"Don't worry, in your past life, you wanted to get rid of everything and sever all ties with karma, and also to avoid the gaze of the evil Heavenly Dao. You didn't leave any memories behind, so you won't come to replace you," Cao Ya comforted him.

"Of course, it's normal to have some feelings of familiarity or vagueness."

"After all, it is the same true spirit, and its essence has not changed."

Chen Nan responded sullenly. In fact, after experiencing so much, he had a better understanding of his own situation to some extent.

He once ventured into the ancient path to heaven, but failed that time. The path to heaven was in ruins, fraught with dangers, and contained the tomb of the embodiment of the Heavenly Dao. It was fraught with peril!

By sheer coincidence, Chen Nan guided the ancient gods back to their homeland and also encountered a faceless man whom he could control and even merge with!

At that time, Chen Nan had a suspicion, and with some other discoveries... it was basically confirmed!

That youngest son of the Dugu family—Dugu Xiaobai—must be his previous life!

But, just as Chen Nan helped his wives sever the memories of the Seven Absolute Heavenly Maidens, he did not want to become another person, even if the essence of life was exactly the same.

But having received complete confirmation from Cao Ya, he couldn't help feeling uneasy.

Indeed, the situation of the faceless man was too heartbreaking. In order to escape karma and wash away everything, he deliberately endured endless suffering and burned away his past. Only in this way could he deceive the evil Heavenly Dao.

It is not for some selfish desire, but for the great cause of fighting against the heavens. With an essence that defies the heavens, we will start anew, guide the consciousness of all living beings, gather the power of all spirits, and fight against the evil heavenly way!

In comparison, Chen Nan felt that his own selfish motives were truly despicable.

They're both the same person, so why is there such a big difference?

That's why he sought out Cao Ya, hoping to find a way to achieve the best of both worlds.

Cao Ya's strength has increased rapidly, making him one of the five strongest members of the Zhan Tian camp!

He is ranked alongside the first forbidden god of the ancient times, "Dugu Baitian", the eternal demon lord, the ninth member of the Chen family, "Chen Zhan", and the Netherworld Ghost Lord!

Chen Zu, the Ancient War Soul of the Starry Sky, the God of Time and Space, Chu Xiangyu, and even the Human King, the Seven Absolute Heavenly Maidens, and other ancient great powers, including Chen Nan himself, are currently inferior to them.

He reigns supreme among those of the heaven-defying level, no less powerful than any of the supreme beings among the incarnations of the Heavenly Dao!

Moreover, Chen Nan had received guidance from Cao Ya and respected and admired Cao Ya's talent.

In addition, due to his special status, he was not too keen to ask Dugu Baitian and Chen Zhan about this matter, and he was not very familiar with the Demon Lord and the Ghost Lord.

After much deliberation, among the five supreme beings at the level of the unparalleled king, only Cao Ya, the "Purple Thunder Sword Ancestor," is a suitable candidate.

Other experts at the heaven-defying or heaven-rank levels, whose realms are slightly lower, might not be able to discern the clues.

Chen Nan didn't want to reveal the secret.

In his view, Cao Ya was not only extremely capable, but also knew countless secrets.

Cao Ya wasn't entirely clear about Chen Nan's intentions, but he had some guesses.

"How many past lives have I had? Or... just one?"

"The first forbidden god of the ancient times—Dugu Baitian—had two sons and two daughters. Both daughters have returned. I am a man, so I am definitely not him. As for the eldest son, Tianmo, it is said that he is cultivating elsewhere and will soon return. So… I am returning the reincarnation of his youngest son—Dugu Xiaobai?"

Chen Nan asked in a hoarse voice, "The deeds of the Dugu family have been passed down for thousands of years. Who doesn't know them?"

Dugu Baitian, a king-level existence among those who defy the heavens, how ferocious is he?

His two wives—Moon Goddess and Xuanxuan—were also top-notch masters!

Xuanxuan, in particular, was trained by the old man who guarded the tomb and was hailed as the "First Witch of Ancient Times"!

