The instant billions of divine rays tore through the gloomy sky, the sounds of battle throughout the Ancient Secret Realm came to an eerie halt.
The light was no ordinary spell glow. Clear and majestic, it carried the solemnity inherent in the laws of heaven and earth as it descended from the highest heavens, like an invisible net spreading across the land. The Fall-Path black mist that had been surging wildly, the Desolation Origin that had been crashing about in a frenzy, and the lingering baleful aura of the Supreme were all frozen in place the moment the divine light touched them. The wildly surging forces hung suspended in midair, and even most of the murderous, violent aura permeating the air was washed away.
Lin Chen wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. The roiling qi and blood inside him settled slightly, but the heaviness in his heart only grew. Behind him, Son Goku and Vegeta tensed, staring intently at the path of light that had split open the sky, their faces full of wariness.
First came the mysterious shadow, an existence of supreme stature from time immemorial; then came hordes of Heavens-Dao-Destroyers; and on top of that, the Ancient Supreme Remnant had made a desperate last stand. These three factions had already thrown the realm into chaos. Now a fourth group of powerful figures had appeared, and the situation had completely slipped beyond anyone's control.
"Outer-Realm Heavenly Dao Enforcers..." Lin Chen repeated the name in a low voice. The ancient fragments of memory lying dormant in his sea of consciousness stirred once more.
In those hazy images from the Chaos Era, he had seen figures much like these, wielding authority over order and judging all things. They belonged to no faction and stood beyond the great powers of the Heavens. Upholding the fundamental laws of heaven and earth, they appeared to suppress any disturbance that disrupted order or overturned the Great Dao. During the Dao-Destroying Rebellion that once swept through Chaos, it seemed that figures like them had intervened alongside the supreme beings and the Fall-Path Practitioners in their deadly struggle. But too much time had passed, and his memories were incomplete; he still couldn't piece together the full truth.
In the void, the Ancient Supreme Remnant had still been gathering strength inside its restraints, waiting for a chance to stir up more trouble. But the instant the Heavenly Dao's divine light fell upon it, its several-zhang-tall body shuddered. Deep fear and apprehension flashed in its blood-red eyes, and the aura of its restless remnant soul immediately weakened.
"Heavenly Dao Enforcers... I can't believe even they were drawn here." The Supreme Remnant's voice held a trace of bitterness, along with a hint of unwillingness. "When the calamity ended back then, those fellows vanished without a trace, hiding deep within the laws of the Heavens. Now that the source is stirring and all sides are at war, even this behemoth has finally been roused."
It had lived through the ancient past and witnessed the Chaos calamity firsthand. It understood better than anyone present how terrifying the Heavenly Dao Enforcers were. Their combat strength might not surpass that of the supreme beings of Chaos, but they wielded the laws of heaven and earth, and could draw on the momentum of the Heavens with every move. When it came to restraining and suppressing their opponents, no one could match them.
In midair, the Mysterious Shadow, its body wreathed in black mist, also halted its attack.
It had been channeling the Desolation Origin, holding back the Fall-Path army while secretly protecting Lin Chen to keep others from seizing the core source. Now, facing the descending divine light of the Heavenly Dao, the black mist enveloping its body stirred slowly. The murderous intent around it subsided, but it showed no sign of backing down.
After lying dormant for countless ages and laying its plans up to this moment, it could not give up the source now that it was within reach just because a group of enforcers had appeared.
"Impressive. You even managed to rouse the Heavenly Dao lineage, which never comes out of hiding." The Shadow's voice remained ancient and low, betraying no emotion. Its gaze swept over the depths of the path of light. "During the calamity back then, you watched from the sidelines as the Fall-Path faction wreaked havoc across Chaos. Now that the old matter has come up again, you're here at once to uphold 'justice'?"
Its words held unmistakable mockery. Clearly, the two sides had been at odds since time immemorial.
Above, divine light gathered, and figures clad in luminous white holy armor stepped forth, their bodies entwined with glowing patterns of law. They stood tall, their faces hidden behind halos of light and impossible to make out. Yet the power of the laws radiating from each of them was as weighty as a mountain, pressing the space of the realm inward. At the front stood their leader, holding a shimmering Law Staff covered in dense ancient runes. He was the one who had just spoken with the voice of heaven.
