"About that matter," Chu Lingyuan said with a helpless sigh upon hearing the question. "I've sent people to investigate both openly and in secret. All I can say is that it wasn't soone from our faction. With no further clues, there is simply nowhere to begin the search."
Qing Cang nodded. He had rely asked in passing and had no intention of delving deeper into it.
They streaked through the air, the surrounding scenery blurring past in a continuous stream. Qin Yun moved at blinding speed, traversing the distance from the Ancient King Palace to the Bronze Core in the blink of an eye.
With a single glance, he spotted Qin Tianlin waiting for him at the Bronze Core port.
Flight was not permitted on the Bronze Core. Under normal circumstances, even soone like Qin Yun would not violate this rule.
"Tianlin."
Qin Tianlin's vision darkened as a large shadow suddenly enveloped him. He hurriedly called out, "Grandfather."
"Why are you waiting here? Where are the others?" Qin Yun frowned slightly.
"I told them to head back first," Qin Tianlin hurriedly explained.
"Hmm..." Qin Yun nodded slightly. Turning around, he strode directly onto the main thoroughfare.
Qin Tianlin quickly followed, hesitating as if he wanted to speak but could not find the words.
"Ask whatever is on your mind," Qin Yun said in a calm voice.
"Can the situation with the Lost Starfire be kept under control?" This was not just his personal concern; everyone aligned with Qin Yun's faction desperately wanted to know the answer.
Did Qin Yun actually know what had transpired? Could he provide a clear explanation? Would the Ancient King truly go all out to protect him?
Passersby along the road suddenly caught sight of the pair. Their faces paled in shock as they hurriedly bowed and called out, "Venerable Qin Yun!"
Qin Yun offered a dismissive nod and continued walking for quite a distance, completely ignoring Qin Tianlin's question.
Every faction mber who spotted him along the way reacted with blatant astonishnt. Although rumors had circulated that Venerable Qin Yun would be returning soon, his sudden, physical appearance still caught everyone off guard.
"Are you afraid?" Qin Yun finally broke the silence after they had passed several grand halls. Qin Tianlin hastily replied, "No, I'm just... just worried."
"There is nothing to worry about." Qin Yun paused for a mont. "This matter will reach a perfectly satisfactory resolution."
Qin Tianlin had no idea what his grandfather ant by "perfectly satisfactory," but he cooperatively feigned a look of imnse relief. "That is good to hear..."
A heavy silence settled between them as they continued their walk.
For so inexplicable reason, Qin Tianlin felt that his grandfather was different from before. As for what exactly had changed, he simply could not put his finger on it.
Lost in thought, he nearly bumped into Qin Yun, who had abruptly stopped in his tracks. "Where is the monunt?" the older man asked, his voice laced with surprise and suspicion.
Only then did Qin Tianlin realize they had reached the grand plaza outside the Bronze Tower. The towering, eye-catching Ancient King Monunt had still not returned.
Qin Tianlin's expression soured. He had spent the last few days trying his hardest to suppress this humiliating mory, but since it was his own grandfather asking, he had no choice but to explain the situation truthfully.
"Oh?" A brilliant gleam flashed in Qin Yun's eyes, though he quickly masked it. "The Ancient King Monunt flew off, hovered over Su Chen's Floating Island for a mont, and was then retrieved by the Ancient King?"
"That is correct." Qin Tianlin nodded, hesitating before adding, "Recently, there have been rumors circulating that the Ancient King has been severely corrupted by the Starfire. Because he's facing a major crisis, the Ancient King Monunt reacted abnormally, attempting to select a new Ancient King ahead of ti."
After voicing the rumor, Qin Tianlin could not help but ask, "That cannot possibly be true, right?"
It was bad enough that Su Chen had usurped the position as a Morning Star Tier successor, but could he actually possess the potential to beco the next Ancient King?
It was a thought he simply could not stomach. He desperately hoped Qin Yun would deny it outright.
However, after a thoughtful glint flickered in his eyes, Qin Yun drawled, "It is not entirely out of the realm of possibility."
Qin Tianlin shuddered in shock. "The... The Ancient King is truly in peril?"
Catching himself, he quickly added, "There are also those who claim the Ancient King Monunt reacted purely because Su Chen's innate talent is simply that extraordinary."
"Extraordinary talent?" Qin Yun paused, montarily stunned.
