently closed. He felt as if he were truly immersed in the Chaos; everything around him was hazy Qi flow, and only the pearl and the figure in the center were clearly defined existences.

He walked toward the figure, stopping about ten zhang away, and bowed respectfully: "Junior Ye Chen pays respects to Senior Flowing Cloud."

The blurred figure slowly raised its head. Although his face was indiscernible, Ye Chen could feel a gaze fixed upon him, carrying scrutiny, and also a hint of... relief?

"There is no need for formalities." The Flowing Cloud Hermit's voice sounded directly in Ye Chen's mind, peaceful and distant, as if spanning countless ages. "To pass the Three Questions, cross the Cloud Bridge, and arrive here proves that you have an affinity with Chaos, and your Dao Heart and Aptitude are both superior."

His gaze seemed to penetrate Ye Chen's body, landing on the ceaselessly spinning chaos primordial fetus: "A chaos primordial fetus... I didn't expect that someone in later generations could truly form this kind of Foundation. It seems I have waited ten thousand years, and finally found the right person."

Ye Chen's heart stirred. Judging by the meaning of these words, the Flowing Cloud Hermit seemed to have been waiting for an Inheritor possessing a Chaos Foundation?

"Senior, you..."

The Flowing Cloud Hermit seemed to know his confusion and slowly said, "I obtained this pearl by chance long ago and glimpsed a trace of the True Meaning of Chaos, only then realizing the vastness of the heavens and earth, and the boundlessness of the Great Dao. However, the Dao of Chaos is profound and unpredictable; it cannot be borne by those without great Opportunity, Great Perseverance, and great Comprehension Ability. I exhausted my life's efforts but still failed to truly refine this pearl and achieve Fusion with its Origin. Ultimately, my Lifespan ran out, and I passed away with regret."

His tone carried a hint of regret, but immediately turned to acceptance: "Therefore, I left this Residual Thought and set up the Illusionary Realm Trials. This was not to make things difficult, but truly for selection. Only those who genuinely possess a Chaos Foundation, are firm of will, and clearly discern their true heart are qualified to inherit this pearl, continue my exploration, and step onto the Peak of the Dao of Chaos that I never glimpsed."

He pointed at the chaos spirit pearl: "This pearl is no ordinary Magic Treasure. What it contains is a wisp of 'chaos origin qi' from the time the heavens and earth first opened. It is the beginning of myriad things and the Foundation of myriad Laws. If you gain its recognition and integrate its Origin into yourself, your chaos primordial fetus will undergo a qualitative transformation, your comprehension of the Dao of Chaos will advance a thousand miles in a day, and your future potential will be limitless."

Ye Chen's breathing involuntarily quickened. chaos origin qi! This was even more astonishing than what he had sensed before! This was no longer simple energy, but the manifestation of the Law representing "Origin"!

"However, Fortune hides misfortune." The Flowing Cloud Hermit's tone turned solemn. "Although this pearl is good, it is also the source of the greatest temptation and calamity in the world. Why does the Dark Hall pursue it relentlessly? It is because the 'Moon-Erosion Demon Venerable' behind them cultivates the 'Gui Xu Demonic Path,' which is the extreme path toward destruction and annihilation, fundamentally opposing the chaos origin qi that represents birth and Origin. Obtaining this pearl means an unending conflict between you, the Dark Hall, and the Moon-Erosion Demon Venerable. It might even attract the covetous gaze of far more terrifying existences."

He looked at Ye Chen, his gaze like a torch: "Now, do you still wish to inherit this pearl? If fear resides in your heart, leave now, and I can safely send you away and erase all your memories related to this place."

Ye Chen showed almost no hesitation, his eyes firm as iron: "Senior, Junior has walked this path through life and death and is already irreconcilably opposed to the Dark Hall. Even without this pearl, the Moon-Erosion Demon Venerable would not spare me. Since that is the case, what is there to fear? Power itself holds no good or evil; the key lies in how the person wielding that power uses it. I want this pearl! Even if the road ahead is covered in thorns, and the Demon Venerable blocks my way, I will cleave through him with my own sword!"

His voice echoed in this Chaos Void Realm, carrying an unwavering resolve and confidence.

The Flowing Cloud Hermit was silent for a moment, and a smile seemed to appear on his blurred face.

"Good! Excellent! My Dao is Not Solitary!"

He spoke no further. The blurred figure began to slowly dissipate, turning into scattered specks of Chaos Light, flying toward Ye Chen like fireflies.

"This Residual Thought of mine will lend you a hand, guiding you to initially achieve Fusion with the pearl's Origin. How much you can absorb, and how much you can comprehend, will depend on your own Fortune..."

"Remember, Chaos... is neither emptiness nor nothingness; it is the potential for everything..."

The Flowing Cloud Hermit's voice gradually faded, eventually dissipating completely. Those specks of Chaos Light merged into Ye Chen's Sea of Consciousness, transforming into a cool and vast stream of Consciousness, containing the Flowing Cloud Hermit's lifelong comprehension and experience of the Dao of Chaos, as well as a special method to aid in refining the chaos origin qi—the "Chaos Genesis Art"!

At the same time, the chaos spirit pearl suspended in the center of the Chaos Void Realm seemed to be activated, slowly flying toward Ye Chen, finally stopping before his Glabella.

On the surface of the pearl, the constantly changing Nebula suddenly accelerated its rotation. A massive, indescribably pure, and ultimate chaos origin qi surged like a bursting flood toward Ye Chen's Glabella and Sea of Consciousness!

"Boom—!!"

Ye Chen felt as if his entire Sea of Consciousness was about to explode! The quality of the chaos origin qi was too high, and the quantity too immense, far exceeding the current limit of his chaos primordial fetus! His body trembled violently, and countless fine Chaos Cracks appeared on the surface of his skin, as if he might disintegrate at any moment!

Intense pain swept through his entire body, accompanied by the agony of his Divine Soul being torn apart!

But he fiercely maintained a sliver of clarity in his Spiritual Platform, frantically circulating the newly acquired "Chaos Genesis Art," while simultaneously activating the comprehended Consciousness left by the Flowing Cloud Hermit to guide this terrifying torrent, impacting, baptizing, and reshaping his own chaos primordial fetus!

This was an extremely perilous process; once control was lost, the consequence was Death and Dissipation of the Dao, turning into Chaos nourishment.

But his Dao Heart, after undergoing the baptism of the Three Questions and the Cloud Bridge, was already indestructible!

"Merge... for me!"

Ye Chen let out a silent roar in his heart. The chaos primordial fetus rotated, compressed, and expanded at an unprecedented speed, transforming drastically under the impact of the chaos origin qi, like a true embryonic Universe...