103: Ancient Destruction

The character 'Wu' ( Enlightenment - Enlightenment) was positioned at the top.

Qin Chi’s attention was focused on the characters, his brows slightly furrowed.

The character 'Wu' was blood-red, but upon closer inspection, the blood-red color seemed out of place with the inscription itself, as if it had been stained later, covering the original.

At the very bottom of the stone tablet, it was completely broken, with the sharp, broken part obliquely inserted into the ground.

“Looking at the position of this 'Wu' character, there should be another character on the lower half of the stone tablet.”

“Wu…”

Qin Jin’s thoughts raced. In this desolate world, the Divine Intent, evolved from the primordial power, glowed faintly. He felt a slight stir in his heart, “Enlightenment Tablet?”

Just as he was making this guess in his heart,

at the front,

the stone tablet suddenly trembled.

Amidst the vibration, the entire desolate world slightly swayed. Under Qin Jin’s watchful eye, the cracks on the stone tablet grew larger.

An extremely faint, yet mysterious, power actively made contact with his primordial power.

Qin Jin sensed the information being transmitted to him.

“Greetings, young friend from a later generation.”

It was a greeting.

This power was precisely the same as the power that had initially invited Qin Jin into this abyss.

Inside the cockpit, Qin Chi’s expression was solemn.

Within the desolate world, his Divine Intent looked towards the stone tablet: “You invited me here.”

“Why are you within Shi Cang’s body?”

This was a mental exchange, and Qin Jin’s tone was calm, not agitated.

Up to this point, Qin Jin had already experienced many extraordinary events and could now remain unperturbed.

After his thoughts were conveyed,

the stone tablet stopped trembling, and new information was transmitted.

“Living beings in the world tirelessly seek treasures, but treasures also choose their own masters.”

“When this little one was born, due to his talent, I was moved and formed a connection with him, becoming his accompanying treasure, until today.”

“I was able to reappear in the human world.”

“Accompanying treasure?”

Qin Jin’s thoughts turned, and he immediately moved to the next question: “Why is Shi Cang sleeping here?”

“His talent is too strong.”

The Enlightenment Tablet seemed to have fully adapted to this method of communication, slowly explaining: “Under external influence, his talent manifested prematurely and has already begun to gestate the next stage.”

“Under external influence, I was also awakened as a result.”

“He is too young now, his soul is tender. If this power were to emerge at this moment, it would affect his soul.”

“Therefore, I am using my accumulated power to help him nourish his soul until he can fully bear the power of his talent.”

“At that time, he will awaken and display the demeanor of a Heavenly Genius.”

“The space we are currently in is precisely where his talent is gestating.”

Qin Chi’s expression remained calm as he continued to ask: “What is your origin?”

“I was born of heaven and earth.”

The Enlightenment Tablet replied: “Countless years ago, strange phenomena emerged in heaven and earth, and there were peculiar lands in the world. I was originally an ordinary boulder in the extreme north of heaven and earth. Later, during a discussion between two supreme powerhouses, I was coincidentally gestated and forged by heaven and earth, until today.”

Upon hearing this, Qin Jin raised an eyebrow.

“Since you have existed for such a long time, do you know why the former Tiancang Immortal Dynasty perished?”

The Enlightenment Tablet fell silent.

Qin Chi saw threads of blood-red color peeling off from above the character 'Wu'.

“I am not certain.”

Its voice responded again: “Young friend, you should be able to see my current state.”

“I was once known as Enlightenment, and after my reappearance, I was pursued and sought after by the world.”

“But now—”

“I have even lost the [Dao] contained within me, its whereabouts unknown.”

“My own body is also on the verge of shattering. If not for external assistance, I would not have been able to awaken this trace of consciousness. Regarding the countless years ago, I only vaguely remember a few scenes.”

It seemed to be reminiscing, slowly saying: “At that time, the Tiancang Immortal Dynasty was at its peak, dominating all directions, a supreme Immortal Dynasty.”

“Until a certain day.”