"Oh, right, you still haven't heard." Realization dawned on Qin Tianlin, and he quickly explained, "Su Chen's Talent is actually at the Star Amber grade."
"Star Amber grade?" Qin Yun was genuinely astonished. His gaze grew deep and unreadable. "My dear Junior Apprentice Brother... you've certainly hidden yourself well."
"Exactly. So..." Qin Tianlin ventured cautiously, "Is it possible that the monunt's reaction was entirely triggered by Su Chen himself?"
Yet Qin Yun shook his head once more. "A Star Amber Talent is indeed beyond my expectations, but the Ancient King Monunt is no ordinary artifact. It is derived from a Bright Moon Tier Spiritual Essence. It is nearly impossible for an outsider to provoke such a reaction. Only the Ancient King himself..."
After all, he himself possessed a Star Amber Talent and had been acknowledged by the Ancient King Monunt, yet in all these years, he had never caused the colossal stele to take flight.
Qin Tianlin sensed sothing was off. If the Ancient King was truly in trouble, shouldn't that be a disaster for them? Why did his grandfather seem subtly excited?
"You seem desperate to hear dismiss Su Chen's capabilities," Qin Yun noted, retracting his unusual deanor as he strolled across the plaza.
A bitter smile touched Qin Tianlin's lips. "Su Chen's status as a Star Seed is completely secure now. I..."
"Do not be so anxious." Qin Yun halted and turned to face his grandson. "The future is long..."
Qin Tianlin looked up in confusion, eting his grandfather's gaze. The older man's eyes were as dead and placid as stagnant water, a sight that deeply unsettled him.
Previously, even when dealing with Su Chen back when everyone thought he only had an Ink Jade Talent, his grandfather had never been this unnervingly calm.
Yet now, with Su Chen's position practically unshakeable, his grandfather had only grown more detached and indifferent.
"Even if he possesses a Star Amber Talent, it still falls short of yours. Do you lack the confidence to overpower him?" Qin Yun pressed.
"I do!" Qin Tianlin subconsciously puffed out his chest. Su Chen had simply seized the initiative. Given the chance to commune with the Spiritual Essence of the Crimson Fla Responding Thunder Great Exalted, Qin Tianlin was absolutely certain he could beco The Chosen One.
His earlier bitterness stemd rely from the fact that he could no longer eliminate Su Chen through proper, official channels. When it ca to a direct comparison of their potential, he lacked no confidence whatsoever.
"Now that is the grandson of Qin Yun." Nodding in satisfaction, the elder turned and resud his walk, casually inquiring, "How far are you from becoming the Sixth Tier Champion?"
"Once I officially acquire my next Profession, I should be just about there," Qin Tianlin replied in a low voice.
Qin Yun nodded. "And what about Su Chen? How many 6th-Tier professionals has he surpassed?"
"None..." Qin Tianlin explained. "He is currently still ranked as the Fifth Tier Champion. The ranking hasn't been updated yet. He likely realizes that simply surpassing a few bottom-feeding 6th-Tier professionals carries no real aning."
After a brief pause, he added, "The position of Sixth Tier Champion is far beyond his ability to threaten."
"Mhm." Qin Yun gave a slight nod, and the two figures slowly disappeared down the path.
anwhile, Su Chen took an aircraft back to his Floating Island. His first order of business was to notify Song Yang and the others that they could return tomorrow to resu helping him forge his weapon.
Once he received their confirmation, he sealed himself inside the Nether Tower.
Surrounded by absolute darkness and dead silence, Su Chen carefully retrieved the Mist Embers from his Storage Space.
He had not been afforded the chance to examine it closely before. Under scrutiny, the object resembled a lump of black charcoal. An incredibly dense, viscous gas drifted languidly across its surface, completely obscuring whatever lay hidden at its core.
"Mist Embers... Mist Embers..." Su Chen muttered under his breath. Thanks to Qing Cang's explanation, he was well aware of how terrifyingly extraordinary this substance was.
However, he still hadn't the faintest clue on how to actually purify it. Unable to contain his frustration, he summoned his System Panel and grumbled, "The System Panel can extract and subject even Evil God Power to Dostication, yet it doesn't react to these Mist Embers at all..."
"Perhaps Evil God Power is directly tied to Professions, essentially acting as a type of resource. But this stuff is hopelessly fused with the Nether Mist, making it fundantally different from pure Evil God Power."
