The heartbeat beneath the palace became louder.
BOOM.
The entire First Ruin shook.
Dust fell from the ancient ceiling while cracks spread across the golden floor beneath Su Chen's feet.
BOOM.
Lin Yanyan's phoenix flames immediately erupted around her body.
She moved closer to Su Chen, her eyes fixed on the darkness beneath the palace.
"What exactly is down there?"
The crowned man didn't answer.
He simply stared at the floor.
For the first time since Su Chen had met him, the man's expression was filled with genuine fear.
Mu Xue noticed it.
"You know what that thing is."
The crowned man slowly nodded.
"I know."
The Sea Sovereign tightened his fists.
"Then speak."
The crowned man swallowed.
"The First Dynasty didn't have an emperor."
Everyone froze.
Su Chen narrowed his eyes.
"What?"
The crowned man looked toward the shattered golden throne.
"The person you call the Primordial Emperor wasn't the first ruler."
"He was only a successor."
Mu Xue's expression became serious.
"Then who ruled before him?"
The crowned man looked down.
"The First Master."
The words echoed through the palace.
Suddenly, the golden floor split apart.
BOOM!
A gigantic black hand emerged from beneath the palace.
The crowned man immediately retreated.
"Everyone, move!"
Su Chen grabbed Lin Yanyan's hand and jumped backward.
Mu Xue, the Sea Sovereign, and the Pavilion Master moved at the same time.
The black hand slammed onto the floor.
BOOM!
The entire palace collapsed.
A massive figure slowly rose from beneath the ruins.
Black armor covered its body.
Ancient golden chains wrapped around its arms.
Its face was hidden beneath a cracked mask.
But unlike the guardian they had encountered earlier, this creature's presence was completely different.
There was no wild killing intent.
No rage.
Only absolute silence.
The creature slowly lifted its head.
Two golden eyes opened.
The moment Su Chen met its gaze
The Fourth Imperial Seal trembled violently.
The creature stared at him.
Then it spoke.
"Another successor."
Its voice was deep and ancient.
The crowned man immediately knelt.
"Master."
The creature looked at him.
"You failed."
The crowned man's body trembled.
"I…"
"You were instructed to protect the inheritance."
The creature's voice remained calm.
"Instead, you allowed an outsider to challenge the trial."
The crowned man lowered his head.
"I apologize."
Su Chen stepped forward.
"He's not the one who failed."
The creature looked toward him.
"You?"
Su Chen raised the Heaven Slaughter Sword.
"I'm the one who refused your test."
The creature stared at him for several seconds.
Then
It laughed.
A low laugh.
The entire ruin trembled.
"Interesting."
Lin Yanyan stepped beside Su Chen.
The creature noticed her.
Its golden eyes narrowed.
"Phoenix blood."
Lin Yanyan's flames intensified.
"You know my bloodline?"
"I remember the first Phoenix."
Lin Yanyan froze.
"The first?"
The creature nodded.
"Your bloodline once stood beside the First Dynasty."
Su Chen looked at Lin Yanyan.
She looked equally surprised.
The creature continued.
"But your bloodline was betrayed."
Lin Yanyan's expression changed.
"By whom?"
The creature looked toward the heavens.
"The same beings who now call themselves Immortals."
The Sea Sovereign cursed under his breath.
"So this goes even deeper."
Su Chen stepped forward.
"What happened to the First Dynasty?"
The creature remained silent.
Then it raised one hand.
The ruins around them disappeared.
A gigantic projection appeared across the sky.
Su Chen saw an ancient civilization.
Billions of cultivators.
Countless worlds connected by enormous formations.
Immortals weren't rulers.
They were soldiers.
At the center stood a gigantic palace.
And on its throne sat a man.
Not the Primordial Emperor.
Someone older.
Someone whose face Su Chen couldn't see clearly.
Around him stood countless powerful beings.
Then the heavens attacked.
Endless armies descended.
The First Dynasty fought back.
Worlds shattered.
Stars exploded.
Immortals died by the millions.
Then the projection changed.
Su Chen saw the final battlefield.
The ancient ruler stood alone.
Before him floated a strange black object.
It looked like an eye.
The same eye Su Chen had seen beyond the stars.
