Chapter 862: The Shamans Reappear
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
'O endless galaxy, I want to praise the great Little Devious Su. His deviousness is a light that the galaxy cannot conceal. His deviousness is a dream that all manner of lives in the world cannot hope to obtain.
'O boundless universe, I want to praise the Little Devious Su who is even greater than me. His deviousness can conceal the universe and cause the galaxy to turn black. His deviousness can cover all manner of living, causing all the people's hair to turn black [1].
'His deviousness also symbolizes my determination. Little Devious Su… continue showing off your devious nature and infect all manner of lives with your deviousness. I will be by your side and walk down this black path…'
The bald crane looked at Su Ming's back with a pious expression as it followed behind him. During that moment, it looked up to Su Ming with unparalleled admiration. In fact, in its eyes, Su Ming was a light that would point it towards the peak of the path to get even more crystals.
The bald crane was almost in tears. Those tears were due to it being touched, to have found someone walking down the same path, and the excitement of having its ideals resonate with someone else now that it had found someone who was even more devious than itself.
The bald crane's excited thoughts and musings echoed in Su Ming's mind. No one else could hear them, but Su Ming still felt odd. He let out a fake cough, and under Yu Chen Hai's invitation, stepped into the Relocation Rune with him.
Yu Luo and the old man were naturally taken away by the other two people. As the Relocation Rune shone with a brilliant light, booming sounds echoed in space, and the people disappeared.
Su Ming might seemed to have left with them in a relaxed manner, but he had not relaxed his guard even a single bit. At the instant the Rune was activated, he had made preparations to attack immediately if anything went wrong.
After all, to other people, the manifestation of Su Ming's level of cultivation was rather indistinct. He seemed like he was in the initial stage, but also like he was in the middle stage of World Plane Realm, and they were unable to tell which was the truth. Unless someone had witnessed Su Ming engaged with another person in a battle of Arts with their own eyes or saw him bring out all his power in the form of pressure, they could only guess his level of cultivation based on what they could sense.
Even the old man who had been sealed and extorted could not tell what Su Ming's actual level of cultivation was. He could only guess that Su Ming might be in the later stage of World Plane Realm, but he could not be certain about it.
It was much less so for Yu Chen Hai, which was why it had become Su Ming's hidden tactic. Once he fused with Divine Essence, he could execute the terrifying power of those in the later stage of World Plane Realm.
This was also one of the powers he possessed that made him dare come to Black Ink Planet.
The light from the Relocation Rune blocked his field of vision, and as the light gradually faded away, Su Ming sensed the power from the Relocation Rune reverberating in space. The booming sounds in his ears gradually became weaker, and at that moment, Su Ming immediately spread his Atman.
The world around him instantly appeared in his mind.
They were in a towering hall that had nine pillars of crouching dragons around them. On each pillar was a person sitting cross-legged. There was no aura spreading out from these nine people, which made it seem as if they were dead.
Su Ming did not sense any danger, but he did not pull back his Atman. When the light from the Relocation Rune completely disappeared from his eyes and their figures showed up in the hall, Su Ming lowered his head to look at the ground beneath his feet.
There was a complicated Relocation Rune on the entire floor, and he could vaguely see the word Jade [2] written indistinctly at one point. Su Ming could not see anything else wrong in the other areas of the Rune, but he did not know much about Runes. If Hu Zi was in this place, he would definitely be able to tell with just one look where the core of the Rune lay.
"Welcome to the Yu Family." Yu Chen Hai remained friendly. When he spoke with a smile at Su Ming, he extended his right hand to show him the way forward.
"Brother Su, I will take you to where you can rest first. I still have some things to discuss with you later. This way, please!" As he spoke, Yu Chen Hai became the first to walk out of the Rune. Su Ming nodded in agreement. As he walked out, he swept his gaze across the nine people who were sitting cross-legged around the Rune.
"These people are the guards of the Rune. They practice a unique cultivation method and do not have any signs of life about them. The only thing remaining in them is the aura of death, but each of them can bring out the power equivalent to those in the middle stage of World Plane Realm." Yu Chen Hai smiled faintly and offered an explanation. It was not without the intention to show off.
"This place is where your family is located, so it's only natural that you do so." Su Ming's expression remained as calm as ever. Yu Chen Hai did not notice that a barely noticeable glint had appeared in Su Ming's eyes when he looked towards the nine people just now.
Perhaps other people could not find any clues about them, but Su Ming… had sensed a hint of the Shamans' presence from these nine people!
These nine people did not practice any unique cultivation methods. They were Shaman Puppets that only Soul Catchers could create!
'Just what level of cultivation had these Shamans reached to be able to create Shaman Puppets at the middle stage of World Plane Realm…' When Su Ming averted his gaze, he suddenly found that he no longer felt that Black Ink Planet was an unfamiliar place. Instead, he found a sense of familiarity to it.
This did not mean that he had come to this place before, but because he had sensed the Shamans' presence.
'I didn't expect that there would be Shamans in this place. Why would they be here? This race was born after branching out and evolving from the Berserkers… That's right, the Berserkers were once one of the alien races in the fifth True World.
'There are plenty of other alien races within the vast Divine Essence Star Ocean beyond Black Ink Planet… Perhaps there are also Shamans there!
'By the looks of it, the first God of Berserkers, Lie Shan Xiu, should have been the first person to venture out and search for the entrance to the fifth True World. Then… could he also be in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence? If he is, then… is he alive or dead? Is he on Black Ink Planet, or could he be in Divine Essence Star Ocean?' Su Ming had made many connections between various thoughts from the Shaman Puppets.
All these things caused him to develop great interest towards Black Ink Planet. It also seemed to have formed a connection with the land of Berserkers in his memories.
He stopped pondering over the matter. At the moment he walked out of the hall, he saw blue sky and white clouds. This was the first time he had seen such a blue piece of sky in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence.
Most of the sky in the other cultivation planets was dark and dim. Even those planets that did not have a dark sky would have muddled and clouded colors above. Only the sky in this place was as blue as a piece of silk, so people could not help it but look up.
A gentle breeze lifted Su Ming's hair. The wind was refreshing, and there was even a spiritual aura contained within it. With one breath, it felt as if all pores in his body had been opened up. It had been a long time since Su Ming had felt this sort of wind against his skin.
This was a completely different place compared to all the other planets in the four Great True Worlds. This was… like paradise.
There was a smile on Yu Chen Hai's face at that moment. He might seem calm, but in truth, when Su Ming walked out of the Rune, he had been observing him. He might not have been able to see the glint in Su Ming's eyes when the other looked towards the nine puppets, but he had seen him looking at the sky and taking that one breath instinctively.
These were just minor details, but Yu Chen Hai had always believed that minor details could determine everything. From these details, he was certain by seven-tenths that this was the first time Su Ming came to Black Ink Planet.
Su Ming sucked in a deep breath and said slowly, "This place is completely different from all the other planets I've gone to."
More accurately speaking, Su Ming had never been to a normal planet. He had previously been in Yin Death Region and was later sent to the Barren Lands of Divine Essence. All the planets he went to were barren wastelands. It could be said that Black Ink Planet… was the first planet Su Ming had ever stepped into.
"Brother Su, since you've decided to stay in Black Ink Planet, then you will be a cultivator in Black Ink Planet from now on. You can have everything here permanently." Yu Chen Hai smiled and became even more certain in his heart that this was the first time Su Ming had come to this place.
"Brother Su, let us head to your lodgings first. I still have some things I would like to discuss with you."
Su Ming nodded and averted his gaze from the sky to follow Yu Chen Hai into the distance. Wherever he went, there would be tall towers all around. As Su Ming sent his Atman outwards, he found that were quite a number of places that repelled his presence. His true level of cultivation was not as high as his physical body's, that was why his Atman was much weaker than of those that belonged to the later stage of World Plane Realm. Once he scanned the area, he pulled back his Atman and no longer looked around.
This simple scan had allowed Su Ming to see that this was a gigantic manor, and it was built on a flat piece of land. There were faint figures of lush, green mountains in the distance.
Soon, Yu Chen Hai stopped next to a small courtyard, outside a double-story tower.
"Brother Su, please treat this place as your temporarily lodgings for now. I will go report to the older generation of the family that you are my temporary guest. If everything goes smoothly, then I will be able to help you obtain the plate immediately, but if things don't go smooth… then you will need to be tested. I will have to trouble you for this. I hope you will not mind." Yu Chen Hai wrapped his fist in his palm and bowed towards Su Ming. His expression remained sincere.
"This won't take long. A decision will be made by sunset. During the process, try not to venture out. I hope you won't mind this offence.
"As for the one… one billion crystals, I will ask someone to handle this. Soon, someone should be here to give you the crystals." Yu Chen Hai was worried that Su Ming would be displeased and provided detailed explanations.
"I will remain in the room." Su Ming cast Yu Chen Hai a glance. He did not harbor any dislike towards this person, and since he had been polite all this while, Su Ming nodded.
When he saw Su Ming agreeing to stay in his room, Yu Chen Hai smiled and bowed to him before turning around to leave.
Su Ming stepped into the courtyard but did not enter the tower. Instead, he sat down cross-legged on the grass. It was quiet all around him. Occasionally, a gentle breeze would blow past him. He looked at the sky as if he was meditating, but also seemed to be deep in thought. Gradually, he forgot about the flow of time.
The Duke of Crimson Flame manifested beside him and bent his body slightly, keeping a vigilant eye on the surroundings.
The bald crane was lying by Su Ming's feet. Its eyes were moving about, though no one knew what it was thinking about. However, from the occasional drop of saliva that would fall from its beak, all those who saw it would definitely be able to tell that it was definitely thinking about something related to crystals.
Xiao Huang was still sleeping in Su Ming's storage bag, but all of its injuries had already healed, and it should wake up soon.
