The Dao of Reincarnation (168-169) (Patreon)

Chapter 168: The Life-Slaughter Demon Lord (Part 8)

Killing God Hall.

A jade slip in Su Chen's hand recorded the recent major events.

Young Master Wusheng, who had not appeared in the Killing God Hall for a long time, had resurfaced. He led powerful experts from the hall to annihilate the Dragon Lizard Clan.

Su Chen knew that several old fellows in the hall were quite dissatisfied with this matter. Unfortunately, the order had come directly from the Killing Ancestor, so they had no choice but to carry it out.

The story that Murong Ying had been ambushed and killed by a Saint in front of countless witnesses, only to escape heavily injured before ultimately dying, sounded perfectly reasonable.

Beneath his mask, the corner of Su Chen's mouth curled slightly. He had perfectly erased all traces of the Golden Dragon Truncheons. No matter how thoroughly Xiao Sha investigated, he would never connect anything to him. The man would only conclude that the saint weapon had been lost together with Murong Ying somewhere in the starry sky.

Xiao Sha was destined to gain nothing.

"Sha Shengzi, Young Master Wusheng will return to the Killing God Hall tomorrow. Would you like to come with me to meet this legendary figure?"

A light laugh sounded beside his ear. A seductive figure wearing a ghost-face mask appeared. Unlike Su Chen's bronze mask, hers was crimson. She was the successor of the Killing Heart Hall Master, one of the three halls of the Killing God Hall.

Su Chen replied indifferently, "Since it is Young Master Wusheng, I naturally want to pay him a visit."

The Killing Heart's successor said, "You should know that once Young Master Wusheng successfully returns to the hall, we will have no choice but to submit to him. He has obtained the Killing Emperor's inheritance, and the Killing Ancestor values him greatly. You and I are nothing but chess pieces to be manipulated at will."

Su Chen remained unmoved.

"Who becomes the master of the Killing God Hall has nothing to do with me. As long as he is strong, I, Sha Shengzi, will only submit to the strong."

The Killing Heart successor snorted, "You really are a boring fellow."

With that, she left. She had received the answer she wanted from Sha Shengzi, and that was enough.

After the Killing Heart successor departed, Su Chen spat softly, "Damn transvestite."

Undercurrents surged within the Killing God Hall.

The Killing Heart successor had made a breakthrough in cultivation and could no longer suppress her urge to move against Young Master Wusheng.

Su Chen did not hold high hopes for her. Still, it would be a good opportunity to catch a glimpse of Young Master Wusheng's true strength.

The next day.

Young Master Wusheng was ambushed on his way back to the Killing God Hall. He seemed to have been prepared. He easily killed both the Killing Heart successor and the Soul Extinguishing successor, stabilizing the situation.

The outcome was exactly as Su Chen had expected.

"So you are Sha Shengzi?"

A young man wearing a crystal mask looked down lazily at the bronze-masked man below, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.

In his memories, the Sha Shengzi of the Killing God Hall should have died at the hands of a great enemy… Well, Xiao Sha suddenly remembered that the Origin Spirit Saint Lu Chen who had killed him had already been eliminated ahead of time by him. So there was no issue.

"Sha Shengzi, are you willing to submit to me? Become my follower, and I can bestow upon you heaven-defying opportunities. Your future Saint path will be boundless."

Xiao Sha wanted to recruit Sha Shengzi. Behind the young man stood the Life-Slaughter Hall Master—the first hall master to submit to him. Since Sha Shengzi had not moved against him, Xiao Sha did not mind giving him a way out as a means to further win over the Life-Slaughter Hall Master.

Su Chen said calmly, "I, Sha Shengzi, only submit to the strong. If you are stronger than me, I will naturally submit to you."

A look of admiration appeared in Xiao Sha's eyes. He appreciated proud individuals who were obsessed with becoming stronger. A fondness for talent arose in his heart. He had not expected this early-deceased successor who had never displayed much talent to actually possess such a firm Dao heart.

