Chapter 4332: The Patterned Ruins
The Ancestral City lay in ruins.
At first glance, one might think it had been destroyed in a war. Yet on closer inspection, something felt wrong.
The ruins bore traces of destruction, yes, but no battlefield scars. No collapsed formations, no lingering aura of battle.
The formations across the city remained perfectly intact, ancient and untouched, as old as the ruins themselves.
It was illogical. If war had shattered the city, then the grand defensive arrays would bear scars. Yet they were flawless while the city itself had collapsed.
After careful deduction, Lin Moyu concluded: the attack that destroyed the Ancestral City bypassed the formations entirely, detonating directly inside.
And it was not multiple strikes. Just one single blow had annihilated the city and slain all within.
Even now, walking among the ruins, countless lingering will imprints of the dead remained.
Those who once dwelled here had been extremely powerful Divine Phoenixes. Even when slain in an instant, their souls left stubborn traces of will. Over endless years, those traces warped into obsessions, strange anomalies born within the ruins.
The Purple Gold Divine Phoenix walked with immense caution. His feet did not touch the ground, hovering a hand's breadth above, making no sound.
Lin Moyu copied him exactly.
The Phoenix explained via sound transmission:
"These lingering obsessions are remnants from that disaster. Best not to disturb them if we do, trouble will follow."
Lin Moyu asked quietly,
"What disaster?"
The Phoenix shook his head.
"In our bloodline inheritance, nothing is said. We were all born after the destruction. From birth, we already knew the Ancestral City fell, and the clan's Ancestral Land became half ruined."
The Three Divine Phoenixes had appeared after that event, birthed by the Prime Ancestor's will. Proof that the Divine Phoenix Ancestor had not died during that calamity.
Lin Moyu's thoughts sharpened.
"So this city still holds meaning for your clan."
The Purple Gold Phoenix nodded firmly.
"Yes. Great use indeed."
He did not elaborate further, and Lin Moyu did not press. That was the Phoenix clan's secret.
The Phoenix led him deeper, to a collapsed altar.
The stone carried mysterious depressions. Within lay several Divine Phoenix eggs.
Placing the egg Lin Moyu had retrieved into one depression, he said:
"The egg you recovered was one of three lost here long ago."
Lin Moyu frowned curiously.
"Your Ancestral City is so well hidden. Who could enter?"
"There exists a peculiar race in Chaos," the Phoenix explained. "The Void Night Eagles. Weak in might, but with the unique power to traverse void and chaos, slipping through any spatial seal.
"Long ago, a few stumbled in, and stole our eggs. We hunted them. All fell save one. That one fled… until you returned its prize."
Lin Moyu smiled faintly.
"Then perhaps our cause and effect was destined."
The Phoenix laughed politely, not understanding the depth of his words.
But Lin Moyu truly believed it.
His instincts told him this karma linked back to the Catastrophic Supreme.
For the Ancestral City to be reduced to ruins in an instant, not even most Great Daos could accomplish it. Likely only the highest Law Dao itself.
Cause and effect wound endlessly. No matter how many years passed, karma would manifest.
Lin Moyu knew not to explain. It was his secret and perhaps Chaos's greatest secret.
He observed as the egg began to pull in power from the city. Though the altar seemed broken, it retained residual force, channeling nurturing energy.
Gentle will phantoms lingered ancestors of the Phoenix clan, their wills cradling their descendants.
In the void, radiant phoenix shadows danced, shedding brilliance into the egg.
Only here could eggs gain true maturation. But not all eggs deserved entrance. Destiny itself decided.
For an entire day they walked, passing altar after altar.
Each was damaged in the same way. Not random identical.
Lin Moyu noticed.
"Strange. How could every altar bear exactly the same degree of destruction?"
And so too, across the entire Ancestral City repeating, patterned ruins.
This was no act of common battle. This was the mark of Dao's power.
Lin Moyu's brow creased.
"What kind of strike could create identical destruction everywhere?"
Only Dao itself could explain. Until he reached that supreme realm, he would never know.
At last, they arrived at their destination.
Before them loomed a collapsed giant palace. Its pillars had fallen, stones scattered but the protective formation still hummed intact, untouched.
Lin Moyu's breath caught.
This palace was nearly identical to the Heavenly Void Palace he had once seen.
The Phoenix said solemnly:
"This was the dwelling of our progenitor.
"Within the bloodline inheritance… the Ancestor commanded: Daoist Lin must enter."
"As for what he will require of you… I do not know. But since the Ancestor phrased it as a request for aid, I do not believe it to be mortal peril."
The Phoenix's role was clear. He was only a guide.
Lin Moyu gave a dry chuckle.
"Then let us hope I can help the progenitor."
The Phoenix inclined his head.
"Whatever happens, please return safely. My clan will be forever in your debt. Should you ask anything of us in future… we will answer in full."
Lin Moyu smirked lightly.
"That depends on me surviving."
The Phoenix said with confidence,
"With your fortune you will."
But Lin Moyu sensed otherwise. Danger lurked ahead.
Yet this was the path of karma. To refuse was to abandon everything.
Though danger awaited, he must step forward because this was tied to the Catastrophic Supreme, to his destiny.
Drawing in a deep breath, Lin Moyu strode toward the palace.
The Purple Gold Phoenix cut his palm, forcing out a drop of golden blood, shaping it into a rune and sending it into the formation.
The array rumbled to life.
The palace gates began to stir.
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