Living in the deep palace

Faced with such a "cooperative" prey, Su Chen remained silent.

He could sense that the will of [Spirit] was utterly sincere, containing not a trace of conspiracy or scheming.

This is a pure seeker of knowledge, a wise man who is willing to give up everything in order to find the answer.

"I understand."

After a long while, Su Chen slowly nodded, a solemn expression on his face.

"I accept your 'way'."

"In return, I will let you see with your own eyes... what kind of scenery lies beyond that collapsed darkness."

"So, very good."

The voice of [Ling] carried a hint of relief and a smile.

As soon as he finished speaking, the vast "nebula of thought" ceased its resistance and surged towards Su Chen on its own!

This time, it was no longer a dangerous "devouring," but a peaceful "fusion."

Su Chen opened his arms wide, completely revealing his "true self"!
Endless, pure spiritual energy, along with the vast intent that carried the "information" of the entire mythological era, surged into his sea of ​​consciousness like a warm tide and merged into his Dao fruit!
boom--!!!!!!

Su Chen's body jolted violently!
At this moment, his soul began an unprecedented and frenzied transformation and sublimation!

If the previous absorptions caused his "power" to surge, then...

Therefore, this fusion with the [Spirit] has brought about a qualitative leap in his "realm" and "essence"!
His consciousness was rising infinitely!
He seemed to have completely merged with this entire mythological era!
He "saw" it!
He saw the deepest, most essential structure of this universe!
Then, his Dao heart, which had just become incredibly clear due to the fusion with [Spirit], suddenly felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave!

……

This is...an illusion.

A final, most real, and most cruel "ultimate truth" presented to Su Chen by the last will of the [Spirit]!
Within his "field of vision".

The "Mythical Era" he was in, formed from the remains of the God of War, was not, as he had previously understood, a sandcastle that was "collapsed."

Instead, it is an incredibly precise and complex metaphysical prison constructed by ten "locks"!

What the cage suppresses is nothing other than this.

Indeed, it was the legendary, terrifying fifth-realm being from the Void Domain—the Skeleton Lord!
However, the true form of the Skeleton Lord is not "below" this cage, but "behind" it!
This entire mythological era was like a colossal door that separated "two worlds"...

The ten most crucial "bolts," or rather "seals," that constitute this "door" are... those ten forbidden ancient beings!
【魁】, representing “devouring”, is the lock that seals the “power” of the Skeleton Lord!
【芜】 represents “雕零”, which is the lock that seals the “vitality” of the Corpse Venerable!
The tomb represents "rest" and is the lock that seals the "resentment" of the skeleton!
【Turbid】 represents “chaos” and is the lock that seals the “will” of the Corpse Lord!
【胄】 represents "protection" and is the lock that seals the "immortal" property of the Skeleton Lord!
【Spirit】 represents “consciousness” and is the lock that seals the “perception” of the Skeleton Lord!
……

Each forbidden ancient life form corresponds to one of the core "attributes" of the Skeleton Lord!
And Su Chen...

He personally unfastened six of the ten "bolts"!
In the illusion, Su Chen saw his past actions.

He saw that every time he "devoured" a forbidden ancient life form, a dazzling sealing chain on that enormous "door" would snap in response!

With each chain that breaks, the terrifying aura of chaos and destruction emanating from behind that "door" intensifies...
A chilling, bone-chilling cold that made his heart pound instantly swept over his entire body!
He was used!

From the moment he stepped into this era and decided to hunt forbidden ancient life forms, he fell into... a terrifying conspiracy that spanned countless eras!
Skeleton Lord!

That terrifying Void Domain expert's goal was never simply to "kill" Chen Sheng!
Instead, the goal is to refine Chen Sheng, along with his entire inner universe, into a "key" that can "pull" him out from a deeper "place of exile"!
Back then, He instigated the Ten Forbidden Ancient Beings to betray Him, not to weaken Chen Sheng's combat power.

