CHAPTER 164: CHAPTER 164: RETURN TO THE MYSTERIOUS STONE CAVE

Qin Chuan walked on the stone-paved roads of the Seven Martial Sect, looking at the familiar green mountains and rivers around him, and couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed.

Sigh.

Showing off with no one to watch.

Why did he return to the Seven Martial Sect? Simply to show off? Because the essence of showing off is to do it in front of people who know you.

The saying ’wealth without returning home is like wearing brocade clothing at night’ captures this sentiment perfectly.

No matter how impressive you are elsewhere, it doesn’t give much satisfaction.

But when you achieve something outside and return to your backward hometown, suddenly, the feeling comes over you.

Everyone surrounds you.

Those familiar faces, whether they were on good terms with you or not, all become amiable.

Even the aunt who once said you would amount to nothing as a child greets you with a friendly smile, saying "this child has been smart since young," and if there are kids around, they might even pull the kids towards you, telling them to learn from you and grow up to be successful like you...

This is the way of things.

Even though he’s only half an Earthling now, the experiences of his past life have deeply influenced him.

In his view, no matter how high-ranking or serious a person might be, none actually reject the notion of showing off.

Perhaps they don’t outwardly express this mindset, but they will consciously or unconsciously engage in acts of showing off.

The essence of humanity is being show-offs.

Without showing off, how are you different from a salted fish?

"These people won’t be back for a while, so I might as well leave something behind since I’m back this time."

Qin Chuan thought for a moment, then suddenly laughed.

"Buzz!"

A faint glimmer suddenly shone from his body, as if a shadow separated from him, yet still merged with his own form.

Then, he began to walk forward.

As he walked, a blurry figure appeared behind him, following closely.

When he reached an intersection, the shadow appeared back at the starting point, retracing his steps.

Ultimately, on many crisscrossing roads, Qin Chuan’s shadows appeared.

And upon closer inspection, one would notice these shadows carried a profound artistic conception, utterly natural!

A Realm Emperor expert, unknowingly, has already touched upon the ways of heaven and earth. To martial artists of lower realms, a Realm Emperor expert is an embodiment of the Dao. Observing them can lead to enlightenment.

"These shadows containing Dao intent can exist for ten years, gathering who knows how much awe and admiration from sect disciples, and perhaps even attracting outsiders in the future... Sigh..."

Qin Chuan sighed.

He was naturally low-key, so why did every move seem like showing off? Could it be because he’s too powerful?

He thought for a while and decided to go all the way with his goodwill. Raising his hands, law lights began to shine.

"Buzz! Buzz! Buzz..."

Blinding light balls emerged from his body, nine in total, representing nine kinds of laws.

These law light balls, once separated, rapidly expanded, further dazzling until they transformed into nine differently colored suns!

"Go!"

With a wave of his right hand, the nine suns flew around the mountain peak where he formerly resided, orbiting it slowly and rotating on their axes, emitting a powerful and mysterious aura of the laws.

"From now on, this place will become the first sacred land of the Nine Suns Dynasty and the entire Land of Decay, also a holy land for pilgrimage!"

Qin Chuan took a deep breath and soared into the air.

And Qin Zi was already waiting in the sky.

"Father, with my current strength, can I enter that mysterious stone gate?" Qin Zi asked excitedly.

"You can try and find out."

Qin Chuan said with a smile.

He guessed it should be fine, because Qin Zi had already reached the sixth layer of the Saint Realm, which wasn’t weak at all.

However, he wasn’t entirely sure.

So, he told Qin Zi to try.

If it didn’t work, he would say: "Actually, I knew it wouldn’t work, but if I hadn’t let you try, you wouldn’t have been content."

If it worked.

He would say nothing; instead, he’d put on an inscrutable look, as if everything was within his expectations!

...

The father and son moved quickly, and before long, they reached the mysterious cave with the stone gate.

Just as they were about to enter.

Suddenly, a streak of black light shot out from the cave—it was a giant black locust.

"Swoosh!"

As it emerged from the cave, it expanded against the wind, instantly transforming into the size of a small mountain, its menacing jaws ready to engulf them.

"Bang!"

The next moment, the locust was instantly torn apart, countless pieces splattering with green mucus in the woods.

"Who?"

Qin Chuan stood floating in the air, while Qin Zi was behind him, a faint golden light enveloping them.

"Die!"

A raspy voice came from the force, followed by a swarm of yellow venomous bees flying out of the cave, rapidly expanding to the size of calves and swarming toward Qin Chuan and Qin Zi.

"Overestimating your capabilities."

Qin Chuan let out a cold snort, and suddenly, a massive azure tornado appeared outside his body, directly sweeping all the venomous bees into it, with lightning suddenly born within, annihilating them into ashes.

"Serpent Devour."

The raspy voice sounded again.

"Roar—"

A pitch-black large serpent flew out of the cave, instantly swelling, its blood-red maw snapping at them, and through the mouth, one could see molten lava churning in its long, narrow stomach.

"Extinguish!"

Qin Chuan waved his right hand.

"Boom!"

A massive bolt of lightning descended from above, directly striking the serpent’s head, causing it to explode on the spot.

"Die!"

At this moment, as the serpent’s head exploded, a black-robed figure burst from its neck, instantly appearing before Qin Chuan, thrusting a pitch-black dagger at Qin Chuan’s heart.

"Starving, starving..."

The pitch-black dagger was intertwined with eerie golden patterns, akin to a curse, emanating the moans of tormented souls from within.

"You’re finished!"

The black-robed figure sneered. This dagger was extremely sinister; even a Realm Emperor would be seriously injured if struck.

Yet at this moment, with a "boom," an immense earthen-yellow spike emerged from the ground, piercing through the figure’s body and lifting it into the high sky.

The scene was akin to someone standing on a railroad track, being carried away by an oncoming bullet train, except this time, the train’s nose was sharp, piercing the figure’s body, ascending skyward...

"Explode."

Qin Chuan clenched his right hand, and the earthen spike exploded, along with the black-robed figure impaled upon it.

"Whoosh!"

Qin Chuan beckoned with his right hand, and the pitch-black bizarre dagger flew over, but rather than grabbing it, he let it hover in mid-air.

"Dad, what is that?"

Qin Zi asked curiously.

"A cursed weapon, a very sinister artifact. Once wounded by it, you’ll be wrapped in curse power, akin to being poisoned, and it will be insufferable. Even a Realm Emperor can’t ignore the curse power."

Qin Chuan explained calmly.

He was aware of these facts because when Qin Zi caused trouble in the Eastern Domain, he had nothing else to do on Divine Radiance Mountain but to read various books documenting oddities and unusual events.

It wasn’t due to a broad interest.

But as an ’invincible expert,’ he needed to have vast knowledge; otherwise, encountering something unfamiliar and knowing nothing about it would surely mar his impressive persona.

"Hiss, how terrifying!"

Qin Zi staggered back a few steps in fear, while Qin Chuan chuckled and put the cursed dagger away.

He then beckoned again, and the remnants of the black-robed figure’s clothing and their space ring flew over.

With his divine sense, he inspected the inside of the space ring, discovering some clues about the identity of this black-robed figure.

"This person was one of the ancestors of the Star Prayer Sacred Land in the Southern Domain, a Ninth Heavenly Layer Saint, seemingly here to search for something."

Qin Chuan said, and then with a thought, a piece of scarlet metal shard flew out from the space ring.

"Buzz, buzz, buzz!"

The scarlet metal shard vibrated constantly in the space ring, seemingly drawn by something within the cave, and once it left the ring, it flew directly towards the cave.

"Whoosh!"

Qin Chuan and Qin Zi quickly followed.