The Dao of Reincarnation (113-116) (Patreon)

Chapter 113: Witness of the Era (Part 10)

The disciples and elders of Heavenly Ruins Sacred Land all noticed the scene.

"What terrifying auras… this is probably the strongest Void Refining breakthrough momentum our Heavenly Ruins Sacred Land has seen in ten thousand years!"

Su Chen and Ling Wuya had simultaneously polished their paths to perfection and broken through to the Void Refining realm.

Yet it did not stop there. Their auras continued surging wildly. Su Chen's cultivation soared all the way to the fifth layer of Void Refining, constructing five layers of cave heavens. Given another ten years, he would surely achieve Nirvana Venerable status and catch up to Wang Yunfei's generation.

Su Chen gazed at the myriad phenomena manifesting around Ling Wuya—a divine palace appeared, within which countless illusory figures emerged. Some wielded spears, some blades, some swords, some axes… others fought bare-handed. Every single one of those divine shadows brimmed with unparalleled intent.

The Heavenly Ruins Divine Physique was truly blessed by the heavens.

Ling Wuya's aura did not halt at the fifth layer of Void Refining. Having sealed himself away for tens of thousands of years, all that accumulated energy now transformed into cultivation. With Su Chen's mutual verification refining his path even further, he surged straight into the Nirvana realm in one breath!

After a long moment, Ling Wuya opened his eyes. His aura gradually steadied. A look of pure delight crossed his face.

"I never imagined there would be a fellow Dao friend walking the same path as me. For tens of thousands of years, countless teachers and seniors advised me against it—fusing myriad laws, refining the heavens, something impossible for mortal power. Yet I firmly believed this was the true invincible Dao!"

Su Chen had likewise never expected that Ling Wuya's path aligned so perfectly with his own.

Fuse myriad laws. Refine the heavens. Stand supreme alone. All paths under the skies become nourishment. This was the ultimate supreme road—and the very path Su Chen intended to walk across lifetime after lifetime. With the cheat of endless reincarnation, he possessed thousands, tens of thousands, countless years to perfect it.

But… Ling Wuya had only one life! Even a Great Saint lived no more than ten thousand years. A Quasi-Emperor, perhaps thirty thousand. The legendary supreme Emperors who suppressed the world endured only a hundred thousand.

To fuse myriad laws, refine all heavenly paths, and become the strongest body—how difficult was that? Especially in such a grand era.

Su Chen respected Ling Wuya's choice. He would never deny his own path. To have a companion walking the same road—what greater fortune could there be? Even if their destined end was that only one could survive, on the path to becoming an Emperor, between those of the same dao, there was no higher or lower—only life and death.

"To hear the dao in the morning and die content in the evening—perhaps it is no more than this."

Su Chen sighed with genuine emotion.

Ling Wuya fell into thought for a moment before speaking.

"The Emperor Palace of Central Continent has already sent an invitation. In the near future, the Young Emperor Wang Yunfei will hold his grand wedding. He has issued challenges to prodigies across all five domains—the strongest shall match the most beautiful."

Su Chen spread his hands helplessly.

"That has always been his personality—challenging every monster across the five domains to forge his invincible path. I'm sure Brother Wuya will not miss such a spectacular battle."

Ling Wuya nodded, his tone brimming with confidence.

"Of course. I emerged from seclusion precisely to see who among the monsters of this grand era can stand above the rest. How dull would such a prosperous age be without me? Wang Yunfei wishes to use the heroes of the world as his stepping stones. I, too, wish to see just how much weight this so-called number one of the era—the one called Young Emperor—truly carries!"

Seeing Ling Wuya's unshakable confidence, Su Chen nodded seriously.

Ling Wuya's eyes lit up.

"Does Brother Wang also believe I can defeat your elder brother?"

Su Chen: "…"

He shook his head.

"I don't know how strong my brother truly is. He has never lost to any enemy—never even taken them seriously."

Ling Wuya showed no disappointment. Instead, Su Chen's words ignited his competitive fire.

"Then it is only because he has not yet met me. If he does, I will make Wang Yunfei taste the flavor of defeat."

Su Chen felt a strange sensation hearing Ling Wuya speak of defeating his own elder brother in this life. By reason and emotion, he ought to stand with Wang Yunfei.

