Chapter 71: Rebirth as the Great Villain (9) |
In the Northern Heavenly Profound Domain, Su Chen opened his eyes. A vast, surging aura rolled out from within his body. A trace of joy flickered through his black-and-white pupils.
"Nirvana Realm… I've finally broken through!"
After seven lifetimes, he had at last become a Venerable. The moment Su Chen achieved the breakthrough, the entire Council of Elders trembled. He assumed the position of clan leader, seizing absolute authority over one of the great clans. Vast mountains and rivers spanning tens of thousands of li now lay entirely under his command.
What delighted him most was that, over the past few centuries, the Gu Clan had made real progress in deciphering the sword body forging method. They had at least managed to cultivate three individuals with the acquired sword body.
Though these versions were far weaker than the one he had achieved in his previous life—plagued by countless flaws—they still vastly outstripped ordinary mortal physiques. Cultivation progressed faster, and the upper limit was significantly higher. They were perfect as war soldiers.
Unfortunately, Su Chen no longer had the luxury of time. He gazed at the intelligence report sent by a friend from a sacred land and murmured, "This day… has finally arrived."
The report clearly stated that Lin Zhan had led the War God Hall's grand army toward the Northern Heavenly Profound Domain. It also expressed regret: the sender could not intervene directly. Some existence within the sacred land forbade any involvement in this matter. He could only risk sending this warning.
Su Chen understood. Lin Zhan's growth had undoubtedly far exceeded his expectations. The man now possessed the power to destroy an entire clan. That was why he dared return to the Northern Heavenly Profound Domain to settle old scores. Behind him stood a force that even sacred lands had to treat with caution.
Upon receiving news of the approaching enemy, Su Chen refused to sit and wait for death. This was the fated confrontation. He began preparations with every means at his disposal. He dispatched the clan's most promising seeds to the outer starfield, preserving the last embers of the Gu Clan. Even he had no certainty of victory in the coming war.
"So this is the enemy the Venerable spoke of? Finally—we get to feast!"
An ancient horn sounded.
Su Chen raised his head and looked toward the center of the fleet. Atop the head of a colossal dragon stood a youth clad in golden battle armor, gripping a golden war halberd.
The youth's expression was cold. He lowered his gaze, locking eyes with Su Chen.
"Activate the formation!"
At Su Chen's sharp command, dense runes appeared in the sky above the Gu Clan like falling rain, enveloping the entire domain. The clan's supreme saint formation.
Lin Zhan glanced at the terrifying array and gave a cold sneer. He had seen far too many such formations.
"Sacrifice the saint weapon."
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At his order, ancient runes surfaced on the foreheads of countless War God Hall members. Immense power gathered in the sky above the Gu Clan. An ancient giant bell materialized. With each toll of the bell, heaven and earth spun violently.
"A saint weapon—it's actually a saint weapon!"
The elders of the Gu Clan stared at the colossal bell in shock. The might of the saint weapon shattered vast swathes of Gu Clan territory. Even with the saint formation's protection, countless weaker clan members disintegrated into bloody mist on the spot.
Likewise, after offering the saint weapon, innumerable War God Hall members were drained dry of vital energy and died where they stood.
Su Chen smiled. Looking at the man who was both familiar and utterly changed, he spoke calmly.
"Lin Zhan, you've changed."
Facing the mortal enemy he had once dreamed of killing every night, Lin Zhan now appeared remarkably composed. The two regarded each other like old acquaintances, quietly watching their forces clash without the slightest ripple in their expressions.
Lin Zhan met Su Chen's subtle mockery with icy indifference.
"People… always change. Are you afraid of me now?"
Su Chen shook his head. With a casual wave of his hand, several figures appeared before him. They were aged, yet unmistakably familiar. Among them, one elderly man—wrinkled and frail—saw Lin Zhan and immediately burst into tears.
Lin Zhan's body trembled violently. Though their faces had grown old and weathered, he recognized them instantly. His father… the mentor who had cared for him in every way at the Azure Profound Martial Mansion… the senior sister with whom he had once ridden boldly through the streets and shared a fleeting romance…
Now they all stood alive before him. For countless days and nights, he had dreamed of these very people appearing to demand why he had not saved them, why he had abandoned them. Yet here they were—alive. Joy and rage surged through him in equal measure…
Su Chen watched the complex emotions flash across Lin Zhan's face and gave a soft laugh.
"Unfortunately, time spares no one. In the end, only these few survived. Lin Zhan, do you know how much effort it took me to keep them alive all these years?"
Lin Yunpeng shouted in shame and fury, "Zhan'er, don't worry about us! Slaughter the Gu Clan! Avenge your dead kin!"
The others echoed him fiercely. "Lin Zhan, ignore us! Kill Gu Chen—even death would be worth it!"
Lin Zhan's body shook violently. He roared, "Gu Chen, you despicable bastard! Release them! If you let them go, I'll leave your Gu Clan with one last spark of survival!"
Su Chen scoffed. What did he care about floods after he himself was dead?
"Zhan'er, you must live well…"
Before Lin Zhan's eyes, Su Chen lifted the seals on them. In unison, the captives gathered every last drop of vital energy and chose self-destruction.
Su Chen made no move to stop them.
"Gu Chen—I'm going to kill you!"
Facing Lin Zhan's bloodshot, murderous gaze, Su Chen merely smiled.
Lin Zhan raised his golden war halberd to strike Su Chen down. Then a familiar figure appeared in front of him, glaring at Lin Zhan with pure venom.
Lin Yue'er stood between them.
"Lin Zhan, you killed everyone. All five hundred and thirty members of the Lin family died because of you!"
Lin Zhan's heart bled. He stared at her, growling like a wounded beast.
"Lin Yue'er… get out of the way!"
Lin Yue'er sneered contemptuously. Like a moth to flame, she threw herself at Lin Zhan and died by his hand.
Watching the person he had once dreamed of killing night after night perish before him brought Lin Zhan no joy at all. Blood-tears streamed from his eyes as he charged alone into the depths of the Gu Clan's ancestral land.
Within the ancestral land, ancient figures awakened one after another. Dragging broken, decayed bodies, they said nothing and simply threw themselves at Lin Zhan in silent fury. One by one, they fell to his halberd. Yet some managed to land grievous wounds on him.
When every last hidden reserve of the ancestral land had been exhausted, Su Chen bowed slightly toward the empty air ahead. He looked at Lin Zhan. Beneath his feet, a dense web of blood seals spread outward in every direction like a spider's net.
"Swear to defend the glory of the saint clan to the death!"
With frenzied roars shaking heaven and earth, Gu Clan warriors detonated themselves without hesitation. Countless streams of energy surged along the blood seals and poured into Su Chen.
At the center of the formation, a blood-red longsword took shape. Ancient mountain-and-river runes covered its blade, recording the entire history of the Gu Clan. The clan's inherited saint artifact—the Ancient Saint Sword!
Su Chen grasped the hilt. The power of the ancient saint revived within him. In this moment, Su Chen felt a strength unlike anything he had ever known.