Same Origin, Opposing Force, A Deadlock for Two Heroes

The entire space of the ancient secret realm fell into absolute silence at this moment.

The terrifying pressure brought about by the awakening of the Ancient Supreme Remnant had already crushed all things in heaven and earth. Yet, the moment that Mysterious Shadow atop the altar made its move, all the violent baleful energy and surging power seemed to encounter a primordial restraint, freezing stiffly in the void.

Two distinct and terrifying forces, one on the left and one on the right, completely sealed off every path of retreat.

On the left was the world-ending divine ability condensed by the Ancient Supreme Remnant. A torrent of ink-black energy churned and roared, interwoven with the baleful aura of eternal slaughter. Every strand of energy carried a tyrannical power capable of crushing the Heavens and annihilating souls. Its blood-red pupils locked onto Lin Chen, greed and killing intent intertwined, desperate to devour his Dragon Soul Origin in an instant.

On the right was the pitch-black palm print extended by the Mysterious Shadow. There was no earth-shattering momentum, no explosive pressure; it was plain and simple, yet it exuded a power of dead silence that transcended time and spanned the ages. This power enveloped the surroundings silently. Though it appeared gentle, it sealed off all displacement, teleportation, and escape techniques within the entire space, trapping Lin Chen, Son Goku, and Vegeta firmly within a square inch.

Lin Chen's blood and qi churned, and his overdrawn body sent waves of tearing pain, yet his eyes remained sharp as blades within his pale face.

He clearly perceived the forces on both sides, and a monstrous wave surged in his heart.

The power of the Ancient Supreme Remnant was pure destruction and tyranny—the laws of slaughter belonging to an ancient top-tier powerhouse. It was savage, violent, and unbridled; it was a visible, tangible power of world-ending destruction.

However, the power spreading from the palm of the Mysterious Shadow was bizarre to the extreme.

Especially that strand of aura, which shared the same origin as the Dragon Ball, caused his dormant Dragon Soul to tremble uncontrollably when it lingered around him. The seven-colored origin light spilled outward involuntarily, as if it had encountered its innate master.

This feeling was far more than mere restraint.

It was a tracing of origins, a submission—a top-tier suppression that stood above the very origin of the Dragon Ball Heavens!

"So that's how it is..." Lin Chen's throat tightened, and all the doubts in his heart were suddenly cleared at this moment.

Every anomaly since stepping into the secret realm, every act of prying, and every pull directed at his Dragon Ball Origin had never been the work of the Ancient Supreme.

That Ancient Supreme Remnant, sealed for eons, was merely a pawn deliberately released by this Mysterious Shadow—a whetstone used to force him to continuously release his Dragon Soul, overdraw his origin, and fully activate the power of his reincarnation.

The shadow had not made a move from start to finish, not out of fear of the Supreme's pressure, nor out of an inability to intervene, but because it was waiting.

Waiting for him to break the ancient seal, waiting for him to force out all the Dragon Ball Origin, waiting for him to exhaust his combat power and fall into a desperate situation, only to then reap the rewards!

What meticulous calculation, what terrifying forbearance.

A trap laid from before the ages, interlocking and lethal at every step, playing him, the reincarnated Dragon Ball wielder, like a puppet in its palm.

"Lin Chen!"

Son Goku endured the heavy injuries within his body, his azure Super Saiyan aura flickering unsteadily, yet he still gritted his teeth and stood horizontally in front of Lin Chen. His bones were fractured in many places, blood dripped continuously from the corner of his mouth, and there was not a shred of fear in his golden eyes—only the determination to protect his friend to the death.

"These two guys—one wants to steal your Dragon Soul, and the other has unknown, sinister motives. Even if I have to die today, I will keep you safe!"

Vegeta's proud figure followed closely behind, his deep blue battle aura surging once more. Even though the webbing between his thumbs and forefingers had split, his shoulder armor was shattered, and his meridians were riddled with cracks, he pushed his own Realm Master combat power to the limit. He clenched his fists, the surrounding space slightly collapsing due to the extreme energy compression. His cold gaze swept across the two powerful enemies, his brow bearing the unyielding pride of the Saiyan Prince.

"No need for useless talk." Vegeta's voice was cold and hard, carrying the resolve to fight to the bitter end. "Be it the Supreme or the Mysterious Shadow, if you want to kill and seize the treasure, you must step over our corpses first."

The two stood left and right, shielding the exhausted Lin Chen. Even though they were severely wounded and the gap in cultivation was like a chasm, they did not retreat in the slightest.

The remaining cultivators and alien powerhouses sat paralyzed in the ruins, looking at this absurd and desperate scene, their faces already ashen.

