I transmigrated to a chaotic world and became the sole player.

"Do you...desire...to inherit...my legacy?"

A strange, ethereal voice, seemingly from countless ages ago, echoed in Lu Zhao's mind, devoid of any emotion yet possessing an undeniable majesty. This voice seemed less like a question and more like a statement, an offer of opportunity, or perhaps the beginning of a test.

Standing in the cave, facing the half-severed black finger bone radiating the might of a desolate dragon, and the terrifying "gaze" that was omnipresent yet impossible to find, Lu Zhao's heart felt as if it were being squeezed by an invisible hand, almost stopping its beating. Cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

Inheritance? An inheritance from a terrifying being who was at least a fallen true dragon and cultivated the Dao of Annihilation? This temptation was enough to drive any cultivator mad. If he could obtain this inheritance, the Qi of Annihilation within him would no longer be a hidden danger, but his greatest asset; his understanding of the Dao of Annihilation would advance by leaps and bounds; his strength would undergo earth-shattering changes, and he might even possess the potential to contend with Foundation Establishment cultivators or even higher-level beings.

But there's no such thing as a free lunch, especially not a "gift" from such a terrifying being. What will the price be? Will it be possession? Becoming a vessel for its resurrection? Being forever lost in annihilation, turning into a monster that knows only destruction? Or perhaps, must one fulfill its unfinished, possibly even more evil and terrifying, last wishes?

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. Lu Zhao forced himself to calm down. He knew that in the face of this mysterious being, any lie, pretense, or hesitation could lead to annihilation. The other party seemed to be able to see through many of his secrets (the Nine Nether Token, the Demon Lord's Mark, and the new life force).

He took a deep breath, suppressing the fear and greed in his heart, and bowed respectfully and frankly to the void (or rather, to the omnipresent "gaze"), saying:

"This junior, Lu Zhao, mistakenly entered this place and was saved by the 'Fountain of Life and Death' of the senior, for which I am eternally grateful. The senior's legacy is as vast as the sea, and this junior naturally yearns for it. However, this junior knows that my fortune is meager and my affinity shallow, and I do not know the price required for the senior's legacy, nor do I understand what the senior desires for this junior to accomplish. This junior dares not rashly accept the task, for fear of failing the senior's trust, or that my own virtue and ability are insufficient, and thus I may jeopardize the great matter. I humbly request the senior's guidance."

He neither immediately agreed nor outright refused, but instead threw the question back at him, while simultaneously expressing his concerns and his awareness of the "cost." His attitude was neither humble nor arrogant, demonstrating both respect and his caution and bottom line.

"Hmm..." The ethereal voice seemed to pause (or ponder) for a moment before sounding again, still without any emotional fluctuation, "Cautious...Not greedy...Mindset is acceptable."

"My legacy... is not possession... nor enslavement..." The voice paused, as if organizing ancient language, "but... a... choice... a... path."

"To receive the inheritance... one must undergo... 'Nirvana Refinement'... to comprehend... the true meaning of 'Nirvana'... and bear... my 'Taoist Traces' and... 'Cause and Effect'."

"If successful...one will inherit the legacy...and gain control...of a portion...of the power of annihilation..."

"Defeat...and the soul will vanish...the spirit will dissipate...and become...a part of annihilation..."

"As for... the price... and... what needs to be accomplished..." the voice seemed to grow even more ethereal and distant, "If you... can... refine your heart... you will... know..."

Refining the mind through Nirvana? Comprehending the true meaning of Nirvana? Bearing the "Traces of the Dao" and "Cause and Effect"? Success grants partial authority over Nirvana, failure results in the soul being annihilated, becoming a part of Nirvana...

This is undoubtedly a high-stakes gamble, an ultimate test where one stakes their soul and future, a do-or-die situation. Moreover, even if one succeeds, one will have to bear the "Taoist traces" and "causes and consequences" of this being, which is probably a heavier and more unpredictable "price" than any substantial task.

Lu Zhao remained silent. He recalled the three trials of the skeletal soul in the "Nether Tomb," the Path of Illusion, and his experiences in the "Deadly Wasteland" and the River of Souls. Each life-or-death ordeal had given him a deeper understanding of "annihilation," "life and death," and "will," and had also improved his strength. This time, it was probably the most dangerous, but also the most rewarding.

