Chapter 105: Witness of the Era (2) |
After losing their Great Saint ancestor and Quasi-Emperor weapon, the Yu Clan became prey in the eyes of the Central Continent's most powerful forces, led by the Emperor Palace. They joined hands to carve up the clan's resources and territory.
The once-glorious great clan declined rapidly. Yet Yu Shukuang—their divine physique prodigy—had vanished without a trace. No further news emerged of the Emperor Scripture either.
Su Chen felt a trace of regret. Yu Shukuang's survival meant the Spirit Communion Emperor Scripture's whereabouts remained unknown. Should that ancient existence ever seize control of such an unparalleled divine physique and start anew, the consequences would be catastrophic.
When Su Chen left the scripture pavilion, he received a summons from this life's father—the current patriarch of the Wang Clan.
"My so-called ‘older brother’—the one with Great Emperor qualifications, Wang Yunfei—has returned?"
Su Chen was mildly surprised. In his memory of this life, Wang Yunfei had rarely set foot in the Wang Clan since the age of ten. Su Chen himself had only met this legendary brother a handful of times.
To Wang Chen, Wang Yunfei had always been a figure of awe and myth—more legend than family. His image remained hazy and distant.
Su Chen arrived at the clan's grand hall. There he saw the fabled Wang Yunfei.
A figure of pure gold stood at the center of the hall. Ancient dragon patterns shimmered faintly along the sleeves of his robe. His features bore some resemblance to Su Chen, yet where Su Chen's demeanor was calm as still water, Wang Yunfei radiated absolute dominance. A faint golden divine mark flickered between his brows. With every breath he took, the laws of heaven and earth seemed to tremble in response.
That was Su Chen's most immediate impression. What truly stunned him, however, was the unshakable belief radiating from Wang Yunfei—an invincible conviction. He carried the absolute self-assurance that no peer in the world could stand against him. This unyielding faith surpassed anything Su Chen had witnessed across nine lifetimes.
In nine cycles of reincarnation, Su Chen had encountered countless divine physique prodigies—some of whom had already stepped into the starry void. None of them could compare to the sheer presence Wang Yunfei exuded.
Wang Yunfei also noticed Su Chen's arrival. The corners of his mouth lifted in a faint smile.
"Little Chen, you've come."
Though the words carried warmth, Su Chen clearly sensed the truth beneath them: this was merely the pity a supreme being felt toward someone weaker—someone who happened to be his own younger brother. From beginning to end, not a single ripple of genuine emotion had stirred in Wang Yunfei's eyes.
‘This is a domineering, heartless man. In his world, there are only two kinds of people: enemies and defeated foes.’
Su Chen gave a slight nod. "Greetings, Elder Brother."
The two exchanged brief formalities.
The clan elders, filled with curiosity, asked why Wang Yunfei had returned to the family at this time.
Wang Yunfei answered calmly. "I came back because the Emperor Palace has arranged a marriage for me. In the near future, I will wed Fan Qingyin. From that day forward, the Wang Clan, the Emperor Palace, and the Fan Clan will be bound together as eternal allies."
The elders exchanged astonished glances, then broke into delighted smiles.
The Fan Clan was another transcendent power in the Central Continent, once on par with the Yu Clan. Though it had declined from its peak, it had still produced a Quasi-Emperor in its history and remained one of the continent's foremost great clans.
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Fan Qingyin—Central Continent's number one beauty—was herself a divine physique genius. Her suitors numbered in the tens of thousands. A marriage alliance between the Wang Clan and the Fan Clan was undoubtedly a joyous event.
"There is one more matter."
Wang Yunfei continued. "I have already spoken with the Emperor Palace. They have agreed to allow me to bring one person into the palace for cultivation. In the future, that person will serve as my left and right arm—a general capable of standing beside me to reign supreme across the starry void."
The elders' expressions lit up with unrestrained joy.
The Emperor Palace was the undisputed strongest force in the Central Continent, with no exceptions. Even ordinary divine or sacred physique prodigies had no right to enter its gates. Every single cultivator who walked out of the Emperor Palace was destined to dominate an entire era. Its foundation was on a level the Wang Clan could never hope to match.