Two hours later, the Duke of Crimson Flame's eyes sparkled, and its body gradually turned indistinct. However, its gaze was fixed on the door to the courtyard. After a moment, the sound of knocking on the door could be heard. Su Ming lifted his right hand and swung it, opening the door to the courtyard. A young man walked in. He was one of the two people who had followed Yu Chen Hai previously. There was an incredibly respectful look on his face. Once he placed a wooden box and a storage bag before Su Ming respectfully, he bowed and left.
The eyes of the bald crane immediately went wide, and it charged towards the storage bag in excitement, but before it even got close to it, the storage bag flew up on its own and landed on Su Ming's palm.
When the bald crane saw that the storage bag was taken by Su Ming, it changed directions and pounced on the wooden box to quickly open it. At the instant it did so, a bloody stench spread out, for there was a human head contained within it.
It was the head that belonged to the old man who had promised Su Ming the crystals.
Su Ming cast a glance at the head, then scanned the storage bag with his Atman.
"Seventeen million crystals. Is this all his money?" Su Ming put away the storage bag and ignored the bald crane who was giving him a bitter look. He closed his eyes and meditated.
'Damn it, so many crystals… What should I do? What should I do..?' When the bald crane saw that Su Ming was not paying any attention to it, it immediately clenched its teeth in anger.
Darkness gradually covered the sky. The bright, blue sky that stretched to the ends of the horizon just one moment ago was soon hidden by dark clouds. When the sun was about to set, there were numerous dark clouds above.
When the muffled sound of thunder rang through the air, it looked as if rain was about to pour.
Su Ming opened his eyes. When he looked at the sky, the door to the courtyard was pushed open, and Yu Chen Hai walked in with an incredibly sullen expression.
"Brother Su, these are the crystals I promised you. They've gone overboard! I'm not hosting the auction anymore!" Yu Chen Hai brought out a storage bag. He was feeling incredibly resentful at the moment, and if he had not been suppressing his emotions continuously just now, he would have burst out a long time ago.
"Calm down." When Su Ming said these words calmly, he averted his gaze from the sky, and his eyes met Yu Chen Hai's.
Translator's Notes:
1. In the original version, Su Ming is actually supposed to be Little Black Su, which means that he has a black heart, but it doesn't mean that he is evil or emotionally cold, per say, just means that he is devious, which is why you have that turn everyone's hair black thing. It basically means that he is so devious that he's turning everything black.
2. Jade in the Rune: Jade is written as 玉, and it is the meaning of the Yu family name.
Chapter 863: Swallow's Feathers
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Yu Chen Hai had been in a gloomy mood originally, but after he cast Su Ming a look, it was as if everything before his eyes had disappeared, and the only thing that remained was the other's eyes.
The sun, moon, and stars were contained within his eyes. The three celestial bodies grew larger in Yu Chen Hai's eyes before completely replacing his world, making him feel as if he was in a galaxy. There, he was as insignificant as an ant. When he was compared to the galaxy, all of his frustrations became insignificant; they were not worth feeling frustrated over.
At that moment, he could see snow floating down within the galaxy formed by the sun, moon, and stars. It made him feel that everything was so hazy that it felt unreal. However, when that snow landed on his body, the chill spreading out from it made him feel as if he was in an ice cave that would last for eternity. He felt a frigid cold fill his entire body and heart. That cold did not chill him to the bone, but froze his body and even soul for a moment.
That pause calmed his heart, and Yu Chen Hai sucked in a deep breath. He instinctively took a few steps back, and when he looked at Su Ming again, the other had already shut his eyes.
Yu Chen Hai was then unable to tell whether he had recovered from being frozen because Su Ming had closed his eyes or because he had freed himself from it. Even though that feeling just now had disappeared without a trace, Yu Chen Hai believed he absolutely had not mistaken what he sensed. There was definitely something abnormal about Su Ming, or else he would not have been able to make him lose his composure with just one glance.
In fact, he had felt that his soul and his body had been separated from each other during that instant just then. If Su Ming had wanted to bring him harm, then Yu Chen Hai would have definitely been unable to fight back. He would have been at Su Ming's mercy.
Cold sweat broke out on his forehead. When Yu Chen Hai looked at Su Ming again, wariness rose in his heart. As he wrapped his fist in his palm towards Su Ming, he lowered his head and said softly, "I lost my composure, thank you for waking me up, Brother Su."
Yu Chen Hai might have been courteous with Su Ming earlier, but that courteous attitude had been one that was used between equals. However, when he spoke at that moment, even he did not notice that he had clearly placed himself at a lower position.
Sometimes, there was no need for people to attack to show their strength. One glance and a few simple words would be enough to garner respect from others.
"Sit," Su Ming said in that flat tone.
Yu Chen Hai sucked in a deep breath and sat down cross-legged before Su Ming. In his eyes, Su Ming was now completely different. That calmness within him was one that would not be shaken even if the sky collapsed and the ground shattered. Yu Chen Hai could sense it incredibly well.
"I have made a fool of myself. I made a promise to you earlier, but it made me come under the suspicion of the other branches of the family. They want to hold the Three Gates of Heavenly Dao test on you, which only a few of even the true guests of the family would be able to pass.
"And they will definitely not allow you to pass the test. If it wasn't because the lineage with the family ancestor's blood mostly doesn't care about the matters in the world and have ventured in Divine Essence Star Ocean, these people wouldn't dare to oppress you in such a straightforward manner. They were so unfair, and that was what caused my anger," Yu Chen Hai explained with a bitter laugh.
Dark clouds filled the sky at that moment. As the muffled sounds of thunder roared in the air, huge drops of rain poured down, causing dust fog to rise from the ground. However, before this dust fog could rise into the air, it was immediately struck back down once more, until no dust dared to rise up.
Su Ming did not speak. He looked at the dust, watched the rain mercilessly pouring down from the sky, and witnessed the downfall of the dust fog. After some time, he cast his gaze at Yu Chen Hai.
"What is fair, and what is unfair?" Su Ming asked calmly.
"That is…" Yu Chen Hai was momentarily stunned.
"The height of mountains is not the same, hence it is unfair for them. The ground is not completely flat, hence it is also unfair. All manner of lives are not equal, so it is unfair for them as well. The length of the rivers is not the same, hence it is unfair for them too. Planets rise and fall, and even for galaxies, there is no such thing as equality. So then, how would you think of obtaining fairness?
"Fairness has never existed in the world. This so called fairness is just a form of mercy from the strong to the weak. It's a form of self pity of the weak as they bemoan their own fate," Su Ming said lightly. When those words landed in Yu Chen Hai's ears, his heart started trembling. This sort of theory and words overturned his way of thinking. They formed an impact that caused his breathing to become slightly quicker.
"Look at the dust fog. The fog is like a person's life, and the might of heavens is like its life. The unknown is the rain, and when it falls onto the ground, the dust will first rise into the air, then will fall back.
"Is this fair?" he asked flatly.
Yu Chen Hai was momentarily stunned. When he turned his head back to look at the falling rain, he was silent for a moment, then looked like he had come to an understanding.
The rain poured down from the sky without end, but there were several black spots in the horizon in the distance. Those were swallows that had not been able to find shelter from the rain in time. They struggled in the rain, and because their wings were drenched, it became incredibly difficult for them to fly, and they seemed as if they were about to plunge down at any moment.
There was one swallow that flew to the area near the courtyard with great effort. Just as it was about to fall, Su Ming lifted his right hand and swung it in the air before him. Immediately, the swallow trembled, and its feathers were no longer wet. It was as if an empty space had appeared around it, preventing the rain from entering it, and so the falling body of the swallow drew a beautiful arc once again before it landed in the eaves of the courtyard around the tower where Su Ming stayed.
"This swallow seeks shelter in the rain, but the rain falls continuously, and it cannot fight against it. Is this fair?" When Su Ming asked calmly, while Yu Chen Hai remained silent.
"I helped it and allowed it to avoid falling in the rain, so it could hide under the eaves, but the other swallows do not share its serendipity. Is this fair?" Su Ming looked at Yu Chen Hai.
"Brother Su, do you mean that I am the dust fog, and the older generation of my family is the rain that is the might of heavens, so when the rain falls to make me sink into the ground, this is unfair to me?
After a moment, Yu Chen Hai hesitated for a moment then asked, "The swallows in the rain are also like the competitors in the Yu Family..? Brother Su, please give me a straight answer, what do you mean?" He was a little unclear of what Su Ming was thinking. He had some form of understanding in his heart, but it was not very clear.
Su Ming's expression was calm. He did not answer Yu Chen Hai's words, but instead lifted his right hand to seize the air in the direction of the eaves. Immediately, the swallow he had protected just now was captured and brought into his hand. The swallow did not dare to struggle, but it was shivering.
"I chose to help it instead of the other swallows because it was the closest to me, and because… I liked this feather on its body." Su Ming lifted a feather from the swallow's body with his left hand. With a light tug, he plucked it off. There was a hint of blood at the root of the feather.
He loosened his grip over the swallow, and it immediately flew back under the eaves while shivering nonstop.
Su Ming looked at the feather in his left hand and brought it closer to Yu Chen Hai. His face remained as impassive as ever, and not a hint of emotion could be detected on it. It was as if he was ruthless, but also gentle. When Yu Chen Hai caught sight of it, his heart trembled. He sensed a hint of a devilish and mystifying air about Su Ming, and a chill ran down his spine.
"Fellow Daoist Yu… do you still need my help?" Su Ming smiled faintly and brought the feather before Yu Chen Hai.
Yu Chen Hai fell silent at the sight of that smile, but a moment later, he gritted his teeth and took the feather before standing up and bowing towards Su Ming.
"If you can help me during the auction to become the most striking presence, then I am willing to become that swallow. If there is anything that you need, I will do my best to fulfill your wishes."
