My Ares Son-in-Law

“I…” Lin Zhenghao took a deep breath, knelt on one knee, and touched the ground with his forehead, “I am willing to follow Mr. Xiao to the death!”

Xiao Chen nodded, a drop of crystal-clear blood condensing from his fingertip, hovering in mid-air like a ruby, and gently touched it to Lin Zhenghao's brow. "This is a blood pact. If you harbor disloyalty, your soul and spirit will be destroyed."

A warm, protective barrier suddenly rose within his mind, and Lin Zhenghao immediately kowtowed, saying, "This subordinate would never dare to betray you!"

At this moment, Mo Lishou's voice rang out again in his mind, clearly weak: "Boy, quickly find the secret chamber, the inheritance is about to end."

Xiao Chen said no more and turned to leave. The crowd behind him finally recovered from their shock, and a wave of discussion rose up, all filled with disbelief and bewilderment.

"Where is Vice President Situ Xiong? He was just here a moment ago..."

"It looks like... a self-destruction? But I clearly saw a beam of light shoot past..."

"It's Xiao Chen! It's his secret technique! But how can ice and fire be used together..."

No one could recount the complete events. The scene was too shocking to comprehend, and even their memories were beginning to blur, as if what they had just witnessed was merely an absurd dream.

Fifteen minutes later, in the cultivation room beneath the villa, multiple protective barriers emitted a faint spiritual light. This was Xiao Chen's most secluded place for seclusion, soundproof and impenetrable.

As soon as they stepped into the secret chamber, a phantom figure appeared in the center. Mo Lishou's outline was more transparent than before, and its edges swayed slightly in the air, as if it might dissipate at any moment.

"Time is running out." Mo Lishou cut to the chase, his voice already somewhat ethereal. "You can only ask a few questions."

Xiao Chen pondered for a moment, his gaze becoming serious: "First, what exactly is the Soul Tower? Second, why did the Soul Tower choose me? Third, how can I awaken the other souls within the Soul Tower? Fourth..."

Mo Lishou suddenly smiled, his illusory figure shimmering with tiny specks of light, his tone carrying a hint of approval: "You do know how to grasp the key points. As for what the Soul Tower is, even I can't explain it clearly. When the Celestial Court collapsed back then, a wisp of my divine soul was forcibly drawn into it. I only know that it is no ordinary object, but must be a supreme treasure left over from ancient times."

"As for why the Soul Tower chose you..." His figure faded even further, and a hint of melancholy crept into his voice, "That is the secret of heaven, and you can only figure it out yourself."

"The other souls in the building will either awaken on their own when you are in a life-or-death situation, or you will have to wait until your cultivation breaks through to a certain level before you can forcibly awaken them."

He paused, as if recalling something, and then continued, "The fourth thing you want to ask is nothing more than the dangers of the future, right? There's no need to say more. The path of martial arts is inherently fraught with peril, especially after being bound to the Soul Tower. The challenges ahead will only become more difficult."

As the last words faded, Mo Lishou's phantom began to dissipate, leaving only his final admonition echoing in the secret chamber: "In the Investiture of the Gods, I am at the bottom. Those behind me are not as easy to talk to as I am. You'd better watch yourself."

The moment the light dissipated, an obscure incantation for a cultivation technique suddenly flooded into Xiao Chen's mind. The words struck like metal against metal, and it was the last legacy left behind by Mo Lishou.

"Even the lowest-ranking deity in the Investiture of the Gods is this powerful..." Xiao Chen muttered to himself, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of excitement and determination. "I must uncover all the secrets of this Soul Tower!"

He sat cross-legged, his fingertips forming hand seals. As the newly acquired cultivation technique circulated, the immortal power flowing through his meridians seemed to transform into a raging river, carrying with it the remaining divine power of Mo Lishou, surging through his limbs and bones. Meanwhile, in every corner of the western region, rumors about the martial arts arena battle had spread like wildfire.