Rather, it was to plant the seeds of "betrayal" and "chaos" in the hearts of these "Children of the Dao" connected to the origin of Chen Sheng! Thus, to create a perfect "reason" for some "outsider" like him to "clean house" in the future!
Chen Sheng's memories are accurate.

The one who was wrong was Chen Sheng, who failed to see through the even deeper and more vicious scheme of Hai Zun from beginning to end!

And he, Su Chen, became the most perfect... "lock-picking tool"!
……

The illusion has shattered.

Su Chen's consciousness returned to his body.

He hovered silently in the center of that silent sea, his body radiating an uncontrollable and violent aura of having just broken through to the "Great Perfection of Taiyi Golden Immortal" realm, with almost one foot already in it!

For the first time, an emotion called "anger" appeared on his face!

One kind of extreme anger is being used as a pawn and manipulated at will!
And just as he realized the truth of all this, the sixth seal [Spirit] was completely "fused" into him!

A sudden change occurs!
The absolute vacuum in front of him, like fragile glass, suddenly cracked open with a dark, narrow... fissure!
The gap wasn't big, only about a meter high.

However, the absolute chaotic aura that seeped out from that crack, aura that did not belong to this universe and was filled with "decay" and "malice," caused the entire Silent Sea to... moan!
A figure dressed in a tattered black robe, its body composed entirely of pale, withered bones that appeared to have weathered over millions of years, slowly emerged from the crack.

In His hand He held a bone scythe made of the spine, which was still dripping with pitch-black liquid...

His appearance caused the laws of this universe to be violently repelled and distorted!

He is the true… “outsider”!
The figure slowly raised its head, two eerie green flames burning in its empty eye sockets. Its gaze landed precisely on Su Chen.

Then, His mouth, made of upper and lower jaw bones, slowly opened and closed, producing a dry, tooth-grinding sound like bones rubbing together.

"By order of... my lord, the Corpse Lord."

"I have come to... thank... the 'lock picker' for their... hard work."

He actually bowed slowly to Su Chen, performing an ancient ritual filled with mockery and malice.

"Introduce yourself."

"I am the one who walks through all the heavens and myriad worlds under the tutelage of my lord..."

"The Skeleton Apostle".

The skeletal apostle's eerie green soul fire scanned its surroundings, then looked at Su Chen, letting out a sinister, cacophony laugh.

"The six seals have been broken, and the 'gate' is more than half open. The day our lord returns is not far off." "You, the lock-picker, have done well."

"In recognition of your 'merits,' my Lord has commanded me to come and 'welcome' you, and to bestow upon you the supreme honor of becoming the first 'gatekeeper' under my Lord's throne."

Su Chen looked at the skeletal apostle before him, who exuded the pure aura of the fourth realm, yet whose Dao was filled with "aggressiveness" and "destructiveness." The aura that had been fluctuating due to anger gradually calmed down.

Instead, there was a chilling killing intent, cold enough to freeze time itself.

"You and your master seem to have both misunderstood one thing."

Su Chen spoke slowly, his voice devoid of any emotion.

“I am not the ‘lock picker’.”

"I am the gravedigger."

"Since you're so eager to get out through that 'door'..."

"Then, I will personally take you, along with that 'door,'..."

"bury!"

The moment the words fell!
Su Chen's figure moved!

He couldn't even be bothered to waste any more words with this "lackey"!
Boundless killing intent transformed into the most extreme action!
He raised his right hand and formed a sword finger, a jet-black sword mark powerful enough to end all things, instantly tearing through space and time, and slashing down at the skeletal apostle!

[Heaven-Slaying Sword]!
"Hehehe...Are you angry?"

Facing the "Ending" sword, which was enough to make even the Ten Celestial Venerables despair, the Skeleton Apostle let out a disdainful laugh.

He suddenly swung the scythe in his hand upwards!
clang--! ! ! !

A piercing, soul-shattering clang of metal clashing together exploded with a deafening roar!
Su Chen's invincible "Terminator" sword was actually blocked by that seemingly ordinary bone scythe!

