The Dao of Reincarnation (110-112) (Patreon)

Chapter 110: Witness of the Era (Part 7)

Su Chen followed the flow of old memories, crossing tens of thousands of li until he reached the Heavenly Origin Dynasty.

With the rise of the Prison-Suppressing Sacred Land, what had once been an ordinary dynasty had transformed into one of the Eastern Wasteland's colossal powers. The Li Clan produced countless prodigies. The Imperial Apex Shock-the-World Technique—left behind in his sixth life—had eventually circled back into the hands of the Li Clan after many twists and turns. Even the once-small Xia Clan had grown into an ancient family. Within the Prison-Suppressing Sacred Land, quite a few held positions of real authority.

As for the Dragon Firmament Dynasty… old acquaintances were nowhere to be found. In the blink of an eye, a thousand years had passed. Even the small village from long ago had long since been swallowed by sprawling, prosperous towns.

"Here once lived a supreme Alchemy Venerable!"

Outside the city stood a towering bronze statue of the Peerless Alchemy Venerable. Everywhere inside the walls, storytellers recounted legends of his deeds.

Su Chen gave a faint smile. He listened quietly to the embellished tales spun by the storyteller, then let out a soft sigh and walked away.

Three full years had passed on this journey. It was time to challenge the top prodigies of the Eastern Wasteland.

The Eastern Wasteland was in its golden age. Prodigies gathered like clouds.

In the past, when Su Chen had participated in such a grand event, he could only look up at others as though they were distant stars.

"A member of Central Continent's Wang Clan… the younger brother of that person has actually come to our Eastern Wasteland?"

The major powers jointly hosting the Prodigy Assembly exchanged uncertain glances when they saw the unfamiliar name suddenly appear on the roster. They had heard at least some rumors about what happened in the Southern Barbarian Lands.

"This little brat is treating our Eastern Wasteland the same way he treated the Southern Barbarian Lands—as a whetstone for his martial path?"

One of the twelve sacred lands' leaders understood the situation and gave a cold laugh.

"Since this little fellow from the Wang Clan wants to use our Eastern Wasteland to sharpen his blade, why can't we use him in return? Let our younger generation experience the martial dao of Central Continent's prodigies firsthand."

"Aren't you worried those kids will have their dao hearts shattered? That brat was ruthless—practically crippled the entire younger generation of the Heavenly Sword Sacred Land in the Southern Barbarian Lands."

"The Southern Barbarian Lands have grown weaker and weaker. If a martial cultivator's dao heart isn't firm enough, our Eastern Wasteland must never follow in their footsteps… Tempering the younger ones now, letting them understand early that there are always people stronger and heavens beyond heavens, is actually a good thing. Otherwise, if they grow too arrogant and later encounter true dao struggles, they might collapse completely."

"Don't forget—Heavenly Ruins Sacred Land's supreme monster has already emerged. He intends to step onto the path of the supreme dao in this era… and that person from the Central Continent is unavoidable. Using this younger brother as a preview to gauge the strength of that one isn't a bad idea. We can prepare in advance."

"…"

Su Chen soon received the notification.

The Eastern Wasteland had approved his participation in the Prodigy Assembly.

"These old fellows… they must have some trump card. Which ancient sacred land has unsealed one of its sealed monsters?"

Su Chen narrowed his eyes. Having once been a high-ranking elder in a sacred land and presided over such assemblies himself, he knew the rules inside and out. He had expected some difficulties before gaining entry. Their swift agreement was far too smooth. If there wasn't something fishy going on, he wouldn't believe it. This assembly was likely being used as a stage to announce the emergence of some supreme monster.

Still… Su Chen felt no fear. He had come precisely to verify his martial path and forge his own road. Crossing blades with a supreme monster—win or lose—would bring him immense benefit. This was a mutually beneficial transaction in disguise.

When the day of the Prodigy Assembly arrived, geniuses from across the Eastern Wasteland gathered. The twelve sacred lands had effectively become thirteen, joined by prodigies from every ancient clan and great family.

Su Chen felt genuine excitement. He sensed several powerful convictions—sharp, unrestrained, each one a top-tier genius destined to stir the winds of the era!

Hu Miaomiao trembled in his arms as wave after wave of terrifying auras swept past. She couldn't help but wonder inwardly.

"Just what kind of person is Master…?"

Su Chen flicked her forehead lightly and gave no answer.

The Prodigy Assembly began.

Su Chen's first opponent stepped onto the stage. A figure radiating cyan light like polished jade strode forward—dragon-like steps, tiger-like poise.

