Chereads / SCG / Chapter 103 - Chapter 234: Explosive Kill of the Supreme Thunder Emperor! Emperor's Artifact in Hand!

Chapter 103 - Chapter 234: Explosive Kill of the Supreme Thunder Emperor! Emperor's Artifact in Hand!

"Did the experiment to seize the Soul-Devouring Bead really fail? It seems that the exclusive opportunity of this Child of Fortune is not that easy to obtain."

Wang Ping looked at the simulated text, silently contemplating.

"However, if I can't obtain it, I can't obtain it. It's just a trial for me anyway."

Wang Ping shook his head and didn't dwell on it.

"Next, I should shelter the Daoist Palace and resolve the trouble there. Then, it's time to take on Fang Xingyu as my disciple. I wonder if this will lead to a breakthrough."

Wang Ping's eyes flickered as he continued to gaze at the screen.

[Next, you didn't immediately take Fang Xingyu as your disciple, but chose to go into seclusion to absorb precious medicines and refine your Supreme Body.]

[Around two hundred years passed in the blink of an eye, and you successfully refined your Supreme Body through the use of precious medicines and abundant divine sources, breaking through to the level of a Half-Step Supreme.]

[After the breakthrough, you chose to leave seclusion and found Fang Xingyu, intending to take him as your disciple.]

[Hearing that a mysterious visitor like you wanted to take him as a disciple, Fang Xingyu was extremely excited and naturally agreed. However, after Fang Xingyu became your disciple, you realized that your own cultivation had not changed. This left you somewhat disappointed.]

[Evidently, as you suspected, someone of Fang Xingyu's caliber, a true genius, couldn't help you make a breakthrough to a higher realm. It seemed that the path of enlightenment, the condensation of Dao Fruits, and attaining heavenly confirmation truly had to be accomplished on your own, and the effect of "Becoming Stronger by Accepting Disciples" from the Rainbow Talent couldn't help with that.]

[Nevertheless, since you had already taken Fang Xingyu as your disciple, you didn't give up on him and started teaching him cultivation, providing him with resources.]

[During this time, a powerful expert from the Great Emperor Taiyi's Palace arrived at the Daoist Palace. He carried a message from the Palace Master of the Great Emperor Taiyi's Palace, inquiring why you chose to stay here instead of sealing yourself. You shook your head slightly, indicating that you had your own plans and would return to the Great Emperor Taiyi's Palace for self-sealing when the time was right.]

[Hearing this, the expert from the Great Emperor Taiyi's Palace didn't say much and chose to leave.]

[Next, you continued to cultivate in the Daoist Palace, meditating and creating your own techniques, as you had done in previous simulations. After all, the techniques you created were the best for you. If you could merge the Dark Emperor's Scripture and the Space-Devouring Emperor's Scripture, creating your unique Space-Time Emperor's Scripture, your strength would undergo a qualitative change, surpassing other geniuses.]

[At that point, even someone like Gu Xuan, who practiced the Immortal Scripture, might not be your match in the Golden World. The advantage of the Immortal Scripture would be leveled. After all, the Immortal Scripture, no matter how powerful, was someone else's technique, not your own. It couldn't unleash its full power. Only by creating your own technique could you truly follow the path of greatness.]

[Unless, of course, the Immortal Scripture was not an ordinary technique but an exceptionally powerful one, capable of unleashing tremendous power from the moment one started practicing it, thus easily overpowering your self-created Space-Time Emperor's Scripture.]

[However, merging the Dark Emperor's Scripture and the Space-Devouring Emperor's Scripture to create your own Space-Time Emperor's Scripture was not an easy task. Your cultivation level was still too low, and your foundation too shallow. To create your own Space-Time Emperor's Scripture was extremely difficult.]

[Nevertheless, you didn't give up. In fact, you had some ideas in your mind. For instance, using the Daoist Emperor's Scripture as a bridge to merge the essence of the three Emperor's Scriptures might hold hope for a successful creation.]

[While you were deep in contemplation during your various periods of seclusion and meditation, time quietly passed, and over a thousand years went by. You were fortunate and unfortunate at the same time. While you were cultivating in the Daoist Palace, you entered a marvelous state of enlightenment due to your thoughts, making significant progress in your technique creation.]

