The will of the great universe was silent for a moment before it said, "I'm sorry, I just wanted freedom..."
"I can send you back to where you came from. Earth is within this great universe, though it's in the era of the end of law. However, I can allow you to retain your supreme power there, eternal and indestructible."
Qin Chuan sneered, mocking, "Is this the reward for being your accomplice?"
The will of the great universe paused, then its tone turned cold as it said, "Don't push your luck."
"Haha, push my luck? After you killed my son, you expect me to be grateful?" Qin Chuan retorted coldly.
The will of the great universe replied, "You know very well that he wasn't really your son, and you were never truly his father."
"Haha, what is truth? What is falsehood?" Qin Chuan's voice was icy as he continued, "Do you think people worship the bones long turned to dust in the grave, or the inscriptions on a stone tablet? No, they worship the lasting emotions that persist in the world!"
"Because they once cared deeply, gave sincerely, and shared concern. That is why they are remembered! That is the essence of family!"
"Qin Zi is my son, in this life and every life. As long as I refuse to let go, even reincarnation cannot change that!!"
The will of the great universe was silent for a moment, then sighed, "If that's how you feel... then you shall die. Those who hate me shall perish."
"Boom—"
In the next moment, Qin Chuan's body exploded, even his essence dissipated, completely vanishing from existence.
"Sigh, why must it come to this?"
The will of the great universe sighed softly before fading away.
...
From that point on, the world experienced the passage of ages.
Many years later.
In a tranquil valley, a wild and mad laughter suddenly echoed, the voice young but filled with insanity.
"Hahaha, hahaha!"
"The Great Qin Ancestral Dragon Sutra, this ancient scripture, I've finally mastered it! The heavens haven't forsaken me after all!"
"You six major sects, you joined forces to destroy my Blood Demon Sect. I, the Holy Son of the Blood Demon Sect, vow to slaughter all of you!"
"And you, Yaoyao, you wretch! I will make you suffer the cruelest punishments of this world, and you will know what it means to reject me!"
By the edge of a pool in the valley sat a handsome young man with a wicked air about him, gesticulating wildly as he spoke.
He was a Holy Son of a demonic sect named Wan Tao. After his sect was destroyed, he was the only one who escaped. By chance, he discovered an ancient scripture—the Great Qin Ancestral Dragon Sutra—beneath the waters of the valley.
This scripture was incredibly powerful, far surpassing any cultivation method he knew. It seemed to have been created by a supreme being and could even evolve on its own.
He knew he had stumbled upon a priceless treasure!
So, he devoted decades to its cultivation, and finally, he mastered it. His cultivation had reached the legendary Divine Realm.
At this moment, he was filled with pride, ready to leave the valley and overturn the world. In this realm, the Divine Realm was invincible!
"Hmm?!"
Suddenly, his pupils constricted violently, and he clutched his head, his expression contorting in pain. "What... what's happening to me? No, no! I don't want to become you! I don't want this, no!!!"
Boom!
A blinding white light erupted from his body, swallowing everything around him in an instant.
Long after the light faded, the valley had been flattened, and even the mountains within a thousand miles had evaporated.
The young man in white stood there.
His gaze was lost and confused, but gradually, memories seemed to flood his mind, and his eyes became clearer.
"Who am I? Who am I... I am Qin... Qin... I think my surname is Qin. I am... I am Qin Chuan!!!"
Rumble!
As he shouted out that name, lightning flashed and thunder roared through the heavens. Dark clouds filled the sky, and the entire world trembled.
"What's happening!"
"What is this?"
"This aura... Could someone have broken through to the Divine Realm? No, the Divine Realm can't possibly be this terrifying. What in the world is this?!"
Countless powerful figures in this realm were filled with terror.
Some great figures took to the sky to investigate, only to be crushed back to the ground by the overwhelming pressure, forced to land in a pitiful state.
Before this aura, the entire world could only bow down. Even the ancient monsters that had been slumbering trembled in fear.
After a long while.
Qin Chuan calmed down.
A trace of hatred flashed in his eyes as he muttered coldly, "The will of the great universe, my dear system! Blood debts... must be repaid with blood!"