After breaking through in cultivation, Su Chen did not linger in Heavenly Ruins Sacred Land. Accompanied by Hu Miaomiao and the white horse, he departed amid the reluctant farewells and pleas of the many disciples who had come to revere him.

He returned to Central Continent.

The Central Continent had changed over the past ten years. Three invincible figures from a previous era had emerged into the world, each proclaiming their intent to challenge Wang Yunfei.

The prodigy rankings had become a battlefield of dragons and tigers. The top ten were without exception bearers of legendary divine or sacred physiques—true prodigies of a grand era, falling like rain.

"You are Wang Chen?"

On the road back to the Wang Clan, Su Chen was intercepted.

A demonically handsome young man sat high upon a throne forged of profound iron, gazing down at Su Chen with faint indifference.

"Who are you?"

Su Chen looked at the youth blocking his path. The visitor clearly came with ill intent.

The youth's expression remained calm.

"It seems you truly are Wang Yunfei's younger brother, Wang Chen. The intelligence from the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion was accurate. Normally, a minor figure like you would not be worth my time… but you have an excellent elder brother. So I will be merciful and tell you my name—I am Ji Xuanxiao!"

Ji Xuanxiao.

Su Chen was mildly surprised. This was one of the three invincible figures from a previous era who had recently reappeared in this age—and now he had come looking for trouble.

Ji Xuanxiao's expression twisted with manic excitement as he continued.

"I want to be the first to challenge Wang Yunfei. I will not allow him to fall at anyone else's hands—he can only be defeated by me! You are his younger brother. If your life is in my hands, he will surely fight me!"

Su Chen shook his head.

"If that is your reason, then this battle is utterly meaningless. Even if I die, Wang Yunfei will not appear because of it."

He understood Wang Yunfei's character all too well. To a man so supremely domineering, even if Su Chen were his only blood sibling and died at an enemy's hand, Wang Yunfei would not seek revenge—he would simply sneer and call him trash. So this fight held no purpose.

Ji Xuanxiao's expression cooled slightly.

"So you are completely useless? In that case… You can die now!"

Su Chen remained calm. He shook his head again and spoke softly.

"If you are so eager to die, you don't actually need to seek out Wang Yunfei."

Ji Xuanxiao blinked.

"What do you mean by that?"

Su Chen drew the Dustreturn Sword at his waist. His tone stayed even, yet it carried the edge of ten thousand blades piercing the heart—sharp and unrestrained.

"If you wish to die, I can be merciful and send you on your way."

Ji Xuanxiao stared in disbelief. Then he threw his head back and laughed wildly.

"You? With what? How amusing—truly amusing! Though you cannot force Wang Yunfei to fight me, I can still forgive you. You are far too entertaining. You say you will make me die? Hahahahaha—you think you can make me die?"

Ji Xuanxiao's body suddenly expanded, growing towering and demonic, like a fiend descending upon the mortal world.

"Someone as interesting as you… it would be a pity if you did not become my puppet!"

His voice thundered with madness.

Chapter 114: Witness of the Era (Part 11)

In a grand era, countless smaller eras existed. Under the suppression of a single Emperor, the cultivation paths of all living beings grew ever more arduous—until that Emperor entered their twilight years.

During the decline of an Emperor—from their peak to their fall—there arose decay, dharma-ending ages, and fleeting revivals. Innumerable smaller eras produced innumerable invincible figures. Some chose to shatter their shackles and die without regret. Others, seeing no path forward, sealed themselves away to await the arrival of a new grand era.

Among the invincible, some were mighty, others merely strong.

Ji Xuanxiao had been born in a dharma-ending age when Saints no longer appeared and divine or sacred physiques were nearly extinct. He had battled and defeated every genius of his time, then sealed himself away as the undisputed invincible one—waiting for a new great era.

To Su Chen, Ji Xuanxiao seemed utterly laughable—like a frog at the bottom of a well, blind to the splendor of a true grand era.

Su Chen drew his sword. This single strike fused his martial dao will into a radiant sword beam unlike anything Ji Xuanxiao had ever witnessed.

The manic grin on the latter's face froze. One after another, the puppet-like figures—former prodigies defeated and soul-bound by Ji Xuanxiao—shattered like fragile porcelain.