[However, you were also unfortunate because, in this declining era, the Daoist Arts were concealed, and you didn't have the conditions to create an Emperor's technique. Relying solely on comprehending the three Emperor's Scriptures was like a rootless duckweed.]

[Just as you were deep in thought and finding it increasingly difficult to continue your research, a terrifying aura suddenly appeared from beyond the realm, descending upon the Ancient Taiyuan Star with the intent of wiping out the Daoist Palace.]

[This undoubtedly alarmed the sealed ancestors within the Daoist Palace. One of them roared in anger, appearing in person, while the Daoist Palace's Emperor's Artifact automatically awakened, and he held it in his hand, appearing outside the Ancient Star to clash with the approaching expert wielding an Emperor's Artifact.]

[You watched this scene from afar, your eyes glittering. In the past, you would have been amazed, thinking that this power was too terrifying. But now, you found this power strong, but not to the point of intimidating you. You could face it calmly.]

[Although this power was still very formidable, even a regular Supreme would be killed by an Emperor's Artifact. After all, only by fully exerting themselves, launching a sneak attack, and temporarily sending the recently awakened Emperor's Artifact flying, could they escape. If they confronted an awakened Emperor's Artifact head-on, death was the only outcome.]

[Back then, the Supreme Thunder Emperor of the Ancient Taiyuan Star, despite exerting his full strength and sending the recently awakened Emperor's Artifact flying, was still at the Mid-Supreme level. However, he specialized in the Thunder Dao, known for its destructive power and speed. Moreover, his cultivation level was Mid-Supreme, one realm higher than the Supreme from the Celestial Wood Clan, so his battle record was much more impressive.]

[But, that was only relatively impressive. After all, the Supreme Thunder Emperor was essentially assisting the Half-Step Grand Saint in his battle against the Daoist Palace's Emperor's Artifact. If he had faced the fully awakened Emperor's Artifact directly, he would have died early on.]

[Next, you had many thoughts in your mind, waiting for the right moment.]

[It was during the intense clashes between the two sides, while you were waiting for the right moment to act, that the Supreme Thunder Emperor chose to make his move. With the eruption of his Supreme might, the Ancient Taiyuan Star trembled.]

[You squinted your eyes and decisively took action, activating your Space-Time Dao Body, unleashing your Space-Time Divine Ability, and causing the Time Dao Patterns to surge, intending to engage in battle with the Supreme Thunder Emperor.]

[Your sudden eruption surprised the Supreme Thunder Emperor. He didn't expect that you, a mere Saint-level cultivator, possessed such terrifying power as a

 Half-Step Supreme, and that you had condensed Time Dao Patterns, giving him a sense of danger.]

[For a moment, the Supreme Thunder Emperor felt that something was amiss. He didn't believe that you, despite your extraordinary talents, could kill a Supreme at the peak of his prime. However, he couldn't rule out the possibility that you had a powerful backing. If he killed you or even injured you, he might not escape the clutches of the experts from the Great Emperor Taiyi's Palace and would meet his demise.]

[It was also during the Supreme Thunder Emperor's wavering thoughts that you fortunately triggered the Nine Harmonies effect and a critical hit effect simultaneously. This sudden change made the Supreme Thunder Emperor snap out of his thoughts, feeling a tingling sensation on his scalp. A sense of coldness surged from the soles of his feet to his head, and the shadow of death loomed in his heart.]

[He never expected that you, a Half-Step Supreme, could unleash such a terrifying strike. This strike, if directly confronted, would definitely lead to his demise, with no other possibility.]

[To possess the power to unleash a strike capable of killing a Supreme at the peak of his prime, despite being only a Half-Step Supreme, made you the first person in history, surpassing all others.]

[While the Supreme Thunder Emperor was horrified, he didn't waste any time. He quickly dodged, defended, and counterattacked with seamless movements. It had to be said that as a veteran Supreme, he excelled in combat awareness.]

Chapter 234: The Supreme Thunder Emperor's Final Moments! Escape Attempt!

"In doing so, the Supreme Thunder Emperor managed to evade some of your attacks and defend against others. However, even so, your attacks were too terrifying for him to completely avoid. After all, the power of the Space-Time Divine Ability is the most elusive; it is faster than anything, including the speed of the Supreme Thunder Emperor. Even though he had a much higher cultivation level than you, it didn't make much difference."

