The Dao of Reincarnation (439-441) (Patreon)

Chapter 439: Player of the Fourth Scourge (Part 19)

Su Chen discovered something.

Imperial Extremity Immortal King! Why was he here? Should he not have been on the future battlefield?

Su Chen remained calm and did not allow Imperial Extremity Immortal King to notice.

At present, Imperial Extremity Immortal King seemed to be searching for the Lord of the Fourth Scourge.

Upon meeting, a "living being" formed of successive converging lines appeared and spoke sarcastically toward Imperial Extremity Immortal King. "Imperial Extremity Immortal King, I did not expect that even after obtaining those items you still failed to break through."

Imperial Extremity Immortal King's expression remained calm. "Scourge Lord, had you not been schemed against by the Main God, how could this king have failed?"

The Lord of the Fourth Scourge immediately flared with anger at those words. "Was it not the trouble you provoked? You did not even clearly understand the schemes of Supreme Severing Fortune Immortal King. Otherwise, how could I have been schemed against by the Main God? And because of two little brats, the entire plan fell short at the last moment."

The youthful face of Imperial Extremity Immortal King twitched slightly. "The true body of Supreme Severing Fortune Immortal King was long since left by this king in the past. After this king's plan failed, those items drew the 'Scourge' that wished to descend."

Hearing this news, the Lord of the Fourth Scourge froze. "You actually... provoked that thing? Was that thing not suppressed? How can it still possess power that penetrates to this place?"

Imperial Extremity Immortal King spread his hands. "This king does not know the specific circumstances either. Yet speaking of these things now is already meaningless. This king has already more or less fused with that thing and become a part of It. If It is expelled, this king will die. If It successfully descends, we may be able to create a new world."

"It had this king bring an item for you that can allow you to rapidly return to your peak, then head to the future to obstruct that person and buy enough time for It to fully descend."

"If you refuse, It told this king that once It returns, the first one to be settled with will be you."

The Lord of the Fourth Scourge struggled greatly. He knew clearly what he himself had done. With that fellow's temper, would he be let off?

Imperial Extremity Immortal King said, "If you do not agree, this king will kill you right now."

The Lord of the Fourth Scourge said, "I agree."

According to the Lord of the Fourth Scourge's understanding of Imperial Extremity Immortal King, those words were absolutely not empty. Perhaps Imperial Extremity Immortal King had truly obtained an item from the "Scourge" capable of killing him. The Lord of the Fourth Scourge did not dare gamble.

Imperial Extremity Immortal King's gaze pierced through layers of space and looked in Su Chen's direction.

The Lord of the Fourth Scourge said, "He is my most capable assistant. With his existence, certain Immortal Kings of the future will find it difficult to reach that battlefield."

Imperial Extremity Immortal King nodded. "We do not have much time left. Everything must be completed as quickly as possible."

...

Before Su Chen appeared a "figure" formed of a mass of data. It existed between existence and nonexistence.

The Lord of the Fourth Scourge.

This was the first time Su Chen had seen the true body of the Lord of the Fourth Scourge.

"Are you willing to accept my blessing, garrison the spacetime realms, and assist me in obstructing the great enemy of the future?"

Facing the words of the Lord of the Fourth Scourge, Su Chen answered without hesitation, "This subordinate is extremely honored."

The Lord of the Fourth Scourge seemed to believe Su Chen's words.

An invisible power began modifying Su Chen's body.

This was a portion of the power of "Effect"... If he could completely devour the Lord of the Fourth Scourge, how powerful would he become?

No wonder Supreme Severing Fortune Immortal King, by scheming for a portion of the Lord of the Fourth Scourge's Dao Fruit, could possess might comparable to a Quasi-Immortal Emperor.

Yet regrettably, the present Su Chen was still insufficient to defeat the Lord of the Fourth Scourge. Even a weakened Lord of the Fourth Scourge was not something an ordinary Immortal King could handle.

The Lord of the Fourth Scourge left. He was heading upstream.

Su Chen digested this power.

Immortal King seemed to follow as a matter of course.

Su Chen sat in the garrison of this time period.

Did he possess kind intentions?

No...

Only when another aura stirred did Su Chen finally make a move.

...

The Lord of Primus reached the final step. He was about to become an Immortal King. Yet would everything proceed so smoothly?