In front of Su Chen, those once-era-defining souls were no different from cannon fodder.

"How is this possible? How can you be this strong?"

Ji Xuanxiao used a substitute body to evade Su Chen's killing strike and reappeared in another location, his face filled with shock.

The name Wang Chen carried no weight in Central Continent—just another spoiled young master. The only reason anyone knew of him was because of his elder brother, the Young Emperor Wang Yunfei, the undisputed number one of Central Continent. Yet now this so-called spoiled brat made him feel the shadow of death!

For a moment, Ji Xuanxiao fell into deep self-doubt.

Unfortunately for him, Su Chen had no intention of giving him time to wallow in it. He had already given Ji Xuanxiao a chance. Ji Xuanxiao chose to become his enemy. Between enemies, there was only life and death.

Su Chen's killing intent rose steadily. Pure martial dao will manifested around him as countless white lightning bolts intertwined. The earth trembled and cracked. Countless shattered stones floated upward, then disintegrated into dust.

Ji Xuanxiao stared into Su Chen's eyes—now nothing but endless white—and for the first time, his invincible conviction wavered. He might actually die here!

Su Chen's figure flashed past in an instant. A casual strike carried power no weaker than a full-force saint-grade technique.

Ji Xuanxiao could only grit his teeth and meet it head-on. Possessing a divine physique and never having stepped into the realm of true Dao, he still wielded god-like might within his realm. His demonic body unfolded, unleashing an array of terrifying martial techniques capable of suppressing mountains and rivers.

Their clash produced shockwaves that flattened ten thousand meters of hills and plains.

"Meow~"

Hu Miaomiao clung desperately to the white horse's back with both paws. The horse raised a protective barrier to withstand the terrifying aftershocks, inwardly grumbling: "Second Young Master is also a terrifying monster. Only at the sixth layer of Void Refining, yet he can probably fight Nirvana Venerables head-on… This ancient monster who blocked our path really picked the wrong person."

The violent fluctuations naturally drew the attention of everyone in the holy city. When they saw clearly who was fighting, shock rippled through the crowd.

"That's Ji Xuanxiao—one of the three invincible figures who recently emerged! He's actually being suppressed in battle. Who could possibly push Ji Xuanxiao to this extent?"

"Idiot, you don't even recognize the second young master of the Wang Clan? That's Wang Chen—Young Emperor Wang Yunfei's own younger brother!"

"It seems the rumors were true. Ji Xuanxiao emerged and went straight to the Emperor Palace seeking a fight with Wang Yunfei. Unable to meet him, he must have decided to target Wang Yunfei's little brother—hoping to use his life as leverage to force a battle."

"But… why is Ji Xuanxiao so weak? He's being completely suppressed. His defeat is only a matter of time."

"It's not that Ji Xuanxiao is weak… It's that Wang Chen is simply too strong. We all underestimated him. Every move he makes flows naturally, as though he has already stepped into the legendary realm of true Dao mastery. He is no weaker than those invincible figures of old. Ji Xuanxiao really kicked an iron plate this time!"

"…"

Under countless watchful eyes, Ji Xuanxiao roared in despair. One of his arms was severed by Su Chen in a single stroke. The profound iron throne beneath him shattered into fragments. Blood soaked his entire body. His hair hung in wild disarray.

In stark contrast, Su Chen appeared utterly calm and composed.

Every move Ji Xuanxiao made was riddled with openings in Su Chen's eyes. Even with the augmentation of his divine physique, Ji Xuanxiao could only desperately parry—unable to dodge, unable to counter. Without that innate divine body and its tough hide, he would have died long ago.

A divine physique… was not invincible.

"No… I was invincible in my era! I am the one destined to fight Wang Yunfei! I am meant to walk the path to becoming an Emperor! How could I die here?!"

Ji Xuanxiao's mind shattered. Watching the azure-robed figure approach step by step—tearing through his divine body—he had no remaining means of resistance.

"Invincible? You don't even have your own dao. Relying solely on a divine body, and you dare call yourself invincible?"

Su Chen's gaze was cold, yet it carried a trace of pity—as though he were looking at a pitiful creature. In his view, Ji Xuanxiao was perhaps a little stronger than Lei Tianxin… and that was all.

