Chapter 343: Truth Gradually Unveiled

Ao Li successfully burned the Taichu She Shen Jing with Nirvana Fire, and as the flames clashed fiercely with the demonic technique, the Consciousness Sea roiled like a torrent. As the power of the Taichu She Shen Jing was gradually broken down, some previously sealed memory fragments, like shattered puzzle pieces, began to surface in Ao Li's mind.

Ao Li immersed herself in this chaotic yet mysterious mental space, the surrounding lights flickering, and she seemed to travel back to a past era. The scene gradually clarified, and she saw a young Ao Zhan—once a prodigious warrior of the Dragon Clan and a senior whom Ao Li had always revered.

Ao Zhan wore a fresh yet determined expression characteristic of the Dragon Clan, and he respectfully stood before an Elder. The Elder wore a plain white robe, his hair silver, his face kind yet exuding an extraordinary aura; he was Ao Zhan's mentor, the former sage and guardian of the Dragon Clan, Dragon Abyss.

The scene shifted, becoming oppressive and tense. Dragon Abyss wore a grave expression as he led Ao Zhan into the depths of the Dragon Clan's forbidden zone. The forbidden area was filled with a mysterious ancient aura, and the surrounding walls were etched with strange runes, faintly pulsing with great power.

"Ao Zhan, I have brought you here today because I have a crucial task concerning the survival of the Dragon Clan to entrust to you," Dragon Abyss said, his voice low and solemn, as if each word bore a thousand pounds of weight.

Ao Zhan knelt on one knee and declared resolutely, "Mentor, whatever the case, Ao Zhan will never refuse, even unto death!"

Dragon Abyss nodded slightly, a trace of worry flashing in his eyes: "Now, the Dragon Clan faces an unprecedented crisis. A mysterious dark force is quietly rising; they aim to seize the Spirit Source to achieve a malevolent goal of ruling the universe. This force is deeply hidden, its methods ruthless, and we currently know very little about it."

Ao Zhan furrowed his brows, a spark of anger in his eyes: "How could such evil exist! Mentor, how shall we respond?"

Dragon Abyss slowly walked to the center of the forbidden zone, reached out to touch a faintly glowing Stele, and the runes on the Stele lit up instantly: "This Stele records a forbidden method. Though it can grant the practitioner tremendous power enough to contend with that dark force, the process is extremely perilous, and once employed, it will be misconstrued by the world as a grave act of treason."

Ao Zhan said without hesitation, "Mentor, as long as it can save the Dragon Clan, even if I bear a vilified name, Ao Zhan will spare no effort!"

Dragon Abyss looked at Ao Zhan, his eyes full of satisfaction and reluctance: "Very well, since your resolve is firm, I will impart this forbidden method to you. But remember, no matter what happens, you must prioritize the future of the Dragon Clan."

The scene blurred again, and when it cleared, it had become a brutal battle. Ao Zhan was drenched in blood, his sword flashing with a strange light, while opposite him, Dragon Abyss was likewise gravely wounded, his breath faint. The surroundings lay in ruin, the Dragon Clan's disciples sprawled in all directions, blood staining the earth crimson.

"Ao Zhan, you... why did you betray the Dragon Clan and kill the mentor!" a Dragon Clan disciple shouted, pointing at Ao Zhan, hatred blazing in his eyes.

Ao Zhan's face was filled with sorrow, wanting to explain but unable to find words. At that moment, a black‑robed mysterious figure silently appeared. They still wore flowing black robes embroidered with dark red, eerie runes; beneath the hood, their pale green eyes glimmered with wicked light. The leader, tall and gaunt, had a corpse‑pale face devoid of color, his crimson lips curled slightly, revealing a smug smile.

"Hmph, everyone saw it, didn't they? Ao Zhan, in his pursuit of power, actually murdered his master and betrayed the clan! Dragon Clan, today is your doom!" the leader's voice was sharp and icy, like a curse from hell.

It turned out that these black‑robed mysterious figures were the very dark force seeking to seize the Spirit Source. They schemed in secret, exploiting Ao Zhan's loyalty to the Dragon Clan, arranging for him to learn the forbidden method, then deliberately fabricating the illusion of Ao Zhan murdering his master, thereby inciting internal strife within the Dragon Clan, weakening it, and paving the way for them to smoothly capture the Spirit Source.

Ao Li watched these revelations, feeling both shocked and angry. She had not expected that the so‑called "murder of the master" by Ao Zhan all those years ago concealed such heartbreaking truth. And the mastermind behind it all was the very group of black‑robed mysterious figures before her.

"These despicable scoundrels, for their own ambition, would go to such lengths!" Ao Li said, clenching her fists, fire blazing in her eyes.

In reality, Lín Jìn watched Ao Li, his expression shifting between anger and sorrow, his heart full of worry. He knew that Ao Li must have uncovered some crucial secret while burning the Taichu She Shen Jing, but for now he could only stand guard quietly, waiting for Ao Li to awaken.

Ao Li continued to dwell in the memory scene. After being misunderstood by everyone, Ao Zhan did not choose to flee. He knew that if he left, the Dragon Clan would fall into an even more perilous situation. Thus, he alone bore all the vilification and engaged in a grueling, extraordinary battle against the black‑robed mysterious figures.

Although Ao Zhan, through the forbidden method, gained tremendous power, the black‑robed mysterious figures were also formidable, cunning, and deceitful. In the end, Ao Zhan severely crippled some of them, but his own injuries were too great, and he vanished from the Dragon Clan's annals, leaving only the label "master‑murderer traitor."

Ao Li now fully understood the whole chain of events. She knew she bore the dual responsibility of clearing Ao Zhan's injustice and thwarting the black‑robed mysterious figures' conspiracy.

As the Taichu She Shen Jing was completely incinerated, Ao Li slowly opened her eyes, the fury within them seeming ready to scorch all evil to ash.

"Ao Li, you're finally awake. So, did you discover anything?" Lín Jìn hurried forward and asked.

Ao Li took a deep breath and recounted everything she had seen to Lín Jìn. Upon hearing it, Lín Jìn was both shocked and angry: "Those black‑robed mysterious figures are truly despicable! We must expose their plot and restore Ao Zhan's innocence!"

Ao Li nodded, "Exactly, and we cannot let their scheme succeed. If they seize the Spirit Source, the entire universe will fall into an irrecoverable calamity."

Yet they knew the black‑robed mysterious figures were deeply concealed and vast in power, making it far from easy to expose and stop them. What steps should Ao Li and Lín Jìn take next? What even harsher challenges will they face? And what new schemes might the black‑robed mysterious figures have in store? Everything was shrouded in uncertainty and suspense...