The Dao of Reincarnation (149-150) (Patreon)

Chapter 149: The Eldest Senior Brother of Falling Emperor Mountain (Part 14)

As Ye Jinghong's senior brother, Su Chen naturally understood her character perfectly. Only one of them could leave this place alive. The secret of the Book of the Dead could belong to only one person. That was why he had struck at her.

Though he had not killed her outright, Ye Jinghong had fled toward the outside of the mountain, gravely wounded. She would almost certainly not survive.

"Senior Brother… please, kill me. I don't want to turn into a monster."

Xiao Qianling felt the changes overtaking her body and begged Su Chen to end her life.

Su Chen granted her wish and helped her complete her final journey.

With the ancient bronze lamp and his old robes, Su Chen continued to comprehend the mysteries of the ancient bronze hall while waiting for the right moment to escape the Ancient Tomb Forbidden Zone.

The bronze oil lamp in his hand allowed him to burn through lifespan and resist the transformation into a monster. But once his lifespan ran dry, that would likely be the day of his death.

Time passed.

Just as Su Chen was on the verge of sinking into eternal slumber, an old man in hemp robes charged into the Ancient Tomb Forbidden Zone wielding an imperial sword.

The starry sky trembled.

"It's the Emperor Weapon—Desolate Ruins Sword… the Emperor Weapon has awakened! What is happening?"

Powerful existences throughout the cosmos were shocked.

The supreme emperor might was enough to crush everything beneath it—comparable to the return of an ancient Great Emperor.

"That direction is the Ancient Tomb Forbidden Zone. Has the master of Falling Emperor Mountain gone mad and decided to attack it?"

"The Black Nether Demon Domain launched a full assault on the Ancient Tomb Forbidden Zone and was completely annihilated—even one of their old Quasi-Emperors perished. Countless people have entered that place, yet none have ever walked out alive. Is the master of Falling Emperor Mountain insane?"

"Three hundred years ago, the number-one genius of the Azure Nether Dao Domain—the one hailed as possessing the qualifications of a Great Emperor, the divine son of the Nangong Clan, the eldest senior brother of Falling Emperor Mountain, Nangong Chen—entered seclusion and was never heard from again. The old master's lifespan is nearly at its end. If he doesn't make one last desperate gamble now, Falling Emperor Mountain may lose its inheritance in this era."

"Indeed… no wonder the old man is willing to awaken the Desolate Ruins Sword. Whether he can walk out alive is another matter entirely. It has been ages since an Emperor Weapon last appeared in the world!"

"…"

In the Demon Abyss Forbidden Zone, a majestic figure sat cross-legged above the star sea. Myriad Daos submitted to him. Countless star systems were but a speck of dust in comparison.

Mysterious Yellow Origin Qi cascaded from above his head. A treasured pagoda revolved with radiant light, suppressing everything. From within the forbidden zone came furious roars now and then.

"Damn you, Great Emperor! If you have the guts, come inside!"

Fang Bubai opened and closed his eyes calmly. "This Emperor has no intention of entering. If you have the courage, come out yourselves."

The supremes of the Demon Abyss Forbidden Zone felt utterly stifled. This damned contemporary Great Emperor had already been stationed here for more than ten thousand years.

When they slept, Fang Bubai attacked. When they awoke, Fang Bubai showed no trace of a Great Emperor's bearing—he simply avoided battle and withdrew from the Demon Abyss Forbidden Zone.

No matter how they provoked him, Fang Bubai ignored them completely. They could not fathom how such a person had ever proven the Great Emperor realm. Where was his invincible Dao heart?

Yet his strength was terrifyingly real. Having proven the Dao less than forty thousand years ago, he was still in his prime. Even if they pushed themselves to the absolute limit and underwent extreme sublimation, none of them was his match in single combat.

Suddenly, Fang Bubai's gaze turned toward the depths of the cosmos, in the direction of the Azure Nether Dao Domain.

