Chapter 3 Annihilation Jue

The three Great Emperors left the True Martial Holy Sect with a profound foundation that ushered the sect into an unprecedented golden age.

But everything in this world follows a cycle of rise and fall, and after reaching its peak, a decline is inevitable!

In the tens of thousands of years that followed, the True Martial Holy Sect never again saw the emergence of another Great Emperor.

Despite still being a colossal presence, it could not escape a gradual decline from the glorious days of yore.

Until three thousand years ago, the arrival of a young girl broke this stagnant spell.

The girl lived in a simple village under the rule of the True Martial Holy Sect, amidst thousands of miles of mountains and rivers.

There she led an ordinary life for fifteen years, until one day she witnessed two practitioners of the Empty Vein Realm battling above her small village.

A seed of a new world's door was thus planted in her tender heart.

The girl, drawn by its reputation, sought entry into the True Martial Holy Sect but was eliminated during the aptitude test due to her mediocre innate abilities.

Yet, she refused to give up, kneeling on the bluestone steps outside the sect gate, and so she remained, for a full seven days.

Battered by wind and rain, scorched by the blazing sun, without a drop of water or a bite of food.

At that time she was just an ordinary person, but she endured this torment.

Her whole being was only in a daze, without once losing consciousness, her unwavering will touching everyone deeply.

In the end, an Outer Sect Elder from within the True Martial Holy Sect, taking pity on her, took her in as an unofficial disciple.

She was like a frog in the well longing to leap out, unwilling to be confined to a corner.

And like an ant crawling between heaven and earth, it kept on crawling, crawling.

Until one day, this crawling ant stood up, and that was when people realized that, without them knowing when, the ant had grown to the point where it stood level with the sky.

In the girl's era, there were far too many stunningly brilliant talents.

But in the end, no one expected that a girl with average aptitude would sweep through that era.

"Empress Hongtian!"

This was the revered name of that young girl.

Among the numerous Great Emperors throughout eternity, Empress Hongtian was undoubtedly one of the most dazzling.

Her brilliance shone not only in her era but even influenced the eras of several Great Emperors that followed.

Empress Hongtian led the True Martial Holy Sect into another golden age.

......

Reflecting on the history of the True Martial Holy Sect, Xu Zimei's gaze was profound, hoping that one day, his own name might also appear amidst this epic, starry splendor.

......

He made his way to the Scripture Pavilion, located at the heart of the True Martial Holy Sect, containing all the cultivation techniques and Vein Skills collected since the founding of the sect.

Contrary to what one might expect, the atmosphere surrounding the Scripture Pavilion was quite relaxed.

There were ancient trees that reached for the sky, spiritual herbs carpeting the ground, competing flowers vying for brilliance, vividly colored butterflies fluttering about, and rare medicinal chickens patrolling around, loosening the soil for the spiritual herbs and flowers, fertilizing and catching insects.

The Scripture Pavilion had eighteen floors, and standing at the entrance, one was greeted by an air of antiquity; it stood silently as if recounting its tens of thousands of years of history to anyone who would listen.

The pavilion's colors were a mix of aqua and pale yellow, with jade-like pillars and azure rooftiles adorning vermilion eaves.

The eaves on both sides were carved with all sorts of exotic and rare beasts.

There were eagles spreading their wings, birds soaring high, cheetahs roaring, and lions with furious eyes.

There were no guards at the entrance to the Scripture Pavilion, but Xu Zimei could feel a palpitation-inducing aura all around him.

This area was laced with high-level formations; should any intruders be discovered, the activation of the formation would ensure that even practitioners of the Saint Vein Realm might not easily escape.

......

Xu Zimei placed the token his father had given him into the slot at the entrance, where an Elder assigned to guard the Scripture Pavilion would authenticate the token and grant the corresponding access permissions.

The light screen at the entrance vanished, and Xu Zimei walked straight into the Scripture Pavilion.

The first floor had a very simple layout, with tens of thousands of bookshelves neatly arranged.

Each bookshelf, displaying Vein Skills and Cultivation Techniques, was shrouded in a faint light screen.

At the forefront of each bookshelf was a small sign, bearing the name, purpose, and rank of the corresponding books.

Xu Zimei didn't linger much, making his way straight to the highest floor of the Scripture Pavilion, the eighteenth floor.

The lighting on the eighteenth floor was slightly dimmer, and there were only four statues.

Each of these four statues seemed to exist in its own special space.

Xu Zimei stood before the statues, looking from left to right.

The first statue depicted a man with long hair cascading over his shoulders, his presence majestic; his eyes, profound as the ocean, demanded a reverence that one couldn't help but yield to.

This was a man who stood with his feet upon the mountains and rivers, and his shoulders against the heavens themselves.

The second statue was also of a man, exuding an extreme aura. It was as if he had abandoned everything in pursuit of the ultimate end of something.

Proud and unyielding, he carried three strange long blades upon his back.

When you saw those blades, you understood that he was a pure swordsman who had dedicated his entire life to reaching the pinnacle of the blade path.

"Live by the blade, die by the blade."

The third statue featured only a back view, conveying an especially elusive feeling, as if it were both immediately within reach and yet as distant as the end of the heavens.

He walked between reality and the void, all to chase after the ultimate profound meaning of speed.

The fourth statue was of a woman, her long hair spilling down her back, a thin veil concealing her Qingcheng beauty.

Her style was distinct and ever-changing, on the first glance, she seemed innocent and lively like the girl next door with a ponytail on a casual afternoon, reminiscent of first love.

On the second look, she appeared as an enchanting and alluring fairy.

On the third, she seemed to be a merciless female War God who was no less a hero than any man, with unwavering beliefs and an unrivaled awe-inspiring aura.

And on the fourth, she was like the Empress who dominated all, as if all creatures were but ants beneath her gaze, their flourishing civilizations insignificant and unworthy of mention amidst annihilation.

......…

Xu Zimei gazed at the statues of the four greatest Emperors in the history of the True Martial Holy Sect, feeling a solemn reverence within.

In fact, he had no intention of practicing the techniques of others, for in his past life, he had already forged his own unique Martial Path to Heaven.

However, to disguise his secret and avoid exposing it, Xu Zimei still chose the technique of the Great Emperor of the Three Blades.

He quite admired the Great Emperor's extremity in the path of the blade and found it to be a suitable transition.

Xu Zimei placed his hand on the statue, then closed his eyes, emptied his mind, and strived to comprehend.

A vast expanse of white fog obscured everything, and Xu Zimei could clearly feel a stream of memories integrating into his own.

It was precisely the cultivation technique of the Great Emperor of the Three Blades: the "Annihilation Jue."

All began in annihilation, and all ended in annihilation!

Originating from annihilation, culminating in annihilation!

Having obtained the technique he sought, Xu Zimei prepared to leave.

Before leaving, he subconsciously glanced towards the corner of the Scripture Pavilion, then shook his head with a quiet chuckle and left with satisfaction.