Xiao Sha agreed readily, "Very well. I will suppress my cultivation to the Void Refining realm. After I defeat you in battle, you will submit wholeheartedly."

Su Chen's eyes brightened with surging battle intent. "Please grant me your guidance, Young Master."

A blood-colored path condensed beneath Xiao Sha's feet, forming a barrier. Countless corpses and bones were submitted at his feet. In his hand appeared a terrifying blood-red giant blade. Although it was not a saint weapon, it carried a strange, eerie power, as if it were the embodiment of the Slaughter Dao's laws, condensed from pure killing intent.

Su Chen's eyes lit up. As expected of a child of destiny, his treasures were truly abundant.

Su Chen unleashed his Life-Slaughter supreme techniques and clashed with Xiao Sha. After ten exchanges, he deliberately lost by a narrow margin.

Su Chen spoke with apparent heartfelt conviction, "Your Highness's strength is truly formidable. I, Sha Shengzi, am willing to honor my promise and submit to you."

Xiao Sha withdrew his aura, his expression unchanged, but joy surged wildly in his heart. Martial fanatics like this were difficult to handle, but once they submitted, their loyalty was absolute.

Xiao Sha prided himself on having lived three thousand years in his previous life and seen countless people. Someone like Sha Shengzi would replace Cheng Wu and Murong Ying, becoming his left and right arms in the future. What he had lost in one place, he had gained in another.

In this way, Su Chen successfully infiltrated Xiao Sha's inner circle. Even Su Chen had not expected things to go so smoothly.

As for Xiao Sha's methods of controlling people… they were far too crude, nowhere near the level of the Sun Swallowing Holy Land.

One and a half years later.

A Saint's inheritance appeared near Sword Pavilion in the Eternal World and fell into the hands of the fourth young master of the Xiao Imperial Clan, Xiao Sha.

Su Chen already knew that Xiao Sha was Young Master Wusheng. He was in no hurry. With his current strength, he was not yet certain he could kill Xiao Sha without fail and seize the Killing Emperor's inheritance.

Ten years passed in the blink of an eye.

News spread across the starry sky: the once-in-a-millennium Myriad Races Heavenly Genius Grand Competition was about to begin. Countless geniuses would gather there. It was a rare grand event. Some self-proclaimed invincible experts from a single domain or race might never have participated in it before.

Su Chen was no stranger to the Myriad Races Heavenly Genius Grand Competition. In his previous life, he had even hosted it several times and guided countless geniuses. The Eternal World naturally sent its own prodigies to participate. Only a limited number of people qualified to attend.

The Killing God Hall sent only three participants this time: Young Master Wusheng, Su Chen, and another genius from the hall who had never joined the ambush against Wusheng.

To the disappointment of the Eternal World, the young genius Xiao Sha had gone to explore a ruin and become trapped inside, making him unable to participate in this grand competition. Otherwise, he would surely have achieved an excellent ranking.

The group set off for the Myriad Races Heavenly Genius Grand Competition.

The format had not changed much. Su Chen battled geniuses, killed geniuses, entered ruins, and slew countless enemies within a small world. In the end, he drew the attention of a Nirvana realm genius and was "regretfully" eliminated. He achieved a middling rank among the myriad races.

Meanwhile, Xiao Sha, using the identity of Young Master Wusheng, slaughtered countless enemies and geniuses. He tempered his killing intent through slaughter and became the number one heavenly genius of the myriad races—a legend of the era.

Su Chen had anticipated this outcome long ago.

After returning to the Eternal World, Sha Shengzi entered seclusion while Xiao Sha reappeared. The Xiao Imperial Clan expanded rapidly and grew stronger with each passing day.

Five hundred years passed in a hurry.

Su Chen had earned Xiao Sha's deep trust. Xiao Sha had even revealed to him that he himself was Young Master Wusheng.