He was determined to avenge his son.
Though he had directly caused Qin Zi's death, the root of everything was the system's conspiracy. Everything had been orchestrated by the system!
"I'll hide and quietly grow stronger. Though I've lost my former cultivation, my realm and understanding remain. This time, I won't rely on the heavens, the earth, or the system. I'll rely on myself!"
He took a deep breath, concealing his aura.
Although the will of the great universe was powerful, it was not omniscient or omnipotent. If he lay low and cultivated in secret, there was still hope for revenge.
"Ding, I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed again."
Just then, a mechanical voice sounded.
Whoosh!
Qin Chuan's body trembled, his pupils contracting sharply. A chilling sensation shot from his feet straight to his head.
"How did you find me?"
Qin Chuan took a deep breath and asked.
The will of the great universe responded nonchalantly:
"Since you arrived in this world, I've been inside you. Everything you know, I know. How could I not be aware of your contingency plan, Eternal Life in One Thought?"
"Stop struggling. You have no chance. Everything you have was given to you by me. Everything you know, I know. What do you have to fight me with? Do you really believe one can defy the heavens?"
The will of the great universe sneered with disdain:
"Fools often talk about defying the heavens, but do you know? If the heavens truly didn't allow it, they wouldn't even have the qualification to cultivate! If they can't even cultivate, how can they talk about defying the heavens?"
"The reason so many ants can jump around is because the heavens allow them to. If the heavens didn't, they'd be nothing but dust."
Hearing this, Qin Chuan's confidence slowly crumbled, a sense of powerlessness washing over him.
Yes.
Everything he had came from the system. Everything he knew, the system knew. How could he fight against it?
"Haha, as I thought. People really shouldn't control everything because once you do, there are no variables left. And if you make a mistake, there's not even a chance for regret."
He let out a self-deprecating laugh.
He had controlled too much, leaving no room for variables. So now, when it counted most, there were no variables left to save him!
"Yes, exactly. Everything has its flaws. The full moon wanes. Sometimes, losing something isn't necessarily a bad thing."
The will of the great universe agreed with him.
Then its voice turned cold, saying, "Although I admire you, you still have to go! Rest in peace!"
As it finished speaking, a force of pure destruction erupted from within Qin Chuan's body, aiming to completely erase his consciousness. At the same time, strands of destructive energy followed unseen threads of karma, seeking to destroy every copy of the Great Qin Ancestral Dragon Sutra.
From then on, Qin Chuan would never be able to resurrect.
"Buzz!!!"
But just then, everything stopped.
"A variable! How could there be a variable?!"
The will of the great universe shrieked in horror. It poured all its strength into trying to kill Qin Chuan, but found itself unable to move.
All its power was being suppressed, suppressed by a higher-dimensional force, one beyond description!
Rumble!
At this moment, the sky gathered storm clouds, forming a massive gray vortex. From the vortex, three phantom-like pillars emerged.
But they were not pillars.
They were three sticks of incense!!!
Xuanhuang Mountain, Heaven-Sacrificing Altar, Three Sticks of Incense!
"Sizzle sizzle sizzle..."
The three sticks of incense burned rapidly, releasing thick clouds of green smoke that poured out of the vortex, covering the sky and surging toward Qin Chuan.
At the same time, a familiar and resolute voice echoed through space-time, as if coming from Xuanhuang Mountain from that time.
"Can I really make one wish? Then I won't hold back... I wish for my father to live forever without calamity!!!"
Whoosh!
The moment that voice echoed out, all the green smoke entered Qin Chuan's body. At the same time, a scream came from within him, the voice of the will of the great universe, "Ah! How can this be!! No, no!!!!"
Boom—
Qin Chuan felt something inside him explode. Endless power and insights flooded into his being.
His cultivation soared without limit!
He felt himself becoming infinitely vast, infinitely majestic. He was the universe, and the universe was him. He had become the will of the great universe!!
But none of that mattered to him.
He stood there, dazed, listening to the familiar voice. Memories of his journey flooded his mind, and silent tears began to fall...