As he smiled, Su Ming stood up and patted his clothes before walking towards the door to the courtyard.
"Fairness does not exist in the universe. The only things that exist are deals made under this unfair situation. Let's go. If they want to test me, then I will take the test."
…..
"The Three Gates of Heavenly Dao Art weren't from the four Great True Worlds or even from Sinful Barren Lands. Instead, it came from an alien race known as the Gate of Dao from Divine Essence Star Ocean.
"It's said that this is a divine ability unique to those of that race. They can bring up never-ending illusions, and there is only one main point to their Art: As long as you believe it, it will exist.
"I don't know how to say this clearly either. The Art and the materials to cast it were all obtained by coincidence by those of the older generation from Divine Essence Star Ocean. They could only activate it slightly after many years of research, and it is the test used for the guests who want to be promoted to guest elders within the Yu Family.
"As long as they pass at least one gate, then they can become a guest elder. From what I remember, five guests have managed to pass the test.
"Four of them managed to pass the first Gate of Heavenly Dao, while only one managed to pass the second gate. There has never been a guest who passed the third gate.
"The Three Gates of Heavenly Dao are also what the members of the Yu Family must go through once they reach a certain level of cultivation. However, over the course of numerous years, only eleven people in the Yu Family have passed the first and second gates with different results. Progenitor Yu Ci was the only one who passed through the third gate eight thousand years ago."
There were numerous towers all around them. In the mid of the area made indistinct by the rain, Su Ming walked in front while Yu Chen Hai gave him directions from the side while describing the Three Gates of Heavenly Dao Art. He was still worried, but he felt much better than before.
He had originally thought that Su Ming would not accept the Three Gates Heavenly Dao test, and even if he accepted it, he would most likely not succeed. After all, there had been numerous guests within the Yu Family over the years, but only five people had succeeded.
Most of those did not care much about the world and would isolate themselves to meditate throughout the year. As for the guests who were more active in the family… none of them had managed to pass the Three Gates of Heavenly Dao and could not become guest elders. They could only remain as guests. However, the difference between the rights and resources of guests and guest elders could not be compared.
The request from the older generation from the other lineages was a form of unconcealed suppression in Yu Chen Hai's eyes, but he was unwilling to accept it. That was why when he went to Su Ming's place, he had been furious. Most of his sullenness had been just a show, though, his goal being stimulating Su Ming into taking the test. In fact, he had already prepared a series of words as a follow-up to continue stirring up his target.
However, he did not expect that with just a few words and one gaze, Su Ming had caused his heart to tremble. It was as if everything had become different. Even though Su Ming agreeing to take the test was in alignment with his goal, the change in the process had left Yu Chen Hai feeling like he was on the passive end.
That faint ghostly smile Su Ming had while he plucked the feather off the swallow's body had especially shaken Yu Chen Hai's heart. It was a devilish air that could not be described with words. He did not know whether it had been the right… or the wrong decision to bring Su Ming to the Yu Family.
As complicated thoughts ran through his head, Su Ming's footsteps came to a halt. Yu Chen Hai immediately cast his thoughts away. Instinctively, he had brought Su Ming to an incredibly big square among the numerous towers.
Almost at the instant the two of them arrived, the square distorted as if the universe was moving in reverse and the mountains as well as the rivers were moving. In an instant, the towers around them disappeared along with the square without a trace. What appeared before them was a tall mountain.
That mountain towered over them. It did not look like a mountain, though, but a gigantic statue instead. The summit looked like a head which had long hair falling down its shoulders. It looked as a hideous malicious spirit. The body of the mountain was its body, and it stood sideways to them. The right hand was lifted in the air, and there was a gigantic bat about to fly out on its palm!
From the distance, it looked like a giant was looking down from the summit, half of its body revealed by the side. In fact, since the mountain was a mix of blue and white, it was not that different from the colors of the sky, and at first glance… it was as if the mountain and sky were one, so people might confuse the two as they looked up or straight before them. It was as if the mountain was there, but was not at the same time. What existed was only that gigantic, hideous ghost that had the side of its body turned towards them.
"This is… Dao Avenue Mountain."
At the instant Yu Chen Hai whispered that to Su Ming, several divine thoughts came from the mountain in an incredibly domineering manner. Without any hesitation, they pressed down on Su Ming with an awe-inspiring might that belonged to those who considered themselves superior.
"Cultivator from the world outside, it is your fortune to see Dao Avenue Mountain, now kowtow three times to worship the mountain!"
Su Ming lifted his head, a freezing glare shining in his eyes.
Chapter 864: Dao Avenue's Voice
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"Even if I have yet to perfect my Dao, I am not in the habit of easily worshiping anyone." A freezing light shone in Su Ming's eyes. He let out a cold harrumph before he took a step forward.
Since he was going to take Yu Family's test and wanted to blend into Black Ink Planet as fast as possible, he needed a pivot point. This pivot point was the Yu Family and Yu Chen Hai.
With them, he could step straight into the ranks of the cultivators of Black Ink Planet, and his status would also change to someone from the planet instead of an outsider. Once that happened, it would be easier for Su Ming to search for clues about the bald crane. It could also allow him to obtain more answers towards why the Shamans were in this place.
That was why Su Ming chose to help Yu Chen Hai.
In the face of the provocation, he chose to no longer keep a low profile and instead decided to flaunt his abilities within a certain limit. With a cold snort, he took a step forward, and a powerful will erupted swiftly from his body with a bang. That will was born from Su Ming's soul, and it had nothing to do with his cultivation base. This was the monstrous will that had been born when he fought head-on against Ecang's will and forcefully Possessed it.
Will is born from the soul, and divine thought is born from cultivation base. These two are different, but in terms of nature, they are both without form yet the will can create a mighty pressure.
In terms of divine thought, Su Ming could not hope to fight against those that were pressing down on him, but in terms of will, these people were like the light of a firefly compared to Su Ming. They were overestimating their strength by daring to fight against the bright light of the moon.
As Su Ming's will erupted forth, an invisible form of resistance swept through the area in all directions from where he was during that instant. The air around him distorted, and ripples spread out intensely from where he was. The one step Su Ming took forward caused the weather to change and the sky to dim.
As booming sounds spread through the area, the divine thoughts that had come to push down on him immediately fell backwards.
Yu Chen Hai was following behind Su Ming. Once he witnessed all this, his breathing quickened, and when he looked towards Su Ming, there was shock and extreme joy within his gaze. He had valued Su Ming greatly since the beginning, and after the scene with the swallow in the rain, he had also become respectful of him. However, all of these could not be compared to the shock he felt at the moment.
After all, this was the first time he saw Su Ming attack!
He knew clearly the levels of cultivation possessed by those of the older generation who had sent those divine thoughts towards Su Ming just now, and it was precisely because he knew of this that he had been shocked by his strength.
Almost at the moment the divine thoughts around Su Ming tumbled backwards, low shouts immediately came from Dao Avenue Mountain. Five figures turned into five long arcs and charged towards Su Ming.
As they came over, divine abilities instantly manifested in the area, having been executed by the five people. Due to those abilities, it people seemed like they had turned into sharp swords. Instantly, their killing intent spread out in all directions.
"Needless to say, once I perfect my Dao, you will not have the right to make me worship anything. Even this Dao Avenue Mountain does not have the right to make me worship it," Su Ming said lightly and took a second step. At the instant he did so, the palm contained in his left eye shone.
Boom!
The sky changed, and a gigantic palm appeared and came charging down at the ground. This might have seemed to have occurred over a long period of time, but in truth, in the blink of an eye, that palm had already crashed into the five people's divine abilities.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Violent gusts of wind swept through the area, and the world trembled. The gigantic palm that Su Ming had formed disappeared into the sky, and a violent jolt wrecked the five people who were rushing towards him. Their bodies froze in midair for an instant, and they came to a complete halt. Their faces were then revealed. They were five old men whose gazes alternated between shock and bewilderment while their faces radiated sullenness.
As for Su Ming, when booming sounds echoed in the air and the gigantic palm disappeared, he took three steps back. With each step, the ground would tremble, and when he took his third step back, a dash of red appeared on his cheeks.
Three of the five were at the peak of the middle stage of World Plane, one had attained great completion of the middle stage, and the last of them was even halfway through to reaching the later stage. The combined attack of these five people was equivalent to an attack of a cultivator in the later stage of World Plane Realm.
It might have seemed like Su Ming had gotten the short end of the stick, but the shock Yu Chen Hai experienced was incomparable. He clearly knew that the five people from the older generation in his family had worked together to fight against Su Ming's divine ability. They might have seemed to have gained the upper hand, but in truth, it was only on the surface. While Su Ming might have stepped back, he had not been injured in the slightest, and it was a telling sign of how strong he was.
When Yu Chen Hai saw that the five people from the older generation had become wary of Su Ming while they remained in midair with sullen expressions on their faces, a myriad of thoughts flickered through his mind. He then took a few steps forward and immediately spoke.
"Progenitors, what is the meaning of this?! You were the ones who mentioned that you wanted to test senior Su. Now that I've brought our guest here, you're preventing him from taking it! I might be of the younger generation in the family, but I do know that there is a clear mention of this within the rules of our family!"
As Yu Chen Hai spoke, he addressed Su Ming as a senior. While keeping a low profile, he intentionally raised Su Ming's status. As his words echoed in the air coldly, the five people in the sky let out cold harrumphs. Hesitance had appeared in their hearts due to Su Ming's strength, which was why they had decided to use what Yu Chen Hai had said as an excuse to not attack. An old man with white hair among them cast Su Ming a profound look before he pointed towards Dao Avenue Mountain.
"Sir, since you want to challenge the Three Gates of Heavenly Mountain, then by all means go on ahead. This place is the first gate!"