Somewhere on the future upstream battlefield, an Immortal King's eyes flashed with a trace of surprise.

"What is going on? Could it be that the 'Scourge' has failed?"

He actually sensed the aura of the "Lord of Primus." The Lord of Primus wished to prove the Dao of Immortal King once more at the wrong time.

He had no choice but to investigate.

As he began to descend, a figure intercepted him.

Upon that figure was an aura that shared the same origin as his own.

"Who are you? Do you intend to go against the order of the 'Scourge'?"

The newcomer smiled. "'Scourge'? I obey the command of the great 'Scourge Lord.'"

Those words caused the newcomer's expression to sink. "The order of the Lord of the Fourth Scourge? Do you know what you are doing?"

Su Chen said, "I am perfectly clear."

According to Su Chen's estimation, the Lord of the Fourth Scourge currently had no spare energy to manage him.

Su Chen's words caused the arriving Immortal King to laugh in anger.

"Does the Lord of the Fourth Scourge intend to betray the 'Scourge'?"

Su Chen did not speak. He only continued to obstruct without pause.

At that moment, another aura rose brilliantly, supreme across many spacetimes.

"I did not expect it would be you. Everything has changed, yet nothing has changed. My old friend."

Those words caused the Immortal King's expression to change drastically as he moved against the current, for that voice belonged precisely to the Lord of Primus he had painstakingly strangled.

Now the Lord of Primus had actually cultivated once more to complete the closed loop. The scenes of this moment unfolded vividly before his eyes.

"It is you! You traitor!"

How could he fail to understand that everything had been a setup?

Su Chen and the Lord of Primus blocked his path.

With the fall of that Immortal King, the Lord of Primus turned to Su Chen and said, "Many thanks."

Su Chen replied, "Do not forget to repay the favor you owe me."

The Lord of Primus nodded.

"What do you intend to do next?"

Su Chen said, "If this layer of identity of mine is not properly utilized, it would truly be too much of a loss. The power of the Lord of the Fourth Scourge originates from the 'Scourge.' At present, I am also a person of the 'Scourge.'"

The Lord of Primus seemed to understand Su Chen's intention. "You wish to return to the past? To rewrite everything?"

Su Chen nodded.

"Yet in doing so you may vanish."

Su Chen sighed. "What can be done now is to have those Quasi-Immortal Emperors join the battlefield. The Lord of the Fourth Scourge has nearly fully recovered, and with the presence of Imperial Extremity Immortal King and the others, once the 'Scourge' fully descends, the past, present, and future will be completely submerged. I need to correct the 'loop' and allow those powerhouses of the past to descend together."

This was Su Chen's plan.

The past had already been influenced by the 'Scourge.' The absolute peak Immortal Kings, such as Supreme Severing Fortune Immortal King and even Quasi-Immortal Emperors, had been trapped by Imperial Extremity Immortal King.

The growth of the powerhouses of the future required time.

What Su Chen needed to do was help those peak Immortal Kings of the past break free so that they could arrive upon this battlefield and assist in resisting the 'Scourge.'

This matter was extremely difficult for others. Yet for Su Chen, it was not difficult.

Chapter 440: Player of the Fourth Scourge (Part 20)

"Take care."

The Lord of Primus clasped his fists.

The two parted ways.

The Lord of Primus still needed to head to the final battlefield.

Su Chen did not return together with the Lord of Primus. What he needed to do was continuously correct the erroneous timelines that had been altered by the "Scourge."

...

"Has a new king charged up?"

Upon the torrent of ages condensed from infinite spacetime, traces of waves already covered everything. An entire stretch of ancient history had been sunk. Without great methods, perhaps nothing would remain.

Whether the Immortal Kings of the heavens or the Immortal Kings of the "Scourge" side, all were giving their utmost.

The torrent surged. Sky-covering killing qi erupted like magma. From within it, a figure burst forth and stood proudly!

"The Lord of Primus! That fellow the Lord of Primus is actually still alive!"

"It seems that in the clash with True Nether Ancestor King, the Lord of Primus still prevailed."

The Lord of Primus stood high above the firmament and laughed loudly. "Naturally. A mere True Nether Ancestor King, I can annihilate with a flip of my palm!"

