154: A storm is brewing; a conspiracy is brewing in the dark.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

On the Lin Family training grounds, three hundred disciples stood in neat formation.

Compared to three days ago, their auras had changed significantly—their gazes were sharper, and faint gray currents swirled around them; this was the aura manifested after mastering the basics of the Eternal Annihilation Body.

The leader of the Eighteen Guards stood at the very front, feeling the surging power within his body, his heart filled with indescribable shock.

Having cultivated the introductory chapter for only three days, their Physical Body strength had increased by at least two times, and their spiritual power circulation speed had accelerated by fifty percent.

Even more terrifying was that they found they had a new understanding of the opposing concepts of 'destruction' and 'protection,' instinctively choosing the most effective offensive and defensive methods during combat.

How could this be just a Cultivation Technique? This was clearly a Legacy pointing directly to the Dao!

Reporting to the Young Lord, the Lin Family's Three Hundred Battle Guards have all mastered the basic chapter of the Eternal Annihilation Body!

The leader of the Eighteen Guards, Lin Pojun, knelt on one knee, his voice resonant and powerful.

Lin Fan stood on the high platform of the training grounds, his gaze sweeping over the crowd as he nodded slightly.

The introductory chapter deduced by the System was indeed extraordinary.

Although it was impossible for these people to Cultivate the true Eternal Annihilation Body, mastering even a sliver of it was enough to make them invincible among their peers.

Very good.

He waved his hand, and three hundred Jade Slips flew into everyone's hands.

This is the topographical map and precautions for the Annihilation Battlefield.

You have three hours to prepare; at sunset, gather here for departure.

Understood!

The crowd dispersed after receiving their orders, their eyes filled with both nervousness and excitement.

Although the Annihilation Battlefield was dangerous, it was also a place of Opportunity.

The Legacies and treasures left behind by ancient powerhouses were enough to change anyone's destiny.

After everyone left, Lin Fan turned to look at the Clan Leader beside him: 'Father, while I am away, the Family will be in your hands.'

'Rest assured.' The Clan Leader said in a deep voice, 'The Chaos Indestructible Formation has been fully activated; unless a Great Emperor arrives in person, no one can break it.'

'However, regarding you...' He paused, 'In a place like the Annihilation Battlefield, be careful in everything. Remember, coming back alive is more important than anything else.'

'I will.'

Lin Fan nodded, and just as he was about to say something, he suddenly frowned and looked up at the eastern horizon.

A streak of light was approaching rapidly, its aura familiar.

'It is Xia Qingyue.' The Clan Leader also sensed it, 'Why has she come?'

The streak of light landed, revealing the figure of Xia Qingyue.

Today, she had changed into a moon-white combat outfit, with her long hair tied into a high ponytail, losing some of the grace of a Divine Maiden and gaining a bit more heroic spirit.

'Uncle Lin, Lin Fan.' She bowed slightly.

'Princess Qingyue, what brings you here?' Lin Fan asked.

Xia Qingyue's expression was solemn: 'Two things. First, Great Xia has officially formed an alliance with the Lin Family; this is the alliance document and the entry token for the Nine Heavens Tower.'

She handed over a golden scroll and a jade tablet.

Lin Fan took them; the golden scroll contained the handwritten letter of the Great Xia Emperor, stamped with the Imperial Seal; the jade tablet was warm and smooth like water, with the words 'Nine Heavens' engraved on the front and a coiled Dragon pattern on the back.

The Nine Heavens Tower was one of the Foundations upon which the Great Xia Imperial Dynasty was built; it was said to have nine levels, each of which was a Small World containing different fortunes.

Holding this token allowed entry to the first three levels; this was no small gift.

'And the second thing?' Lin Fan put away the token.

'I received secret intelligence that the Huangfu Family has made contact with the 'Black Demon Abyss' and is willing to pay a huge price to hire a powerhouse at the Demonic Lord level to kill you.' Xia Qingyue lowered her voice, 'The Black Demon Abyss is a hidden stake of the Demon Realm in the Human Realm, with unfathomable power.'

'As far as I know, they will send at least one 'Demon General' level powerhouse, whose strength... is comparable to a Peak World Lord.'

'A Demon General?' A cold light flashed in Lin Fan's eyes, 'They really think highly of me.'

'Not only that.' Xia Qingyue continued, 'Shadow Kill Tower sent a second batch of assassins yesterday; this time, it is five Gold-rank assassins working together, among whom the leader, 'Blood Sha', is ranked ninth on the Shadow Kill Tower's Gold-rank list and has successfully assassinated three Late-stage World Lords.'

Five Gold-rank assassins, one Demon General.

This lineup was enough to wipe out an ordinary top-tier Family.

'Is the information reliable?' The Clan Leader's expression was grave.

'Absolutely reliable.' Xia Qingyue said, 'Our Great Xia secret guards have an informant within the Huangfu Family, and this matter has been confirmed.'