The ancient ruler raised his hand.
The black eye disappeared.
But so did the ruler.
The projection ended.
Su Chen's expression became serious.
"Did he die?"
The creature shook its head.
"No."
"Then where is he?"
The creature looked toward the darkness beneath the palace.
"Waiting."
The ground trembled again.
The black eye appeared above them.
The same mysterious presence from beyond the stars.
The creature raised its head.
"You have returned."
The eye opened.
"I never left."
Su Chen's expression changed.
The voice continued.
"The First Master failed."
The creature's golden eyes became cold.
"You were always afraid of him."
The mysterious voice laughed.
"And you were always his servant."
The creature's armor began glowing.
Ancient chains snapped.
One.
Two.
Three.
The crowned man immediately backed away.
"Master…"
The creature ignored him.
Its attention remained fixed on the eye.
"You should never have returned."
The eye widened.
"I returned because he did."
Its gaze shifted toward Su Chen.
"You."
Su Chen pointed his sword toward it.
"You've been following me."
"Since the day you were born."
Lin Yanyan's expression changed.
Su Chen's heart tightened.
"Why?"
The eye answered.
"Because you carry something that belongs to me."
The Fourth Imperial Seal suddenly burned.
Pain exploded throughout Su Chen's soul.
He dropped to one knee.
"Su Chen!"
Lin Yanyan rushed toward him.
The white-haired woman appeared inside his consciousness.
Her expression was filled with panic.
"Don't let it touch the seal!"
Su Chen gritted his teeth.
"What is it?"
"The original authority."
"What does that mean?"
Before she could answer
The black eye released a beam of darkness.
BOOM!
The creature in black armor stepped forward.
Its palm stopped the attack.
The entire First Ruin shook.
The creature's golden eyes burned.
"You will not touch him."
The eye became furious.
"You think you can stop me?"
The creature smiled.
"I stopped you once."
The darkness spread across the sky.
"And I'll do it again."
The two ancient beings collided.
BOOM!
The explosion destroyed half of the First Ruin.
Su Chen grabbed Lin Yanyan and retreated.
Mu Xue shouted.
"Get away from them!"
The Sea Sovereign unleashed his power, protecting the group from the shockwaves.
The Pavilion Master created a silver barrier around everyone.
The battle above them was beyond anything they had witnessed.
The creature fought with nothing but its body.
Every punch shattered space.
Every movement destroyed ancient formations.
The black eye released endless darkness.
The two forces collided again and again.
Su Chen watched silently.
Then he noticed something.
The creature was losing.
Slowly.
But surely.
The black eye was overpowering it.
Su Chen clenched his sword.
The Fourth Imperial Seal began glowing.
Lin Yanyan noticed.
"Don't."
Su Chen looked at her.
"I have to."
"No."
She grabbed his arm.
"You don't know what will happen."
Su Chen smiled.
"I know."
He gently held her hand.
"But I can't stand here and watch someone fight for us."
Lin Yanyan stared at him.
Then her phoenix flames erupted.
"Then you're not fighting alone."
Her flames entered his golden aura.
Mu Xue stepped forward.
"If you're going, I'm coming."
The Sea Sovereign laughed.
"Looks like we're doing this again."
The Pavilion Master raised her hand.
Silver moonlight gathered.
"Then let's finish it."
Su Chen looked at all of them.
For a moment, he remembered the Primordial Emperor.
He remembered how that man had always fought alone.
Then Su Chen smiled.
"Let's do it differently."
The Fourth Imperial Seal opened completely.
Golden light erupted across the First Ruin.
The Heaven Slaughter Sword transformed.
Its golden blade became covered in crimson and silver patterns.
The power of everyone standing beside Su Chen flowed into it.
The ancient creature looked toward him.
For the first time—
It smiled.
"Now I understand."
Su Chen raised the sword.
"I don't need to become the Primordial Emperor."
The black eye stared down at him.
Su Chen's voice echoed across the ruined palace.
"I'll become something he never could."
He stepped forward.
"Someone who doesn't fight alone."
BOOM!
Su Chen and his companions charged toward the black eye.
And for the first time in countless ages
The First Ruin witnessed the birth of a new alliance.