"In the end, the Supreme Thunder Emperor was severely injured, and even his origin suffered significant damage. This left him in a state of terror, and he immediately wanted to escape."

"As they witnessed this scene, countless onlookers were utterly shocked and dumbfounded. They never expected you to be so formidable. Even the two individuals who were engaging in combat with Emperor's Artifacts halted their battle, surprised by your strength."

"In response, the Daoist Palace's Patriarch was overjoyed, feeling that your appearance was a true savior for the Daoist Palace in a time of crisis. As for the Half-Step Grand Saint who had come with an Emperor's Artifact to attack, his expression turned dark, and he stared at you with intense hostility."

"As for you, you ignored everything around you, snorted coldly, and chased after the Supreme Thunder Emperor, intending to eliminate him completely."

"After all, a Supreme as an enemy, even if he were to survive, could potentially cause you some trouble. However, that's not your primary concern. A Supreme, even if he were to persist, would only be a minor annoyance to you. The main issue is the Daoist Palace. Once you leave, they will have no means to counter a Supreme."

"After all, the recovery of Emperor's Artifacts takes time. If the Supreme Thunder Emperor engages in guerrilla warfare, continuously retaliates against the Daoist Palace, and hunts down its disciples and elders, the Daoist Palace will be completely defenseless."

"In this situation, it's best to beat him to the fullest. Most importantly, you're curious about what the Supreme Thunder Emperor, who has been surviving in the Late Era on the Ancient Taiyuan Star, is thinking and whether he can yield substantial rewards."

"If he can drop a substantial amount of coins, that would be truly delightful."

"Seeing that you were about to eliminate him, the Supreme Thunder Emperor was furious and questioned whether you really intended to be so ruthless. After all, there wasn't any deep-seated grudge between the two of you."

"In the eyes of the Supreme Thunder Emperor, he had been contemplating taking action against the Daoist Palace, but hadn't he refrained from doing so? He had only released his Supreme pressure, and then you came out and gave him a beating. It was as if he had almost died."

"One could say that the Supreme Thunder Emperor's reasons for berating you seemed perfectly reasonable to him."

"In response, you let out a cold laugh and, of course, didn't explain any previous grievances from the simulations, such as the fact that the Supreme Thunder Emperor had killed you numerous times. You simply stated that you were in a bad mood and wanted to have some fun by killing a Supreme. This statement left many people astonished, finding it unreasonable and quite arrogant."

"If the Supreme Thunder Emperor were to die at your hands like this, you might become the most prestigious Half-Step Supreme ever. And the Supreme Thunder Emperor might become known as the disgrace of all Supremes."

"'The disgrace of all Supremes?' Not quite, not quite. After all, you still have the Fire Supreme to rely on."

Wang Ping read the simulated text and couldn't help but smile.

"However, it seems that this time, Simulated Wang Ping didn't have the intention of trying to seize the Daoist Palace's Emperor's Artifact."

Wang Ping's gaze flickered as he pondered.

After all, if he wanted to seize the Daoist Palace's Emperor's Artifact, the best approach would be to watch from the sidelines and make a move at the last moment.

"Anyway, I shouldn't do anything ungrateful. Even in a simulation, it's better not to do it if I can avoid it."

Wang Ping sighed softly and murmured to himself.

"But if I could get my hands on the Emperor's Artifact of this Half-Step Grand Saint, that would be quite satisfying. It's better to focus on other Emperor's Artifacts rather than constantly thinking about the one from the Daoist Palace."

Wang Ping thought about this and realized that obtaining Emperor's Artifacts wouldn't be easy, and he currently lacked the power to suppress them.

For now, he could only go with the flow.

In any case, there was hope, but it wasn't very high.

With that, Wang Ping gathered his thoughts and continued to gaze at the screen.

"As a result of your words, the Supreme Thunder Emperor became furious, almost spitting blood from anger. He wanted to turn back and fight you to the death. But for the sake of his own life, he restrained himself."

"After all, reaching the Supreme realm had required him to endure countless hardships, and he didn't want to disappear from the world just like that. He still sought a way to achieve immortality and eternal existence."

"It was only when the Supreme Thunder Emperor completely abandoned his dignity as a Supreme and was chased down by you like a dog that you launched another attack. This time, your attack was not particularly powerful, and it didn't trigger any triplets or critical damage."

