C216 Devouring Taboo!!

Origin and Termination!

They symbolize life and death, the conclusion and the inception.

Each time the Immortal Demon World faced destruction and rebirth, these two forces emerged.

At the pinnacle of a grand era, the power of ashes would manifest and gradually spread.

This power could obliterate all other forces.

Ordinary forces or beings would be utterly annihilated, leaving nothing behind. Yet, the essential powers were impervious to the power of ashes; they could only be disrupted, not destroyed.

But as an era drew to a close, the twilight of all beings would descend.

All would succumb to silence, and from the countless ashes, the true power of Termination would arise.

The power of Termination was the ultimate force capable of ending all things!

The birth of the power of Termination signaled the beginning of an era's demise.

Before the power of Termination, nothing could stand—no matter how mighty or magnificent, no matter the substance or primordial nature, all would be reduced to nothingness.

In the presence of the power of Termination, complete oblivion reigned.

Chu Yi understood that the power of Termination was the most fearsome destructive force, transcending all existence.

After all was laid to waste, and the cosmos reverted to primordial chaos, a glimmer of hope would spark in the void.

This glimmer was the power of Origins!

The power of Origins, though minuscule, could engulf the power of Termination. The emergence of the power of Origins marked the downfall of the power of Termination.

Having consumed the power of Termination, the power of Origins would then slowly evolve and utterly disintegrate.

Fragmenting into innumerable forces, these could forge an entire new era of civilization.

Such power was also known as the power of creation.

The power of creation was on par with the power of ashes.

And the power of Termination was comparable to the power of Origins.

Now, amidst Zhang Zhongqi's acts of destruction, Chu Yi sensed a trace of the power of ashes!

This piqued Chu Yi's curiosity immensely!

For in the Primordial Immortal Demon World, even though the peak of an era might foster its growth, the power of ashes could not emerge unless it was the twilight of the age.

The emergence of the power of ashes signified that this era was drawing to a close, inching toward its inevitable demise. Yet, the Cosmic Civilization was an exception. Chu Yi could sense that this civilization was still at its nascent peak, not necessarily resplendent, but certainly not on the brink of extinction. Hence, the power of ashes, and by extension, this cosmic realm, was far from ordinary.

Absorbing the energy of starlight was a trivial task for Chu Yi, but the presence of the power of ashes complicated matters. Despite this...

Chu Yi's eyes, previously clenched shut, quivered slightly. In an instant, his complexion turned ghostly white, and he violently coughed up copious amounts of blood. At that moment, there was a subtle shift in Chu Yi's aura, hinting at an imminent breakthrough. Yet, the onlookers were oblivious to these signs; even those who momentarily sensed something amiss quickly dismissed it from their minds.

"Chu Yi, are you okay?"

"Chu Yi, what's wrong?"

"Chu Yi, Chu Yi!"

"Chu Yi, Chu Yi, Chu Yi..."

Despite their prior disdain for Chu Yi, the attitudes of these individuals had shifted after he faced off against Zhang Zhongqi. They were influential figures within the government, perceived by many as sly and seasoned strategists. And indeed, they were.

If they hadn't been so shrewd, they would likely have been cast aside by the times, reduced to mere relics of past conflicts. However, their cunning did not equate to a lack of conscience. Quite the opposite; despite the overt and covert struggles between the government and the aristocratic families, each with the ambition to outdo the other, their intentions were fundamentally noble.

Both the government and the Aristocratic Alliance aimed to fortify the Terran Federation, their disagreements stemming solely from conflicting philosophies. The rivalry between them, while intense, remained constructive.

Thus, while these power players weren't the epitome of benevolence, they were certainly not villains. The recent conflict, or more specifically, the origin of Zhang Zhongqi's forbidden technique, was a clash between Chu Yi and Zhang Zhongqi—a fact remembered by all. Yet, truthfully, they found themselves at a loss to hold Chu Yi accountable. After all, their disdain for Zhang Zhongqi was genuine.

Zhang Zhongqi had not only offended them in the past, but he was also responsible for the deaths of countless soldiers—many of whom were their comrades.

Despite their feelings, they were powerless to change the past. Even as Chu Yi and Zhang Zhongqi clashed, deep down, they found themselves hoping for Zhang Zhongqi's victory. It was, after all, a matter of allegiance.

But now, Chu Yi had rescued them, and these high-ranking government officials found it impossible to harbor resentment towards him any longer. While Chu Yi may have been the catalyst, it was Zhang Zhongqi's disregard for the bigger picture and his use of forbidden powers that they truly despised.

Chu Yi's role in the events paled in comparison to the life-saving grace he had shown them. When they saw Chu Yi gravely injured, concern etched itself on the faces of these leaders.

They harbored a sense of gratitude in their hearts.