She is also the strongest female cultivator below the Human King and the Seven Absolute Heavenly Maidens!

It's only a step away from being at the heaven-defying level!

And the four children, whether they are Tianmo and Dugu Xiaoyue born to the Moon Goddess, or Dugu Xiaoxuan and Dugu Xiaobai born to Xuanxuan, are all powerful figures of the ancient times and outstanding individuals within the Heavenly Rank!

Like Dugu Xiaobai, he is no less than his father, surpasses his other close relatives, and has reached the level of being heaven-defying!

This father and son were both beings above the Heavenly Rank, and their power once shook the eight wastelands, even the Evil Heavenly Dao was wary of them!

Such a powerful family must have occupied a great deal of space in various ancient histories!

The renowned Chen family, the Demon Lord's family, and the master-disciple lineage of the Time and Space God are all slightly inferior.

Only the rarely known master and disciple, the Ghost Lord and the Human King, can compare!

"Dugu Xiaobai has great courage. He is willing to sacrifice himself to enter the tribulation, abandon his heaven-defying power, endure all kinds of unspeakable pain and torment, wash away his past, avoid the evil heavenly path, and be reborn in the next life."

"We must also draw upon the spiritual consciousness of all living beings, both to gather boundless power and as a backup plan."

"Whether the world can be revived after the evil Heavenly Dao destroys it depends on you."

"Chen Nan, all hope actually lies in you."

"The 'heaven-defying' level sounds impressive, but in this situation, it seems a bit weak."

Cao Ya spoke, expressing his admiration and respect for Dugu Xiaobai.

Such a heart and selflessness are beyond his reach.

The presence of the spirits of all living beings not only enhanced their magical power but was also the key to their rebirth; none of them truly died.

Of course, there is a prerequisite—the final battle against the heavens must be won!

Furthermore, Chen Nan must live in order to revive all living beings!

If we lose... then everything is over!

The reason why Dugu Xiaobai was chosen was simply because there was no other way.

People like the Human King, the Seven Absolute Heavenly Maidens, the Ancestor of the Stars, the God of Time and Space, and the ancient heaven-defying totems have all perished, leaving only a small portion of their spiritual consciousness. They wander the world and are unlikely to recover on their own. They need the planning and assistance of Dugu Baitian and the Demon Lord to gradually return. How could they possibly get involved in this matter?

Chen Zhan, Xingkong Gu Zhan Hun, and others were later rises to become heaven-defying beings.

Like Dugu Baitian and the Eternal Demon Lord, the Netherworld Ghost Lord needs to secretly guide and protect all realms to resist the evil Heavenly Dao camp, and cannot participate in the game.

If they were all gone, the Evil Heavenly Dao would absolutely laugh its head off, and its world-destroying would be unimpeded.

After considering them one by one, only Dugu Xiaobai was able to step into the big picture and sacrifice himself to become a key player!

"I admire him quite a bit, but..." Chen Nan's expression was full of contradictions.

Respect is one thing, but to truly respect him is to extinguish his consciousness and allow Dugu Xiaobai to emerge...

When it comes to one's own existence, it's inevitable to feel some resistance.

At this moment, Chen Nan really wished that his past life was that of a great demon!

When the heavens are at war, there is no distinction between good and evil, right and wrong; everyone is on the same side. But on this one matter, Chen Nan will not be conflicted.

"His shed body—the Faceless Man, didn't you merge with it?" Cao Ya said softly, "Without any memories left, it won't cause any trouble for the reincarnated body."

"If he could successfully fight against the heavens, save the world, and fulfill his greatest wish, then he would have died a worthy death... Well, you are still alive, so he is not really dead. You are essentially the same."

Chen Nan became increasingly troubled. After listening to Dugu Xiaobai's humanitarian brilliance, it was simply dazzling!

Chen Nan thought to himself, he was far inferior!

"If you're troubled, then become stronger, become a Heaven-Defying King, and increase your chances of winning..."

"So many sacrifices, so many years of planning, have come to an end."

"If we lose this time, it's all over!"

Cao Ya sighed and said, "Winning is the best way to repay Dugu Xiaobai!"

