As someone with plenty of experience in his previous life, Mo Zhiran was aware that this place was an absolute omen.

A bad omen that screamed death from every direction.

Zhiran could literally feel death surrounding him from every side, as if the slightest misstep would erase his existence entirely.

Those crackling lightning chains and the silent coffin suspended in front of him did not make him feel safe in any way.

Heck, he could not even take a single step forward, afraid that some kind of mechanism might be triggered and burn him to ashes.

'But… how can I leave this place?'

Unfortunately for Zhiran, he was at an impasse. Although he had come here with the help of a jade slip, he could see no exit at all.

The portal was already nowhere to be found, and he was left completely alone on the platform with a coffin of unknown origin.

'Fuck… why am I so out of luck?'

Just as Zhiran was feeling lost about what to do next, he suddenly felt a vibration coming from inside his mana ring.

'Hm?'

The change was so abrupt that before he could even react, something shot out of his mana ring and rapidly flew toward the coffin.

"Wait!"

By the time he reacted, it was already too late. The talisman he had obtained in the spirit stone mine outside Mistavale City was already suspended above the floating coffin.

Then, to his astonishment, it suddenly exploded on its own, releasing an incredible surge of energy before seeping into the coffin's door.

'Fuck!'

The moment it happened, Zhiran saw the coffin visibly tremble, as if something inside had just been awakened.

As the tomb shook strongly once, the lightning chains around it reacted as well, trembling in response.

It was only a light shake, yet the Zhiran standing on the platform felt a dread he never experienced in his entire life.

Even his breathing turned shallow as an invisible pressure descended upon him.

His instincts screamed and warned him desperately as an ancient aura began spreading from the coffin, thick and suffocating. The surrounding Yin Energy churned violently, as if it were afraid.

At the same time, the coffin's door slowly started sliding down, releasing a faint, grinding sound that echoed endlessly through the fog.

"Fuck, fuck… fuck…"

Zhiran was so terrified that he could only curse. At this moment, even if he wanted to run, he could not move at all. His legs trembled, yet refused to obey him.

The aura spilling out pinned him firmly in place, crushing his body and soul alike, and it was not even intentional.

"Crick!"

"Boom!"

A sharp cracking sound rang out, followed by a thunderous explosion that shook the entire space. But the dark aura leaking from the coffin was not the only problem.

Those lightning chains surrounding the platform turned even more violent. The moment the coffins reacted, they went completely out of control, lashing toward the platform one after another.

Blinding arcs of lightning struck endlessly, dyeing the entire area in violent flashes of light, as if the heavens themselves were enraged.

Zhiran felt as if he was undergoing some kind of heavenly tribulation meant for a Mahayana cultivator.

Each strike sent waves of pressure crashing down on him, making his vision blur. Fortunately, the barrier surrounding the platform still held, trembling violently with every impact.

Yet that same barrier brought despair.

The coffin door was now almost fully open, and a boundless darkness poured out, giving whatever existed inside complete access to the outside world.

An indescribable presence stirred within, making Zhiran's soul feel like it was about to shatter.

'Fuck… I-I am dead!'

Zhiran never felt this powerless before. Even when he was dying in his last life, he never felt such despair.

Back then, he still possessed the courage to explode his Gold Core and drag his enemies down with him.

But now, he felt utterly weak.

So weak that he felt like an ant. No, he was not even an ant.

'No wonder I enjoyed some luck recently. Was that my dying burst of luck?'

Zhiran thought bitterly while staring at the coffin that now stood fully open. Thick darkness poured out from within, carrying an ancient presence that pressed heavily on his mind and soul.

"Tch… heavenly tribulation? So annoying."

Just as Zhiran felt that there was absolutely no way out and that his death was already decided, an ancient voice echoed across the entire platform.

The sound felt unreal, as if it did not travel through air, but rose directly from the depths of hell itself.

Yet the moment that voice resounded, the chaotic lightning arcs rampaging across the platform suddenly froze.

