Chương 257: Transcendence (Part 13)

Su Chen and Qin Wujie fought from the starry sky into the Chaos Sea. Their terrifying auras rivaled those of a full Emperor battle. As the two exchanged insights and clashed, they tore open a massive hole deep within the Chaos Sea. The depths of the hole seemed to connect to another world. Su Chen suppressed Qin Wujie with a single palm and looked into the depths of the opening. In his previous life, he had spent over ten million years in the Chaos Sea and had explored every corner of it.

He had even invaded the ancient Emperor Domain and refined it entirely for his cultivation, yet he had never discovered such a place before.

"As expected of a Child of Destiny," Su Chen thought with emotion. He sensed a faint but familiar aura coming from the depths of the cavern—Ning Changqing's aura. However, Su Chen quickly realized something was off. There were now two auras. Qin Wujie casually slaughtered two terrifying beasts from the seabed, his hair disheveled.

"What is this place?" he asked, full of curiosity. He had lived in the Chaos Sea for so long yet had never found this location. He shook his head and stared at Su Chen like he was looking at a monster.

"You bastard, you've been hiding your true strength all along!" Qin Wujie was shocked. In that last exchange, Su Chen's power had surged to ten times what he had shown before. It was obvious that Su Chen had not used his full strength earlier. Su Chen offered no explanation. He had indeed been holding back. To him, Qin Wujie was simply an excellent sparring partner and punching bag. Right now, however, Su Chen had no time to deal with him. He was far more interested in the unknown world beneath the Chaos Sea.

Seeing Su Chen step into the mysterious hole and enter the other world, Qin Wujie shouted, "Di Chen, you still haven't answered my question!" He quickly followed Su Chen into the cavern beneath the Chaos Sea.... At that moment, Ning Changqing was utterly stunned. He had indeed found the Embryo of Darkness, one of the Nine Innate Supreme Treasures. However, a living being was already being nurtured inside it.

"Who exactly…?" After hundreds of millions of years of mental training, Ning Changqing's composure instantly shattered. The Embryo of Darkness could completely remold a living being and grant mastery over the Dao of Darkness. Its potential was no weaker than an Immortal Spirit's—perhaps even stronger. Beside the Embryo of Darkness lay a dried-up corpse. Though the body had long since died, a wisp of divine sense had resonated with the treasure.

Using the Innate Supreme Treasure as its foundation, it was undergoing nirvana and rebirth. As Ning Changqing broke the restrictions, the being gradually took form. Before his eyes, it transformed into a little girl of about eight or nine years old, holding a demonic pattern in her palm.

"A fragment of the Death Book, one of the Nine Innate Supreme Treasures?" Ning Changqing recognized it immediately. The rune in the girl's hand was the final missing piece of the legendary Death Book, containing heaven-defying fortune and the secrets of life and death. Ning Changqing sighed.

"Fine, so be it. Although the Embryo of Darkness has already been refined and given birth to a new life, obtaining the final Death Book fragment and its insights is still acceptable." You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. He believed he could use his methods to subdue this new being born from the Embryo of Darkness and make her serve him. Suddenly, Ning Changqing's expression changed drastically.

The entire forbidden zone shook violently as supreme experts descended and charged straight in. At the same time, the being who had fused with the Embryo of Darkness slowly opened her eyes…

"Ning Changqing, it seems we meet again." Su Chen had stormed into the forbidden zone and fought his way to its depths. He saw a familiar figure—Ning Changqing. Su Chen was delighted. What surprised him even more was that the terrifying new being held the final fragment of the Death Book, the very piece he had searched the universe for millions of years without success in his previous life.

"So that's how it is…" Su Chen looked at the skeleton sitting beside the being born of darkness. The body had long since died, its divine radiance erased by time, yet he sensed a familiar aura. Zhou Hanchan (Su Chen's sister in the First Steps on the Demonic Path Arc). She had fled the ancient Emperor Domain back then and vanished without a trace. Even after Su Chen became a Great Emperor, he had never found any clues. It turned out she had been trapped in this forbidden zone, unable to escape.

She had chosen to comprehend the Embryo of Darkness in an attempt to live another life. She had failed. Yet she had also succeeded.

"Zhou Hanchan" opened her eyes and examined the world. Her pupils were like bottomless black holes, devouring the terrifying residual energy around her. Born as a Saint! Ning Changqing's body trembled slightly.

"It's you again!" His face darkened. The last time he had entered the Jade Pool Sacred Land, Su Chen had snatched the Jade Pool Immortal Spirit from him. This time, he had entered this ancient forbidden zone of supreme terror, only to encounter Su Chen once more. An ominous feeling rose in his heart. After weighing his chances, Ning Changqing did not hesitate for even a second. He immediately activated the Wheel of Time, and his figure vanished. This time, he had no intention of clashing with Su Chen.

He knew he was not his match right now. Fighting would only bring him humiliation. Su Chen was slightly surprised by Ning Changqing's decisiveness, but he soon understood. No matter what, Ning Changqing was the reincarnation of an ancient powerhouse. Beings who had once stood at the peak of an era were no longer hot-blooded youths who fought for momentary pride. As long as they survived, they would always find ways to turn the tables.

Su Chen greatly appreciated Ning Changqing and looked forward to their next meeting.

"Di Chen, you bastard!" Qin Wujie arrived late, complaining loudly.

"You left me alone to face those rotting Emperor corpses in such a terrifying place!" He had encountered powerful enemies in the forbidden zone. By the time he broke through, Su Chen had already gone ahead, and all the horrors had turned their attention to him instead. If not for his many methods, he would have been heavily injured, if not killed.

Qin Wujie wanted to continue scolding Su Chen for his lack of conscience, but when he turned and saw the newly awakened being of darkness, his entire body shook violently.

"What a terrifying physique! It's not the slightest bit inferior to mine." Qin Wujie was shocked. This small being possessed a constitution that could rival the legendary Chaos Body. His eyes burned with intense heat. Su Chen remained expressionless. He slapped out with his palm, transforming it into a divine mountain that suppressed Qin Wujie and forced him to calm down. At that moment, the being born from the Embryo of Darkness opened her eyes and looked at the world.

Suddenly startled by Su Chen's action, the little creature—who had been born with peak Saint realm cultivation—curled up fearfully in the corner, trembling. Su Chen knew that the little one's foundation came from a wisp of Zhou Hanchan's immortal divine sense. In that previous life, Zhou Hanchan had been a fierce figure who devoured countless prodigies and earned a fearsome reputation. Yet the little girl she had become was surprisingly timid. Su Chen walked forward and slowly crouched down in front of her.

"Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you." The little girl watched him warily, still somewhat suspicious. Su Chen continued gently, "From now on, you will cultivate with me." He thought for a moment, then smiled.

"Your name shall be Di Chan. You may call me Master." Di Chan sensed that the person before her meant her no harm and gradually lowered her guard. In a soft, timid voice, she said, "Master."