The ancient staircase descended endlessly into darkness.
Su Chen stood at the entrance for several seconds, staring into the depths of the First Ruin. The golden light far below flickered like a distant star, but the deeper he looked, the more he felt that something was watching him.
Lin Yanyan stood beside him.
"Something feels wrong."
Su Chen nodded.
Mu Xue rested her crimson spear against her shoulder.
"That's because this place is older than anything we've encountered."
The Sea Sovereign glanced behind them.
"And I'm starting to miss the heavenly army."
The Pavilion Master gave him a cold look.
"You were laughing while fighting them."
"I've changed."
"No, you haven't."
The Sea Sovereign sighed.
"You're ruining my reputation."
Despite the danger surrounding them, Lin Yanyan couldn't help smiling.
Su Chen noticed it.
For a brief moment, the tension disappeared.
Then the enormous guardian behind them spoke.
"Only the successor may descend."
Su Chen turned.
"What happens to the others?"
"They will be tested."
Mu Xue immediately stepped forward.
"Then test me."
The guardian shook its head.
"Those who walk beside the successor are not required to inherit the First Dynasty."
Its crimson eyes shifted toward Lin Yanyan.
"They are required to prove that they deserve to remain beside him."
Lin Yanyan's expression became serious.
Su Chen frowned.
"What kind of test?"
The guardian didn't answer.
Instead, the ground beneath Lin Yanyan suddenly disappeared.
"Yanyan!"
Su Chen reached toward her.
But a transparent barrier appeared between them.
Lin Yanyan fell into darkness.
Her phoenix flames exploded around her body as she descended.
"Su Chen!"
"I'm coming!"
He struck the barrier with his sword.
BOOM!
The entire staircase shook.
But the barrier didn't move.
The guardian watched silently.
"Every person must face their own heart."
Su Chen's expression became cold.
"Release her."
"She must choose whether she wishes to follow you."
Su Chen tightened his grip.
"She already chose."
The guardian's eyes flickered.
"Then she will return."
Su Chen didn't like the answer.
But there was nothing he could do.
He turned toward the staircase.
"I'll trust her."
Mu Xue looked at him.
"You really trust her that much?"
Su Chen smiled.
"I trust her more than I trust myself."
The Sea Sovereign whistled.
"That's dangerous."
Su Chen looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because women remember everything."
The Pavilion Master sighed.
"Ignore him."
The four continued descending.
Meanwhile, Lin Yanyan landed in a completely different world.
She stood alone inside a vast white space.
No ruins.
No staircase.
No Su Chen.
She immediately called out.
"Su Chen!"
Her voice echoed.
No response.
Lin Yanyan's expression slowly changed.
She had never liked being separated from him.
Not because she was weak.
But because Su Chen had become the one person she trusted completely.
A voice suddenly appeared behind her.
"You are afraid."
Lin Yanyan turned.
A woman stood several meters away.
She looked exactly like Lin Yanyan.
Same face.
Same eyes.
Same phoenix flames.
But her expression was colder.
"You are afraid that he will eventually leave you."
Lin Yanyan's eyes narrowed.
"Who are you?"
"Your heart."
The other Lin Yanyan smiled.
"You know he is extraordinary."
"He will eventually reach realms you cannot imagine."
"He will meet countless women."
"He will gain powers that place him beyond your reach."
Lin Yanyan remained silent.
The other woman continued.
"And one day, you will become unnecessary."
The words struck deeper than any weapon.
Lin Yanyan's fingers slowly tightened.
Then she smiled.
"You talk too much."
The other woman's expression changed.
Lin Yanyan's phoenix flames erupted.
"I don't care how powerful he becomes."
"I don't care how many enemies stand before him."
"And I don't care how many women enter his life."
Her crimson flames became brighter.
"If Su Chen wants me beside him…"
"Then I'll become strong enough to stay there."
The other Lin Yanyan attacked.
BOOM!
The two phoenix flames collided.
Outside the illusion, the guardian's eyes flickered.
"Interesting."
Back on the staircase, Su Chen suddenly stopped.
Mu Xue looked at him.
"What happened?"
"I felt her."
The Sea Sovereign grinned.
"Your wife?"
Su Chen nodded.
"She's fighting."
Mu Xue smiled.
"Then keep walking."
Su Chen continued descending.
The golden light below became brighter.