"The strength of this attack was merely enough to injure the already severely weakened Supreme Thunder Emperor. He could easily recover from this minor injury even in his current condition."

"In response, the Supreme Thunder Emperor chose to ignore your attacks and continued to run for his life. In his view, that last attack had probably consumed a lot of your energy and strength, and you wouldn't be able to use such a weak attack repeatedly."

"However, the Supreme Thunder Emperor had greatly misunderstood your intentions. The reason for this type of attack was not because you lacked power or to annoy or provoke him. It was purely to trigger the Rainbow Talent's Instant Kill effect."

"Shortly afterward, you successfully triggered the Rainbow Talent's Instant Kill effect, causing the Supreme Thunder Emperor's body to stiffen. In an instant, whether it was his physical body or his divine soul, everything died. The Supreme Thunder Emperor met his end."

"As you saw the Supreme Thunder Emperor killed by your hands, you were quite satisfied with this outcome, believing that the Rainbow Talent's Instant Kill effect had its uses."

"After all, the Supreme Thunder Emperor had a Mid-Supreme cultivation level, making him much stronger and more troublesome than the ordinary Supreme from the Celestial Wood Clan. Without killing him in one go, dealing with him through normal combat would have taken a long time, slowly wearing him down."

"Unless, of course, you were lucky enough to trigger the Nonuplet and critical hit effects again, but the probability of that was too low to rely on."

"Spending time wearing him down could also lead to unexpected developments. After all, even though the Daoist Palace's Patriarch was holding the Half-Step Grand Saint in check, he would still be keeping a close eye on you."

"If you were attacked by an Emperor's Artifact, you might lose a life, which would be a waste of resurrection methods. More importantly, it could cause the Supreme Thunder Emperor to escape, something you couldn't tolerate."

Chapter 234: The Fall of the Supreme Thunder Emperor and the Unveiling of a New Emperor's Artifact

"With the fall of the Supreme Thunder Emperor, his supreme pressure disappeared from the universe. The self-proclaimed Saint Realm cultivators who were gazing at the starry sky were all stunned. They never expected that you would actually dominate the Supremes, decisively defeating him and achieving a cross-level kill as a Half-Step Supreme."

"As for the Patriarch of the Daoist Palace, he burst into hearty laughter, acknowledging your strength. Although he couldn't fathom why you had come to the Daoist Palace for closed-door cultivation, your current performance was clear evidence of your genuine goodwill towards the Daoist Palace, and that was enough for him."

"As a result, the people of the Daoist Palace felt a deep sense of gratitude towards you. They believed that they owed you a great favor. This was a debt of protecting the Dao, and without your presence, the Daoist Palace might have truly perished today, ending the inheritance of countless ages."

"Another Supreme down by my hands. I must say, the Nonuplet and critical hits are just too brutal. Every time I face a Supreme, triggering these effects makes it feel like I have a special advantage against them. I am indeed the eternal nemesis of the Supremes."

Wang Ping read the simulated text with a peculiar expression.

One had to admit that his record against the Supremes was truly remarkable.

The Golden Talent, Multihit, and the Purple Talent, Endless Blade, had achieved extraordinary results.

Now, with the addition of the Seven-Colored Talent, Instant Kill, he had become even more extraordinary.

The Supreme realm, especially the Yuan Supreme, was rapidly losing its prestige in his hands.

While Wang Ping was ridiculing himself, the simulation continued.

"While the Patriarch of the Daoist Palace was laughing heartily, the Half-Step Grand Saint who had come with an Emperor's Artifact sneered. He felt that they were celebrating too early."

"Then, he used a blood sacrifice to completely revive his Emperor's Artifact, unleashing its terrifying power that shook the universe."

"This terrifying power fluctuations made the Patriarch of the Daoist Palace's face change drastically. After all, he was already old and relatively weak. He initially thought that, with your help, they could slay this Half-Step Grand Saint."

"However, he never expected this Half-Step Grand Saint to hold such deep enmity towards the Daoist Palace. He was willing to perform a blood sacrifice on himself just to destroy the Daoist Palace. Of course, there might be reasons he knew that he couldn't escape from."

"Such cultivators always chose to go all out when faced with life and death situations, making them extremely troublesome."

"At that moment, the Patriarch of the Daoist Palace gritted his teeth, intending to perform a blood sacrifice himself to fully revive the Dao Emperor's Artifact and counter it."