Two supreme existences attacking simultaneously to suppress a peak Realm Master and two heavily wounded Super Saiyans—this was not a battle; it was a one-sided slaughter.

No one would survive in this secret realm today.

Above the void, the hundred-zhang-long blood-red pupils of the Ancient Supreme Remnant narrowed slightly, seemingly sensing the strangeness of the shadow beside it.

In its remaining ancient memories, there was no record of this power, yet the aura of desolate time on the opponent made even this Ancient Supreme feel an instinctive sense of dread.

A hoarse, ancient roar resounded through the heavens once more, carrying the dignity and confusion of a Supreme: "Who... dares to obstruct this Seat?"

The ancient seal was broken, and it had returned to the world. It should have ruled the Heavens and devoured the Dragon Soul to reshape its peak. A mere nameless shadow dared to contend with it and block its destiny.

Facing the questioning of the Supreme Remnant, the Mysterious Shadow showed no emotional fluctuation.

Its pitch-black form remained hidden in the shadows of the void, its face obscured, save for those deep, cold eyes that swept a look of indifference at the enraged Supreme Remnant.

No sound was emitted, and no offensive burst forth.

Yet, with just that light glance, the Ancient Supreme Remnant, which had been violently raging with world-shaking pressure just a moment ago, saw its churning black baleful energy suddenly stall. The light of the world-ending divine ability it had condensed dimmed by a third, and its supreme dignity was forcibly suppressed!

At this moment, the entire scene fell into dead silence.

Everyone's heart tightened, and a chill originating from the soul swept through their bodies.

The Supreme Remnant, which had traversed the ancient times and suppressed the myriad worlds, was actually intimidated by a single glance from this Mysterious Shadow?

Just how terrifying was the strength of this shadow!

Taking advantage of the Supreme Remnant's brief stagnation, Lin Chen took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the churning blood and intense pain in his body.

He knew this was his only chance to breathe, and his only chance to break the deadlock.

With dual desperate situations upon him, there was no retreat and no way to avoid them; waiting for death was the most foolish choice.

He quickly mobilized all the remaining Dragon Soul Origin in his body. The Dragon Ball Fragment floating before him trembled slightly, its seven-colored light flowing slowly, repairing his damaged meridians bit by bit and nourishing his overdrawn body.

At the same time, his gaze swept across the field, his brain working at high speed to sort out the situation before him.

The two enemies each had their own reservations.

The Supreme Remnant wanted his Dragon Soul Origin and Dragon Ball Fragment; its goal was pure—to break the shackles of its remnant soul, reshape its physical body, and return to the peak of an Ancient Supreme.

The Mysterious Shadow's goal was unknown, its strength unfathomable. It held a bizarre power that surpassed the Dragon Ball Origin and had been calculating for eons; its schemes and methods far exceeded those of the bloodthirsty and tyrannical Supreme Remnant.

More importantly, the two supreme existences were not on the same side.

The shadow intimidated the Supreme, and the Supreme was wary of the shadow. While they both appeared to have locked onto him, they were actually checking and guarding against each other.

This is the only glimmer of hope within this dead end!

"You two, keep the Ancient Supreme Remnant occupied. Don't fight it head-on, just stall for a moment!" Lin Chen lowered his voice, speaking rapidly to Son Goku and Vegeta, his eyes filled with unwavering resolve. "The Mysterious Shadow's goal is likely not as simple as just killing me. It is wary of the Supreme, and the Supreme is wary of it. Since they are not aligned, there must be a rift between them!"

Son Goku was slightly taken aback, but he grasped the intent instantly and nodded heavily. "Understood! Leave it to us!"

Before the words had even faded, the dim aura around him suddenly flared once more. His exhausted potential was forcibly ignited by sheer willpower, and a brilliant blue-gold light surged into the sky. Even as his injuries worsened, he was determined to fight on!

Vegeta's gaze was frigid, already prepared for another round. "Stalling? Simple. But you must find an opening to escape; don't let our sacrifice be in vain."

The moment his words fell, the Ancient Supreme Remnant broke free from its shock, its blood-red malice surging once more!

Being suppressed by the Mysterious Shadow was an unprecedented humiliation for the arrogant Ancient Supreme. It ignored the shadow beside it, locking all its killing intent back onto Lin Chen, and unleashed a world-ending divine ability that poured down like a torrent!

A pitch-black flood of energy tore through the void, carrying the power to crush everything in its path. It descended with force several times greater than the previous strike—a true killing technique of the Supreme!

"Take this!"

Son Goku roared, his voice shaking the heavens. He blasted forward, holding nothing back. He pressed his hands together, and his surging Super Saiyan energy gathered frantically, forming a wave of intertwined gold and blue light.