"An Emperor Weapon has awakened… It's the Desolate Ruins Sword…"

He sensed a powerful yet familiar aura and murmured, "So that little fellow from Falling Emperor Mountain back then has become a Quasi-Emperor… and now he is dying as well. The path to immortality is truly lonely. Another old friend has departed."

He knew that only a major event could cause an Emperor Weapon to manifest. But he had no energy to spare for other matters. The Demon Abyss Forbidden Zone concealed a number of supremes equal to the fingers on both hands—an utterly terrifying force. They had carved out their own small universes and nurtured living beings within. If he allowed himself to be distracted, the entire cosmos might face an unprecedented catastrophe. He was the Great Emperor of this era. His mission was to maintain cosmic stability, ensure peace for all living beings, and usher in a golden age!

Fang Bubai looked back at the boundless star systems behind him.

"Brother Mu… why does this world still carry traces of your aura… If you are still alive, why will you not appear before me?"

Fang Bubai closed his eyes. He was now the unrivaled Great Emperor of the world! Nothing in this world could shake his Dao heart anymore. The faint ripple caused by the trace of an old friend quickly subsided into perfect calm.

...

The master of Falling Emperor Mountain charged into the Ancient Tomb Forbidden Zone, wielding the supreme Emperor Weapon, the Desolate Ruins Sword. What was the might of a supreme-grade Emperor Weapon?

The starry sky collapsed. Above the ashen, gray sky, a sun of pure annihilation seemed to rise.

Su Chen, on the verge of falling into eternal slumber, suddenly sensed a familiar aura.

"It's Master… he has entered the Ancient Tomb Forbidden Zone, and he brought Falling Emperor Mountain's supreme Emperor Weapon!"

Su Chen opened his eyes. By now, he had grown extremely aged; his eyes were clouded and dim. The secrets of the ancient bronze hall were far more terrifying than he had imagined. He had personally witnessed a Quasi-Emperor bleed out across the sky.

Yet the hemp-robed elder was already immensely powerful, and now he wielded a supreme Emperor Weapon. Saint Kings, Great Saints, and even Quasi-Emperor-level ancient corpses were no match for him—not even worthy of a single exchange.

However, just as the hemp-robed elder searched for traces of Su Chen, the sky split open.

A pitch-black coffin with golden patterns flew out from an unknown tomb. Inside lay a corpse clad in imperial dragon robes. Even in death, reduced to a desiccated husk, it still commanded the submission of the Great Dao and silenced all living spirits… This was a true emperor corpse!

Su Chen's heart trembled.

This was another emperor corpse—different from the one that had slain the Quasi-Emperor of the Black Nether Demon Domain.

The hemp-robed elder's expression changed drastically. Though this corpse was not that of a true Great Emperor, it still carried the inviolable dignity of one. An Emperor could not be humiliated—even in death!

Even wielding a supreme Emperor Weapon, the elder was forced to spit blood under a single strike and flee into the distance.

He spotted a divine mountain. And within it, he saw the white-haired, aged Su Chen.

"Chen'er… how did you end up like this?"

The hemp-robed elder could scarcely believe his eyes. But now was not the time for reunion. He grabbed Su Chen and fled from the divine mountain.

Outside, the emperor corpse stood guard.

The Desolate Ruins Sword fully awakened. Two terrifying auras of the Great Emperor level clashed. Had this occurred outside the Ancient Tomb Forbidden Zone, it would have shaken the entire starry sky. Yet here, no one in the outside world knew that a fearsome imperial battle was about to erupt.

The hemp-robed elder roared. His withered body gradually regained a flush of vitality.

"In any case, this old man has only a few decades left to live. If I die here, at least I die in the right place!"

The shockwaves of the imperial battle tore open the barrier. The elder hurled Su Chen through the rift.

A massive hand reached out from the other side and caught Su Chen.

"Nangong old ghost—take Chen'er and leave this place at once!"

The owner of the hand wasted no words. He immediately carried Su Chen away.