Chen Nan nodded solemnly and said, "I will do everything in my power, even at the cost of my life..."

Cao Ya suddenly smiled, raised his palm, and made a hand seal, creating a light screen that enveloped Chen Nan.

"Huh?" Chen Nan was taken aback. Trusting Cao Ya, he knew she wouldn't harm him, so he didn't stop her.

Of course, Chen Nan also knew that he was no match for Cao Ya, and that resisting him would be useless.

Suddenly, Chen Nan's eyes became unfocused, and his entire consciousness seemed to have fallen into an illusion, experiencing the suffering of all living beings through countless reincarnations.

"I am the 'Purple Thunder Sword Ancestor,' and I created the 'Purple Thunder Sword Manual.' I am proficient in the way of lightning and swordsmanship. Normally speaking, reincarnation and illusion are not my forte."

"With the [Smiling with a Flower], [Severing the Dao to See Me], the [Six Paths of Reincarnation Heavenly Art], and the Great Dao of Reincarnation, one can easily create such illusions."

"Hopefully, Chen Nan's Dao heart can be honed and become more transparent, allowing him to comprehend the secrets of the Heaven-Defying King level."

Cao Ya's eyes revealed anticipation.

Chen Nan's aptitude and comprehension are both top-notch. Besides great opportunities, his own abilities are also crucial to his ability to reach the heaven-defying level.

However, as the key to the great calamity, if Chen Nan breaks through to the Heaven-Defying King level ahead of time, his chances of winning will naturally increase by 10%!

Don't underestimate even a small percentage; in the battle against the Evil Heavenly Dao and its lackeys, even a half-percent improvement is extremely difficult!

Cao Ya's "Purple Thunder Sword Technique" has already reached the level of six stars.

The lightning and swordsmanship involved, such as those of the self in the universes of [Peerless Sovereign], [Perfect World], [Immortal Gourd], [Panlong], and [Primordial World], which one did not have extremely profound attainments?

In comparison, his breakthrough was naturally unstoppable.

"Boom!" Chen Nan suddenly let out a long roar, his eyes regaining their clarity, still carrying a trace of vicissitude.

His aura surged, surpassing the level of the Heaven-Defying!

"Purple Thunder Sword Ancestor, thank you very much." Chen Nan bowed, deeply grateful.

“You came out on your own, broke free from doubts about your true self, and strengthened your resolve. The role I played was insignificant.” Cao Ya waved his hand.

Chen Nan smiled. Without the help of the Purple Thunder Sword Ancestor, he didn't know when he would have been able to achieve the Heaven-Defying King level!

At the same time, I was also quite curious: when did the Purple Thunder Sword Ancestor master reincarnation and illusion techniques?

But this concerns the very essence of the Purple Thunder Sword Ancestor, so others won't ask unless they bring it up themselves.

"Buzz..." At this moment, Chen Nan's surging aura filled the sky and the earth, crushing the eternal firmament!

All living beings were terrified. Only when they learned from the expert that it was Chen Nan did they breathe a sigh of relief, and what followed was a sense of joy!

The five king-level giants have gained another one!

"That kid Chen Nan has broken through again?" Hei Qi's eyelids twitched, feeling extremely frustrated.

Initially, Chen Nan was no match for him. As time went on, he remained stuck at the peak of the Heavenly Rank, while Chen Nan surpassed him, not only attaining the Heaven-Defying Rank but also making further advancements...

"Damn it, how can I fall so far behind that guy?" Hei Qi thought fiercely, participating in the transformation experiment at Shenfeng Academy, determined to seize every opportunity to increase his strength.

At the current Shenfeng Academy, people from all walks of life have gathered, all wanting to integrate divine blood, demonic blood, etc. Pain, madness, mutation, none of them matter, as long as they want to double their power!

As the eldest of the Seven Ancient Kings, Chu Xiangyu was happy to see Zhan Tian Haojie become stronger!

I also hope that my brother can see through this final move!