This Kamehameha was not as grand as the previous one, but it condensed his final remaining strength. He was willing to trade injury for injury just to block this Supreme strike!

Vegeta followed closely behind, teleporting into mid-air. A brilliant white light exploded from his palms as he unleashed his Final Flash. The two supreme techniques overlapped, clashing head-on against the black divine ability!

Rumble—

The earth-shattering collision tore the sky of the secret realm apart once more.

A violent energy storm centered on their clash swept wildly in all directions. The ruined ancient altar was ground into dust, the thick layers of the secret realm's crust collapsed, and the black fissures in the abyss below expanded again. The entire world teetered on the brink of destruction.

Yet, before the true divine ability of the Supreme, the two Super Saiyan ultimate techniques still appeared fragile.

The gold and white lights shattered inch by inch. The violent power of destruction instantly pierced through their energy barriers, slamming heavily into their bodies.

Pfft—

Son Goku and Vegeta spat out mouthfuls of blood simultaneously. Like kites with broken strings, they were hurled toward the ground, embedding themselves deep into the ruins. Their auras dimmed completely, their vitality withered to the extreme, and they were no longer able to rise and fight.

The two Super Saiyan powerhouses had been thoroughly defeated and critically wounded!

Everyone's heart sank to the bottom of the abyss.

The final line of defense had vanished.

High in the void, the Ancient Supreme Remnant's killing intent soared. Its blood-red pupils stared fixedly at Lin Chen, who stood alone below, as the lingering power of its black destruction continued to crush down upon him.

At this moment, Lin Chen was truly alone.

With his combat power exhausted, his meridians damaged, and no allies left by his side, he was utterly isolated.

The world-ending power of destruction was inches away, and the shadow of death instantly enveloped him.

Just as everyone believed Lin Chen was doomed, the Mysterious Shadow hanging in the void finally made its move.

The long, pitch-black palm pressed down slightly. A desolate power that transcended the ages erupted, silently blocking the Supreme's torrent of destruction.

The palm descended with a gentle motion, yet it possessed the supreme power to imprison the heavens and earth.

The Supreme's divine ability, which had been rampaging through the void and unstoppable, suddenly stalled. Then, it disintegrated layer by layer at a visible rate, scattering and finally dissolving completely into the void, without a shred of its power touching Lin Chen.

The entire secret realm fell into an instant, deathly silence.

The Ancient Supreme Remnant was utterly enraged. The black mist around its body churned violently, and an ancient, baleful aura surged into the sky. Its dignity as a Supreme had been offended, causing it to abandon all caution toward the shadow.

"Lowly brat, you dare obstruct this Supreme's path!"

The thunderous roar echoed across the heavens and earth. Ancient golden runes lit up across the remnant's body, and the full foundation of the Ancient Supreme erupted. It devoured all the spiritual energy and yin-evil power within the secret realm, and a terrifying force capable of collapsing the Heavens was rapidly gathering.

It would kill this strange shadow first, then seize the Dragon Soul Origin!

The two top-tier existences stood in a total standoff; a great war was on the verge of breaking out!

Lin Chen, at the center of the storm, watched the two powerful enemies confronting each other. His tense mind did not relax; instead, it grew colder and heavier.

He had escaped the Supreme's killing blow, only to fall completely into the control of the shadow.

That strand of desolate power, which was of the same origin but far superior, had silently coiled around the Dragon Soul Origin within him, gently yet tyrannically sealing all his power and leaving him unable to muster a shred of combat strength.

He looked up at the Mysterious Shadow within the void, his gaze piercing through the layers of black mist as if touching upon an unknown truth.

It was then that the shadow, silent for eons, finally spoke for the first time in a hoarse, weathered voice that seemed to span countless ages.

"Reincarnation of the Dragon Ball, a cycle through the ages... finally, I have waited for the complete you."

The voice was soft, yet carried an indifference that saw through everything.

Lin Chen's pupils contracted sharply. Just as he was about to speak and demand answers, he suddenly sensed a mutation within his body!

The long-dormant Dragon Soul Origin inside him was being uncontrollably drawn and stripped away by the shadow's power. Even more terrifying, countless fragments of strange memories, long sealed deep within his mind, were surging forth and exploding!

Those memories did not belong to this life, nor to the Dragon Ball Heavens, but came from a far more ancient, desolate, and unknown era!

The shadow watched Lin Chen, whose body trembled slightly with a look of shock and uncertainty, and slowly uttered a secret that overturned all his perceptions:

"You think you are the reincarnation of the Dragon Ball, living a new life?"

"How laughable... you were always just a strand of my origin remnant, lost for eons."