The Dao of Reincarnation (230-231) (Patreon)

Chapter 230: The Undying Nether Emperor (Part 11)

"Old fool, this Emperor already warned you. If you ever appeared before me… I would kill you."

The terrifying collision sent shockwaves rippling across the entire secret realm. Dense killing intent swept outward like a storm.

The ice-cold voice echoing from within the clash made everyone's scalp tingle.

That peerless fiendish crow… had not died!

Countless runes transformed into black flames that burned across the void. The devastating strike caused the entire secret realm to tremble violently, splitting open a deep fissure.

The Great Elder of the Abyssal Sea Sacred Land was blasted away by the beam of light. The mountains and seas beneath him were flattened into a bottomless crater.

"How is this possible… That fiendish crow was only at the Void Refining realm, while the Great Elder of the Abyssal Sea Sacred Land had reached the quasi-Saint level!"

Whether human or demon, everyone present felt their blood run cold.

Just who was the quasi-Saint here—the crow or the Great Elder?

Ancient dragons, phoenixes, saint descendants—none of them could compare to this peerless fiendish crow.

With a single strike, the Great Elder of the Abyssal Sea Sacred Land had been slain.

As they stared at that eerie, otherworldly figure, one word surfaced in everyone's mind.

The talent of an ancient emperor.

Su Chen had used his full power in that one strike to kill the Great Elder. After deterring the entire crowd, his figure transformed back into a massive black bird and flew away, vanishing into the distance.

The news that the Great Elder of the Abyssal Sea Sacred Land had been killed in a single blow by the fiendish crow shook every major force in the realm. He had been a quasi-Saint—an absolute top-tier expert when no Saint was present.

"Unless a Saint appears, no one can make that crow submit," many sighed.

Half a month later, Su Chen reappeared, his injuries mostly healed. Inside the secret realm, wherever he went, every force fled in terror at the mere sight of him.

Even so, Su Chen did not take their lives. He only collected a portion of "food expenses." Those who refused to pay naturally had nothing left to give.

Before long, Su Chen had gathered a massive amount of resources. The treasures within a single Saint's relic were comparable to the entire foundation of a declining saint clan. He did not leave the relic in a hurry.

Then one day, a dust-covered palace suddenly tore through space and appeared within the relic.

"It's the palace where the Saint once lived! The Saint's inheritance must be inside!"

Some cried out in excitement. They had stayed for so many days without gaining anything, all for this very moment.

"Don't get too excited. Even if the inheritance appears, have you forgotten about that fiendish crow?"

Someone spoke in despair. Even the Great Elder of the Abyssal Sea Sacred Land, who had been closest to the Saint realm, had been killed in one move. What chance did the rest of them stand against that crow?

"Perhaps… this Saint's inheritance belongs to one of our human race's ancient saints. How could an ancient human saint choose a different race as successor?"

Some still held onto hope.

Since ancient times, humans and demons had never coexisted peacefully. When the gates of the sacred palace opened, all the gathered experts waited tacitly for the fiendish crow to charge in first before daring to follow.

Inside the sacred palace, the Saint's trials awaited.

The hall was vast and majestic, filled with endless seas of ancient books. Golden runes floated throughout the grand chamber.

"Could this be… the relic left behind by the Confucian Sword Saint, the greatest genius in the history of our human race in the Flying Cloud Realm?"

Someone cried out in shock, completely losing his composure.

The Confucian Sword Saint was a legendary figure recorded in the annals of the Flying Cloud Realm. His talent and brilliance were unmatched. He had created his own Confucian Sword Dao, where a single sword strike could manifest three thousand characters, each one capable of slaying the heavens. In just a thousand years, he had reached the pinnacle of the Flying Cloud Realm and stepped onto an ancient, unparalleled path. Many believed he would become the ultimate expert of the martial path and the strongest in the universe.

Unfortunately, after he left Flying Cloud Realm, no further records of the Confucian Sword Saint existed in human history. And the Great Emperor of this era was not him.

An elderly human cultivator shed tears as he spoke, "Confucian Sword Saint… why did you return to Flying Cloud Realm only to die quietly in a forgotten corner? You were the most outstanding genius of our human race. You should have broken all shackles and paved a new path for us!"

At that moment, a childish voice rang out within the sacred palace. "Cry, cry, cry. What's the point of crying? Do you think your tears will make that old man's inheritance fly into your hands?"

The elderly human cultivator froze.

The golden runes in the air condensed into a small, delicate figure—a clean and neat young boy dressed in a golden robe.

"You… who are you?"

The old man looked at the figure in confusion.