"However, he knew very well that even if he truly performed a blood sacrifice and fully revived the Emperor's Artifact, the outcome would not be favorable. The two out-of-control Emperor's Artifacts colliding with each other would have devastating consequences, and everything near this starry space would be obliterated."

"Moreover, they were not too far from the Ancient Taiyuan Star. In other words, if a collision occurred, the shockwaves from the two Emperor's Artifacts could potentially destroy the Ancient Taiyuan Star, causing the extinction of all life on it and the discontinuation of the Daoist Palace's inheritance."

"The Patriarch of the Daoist Palace could only think of one option: let the two Emperor's Artifacts clash while he protected a portion of the Daoist Palace's people and inheritance, hoping for a resurgence even if most of the heritage was lost."

"At this critical moment, when the Patriarch of the Daoist Palace was preparing to perform a blood sacrifice and communicated with you, asking you to take care of the Daoist Palace's descendants, you used your Space-Time Divine Ability to instantly appear in front of the Emperor's Artifact, which had completely revived and become even more terrifying."

"This scene made the Patriarch of the Daoist Palace anxious, and he urgently asked you to leave, warning that you would be crushed to dust by the Emperor's Artifact. After all, a fully revived Emperor's Artifact was truly terrifying, and only an Emperor's Artifact of the same caliber could suppress and temporarily seal it."

"Of course, if a powerful quasi-emperor intervened, they could also accomplish this. After all, even though a fully revived Emperor's Artifact was formidable, its power had limits. Only when wielded by a strong individual could its potential be fully unleashed, possibly even exceeding its limits."

"You didn't respond to the Daoist Palace's Patriarch's call but stared at the Emperor's Artifact, moving closer to it. You communicated with it and began painting a rosy picture."

"You told the Emperor's Artifact that following a Half-Step Grand Saint was too dull. Even if the Half-Step Grand Saint performed a blood sacrifice, he couldn't fully unleash its power. Did he really want to disgrace the Emperor's Artifact like that? If it were willing to follow you, when you became a Supreme, a quasi-emperor, or even an emperor or immortal in the future, you would let its divine might shine once again, proving to the world that even if its previous owner had passed away, it could still suppress the great emperors of the upper realms."

"As they listened to your enticing words, the Daoist Palace's Patriarch and the numerous cultivators on the Ancient Taiyuan Star were all dumbfounded. They thought you were extremely daring, attempting to coax an Emperor's Artifact like this. An Emperor's Artifact couldn't be so easily persuaded."

"At this point, the Emperor's Artifact started radiating a terrifying aura, frightening everyone present."

"However, what happened next left everyone, including the Patriarch of the Daoist Palace, in utter disbelief. The Emperor's Artifact, after radiating its power, suddenly dimmed and began swaying as if it were contemplating something, hesitating."

"This left everyone in a state of bewilderment, as they wondered if an Emperor's Artifact could really be swayed like this. If so, why couldn't they do it too?"

"Subsequently, they couldn't help but chuckle and mock themselves. They dared not attempt such a thing, as it would be courting destruction. After all, they were just ordinary cultivators, while you were a peerless genius with the strength and talent to speak of such matters. This was by no means mere wishful thinking."

"A person like you, if you didn't fall midway, had a very high chance of becoming an emperor. Of course, they didn't believe in the notion of becoming an immortal. After all, the concept of immortality was just a legend, and no one in the world had ever achieved it. That was not just idle talk."

"In their eyes, even the most exceptional individuals couldn't become immortals. To gain recognition as a Great Emperor, becoming a ruler among emperors was already the pinnacle of achievement."

"While they marveled at you, the Emperor's Artifact truly dimmed its radiance and approached you, showing goodwill and indicating that you should form a blood contract with it."

"Upon this, you laughed heartily, highly satisfied with the result. You swiftly formed a blood

 contract with the Emperor's Artifact, obtaining a space-oriented sword-type Emperor's Artifact that matched you perfectly, named the 'Eternal Sovereign Sword.'"

Chapter 235: The New Emperor's Artifact and Future Aspirations

You caressed the Eternal Sovereign Sword with an unrestrained smile on your face, unable to contain your joy. After all, this was an Emperor's Artifact – a rare find in the world, and among the younger generation, very few could claim to possess one. Now, you held an Emperor's Artifact in your hands, which was a tremendous advantage.