Su Ming had already used his power to demonstrate his level of cultivation, and it was a strength that left these five people apprehensive. They were no longer willing to continue making things difficult for him, much less mention the matter about wanting him to worship the mountain earlier.
To them, Su Ming challenging the Three Gates of Heavenly Dao was an extremely conceited act. Over the course of years, very few people had succeeded within the Yu Family. Even if he had extraordinary power, there had been others who had even higher levels of cultivation who had tried to challenge the Three Gates of Heavenly Da. In the end, there were only a few who succeeded, which was a telling sign that the deciding factor for clearing the Three Gates of Heavenly Dao did not lay in a person's level of cultivation.
In fact, they could already imagine how this person would walk out of Dao Avenue Mountain in an incredibly pathetic state before long. At that time, he would naturally know what it means to overestimate and humiliate oneself.
Su Ming cast a cold glance at Dao Avenue Mountain.
"This Dao Avenue Mountain originally did not belong to the Yu Family, but is something that came from Divine Essence Star Ocean. One of the Progenitors of our family had brought it back in the past. It has another name: Dao Avenue Receives Bats.
"That is the name for the first gate of the Three Gates of Heavenly Dao. There is a second gate after the first, and it is known as the Sun and Moon Shines Together.
"Senior, I will have to ask for your favor in this." Yu Chen Hai sucked in a deep breath and bowed deeply towards Su Ming.
Su Ming's expression remained calm. He averted his gaze from Dao Avenue Mountain and cast Yu Chen Hai a glance before he spoke flatly.
"It doesn't matter what sort of thoughts you harbor in your head, but do not forget the swallow's feather." Once he said that, he swung his arm and walked towards Dao Avenue Mountain. He moved swiftly, like a rainbow, and in an instant, he arrived at the mountain, then flew straight into the gaping mouth of the hideous ghost's face that was the summit.
Su Ming's words echoed in Yu Chen Hai's ears, and his heart froze. The voice seemed to have turned into a brand in his mind and refused to leave even after a long time. In the end, it turned into a purplish gold runic symbol that was left behind deep within his mind in the mid of his shock. It seemed like an illusion, but also felt real, and he could not distinguish whether it was real or fake.
As Su Ming disappeared into Dao Avenue Mountain, the five old men from Yu Family sat down cross-legged in the sky and completely ignored Yu Chen Hai. No one else came to this place; they were the only ones in the area.
Originally, challenging the Three Gates of Heavenly Dao was a huge matter in Yu Family, but as time passed and almost every single person who tried failed, it gradually turned into a decoration. If it had not been because the rules in the family stated that each member of the family must challenge the mountain once in their lives and if it was not the only path for guests to become guest elders, no one would even remember the existence of the Three Gates of Heavenly Dao.
Because of that, Su Ming's challenge of them that should have caught the Yu Family's attention only had a few people watching.
"This person will definitely fail and walk out within three days. We just need to wait here for three days."
"Three days? Even if he has extraordinary power, there were only a few, both from the guests and the family, who could last for more than ten days in the first gate. Some managed to continue to seven days, but most failed with a day, or even a half."
"This person can at most last one day."
"True. Based on past experiences, those who last for more than ten days are considered to have passed the first gate, and Dao Avenue's Voice will speak up, but since ancient times, very few have succeeded. This person had been really conceited just now, I wonder if he will still act the same way when he comes out."
As the five people spoke with cold sneers on their faces, Yu Chen Hai sat in the distance quietly and watched Dao Avenue Mountain with his heart filled with nervousness. He hoped that Su Ming would succeed, and that hope turned into a great desire in his heart.
As Yu Chen Hai waited, time trickled by. Two hours, four hours, six hours… Half a day passed. The expectation in Yu Chen Hai's eyes grew stronger. As his heart pounded against his chest, he kept his gaze fixed on Dao Avenue Mountain.
Gradually, when an entire day passed, the five old men's expressions changed, but they were still certain that Su Ming would not last for more than three days in the first gate.
However, this certainty in their hearts was shaken slightly when the second day passed.
"This person is quite remarkable. He actually managed to stay in there for two days, but he should be struggling in there right now. He won't last for more than three days!"
"Hmph. This is the strangeness of the first gate. The longer a person stays in there, the more changes will occur. Didn't we also last for nearly three days in the past? Just watch, when the sun sets tomorrow, this person will be unable to persevere."
When the third day passed, the excitement in Yu Chen Hai's heart had already reached its limit. Red filled his eyes, and his body trembled lightly. At that moment, it was as if there was a voice shouting excitedly in his heart.
'You have to succeed!' Yu Chen Hai's breathing quickened. Compared to his excitement, the expressions of the five men had turned incredibly dark.
That dark mood of theirs turned into shock and disbelief when the fourth day passed. At that time, they stood up swiftly.
This was because a shrill voice that was like the screech of a malicious ghost spread out in all directions from Dao Avenue Mountain.
This voice came from the ghost's mouth, and it hadn't been heard for several thousands of years. This voice... was Dao Avenue's Voice, and it meant that someone had cleared the First Gate of Heavenly Dao!
"Dao Avenue's Voice… This-this is impossible!"
The five people's disbelief and Yu Chen Hai's indescribable shock as well as extreme joy after being momentarily stunned became increasingly stronger as the ghost's voice echoed in the air.
At that moment, the weather changed and roars rose into the sky. All the members of the Yu Family heard the ghost's voice no matter what they were doing. In fact, some of the old monsters in the family that isolated themselves throughout the year to train opened their eyes.
In the span of a breath, numerous silhouettes charged over to Dao Avenue Mountain from all directions.
Chapter 865: Bat
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
In four days, Su Ming had made this sort of sound come out from Dao Avenue Mountain. This was something that had never happened before in the Yu Family. Most of those who cleared the first gate could only cause Dao Avenue's Voice to shout out after they had lasted for ten days.
Even the only Progenitor who had cleared all Three Gates of Heavenly Dao within the Yu Family had used seven days to bring out this sound.
When the voice rang out once again, it immediately caused a ruckus within the entire Yu Family. The silhouettes of people charged towards the place from all directions, and the five old men in the area sported changes in their expressions. The shock in their hearts caused their breathing to quicken slightly.
Only Yu Chen Hai clenched his fists excitedly.
"Who managed to clear the first gate out of the Three Gates of Heavenly Dao?!" At that moment, a buzzing sound reached them, and along with it was the first member of the Yu Family who had rushed over.
He was a middle-aged man who had a fair complexion and had no facial hair. He was dressed in a long gray robe, and his long hair was untied. He appeared from the air to stand before the five old men.
These five people immediately stood up and wrapped their fists in their palms to bow towards the middle-aged man.
"Greetings, Third Family Elder," the five people said at the same time as respect appeared on their faces. They might all be members of the Yu Family, and the middle-aged man before their eyes did not seem to be as old as they were, but these five people knew that the middle-aged man's true age was not to be known.
Several thousands of years ago, this person had appeared before them with this appearance. Now, thousands of years had passed, but he remained the same as he did in the past. Besides, even if they were older than he was, they would still have to be respectful towards him.
It was especially so since this middle-aged man looked almost identical to a certain ancestor within the family ancestral hall, which they would see every single time when they held the ceremony to offer sacrifices to their ancestors once every sixty years.
Even if this was not mentioned, just his status alone would similarly be able to make these five people unable to regard themselves as his equals. They had to be respectful towards him because he was the third family elder of the Yu Family.
That was why he was known as the Third Family Elder.
In the face of the middle-aged man's questions, the five people hesitated for a moment after they greeted him, but then still answered in low murmurs, not daring to hide anything. "The child of the family, Chen Hai, tried to obtain the support of somebody, and he agreed to come to this place to go through the Three Gates of Heavenly Dao to test."
"Hmm? When has the Yu Family ever needed our temporary guests to challenge the Three Gates of Heavenly Dao when the children of our family try to bring them to our side?" When the middle-aged man spoke lightly, he cast his gaze towards Yu Chen Hai, who had stood up a long time ago and had a respectful expression on his face.
"Greetings, Third Family Elder." Yu Chen Hai was feeling slightly anxious. With his rank in the family, he could not meet this middle-aged man on normal occasions. He could only see him in the distance when they held the ceremony to offer sacrifices to their ancestors. At that moment, he quickly knelt down on the ground.
"Oppressing others and fighting among the lineages. This is the interaction between all of you in the younger generation. I will not interfere with this… but using the Three Gates of Heavenly Dao… The five of you, after this, go and isolate yourselves. Do not let me see you for a thousand years," the middle-aged man said flatly, then directed his attention to Yu Chen Hai before speaking languidly towards him. "You are a descendant of Yu Mai's blood, correct?"
"Third Family Elder, I am indeed a descendant of Progenitor Yu Mai." Yu Chen Hai did not dare get up as he answered in a low murmur.
"Tell me what happened." The middle-aged man placed his hands behind his back and looked at Dao Avenue Mountain as he waited for Yu Chen Hai's words.
Yu Chen Hai quickly told him the entire process of how he came to know Su Ming, from the start right to the end. As he spoke, other people came one after another from all directions. When they saw the middle-aged man, looks of respect appeared on their faces and they bent their backs to greet him.
When Yu Chen Hai finished speaking, there were nearly one hundred members of Yu Family in the area. They had surrounded the two of them while listening to Yu Chen Hai recounting his tale.
The middle-aged man's expression remained as calm as before while he listened. When the tale was finished, he asked, "What is the name of the temporary guest you tried to bring to your side?"
"His name is Su Ming," Yu Chen Hai immediately answered in a low voice.
"Su Ming…" The middle-aged man didn't say anything more, but kept his gaze fixed on Dao Avenue Mountain.