The Enlightenment Tablet fluctuated: “The—sky—cracked.”

“After the sky cracked, the world underwent a great change, no longer as spiritually vibrant as before.”

“At that time, I, a creation of heaven and earth, fell into chaos.”

“Later, I don’t know how much time passed, but during a great cataclysm that encompassed heaven and earth, I became what I am now, slumbering until today.”

“This is all the information in my memory.”

Qin Jin’s expression showed contemplation.

In his mind, all the previously acquired information gathered together, constantly being organized.

At the same time,

his Divine Intent continued to communicate.

“Approximately how long will it take for Shi Cang to awaken?”

“At least thirty days and nights, at most one hundred days.”

“Young friend.”

After the Enlightenment Tablet finished speaking, it proactively addressed him: “I am too broken. If not for external assistance, I would probably still be in slumber now.”

“However—”

“After assisting this little one in nourishing his soul this time, my accumulated shallow power will also be exhausted, and I will fall into slumber again.”

“I can sense that this little one has your protective power on him.”

“His relationship with you is extraordinary.”

“I am already his accompanying treasure, closely connected to him. I hope you can help him grow, so that I can awaken again in the future.”

“I am willing to offer this item as a gift.”

At this moment,

the stone tablet trembled slightly.

Above, the blood-red 'Wu' character swayed, and faintly, a translucent imprint of the 'Wu' character emerged, continuously shrinking until it was the size of a fingertip before stopping.

“This is the divine power bestowed upon me when heaven and earth forged me. Perhaps it can be of some help to you.”

After doing all this,

the blood color on the inscription became a bit denser.

“Young friend, do you have any other questions? As long as I know, I will answer without reservation.”

Qin Jin raised an eyebrow, pondered for a moment, then communicated: “Have you ever heard of a Divine Kingdom?”

“Divine Kingdom?”

The Enlightenment Tablet’s response came: “In my fragmented memories, in ancient times, there were indeed peculiar kingdoms that worshipped deities, but with the rise of the Tiancang Immortal Dynasty, which dominated the world, all so-called Divine Kingdoms were attacked and leveled, no longer existing.”

Qin Jin seemed to be deep in thought, and continued to ask: “Have you heard of Sacrificial Spirit?”

“Never heard of it.”

After just two questions,

the Enlightenment Tablet’s response power became even weaker.

Qin Jin also brought up information related to the Tiancang Immortal Dynasty, but he did not receive any useful answers.

This Enlightenment Tablet, when not broken, was hidden in the far north, away from the mundane world.

After it broke, its memories were fragmented, and it knew even less.

After confirming that there would be no other gains, Qin Jin ended the conversation.

He used his primordial power to sense the state of Shi Cang’s soul, confirmed that he was continuously growing, and then his Divine Intent enveloped the 'Wu' character.

He exited this desolate world.

As he exited,

this desolate world once again darkened, and the Enlightenment Tablet became completely still. Only Shi Cang’s soul, glowing faintly, was being nourished in this place, gradually growing.

His Divine Intent withdrew from the abyss.

Between Shi Cang’s eyebrows, the golden line still existed and had even grown a bit larger, looking like a closed third eye.

However, Qin Jin knew that inside this eye, there was not a pupil, but a desolate world.

His primordial power quietly observed the little one for a while, then left the place and returned to himself.

Inside the cockpit, Qin Jin raised a hand to rub his temples, organizing his thoughts.

“The grandeur of the Tiancang Immortal Dynasty is truly unimaginable.”

“When a Heavenly Genius is born, it can even attract treasures to become their accompanying treasure.”

“What level of power is this?”

“What it referred to as 'external force' should be the blood of the Three-Headed Strange Python, the power absorbed during each medicinal bath.”

“The Divine Kingdom that the Enlightenment Tablet mentioned is somewhat different from the legends I heard in the Great Wilderness; they likely refer to different things.”