In addition to that, you had the Source-Breaking Divine Pupil and the Space-Time Dao Body. You believed that among your peers, there were very few who could compare to you. Perhaps only Gu Xuan, the enigmatic figure with hidden depths, could be your equal. Besides him, even the contemporary Space-Time Dao Body couldn't hold a candle to you.

When the Golden Age arrived, you would engage in a grand battle against Gu Xuan, determining who was superior. If you managed to defeat Gu Xuan, you would truly be peerlessly unmatched, with an invincible heart.

As for the older generation, with an Emperor's Artifact in your possession, you could confidently face strong individuals below the quasi-emperor level. Even the Supremes, including the Supreme of the Heavens, would no longer be a threat in your eyes.

Even if it were a quasi-emperor, if they were careless, they could be injured by you with the Emperor's Artifact. Once injured, if the effect of the Seven-Colored Talent, Instant Kill, were triggered, even a quasi-emperor might meet their end. Thinking about that scenario, you felt incredibly satisfied and exhilarated.

Seeing the Emperor's Artifact willingly recognize you as its master left everyone in awe and envy. Even the Patriarch of the Daoist Palace didn't know what to say, as he had never anticipated this outcome.

For this reason, he withdrew the blood sacrifice technique and congratulated you. In response, you jokingly claimed that you were destined to become an immortal, downplaying the significance of your achievement. Your show of arrogance left the Daoist Palace's Patriarch with a twitching expression.

Nevertheless, it couldn't be denied that you had achieved something extraordinary and raised the stakes once again.

"I can't believe I actually got an Emperor's Artifact. This is quite unexpected. That Half-Step Grand Saint, who doesn't even have a name, basically came to deliver equipment for me. These rewards are way too generous!"

Wang Ping, reading the simulated text, had an expression filled with amazement.

Of course, Wang Ping was well aware that the reason the Emperor's Artifact recognized you so easily was primarily due to your previous extraordinary performance. Launching an attack with a Half-Step Supreme cultivation that almost killed the Mid-Yuan Supreme Thunder Emperor was an achievement even the seasoned Emperor's Artifact spirits had never seen before.

Furthermore, you had cultivated the Dao of Space and added the Dao of Time to your repertoire, making you a perfect match for an Emperor's Artifact with space attributes. It was a match made in heaven.

When all these factors were combined, painting a rosy picture for the Emperor's Artifact and coaxing it to voluntarily submit was quite reasonable.

"However, I got a little too excited at the end and showed off a bit too much. I have a feeling I might meet my end soon."

Wang Ping couldn't help but start complaining again.

The Emperor's Artifact had just fallen into his hands, and he hadn't even had time to warm up to it. He hoped he wouldn't meet an untimely demise right away.

After finishing his complaints, Wang Ping continued to gaze at the screen.

"Next, you and the Patriarch of the Daoist Palace return to the Daoist Palace. From today onwards, the Daoist Palace will become the supreme ruler of the Ancient Taiyuan Star, and no one will dare to provoke it."

"The Daoist Palace's Patriarch warmly invites you to a banquet to express their gratitude and celebrate your achievements. You have no intention of refusing."

"Finally, you express your intention to take your leave. This leaves the Daoist Palace's members somewhat reluctant, but they understand that they cannot retain you."

"Before departing, you leave behind some precious medicinal pills and divine sources that can help the Daoist Palace's Patriarch break through to the Saint Realm. Afterward, you quietly disappear with Fang Xingyu."

"It was only a long while after you left that the Daoist Palace's Patriarch discovered your departure. This made him sigh, thinking that with you, the Daoist Palace might have the chance to nurture Fang Xingyu into a Supreme. This debt, the Daoist Palace would likely never be able to fully repay."

"For this reason, the Daoist Palace's Patriarch believes that if you ever need the Daoist Palace's Emperor's Weapon to assist you in battle in the future, they will readily lend it to you, considering it the only way they can repay their debt."

"While the people of the Daoist Palace were filled with deep emotions, you didn't head directly to the Taiyi Emperor's Palace with Fang Xingyu but instead came to the Purgatory Ancient Star to explore the great secrets hidden within. After all, you had been burnt to death once, and the memory was still fresh in your mind."