A strange power of the Great Dao, filled with "decay" and "end," yet completely different from [Wasteland] and [Grave], and more domineering and "aggressive," emanated from the bone scythe, even corroding a trace of Su Chen's sword intent!
"Your 'end' is merely the law of this 'dream'."

The skeletal apostle chuckled eerily, “But we come from ‘reality’! We have long since transcended… life and death!”

Having said that, He suddenly pointed his other empty hand at Su Chen!
"Bone-Bone Netherflame!"

A dark green flame, seemingly capable of burning the soul, instantly appeared on Su Chen's body and blazed fiercely!

However, Su Chen merely snorted coldly, and the radiance of the 'Way of the True Self' emerged around him. The Nether Flame, which was powerful enough to incinerate the soul of a Great Luo Golden Immortal, was instantly extinguished as if it had encountered its nemesis!
"interesting."

In Su Chen's eyes, the fighting spirit was completely ignited!

This was the first time he had faced off against a powerful figure from outside the "gate"!

The opponent's Dao is strange and powerful, completely unbound by the laws of this universe!

"But... that's all!"

Su Chen's left hand also formed a sword finger!

A chaotic sword light, filled with "chaos" and "disintegration," quietly bloomed!
All laws return to nothingness!
Both swords, drawn simultaneously!
With the left hand, sever its "path"!
With his right hand, he severed its life!
"This is……"

For the first time, the skeletal apostle's eerie green soul flames flickered violently! From those two completely different, yet equally terrifying sword intents, it sensed... a deadly threat!

No longer arrogant, countless sharp bone spurs instantly sprouted from his pale white skeleton! He transformed into a "Skeleton War Demon" that combined offense and defense!
The bone scythe in His hand also split into thousands of pitch-black scythe shadows, which collided wildly with Su Chen's two conceptual swords!
boom! boom! boom! boom! boom!
In an instant, the entire silent sea seemed to be shattered completely!

Two figures transformed into two streaks of light that could not be seen with the naked eye, and engaged in the most primal and brutal battle in this realm of the spirit!

However, as time goes by.

The more the skeletal apostles fought, the more terrified they became!

He discovered that the other party was like a... monster!

His own "Great Path of Bones" is full of corrosiveness. Any enemy who fights with him will have their Dao fruit polluted and decayed by his power!
But the person before me, his Dao was as pure as a piece of red-hot divine iron! All my corrupting power was burned away before it even touched him by his own domineering "id" will!

Moreover, the opponent's two swords were too much of a counter to his own!

One weapon, specifically designed to kill itself due to its "immortal" nature!
The other weapon continuously disintegrates its own indestructible "divine body" made of bones!
As the tide turned and the tide rose, He gradually found himself at a disadvantage!
"No...this is impossible!" A monstrous wave surged in the heart of the skeletal apostle. "I am an 'apostle' personally appointed by my lord! I inherited a trace of my lord's essence! How could I possibly be defeated by a native from a 'dream'?!"

"It seems that we have no choice but to use that method..."

A ruthless glint flashed in the eyes of the skeletal apostle!
He suddenly distanced himself from Su Chen, raising the bone scythe high in his hand!
"In my name, I welcome... the power of my Lord... to descend upon me!"

He was willing to sacrifice himself to forcibly widen the crack in that "door" once more! To draw the even more powerful force of the Skeleton Lord to descend upon this place!
However, would Su Chen give him that chance?

"You think you can call for backup right in front of me?"

A hint of absolute coldness flashed in Su Chen's eyes.

He suddenly clasped his hands together!

The Heavenly Slaughter Sword, representing "the end," and the Myriad Laws Return to Nothingness, representing "chaos," slowly... merged at this moment!

One black and one colorful, two completely opposite extreme sword intents, formed a slowly rotating Tai Chi sword wheel in his palm, full of "contradiction" and "ultimate" meaning!
"Here's a big gift for you."

Su Chen looked at the skeletal apostle chanting ancient incantations and slowly pushed out the "sword wheel" in his hand.

"This sword is called..."

"【Current Chaos Returns to Stillness】." (End of Chapter)