"Where did these country bumpkins come from? You don't even recognize a weapon spirit!"

The golden-robed boy looked displeased. He swept his gaze across the crowd and declared, "Listen up, all of you. This place is now my domain. If you want that old man's inheritance, I will follow the rules he set and give you a chance. Complete the trials, and you may obtain the inheritance."

Joy appeared on everyone's faces, especially the human elders.

The old human cultivator suddenly thought of something. He glanced toward the demon race, his eyes lingering particularly on Su Chen.

"Respected Weapon Spirit, this trial should only be open to us humans, right? The Confucian Sword Saint was a human expert. We cannot allow his inheritance to fall into the hands of another race."

The golden-robed boy's expression softened slightly. After a moment of thought, he said, "That old man never specified that only humans could participate. According to the rules he left, any living being has the right to attempt the trials and compete for the inheritance."

The old human cultivator said sorrowfully, "Lord Weapon Spirit, the Confucian Sword Saint is our human race's ancestor. How can we allow other races to touch his inheritance?"

The golden-robed boy waved his hand impatiently. "You old fellow are as long-winded as that old man. If you keep crying, I'll throw you out right now."

The old human cultivator immediately fell silent.

"So this is the inheritance of a Saint King," Su Chen thought.

He had recognized the golden-robed boy's identity. It was the weapon spirit of a Saint King artifact. In other words, the master of this palace had been a Saint King-level expert.

"The rules for obtaining that old man's inheritance are very simple," the golden-robed boy continued. "There are nine checkpoints in total. The first three test talent, the next three test comprehension, and the final three test character."

The old human cultivator asked, "Does reaching the ninth checkpoint mean we can obtain the Confucian Sword Saint's inheritance?"

The golden-robed boy shook his head. "No. There is still a tenth checkpoint. Only those who pass the tenth checkpoint will receive that old man's recognition and obtain the full inheritance."

Before the old man could speak again, the boy quickly added, "Don't ask me what the tenth checkpoint is. That old man never told me, so asking me is pointless. Alright. Those who wish to compete for the inheritance may begin the trials now."

Chapter 231: The Undying Nether Emperor (Part 12)

Clearing trials was the most common and straightforward method countless mighty experts throughout history had used to select their successors.

Countless beings from the Flying Cloud Realm stepped into the trials.

"Damn it, why is the first trial so difficult? I'm only five hundred years old and have already reached the Void Refining realm, yet I can't even pass the first checkpoint!"

"I'm a thousand-year-old Nirvana realm expert and still considered young. Why can't I pass the second talent trial?"

"What kind of nonsense is this comprehension test? A flash of light appeared, and I was kicked out immediately."

"I have unparalleled talent. I stepped onto the martial path at three, mastered ancient scriptures at ten, and comprehended a Saint's technique at fifty. Why can't I pass the fifth trial?!"

"..."

Despair filled the many participants. Not only could none of them obtain the Confucian Sword Saint's inheritance, but no one had even managed to reach the sixth checkpoint.

"Look… that peerless fiendish crow is stuck at the third level!"

Many beings turned their heads in delight, discovering that the terrifying crow they all feared had been halted at the third checkpoint.

Some human experts even laughed loudly. "The Confucian Sword Saint is our human race's ancestor. How could his inheritance fall into the hands of another race?"

Su Chen had indeed stopped at the third checkpoint. He remained silent. His bloodline was still only eighth-grade, while the third talent checkpoint of the Confucian Sword Saint required at least saint-grade talent to begin with.

"What a rigid old man," Su Chen muttered inwardly.

He did not retreat. His body groaned under the immense pressure, bones creaking. Blood dripped from every part of him, yet he refused to kneel. Each step was slow and difficult, but he continued advancing toward the end.

This scene caused the demons' hearts to tremble and silenced the humans who had been laughing moments ago.

Was he not afraid of death?

In that moment, as they watched the distorted figure press forward, many beings suddenly understood what a true Dao heart looked like.

In the end, Su Chen took the final step. He passed the fourth checkpoint… then the fifth…

When the crowd looked again, that figure had already reached the sixth checkpoint. The sixth did not slow him in the slightest. Seventh… eighth… ninth…

Su Chen advanced through all of them without hindrance and stepped into the tenth checkpoint.

The final trial.

Every living being present was stunned into silence. Even the golden-robed boy, who had been watching everything with disdain, was shocked.

"How is this possible… how is this possible…"

As the weapon spirit of a Saint King artifact, he knew exactly how valuable it was to reach the tenth checkpoint set by that old man. Across the vast starry sky, only supreme prodigies with the potential to become Great Saints could achieve such a feat. Moreover, aside from the third checkpoint, none of the others had hindered that figure even slightly.