Su Chen was mildly surprised. Few people could cultivate the Azure Jade Sacred Scripture to such a level. The forces hosting the Prodigy Assembly clearly intended to use this disciple of the Azure Jade Sacred Land to test the true depths of his strength.

"You are very strong… You will be one of the great enemies on my path, Tian Hui!"

Tian Hui, the prodigy of the Azure Jade Sacred Land, had always considered himself among the top three of his generation within his sect. Yet standing before Su Chen, he felt an abyss-like presence—deadly silent and unfathomable.

Su Chen gave a slight nod.

"Make your move."

The moment the words fell, Tian Hui shifted his palm into a fist. Azure light illuminated the nine heavens as he closed the distance in an instant. Clearly, he knew Su Chen was a sword cultivator and had no intention of giving him the chance to unleash any of his myriad techniques.

Yet what shocked Tian Hui was that Su Chen showed no sign of drawing the Dustreturn Sword at his waist. A casual sweep of his palm carried the profound mysteries of countless martial arts. Those mysteries flickered into existence and shattered just as quickly. When the fist finally struck forward, its momentum was utterly unstoppable.

The collision of two terrifying fist intents drew cheers from the watching crowd. Several powerful prodigies had their eyes light up.

"Everyone speaks of the supreme monster born to the Central Continent's Wang Clan—Great Emperor qualifications, destined to suppress an entire era. But they all overlook one thing: this little fellow from the Wang family… is no simple character either. His martial dao is on the verge of entering the realm of true mastery, walking a path entirely his own. Becoming a Saint in the future is only a matter of time. If he hadn't been born in this great era—if he weren't overshadowed by Wang Yunfei's brilliance—he himself would have become a legend of his generation."

The elders and leaders of various major forces watching from the sidelines sighed inwardly with emotion. A genius who had begun to forge his own path—as long as he did not fall—would inevitably reach the endpoint of the road to sainthood.

Su Chen was clearly only one step away from entering the realm of true Dao mastery!

The azure light shattered.

Tian Hui gave a bitter laugh.

"I thought your sword dao was your greatest reliance. I was wrong. I never expected your fists to be this terrifying. I am not your match!"

Su Chen withdrew his fist and spoke calmly.

"One method mastered opens the door to all methods. In my spare time, I practiced some fist and palm techniques, and they naturally came together."

Tian Hui shook his head.

It sounded easy, but in truth—how could it be? For an ordinary martial cultivator, walking a single path to mastery was already the limit of a lifetime. Who had the leisure to walk a second?

After defeating a powerful true disciple of the Azure Jade Sacred Land, Su Chen felt no pride.

Tian Hui was strong, but he was not among the absolute top tier of the Eastern Wasteland's prodigies.

At this moment, Su Chen sensed countless blazing gazes fixed upon him, each one brimming with overwhelming battle intent. His strength had finally earned their recognition!

Chapter 111: Witness of the Era (Part 8)

One battle… two battles… three battles…

Su Chen continued until he finally faced the first true pinnacle genius of the Eastern Wasteland.

Thunder Sound Sacred Land—Lei Tianxin. A bald young monk with narrowed eyes, clad in a simple cassock. One hand gripped a monk's staff, the other pressed together before his chest.

Su Chen glanced up at him. Beneath that calm exterior hid a terrifying force capable of tearing everything apart. His cultivation had reached the peak of Profound Connection realm—just like Su Chen now—only one step away from Void Refining.

"Thunder Elephant Sacred Physique… Thunder Sound Sacred Land has truly produced an extraordinary figure this generation!"

Compared to Mu Wunian of the Heavenly Sword Sacred Land, Lei Tianxin was clearly far superior. The two were not on the same level at all.

Su Chen sighed inwardly. This would be his first true, head-on clash with a sacred physique monster!

The Dustreturn Sword trembled for the first time, resonating in excitement, its edge finally revealing its true sharpness.

"Benefactor, please."

Lei Tianxin formed a gesture, signaling the start of the fight.

In the same instant, purple thunder light flashed in his narrowed eyes. The entire battlefield became a sea of lightning. The phantom of an ancient thunder elephant materialized behind him—like a primordial deity descended into the present age.

Su Chen gripped the Dustreturn Sword. Insights from three lifetimes of sword dao fused into one. For a fleeting moment, he stepped into an entirely new realm of sword dao. The space around him became his sword domain—within it, the sword dao reigned supreme!

Beams of radiant sword light pierced through the thunder ocean.