"Traces of the Dao" and "Cause and Effect"... This reminded him of the "Demon Lord's Mark" between his brows, the Soul-Devouring Demon Lord of Qingfeng Town, and the ongoing "Blood Sacrifice" aimed at releasing the ferocious demons. Were all of these connected? Was this mysterious being also related to the "Soul-Devouring Demon Lord" and the "Nine Netherworld Evil Dragon"? Did accepting its inheritance mean he had to be drawn into the vortex of these ancient ferocious demons and blood sacrifices, or even... fight against them?

The risks were immeasurable. But the opportunities were equally alluring. More importantly, he had a feeling that he had been involuntarily drawn into these events. The Demon Lord's mark between his brows, the Nine Nether Token in his arms, and the aura of annihilation within him were all closely linked to words like "annihilation," "Nine Nether," and "fierce demon." Escape might bring temporary peace, but it would ultimately be a dead end. Only by mastering power and understanding the truth could he possibly control his own destiny in the storms to come.

"My fate is in my own hands..." Lu Zhao murmured, repeating the realization he had when he "knocked on the heart gate" on the Path of Illusion. His path was to control his own destiny. And power was the foundation for controlling destiny. Faced with this near-desperate secret realm, and with the possibility of an even greater crisis from the outside world (the blood sacrifice succeeded, and the evil demon was born), he needed power, the power to break the deadlock.

"Senior, this junior is willing to accept the 'Silent Refinement of the Heart' test." Lu Zhao raised his head, his gaze hardening, and solemnly addressed the void. He didn't say he accepted the inheritance, only that he accepted the test. This indicated that he still retained a trace of caution; whether he would ultimately bear the "Dao Mark" and "Cause and Effect" depended on the content and outcome of the test.

"Good." The ethereal voice seemed unsurprised, consisting of only a short syllable.

As soon as he finished speaking, the surface of the "Spring of Life and Death" pool in the center of the cave suddenly boiled! The gray-green spring water swirled rapidly, forming a vortex. At the center of the vortex, a more condensed and purer beam of light, perfectly blending gray and green, radiating a vast Daoist aura of life and death, shot into the sky, instantly enveloping Lu Zhao, who was standing by the pool!

Lu Zhao did not resist, allowing the pillar of light to envelop him. In an instant, he felt his consciousness being detached from his body and plunged into a boundless, hazy, strange passage with only a single source of light ahead. Physical sensations vanished, leaving only pure consciousness rapidly traversing the space.

"Refining the Mind in Nirvana... First Level... Contemplating 'Silence'..." That ethereal voice seemed to transform into the passage itself, echoing in his consciousness.

The light source ahead rapidly magnified, transforming into a vast, desolate, cold, and deathly silent cosmic void. Here, there were no stars, no light, only eternal darkness and cold. Occasionally, the remnants of stars, shattered continents, and frozen galaxies drifted by, exuding an aura of endless decay and death. This was the scene after the universe had entered its ultimate heat death, after all things had returned to nothingness; it was the macroscopic manifestation of "annihilation."

Lu Zhao's consciousness "drifted" in this desolate universe, feeling the absolute cold that could freeze the soul, the "inevitable trend" of all things withering, energy dissipating, and ultimately returning to nothingness. A grand, ruthless, yet ultimately tranquil atmosphere impacted his consciousness. Before this scale of "annihilation," the individual's life and death, love and hate, honor and disgrace seemed so insignificant, laughable, and trivial.

"Nirvana... is the end of all things... the complete collapse of order... the ultimate dissipation of energy... the complete annihilation of existence..." A thought naturally surfaced in his consciousness. This wasn't enlightenment; it was more like a forced indoctrination, cold, objective, and devoid of any emotion.

"Silent Refinement of the Heart... Second Stage... Experiencing 'Extinction'..." The voice changed again.

The scene before my eyes suddenly shifted. It was no longer the macroscopic heat death of the universe, but a microscopic, individual process of "destruction" filled with pain and struggle.

He "saw" a vibrant star being eroded by an invisible force of "annihilation." The star's core extinguished, the earth cracked, the oceans dried up, life was ravaged, and all things withered away, eventually turning into a lifeless expanse of dead star dust.

He "saw" a powerful cultivator whose protective aura shattered, his physical body withered, and his soul dimmed under the erosion of the power of "annihilation." His life's cultivation vanished, and in the end, he turned to ashes in endless pain and resentment, his soul scattered.