And today, Xiao Sha had summoned all the geniuses he had cultivated over the years. He needed these geniuses to protect his Dao.

On this day, Xiao Sha could no longer suppress his surging excitement.

"I, Xiao Sha, will become a Saint today!"

He had prepared for this day for a full five hundred years. He was determined to make it flawless!

Su Chen watched the gathering thunderclouds. Beneath his bronze mask, a cold smile spread across his face.

Chapter 169: The Life-Slaughter Demon Lord (Part 9)

The situation changed drastically.

Of the ten people originally tasked with protecting Xiao Sha during his tribulation, only one still stood.

Su Chen watched expressionlessly as these "colleagues" he had spent five hundred years with turned into withered skeletons in his hands. Until their dying breath, they could not believe what was happening.

The martial-obsessed Sha Shengzi—widely recognized as a principled assassin who had even saved them from danger multiple times—was one of the people Xiao Sha trusted most.

Yet now he had suddenly turned violent, revealing terrifying, unparalleled strength. In less than three breaths, none of the nine geniuses Xiao Sha had painstakingly cultivated escaped. All were slain by Su Chen.

The black cloak on Su Chen's back looked eerily enchanting against the still-wet blood. A chilling aura of slaughter spread outward.

Xiao Sha was fully occupied with his own Saint tribulation and had not noticed that nine of the ten Dao protectors he had prepared with all his heart were already dead, while the last one was sharpening his blade, ready to strike him down.

The Saint tribulation descended.

Su Chen knew this was a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity—the best chance he would ever have to kill Xiao Sha. While crossing the Saint tribulation, many of Xiao Sha's methods could not be used. This would be the fairest battle between the two of them.

Xiao Sha fought fiercely against the thunder tribulation. He cultivated the purest Dao of Slaughter. Having killed countless beings, the Saint tribulation he faced was also the most terrifying. It condensed overwhelming killing intent, and every strike required his full caution.

However, as long as he survived this tribulation, he would form the Killing God Demon Embryo. From then on, he would be unrivaled among his peers. Once the road to Emperorhood opened, he would step onto that path revered by all living beings!

Unfortunately, an accident occurred.

A pair of terrifying giant hands tore the thunder tribulation apart. A demonic shadow charged straight into the heart of the lightning sea.

When Xiao Sha saw the intruder, his expression changed drastically. "Sha Shengzi? Why have you entered the tribulation? There is no place for you!"

Su Chen's long hair hanging over his shoulders whipped wildly in the roaring thunder. The tribulation above the nine heavens seemed enraged by this unexpected intruder and grew even more violent. An even more terrifying power gathered as a vast sea of red lightning surged into the sky. Xiao Sha immediately sensed that something was terribly wrong.

Su Chen's sudden intrusion had altered the tribulation.

Su Chen remained silent.

The next moment, Xiao Sha's face paled. He felt an extremely terrifying slaughtering force—one far beyond anything he had ever encountered, surpassing the limits of this era. Xiao Sha summoned the ancient word "Kill," and a blood sea churned wildly around the archaic character.

His combat power surged dramatically. He barely blocked Su Chen's sudden lethal strike, but his face turned deathly white.

"How is this possible… You are not Sha Shengzi. Who exactly are you?"

Xiao Sha was shocked to the core. His expression grew darker than the thunderclouds above. Sha Shengzi could not possibly be this powerful. Someone must have impersonated him.

Five-colored divine light bloomed behind Su Chen, manifesting into a terrifying divine figure that controlled the laws of heaven and earth, supreme in the world. He transformed into this divine being, tearing through the vault of heaven like an ancient god-king descending upon the mortal realm. The cultivation he displayed was exactly the same as Xiao Sha's—Nirvana's ninth stage, far beyond early Nirvana.

Above the nine heavens, a second wave of tribulation began to gather.

Su Chen was actually going to cross the Saint tribulation together with Xiao Sha!