Chu Yi, with his keen perception, could sense the sincere concern emanating from the depths of these government leaders' souls. He managed a weak smile, and though his face was still deathly pale, he quickly regulated his breathing.

Soon enough, color returned to Chu Yi's cheeks. "Thank you for your concern, but I'm alright," he reassured them. "I just need to rest for a bit..." And it was true.

The blood he had coughed up was merely a result of a momentary lapse in concentration. Chu Yi had just undertaken an action that would have shocked anyone in the Immortal Demon World— he had forcefully assimilated a strand of Ash Energy into himself!

Such a feat was not even dared by those at the pinnacle of the Immortal Demon Era. Yet, Chu Yi had not only attempted it but had also succeeded.

Of course, he had braced himself for the possibility of failure. His understanding of Ash Energy was limited. The Immortal Demon Temple, the ultimate treasure, stood at the zenith of all eras. Not even the most devastating cataclysms that could obliterate entire epochs could shake the Immortal Demon Temple.

It seemed as though the Immortal Demon Temple existed beyond the confines of any single era. And it was precisely because of the temple's protection that Chu Yi was unable to access even a sliver of the Power of Eradication or Ash Energy, let alone conduct research on it.

This might be counted as one of Chu Yi's past regrets.

Now, in this world, he's been given such an opportunity, and Chu Yi certainly wasn't about to let it slip away.

During his time in the Immortal Demon Temple, Chu Yi never managed to harness the power of ashes, but he had mentally rehearsed it countless times.

He had devised innumerable strategies, so right from the start, he employed those very tactics.

Ultimately, he was successful, and the only cost was a mouthful of blood.

It was no longer about profit...

Chu Yi masked the thrill in the depths of his eyes and took a deep breath.

It appeared there were no issues, yet others suspected it was all a pretense by Chu Yi.

He was undoubtedly injured. They were clueless about the method Chu Yi used to forcibly absorb the forbidden power.

But was such a thing even safe to consume?

It was potent enough to obliterate their entire strength. Even Chu Tianfeng was powerless, left with no choice but to consider fleeing with Chu Yi.

Having absorbed that power, even with an ace up his sleeve, Chu Yi was likely to be gravely wounded.

So, they assumed Chu Yi was feigning it all.

This realization brought a twinge of guilt to their eyes.

At that moment, many started to regret involving Zhang Zhongqi in the negotiations.

Initially, it was a non-issue, but who could have predicted this outcome?

"Alright, Grandpa, I'm heading home now."

Surveying the chaos around him, Chu Yi recognized that the celebration couldn't possibly go on.

The missed rewards pained him a bit, but it was of no consequence.

After all, Chu Yi's first and foremost concern—

Zhen Ye, had been thoroughly dealt with.

Chu Yi hadn't yet confronted Zhen Ye, who was still naively observing the scene, but Chu Yi was confident that after this ordeal, Zhen Ye's downfall was inevitable, and the Zhen Family's collapse was likely imminent.

Someone had to be held accountable for the debacle.

Chu Yi wasn't certain if Zhang Zhongqi would bear the brunt, but as the catalyst for the entire fiasco, Zhen Ye's fate was sealed.

"I'll escort you home!"

Chu Tianfeng was somewhat uneasy, unsure if Chu Yi was truly unharmed.

But Chu Yi simply shook his head, reassuring him, "Grandpa, don't worry about me."

While conversing, Chu Yi made his way over to Chu Tianfeng and gently took his hands.

In that instant, Chu Tianfeng's gaze drifted off, but he quickly regained his composure.

The pinnacle of the Gold state!

Indeed, through this brief touch, Chu Tianfeng had sensed Chu Yi's true power.

It was the strength found at the zenith of the Gold state.

Had Chu Yi progressed?

At the start of the third phase of the assessment, Chu Yi was merely at the Elementary level of the Gold state, but now...

He had reached the pinnacle.

The rapid advancement momentarily dazed Chu Tianfeng.

"Well, if that's the case, you'll need to be cautious."

"Don't squander the power of homecoming; focus on healing your wounds promptly."

"Keep in mind, we're setting out tomorrow afternoon."

Chu Yi nodded, exchanged pleasantries with the influential figures present, and then walked with Lee Zi toward the exit.

Just as Chu Yi was about to look for a flying car, a luxurious one pulled up before him.

This vehicle was clearly more opulent than the one he had been using, leading Chu Yi to surmise it belonged to one of the government dignitaries.

"Young Master Chu, please come aboard. The minister has instructed me to ensure you are personally escorted home."

Chu Yi paused, taken aback by the offer.

But he didn't decline; after all, it was just a ride home, not a gift of the flying car itself.

Besides, even if the flying car were a gift, it wouldn't be of much consequence to Chu Yi at this point.

"In that case, I appreciate your assistance."

With that, Chu Yi and Lee Zi stepped into the flying car.