"Or is it simply because this thing hasn't actively attempted to cause an Erosion in my body?"
Su Chen mulled it over for quite so ti before releasing a helpless sigh. Even the mighty Ancient King was powerless against this substance once it latched onto a Starfire.
And although the clump of Mist Embers in his hand was practically microscopic compared to that, he was equally minuscule compared to the Ancient King.
"Oh, Great Exalted... You want it, and I am more than happy to give it to you, but I haven't the slightest idea how to purify it..."
He had muttered similar complaints countless tis in the past, but the Great Exalted had always remained completely aloof and entirely unresponsive.
This ti, however, was different. To his shock, text slowly materialized on the System Panel: [Sensing the host's confusion regarding the purification of the Mist Embers, the Crimson Fla Responding Thunder Great Exalted has decided to offer assistance. He can aid you in entering the Mist Embers.]
"Huh? A response?" Su Chen blinked in surprise before rolling his eyes inwardly. This Great Exalted was certainly pragmatic—he reacted quickly enough when it involved sothing he wanted. "Entering the Mist Embers will purify it? Or does surviving its Erosion count as purification?"
He weighed his options carefully, entirely unwilling to blindly dive into the Mist Embers. This substance was undoubtedly lethal. Getting in might be easy, but getting out alive was another story entirely.
[Sensing the host's apprehension, the Crimson Fla Responding Thunder Great Exalted has considered the matter. He can pull the host out if the host is unable to withstand it.]
'Are you really that desperate for this?'
Su Chen mocked inwardly, though he was genuinely surprised. "You can actually pull out of it?"
In that case, it might just be worth a shot.
Su Chen drew a deep breath and steadied his mind, reaching out to the Great Exalted. A crimson light suddenly flared between his brows, and a brilliant Crimson Fla blossod in the palm of his hand.
The Mist Embers jerked violently, as if fiercely stimulated. With a sudden boom, the lump exploded into a surging black tide that instantly engulfed Su Chen's entire body.
In an instant, he felt the heavens spin and the earth revolve. His vision dissolved into a dizzying blur.
"Brother Su Chen?" a clear, childish voice suddenly called out near his ear.
Su Chen turned his head in a daze. To his shock, he saw Little Pigeon, whom he hadn't seen in ages. She looked incredibly young. The surrounding environnt was vaguely familiar—dimly lit, drafty, and utterly dilapidated. It was the miserable hovel his predecessor had occupied in Nanfeng City.
He froze, montarily stunned. However, just as he opened his mouth to respond, the scene before him shattered into pieces.
He found himself back inside the Nether Tower. The black tide had completely receded from his body, reforming into a small, charcoal-like ball resting innocuously in his palm.
Su Chen looked at the new text on the System Panel: [The Great Exalted noticed the host had fallen into a ntal Illusion and elected to pull the host out.]
"A ntal Illusion?" Su Chen frowned slightly, his mind racing. "Is that similar to how Evil God Power causes an Erosion?"
He had never personally experienced the Erosion of Evil God Power, but he had heard others describe it. It supposedly fabricated realistic illusions, endlessly looping agonizing scenarios involving loved ones. The torturous cycle would not end until the victim's spiritual strength was completely drained. It was an agonizing way to break a person's mind.
"But the Great Exalted pulled out imdiately. Why? Did he think I couldn't handle it?"
Su Chen thoughtfully stroked his chin. "I'm a bit confused. If he won't even let attempt the trial, how am I supposed to purify it?"
"Or perhaps..." A thought struck Su Chen. He suddenly recalled Qing Cang's explanation—that the Mist Embers reacted differently depending on the target it faced.
Wasting no ti, he tentatively reached out to enter the Mist Embers once more.
Just like before, the lump exploded into a dark tide that enveloped his body. This ti, however, there was no illusion. Instead, an agonizing, piercing pain wracked every inch of his body.
A profoundly silent yet fiercely blazing fusion of fire and lightning erupted from between his brows. Instantly, the Mist Embers recoiled and collapsed in on themselves.
[The Crimson Fla Responding Thunder Great Exalted detected that the Mist Embers are unleashing pure Erosion, and has forcefully neutralized it.]
"Pure Erosion? You an it bypasses all logic and just tries to lt into sludge?"