After what felt like hours, they finally reached the bottom.
A massive underground city appeared before them.
It was enormous.
Ancient buildings stretched across the horizon.
Golden rivers flowed between them.
At the center stood a palace.
Unlike the ruined structures above, this palace remained perfectly intact.
Its gates were made of black stone.
Above the entrance were four words.
PALACE OF THE FIRST KING.
Su Chen stared at the words.
"The First King?"
The white-haired woman appeared beside him.
"I've never seen this place."
"Neither did the Emperor?"
She shook her head.
"He never reached this far."
Su Chen looked toward the palace.
"Then this is beyond his knowledge."
Mu Xue suddenly pointed toward the city.
"Look."
Su Chen followed her gaze.
Figures were standing throughout the streets.
Thousands of them.
They looked human.
But they weren't moving.
They were statues.
Every statue was kneeling toward the palace.
The Sea Sovereign walked closer.
"These people…"
He touched one.
The statue immediately cracked.
A black mist escaped.
The Sea Sovereign jumped backward.
"That wasn't a statue."
The ground began shaking.
One by one, the figures opened their eyes.
Thousands of crimson eyes appeared throughout the city.
Mu Xue immediately raised her spear.
"Formation!"
Su Chen lifted his sword.
The city erupted.
Thousands of ancient warriors charged toward them.
They weren't Immortals.
But each one possessed terrifying cultivation.
"Don't kill them!"
Su Chen suddenly shouted.
Mu Xue stopped her spear.
"Why?"
"They're protecting the palace."
Su Chen looked carefully.
Every warrior moved according to the same pattern.
They weren't attacking randomly.
They were testing them.
"The First Dynasty created them as guardians."
The Sea Sovereign laughed.
"Then let's pass the test."
BOOM!
The battle began.
Mu Xue's spear swept across the streets.
The Sea Sovereign unleashed waves of energy.
The Pavilion Master summoned silver moons.
Su Chen moved through the warriors without killing them.
Every time he reached a guardian, he struck the center of their chest.
One after another, the warriors collapsed.
Not dead.
Simply deactivated.
After several minutes—
The entire city became silent.
Thousands of guardians lay motionless.
The palace gates slowly opened.
Su Chen walked toward them.
Then—
A voice came from inside.
"You finally came."
Su Chen stopped.
The voice was familiar.
Too familiar.
His heart tightened.
Because it sounded exactly like the Primordial Emperor.
But deeper.
Older.
And colder.
A figure slowly walked out of the palace.
A man wearing a black crown.
Long black hair.
Golden eyes.
His appearance was almost identical to Su Chen.
Mu Xue's face changed.
The Sea Sovereign stopped smiling.
The Pavilion Master stared in silence.
The white-haired woman appeared beside Su Chen.
Her entire body trembled.
"No…"
Su Chen looked at her.
"Who is he?"
She whispered.
"The first successor."
The crowned man smiled.
"Not quite."
His eyes moved toward Su Chen.
"I was the one before the successor."
Su Chen's expression hardened.
"Then who are you?"
The man slowly raised his hand.
The entire First Ruin trembled.
"I am the first person who carried the authority you now possess."
He smiled.
"And unlike the Primordial Emperor…"
His golden eyes became cold.
"…I never failed."
Suddenly, Lin Yanyan's voice echoed from behind Su Chen.
"Su Chen!"
He immediately turned.
Lin Yanyan stood at the end of the street.
Her clothes were slightly damaged, but her phoenix flames were stronger than before.
Su Chen smiled.
"You're back."
Lin Yanyan walked straight toward him.
Then grabbed his arm.
"I'm not leaving you again."
The crowned man watched them quietly.
For some reason—
He smiled.
"Good."
Su Chen frowned.
"Good?"
The man's smile widened.
"Because the First Dynasty needs both of you."
The palace behind him suddenly opened completely.
A gigantic golden throne appeared inside.
And beside it—
A second throne.
Su Chen's eyes narrowed.
The crowned man pointed toward them.
"The First Dynasty was never ruled by one person."
"It was ruled by two."
Lin Yanyan's phoenix flames suddenly surged.
Su Chen's Fourth Imperial Seal reacted.
The entire ruin began trembling.
Then a final message appeared above the palace.
THE DUAL SUCCESSOR TRIAL HAS BEGUN.