"Within four days, you managed to make Dao Avenue's Voice appear. How did you do it..? I wonder if you will fail after this, or you will be able to make the Spirit Bat fly after a few days to bring out the second gate's phenomenon of the sun and moon shining at the same time." The middle-aged man remained calm as he spoke softly. He seemed to be mumbling to himself, but also seemed as if he was talking to the others beside him.
Time trickled by. The Third Family Elder's presence in the place caused Yu Chen Hai to be incredibly nervous, and it was the same for the other members of the family. Even the noise of the discussions wasn't present, so the place fell into a dead silence.
…..
Su Ming was sitting on an unbroken chain of mountains. When he looked over the area, he saw boundless land. Mountains rose and fell, and there were valleys everywhere as well as pieces of flatland.
Over here, he forgot the flow of time. He looked at the sky calmly, and the sun, moon, and stars in his eyes spun. The Illusionary Art he had come to understand on his own was executed to its limit during the past few days.
However… he still could not prevent his body from rotting away and being slowly destroyed. Most of his body, which was still in a seated position, had already decayed, to the point that there were only bones left.
From the moment Su Ming stepped into Dao Avenue Mountain, he had been sitting cross-legged in this place without moving. He did not sense any danger in this boundless world, and it was as if there was no threat that lay in this place.
However, he did not move an inch… because the ground, mountains, flatlands, valleys, and everything here had caused his heart to tremble at the moment he first saw them upon his arrival.
He was definitely the first cultivator who had recognized what this place was at first glance among all those who had challenged the first gate of Dao Avenue Mountain.
He recognized what this place was, because several years ago, he had seen the same thing with his own eyes when he was in the region where the forces of power from True Sacred Yin World were stationed. It was also because of this thing chasing after his life that the ten Ecang souls had burst forth from Western Ring Nebula's foreign land to fight against it in a great battle.
A Master of Fate, Lives, and Death!
The ground beneath his body was the palm of a Master of Fate, Lives, and Death. The mountain ranges were the palm lines, the flatlands were the empty spaces between the palm lines, and the valleys were the crevices caused by those palm lines.
However, this land was even bigger than the one he had seen in the past!
This made Su Ming remember the gigantic statue of the mountain when he was outside Dao Avenue Mountain - the existence that was akin to a ferocious ghost and the huge bat that could not fly out from its right hand.
The bat's color was black, just like the color of his body as he continued decaying.
"As long as you believe it, it will exist," Su Ming mumbled. These were the words Yu Chen Hai had told him. It was what the Yu Family had concluded based on the experiences they obtained. However, even if people learned of it beforehand, it was still of little use. There were very few from the Yu Family who managed to clear the first gate.
"There is a power that I've never come into contact with before surrounding this place. This power is very strong, and it's great enough to exist together with the universe…" Su Ming said softly as his body continued rotting away. As he spoke, the bones in the places they had decayed started disintegrating. From the distance, he looked as if he had turned into a bat.
A bat that could not fly out from a palm.
Chapter 866: As Long as You Believe
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Su Ming looked at the changes in his body calmly, taking noted of how he was turning into a bat as his body rotted away and disintegrated. He felt the wings rapidly growing out of his back, and with a whoosh, those wings unfolded behind him. Once they were stretched out, it showed up that they were hundreds of feet long. This gave Su Ming a strange, enchanting air.
'A bat…' He smiled faintly. This caused him to remember the Fire Berserkers and the Wings of the Moon, which he saw when he was still young.
'The outward appearance is rather similar, but what is inside is completely different.' Su Ming closed his eyes and did not bother about the changes in his body. He continued letting time pass by.
He had no idea how much time had passed, but when he opened his eyes once again, his body had turned completely into that a big black bat.
It felt incredibly real, so real that even Su Ming could not help but feel slightly shaken.
'The bat, just like the one I saw on the right palm of that malicious ghost when I was outside Dao Avenue Mountain. However, illusions of this level aren't strong enough to affect my intellect.'
Light flashed past Su Ming's eyes. He let out a cold harrumph, and the sun, moon, and stars in his eyes spun rapidly. Immediately, he shuddered, and flesh as well as blood rapidly grew back on his body.
From the distance, he looked to be rapidly changing from the bat into a human. The process lasted for only the span of a few breaths, and at the instant Su Ming stood up, he was no longer a bat, but had returned to his original body.
Almost at the instant he did that, the ground, which Su Ming knew was really a gigantic palm, trembled, and he sensed something familiar. The five fingers of the palm were rapidly furling back with loud booming sounds, intending to crush his body inside the palm.
'Since it's an illusion, then I'm omnipotent in this place.'
A glint shone in Su Ming's eyes. He leaped up from the ground and charged towards the sky at full speed. As he rushed up, the world rumbled.
The first finger charged towards Su Ming from above. That finger replaced the sky, and as it descended on him, it closed in on him instantly. Su Ming's expression remained calm, and when he lifted his right hand, a sun manifested in the air. When he extended his left hand, the moon appeared. As he moved forward, starts began to follow after him. He had used the Illusion of Stars, Sun, and Moon to its full extent.
Boom!
Su Ming pushed his right hand against the first finger that was descending on him. As loud booming sounds reverberated in the air, the finger was bounced thousands of feet away. Then, the second finger, which was right behind the first, came down on Su Ming.
Boom! Boom!
The sun and moon in Su Ming's hands rotated as they crashed into the second finger. It was bounced off after the clash, and Su Ming became even faster. As he flew up, the third and the fourth fingers swiftly came down on him.
"Stars, sun, moon!"
Su Ming swung his arms forward, and the sun in his left hand as well as the moon in his right hand accompanied by the stars behind him rushed out together to crash against the two gigantic fingers.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Loud bangs surged into the sky. As the weather changed, the two fingers trembled so violently that they froze for a moment. Su Ming rushed out swiftly. Just as he was about to fly out of the ground made of that palm, the thumb descended swiftly on him as if the sky had collapsed.
The whistling sound was piercing to the ears. At the instant the thumb descended, the Divine Essence Runic Symbols immediately appeared around Su Ming's body. They gathered on him, turning his body into a sharp sword that thrust forward at the incoming thumb.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The world trembled. The sword pierced through the incoming thumb, but did not bring with it any blood.
Su Ming rushed out of the gigantic palm. At the instant he did so, he felt as if he had broken free of some sort of shackles. The runic symbols around him disappeared, revealing his body, and he looked downwards...
A smile appeared on Su Ming's face.
He saw Dao Avenue Mountain, the five older members of the Yu Family sitting cross-legged not too far away while meditating, and also Yu Chen Hai.
At that moment, Yu Chen Hai's face was filled with excitement. As for the five older members of the Yu Family, their faces were dark and sullen.
Su Ming smiled faintly. His body shrank swiftly, but at the instant he descended, his expression changed. A gentle voice spoke slowly by his ears.
"All beings in the world possess life. These forms of life cannot live long. However, my race unraveled the secret of nature by coincidence. If we offer up lives, we can obtain eternal life.
"Those who clear the Three Gates of Heavenly Dao can obtain eternal life. Thou hast cleared the first gate, and I shalt bestow upon thee the Art of Vitality, allowing thee to take others' life to allow thyself to possess limitless life."
The voice was coming from the mouth of the malicious ghost of Dao Avenue Mountain. When its word entered Su Ming's ears, they turned into a vortex in his heart. This vortex turned slowly, and a great amount of life force spread out faintly from within it.
Su Ming was momentarily stunned.
During the time he was stunned, he descended from the sky and landed on the ground.
Yu Chen Hai immediately took a few steps forward and went before him. He bent his back to bow to him with an excited expression on his face, but just as he was about to speak after he bowed, his expression changed drastically.
"Senior Su, you… you…"
Yu Chen Hai's voice turned into a shrill scream of pain in the blink of an eye. He retreated swiftly, and as he moved back, his body began decaying rapidly. Within an instant, he had already rotted away until he was only bones. When Su Ming looked over, Yu Chen Hai's body completely shattered and turned into ashes.
Wisps of life force surged rapidly into Su Ming's body. This life force contained years of life, and an indescribable feeling immediately rose in Su Ming's body.
He could sense clearly that his life had become even more exuberant, but his expression changed. This was not what he wanted. In fact, he did not even want to kill Yu Chen Hai.
'How could this be? This is…'
Su Ming looked at Yu Chen Hai remains with a dumbfounded gaze. He spread his Atman outwards and found that he truly could not sense Yu Chen Hai's presence anymore. All of this was telling him that… Yu Chen Hai had truly died.
At the instant Su Ming was shocked by this scene, the expressions of the five older members of the Yu Family in the distance changed drastically. They stood up swiftly and disbelief appeared on their faces, as if they did not expect that Su Ming would kill someone, and Yu Chen Hai, at that.
"How dare you kill a person of the Yu Family?! What nerve!" As the expressions of the five people changed, four of them charged towards Su Ming quickly. The other person lifted his right arm and swung it towards the sky. Immediately, the sky rumbled, and a layer of blood-red clouds appeared. These clouds came out of nowhere. In the blink of an eye, they turned into gigantic letters that formed the word 'Jade' in the sky.
This was a clearly a signal to notify the other members of the family.
All of these things were happening too quickly and too suddenly. Su Ming was completely unprepared for it. At that moment, the four people closed in on him with low shouts. However, he moment they did so and Su Ming looked towards them, the four let out shrill screams of pain. With shock and pain on their faces, they immediately gave up on moving forward and instead retreated rapidly.
They had only retreated dozens of feet backwards when their bodies began decaying rapidly, like what had happened to Yu Chen Hai. In an instant, they turned into ashes, and their life force surged into Su Ming's body, allowing Su Ming to experience that comfortable feeling of his vitality becoming even more exuberant while he was still at a loss.
This comfortable feeling was enough to make a person addicted to it. It was a feeling that was difficult to describe with words.
The only old man left had a pale expression on his face at that moment. As he retreated swiftly, long arcs appeared around him. They were the members of the Yu Family rushing over after they had seen the blood clouds.