"The Chaos source has stirred, and heretical forces that defy the Dao are causing disorder, disrupting the balance of the Heavens. By the decree of the Heavenly Dao, we have come to suppress them." The Enforcer Leader's voice was cool and utterly impersonal. His gaze swept slowly across the battlefield before settling on the three factions and Lin Chen at the center. "Old grievances belong to the past. The flames of war are spreading here. If the fighting continues, not only will this Ancient Secret Realm be destroyed, it may even affect the surrounding star domains of the Heavens. Cease fighting at once and return to your places."
A simple statement, delivered with an ironclad authority that brooked no argument.
Several of the Fall-Path Practitioners' leaders let out a sinister laugh.
"Cease fighting? Hahaha, what a joke!" A Fall-Path Practitioner stepped out of the ranks, the blood-red markings across his body flashing fiercely. "Back then, the Heavenly Dao sided with the so-called orthodox and joined forces to suppress us, branding us heretical demons who defied the Dao and forcing us to flee into the darkness, where we barely survived for countless ages. Now that the supreme source has appeared, this is our chance to turn things around. You think a few words will make us leave? Dream on!"
"So what if you're Heavenly Dao Enforcers? If we really fight, it's still anyone's guess who'll win!"
The Fall-Path Practitioners erupted in outrage, their sinister power surging once more, as if another battle was about to erupt. They were born in defiance of the Dao and had never been bound by its laws. Naturally, they had no intention of meekly obeying the Enforcers.
The Enforcer Leader's expression remained unchanged as he tapped the Law Staff lightly against the air.
Bzz—
An invisible force of law spread out, transforming into countless pale golden patterns that enveloped the entire battlefield like a vast net. Any Fall-Path evil energy touched by the patterns was steadily dissolved and suppressed, and the ferocious attacks that had been building up immediately slowed.
"Obstinate fools." The Enforcer Leader spoke calmly. "The Fall-Path lineage has always defied the laws of heaven and earth. You still refuse to repent and insist on causing chaos. We have no choice but to act according to the law and suppress you."
As he spoke, he swept a hand forward, and dozens of Heavenly Dao Enforcers behind him moved as one.
Radiant white light crisscrossed the sky, transforming into countless sharp swords of law that rained down upon the Fall-Path army. Wherever the swordlight passed, the decaying black mist scattered, and the strange blood-red markings—countered by the power of the laws—were steadily driven back.
The realm split into several battlefields once more.
The Heavenly Dao Enforcers clashed head-on with the Heavens-Dao-Destroyers. Light and black mist collided with a thunderous roar, and shockwaves rolled across the battlefield in ever-rising waves. The two sworn enemies, who had been on the verge of a standoff, were forced into battle, and the scene grew even more chaotic.
The Mysterious Shadow stood off to one side, watching the battle coldly without rushing to join in. Its goal had always been Lin Chen; to it, the struggles of the others were no more than side issues. But it also knew that with four factions gathered here, trying to seize the source by force would make the Heavenly Dao Enforcers, the Fall-Path Practitioners, and even the Supreme Remnant turn against it all at once. That would be a losing bargain.
So it held its position. The Desolation Origin circulated slowly around it, while a faint, barely perceptible pull remained locked onto Lin Chen. Like a hunter watching its prey, it waited patiently for the perfect moment to strike.
The Ancient Supreme Remnant, bound by the chains, shifted its eyes, its thoughts racing.
It had less than a tenth of its strength left. It stood no chance against any faction alone, but the current melee among all four factions was the perfect opportunity to escape. While everyone's attention was focused on the battle and Lin Chen, it quietly summoned the last trace of source power within it, gradually eroding the black chains wound around its body. The chains had been forged from the supreme source of Chaos and were incredibly tough, but with the Shadow distracted by the whole situation, their power was inevitably diminished.
Bit by bit, hairline cracks silently appeared along the chains.
Lin Chen took in everything around him, weighing his options.