On a moon, the Chen family members were still enjoying their gathering when they noticed the commotion. They scanned the continent with their divine sense and discovered Chen Nan, which made them smile.

"Chen Zhan and his son Chen Nan have both surpassed me, their ancestor!" Ancestor Chen laughed heartily.

The Chen family has many talented individuals, including many at the Heavenly Rank. Those who were wronged in the past have now returned.

The eight people chosen by the Ruchen family to resurrect their ancestor were all of this type.

But Chen Zu certainly wouldn't want his descendants to abandon their true selves and become his vessels.

He returned to the Chen family, cleaned out the parasites, and even helped those eight people, who were all reborn one after another.

However, compared to those eight people, even Chen Zu lagged behind Chen Zhan and Chen Nan.

"He's as formidable as his father!" The eight heroes of the Chen family were also very pleased.

She did not feel anger or anything like that because Chen Zhan had left the Chen family.

There was no other way; the Chen family had too many problems back then, and they were also the target of schemes.

Meanwhile, on another moon not far away, the Dugu family members, along with their disciples and followers, were also having a feast.

"Chen Nan? This guy is getting fiercer and fiercer." Dugu Xiaoxuan muttered.

Initially, she was severely injured and hid inside the jade ruyi. In order to recover, she also absorbed Chen Nan's power. The purple-gold dragon also suffered.

But she is still at the Heavenly Rank, while Chen Nan has already reached the Heaven-Defying King Rank, surpassing two major realms!

She might be reduced to ashes with a flick of Chen Nan's finger! Although Chen Nan would not do such a thing.

“It’s him…” A hint of surprise appeared on Xuanxuan’s face.

As the second batch of ancient gods to return from the broken ancient heavenly path, they naturally knew Chen Nan, who was there to guide them.

At that moment, I felt a sense of familiarity, including the faceless man, and I felt a sudden pang of heartache!

Although there are speculations, nothing can be confirmed.

Looking at the current situation, Xuanxuan's inner conclusion is almost confirmed.

Moon Goddess, Dugu Xiaoyue, Heavenly Demon, and the other disciples were simply happy that the anti-heaven camp had gained another heaven-defying king-level figure!

They had little interaction with Chen Nan.

“Bai Tian…” Xuanxuan suddenly looked at Dugu Bai Tian with a questioning look.

On Dugu Baitian's face, there was both relief and a hint of sigh.

He didn't say anything, he just nodded silently.

Xuanxuan clutched her chest, tears welling up in her eyes as she thought of the suffering endured by the Faceless Man.

Dugu Baitian's actions undoubtedly confirmed that the faceless man was the shell of Dugu Xiaobai!

"You knew too?" Xuanxuan's voice was low.

"For the sake of Zhan Tian and for the sake of all living beings, there is no other way," Dugu Baitian said with a bitter smile.

If there were a better way, how could he bear to see his own son suffer like that?!

I didn't tell my family, firstly to keep it a secret, and secondly because I didn't want Xuanxuan to worry.

"I'm going to see him." Xuanxuan suddenly stood up and flew out of the moon.

Dugu Baitian hesitated slightly, wanting to go as well, but considering that his son Chen Nan, the reincarnation of his son, and his parents Chen Zhan and his wife, had not yet shown up, he decided not to go first.

"What's wrong with Mother?" Dugu Xiaoxuan asked, stunned.

Who is she going to see?

Tianmo, Dugu Xiaoyue, and others were also puzzled.

Only the Moon Goddess seemed lost in thought.

In a certain inner world, Chen Zhan and his wife also had smiles on their faces.

"Xiao Nan... he must have suffered countless hardships to get to this point." After her joy subsided, Chen's mother couldn't help but shed tears.

Her cultivation level was quite ordinary, and she always stayed with Chen Zhan, residing in Chen Zhan's inner world.

That's why we now know how many dangers Chen Zhan faced in his rise to power!

The condition of his son, Chen Nan, must not be much better!

“This is his duty.” Chen Zhan sighed, having understood Chen Nan’s mission ten thousand years ago.

Otherwise, why bury Chen Nan in the Cemetery of Gods and Demons?