System Possession, One Sword Shocks the Gods

163: Daoist Rhyme and Demonic Marks: A First Glimpse into the RulesThe trace of Origin Devilish Qi seeping from the fragment’s cracks was pure, ancient, and carried a supreme sense of destruction, completely different from any Devilish Qi Ye Chen had encountered before. It was not mere energy, but more like a living manifestation of rules with its own will! As soon as it appeared, it attempted to erode back along Ye Chen’s Chaos Gang Qi, heading straight for the chaos ancestral talisman deep within his Sea of Consciousness!

“Hmph!”

Ye Chen gave a cold snort and sank his mind into his Qi Sea. Without needing him to actively drive it, the chaos ancestral talisman seemed to receive the gravest provocation, erupting with an unprecedented, brilliant radiance! That light was not simply bright, but a manifestation of ’existence’, a majesty of the ’Great Dao’!

“Under Chaos, all laws share the same source, and all demons return to silence!”

A Chaos intent, far more grand and more fundamental than when he had previously refined Elder Withered Bone’s Poison Fiend Rules, surged out from the ancestral talisman. Like a mother protecting her young or a monarch suppressing a rebellion, it instantly enveloped that invading trace of Origin Devilish Qi!

“Sizzle sizzle sizzle—!”

Like cold water dripping into boiling oil, that trace of Origin Devilish Qi struggled and twisted violently within the envelope of Chaos intent, letting out a silent shriek! It emitted rule powers of erosion, corruption, and destruction, frantically clashing against the Chaos barrier. However, the inclusive and assimilating characteristics of Chaos were displayed to the fullest at this moment. No matter how fierce and overbearing that Devilish Qi was, in the face of the higher-level Chaos Origin, its essence was forcibly analyzed and decomposed, eventually turning into the purest Rule Fragments and a surge of pure energy, which was completely absorbed and devoured by the chaos ancestral talisman!

The entire process seemed long, but it was completed in the blink of an eye within Ye Chen’s Sea of Consciousness. The moment that trace of Devilish Qi was completely refined, Ye Chen’s body shook slightly, and he felt a strange sensation of intertwined coolness and heat flowing through his entire body.

His understanding of ’Chaos’, especially the aspect of ’Nirvana’ and ’Return to the Void’, suddenly deepened by a layer! It was as if he had witnessed the birth and end of some ultimate power of destruction with his own eyes, thereby making the Profound Truth of the Chaos end clearer. At the same time, a surge of pure energy fed back into his limbs and bones, and his cultivation vaguely progressed another step, advancing towards the Late Stage Seventh Layer of the Disha Realm!

Not only that, but after refining this trace of Origin Devilish Qi, the black fragment in his hand also seemed to undergo a subtle change. The fine crack on the surface actually healed slightly under the nourishment of the Chaos Qi, and the flowing gray radiance became purer and more docile. The Dao Rhyme imprint transmitted by the fragment also lost that trace of obscure interference, becoming clearer, more tragic, and more unyielding.

“Fortune lies within misfortune; misfortune lurks within fortune.” Ye Chen realized in his heart. Although this fragment was contaminated by Devilish Qi, a crisis also contained an Opportunity. Refining this high-level Demonic Path rule power could not only enhance the chaos ancestral talisman but also deepen his understanding of rules. However, the process was extremely dangerous. If he didn’t possess the complete chaos ancestral talisman, that trace of Devilish Qi just now would have been enough to damage his Dao Foundation or even cause him to fall into the Demonic Path!

He carefully put away the fragment, deciding to refine it slowly in the future without rushing.

Withdrawing the concealment Formation, Ye Chen walked out of the dim alley. The streets outside were still noisy and chaotic, as if that brief slaughter had never happened. But he knew the trouble was not over. Wu Li would never let it go, and the retaliation from the Black Fiend Cult branch could arrive at any time.

He needed to improve his strength as quickly as possible, find a safe place to stay, and find a practical way to leave the Demon Abyss. The auction at the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower seemed like an Opportunity not to be missed.

He re-entered the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower and went directly to the third floor. The environment here was quieter, consisting of individual private rooms specifically for receiving VIPs and handling large transactions. Ye Chen directly found a manager and expressed his intention to participate in the auction and his need to raise funds.

“Does the Senior wish to sell items?” The manager’s cultivation was at the Earth Fiend Realm Sixth Level. Feeling the trace of the Seventh Layer Earth Fiend Realm aura that Ye Chen deliberately released, his attitude was quite respectful.

Ye Chen nodded and took out several items obtained from the cold old man, as well as those from the demonic Cultivators and creatures he had killed before. These included Elder Withered Bone’s White Bone Staff (with the Divine Sense imprint already erased), several High Grade Spiritual Artifacts of good quality, and a large number of middle-to-high-level Earth Fiend Realm demonic cores and Materials.

The manager appraised them carefully, his eyes flashing with surprise from time to time. Especially that White Bone Staff, which was a personal weapon of a Peak Ninth Level of Disha Realm Cultivator and was worth a fortune.