Each of the four factions had its own agenda. The Heavenly Dao Enforcers appeared to uphold justice, but no one could guarantee they had no interest in his fragment of the Chaos source. The Fall-Path Practitioners saw him as a prize to be claimed and wanted to devour the source to strengthen themselves. The Mysterious Shadow was set on fusing with him and reuniting the source that had been scattered for countless ages. Even the barely surviving Supreme Remnant wanted to use the chaos to kill him and put an end to the other factions' hopes.
He was like a treasure coveted by everyone, pushed into the very heart of the storm, with danger waiting in every direction.
"Vegeta, Goku, things are getting more complicated by the second." Lin Chen lowered his voice, channeling the Dragon Ball source through his fingertips to reinforce the defensive barrier around them. "These Heavenly Dao Enforcers are fighting the Fall-Path Practitioners, but they keep glancing over here. We can't let our guard down."
Son Goku tightened his grip on the Power Pole. Fine beads of sweat dotted his forehead, and the injuries on his body still ached. "I can tell these people aren't exactly kindhearted either. With all four sides fighting, we're caught in the middle. One wrong move, and we'll get caught in the crossfire."
Vegeta's expression was grim as his gaze swept rapidly across the battlefield. "A head-on fight is out of the question. The Shadow, the Fall-Path Practitioners, the Enforcers, and the Remnant—every one of them is far stronger than us. Our best option is to use the chaos to find an exit from the realm and get out. If we stay here, sooner or later every faction will treat us as a target."
Leaving was the safest choice for now.
Lin Chen agreed. He still had far too many mysteries to unravel: his own origins, the truth behind the ancient calamity, and the conflicts between the various factions. But now was not the time to dig into any of them. He lacked the strength to stay. If he did, he would only throw his life away. He had to get out first and build up his strength; only then would he have a chance to uncover the truth.
Once he had made up his mind, Lin Chen began discreetly surveying the terrain for a way out. The Ancient Secret Realm had long since fallen into ruin, and its spatial structure was in disarray. Most ordinary paths had been destroyed by the shockwaves of battle, so finding a safe exit would not be easy.
The instant his attention wandered as he searched for a way out, the Mysterious Shadow in the void suddenly moved.
It seemed to have seen through Lin Chen's intentions and had no intention of letting him escape. Black mist surged around its body, and it stopped hiding its strength. A strand of Desolation Origin, condensed to its utmost, peeled away from its form and turned into a streak of black light that shot silently toward Lin Chen.
The attack was incredibly fast, its presence completely concealed. It avoided everyone in the main battle and went straight for Lin Chen.
"Look out!" Vegeta noticed the movement at once and shouted a warning.
Lin Chen reacted instantly. The power of the Dragon Soul erupted within him, and the seven-colored light of the Dragon Ball blazed as a thick defensive barrier formed in front of him.
Bang!
The streak of black light slammed into the barrier, and a muffled boom rang out. The defensive shield shuddered violently, cracks spreading across its surface. Lin Chen staggered backward, and the source power within him, of the same origin as the attacker's, stirred once more. A dull ache spread through his meridians, as if a force were trying to tear his soul away.
"Don't think you can escape." The Shadow's voice rang in his ear, calm and certain. "Our sources are connected. No matter where you flee in the myriad worlds of the Heavens, I can still find you. Struggling is pointless."
As the Shadow moved to hold Lin Chen back, the Fall-Path Leader, battling on the other side, seized the opening.
He broke free from the several Enforcers hemming him in, abandoned the head-on fight, and transformed into a blood-red streak that cut across the battlefield, heading for Lin Chen as well.
"The supreme source is mine!"
A chilling shout rang out. Dense Fall-Path evil energy pressed down like a tidal wave, its decaying, corrosive force surging toward them. Its aura alone was enough to unsettle the soul.
One black attack and one red attack, one from the front and one from behind, struck at Lin Chen simultaneously.
Attacked from both sides!
Lin Chen gritted his teeth and forcibly suppressed the turmoil of the source within him, driving the Dragon Ball and Dragon Soul powers to their limits. He defended against the Shadow's source attack while resisting the corrosion of the Fall-Path evil energy. Under the double pressure, his body swayed, and blood once again spilled from the corner of his mouth.
Seeing this, Son Goku ignored his own serious injuries and leaped into the air. He swung the Power Pole, unleashing blinding golden light as he brought it crashing down on the Fall-Path Leader, trying to take some of the pressure off Lin Chen.