'Moreover, according to the report, Huangfu Tian is also spreading news to various forces in the Six Realms, claiming that you possess the complete Legacy of the Great Emperor of Annihilation, and that obtaining it will allow one to glimpse the secrets of transcendence. Now, I am afraid that many forces have already secretly sent people to the Human Realm.'

'Using a borrowed knife to kill, quite a good calculation.' Lin Fan sneered, 'He wants to use the greed of the entire Six Realms to crush me.'

'So your current situation is very dangerous.' Xia Qingyue looked at Lin Fan, 'I suggest that you do not leave the Lin Family Ancestral Land for the time being. With the Chaos Indestructible Formation, even if the Demon General and the Shadow Kill Tower assassins arrive together, it can hold them off for a while. I will ask my father to send the Great Xia Imperial Guard to help defend...'

'No need.' Lin Fan interrupted her, 'When soldiers come, block them; when water comes, cover it with earth. Hiding will not solve the problem.'

He looked into the distance, gray currents swirling in his eyes: 'Besides, I happen to need some whetstones to test the true power of the Eternal Annihilation Body.'

Xia Qingyue was stunned, then immediately understood: 'You want to take the initiative?'

'It cannot be considered taking the initiative.' Lin Fan said indifferently, 'Aren't they coming to kill me? Then I will wait for them at the Annihilation Battlefield. The terrain there is complex, and ancient Restrictions are everywhere; it is most suitable for... hunting.'

When the word 'hunting' was spoken, Xia Qingyue felt a bone-chilling coldness.

This man actually regarded five Gold-rank assassins and a Demon General level powerhouse as prey!

'Too risky.' She shook her head, 'The Annihilation Battlefield is already dangerous, and if you are targeted by these assassins...'

'It is precisely because it is dangerous that it is suitable for setting a trap.' Lin Fan looked at her, 'Princess Qingyue, thank you for the information. In return, I will give you an Opportunity—are you willing to go to the Annihilation Battlefield with me?'

Xia Qingyue was stunned.

She did not expect Lin Fan to make this invitation.

The Annihilation Battlefield was indeed full of crises, but it was also full of Opportunities.

Under normal circumstances, she would naturally consider it carefully.

But the current situation...

'If I go with you, Great Xia will be completely dragged into this dispute.' She said softly.

'You are already dragged in.' Lin Fan said calmly, 'From the moment you delivered the alliance document, Great Xia has already stood on the side of the Lin Family. If the Huangfu Family destroys me, they will deal with Great Xia next. You should understand the logic of 'when the lips are gone, the teeth are cold'.'

Xia Qingyue was silent.

She certainly understood.

The reason her father fully supported Lin Fan was because he valued his potential and wanted to place a bet before the great changes came.

This was a high-stakes gamble; if they won, Great Xia would soar; if they lost, they would be doomed.

'Alright.' After a moment, she raised her head, a flash of determination in her eyes, 'I will go with you.'

'A wise choice.' Lin Fan's mouth curled slightly, 'Go prepare, we depart at sunset.'

Meanwhile, in a valley three thousand miles away from the Lin Family.

Black fog swirled in the valley, and a blood-colored altar was vaguely visible.

Five figures stood around the altar, all wearing blood-colored robes and different masks on their faces.

The leader had a hideous ghost face carved on his mask; he was the ninth on the Shadow Kill Tower's Gold-rank list—Blood Sha.

'The news is confirmed; Lin Fan will leave the Lin Family at sunset and head to the Annihilation Battlefield.' A masked assassin wearing a fox mask said in a low voice, 'Those accompanying him include the Lin Family's Three Hundred Battle Guards, as well as the Divine Maiden of Great Xia, Xia Qingyue.'

'Xia Qingyue is going too?' Blood Sha's voice was hoarse, 'That is an unexpected bonus. If we kill her, the Emperor of Great Xia will probably go crazy, right?'

'Boss, Great Xia is an Imperial Dynasty after all; do we really want to offend both the Lin Family and Great Xia at the same time?' Another assassin hesitated.

'What are you afraid of?' Blood Sha sneered, 'We at Shadow Kill Tower only look at the price when accepting orders, not at the identity. The Huangfu Family has offered ten World Lord level treasures, which is enough for us to take the risk. Moreover...'

He paused, a blood-colored light flashing in his eyes: 'The Tower Master has ordered that if we can obtain the Annihilation Legacy, we can be promoted to 'Blood Kill Envoy' and enjoy the treatment of an Elder. Don't you want to advance further?'

As soon as these words were spoken, the breathing of the other four assassins became rapid.

Blood Kill Envoy, that was the core layer of Shadow Kill Tower, with the power to mobilize some of the resources within the tower; their status was far superior to that of Gold-rank assassins.

'Let's do it!' The fox-masked assassin gritted his teeth, 'Wealth is sought in danger!'

'However, that Lin Fan was able to kill the three Blood Crows instantly, his strength cannot be underestimated.' An assassin wearing a hawk mask said in a deep voice, 'We need to formulate a detailed plan.'