'How can this be..?'
Su Ming held back the indescribably comfortable feeling in his body. He could already feel a slight addiction to it, which made him eager to obtain even more of it, but he held himself back forcefully.
'There's something wrong with the power in me!'
Su Ming gritted his teeth hard and flew up to charge into the sky. He instinctively wanted to leave the place.
However, by the time he flew up, the members of the Yu Family had already arrived. Nearly one hundred people surrounded the area, and all of them charged towards Su Ming. Yet the moment they closed in on him, shrill screams of pain immediately escaped the lips of everyone within three thousand feet around him. While they screamed, their bodies turned into ashes. Wisps of life force surged into Su Ming's body, and he could not help but let out a roar towards the sky as that comfortable feeling appeared in him again.
'Just what is this power?!'
Su Ming could feel that he had lost some control over his own body. He gritted his teeth again and rushed forward, but almost one thousand members of the Yu Family had come to surround him. While seething in anger, they executed numerous divine abilities.
"Don't come here, leave!" Su Ming roared, but it was already too late. At the instant the near one thousand people around him got close to him, they let out screams of pain and turned into ashes. The comfortable feeling in Su Ming's body seemed to have stirred up a windstorm in his mind, and it lost some of its clearness. The shadow of the gigantic bat appeared around him right away.
That shadow seemed to be laughing ferociously as it was forming swiftly.
Su Ming pressed his hands against his head, and red appeared in his eyes. The light shining in them was filled with greed and madness. His body swayed abruptly, and he immediately rushed towards the incoming members of the Yu Family.
Wherever he went, shrill screams of pain would ring in the air endlessly. The comfortable feeling in his body grew even stronger, and the shadow of the bat behind him became clearer.
However, the struggles in his heart also reached the peak at that instant.
'Something's not right, could it be that I'm still in the illusion?!' Su Ming's face filled with a ferociousness. He forced his body to stop, and he trembled.
…..
Beyond Dao Avenue Mountain in Yu Family's square within Black Ink Planet was Yu Chen Hai with a nervous expression on his face. At that moment, he saw a faint light shining on the bat in the malicious ghost's palm.
The five old men from the Yu Family beside him were as white as sheets. Around them, there were hundreds of people from the Yu Family who had arrived after hearing the ghost's voice. All of them did not make a sound as they looked at Dao Avenue Mountain.
Yu Family's middle-aged Third Family Elder had a calm expression on his face, but a brilliant light shone in his eyes as he looked at the shining bat. No one knew what he was thinking about.
Chapter 867: The Sun and Moon Shines Together
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Bang!
Su Ming coughed up a mouthful of blood and removed his right fist from his chest. The punch he had just thrown was aimed against his own body. The intense pain coursing through his body cleared up his mind, but even if it did, everything around him was still around.
The entire house of Yu Family had become empty, and the area was filled with dead silence.
Su Ming did not know how many people he had killed, and neither did he know how many people had their life force absorbed when they got close to him.
He stood on the ground, just outside Dao Avenue Mountain. There was no one alive around him. The sky was gradually turning darker, but the hideous expression of the malicious ghost on Dao Avenue Mountain was incredibly clear.
Su Ming's expression was filled with anguish. He could not tell whether everything around him was just an illusion and he was truly in this current condition or whether this was fake.
"As long as you believe it, it will exist." Yu Chen Hai's reminder echoed in Su Ming's ears.
"I've never believed in it, so could it be that all of this is true..?" As Su Ming mumbled this under his breath, his eyes sparkled.
'I'll know whether this is real or fake if I go to see other places in Black Ink Planet!'
Su Ming moved, becoming a long arc. But just as he was about to leave the grounds, which had become silent, his body trembled.
Strong light then shone in his eyes. His breathing quickened. As he remained in the sky, he turned his head around slowly and stared fixedly at Dao Avenue Mountain.
He remembered now. It was not true that he had not believed in this since the start to the end. At the instant he walked out of the palm and looked towards Yu Chen Hai as well as the five old men on the ground, he smiled.
That might have seemed like a simple smile, but it showed that Su Ming believed what he saw at that instant.
When he looked towards Yu Chen Hai and the others, he had thought that he had cleared the first gate.
It was wrong. It was also at that moment that everything had began. It was precisely because he had believed during that moment that everything changed.
Su Ming fell silent. After a long moment, he sucked in a deep breath and returned to the ground. When he sat down, a dark light appeared in his eyes, showing off his sullen mood.
'What a powerful Illusory Art. No wonder it's rare for anyone to pass this test even though the members of the Yu Family know of the secrets in the Art.'
Su Ming slowly closed his eyes. At the instant he did so, he lifted his right hand. The power of the Art of Time from the Abyss Builders was contained in his right hand, and he was ready to have his finger tap the center of his brows. Once that happened, the power of time would immediately spread out.
Then, he could change the flow of time and allow this place to return to the time before the change happened.
'Let's see whether your race's Illusory Art is stronger or whether the Abyss Builders' divine ability is stronger!'
At the instant Su Ming was about to touch the center of his brows with his right index finger, his finger suddenly froze. He opened his eyes, and a bright sparkle shone within them.
"That's wrong…" He remained silent for a long time before he put his finger down. "If I use the Abyss Builders' Art of Time to fight against this, then it means that I believe in this illusion. It doesn't matter whether it's an illusion or whether it's the truth, as long as I believe it, it will exist.
"There are plenty of ways to understand this sentence…" Su Ming whispered softly to himself. After a moment, he did not use any other method and instead chose to just sit quietly. Once he closed his eyes, he let his heart sink into a state of calmness.
Shrill screams of pain gradually rang in his ears, but he did not open his eyes.
After those screams of pain came countless pleas for mercy, but he did not open his eyes.
Time passed, but Su Ming continued sit with his eyes closed. No matter what he heard, his heart remained unshaken, and in the mid of this state of calmness, he did not think of anything.
"Su Ming…" a faint voice said into his ears. It was Bai Ling's [1] voice. Su Ming trembled. He looked as if he was about to open his eyes, but after a moment, he calmed down.
"Su Ming… you grew up…" When the elder's voice reached his ears, he remained silent.
"Are you… my son..? Are you the baby I held in my arms in the past..?" a faint woman's voice said with a tone that felt familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time to Su Ming.
"Su Ming, I'm Lei Chen [2]. What're you doing, sitting here? Aren't we supposed to go to the mountain to pick herbs?" This was Lei Chen's voice.
"My dear disciple, I'll let you see what is the sky and what is the earth!" said Tian Xie Zi's voice.
After that came second senior brother, eldest senior brother, Hu Zi, and all the other people from his memories. Their voices reached him one after another.
Then, Su Ming opened his eyes.
At the instant he did so, he saw many people, many sights, and many scenes from the past he could no longer see.
He simply watched all of these silently, allowing himself to see it all as time continued to pass for his friends, family, and for these scenes, until an unknown amount of time had went by.
"As long as you believe it, it will exist."
"I don't believe it." Su Ming stood up and moved forward. The old friends he came into contact with all disintegrated, and the ground he moved past gradually faded in color.
The land behind him tumbled about. The layers of earth rolled around like the layers of skin that fell off from a snake as it shed it. As they disseminated in succession, the ground… was still the land that had the shape of a palm.
His old friends, family, and the familiar sights were calling to him from behind him, but as Su Ming moved into the distance, they slowly turned into emptiness. However, even after he had already traveled very far, the sky remained as boundless as ever, and the ground was still in the shape of the palm.
Su Ming's hair danced in the air. With the calmness in his heart and the relaxed manner in his gait, he continued walking forward. The sky gradually darkened, but in the mid of that darkness, a bright entrance appeared in front of him. He got closer to it, and when he walked out, the darkness was no longer around. He saw a bright piece of sky and the Yu Family's square. He saw Yu Chen Hai and the five old men on the square, along with hundreds of other people. He also saw a middle-aged man standing right in front of the crowd.
When the members of the Yu Family on the entire square saw Su Ming, buzzing instantly rose into the air. It mattered little whether one considered the members of the family or the guests, it had been a long time since someone had managed to clear the first gate!
Yet at that moment, they had witnessed a success. They also saw the bat from the palm that belonged to the malicious ghost that was Dao Avenue Mountain letting out a brilliant light at the instant Su Ming walked out. As it spread out in all directions, a hazy feeling was created.
"Fellow Daoist, congratulations on clearing the first gate of the Three Gates of Heavenly Dao!" The middle-aged Third Family Elder in the crowd put on a smile, then wrapped his fist in his palm towards Su Ming as a greeting.
Yu Chen Hai was looking at Su Ming with an excited expression as he stood by Third Family Elder's side. The hope and excitement in his eyes could not be described with words. He knew that the moment Su Ming had walked out of the first gate, his status in the family had risen by a huge margin.
As the light from the bat spread out, more people from the Yu Family rushed into the square from all directions. This was an incredibly important matter to the entire Yu Family.
When Su Ming walked out of Dao Avenue Mountain, he looked at the crowd beneath him. Then, with a calm expression, he wrapped his fist in his palm to greet the middle-aged man.
He did not speak, because at the instant he walked out, the bat on the palm that belonged to the malicious ghost shone with a boundless light, and booming sounds instantly rose into the air above Dao Avenue Mountain.
As they spread through the entire Yu Family and shook the sky, distortions appeared in a large portion of the sky, and two gigantic mountains manifested in the area of the distorted sky.
Instead of saying that they were two mountains, it would be more accurate to say that they were two huge statues. One of them was entirely black and had a ferocious expression on its face. It was holding loosely onto a red sun in its right hand.
The other statue was shining with moonlight, and it had a more indifferent expression on its face. It looked like a woman, and on her right hand was a moon. It was shining with a gentle light that illuminated the ground.