Xiao Sha cursed inwardly at the madman. Two people crossing the Saint tribulation at once—what kind of terrifying tribulation would this become? His mood plummeted to rock bottom. He knew he was mediocre and had spent five hundred years preparing just to fight for a slim chance of transformation. Yet now such a massive accident had occurred!

Suddenly, Xiao Sha stared at the giant divine figure. A flash of insight struck the depths of his memory. He recalled a similarly towering giant he had seen before… This was the Heaven and Earth Dharma Form of the Origin Spirit Saint Lu Chen!

"You are Lu Chen… You are still alive!"

The name surfaced in Xiao Sha's mind. He remembered the Origin Spirit Saint Lu Chen, who had dominated the world in his previous life. That man had been an incredibly powerful Saint who had roamed the starry sky and once torn apart a foreign race Saint with his bare hands. He had clearly ordered the loyal Life-Slaughter Saint King to nip Lu Chen in the cradle long ago. So why had Lu Chen become Sha Shengzi?

The moment Xiao Sha guessed his true identity, the bronze mask that Su Chen had worn for five hundred years shattered. A handsome face was revealed, his deep eyes carrying an indescribable indifference. He stared at Xiao Sha with interest, like a venomous snake that had lain dormant for a long time and finally bared its fangs.

Even though Xiao Sha stood within the thunder tribulation, he felt a bone-piercing chill.

The tribulation lightning descended. Xiao Sha blocked the bolts while roaring in fury. Su Chen faced the terrifying lightning as well. This was the first time he had confronted such a dreadful tribulation. His divine spirit form raised both hands toward the sky and tore the thunder apart. Su Chen himself erupted with brilliant divine light of laws and charged toward Xiao Sha with murderous intent.

One of Xiao Sha's arms was severed in an instant. Enduring the agonizing pain, he formed the Killing God Sword with his remaining hand and forced Su Chen back with a single strike. He laughed furiously, "Good… very good, Life-Slaughter Saint King! How ruthless you are!

"Lu Chen, even if you kill me, do you think the Life-Slaughter Saint King will spare you? He is such a vicious man that he could even kill his own successor. You are merely his pawn. Once I die, he will have no more scruples. The next one to die will be you!"

Xiao Sha hated Su Chen with every fiber of his being, and he hated the Life-Slaughter Saint King even more. With over three thousand years of experience, he had never expected to fall into such a massive trap this time.

Su Chen spoke calmly, "Hand over the Killing Emperor's inheritance, and I will spare your life."

Xiao Sha, already heavily injured, felt a surge of rage at those words and spat out a mouthful of blood. "Dream on! You heartless beast! I treated you well, yet you still betrayed me!"

Su Chen merely sneered. Divine might surged around him as he gathered a terrifying killing move. He spoke unhurriedly, "Treated me well? You mean when you sent the Life-Slaughter Saint King to massacre my entire Lu Clan and tried to nip me in the cradle?"

"Xiao Sha… if I am not mistaken… You are a reborn person, aren't you? You can foresee the future, know which opportunities will appear, and recognize which geniuses will rise to fame. I am very curious… what method did you use to reincarnate from the future into the past?"

Amid the roaring thunder, red and golden lightning crashed down, yet they could not hide the deathly pallor of Xiao Sha's face or the panic in his eyes. His greatest secret had been exposed. He felt like a rat in the gutter, suddenly dragged into the sunlight, completely at a loss.

Su Chen attacked.

Xiao Sha attacked as well.

Rebirth was Xiao Sha's greatest secret. Once exposed, he knew there would be no place for him in the entire universe. He had to kill anyone who knew the truth. There was no retreat.

Su Chen had already completely sealed off all of Xiao Sha's escape routes. In this desperate situation where the Killing Ancestor could not appear to save him and external saint or emperor weapons could not be used, a person of great destiny who might have dominated an entire era in the future had been driven into a dead end.