"Know your place." The Fall-Path Leader snorted and casually swept out a palm of blood-red energy.
Bang!
Son Goku hurriedly struck back, but his injuries had yet to heal. The palm strike hit him in an instant, sending him flying like a broken kite. He crashed heavily into the ruins, groaning in pain.
"Goku!" Lin Chen's heart clenched. In the instant his attention wavered, another section of the defensive barrier in front of him was breached.
At that critical moment, several beams of luminous white law shot over from the side, striking with precision and blocking the attacks from the Fall-Path Leader and the Mysterious Shadow.
It was the Heavenly Dao Enforcers.
The Enforcer Leader held the Law Staff in his hand and looked coldly at the two powerful figures. "You let the fighting harm the innocent and brazenly attack others to seize their source, showing utter disregard for the laws of the Heavenly Dao. It seems we'll have to suppress you both as well."
The Heavenly Dao Enforcers struck at once, blocking both the Fall-Path Leader and the Mysterious Shadow.
The situation shifted again. What had begun as a four-way battle now seemed to be turning into a standoff, with the Heavenly Dao Enforcers at its center, confronting the Shadow and the Fall-Path Practitioners while keeping an eye on Lin Chen and the Supreme Remnant.
Neither of the two blocked powerhouses looked pleased.
The Fall-Path Leader's expression darkened, and he did not dare charge in again. The Heavenly Dao Enforcers drew on the momentum of heaven and earth in battle, making them extremely difficult to engage directly. The Mysterious Shadow fell silent as well. Its attempts to seize the source had been disrupted time and again, and each plan had come to nothing.
For the moment, the battlefield settled into an eerie balance. Each side held the others in check, and none dared be the first to break the stalemate.
Lin Chen took the opportunity to help Son Goku to his feet. The three of them leaned against a broken wall and caught their breath. The danger had passed for the moment, but everyone knew this calm was only an illusion before the storm.
The four factions were wary of one another, each with its own hidden agenda. The balance could collapse at any moment.
Just as the atmosphere grew unbearably tense and everyone braced themselves for the next battle to begin,
a deep rumble suddenly rose from the depths of the realm, from the very heart of the ruins—long buried and silent for countless ages.
The ground began to heave and tremble across a wide area. One bottomless fissure after another spread out from beneath the earth, and an ancient aura of unimaginable intensity surged skyward through the cracks. It was unlike the Desolation Origin, the Fall-Path evil energy, or the laws of the Heavenly Dao. Vast and heavy, it carried a deathly stillness that spanned Chaos and countless ages, as if some enormous creature that had slumbered for an eternity was slowly awakening.
The flow of power throughout the realm instantly fell into disarray. The powerful figures facing off on all sides turned as one, staring toward the depths in shock.
Black mist churned violently around the Mysterious Shadow, which showed clear emotion for the first time. "Beneath the earth... there's actually something else hidden here?"
Greed and apprehension mingled in the Fall-Path Leader's eyes as he murmured to himself, "The heart of an ancient realm—a forbidden land rumored to have been left behind by the Chaos calamity... Could the legend be true?"
The Law Staff in the Heavenly Dao Enforcer Leader's hand trembled faintly. His voice was grave. "Something stirs beneath the earth. Its aura is strange, and it is certainly no benevolent force. There truly is an even greater secret hidden here."
Lin Chen's heart suddenly clenched, and he instinctively looked toward the trembling depths of the realm.
He could clearly feel that the ancient aura rising from beneath the earth was resonating faintly with the Dragon Ball source inside him, as well as the strand of Desolation Power that shared its origin.
What exactly was sealed deep underground?
At the instant everyone's attention was drawn to the heart of the realm, a cold whisper silently entered each person's sea of consciousness. No one could tell where it came from, but it carried a chill that pierced through the ages:
"Long have I slumbered, and now the powerful have gathered... Perfect. I'll use your flesh and blood and your sources to awaken the Chaos Ancient Clan that has slept here for so long."
The instant the words fell, the rumbling beneath the earth suddenly intensified. In the pitch-black fissures, pair after pair of eyes glimmering with a cold, ghostly green light slowly opened.
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