Compared to the Sacred Son of the Heavenly Sword Sacred Land or Ling Wuya of Heavenly Ruins Sacred Land, the word "invincible" attached to Ji Xuanxiao sounded utterly laughable. It was not glory—it was mockery. And compared to the brother he intended to challenge, it was even more absurd. Perhaps from the very beginning, none of the true pinnacle prodigies had ever taken Ji Xuanxiao seriously.

Su Chen swung his sword.

The blade severed Ji Xuanxiao's head. Sword qi annihilated his consciousness.

For Su Chen, defeating—or even killing—Ji Xuanxiao was nothing worth celebrating. Such a pitiful figure had never truly seen himself clearly. Even if he had been lucky enough to reach the Saint realm in this life, his path would have ended there.

Merely another casualty of a grand era. And he was far from the only one. Countless others—those who refused to see reality—shared the same fate.

A long time passed. Only after Su Chen rode away on his white horse, disappearing into the glow of the setting sun, did the people of the holy city finally recover from their daze.

"Wang Chen… killed Ji Xuanxiao… one of the three ancient invincible figures… just like that?"

"The Wang Clan doesn't just have Wang Yunfei… two supreme prodigies from one family—terrifying!"

"After today, the name Wang Chen will resound across the Central Continent. No longer merely ‘Wang Yunfei's younger brother'—but an unparalleled prodigy capable of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with, or even slaying, ancient monsters!"

"…"

Ten years later, Su Chen returned to the Wang Clan.

The entire clan was shaken. Their second young master had returned to Central Continent—and his very first act upon arrival was to slay an ancient monster!

Chapter 115: Witness of the Era (Part 12)

"Chen'er… did you truly kill Ji Xuanxiao?"

Wang Yaochen stared at his youngest son, who sat calmly, stroking the cat in his lap. Even now, he found it hard to believe. He could sense that his child had changed profoundly after ten years away from the Central Continent.

Su Chen nodded.

"I killed Ji Xuanxiao. I gave him a chance. He still chose death. So I sent him on his way."

Wang Yaochen opened his mouth, then let out a helpless sigh.

"Ji Xuanxiao was the successor of the Nether God Hall. I never imagined he would die at your hands. The Nether God Hall will not let this go quietly. For the time being, stay within the clan. We don't want any desperate dogs from the Nether God Hall jumping the wall in desperation."

Su Chen nodded.

The Nether God Hall had long declined. With Ji Xuanxiao—their last divine physique—dead at Su Chen's hand, they would certainly refuse to accept it. The Wang Clan did not fear the Nether God Hall itself, but Wang Yaochen worried about some ancient relic of that sect acting recklessly.

Su Chen's current talent had clearly earned the full attention of the Wang Clan. Killing Ji Xuanxiao was not a major issue. Once Su Chen's cultivation advanced further, the Nether God Hall would quietly choose to forget the matter.

Time passed quickly.

News of Wang Yunfei's grand wedding—hosted by the Emperor Palace—swept across the entire Heavenly Profound Domain. Even extraterritorial powers dispatched representatives to attend the celebration. Prodigies converged from every direction. Su Chen accompanied the Wang Clan delegation to the Emperor Palace.

The Emperor Palace had been founded by the supreme Nine Suns Great Emperor. It stood unrivaled in the cosmos.

It possessed its own independent inner world—vast and boundless—crafted by the Emperor over tens of thousands of years.

Inside the Emperor Palace, Su Chen sensed countless terrifying auras. Among them were many at the Saint realm. He even suspected the palace might harbor a living Quasi-Emperor as a final foundation. A Quasi-Emperor wielding an Emperor weapon… how terrifying would that be?

Su Chen spotted familiar faces inside the palace—the Sacred Son of the Heavenly Sword Sacred Land and Ling Wuya of Heavenly Ruins Sacred Land. Both noticed him as well. Ling Wuya gave a slight nod. Like the many prodigies present, his eyes burned with fierce battle intent—filled with anticipation! He was waiting for Wang Yunfei's arrival!