Just how heaven-defying was this?

Su Chen entered the tenth checkpoint.

A melancholic voice sounded beside his ear.

"In my youth, I loved reading, so I traveled the world as a scholar. Later, I realized books could not save the world, so I took up the sword. I became the greatest scholar and the greatest swordsman of the world. In a moment of inspiration, I merged Confucianism and the sword into one path—the Confucian Sword Dao."

"In just a thousand years, I stood unrivaled in Flying Cloud Realm, crowned across the ages, then stepped onto the starry path and witnessed the brilliance of myriad races."

Before Su Chen, the projection of an elderly scholar slowly appeared. Behind him stretched an endless sea of books. Words transformed into dragons and snakes, turning into a sharp sword intent.

Su Chen looked at the projection of the Confucian Sword Saint and finally understood why a Saint King's relic existed in the Flying Cloud Realm. It turned out the owner had been a prodigy who had stepped onto the Emperor Path. After failing in his conquests, he had returned to his homeland and passed away quietly.

Such stories were common on the Emperor Path. Many who once considered themselves unrivaled had had their Dao hearts shattered because of him.

"You are a demon?" the Confucian Sword Saint's projection asked, slightly startled.

He suddenly let out a soft sigh. "Human or demon, what does it matter? Are you willing to take me as your master?"

"No," Su Chen replied.

The projection paused, then continued, "If you are willing, then…"

The Confucian Sword Saint's projection suddenly froze. He seemed unable to comprehend that someone in the Flying Cloud Realm would actually refuse his inheritance.

The air fell into complete silence.

After a long pause, the Confucian Sword Saint spoke stiffly, "You said… You are unwilling to take me as your master?"

Su Chen replied calmly, "You are human, and I am a demon. I am not suited to be your disciple."

The Confucian Sword Saint fell silent once more. After a while, he asked, "Then what do you want?"

Su Chen answered directly, "Anything except your core inheritance. Saint King artifacts, sacred herbs—anything like that would be welcome. The more the better."

As if he would fall for that.

A powerhouse of the Confucian Sword Saint's level could crush countless beings like him with a single pinch, whether in this life or any of his previous ones. There was no way he would let the old man take advantage of him.

The Confucian Sword Saint seemed to shut down for a moment. He clearly had not expected this outcome. He spoke stiffly once again, "All those things will belong to you if you accept my inheritance and take me as your master."

Su Chen still refused.

"What a greedy little fellow," the Confucian Sword Saint sighed.

"Why are you unwilling to accept me as your master? Is it truly just because you are a demon and I am human?"

Su Chen said, "I do not need to take anyone as my master. My own path is the strongest path. One day, I will break all shackles and become the strongest."

The Confucian Sword Saint was stunned.

Throughout history, countless experts had claimed to be unrivaled. Yet only after stepping onto that path did they truly understand that there were always stronger people beyond the horizon and higher heavens above.

Even a genius like himself was merely one among countless others. He had witnessed the rise and fall of many heavenly prodigies and even seen that ancient Great Emperor grow old.

His proud Dao had been shattered by a single move. In the end, he had returned to Flying Cloud Realm in obscurity and chosen to pass away, leaving behind this relic.

Yet now, he believed the demon before him. This one was destined to surpass him and crush all the geniuses of the past and present.

"Very well… Since you refuse to take me as your master, and my inheritance has already appeared, I will not wait for another being to enter this place. I will entrust the inheritance to the human race. As for everything else besides the inheritance, it shall all be yours. Interesting little demon."

The Confucian Sword Saint placed his hands behind his back. A fierce wind suddenly howled as his figure slowly disintegrated into runes, gathering into a golden scroll that floated toward the human cultivators.

"That's the Confucian Sword Saint's inheritance!"

"I knew it! How could the Confucian Sword Saint's inheritance possibly acknowledge a demon?"

"It's flying toward us!"

The human prodigies were overcome with excitement. The demon race felt a chill in their hearts.

In the end, the Confucian Sword Saint had not acknowledged the demons. A powerful Saint's inheritance had fallen into the hands of the human race.

A human expert who had reached the fifth checkpoint grabbed the incoming golden scroll and laughed wildly.

"The Confucian Sword Saint's inheritance is mine! With a Saint artifact in hand, I will dominate the world!"

At that moment, the golden-robed boy flew to Su Chen's side. With utmost respect, he spoke in a clear, childish voice that echoed throughout the entire relic.

"Master."