At the same time, another figure slowly emerged from the torrent below. Arms crossed before his chest, eyes narrowed, a vast underworld manifested behind him.

"Lord of Primus, your tone seems to have grown even larger after so many eras without meeting."

The Lord of Primus looked at the newcomer and smiled. "True Nether, it seems you have successfully returned."

This True Nether was not that True Nether. This was the Immortal King True Nether who had not been influenced by the "Scourge."

With the return of the Lord of Primus and True Nether Immortal King, the camp of the heavens gained two additional Immortal Kings!

In a world isolated from the heavens and forming a different time, the Witness and Profound Yin Immortal King sat facing each other.

Profound Yin Immortal King was rather curious.

At the beginning, this fellow had been sealed here by him, shouting about fighting and killing. Then he gradually quieted down, doing who knew what.

Now he actually had the leisure to chat with him, discuss the Dao, and pass the time.

Profound Yin Immortal King asked, "You seem not to care about the situation outside?"

The Witness blew on his cup and lightly sipped a mouthful of mild tea.

"What if I care? What if I do not care? According to your words, whether you or I, we are both currently in a 'new world' and cannot leave this place."

Profound Yin Immortal King looked at the fellow before him and thought, "You damn Immortal King are actually afraid of heat?"

No. This fellow's true body was a mask. Did he even need to drink tea?

Profound Yin Immortal King casually picked up a cup and downed it in one gulp. He shook the empty cup in his hand as if saying, "See? See? This is the correct way to drink tea."

The Witness's expression turned peculiar.

"How did you prove the Dao of Immortal King?"

In this age, as an Immortal King, he did not even understand this unspoken rule.

Profound Yin Immortal King tilted his head. "Immortal King... I just became one like that. I pushed forward all the way, kept pushing, and then a voice in my mind asked if I wanted to join Him in overturning the old world and establishing a new one."

"I agreed, and that was that."

The Witness: "..."

A strange feeling suddenly rose in his heart.

"If you had not agreed to Him, you would still have become an Immortal King."

Profound Yin Immortal King paid it no mind. "I only wanted to see what a new world would be like. There is nothing bad about the present, except that fellow Imperial Extremity constantly ordering me about to run here and there. Yet now I estimate I will not see that fellow again."

Profound Yin Immortal King looked at the Witness's expression and smiled. "Do you want to know why we are here? The reason is not merely that I was too much of a slacker, causing that fellow Imperial Extremity to distrust me. I was very diligent."

The Witness grew interested. He was indeed curious why Imperial Extremity Immortal King had chosen to have Profound Yin Immortal King, an absolute top expert even among Immortal Kings, "perish together" with him.

Profound Yin Immortal King sighed. "I once encountered the future you."

"The future me?"

"Correct... Does this not sound rather unbelievable?"

Profound Yin Immortal King looked at the Witness's slightly astonished expression and suddenly felt a bit more cheerful. Ever since some unknown change had occurred in this fellow, he had always remained calm and lighthearted. Now it was rare to see such a large emotional fluctuation.

Profound Yin Immortal King continued, "You should already have witnessed a portion of the mighty power of the Immortal Emperor realm. Yet I tell you that everything you have seen is merely the tip of the iceberg of an Immortal Emperor."

The Witness nodded. He had not forgotten how he had been successively strangled in advance by the "Scourge." That was already unbelievable enough.

"What if I told you that everything in this world is false? Living beings, time, cognition, including the existence of you and me?"

The Witness murmured, "Everything is false? Impossible! I think, therefore I am. Since I still exist now, everything is real."

Profound Yin Immortal King shook his head. "All of this is true only for you and me. For an Immortal Emperor, none of it matters. 'Existence' and 'nonexistence' are not centered on you or me, but on the Immortal Emperor. The 'Scourge' is an Immortal Emperor. Even those few legendary existences find it difficult to suppress Him. I once allowed the future you to cross time, wanting to try whether it could produce any influence upon the 'Scourge.'

"Yet everything vanished and ceased to exist. Although I do not know why you were not directly erased by the power of the 'Scourge,' everything of the future became false and disappeared completely. The 'Scourge' denied the variable that had occurred in the past. That ending became false and nonexistent. What the 'Scourge' desires is an ending favorable to Him. He possesses the authority of 'Negation' and can continuously redefine everything until the predetermined descent arrives.