“It has never heard of Sacrificial Spirit, which indicates that Sacrificial Spirit was not a method from the Tiancang Immortal Dynasty period, and may have appeared in later generations. 'The Great Cataclysm—'”

As Qin Chi sorted through his thoughts, he made guesses.

“The scene of the giant cauldron ascending into the sky within the mountain and river fragments, I wonder if it was before or after the sky cracked.”

“Currently, it seems that the Tiancang Immortal Dynasty perished in that great cataclysm. After that, countless years passed, and new forces began to emerge on this land.”

“That is, the Divine Kingdom in the depths of the Great Wilderness mentioned in legends, and some human tribes that worship Sacrificial Spirits.”

“Their extraordinary methods might have been developed by themselves, or they might have obtained some inheritance left from ancient times, thus forging a path.”

“Subsequently, the mountain and river cauldron fragments reappeared.”

Qin Chi looked towards the sky: “For some unknown reason, the mountain and river cauldron fragments were activated, sealing off this area, and it is highly likely that they cut off the connection between the Divine Kingdom and the tribes, leaving only human tribes that worship Sacrificial Spirits on this land now.”

In Qin Jin’s mind, a timeline gradually formed.

“Continue cultivating.”

“When I have enough confidence, I will go to that gate. Leaving through the gate might allow me to verify all of this.”

A thought flashed in his mind.

Qin Chi turned his palm upwards, and with a slight thought, the 'Wu' character, enveloped by his Divine Intent, appeared.

It was only the size of a fingertip, slowly rotating in his palm.

Qin Chi’s primordial power merged into it.

The moment the power merged, the 'Wu' character’s rotation speed dramatically increased, emitting a soft glow. Qin Jin’s mind, at this moment, felt a sense of clarity, and his thoughts became much clearer and smoother.

“This is?”

Qin Jin familiarized himself with this change: “It seems to be a genuine enhancement at the level of comprehension!”

“In this state, if I practice the Visualization Method, my analysis and comprehension speed will undoubtedly increase significantly.”

“Enlightenment Tablet.”

Qin Jin silently recited the name, his eyes reflecting his thoughts: “I still can’t be sure if everything it said is true.”

“But from its performance, it is indeed wholeheartedly helping Shi Cang, and it also lives up to its identity as a heaven-forged treasure.”

“It lost its [Dao], and the 'Wu' character is also broken. Even at its weakest, it still has this effect. If it were complete, how extraordinary would it be?”

A thought flashed, and the 'Wu' character disappeared.

Qin Jin’s gaze turned towards the small house where Shi Cang resided. With a slight thought, his Votive Power surged out, forming another restriction outside the already existing barrier, adding protection.

By now,

he had already determined the source of the barrier.

The outermost barrier protecting Shi Cang was set by the Enlightenment Tablet.

The cocoon inside was formed by the blessing power combined with the overflowing power of Shi Cang’s own talent.

Now, on the outermost layer, another Votive Power restriction had been added.

Beside him,

Qi Chuan and Ding Yang had been waiting quietly.

Now, seeing that Lord Sacrificial Spirit finally made a move, they exchanged glances, both seeing the eagerness in each other’s eyes.

“Shi Cang is fine.”

It was at this moment that Qin Jin’s voice sounded.

Hearing the voice,

Qi Chuan and Ding Yang both breathed a sigh of relief.

Qin Jin’s voice contained authority: “During the time I was not in the tribe, did anything major happen in the tribe?”

Upon hearing this, Qi Chuan said seriously: “Lord Sacrificial Spirit, the tribe has been quite stable.”

“Over this period, our Si Huo Tribe has grown to nearly six thousand tribesmen, which can now be called a large tribe.”

He reached to his side, took out a roll of beast hide map, and together with Ding Yang, each holding one side, unrolled the map.

On the map, with the Si Huo Tribe as the center, detailed information about the surroundings was drawn.

“This is the final map confirmed by the tribesmen after careful exploration.”

“In addition, the exploration team also identified some peculiar places, which were recorded separately.”

“Have you encountered any other tribes?”

