TL Note: I changed the name of Young Master Six Paths to Young Master Six Dao
"BOOM!!!"
Accompanied by a deafening roar, a figure smashed straight through the thick ground and crashed deep underground.
Crimson hair.
Scarlet pupils.
An aura so vast it was terrifying.
It was—
Chi Mo, descendant of the fallen Great Emperor Red Emperor!
And also Mu Xueying's fiancé!
"So this is the place Mu Xueying mentioned…"
Chi Mo's gaze swept around as he murmured softly.
"That woman wouldn't dare lie to me… Could it be that this place really holds an opportunity powerful enough to let me become a Great Emperor?"
"Hiss—hiss—hiss—"
At that moment, numerous figures slowly emerged.
Each of them carried a strange shrimp-like shell on their backs. Their appearances varied wildly—most resembled snails or insects.
But—
Every single one of them emitted faint traces of…
human aura.
Or rather—
the aura of beings who were once human.
"Interloper," the strongest among them growled.
"This is our god's forbidden ground. Those who enter—die!"
In the next instant, countless shell-backed figures erupted forward, charging straight at Chi Mo!
"Pipi shrimp?" Chi Mo froze for a moment.
Looking more closely, he realized they weren't—
they just looked vaguely similar.
And these things were grotesque beyond belief. Many of their bodies seemed melted together, twisted and fused in unnatural ways.
Evil to the extreme.
"I am Chi Mo! Descendant of a Great Emperor!"
"Get—lost!!!"
Chi Mo raised his hand. Crimson markings surfaced across his body as terrifying power erupted!
With a single strike—
BOOM!
Hundreds of shell-backed figures were blown apart on the spot!
"!"
The sheer terror of that blow instantly stunned the remaining creatures.
Then—
"Let him enter."
A hoarse, unfathomably deep voice echoed from the deepest part of the cavern.
"!"
All the shell-backed figures trembled violently before retreating and vanishing into the darkness.
At the same time, a stone-brick pathway suddenly manifested, leading straight toward the cavern's depths.
"…"
Chi Mo hesitated briefly—then stepped forward, one pace at a time.
"The deeper I go…"
"The more unbelievable this place becomes…"
As Chi Mo advanced, his shock only grew.
This underground cavern was vast beyond imagination!
Along the way, he saw countless ancient structures—once built from incredibly resilient stone, now so decayed that only faint outlines remained.
This was not the result of hundreds or even thousands of years.
Not even millions.
These ruins belonged to an age—
far older.
Perhaps…
older by countless times than even the rise of the human race.
Yet the more shocking and unfathomable the scene became—
the more excited Chi Mo grew.
"Maybe… Mu Xueying didn't lie to me after all."
A grin spread across his face.
Soon, Chi Mo reached the deepest part of the cavern.
There stood an ancient altar.
Black, tentacle-like patterns spread across the ground, intertwined with five eye-shaped, eerie totems.
Here, Chi Mo could clearly sense—
hidden within the surrounding darkness—
several beings of terrifying power, each no weaker than himself.
Just as Chi Mo's heart stirred with uncertainty—
A voice pierced through his ears, through his mind—
and rang directly within his soul.
"Do you… crave power?"
…
At the same time—
At the border of the Imperial River Domain, atop a small mountain peak.
A breathtakingly beautiful young woman sat quietly, sipping tea.
It was—
Mu Xueying.
"What elegant leisure, Miss Mu,"
a leisurely voice sounded.
"In such an ancient era, instead of seeking your own opportunities, you choose to wait here specifically for me. I am truly honored."
A figure appeared.
Dressed in a robe, his aura deeply restrained yet unfathomable—
Young Master Six Dao.
"I knew you would come," Mu Xueying smiled, as stunning as ever.
Young Master Six Dao paused briefly, momentarily dazed—
but quickly regained his composure.
Though his heart had faltered for an instant, a deep wariness soon surfaced in his eyes.
"May I ask," he said with a smile as he sat opposite her,
"why Miss Mu summoned me here?"
Mu Xueying smiled gently.
"I want you," she said softly,
"to help me kill someone."
"Who?"
Young Master Six Dao frowned.
After experiencing the Primordial Era, he was now absolutely certain of one thing—
This place truly was the Ancient Era.
The only question was:
what kind of power had brought all of them to this era?