'Rest assured.' Blood Sha took a blood-colored Jade Slip from his arms, 'Before setting out, I borrowed the Formation Flags of the 'Blood Prison Sealing Heaven Formation' from the tower's treasury. Once this formation is set up, it can seal off a hundred miles of space and cut off all communication and escape. By then, Lin Fan will not be able to escape even with wings.'

'Blood Prison Sealing Heaven Formation? That is a precious treasure within the tower!' The assassins were pleasantly surprised.

'The Tower Master is very interested in the Annihilation Legacy.' Blood Sha said meaningfully, 'So this time, we must succeed; failure is not an option.'

He looked in the direction of the Annihilation Battlefield and licked his lips.

'Lin Fan, I have already claimed your head.'

On the other side of the valley, in the deeper black fog.

A figure stood quietly, Devilish Qi rolling around his body, swallowing up all the surrounding light.

This was a Demon of middle-aged appearance, with a handsome and eerie face, and a vertical line between his eyebrows, revealing a scarlet third eye as it occasionally opened and closed.

A Demon General of the Black Demon Abyss—Three-Eyed Demon Lord.

'Those ants from the Shadow Kill Tower really think they can beat us to it.' A charming woman beside him covered her mouth and giggled, 'Lord Demon Lord, should we go and kill them all now?'

'No rush.' Three-Eyed Demon Lord's voice was low, 'Let them test Lin Fan's strength first. The news from the Huangfu Family may not be reliable; that brat was able to instantly kill three Gold-rank assassins, so he probably has trump cards we don't know about.'

'No matter how strong his trump cards are, can they be stronger than your 'World-Extinguishing Demon Eye', Lord Demon Lord?' The woman said coquettishly, 'You were personally appointed by the Demon Master, and your strength can even rank in the top ten among Demon Generals.'

'Being careful is never wrong.' Three-Eyed Demon Lord slowly opened his third eye and looked toward the Lin Family, 'I can feel that there is an aura there that makes my heart palpitate... Eternal Annihilation Body? Interesting.'

'Then what do we do now...'

'Wait.' Three-Eyed Demon Lord closed his third eye, 'Wait for them to enter the depths of the Annihilation Battlefield, wait for them to fight until they are both injured. When that happens, we will strike and wipe them all out.'

The corners of his mouth curled into a cruel arc: 'I want the Annihilation Legacy, and I also want Xia Qingyue. The Bloodline of the Divine Maiden of Great Xia... is excellent material for a Cauldron.'

Jealousy flashed in the woman's eyes, but she quickly covered it up: 'You are wise, my Lord.'

The black fog rolled, completely swallowing their figures.

At sunset, the Lin Family training grounds.

The Three Hundred Battle Guards were ready to set off, Battle Intent flashing in everyone's eyes.

Xia Qingyue had also changed into silver soft armor, carrying a long sword on her back, looking heroic and spirited.

Behind her followed twelve elites of the Great Xia Imperial Guard, all with Early Stage World Lord cultivation.

Lin Fan stood at the very front, his gray clothes fluttering in the evening breeze.

'Before we depart, I will say three things.'

His voice was calm, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears.

'First, the Annihilation Battlefield is extremely dangerous, filled with ancient Restrictions, vengeful spirits, and broken formations; one wrong step means death. Everyone must strictly follow the route on the map and must not act on their own.'

'Second, our enemies are not just the dangers of the battlefield itself, but also the pursuit of forces like the Huangfu Family, Shadow Kill Tower, and the Black Demon Abyss. When encountering enemies, prioritize preserving your own lives; I do not need meaningless sacrifices.'

'Third...' Lin Fan paused, gray light swirling in his eyes, 'This trip is a life-and-death trial, but also a path to rise. Those who can return alive, I will personally teach the subsequent techniques of the Eternal Annihilation Body. The future glory of the Lin Family will be forged by your own hands.'

'We will obey the Young Lord's orders!' Three hundred people roared in unison, their voices shaking the sky.

Lin Fan said no more and turned to face the northwest.

He took a step, his figure turning into a gray streak of light and rushing into the sky.

Xia Qingyue followed closely behind, silver light flashing.

After that, three hundred figures shot into the sky like sharp arrows, leaving trails in the air.

The Clan Leader stood on the high platform of the Ancestral Land, watching his son go, his fists clenched involuntarily.

'You must... come back alive.'

The setting sun was like blood, staining the horizon a deep red.

And beneath that deep red, a deeper darkness was quietly spreading.

The assassins of the Shadow Kill Tower, the Demon Generals of the Black Demon Abyss, and other forces that had heard the news... countless eyes were fixed on this team, waiting for the moment of the hunt to arrive.

The Annihilation Battlefield, this ancient ruin that had been silent for eons, was about to welcome a new round of blood and storms.

And at the center of this storm was a young man named Lin Fan.

With his gray clothes fluttering, he was actively walking towards that land of slaughter.

It was not a flight, but a hunt.

Night fell, and the stars were hidden.

A trial that would determine the destiny of countless people had officially begun.