Deep within the Ancient Tomb Forbidden Zone, an even more terrifying existence seemed to awaken.

A wave of sorrow suddenly surged in Su Chen's heart.

"Master… has fallen…"

A Quasi-Emperor bled out across the heavens. An Emperor Weapon was broken.

Chapter 150: The Eldest Senior Brother of Falling Emperor Mountain (Part 15)

In the Nangong Clan, Su Chen awoke. He had come within a hair's breadth of reincarnation.

"The Nine Innate Supreme Treasures… the bronze ancient hall… the Book of the Dead…"

Scenes from the Ancient Tomb Forbidden Zone flooded his mind. That place was even more terrifying than the Demon Abyss Forbidden Zone. Even a Quasi-Emperor wielding a supreme Emperor Weapon had met certain death inside.

Su Chen had no idea how many powerhouses still lurked within the Ancient Tomb Forbidden Zone. The two emperor corpses he had witnessed might not have been the limit. There could be more—remains of other Great Emperors, perhaps even fragments of supreme Emperor Weapons still preserved.

"Old man… what a pity."

Su Chen recovered from his injuries, left the Nangong Clan, and returned to Falling Emperor Mountain.

Falling Emperor Mountain had changed beyond recognition. Once, it had been a Great Emperor orthodoxy, guarded by a contemporary Quasi-Emperor, protected by the supreme Emperor Weapon left behind by the Desolate Ruins Great Emperor, and home to five prodigious disciples.

Now, only Su Chen remained.

Second Senior Sister Ye Jinghong had tried to kill him and had been killed by him in return.

Third Senior Brother Su Yanbai had chosen betrayal, joined the Black Nether Demon Domain, and perished body and soul in the Ancient Tomb Forbidden Zone.

Fourth Senior Brother Ji Changkong had sealed himself in the divine source, waging one final desperate struggle against the consciousness of the Innate Holy Spirit.

Fifth Junior Sister Xiao Qianling had died by Su Chen's own hand.

And Master—the master of Falling Emperor Mountain—had carried the supreme Emperor Weapon into the Ancient Tomb Forbidden Zone to rescue Su Chen, only to remain there forever.

"Little Chen, you're back. Now, Falling Emperor Mountain truly has only you left."

A small black-and-gold loach, covered in wounds, crawled out from beneath the lotus platform. Its voice was filled with sorrow. Only Su Chen remained of Falling Emperor Mountain's people. But there was still one who was not human.

Su Chen frowned. "Senior Long Qiu, who injured you?"

Long Qiu replied, "I don't know. Ever since that old thing never came out of the Ancient Tomb Forbidden Zone, powerhouses have kept sneaking into Falling Emperor Mountain, trying to steal its inheritance. Some I ate. Some I drove away. I managed to protect the inheritance of Falling Emperor Mountain. But they all say Falling Emperor Mountain has fallen. Little Chen… do you think Falling Emperor Mountain has really fallen?"

Facing Long Qiu's question, Su Chen answered without the slightest hesitation. "Falling Emperor Mountain has not fallen. As long as I, Nangong Chen, still live, the inheritance of Falling Emperor Mountain will never be severed!"

That was his vow.

Long Qiu laughed—a genuine, delighted laugh. He rose to his full height and bowed deeply. "Long Qiu pays respects to the new master of Falling Emperor Mountain."

Su Chen assumed control of Falling Emperor Mountain. In the past, Falling Emperor Mountain had been a colossal force. Now it was in decline.

Though it still possessed a Great Emperor inheritance, it no longer had an Emperor Weapon to guard it. That made it an irresistible prize—especially when the only Great Saint left on the entire mountain was Long Qiu.

A Great Saint was powerful. But among the forces qualified to covet Falling Emperor Mountain's inheritance, how many lacked Great Saints of their own?

Su Chen resumed his path of cultivation. His lifespan was running out. Yet he possessed the bronze ancient lamp.