And very clearly—
from beginning to end, only Mu Xueying knew the truth.
"In the Primordial Era," Mu Xueying said with a smile,
"those 'nutrients' from the Upper Realms should have fed you quite well, right?"
"!"
Young Master Six Dao' heart instantly skipped a beat.
"All of this was thanks to Miss Mu's assistance," he replied slowly.
"I am endlessly grateful."
Young Master Six Dao prided himself on fearing no peer of his generation.
Even Chi Mo, the descendant of a Great Emperor,
even Little Celestial Venerable Jian Aolai,
he felt no fear whatsoever!
Including the mysterious He Yiming!
And yet—
only before Mu Xueying—
he felt both desire and greed, yet restrained himself entirely through sheer reason.
He did not even dare cross the line by the slightest margin.
Because this woman before him—
Was truly terrifying.
"Chi Mo," Mu Xueying spoke calmly.
"Descendant of a Great Emperor. And also—my fiancé."
"!"
Young Master Six Dao' expression changed instantly.
Are you kidding me?!
Even if the Red Emperor had fallen,
was a Great Emperor's descendant someone you could just kill?
"This… even if I had the strength to deal with Chi Mo," Young Master Six Dao said in a low voice,
"he is still a Great Emperor's descendant! The Red Emperor's bloodline would definitely know it was me. At that point, I would have no way to escape death!"
The power of a Great Emperor was something utterly unfathomable—
beyond the imagination of ordinary cultivators.
Only a Great Emperor could contend with another Great Emperor.
This was common knowledge in the cultivation world!
Two Great Emperors could clash—
and even fight for thousands of years without killing one another!
Because the methods possessed by a Great Emperor were simply too numerous and too terrifying!
The Red Emperor had indeed fallen—there was no doubt about that.
But the Red Emperor's bloodline still existed!
Chi Mo, who possessed a Great Emperor's bloodline, had countless trump cards, terrifying strength, and heaven-defying life-saving methods—
so much so that even many Divine Transformation experts could only look on in despair!
The gap in inheritance between them was simply too great.
"Don't worry," Mu Xueying smiled faintly.
"The Red Emperor's bloodline will be corrupted. So when the time comes, the one you will face won't truly be a Great Emperor's descendant—only someone who possesses the strength of one."
"Corrupted?"
Young Master Six Dao was completely stunned.
How terrifying was a Great Emperor's bloodline?
A single drop of blood was enough to suppress and kill a Divine Transformation expert!
Even after the Red Emperor's death, his bloodline remained tyrannical beyond measure.
Only a Great Emperor's bloodline could corrupt others—
how could anyone possibly corrupt a Great Emperor's bloodline?!
"I'm sorry, Miss Mu," Young Master Six Dao said slowly.
"This task is far too difficult. It is beyond my capabilities."
With that, he prepared to stand up and leave.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Mu Xueying sighed softly.
"What a pity. I thought… you might be interested in the Great Emperor opportunity Chi Mo will obtain."
"Great Emperor opportunity?"
Young Master Six Dao abruptly stopped.
A sharp gleam flashed in his eyes.
"Yes," Mu Xueying said calmly.
"In this era, Chi Mo will obtain an opportunity that can allow him to become a Great Emperor in the future."
"And I'm the one who told him about it."
"This opportunity… only he can obtain."
"But—"
"If he is killed," Mu Xueying continued, enunciating each word clearly,
"then the Great Emperor opportunity he obtains will naturally fall into the hands of the one who kills him."
...
Each word struck with precision.
"!!!"
Young Master Six Dao' entire body trembled.
"Fine, Miss Mu. I'll participate."
"But I must ask you one thing," he said sharply.
"You must give me a definite answer!"
...
His expression hardened as he stared at her.
"Will I die during this secret realm expedition?" he asked.
"No," Mu Xueying replied without the slightest hesitation.
Her answer was decisive.
"Good."
Young Master Six Dao nodded.
"I agree."
Moments later—
His figure tore through the air and vanished, a smile still lingering on his lips.
Mu Xueying remained standing where she was.
Only after a long while did she gently brush aside a strand of her long hair.
"You won't die inside the secret realm," she murmured softly.
"But once you leave it…"
Her lips curled upward slightly, revealing a faint, bewitching smile.