The violent lightning chains trembled once before slowly calming down, returning to their original form as if nothing happened.

It was almost as though they were obedient servants responding to a command.

Soon, the chains floated quietly in their previous positions, leaving the existence within the coffin completely unrestrained.

Zhiran's pupils shrank as a chill ran through his body upon seeing such a scene.

"Hm? A mortal?"

Before Zhiran could even react, the ancient voice suddenly sounded right beside his ears, and his vision rapidly twisted as if space itself folded around him.

In the blink of an eye, he found himself inside a vast, dark space with nothing in sight except a single existence standing before him.

A humongous skeleton towered in the darkness, its size impossible to judge. Blazing flames burned within its eye sockets, illuminating the void with an oppressive glow.

Zhiran was certain those burning eyes could peer straight through his soul without the slightest obstruction, leaving nothing hidden.

"A mortal carrying a trace of the Dao of Time. No wonder you managed to enter this place."

The skeleton muttered softly. Yet each word struck Zhiran's mind like a hammer, causing his heart to pound violently as cold sweat streamed down his back.

His rebirth was his absolute secret. Something he could never allow anyone to discover. And yet, this existence saw through him at a single glance.

For a brief moment, Zhiran even doubted whether the being before him was an Immortal.

"But…"

The ancient being did not seem particularly interested in him. The faint curiosity in its gaze faded quickly, replaced by clear boredom. To it, Zhiran was merely an insignificant mortal who happened to be stained with the Dao of Time.

After expressing slight surprise, it soon lost interest and spoke again. Its voice was light and indifferent, as if announcing something trivial.

"Other than that trace of the Dao of Time, you are nothing special. You are not even worthy of becoming my subordinate. However, since you brought the key to this tomb, I will grant you a silent death."

The voice continued calmly, still fixed on Zhiran's motionless figure.

"Do not worry. It will be painless."

As those words fell, the massive skeletal arm slowly lifted and pressed down toward Zhiran's head. The motion was gentle and unhurried, as if bestowing a blessing rather than delivering judgment.

A blessing of death.

Zhiran could do nothing.

With his life resting in another's hands, he could not resist in the slightest.

Ever since entering this coffin, he found himself incapable of even forming proper thoughts. It felt as if thinking in front of such an existence was a blasphemy in itself.

A strange sensation surfaced within him. The death awaiting him almost felt comforting, as if it truly was a blessing granted out of mercy.

No fear. No struggle. No despair.

Zhiran felt empty. His mind turned blank, his emotions faded away, and just as the entity promised, he truly felt that this would be a painless death, one he should accept without resistance.

All he could do was stare at the ancient being with dull, lifeless eyes, quietly waiting for the end.

Until suddenly...

---

[A fresh brain with a damage level of 0% has been detected.]

[Do you want to perform extraction?]

---

A dark and grotesque panel abruptly filled his vision, floating silently before his eyes.

The prompt felt eerie and murderous, yet to Zhiran, it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life.

The instant the panel appeared, the strange trance gripping him shattered completely. His thoughts rushed back, clarity flooding his mind like a broken dam.

Without hesitation, the moment he regained the ability to think, Zhiran issued an absolute command with overwhelming urgency, almost screaming inside his mind.

'Extract! Extract immediately!'

Zhiran never felt such desperation before. But standing right at the gates of hell, even a single moment of delay could cost him his life.

Fortunately, his system did not disappoint him this time.

---

[Commencing extraction!]

[Please wait…]

---

"Huh? What is this?"

The moment the system prompt appeared, the ancient being spoke again, its voice filled with surprise.

That surprise was even greater than when it discovered Zhiran was laced with the Dao of Time.

Yet even so, Zhiran did not sense the urgency he expected. There was no anger, no killing intent, only faint curiosity. That alone made Zhiran sweat bullets.

'Even my system can do nothing?'

For a brief moment, Zhiran truly felt that this time, he was completely done for.

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