"The Sun and Moon Shine Together!"
"We finally saw the phenomenon of the sun and moon shining together. This is the second gate of the Three Gates of Heavenly Dao, and it will only appear when the first gate has been cleared."
"Since ancient times, this gate has only appeared a few times. It's the first time I've seen it in my life, I feel truly fortunate to see it."
"The Sun and Moon Shine Together is even stronger than Dao Avenue Mountain. My dear guest, I wonder if you will be able to clear this gate!"
The buzzing of the crowd rose in the square. Once the mountains appeared, more members of the Yu Family rushed towards the square from all directions. There were even a large number of those who had previously not been interested in this rushing over.
There was even a long arc with an indescribably domineering air arriving from the distance, which then turned into an old man with crimson hair. He stopped beside Third Family Elder.
At the moment he arrived, all the members of the family around the area felt their hearts tremble, as if this man's arrival could make the ground shiver.
"Greetings, Second Family Elder!" All the members of the family besides the Third Family Elder bowed respectfully towards the old man with crimson hair.
Yu Chen Hai's expression became even more excited as he, too, bowed down and worshiped the old man.
As for the five old men who had previously deliberately made things difficult for Su Ming, they showed unceasing reverence on their faces as well, even if they were as white as sheets of paper.
The old man with crimson hair ignored the members of the family around him worshiping him and looked at Su Ming standing outside Dao Avenue Mountain, then asked languidly with sparkling eyes, "Who brought this guest to our house?"
"This young boy from Yu Mai's lineage brought him here." The Third Family Elder smiled faintly by the side and cast a glance at the excited Yu Chen Hai.
The old man with crimson hair turned his head around and looked at Yu Chen Hai. A faint smile appeared on his face. Once he nodded, he looked at Su Ming, who had his head lifted to look at the statues of the Sun and Moon Shine Together while standing in the sky. Then, he wrapped his fist in his palm in a greeting and spoke to Su Ming.
"Fellow Daoist, since you cleared the first gate, then from now on, you are the guest of the Yu Family. You can make any requests you want of us; we have always valued our guests highly in the Yu Family.
"If you manage to clear the second gate, then you will become our guest elder, and you will have an incomparably respected status. You will be equal to the two of us!"
As he spoke, the two statues of the Sun and Moon Shine Together shone with a light that reached the ends of earth. A loud boom drowned out all other sounds. When it traveled in all directions, Su Ming lifted his foot and walked toward the Sun and Moon Shine Together.
He could choose not to challenge the second gate, but Su Ming had his own thoughts. When he was in the first gate, he had sensed the strange power contained within it.
That power was a strange force that he had never seen before. As long as he believed in it, it would exist.
This was an illusion, but was also not an illusion. Su Ming wanted to understand how this power worked, and even wanted to be in control of this power to fuse it into his own Illusion of the Stars, Sun, and Moon. Once he managed to do so, his Illusion of the Stars, Sun, and Moon would become incredibly powerful.
Translator's Notes:
1. Bai Ling: Su Ming's first love.
2. Lei Chen: Su Ming's best friend.
Chapter 868: Believe in Me and Worship Me
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Su Ming's eyes shone with a glint. Under the gazes of all the people in the square beneath him, he walked towards the Sun and Moon Shine Together!
When his body disappeared into the statue holding onto the sun, expectation immediately appeared on all the faces of the people in the square.
It was especially so for Yu Chen Hai. In fact, he even had a feeling like he was dreaming. He was afraid that all of this will show to not be true. Instinctively, he pinched his own arm. His breathing quickened, and a brilliant light shone in his eyes.
"Over the years, most of those who cleared the second gate needed nearly half a month to do so. I wonder… if this person will succeed or fail," the old man with the crimson hair said softly.
"Second brother, are you still lamenting over your failure in the past? Big brother managed to clear the second gate, but you failed." The middle-aged man beside him smiled faintly.
"Let's not talk about the past. I do hope that he succeeds. The Progenitor is going to be in his isolation for a long time, but he once said before he entered isolation that if anyone clears the third gate, he will come out.
"Too much time has passed now, and the development of the Yu Family in Black Ink Planet has not been successful. The rise of the Lie Shan Family has left us in a very passive position." The old man with the crimson hair shook his head.
"The level of cultivation of this cultivator named Su Ming is slightly unclear. Even I couldn't find any clues about it just now. But I do think that the second gate will be his limit. Even now, I still can't forget the experiences I had when I was going through the second gate, and I don't have the courage to challenge it again. I'm afraid… of losing myself.
"As for the third gate… It's impossible." The middle-aged man sighed.
"Losing yourself… Ha." The old man with crimson hair sighed.
"As for Lie Shan Family… Hmph, if it wasn't for the Progenitor entering isolation, how could that Lie Shan Xiu have been able to achieve hegemony? But there are plenty of rumors regarding this Lie Shan Xiu's origins. We've investigated him for many years, but we still haven't managed to find his real background."
"With his own power, he managed to build a family that can threaten our Yu Family in just a little over ten thousand years. We can't underestimate this person. But I've heard that there's a high possibility that he came from Divine Essence Star Ocean." The old man with crimson hair's eyes sparkled when he spoke languidly.
"It's most likely true." The middle-aged man nodded.
As these two people spoke to each other, Su Ming opened his eyes within the statues of the Sun and Moon Shine Together in the sky.
Before he stepped into the statue, there had been piercing light shining into his eyes, which was why he had decided to close his eyes and walk over. At that moment, when he opened his eyes, he saw a vast ocean.
The sounds of waves crashing against the surface of the ocean spread in all directions. Sea breeze blew against his face, and the smell of an ocean filled the air.
Su Ming was standing on a cliff. When he looked around, he saw two statues in the ocean. Half of their bodies were submerged in the ocean, and the other half was standing above like mountains.
These two statues were what Su Ming had seen previously - The Sun and Moon Shine Together.
"What… do you want..?" A mighty voice rang out like thunderous booms. It echoed in the air and traveled into Su Ming's heart. That booming voice came from the mouth of the sun statue.
"Believe and worship the Sun God and Moon Goddess, and you will obtain everything," a voice said from the moon statue's mouth. It was very gentle, and it could make a person relax because of it.
"Living creatures that can come into the Second Gate of Heavenly Dao all possess extraordinary tenacity. Those who did not lose in the first gate can obtain the protection of the Gate of Dao race.
"Tell us your desires, and we will let you obtain them." The voice from the sun statue resounded in the air once again, and a glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes.
"Who are you?" he asked calmly.
"We are gods!" This time, the statues of the sun and moon spoke together. The fusion of the man's and the woman's voices formed a strange tone. As it echoed in the air, the dignified feeling they exuded became even stronger.
"The Gate of Dao race worships the eternal God of Time. I am the God of Bright Sun."
"The Gate of Dao race worships the sun and moon, which are the source of power. I am the God of Luminous Moon."
Su Ming remained silent. He looked at the two statues and did not speak for a long time.
"If you do not have any desires, then I will choose for you… I, God of Bright Sun, will bestow upon you… endless power!" The eyes of the Sun God statue shone, and the sun he held in his right hand shone with a brilliant light.
As that light spread out, Su Ming's body trembled, and a feeling of power erupted within him. His power increased exponentially with a bang at that moment, which was completely out of Su Ming's control.
He was already nearing the peak of the middle stage of World Plane Realm. As his power increased, he reached a breakthrough instantly and reached the peak of the middle stage of World Plane Realm.
"I can make you even stronger!"
As the Sun God's voice boomed, the power of Su Ming's clone which practiced the Art of Swallowing Hollow Shadows Whole experienced an increase in power once more. Loud, booming sounds echoed in his body, and as veins popped up on his skin, the powerful aura spreading out from him showed that he had broken through the middle stage of World Plane Realm and reached the later stage of World Plane Realm.
The feeling of power in the later stage of World Plane Realm felt incredibly real. He had a sense that it truly existed. At the instant his heart trembled, he looked at his palm, and a feeling that he could destroy the heavens with just one punch rose in him.
"You can become even stronger!"
As the Sun God's voice rang out again, Su Ming's body trembled furiously. An incredibly terrifying presence erupted from him. As that presence erupted forth, Su Ming could not help but roar towards the sky. The rocks on the mountain around him shattered, and he floated up in the air. During that moment, his physical power had reached the peak of the later stage of World Plane Realm.
"In fact… I can make you even stronger!"
The Sun God's flat voice echoed in the air again. With a bang, Su Ming attained completion of World Plane Realm from the peak of the later stage of World Plane Realm. With just one step, he could break through and head into a new Realm.
That was… Lunar Kalpa Realm!
"Do you… believe me?"
The Sun God's voice had a tone to it that could cause people's hearts to beat in excitement. As it spread out, Su Ming's power erupted with a bang once again. This time, his hair moved without wind, and his body trembled even more furiously. He could sense his blood boiling in this physical body of his.
As his blood boiled, wisps of blood smoke came out through his pores as his blood evaporated. They gathered above his head and turned into a bright moon.
At the instant this happened, Su Ming let out a long howl that shook the sky and earth. The sky trembled, and the mighty strength within him that was difficult to describe with words brought a with it a sense of the power of Lunar Kalpa Realm.
In fact, he even had a strong feeling that as long as he believed in the statue's words, his power would move to this Realm, and he would… become a powerful warrior in Lunar Kalpa Realm in one go.
"You can become even stronger."
The Sun God's voice was still as indifferent as ever. It was filled with a mighty pressure as it spread out, and Su Ming's cultivation base erupted once more. This time, the blood moon around him grew larger and gradually moved from a crescent to being a full moon. When it became a full circle, it was no longer a moon, but a sun!
This was Solar Kalpa!!