Su Chen felt genuine curiosity. Just how strong was this elder brother of his—the one hailed as the Young Emperor? To call himself Young Emperor before the Emperor path had even opened—to compare himself to the youthful days of ancient Emperors—what kind of confidence was this?

As Su Chen pondered, a sudden surge of auras arrived.

Thousands of warriors clad in silver dragon armor marched in formation. Each one radiated terrifying killing intent. Without exception, every soldier stood at the Void Refining realm. The war formation they formed could likely slaughter any cultivator below the Saint realm.

"As expected of the Emperor Palace's foundation…"

Su Chen narrowed his eyes. A force of thousands like this would be a meat grinder on any battlefield—capable of exterminating clans and stars as easily as breathing. The prestige of the Emperor Palace did not rest solely on one Great Emperor. In an age without Saints, this Silver Dragon Guard alone was enough to intimidate all races!

At that moment, a golden sacred dragon descended from the sky. Its terrifying pressure was no weaker than a Saint's. Atop the dragon stood two figures. One wore an ancient imperial robe embroidered with dragon patterns. His presence was domineering and natural, like an unquestionable sovereign of heaven and earth.

Beside him stood a woman worthy of being called the Central Continent's number one beauty. Silver and ink strands wove together like a starry river. In her pupils, sun and moon shone in unison. Her snow-white form radiated divinity that inspired worship. A single vermilion mark between her brows lent her both sanctity and allure. Every line of her body seemed carved by the heavens themselves—an absolute work of art. Truly worthy of being the Central Continent's foremost beauty!

Fan Qingyin's appearance drew the gazes of countless martial cultivators and geniuses.

"How can such beauty exist in this world?"

Her beauty was not merely physical. It reached into the soul—perfectly matching the deepest desires of anyone who looked upon her. Unforgettable. Irreplaceable. Central Continent's number one genius matched with Central Continent's number one beauty!

Yet Fan Qingyin was the foremost beauty of Heavenly Profound. Wang Yunfei had challenged every prodigy across the five domains. The strongest matched with the most beautiful—such a union would become an immortal legend even ten thousand years from now.

In the grand wedding hall of the Emperor Palace, under the gaze of countless prodigies and powerhouses from across the five domains, a voice suddenly rang out—sharp and unyielding.

"Wang Yunfei—I challenge you! Just because you dare call yourself Young Emperor, I, Mo Shang, am the first to refuse!"

Mo Shang—the invincible figure of the Northern Desert's Mo Clan—charged forward without the slightest hesitation, his killing intent blazing toward Wang Yunfei.

Wang Yunfei's expression did not change in the slightest. He simply extended five fingers. A streak of golden light flowed forth, carrying an indomitable will that cycled endlessly without fading. In an instant, the so-called invincible figure of the Mo Clan was seized like a doll in his grasp.

Mo Shang struggled violently. His face turned deathly pale. Cold sweat poured down as he stared up at the towering figure before him.

"You… how can you be this strong?"

Wang Yunfei's five fingers tightened.

A wretched scream tore through the air.

Mo Shang perished instantly.

The elders of the Mo Clan direction changed color in an instant. One roared in fury: "Wang Yunfei—this was only a spar! Why did you kill the successor of my Mo Clan?!"

Wang Yunfei's gaze shifted toward them. His golden pupils seemed to contain endless galaxies birthing and extinguishing. That single glance was like a sharp blade. Even the Mo Clan's Great Power paled and dared not meet his eyes.

"You mean to say… this ant-like trash was qualified to spar with me?"

Wang Yunfei cast a faint glance across the entire assembly. Dragon qi manifested around him, pressing down on everyone present.

"Today I give you all the opportunity to challenge me… but that does not mean trash has the right to do so. If you cannot even withstand a single move from me, then die."

His words caused the expressions of most martial cultivators present to change dramatically.

Mo Shang had not been weak. He was an invincible figure of his era and a divine physique prodigy. Yet Wang Yunfei had crushed him like an ant passing by. In other words… anyone who could not even block a single move from Wang Yunfei would not even have the chance to admit defeat. They would simply die.

Few sects or clans were willing to risk their successors on such terms—especially those whose strength fell short of even Mo Shang. They lacked even the qualification to challenge him. Yet if they withdrew, it also meant they could never surpass Wang Yunfei.