He "saw" a prosperous civilization, which, under the wave of "annihilation," lost its technology, its faith, its order, and its infighting, until the flame of the entire civilization was completely extinguished, leaving only ruins and the dust of history.

Countless images of the destruction of individuals, stars, and civilizations flashed rapidly through Lu Zhao's consciousness like a revolving lantern. Each image was filled with extreme pain, despair, resentment, and madness. It was not merely the demise of the physical body, but a complete negation of the meaning of existence, a process in which everything "lived" was ruthlessly devoured by "annihilation."

Lu Zhao's consciousness felt as if he had personally experienced countless destructions, enduring the impact of massive negative emotions and the Daoist aura of destruction. His consciousness trembled violently, as if it might be assimilated and devoured by this endless realm of "annihilation" at any moment, becoming cold, indifferent, and regarding all things as mere straw dogs, or... utterly insane.

"Silent Refinement of the Heart... Third Level... Tracing the 'Source'..." Just as Lu Zhao's consciousness was about to give way, the scene changed again.

This time, it was no longer a simple scene, but fragments of ancient memories mixed with images, sounds, thoughts, and emotions, flooding into Lu Zhao's consciousness like a torrent! These fragments of memories seemed to originate from that mysterious being, or rather, from the owner of that black dragon claw finger bone!

Lu Zhao "saw" that at the bottom of the Nine Nether Abyss in the primordial chaos, a terrifying dragon, entirely black with mountain-like scales, ferocious bony horns on its head, and eyes burning with gray flames, its body stretching for tens of thousands of miles, was born and grew amidst endless annihilation energy. It was the Nine Nether Evil Dragon, an ancient ferocious beast that innately wielded the power of "annihilation," one of the totems and origins of the Nine Nether Path! It devoured stars, destroyed worlds, spread death and annihilation, and instilled fear in countless living beings.

He witnessed how the Nine Nether Path established a vast sect based on "annihilation," delving into the secrets of life and death, reincarnation, and the soul. It was once incomparably powerful, contending with many ancient great powers.

Then, he saw the turning point.

The fragments of memory become chaotic, broken, and filled with pain and anger.

He witnessed the outbreak of an ancient war that swept across all realms, involving a struggle for lineage and the plunder of destiny. The Nine Netherworld Path, due to its extreme ideology and numerous enemies, was besieged by various forces.

He witnessed that, at the crucial moment of the war, the Nine Netherworld Evil Dragon was lured and tricked by several ancient powerful beings of equal or even greater strength, trapping it in a peerless killing array specifically designed to target it using the Path of Annihilation! Among them was the figure of the "Soul Devouring Demon Lord," a master of soul devouring, corruption, and adept at bewitching and ambush! (Though blurry, the soul fluctuations filled with greed and evil were identical to the Demon Lord's aura sensed in Qingfeng Town!)

"The Soul-Devouring Demon Lord... does He also want to seize the authority of 'Annihilation'? Or does He have an old grudge against the Nine Netherworld Path?" Lu Zhao was shocked.

He witnessed the Nine Nether Dragon fighting desperately within the killing formation, its annihilating power devastating the heavens and earth, severely injuring several powerful beings. Ultimately, however, it was outnumbered and its dragon claws were severed, its dragon soul shattered, and its body suppressed in different times and spaces, in different secret realms! Among them, a fragment of its finger bone and a portion of its shattered dragon soul were suppressed beneath this cloud-sea secret realm, forming the so-called "Soul-Devouring Nether Prison"! The "Soul-Devouring Demon Lord," seemingly caught in the siege, also got too close due to its greed for the Nine Nether Dragon's dragon soul essence, and was torn apart by the dragon's dying counterattack, its fragmented soul also suppressed nearby! This is the origin of the fragmented soul of the "Soul-Devouring Demon Lord" beneath the "Demon-Sealing Ancient Well" in Qingfeng Town!

"So that's how it is! The Soul Devouring Demon Lord's fragmented soul was actually suppressed along with the remnant body of the Nine Nether Evil Dragon! No wonder the Blood Fiend Sect's blood sacrifices were all aimed at releasing the sealed evil demons, and the two seals were so close together!" Lu Zhao suddenly understood, and many of his previous doubts came together.