'This is impossible. If he truly had this power, then it would be impossible for the Yu Family to be in this state now. They would definitely have been able to conquer the entire Black Ink Planet!' Su Ming told himself that this was fake, but the feeling of the power in his body being real clearly showed him that all of this was real.
All cultivators had one deadly desire. There might be many different varieties to this desire, but in the end, they all came down to two things. One of them was eternal life, and the other was power.
Eternal life was what all manner of living desired, and powerful might was the dream of a cultivator.
When any single one of these two were placed before a cultivator, it was incredibly rare for anyone to be able to resist it. Su Ming had resisted the temptation of eternal life, but even though he knew that this was not real, in the face of his level of cultivation being risen… All of this was not something that he could truly not believe with just a simple declaration that he did not believe in it.
"The cultivation system used by the Yu Family is not suitable for me to help them raise their levels of cultivation. To them… I would not do so, but you are not the same… I can sense that your soul and everything about you… does not belong in this galaxy.
"You… belong to our region. You… belong to our land.
"Worship me, and I will make you strong! I can even make you… a Master of Fate, Lives, and Death."
As the Sun God's voice echoed in the air, Su Ming's cultivation base erupted once again. This time, the crimson sun above his head looked as if it had been lit in flames and turned into a red palm. This palm struck hard the top of Su Ming's skull.
With it, a loud bang shot up in his mind. He… sensed the presence of the Master of Fate, Lives, and Death. It was a power that exceeded his imagination. It was… a maddening power that could stand up against the universe.
Su Ming lowered his head and looked at his palm. In his eyes, his palm had turned blood red, and he had a strong feeling that as long as he lifted his hand, he could destroy all lives.
"Worship me, and from then on, you will become the Master of Fate, Lives, and Death!" The temptation lying in the Sun God's voice this time was even greater, and it echoed in Su Ming's mind nonstop.
Su Ming remained silent. After a long time, a cold sneer suddenly appeared at the corners of his lips. He lifted his head and looked at the statue of the Sun God.
"Is making me the Master of Fate, Lives, and Death your limit?"
At the instant Su Ming said these words, the statue of the Sun God at the ocean suddenly looked as if it had come alive. Powerful light shone in its eyes, and a bright light that could make the world disappear suddenly erupted from the bright sun in its right hand.
"You are not satisfied?"
"I can worship you, but the power of a Master of Fate, Lives, and Death… isn't enough for me to worship you," Su Ming said calmly. Perhaps becoming a Master of Fate, Lives, and Death was the desire of many cultivators, but this was far from enough to Su Ming.
With his experiences and knowledge, how could he worship this statue just to become a Master of Fate, Lives, and Death!
The Sun God fell silent.
"Then what if I give you this as well," the statue of the moon that had not spoken for a long time said in her gentle voice.
As she spoke, a hazy illusion immediately appeared on the surface of the sea in front of Su Ming. Within it were all the people who had died in his memories.
All of these people had their eyes closed and did not move.
"Believe in me and worship me, and I will resurrect them."
Su Ming remained silent. After a long while, he shook his head.
"If I get sufficient power, I'll also be able to resurrect them. What you offer isn't enough to make me worship you."
Chapter 869: The Statue of the Sun God Shattered
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"Then what is it that you want..?" The Sun God's voice might be sounding calm, but there was a slight difference to it.
Su Ming sucked in a deep breath, and a barely noticeable glint shone in his eyes before he spoke slowly. "Power that surpasses those that belong to the Masters of Fate, Lives, and Deaths."
"Very well." This time, the Sun God and Moon Goddess spoke at the same time. At the instant their voices echoed in the air, the sun and moon in their hands shone.
Su Ming's power erupted once more. He thought he could see the beginning of the universe, and an indescribable feeling rose in his heart.
It was as if he could control the rising and the setting of the sun, as if he had reached the Realm of the Rise and Fall of Fate.
Su Ming closed his eyes. At the moment he did so, within Western Ring Nebula, which was beyond Black Ink Planet, his Ecang clone sitting in the cosmos within the galaxy's foreign lands opened his eyes swiftly.
Ardor and desire appeared in his eyes.
'Three Gates of Heavenly Dao… So this is the Three Gates of Heavenly Dao. They are formed by the sun and moon worshiped by the Gate of Dao race. They possess the power of Divine Essence in their bodies!
'But this Divine Essence does not come from the nine Great Divine Essences, but from the outer world… Their power comes from faith and worship. As long as someone believes in them, they will exist.
'Outsiders cannot hope to stand up against their power… but since I have Ecang's clone, I can overcome it!
'I have to make sure that the Divine Essence Illusory Art cast on my clone that practices the Art of Swallowing Hollow Shadows Whole is even stronger. Only then… can I make my will descend into the Three Gates of Heavenly Dao without getting harmed!' As Su Ming's Ecang clone lifted his hands, the galaxy where he was instantly turned into a big purple tree. As the tree swayed, a brilliant, purple light shone in Su Ming's eyes.
At the same time, as he continued closing his eyes in the world within the Second Gate of Heavenly Gate, his power rose once more, and he moved from the Rise and Fall of Fate to a new Realm.
That Realm was the Reincarnation of Life.
This Realm already surpassed Su Ming's understanding. He did not know what sort of power he possessed. However, he had a feeling that with one thought, he could make this place go through a cycle of life and death.
It was also at this moment that booming sounds rang out in Su Ming's body as the sun and moon shone together, and he could clearly feel that his level of cultivation had reached an even higher Realm.
This Realm gave Su Ming a strong feeling that… with just one thought, he could destroy the universe.
In fact, at this moment, as he looked at the piercing light from the sun and moon shining together, he found that the light had become much dimmer. He could even see that within the two statues, there were...
...two people sitting cross-legged!
They were a man and a woman. They were both sitting on the surface of the sea, and due to them sending out their power from their bodies, the statues were formed. The man had a handsome face, and the woman looked like a goddess. The two people's appearances were perfect, and not a single flaw could be found on them. However, this feeling of perfection made it seem like they only possessed human form and did not have souls.
Su Ming also sensed the presence of Divine Essence within their bodies!
"Divine Essence…" A powerful light shone in Su Ming's eyes. At that moment, the voices from the statues of the sun and moon echoed in his mind once more.
"That is enough. This is the limit of how high we can raise your level of cultivation. However, it is a mere illusion. If you believe in us and worship us from the bottom of your heart, then the power will solidify, and you… will become our apostle."
"With this sort of power, it will be enough for you to stand at the peak of the world outside, and it will also be enough for you to be able to do all the things that you could not do before. If you believe in us and worship us, then you will be able to obtain it."
"Believe in us and worship us, and you will obtain all of these. If you don't, then your power will be taken back…" As the two of them spoke, Su Ming's level of cultivation instantly started plunging down, as if the source that had been supporting him to become so strong was being taken away.
"The two of you are the ones who will worship me!" A cold sneer suddenly appeared on Su Ming's lips.
"You foolish ant, you overestimate yourself. Since you gave up on our good will, then… Hmm?"
The moment Su Ming spoke, the Sun God's majestic voice echoed in the air with a loud bang, but before he could finish speaking, his words froze for a moment, shock seeping into his voice.
What caused this shock was Su Ming swinging his arms outwards. The world behind him immediately distorted, and a gigantic purple tree appeared.
As that purple tree manifested in the air, a sinister and cold presence filled with madness and a domineering air erupted forth with a bang in all directions. As the presence burst forth, everything in the world was dyed in purple.
"Ecang!" When that purple tree appeared, two cries of surprise rang out at the same time from the two statues. Those voices were filled with shock and disbelief.
"Damn it, during the era when all lives died, Ecang was still recovering, why is it here?!"
By then, the power that had gathered on Su Ming's body dissipated like a receding tide. As it swiftly disappeared, Su Ming lifted his right hand and seized the air before him quickly.
"Come back!" As he spoke with a cold harrumph, the purple tree that occupied the world immediately started swaying. Countless branches started stretching ferociously outwards, turning into a huge hand in midair, and with a loud bang, it seized the statue of the Sun God.
The world rumbled, and a powerful light spread out from the statue of the Sun God. As it came into contact with the hand of Su Ming's Ecang clone, loud booms reverberated in the air, and the statue started showing signs of cracking.
At that moment, right before the eyes of the hundreds of people standing on Yu Family's square, which was located right beyond the Second Gate of Heavenly Dao… a huge crack appeared on the statue of the Sun God in the sky.
This was something that had never happened before. All the people who had challenged the second gate previously had never brought something like this about. While in shock, the crowd started buzzing with noise.
"What… what's going on? How could… How could the statue of the Sun God shatter?!"
"What's going on with the guest that is challenging the Second Gate of Heavenly Dao?! How did he make the statue of the Sun God shatter?!"
While everyone was in shock, the old man with crimson hair and the middle-aged man had drastic changes to their expressions. Even with their levels of cultivation, they were shocked by the sight, and disbelief appeared on their faces.
"The statue of the Sun God is shattering... This is something that had never happened before! Just what did this Su Ming do in the Second Gate of Heavenly Dao?!"
"I can sense anger… and fear from the shattering statue!" The middle-aged man beside him sucked in a sharp breath.
It was at that moment that a loud, booming sound rang out, and in the mid of the crowd's shock, the statue of the Sun God… shattered completely. As it did so, a purple aura spread out with a bang. The sinister air spreading out from that purple aura was filled with madness and a domineering will. Within an instant, it shook everyone's heart.
"Members of the Yu Family, move back!" an ancient voice spoke suddenly from beneath the ground that belonged to the Yu Family. Once it did so, a mighty power erupted from the ground and swept up all the members of the Yu Family backwards. Then, an old man with a hunched back emerged from within the ground.
At the moment he appeared, the old man with crimson hair and the middle-aged man, who were the only ones who were not pushed back, wrapped their fists in their palms and bowed towards the old man.
"Big brother!"