The bronze ancient lamp could absorb the life essence of others and convert it for its own use. Combined with a talent that ranked as the greatest in the Azure Nether Dao Domain in ten thousand years, in less than a thousand years, Su Chen broke through to the Saint King realm.

During those thousand years, numerous forces had coveted Falling Emperor Mountain's inheritance. But with the Nangong Clan standing behind him and Long Qiu the Great Saint at his side, no one dared act unless a Quasi-Emperor personally intervened. And so Falling Emperor Mountain remained untouchable.

In this era, as Fang Bubai grew stronger, breaking through became increasingly difficult. The Quasi-Emperors who had shone in previous golden ages either died of old age or sealed themselves in divine source, leaving behind one last foundation for their orthodoxies.

Su Chen refused to seal himself away. This era could still give birth to Quasi-Emperors. Even in a golden great era, his current qualifications were not yet sufficient to prove the Dao and become an Emperor.

Even so, the name Nangong Chen had already become the nightmare of an entire generation. Countless prodigies emerged like carp leaping across the river. Yet not one could surpass this monument.

On the peaks of Falling Emperor Mountain stood countless graves—tombs of heaven's chosen who had once challenged Su Chen. Each one added to Falling Emperor Mountain's fearsome reputation.

Falling Emperor Mountain reopened its gates. Though it lacked a Quasi-Emperor foundation, it remained one of the top orthodoxies. It drew countless geniuses who wished to join. The mountain gate stood open once more.

Long Qiu coiled himself around a stone pillar.

"Nangong Chen, you should have been born in a golden great era… In this age, your talent is far too wasted."

Long Qiu could sense that in a few more millennia, even a Quasi-Emperor might become impossible to attain.

Su Chen merely smiled at the old dragon's regret. This ancient creature had never personally witnessed a true golden great era. The real golden great eras… were never as simple as he imagined.

When it came to managing a sect, Su Chen handled it with effortless mastery. In less than three thousand years, Falling Emperor Mountain was once again teeming with powerhouses. Besides Su Chen—the Saint King ancestor—and Long Qiu the Great Saint, five new Saints had emerged.

On that day, a terrifying fluctuation erupted across Falling Emperor Mountain. A vast, majestic aura swept over the entire peak and spread throughout the Azure Nether Dao Domain.

"It's the Mountain Lord Nangong of Falling Emperor Mountain… has he broken through to the Great Saint realm?"

Shock rippled through the lands.

A Great Saint. No one had achieved that breakthrough in three thousand years. But if it was that man… everything made sense.

Su Chen had successfully advanced to the Great Saint realm. Falling Emperor Mountain now possessed an invincible powerhouse beneath the Quasi-Emperor level. His presence alone carried deterrence no less than a Quasi-Emperor weapon. Perhaps even greater.

Time flowed on.

Falling Emperor Mountain rose once more to become one of the absolute top forces in the Azure Nether Dao Domain.

The Azure Nether Dao Domain sent congratulations. The Black Nether Demon Domain, however, grew deeply uneasy. Their Quasi-Emperors had either perished or sealed themselves away. If the Azure Nether Dao Domain produced even one Quasi-Emperor, it would spell catastrophic disaster for the Black Nether side.

Dark undercurrents surged.

On Falling Emperor Mountain, Long Qiu lay coiled beneath the lotus platform. Atop the platform sat a young man in flowing white robes. He resembled a supreme divine king.

Long Qiu spoke. "You've finally reached this step. That old fellow left something for you. He said it could only be given once your cultivation was sufficient."

Long Qiu led Su Chen to a hidden place.

Floating silently in the void was a single black demonic rune.

Su Chen asked, "What is this?"

Instinct told him the rune was extraordinary.

Long Qiu shook his head. "I don't know. Throughout history, countless people have tried to comprehend it, yet none could explain its meaning. The old fellow said it might be connected to something from the mythical era… but no one has ever truly unraveled it."