He also witnessed the destruction of the Nine Netherworld Path in the great war, its legacy scattered, and its sect ruins (such as the "Netherworld Tomb," the "Nine Netherworld Remnant Stele," and the "Nine Netherworld Altar") either destroyed, submerged, or sealed away. The remaining Nine Netherworld Path cultivators were either martyred, went into hiding, or... seemingly transformed in their ideology, or infiltrated and controlled by other forces, embarking on a twisted, insane plan to use blood sacrifices to break the seal and attempt to release the remnant soul of the suppressed "Nine Netherworld Evil Dragon"! This is the source of the blood sacrifice! Those black-robed figures are very likely these remnants, or infiltrated and controlled descendants of the Nine Netherworld Path! Their goal is probably not merely to release the "Nine Netherworld Evil Dragon," but more likely to control, or even replace, the remaining power of this ancient ferocious beast through blood sacrifice!

The final fragment of memory freezes on the moment when the Nine Nether Dragon's claws are severed, its soul shattered, and it is about to be completely suppressed. In its eyes, burning with gray flames, lies the greedy face of the "Soul-Devouring Demon Lord," the indifference of the attackers, the tragic destruction of the Nine Nether Path, and...endless rage, resentment, bitterness, and a deep-seated hatred for "betrayal," "scheming," and "greed"!

"My path...is lonely..."

"My hatred is boundless..."

"Those who inherit my legacy in future generations..."

"When...all the...traitors are exterminated..."

"When...the power is reclaimed..."

"When... Annihilation... Returns..."

A dragon's roar, filled with endless resentment and obsession, was like a final curse, deeply imprinted on Lu Zhao's consciousness. Simultaneously, a vast, pure, yet violent, destructive, and resentful "Dao Mark" of annihilation, along with threads of cause and effect, subtly coiled around him. This was the "price" of the inheritance—inheriting the hatred and obsession of the Nine Netherworld Evil Dragon, and the heavy karmic burden of fighting the "Soul-Devouring Demon Lord," purging the traitors of the Nine Netherworld Path, and revitalizing the Dao of Annihilation!

The illusion ended. Lu Zhao's consciousness returned to his body, which was enveloped by the gray-green pillar of light. He was still standing by the "Fountain of Life and Death," his face pale, but his eyes were filled with shock, enlightenment, and... a trace of heaviness.

He learned the truth that the divided soul of the "Soul Devouring Demon Lord" and the remains of the "Nine Netherworld Evil Dragon" were suppressed together.

He learned the origin of the blood sacrifice, which might be related to the remnants of the Nine Netherworld Path, traitors, or infiltrators.

He realized that accepting this inheritance meant bearing the hatred and karma originating from ancient times, embarking on a perilous path of fighting against the "Soul Devouring Demon Lord," the forces behind the blood sacrifice, and even the entire distorted remnants of the Nine Netherworld Path.

"You...have understood...the 'Source'..." The ethereal voice rang out again, this time seemingly carrying a faint trace of expectation? "Would you...be willing to...bear...my 'Traces' and 'Fruit'...and receive...the inheritance?"

The pillar of light still enveloped the area, and the enormous annihilation "Dao Mark" and the lines of cause and effect became even clearer after Lu Zhao's consciousness returned, like a sharp sword hanging over his head, or a staircase leading to the pinnacle of power.

Lu Zhao slowly opened his eyes, looking at the half-severed black dragon claw bone, or perhaps at the mysterious being deep within the ravine. He took a deep breath, his gaze becoming more resolute than ever before.

"Senior, I understand the cause and effect, and I know the road ahead is fraught with peril."

"However, the path of this junior lies in taking control of one's own destiny. The evil demons are about to emerge, and blood sacrifices are rampant. Now that I have been drawn in, there is no way out."

"This legacy, this cause and effect, I, the junior... am willing to accept!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he stopped resisting. He actively opened his mind and body, using his newly acquired annihilation energy and newborn "vitality" as a guide to contact, accommodate, and attempt to merge with the enormous and violent annihilation "Dao Mark" and causal thread originating from the Nine Netherworld Evil Dragon!

"good!"

"boom--!!!"

The gray-green beam of light suddenly contracted, disappearing entirely into Lu Zhao's body! The half-section of the black dragon claw finger bone suddenly erupted with its last light, transforming into a black stream of light condensed to the extreme, which also shot into Lu Zhao's brow, forming a more complex gray dragon-shaped mark that contained the might of the annihilating dragon alongside the "Demon Lord's Mark"!

The unimaginably vast flow of information, the insights into power, and the heavy weight of cause and effect and obsession, like a flood bursting its banks, instantly overwhelmed Lu Zhao's mental defenses...