Su Chen clicked his tongue in shock, but he had managed to confirm his theory. The Mist Embers truly possessed multiple distinct manifestations.
Perhaps there was one specific manifestation where he actually stood a chance of purifying it.
Having finally figured out the pattern, Su Chen felt a wave of relief. He eagerly conducted test after test, experiencing a variety of Erosion patterns. Among them, he was subjected to at least three different ntal Illusions.
That was, until his current attempt...
The Mist Embers enveloped him once more, but this ti, there was no agonizing pain, nor did any inexplicable illusions twist his surroundings. Instead, he found himself standing in an abyssal expanse of darkness filled with wisps of drifting fog.
Ash-gray earth spread out beneath his boots, rapidly expanding to form a bleak landscape that eerily resembled the Nether Realm.
This completely unprecedented manifestation instantly set off alarm bells in Su Chen's mind.
From within the ashen haze, tendrils of pitch-black mist began to drift and intertwine. They rapidly converged, solidifying into a distinct silhouette.
Su Chen's eye twitched violently. Black Buddha!
Without a doubt, the entity towering before him was the Evil God, Black Buddha. He had witnessed this terrifying visage more than once—from the agonizing Trial of Whispers to the grotesque Evil God Statues. He was intimately familiar with its appearance.
The entity sat cross-legged in the void, its massive head bowed slightly. A network of black, vein-like lines converged upon its forehead, forming the grotesque shape of a vertical eye.
'Was this substance created by Black Buddha?'
Su Chen observed it with extre caution. Suddenly, the levitating Black Buddha raised its head. Yet, it entirely lacked the suffocating, oppressive aura it normally possessed. Uncrossing its legs, the entity slowly lowered itself and stood upright like a human. Its abyssal eyes were completely hollow.
"What is the aning of this?"
Su Chen froze. A sudden, biting chill swept over his body, and icy needles of dread shot up his spine.
The towering Black Buddha lunged forward like a raging hurricane. Before Su Chen could even blink, the entity violently detonated, transforming into a torrential wave of churning black mist.
A sinister, frigid aura instantly clamped around Su Chen's limbs. The mist writhed and tore at him like a living, ravenous beast. Its edges twisted irregularly, sporadically forming vicious, claw-like silhouettes before dissipating back into wisps of suffocating smoke.
Its surface glead with a morbid, dark luster, while powerful, destructive undercurrents churned violently within.
What the hell... Su Chen let out a low roar as brilliant arcs of lightning erupted from his body. With a deafening crackle, he forcibly blasted the mist away and threw himself into a frantic retreat.
'It wants to fight ?'
He was incredibly surprised. 'But... considering the terrifying strength this Mist Ember previously displayed, the construct of Black Buddha it produced shouldn't be this weak. It actually feels like it's at the sa tier of existence as .'
Even during that brief clash, Su Chen realized the entity's strength was far below what it should have been. Suspicion blossod in his mind. 'Could this be another one of its manifestations? It realized that Erosion and ntal Illusions couldn't break , so it decided to physically slaughter at my own power level?'
A thrill of excitent coursed through him. After so many futile attempts, he had finally triggered a scenario he could actually fight back against.
Su Chen took a deep breath, his expression shifting to one of absolute resolve. "Black Buddha, is it? Let's see just how capable you really are.
""
The black tide instantly receded like receding floodwaters, reforming in the palm of his hand.
Su Chen stared at it in stunned silence, a violent twitch gripping his cheek. His chest throbbed with a dull ache, and his heart hamred wildly against his ribs. Wisps of steam rolled off his skin, as if his body was still locked in the heat of a death match.
"Just how many Professions does that monster actually possess?"
His expression shifted rapidly as he muttered to himself. He had only lasted a asly ten minutes. The sheer volu of bizarre and lethal abilities the entity possessed had left him completely dazzled and overwheld, right before the Great Exalted forcefully yanked him out.
Truly worthy of being an incredibly ancient Evil God. Although it theoretically existed at the exact sa Life Level as the Ancient King, its imnse age ant there was no telling just how many Professions it had violently consud and corrupted over the eons.
He glared down at the Mist Embers, which had returned to looking like an innocent lump of coal.
"However..." Su Chen's eyes glead with a dangerous light as he murmured under his breath. "That doesn't an it's entirely impossible to beat."
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