"Wang Yunfei—I will fight you! The debt your younger brother Wang Chen left on the younger generation of my Heavenly Sword Sacred Land—I will collect it today!"

The Sacred Son of the Heavenly Sword Sacred Land stepped forward first. He had once declared he would repay that debt. Now, facing such a terrifying Wang Yunfei, he showed no retreat.

A sword cultivator's edge—unbending even unto death!

Wang Yunfei glanced once toward the Wang Clan's direction before speaking.

"Finally, someone interesting has arrived. But this debt—you will not be able to collect."

The Sacred Son of the Heavenly Sword Sacred Land drew his sword without another word.

"I won't know unless I try."

A heavenly sword fused perfectly with the Sacred Son. Every sword cultivator present felt their hearts stir. This was none other than the legendary Heavenly Sword Intent of the Heavenly Sword Sacred Land. The Sacred Son had merged himself completely with the heavenly sword.

I am the sword. The sword is me!

Chapter 116: Witness of the Era (Part 13)

The Heavenly Sword was the supreme realm of the Heavenly Sword Sacred Land. In just a hundred years, the Sacred Son had comprehended the sword dao to such an extent that it left every sword cultivator present feeling ashamed.

"Using the body as the sword, the heart as the sword… the Sacred Son of the Heavenly Sword Sacred Land has completely forged himself into a blade. It seems the sacred land has spent these years tirelessly researching soul-weapon methods."

Su Chen narrowed his eyes. In the past, the Imperial Sword Manor's soul-weapon technique required a willing sword dao powerhouse to sacrifice their divine soul and willingly become the blade. Now, under the Heavenly Sword Sacred Land's improvements, the method had evolved to this terrifying degree—elevating the sword dao to an entirely new height.

Yet… this path was extreme. A single failure meant eternal damnation!

The Sacred Son of the Heavenly Sword Sacred Land was strong—worthy of being a prodigy of this grand era. His strength was no less than monsters like Ling Wuya. No wonder he had the confidence to be the first to challenge Wang Yunfei.

Two terrifying auras clashed, causing wind and clouds to surge violently.

The Sacred Son swung his sword.

Time and space seemed to freeze. In the next instant, the blade appeared directly above Wang Yunfei's head.

Fast… impossibly fast.

Su Chen sensed that this sword carried far more than he had initially imagined.

Facing the strike, the golden divine mark between Wang Yunfei's brows flared to life. In the next moment, Wang Yunfei moved.

No one saw how he did it. One hand simply closed around the blade's edge. Golden qi collided with the sword light. The indestructible divine sword—forged from ancient heavenly gold—groaned under the pressure of his five fingers. Cracks spread across its surface.

The sight made every scalp in the audience tingle. They felt the true weight of the title "Young Emperor."

Monster!

Even Su Chen could not help but curse inwardly.

Born with a taboo divine physique. Possessing ancient pupil techniques. Mastering an unparalleled body-refining method. Faintly touching upon laws… this person seemed created solely to suppress everything. No weaknesses whatsoever. How could anyone defeat such a being?

The Sacred Son of the Heavenly Sword Sacred Land had struck with his full power—yet he could not even break the defense. How were they supposed to fight? How were they supposed to contend?

The once-confident Sacred Son saw this scene and felt despair rise in his heart.

This was a monster…

"No… I refuse to believe that in this era, you are unbeatable!"

The Sacred Son roared. Radiant light exploded from his body. His unyielding sword conviction soared to its limit, transforming into an edge sharp enough to sever anything. The divine sword—already on the verge of breaking—finally shattered completely!

The Sacred Son's youthful appearance rapidly aged. His hair turned snow-white. He struggled to lift his head. A few strands of broken hair drifted down. A single drop of golden blood fell from the side of Wang Yunfei's face.

"You… are the first to wound me. Situ Jian—I will remember your name."

Facing Wang Yunfei's words, Situ Jian smiled. His body slowly disintegrated into wind and sand.

A generation's genius died. He had poured his entire life's sword dao into one final strike. All to prove that Wang Yunfei was not invincible.

Wang Yunfei's face showed neither joy nor sorrow. The wound on his cheek healed in an instant. His brilliant golden eyes swept across the crowd below.