Lei Tianxin raised his fist. Golden light bloomed across his body. His physical form had been tempered to an extreme, rivaling ancient divine beasts. One punch shattered space itself. An ordinary Void Refining cultivator would turn to bloody mist under such a strike—terrifying beyond measure.

Thunder Sound Sacred Land had once stood at the pinnacle. Its body-refining method was ranked among the ten strongest in history. Unfortunately, with the changing of eras, part of the technique had been lost. Body cultivation gradually gave way to law cultivation, forcing this once-mighty power to settle into second-tier status in the Eastern Wasteland.

Facing Su Chen's sword qi, Lei Tianxin simply raised a hand and tore it apart. Golden blood seeped from his palm. The wounds caused by the sword qi healed instantly. He charged straight into Su Chen's sword domain.

Though body cultivators had declined, their conviction had never wavered.

Inside Su Chen's sword domain, Lei Tianxin tore through the sword qi with raw force. Thunder light exploded as he clashed against the indestructible sword qi. Yet even with his invincible divine strength, he was still too slow.

Their clash lasted only an instant.

In that single moment, Lei Tianxin failed to close the distance to Su Chen's body.

What greeted him instead was an unmatched sword beam. The purple thunder ocean across the battlefield turned ashen gray, as though the world had frozen into a still painting.

"Return to Dust!"

A storm of sword qi swept outward.

Lei Tianxin raised his staff. The thunder elephant phantom fused into a barrier that met the unstoppable sword beam head-on.

"Body cultivation… has truly declined after all!"

With a soft sigh, Lei Tianxin's staff snapped in two. His body was cleaved cleanly at the waist. Blood dyed the arena floor.

A powerful elder from Thunder Sound Sacred Land immediately intervened, using divine abilities to forcibly rejoin Lei Tianxin's body. Pale-faced and expressionless, Lei Tianxin walked off the stage.

Su Chen watched him leave, then sheathed the Dustreturn Sword.

A wave of extreme exhaustion surged through his body. His expression remained unchanged as he stepped down from the platform, but inwardly he gave a wry laugh.

"Body cultivators… really are tough…"

That final sword strike had felt like chopping against ancient heavenly gold—indestructible. Had the sword dao intent of the Dustreturn Sword not been sharp enough, he might not have broken Lei Tianxin's defense.

But… that was all.

With Lei Tianxin's defeat, astonishment rippled through the crowd of prodigies.

Lei Tianxin's Thunder Elephant Sacred Physique ranked among the absolute top of his generation. Yet now he had lost to this young man from the Central Continent.

Su Chen turned his gaze toward another battlefield.

There, a handsome young man sat cross-legged, already finished with his match. Sensing Su Chen's look, he lifted his head and gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.

"What terrifying martial dao intent!"

With that single glance, Su Chen knew—this was the hidden trump card those old monsters of the Eastern Wasteland had been waiting to reveal!

They were utterly confident that this youth would defeat him.

The realm of true Dao mastery! This was absolutely a monster who had already stepped into the realm of true dao!

Su Chen drew a deep breath, suppressing the surging battle intent within him. Against such a figure, he had to return to his absolute peak before he could fight with everything he had!

The youth seemed to sense Su Chen's thoughts. Neither of them spoke. They simply waited in tacit understanding—for this peak confrontation!

One week later, Su Chen opened his eyes.

"Heavenly Ruins Sacred Land—Ling Wuya."

"Central Continent Wang Clan—Wang Chen!"

Ling Wuya gave a slight nod.

"I will defeat you. Then I will go challenge Wang Yunfei."

His tone was calm and even, as though he had never truly placed Su Chen in his eyes.

Su Chen smiled. He felt no anger at being underestimated. This opponent possessed a sword dao conviction even firmer than that of the Heavenly Sword Sacred Land's Sacred Son. He was an incomparably powerful rival—worthy of genuine respect.

Neither wasted words.

Su Chen drew the Dustreturn Sword.

Ling Wuya casually reached into the void and drew forth a divine blade of his own.

The moment their swords met, sword qi raged across the battlefield. Terrifying sword intents tore at one another.

"Return to Dust!"

"Sword Ruins!"

Su Chen's sword intent was immediately suppressed by an overwhelming force—a sword dao he had never encountered before. He abandoned his sword and shifted to palms.

Ling Wuya mirrored him perfectly—discarding his blade for palms as well.

Palm intents collided like dazzling fireworks. Then both shifted again—to fists, to spears, to blades—each weapon form flowing seamlessly into the next.

From the spectator stands, several elders watched the evenly matched exchange in stunned silence.