"Yet at present He only possesses the authority of 'Negation,' not the authority of definition. His power is still being suppressed by those few."

The Witness suddenly understood. The reason he could receive such "special" treatment seemed not to be because of his own existence, but because of the existence of the future.

Yet...

The Witness looked strangely at Profound Yin Immortal King.

"As expected, this fellow is still sealed here together with me according to Imperial Extremity Immortal King's plan because he is unreliable."

The Witness glanced once more toward the lower reaches of this world.

A certain little fellow was still struggling.

...

On the battlefield, changes continued without cease. The Immortal Kings of the "Scourge" side continuously vanished.

Gradually more and more Immortal Kings of the heavens' side returned.

In the end, the Immortal Kings of the "Scourge" side had merely replaced the Immortal Kings of the heavens. When the Immortal Kings of the heavens recovered their true selves, that was the day of their return.

Except for those Immortal Kings who had voluntarily defected to the "Scourge" from the beginning.

"Oh my, it seems yet another new change has appeared. What a troublesome matter."

A youthful figure chewed the Master of the Heavenly Dao in his mouth while watching the suddenly changing scenes. He rubbed his head, feeling a severe headache.

"It seems a little mouse has appeared."

Imperial Extremity Immortal King's figure flashed and vanished.

The remaining Immortal Kings of the "Scourge" side also disappeared one after another.

Chapter 441: Player of the Fourth Scourge (Finale)

The Lord of Primus saw the situation and said, "Stop that fellow Imperial Extremity. We must not allow him to interfere with the Time Lord!"

In truth, there was no need for the Lord of Primus to speak. Upon seeing Imperial Extremity Immortal King and the Immortal Kings of the "Scourge" side vanish, powerful Immortal Kings had already taken the lead and disappeared.

"Wanting to leave will not be so easy!"

Those Immortal Kings who had once been influenced by the "Scourge" and fallen would not easily let go of the great enemies who had caused their fall.

...

At that moment, because Su Chen carried the aura of the "Scourge," no one on the "Scourge" side was on guard against him.

When an Immortal King proved the Dao, future Immortal Kings protected the path, and only then did closed loops appear.

Immortal Kings protected the path, and Immortal Kings also set defenses.

The problem was that the aura emanating from Su Chen belonged not to the enemy army but to their own side!

Thus Su Chen easily eliminated one after another of the Immortal Kings who had been altered by the "Scourge."

This left Su Chen sighing. He did not know whether he was too wicked, or whether the Immortal Kings of the "Scourge" side were simply too naive, or whether they had never imagined that someone would betray them.

The greater reason was that those Immortal Kings, upon seeing a teammate and being entangled by past great enemies, could not spare any attention, which allowed Su Chen to succeed so easily.

Su Chen arrived at the battlefield. He did not linger. By now, Imperial Extremity Immortal King must have hated him to the core.

Facts proved that whatever one least wished to face would ultimately appear before one.

A youthful figure blocked Su Chen's path. He continuously chewed a large eyeball in his mouth.

The large eyeball appeared again and again. With each opening and closing, it exploded once more, as if forming a cycle of rebirth.

Imperial Extremity Immortal King.

What Imperial Extremity Immortal King was chewing was none other than the Master of the Heavenly Dao. Clearly, the Master of the Heavenly Dao who had confronted Imperial Extremity Immortal King had ultimately suffered a crushing defeat.

Auras continuously vanished in the surroundings.

The Immortal Kings of the "Scourge" side were constantly intercepted, while the Immortal Kings of the heavens' camp continuously rushed to the scene.

Although they held the numerical advantage, none dared lower their guard in the slightest. For that was Imperial Extremity Immortal King! Even with his strength greatly reduced, he had so easily dealt with the Master of the Heavenly Dao!

Imperial Extremity Immortal King looked deeply at Su Chen and said, "Are you certain you wish to betray the 'Scourge'? You already carry the brand of the 'Scourge.' His mighty power is beyond your imagination. You overestimate yourself in wanting to change the ending. What does changing it once matter? This is predetermined. What of a thousand times, ten thousand times, or a hundred million times?"