"All of you who wish to challenge me—come at once."

Situ Jian's all-out strike had finally ignited a trace of battle intent in Wang Yunfei's heart. He decided to grant them the chance for a truly exhilarating fight! If anyone else had spoken such words, it would have been pure arrogance. Those who dared challenge Wang Yunfei all possessed invincible convictions of their own.

But after witnessing those two previous battles, they understood one thing: Wang Yunfei's strength was simply too overwhelming. Fighting him alone gave no chance of victory—perhaps not even the chance to force out his true power. Only by joining forces could they leave no regrets!

"Fight!"

As though by prior agreement, the crowd surged forward together toward Wang Yunfei. Among them were no fewer than ten monsters who had stepped into the realm of true dao. Each one, in any other era, would have been an invincible figure capable of suppressing three thousand enemies. Yet this was a grand era.

Above monsters stood even greater monsters. And Wang Yunfei was precisely that kind of monster.

"Chen'er… what are you planning to do?"

Wang Yaochen watched as Su Chen gently set Hu Miaomiao down and strode alone toward Wang Yunfei. He moved to intercept him.

"Father… I want to see exactly how wide the gap between Big Brother and me truly is!"

Su Chen's tone was resolute. Against a monster of this caliber, if he did not fight even once, he would carry endless regrets for the rest of his life. After this grand era passed, who knew if he would ever encounter another existence like Wang Yunfei again? Even if it cost him his life, Su Chen wanted to measure the distance between them.

Wang Yaochen fell silent. After a long moment, he spoke only these words: "Remember—your own safety comes first."

Su Chen nodded. Then, like the others, he unleashed every ounce of his martial dao and charged toward Wang Yunfei alongside the rest.

Wang Yunfei noticed his younger brother's figure. A trace of appreciation flickered in his usually calm eyes. He extended a single finger.

A vast shower of golden meteors rained down—domineering, unyielding, eternal. That one finger carried divine might, a gesture of respect toward his brother.

Su Chen went all out. His hair whipped wildly. He drew his sword in a single motion. White light bloomed in his pupils. The blade cleaved through the heavens. Countless meteors were extinguished in its path. Until finally, he faced an incomparably towering divine form.

One finger descended—enough to suppress any monster. Overbearing power that brooked no refusal. It embodied what it meant to be the supreme prodigy of the era—the ruler of this age.

Blood sprayed from Su Chen's mouth. His bones shattered. One prodigy after another was effortlessly defeated. A few burned everything they had to clash with Wang Yunfei in desperate final battles—only to fall silent soon after.

In the end, only Wang Yunfei remained standing. Behind him swirled endless divine radiance. The treasure wheel representing his own path rotated slowly. The number one of Heavenly Profound—his name resounded across the starry void.

Nine Suns Emperor Palace's successor—Wang Yunfei.

Under the gazes of countless onlookers, Wang Yunfei led Central Continent's foremost beauty into the depths of the Emperor Palace.

Su Chen slowly rose to his feet. A bitter smile curved his bloodstained lips. He still had a very long road ahead before he could reach that level.

Months later, word spread across the Heavenly Profound Domain—and even reached the extraterritorial void: Wang Yunfei had fought the prodigies of all five domains alone… and emerged with only slightly rumpled robes.

In the courtyard of the Wang Clan.

Su Chen and Wang Yunfei sat facing one another.

Today, Wang Yunfei had specially returned to the clan to seek out his younger brother. Wang Yunfei spoke first. His opening words sent a tremor through Su Chen's entire body.

"I am leaving the Heavenly Profound Domain… to walk the path of becoming an Emperor. The Great Emperor's twilight years have arrived. Destiny will soon reopen."

The path to becoming an Emperor—the lifelong dream of countless martial prodigies. And the graveyard of countless more.

In Su Chen's memory, those who had walked this road included Fang Bubai… his old enemy Lin Zhan… and perhaps even the legendary ancestor of the Li Clan, Li Shenhua. They journeyed across the starry void all the way to the edge of the cosmos.

Time itself became a blade that severed prodigies. On the road to immortality, one could only sigh at the fleeting beauty of genius.

But what truly caught Su Chen's attention was something else.

"Big Brother… you've become a Saint?"