On online forums, moderators vividly described the scene of "Ice Flame Breaking Through the Sky"; in the sect's secret realm, elders repeatedly warned their disciples "Do not provoke Xiao Chen"; in the secret hall of the New Martial Arts Association, secret orders were being urgently sent to various places.

A storm large enough to sweep across the entire western region is brewing silently.

……

Just as Xiao Chen was cultivating, the ancient voice of the Heavenly King Mo Lishou resounded in his sea of ​​consciousness: "I only have two hours left to live, during which I will impart all that I have learned in my life. How much you can comprehend depends entirely on your destiny. Now close your eyes, concentrate your mind, circulate your energy throughout your body, and push the immortal power in your dantian to its peak."

"I will heed your teachings."

Xiao Chen sat cross-legged, then suddenly remembered something and took out three treasured pills from his robes. The pills dissolved instantly upon entering his stomach, and he immediately activated the "War God Technique." A faint golden aura emanated from his body, and the sounds of battle could be faintly heard in the air.

Mo Lishou was slightly shaken, and said in surprise, "Your cultivation technique is in harmony with the Way of the God of War, complementing your God of War physique. Even without the protection of this Soul Tower, given time you will surely reach the pinnacle of martial arts."

"Of course, that's all. What I'm teaching you isn't martial arts, but the path of divinity, the path to help you become a god. You must carefully understand it!"

Having said that, he pointed his fingers like a sword, and his aura suddenly condensed at his fingertips, causing the entire quiet room to move without wind, and the window frames to tremble slightly.

With a light touch of that finger to Xiao Chen's brow, the world instantly lost its color. The quiet room was plunged into boundless darkness, with only countless starlight falling from the void, pouring into Xiao Chen's dantian like a reversed Milky Way.

"Xiao Chen?"

Mo Lishou, the Heavenly King of Guang, suddenly became hoarse and broken. Xiao Chen opened his eyes and was shocked to see that Mo Lishou's originally solid phantom was gradually fading away, like wisps of smoke scattered by the wind. At the same time, a massive amount of information rushed into his sea of ​​consciousness. Countless divine essences, cultivation insights, and even fragmented battle scenes intertwined and surged, which he could not fully comprehend with his current level of cultivation.

"Now that you have been recognized as a master by the Soul Tower, it is as if you have received guidance from the ancient gods. Today, are you willing to call me Master?" The Heavenly King Mo Lishou's tone was filled with undisguised anticipation. "This god does not wish for all my life's learning to be lost to the river of time."

Xiao Chen was deeply moved and solemnly kowtowed, saying, "Disciple greets Master."

King Guangtian, Mo Lishou, uttered three "Good!"s, his illusory figure fading like morning mist: "Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! My divine lineage has been continued; I have no regrets in this life! I only hope that we will meet again someday!"

Before the words were finished, the afterimage vanished completely, turning into a stream of light that disappeared into Xiao Chen's brow. Xiao Chen was stunned and puzzled. The afterimage had completely disappeared, so why did his master still mention a reunion? Could it be that this Soul Tower still holds some unknown secret?
Or perhaps, Mo Lishou still exists in this world, but Xiao Chen is unable to see him yet?
Before he could think further, a surging tide suddenly surged in his dantian. He was shocked to realize that the divine power that the Heavenly King Mo Lishou had gathered before his dissipation was rushing wildly into his limbs and bones, and his whole body was crackling like firecrackers. Every inch of his flesh was undergoing destruction and rebirth, and this exhilarating transformation made him almost roar out loud.

When the energy in his dantian reached its peak, Xiao Chen suddenly opened his eyes and shouted, "Break!"

His aura surged, finally stabilizing at the peak of the ninth level of the Bigu Realm. However, this was far from over; the pills he had previously ingested were now truly taking effect. The surging medicinal power, like a burst dam, crashed against the barrier to even higher realms. (End of Chapter)