Su Chen replied, "How will we know without trying?"

The Lord of Primus said, "Leave the rest to you."

Su Chen nodded.

"Stop Imperial Extremity Immortal King!"

The Lord of Primus arrived first. Imperial Extremity Immortal King casually slapped out, and the Lord of Primus's body vanished at once. Then Imperial Extremity Immortal King lifted a leg and stomped. A figure was directly stomped into the torrent of time.

Immortal King after Immortal King showed not the slightest fear as they charged forward one after another to intercept Imperial Extremity Immortal King.

Seeing this, Su Chen did not pause for even a moment. He turned and headed upstream.

"'Scourge Lord,' that fellow carries your origin. You must not allow him to return to the past of the 'Scourge.' Otherwise you know the consequences."

Facing Imperial Extremity Immortal King's threat, the "Scourge Lord" shrugged indifferently. "He carries my origin, yet... I seem to have lost control over that origin. And with that fellow the Lord of Life and Death obstructing me, I appear unable to do anything to him."

Imperial Extremity Immortal King pinched the throat of an Immortal King and then sighed. "You are still as unreliable as ever. Fortunately, the 'Scourge' long knew you were unreliable and had this king leave a backup plan."

The "Scourge Lord" suddenly paused.

"What do you mean by that?"

In an instant, the expression of the "Scourge Lord" filled with terror. "You intend to turn my Dao Fruit into one of your Dao bodies? When..."

When eyes opened once more, that string of data had transformed into a youthful figure with red lips and white teeth, none other than the appearance of Imperial Extremity Immortal King.

He reached out and directly locked onto Su Chen's path. This terrifying power compressed the timeline into a cage!

Vast black and white qi transformed into sword radiance that directly isolated this power.

"That figure seems somewhat familiar."

Su Chen discovered that the figure intercepting him circulated the dual qi of life and death, even though the concept of living beings no longer existed.

The Lord of Life and Death said, "By all rights I should address you as Master, yet she is me, and I am not her. Thus I shall not call you Master."

Su Chen thought to himself, "Truly a rebellious disciple."

A passage appeared in the world above. Clearly this had been opened by the Lord of Life and Death for Su Chen.

"Go. Summon them back. This world bears the traces of our existence. This is our world."

The Lord of Life and Death intercepted the path of the "Scourge Lord." Life and death flowed and transformed into a vast net that covered past and future.

"How troublesome."

Imperial Extremity Immortal King personally watched that figure proceed unimpeded into the past.

He said calmly, "None of this can be changed. You will provoke That One. Even if you stop it for a time, what of it? This world will ultimately continue to be corrected until it becomes a new world in which He can descend."

The Lord of Life and Death spoke. "Even so, what of it? There was a first time and a second time. Naturally there will be countless times."

A trace of pity appeared on Imperial Extremity Immortal King's face. "What a pitiful obsession."

He seemed to abandon resistance. Standing at the peak of the ages, he looked back upon the past, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "Yet it is also rather interesting."

...

Su Chen returned to the past.

A figure parted the curtain.

"Someone has come here?"

Dozens of figures stood in this place.

These were all powerhouses from the past. Among them, the Supreme Severing Fortune Immortal King was present. They were the most ancient Immortal Kings born with the heavens and earth.

"There is no time to explain. You are needed in the future."

Everyone was somewhat astonished. The one who had arrived was none other than an Immortal King already polluted by the "Scourge."

That figure parted a canopy of heaven, his body continuously collapsing.

"Go!"

The others no longer cared what was happening. They had finally seen the path of "return."

"Many thanks, Dao Friend!"

Only after those Immortal Kings had all left this place, did Su Chen's body become tattered beyond recognition.

Torrent after torrent submerged him.

Su Chen did not stop advancing. He did not choose to return to later eras. Instead, he went against the current.

Here lay only blankness.

"Is this as far as I can go?"

Su Chen sat cross-legged, though at this moment he no longer resembled a "human" in the slightest.

He closed his eyes and sighed. "This is the Mandate of Heaven."

...

The Witness, who was playing a game of chess with Profound Yin Immortal King, seemed to sense something. He raised his head.

"This ending seems somewhat different."

Profound Yin Immortal King said, "It appears another change has occurred. Now only you and I remain."