"What is Ling Wuya doing? With his strength, defeating someone who hasn't fully grasped the realm of true dao should not be this difficult."

"He's… helping that little fellow from the Wang Clan fuse all his martial techniques and walk his own path? Has he gone mad? This is his enemy—why is he feeding him moves?"

"Ling Wuya… truly worthy of being the supreme prodigy of Heavenly Ruins Sacred Land. Is this the bearing and pride of a supreme genius?"

"…"

Su Chen gradually sank fully into the exchange with Ling Wuya.

Nine lifetimes of experiences. Nine vastly different paths. The fleeting insights he had grasped between life and death in his previous incarnations now became increasingly clear. He sensed something forming inside him—a seed.

Countless martial dao comprehensions and martial wills converged, growing firmer and more resolute. This was the conviction that even if the entire world was wrong, he alone was right. On the martial path, only belief remained!

As the golden seed took shape, all of Su Chen's martial dao paths suddenly became clear. Techniques that once required effort now came effortlessly. The road ahead was no longer shrouded in fog. He… would ultimately step into the supreme realm and stand above all living beings!

"Thank you for the gift of dao attainment. I, Wang Chen, owe you a favor!"

Su Chen understood completely—Ling Wuya had deliberately helped him shatter the barrier to the realm of true dao and step onto his own unique path!

Ling Wuya gave a faint smile.

"You did not disappoint me. In the next clash… do not hold back!"

Entering the realm of true Dao meant stepping onto the path of becoming a Saint. On that path, only one person could reach the end. This was the purest form of martial dao struggle!

…

Chapter 112: Witness of the Era (Part 9)

Two monsters who had each forged their own path clashed.

Every move, every technique distilled the essence of hundreds of martial arts. Though both remained at the Profound Connection realm, the power they unleashed far exceeded the limits of that boundary. For prodigies of their caliber, fighting above their realm was as natural as breathing.

The watching prodigies stared without blinking, frozen like statues, afraid to miss even the smallest detail… even though most of what unfolded before them felt like heavenly script—impossible to comprehend.

"Two young monsters who have both stepped into the realm of true dao… such a sight is rare indeed. If even a fraction of their exchange can be grasped by these juniors, it will benefit their martial paths immeasurably."

The elders of the various major powers sighed inwardly with emotion. This was the true golden age of martial dao—prodigies and monsters abounded, and even divine and sacred physiques were reduced to mere supporting roles.

As the battle with Ling Wuya deepened, Su Chen's understanding of the martial path grew ever clearer. He set aside the Dustreturn Sword and brought two fingers together in a point.

This single move fused every martial art he had ever mastered across lifetimes—ever-changing, profound, like a supreme deity cleansing the mortal dust.

Ling Wuya felt the pressure mount. He shouted:

"What a brilliant move! I, Ling Wuya, was born in the final dharma age after the Great Emperor's ascension—when all life fell silent. I stood invincible across the Eastern Wasteland, Central Continent, and all nine heavenly domains. Thus, I sealed myself away, awaiting the arrival of a new great era. I never expected my first true battle would be against an opponent like you. My blood is truly boiling! This is what a true age of contention should be!"

"Hahahahaha!"

Facing the divine, world-cleansing power, Ling Wuya threw back his head and laughed wildly, utterly unrestrained. Between his brows, a golden heavenly eye slowly opened, brimming with supreme laws. A beam of divine light descended like heavenly punishment.

Their strongest strikes collided. The protective barrier around the battlefield creaked under the strain.

"Who… won?"

The audience could see nothing clearly, yet everyone knew—one of them must have prevailed in that clash.

After a long moment, two figures stepped down from the martial stage.

"This battle—I lost."

Su Chen spoke with complete sincerity. Ling Wuya was genuinely terrifying. Possessing a peerless divine physique and having stepped into the realm of true Dao so early, even his mental fortitude was monstrous. Unless he died prematurely, reaching the pinnacle of sainthood was inevitable.

Ling Wuya shook his head.

"I merely relied on the advantage of my divine physique. If Brother Wang also possessed one, the outcome might have been different."

His tone was earnest. He was not making excuses for Su Chen. To step into the realm of true dao at such a young age was already a rarity throughout history—even surpassing Ling Wuya in terms of comprehension. Unfortunately, such a genius bore only an ordinary spirit physique rather than a divine one. Otherwise, he would surely be no weaker than Ling Wuya himself.