Su Chen remained silent, observing everything with calm detachment.
Yet Wang Yunfei paid no attention to the elders' delighted expressions. He turned directly toward Su Chen.
"Little Chen, are you willing to follow me to the Emperor Palace for cultivation?"
Under the gazes of Wang Yunfei and every elder in the hall, Su Chen shook his head.
"I am not willing."
The hall fell into stunned silence. Even a flicker of surprise passed through Wang Yunfei's usually impassive eyes.
The Wang Clan patriarch—this life's father, Wang Yaochen—immediately rebuked him sharply.
"Nonsense! An opportunity to cultivate in the Emperor Palace is something countless people can only dream of! You are Yunfei's younger brother—that is the only reason you were granted this chance. A once-in-a-lifetime fortune like this, and you dare refuse?"
Wang Yaochen's voice trembled with urgency. He had been the one to raise the suggestion with Wang Yunfei in the first place. Wang Yunfei had spent considerable effort and resources to bend the Emperor Palace's ironclad rules and secure this single slot. For his youngest son to reject it so flatly—how could Wang Yaochen not panic?
Su Chen remained unmoved. Facing the hall full of expressions—some gloating, some disappointed, some anxious and furious—he spoke calmly.
"The chance to cultivate in the Emperor Palace is indeed excellent. But it is not suitable for me. I, Wang Chen, am also a genius of the Wang Clan. I do not wish to spend my entire life living in my brother's shadow. I want to walk my own path."
What a joke. Entering the Emperor Palace?
Su Chen didn't even need to think twice—he knew nothing good would come of it.
To spend the rest of his life as Wang Yunfei's follower?
Even if this man was his elder brother in this life, Su Chen refused. Whatever the Emperor Palace could offer him, he did not need. Whatever he truly lacked, the Emperor Palace could never provide. And worst of all, stepping inside meant placing himself under the constant surveillance of those terrifying existences.
The others in the hall did not understand the real reason behind Su Chen's refusal. But his words rang out like a thunderclap. The grand hall fell deathly quiet. One by one, the gazes upon him began to change—shock, admiration, newfound respect.
For the first time, a genuine emotion appeared in Wang Yunfei's otherwise still eyes.
Appreciation.
He had always viewed this younger brother as little more than a blood relation—someone he would protect out of familial duty, but never someone he truly valued.
Now, after hearing those words, Wang Yunfei looked at Su Chen with fresh eyes. For the first time, he felt something close to pride.
This… truly is my younger brother.
Wang Yunfei gave a slight nod.
"I will wait for the day you forge your own path. From now on, I, Wang Yunfei, will no longer shelter you. You are my brother—you must carry the same invincible belief that I do. Little Chen… I will be waiting for you on the road to becoming a Saint."
Su Chen smiled.
"Very well."
Wang Yaochen watched the exchange, his heart filled with both pride and melancholy. His eldest son, Wang Yunfei, possessed talent so monstrous it appeared only once in tens of thousands of years. He was proud beyond measure of Yunfei.
But his youngest son was also his own flesh and blood. Wang Chen had always lived in Wang Yunfei's shadow—how could Wang Yaochen not know? Yet living in the shadow was still better than dying. Now… his youngest son had finally grown up.
Wang Yunfei's wedding to Fan Qingyin was set for ten years from now.
Su Chen, too, made his decision. He would leave the Wang Clan. He would journey across the five domains, challenging the geniuses of every land. He would retrace the martial path once more—fusing every technique and insight he had gathered across lifetimes into a single, unique road of his own. He would complete what he had failed to achieve in his previous life. He would become a Saint.
Of course, he had other goals as well. To see if old acquaintances still lived. To search for any lingering clues about the Spirit Divine King. So Su Chen departed the Wang Clan alone, without fanfare.
A single white horse.
A jug of strong wine.
A plain green robe.
A three-foot azure sword.
He walked the five domains.