“Senior, the total value of these items is preliminary estimated to be around 1.5 million Low Grade Demon Origin Stones. If you agree, this tower can immediately pay you the corresponding Demon Origin Stones or convert them into a deposit for the auction,” the manager said respectfully.

“That works,” Ye Chen said indifferently. “Also, I need a private box for the auction.”

The manager hesitated slightly: “Senior, a private box requires a verification of assets of ten million Low Grade Demon Origin Stones, or a recommendation from a major local force...”

Ye Chen directly pushed over the Black Fiend Cult branch Elder token he had obtained from the cold old man, as well as the most valuable White Bone Staff: “Are these, along with the previous items, enough to qualify?”

Seeing the token representing the identity of a Black Fiend Cult branch Elder, the manager’s face changed slightly, and his attitude became even more respectful. After carefully checking the token and the White Bone Staff and confirming they were correct, he bowed and said: “It is enough! Senior, please follow me. This Junior will handle the procedures for you and arrange a private box.”

The procedures were quickly completed. Ye Chen obtained a Black Jade Plaque representing his VIP status at the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower, which contained a credit equivalent to 1.5 million Low Grade Demon Origin Stones and the right to use a medium-sized private box for the auction three days later.

Leaving the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower, Ye Chen found a relatively quiet inn in the city run by a neutral small force to stay in. The inn was expensive, but it offered a bit of safety, as fighting was at least ostensibly forbidden.

After setting up warning and defense Formations in the guest room, Ye Chen sat cross-legged. He did not immediately Cultivate but instead began to organize the information he had obtained from the cold old man’s Storage Ring.

Besides some Demon Origin Stones and miscellaneous items, the most important thing was a Jade Slip recording detailed information about Filthy Earth Black City and its surrounding areas, as well as some scattered records about the internal situation of the Black Fiend Cult branch.

From the Jade Slip, he gained a clearer understanding of the distribution of forces in Filthy Earth Black City. The city was a mixture of dragons and snakes. The largest forces included the “City Lord’s Mansion” (backed by a coalition of several major forces), which controlled the city’s defenses and part of the taxes; the “Ten Thousand Treasures Tower,” which monopolized high-end transactions and auctions; and the territories of powerful outsiders like the “Black Fiend Cult Branch” and the “Blood Blade Fort Branch.” In addition, there were countless small and medium Gangs, independent experts, evil Cultivators, and foreign races that formed the background of this chaotic city.

Regarding the ways to leave the Demon Abyss, the records in the Jade Slip did not differ much from what he had heard before. It only added that the “unstable space crack” was said to be deep within the “Demon Erosion Canyon” controlled by the Black Fiend Cult headquarters, while the abandoned teleportation Formation in the “White Bone Wasteland” was located in a dangerous area in the center of the wasteland known as the “Ancient Demon Burial Pit,” which was the activity range of the demonic generals under the Bone Demon Lord.

“Demon Erosion Canyon... White Bone Wasteland...” Ye Chen silently noted these two place names. No matter which path he took, it would be full of unknowns and dangers.

Subsequently, he took out the newly acquired Jade Slip containing the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower auction list. Sinking his Divine Sense into it, a dazzling array of auction item information entered his mind. Cultivation Techniques, Medicinal Pills, divine weapons, armor, curios, slaves... the variety was immense, including many Earth Rank and even suspected Heaven Rank treasures that would make countless people envious.

His gaze quickly scanned through, finally stopping at the end of the list on the several treasures listed as the “grand finales.”

One of them was a tattered, ancient map made of an unknown animal hide, with a note beside it: “Suspected fragmentary map of the outer region of the ancient ‘Nirvana Demon Palace,’ starting bid: five million Low Grade Demon Origin Stones.”

“Nirvana Demon Palace...” Ye Chen’s eyes narrowed. This was the name that both the bone boatman and the cold old man had mentioned! It was said that the turmoil surrounding this auction was largely caused by it.

According to the scattered introductions in the Jade Slip, this “Nirvana Demon Palace” was a long-standing legend in the Nirvana Demon Abyss. It was said to be the Legacy site left by a certain Peerless Demonic Lord who ruled the Demon Abyss in ancient times, containing endless Treasure Troves and supreme Demonic Techniques. However, its location was elusive, and the entrance appeared only once every ten thousand years. Every time a clue about it appeared, it would cause a bloodbath in the Demon Abyss.

This fragmentary map undoubtedly ignited the fire of greed in countless people.

Ye Chen had little interest in the Demonic Lord’s Legacy, but he keenly sensed that if this Demon Palace truly existed, there might be an ancient teleportation Formation leading to other realms within it, or other ways to leave the Demon Abyss! This was undoubtedly a clue worth paying attention to.

However, the starting bid of five million and the inevitable fierce competition made his current wealth seem inadequate.

“It seems I need to find a way to raise more Demon Origin Stones...” Ye Chen thought to himself. His gaze couldn’t help but turn toward the Filthy Earth Black City outside the inn window, a city shrouded in Chaos and desire.

As the night deepened, the city’s clamor did not subside but became even more frenzied. For Ye Chen, the game within this Demon Abyss had only just begun.