Qin Jin asked while scanning the map.

“Not yet.”

Qi Chuan shook his head: “The tribesmen did encounter groups of people, but without the protection of a Sacrificial Spirit, they truly cannot be called tribes. After learning about our Si Huo Tribe, they all chose to join.”

Qin Chi nodded.

Beside him, Ding Yang’s voice sounded.

“Lord Sacrificial Spirit, I also have something to report.”

“Speak.”

“Thanks to your guidance, I have recently gradually unearthed my own talent.”

“Before the little one’s incident, I was stationed in the tribe, leading the tribesmen in military exercises, and I also observed carefully, using mental power to explore, and found several tribesmen who might have similar talents.”

Upon hearing this, Qin Jin nodded, praising: “You did well.”

Ding Yang smiled contentedly at the praise.

“Qi Chuan.”

“I brought back some fierce beasts on this trip. Later, send people to transport them into the tribe.”

“Yes.”

Qi Chuan bowed in response.

“Once the exploration team returns, send out a message.”

“Next, expand the exploration range and actively seek out other tribes that still exist and are continuing in the Great Wilderness.”

“Ding Yang.”

“You will remain in the tribe, lead the tribesmen in military exercises, search for talented individuals, and accumulate strength.”

“Lord Sacrificial Spirit.”

Qi Chuan’s voice sounded, his expression thoughtful: “Do you mean?”

Qin Chi stood in place, his voice slowly sounding.

“During my journey this time, I encountered other tribes.”

“This open area has given our Si Huo Tribe an opportunity for development, but as the scope of exploration increases, we will inevitably encounter other tribes sooner or later.”

“In that case, it’s time to prepare in advance.”

“After all—”

“When necessary, we will face war.”

“Go and execute it.”

Leaving the last sentence, azure lightning dark halberd turned and walked towards the newly built Sacrificial Spirit Hall behind him.

Qi Chuan and Ding Yang bowed.

After straightening up, Qi Chuan and Ding Yang exchanged glances, their eyes both very calm.

One of them was responsible for sacrificial matters in the former tribe, and the other had awakened a Treasure Technique, both extraordinary individuals with extensive knowledge.

“Let’s prepare as Lord Sacrificial Spirit said.”

Qi Chuan’s voice sounded: “This land of the Great Wilderness has never been peaceful.”

“We explore the outside world, and in the future, those existing tribes may also actively explore our location. Conflict is inevitable.”

“Lord Sacrificial Spirit is right, prepare early.”

“Mm.”

Ding Yang nodded vigorously.

azure lightning dark halberd stepped into the Sacrificial Spirit Hall.

The interior was extremely spacious and had been specially arranged, showing considerable thought.

The [throne] at the center had become wider and taller.

azure lightning dark halberd turned around and sat down on it.

Qin Jin’s thoughts stirred, and his Divine Intent ascended, climbing into mid-air, overlooking the entire Si Huo Tribe.

The buildings of the Si Huo Tribe had undergone planning, and now, when viewed from above, they had a neat and orderly feel.

The tribesmen were all performing their respective duties.

At the entrance, tribesmen gathered, beginning to transport the fierce beast corpses.

Various construction scenes appeared quite harmonious.

Qin Chi’s eyes were deep.

“Next, some technological creations will also gradually be introduced into the Great Wilderness.”

“However, I am currently in the academy, so it’s not too convenient, but some technological creations, even in small quantities, can play a good role.”

His personality was not that of a warmonger.

If the Si Huo Tribe could continue to develop peacefully, he would not casually provoke war.

But—

Human interactions are complex, and moreover, every Great Wilderness tribe has a special existence like a Sacrificial Spirit, high above all others.

Under this premise, future contact with other tribes will involve both friendly and inevitably hostile encounters.

He planned to step outside the restricted gate to see the outside world once he had sufficient strength.

Then...

He must properly arrange this land, making the Si Huo Tribe the sole overlord of this land, stabilizing the mountain and river.

At that time...

War is inevitable!