Facing Ling Wuya's modesty, Su Chen gave a wry smile. He understood that his achievement stemmed purely from nine lifetimes of accumulated experience, allowing him to forge his own path. Compared to a monster like Ling Wuya—who had once stood supreme in his era—there was still no comparison.

He sighed softly.

"A loss is a loss. On the martial path, defeat is not shameful. What is shameful is failing to grow from defeat—or collapsing entirely after a single setback."

Hearing these words, Ling Wuya fell into thought for a moment. Then he laughed freely.

"Brother Wang, your state of mind is truly admirable. I, Ling Wuya, consider you a friend. If you ever have the time, come visit my Heavenly Ruins Sacred Land. We can discuss the Dao together—each illuminating the other."

Su Chen's heart stirred. To discuss the Dao with a monster like Ling Wuya would be an immense opportunity—perfect for refining and perfecting his own path.

He nodded.

"I had the same thought. Since Brother Wuya extends the invitation, I will gladly impose."

The crowd watched in stunned silence as the two who had just fought life-and-death moments ago now spoke warmly, laughing and praising one another.

Was this the true bearing of geniuses?

Su Chen set off toward the Heavenly Ruins Sacred Land with his white horse and Hu Miaomiao in tow. He had originally planned to visit the Northern Desert during the remaining time, but he realized that whatever gains he might find there would pale in comparison to discussing the Dao with Ling Wuya. So he abandoned the idea.

He had once intended to track down Yu Shukuang's whereabouts, but after stepping into the realm of true dao, his state of mind had subtly shifted. Now he wanted to witness for himself just how dazzling the creator of that alternate immortality method—still alive and enduring through the ages—truly was!

This was a grand era.

Within a single millennium, monsters with Great Emperor qualifications like Wang Yunfei had appeared. Ahead still loomed Zhou Hanchan, Lin Zhan, Fang Bubai, Li Shenhua—and the shadowy existence who had schemed against the entire Western Regions, treating all living beings as chess pieces.

Some carried immense destiny. Others were peerless prodigies of unmatched brilliance. And this was merely within the Heavenly Profound Domain. Beyond the domain lay countless races in the extraterritorial void. Geniuses were as numerous as stars in the night sky.

A grand era never lacked for talent. To be born in such an age was fortunate—countless geniuses shone brightly, rivals abounded, and loneliness was impossible.

Yet to be born in a grand era was also tragic. Any one of these monsters, placed in another millennium or ten thousand years, would have left an indelible mark in the annals of history, revered by all generations.

In this era, however, their light would be eclipsed by too many others, rendering them seemingly ordinary. In the end, only one person could be remembered by the world, covering all others in shadow.

Su Chen arrived at Heavenly Ruins Sacred Land. As the foremost sacred land of the Eastern Wasteland, its foundation was unfathomably deep.

Su Chen and Ling Wuya discussed the Dao together. Strange phenomena appeared ceaselessly between heaven and earth—golden lotuses of the Dao bloomed from time to time, natural laws flowed freely, and boundless Dao rhythms scattered outward.

Gradually, more and more disciples of Heavenly Ruins Sacred Land came to listen respectfully. They gathered outside the mountain, quietly receiving the lingering echoes of the two men's dao voices. Even those faint remnants were enough to bring them immense benefit.

Over time, more and more disciples began to regard Su Chen as "Teacher."

On the mountain, Hu Miaomiao lay draped across the white horse's back, watching the two figures in the bamboo pavilion below. For several years now they had not moved a single step. To her, it felt unbearably boring. Every day, she could only amuse herself by listening to the "immortal music" that sounded so pleasant to her ears.

Yet as time passed, something astonishing happened to Hu Miaomiao. Her cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds without her even realizing it. She was on the verge of breaking through to the Void Refining realm. This little creature was about to become a legendary Demon Sovereign.

What she did not know was that if the disciples of Heavenly Ruins Sacred Land—who listened with utmost reverence—learned of her situation, their eyes would turn red with envy. To receive the dao insights of two true dao realm martial monsters—even the echoes alone—represented an unimaginable fortune. If it were them, they would not waste a single second, let alone treat it as mere background music!

"Huh?"

Hu Miaomiao's sleepy eyes suddenly opened wide.

The lush flowers and trees on the ground had abruptly withered. Just as she thought she had imagined it, new sprouts pushed through the dead soil once more—slowly growing stronger.

After so long without movement, the bamboo pavilion finally stirred.

Su Chen and Ling Wuya opened their eyes at the same moment.

In that instant, terrifying auras erupted from both of them, transforming into twin pillars of light that shot straight into the heavens.