Inside the Great Emperor's Tomb.
Having lost the Jade Pendant, Luo Yan could only rely on the information he had previously acquired to unravel the many traps and formations he encountered along the way.
This had delayed him considerably, and only now had he reached the land of inheritance.
Within sight, a magnificent palace stood towering.
Azure dragons and mysterious phoenixes were carved above its enormous gates. Countless runes flowed across them, and golden rays lent them an even more sacred, supreme air.
A terrifying Great Emperor's aura spread from within, making one instinctively want to prostrate oneself in worship.
"Opening this gate is the final trial."
Dragon Elephant Saint explained beside him, "If you pass it successfully, you can obtain Heaven River Great Emperor's inheritance."
He had waited a long time for this day. As Luo Yan's teacher over these years, he had watched him grow, though the process had been fraught with setbacks.
But today, those efforts had finally blossomed and borne fruit.
Luo Yan trembled all over, his excitement beyond words. Once he pushed open this gate, he could ascend to the peak!
"So much time has passed. The tomb's defensive restrictions should have activated by now, right?"
Luo Yan checked the surrounding auras once more and found no unfamiliar presence.
Only then did he let out a long sigh of relief.
"Actually, they haven't activated yet."
Suddenly, a young man's voice, tinged with amusement, came from behind Luo Yan.
That voice!?
How was this possible!?
Luo Yan's eyes widened. As though he had plunged into an icy cavern, his entire body went cold.
How had Su Changge reached this place so quickly?
"Su Changge, you..."
But he abruptly noticed a familiar, graceful figure standing beside Su Changge-Luo Qingyu!
Thinking about how Su Changge could have entered so quickly, there was only one explanation: Luo Qingyu had willingly let him in!
At the sight before him, he clenched his teeth even harder, trembling with rage!
"Bitch! Even you betrayed me!?"
Luo Yan's face twisted as he roared furiously, "To think I treated you sincerely! Is this how you repay me?!"
Hearing this, Luo Qingyu's expression barely changed.
Along the way, she had already confirmed that Su Changge had spoken the truth. Her heart had long since died with the lingering tear tracks at the corners of her eyes!
"Treated me sincerely?"
"How disgustingly hypocritical!"
"You deliberately arranged to leave me outside, all to trigger a battle, activate the tomb's restrictions, and use me to buy time. Even now, you still put on this heartbroken act?"
"Your greed is far too ugly!"
"From this moment on, every bond between us is severed!"
Luo Qingyu looked at Luo Yan, her crystal-clear eyes revealing utter coldness and disappointment.
Those few sentences were so cold that they held almost no feeling.
All those years of affection could be said to have flowed east with the river.
After so many years, even a pet and a person should have developed affection.
Yet he had used her as a tool. What did that make him? Worse than a beast?
But hearing Luo Qingyu's words, Luo Yan felt no guilt whatsoever. He had clearly been only one final step away from obtaining the Great Emperor's inheritance!
Because of Luo Qingyu, all of it had vanished like a bursting bubble!
At the thought, his fury burned even hotter.
"So much for severing our bond! You joined forces with Su Changge to seize my Great Emperor's opportunity, and you dare talk about severing our bond?"
"If I survive today, one day I'll hunt you all down and slaughter every last one of you!"
His killing intent toward Su Changge had already reached its peak.
First came the humiliation he had inflicted on him at the Yun Family, and now he had joined forces with the beauty who had once shared a room with him to betray him!
Everything was Su Changge's fault. If he did not avenge this grudge, he swore he was unworthy of being human!
"No! I haven't reached a dead end yet!"
"I still have Teacher! Teacher is a Sage. He can definitely kill Su Changge!"
With that thought, Luo Yan dropped to one knee and threw back his head, shouting, "Teacher, please help me!"
Hum!
A streak of light shot out from Luo Yan's chest, gradually condensing into a blurry phantom in the air.
Though he seemed unreal, the Sage's pressure he radiated proclaimed how extraordinary this figure was.
"Junior, must you truly leave no one alive?"
Su Changge stood with his hands behind his back and said with a faint smile, "Senior, isn't that going too far? This young disciple of yours harbors killing intent toward me too."
"We compete on fair and equal terms. The weak are prey to the strong, and the fittest survive."
Dragon Elephant Saint was left somewhat speechless.
Though that was indeed the principle, Luo Yan was the successor he had chosen.
He had poured countless painstaking efforts into nurturing him over the years. Now, with success right before his eyes, he could not accept this!
"Luo Yan is the inheritor I chose for Heaven River Great Emperor. Do you mean to scorn a Great Emperor's majesty?!"
Boom!
Terrifying pressure erupted from Dragon Elephant Saint. Though he was only a remnant soul, his vast aura was enough to make hearts tremble.
A faint smile curved Su Changge's lips, a hint of mockery in his eyes.
Well, here came the threats again.
Who knew how this old fellow had managed to become a Sage.
What an incredible way his mind worked!
Still, he could not be bothered to waste words.
Since he had already achieved his ultimate objective, all that remained was to sweep everything aside.
"Very well. Since you've made your decision, Senior."
"Gui Ying."
"Sorry for the trouble, but please send Senior on his way."
The instant his words fell, an immense, majestic aura descended.
"Annihilate!"
An enormous fist radiance was wreathed in countless divine lights and Dao Rhythms, while phantoms of true dragons and ancient phoenixes shrieked and roared.
Rumble!
In a mere instant, that vast Sage's power erupted.
Dazzling light burst through this stretch of heaven and earth, like falling stars, as blinding golden light swept over everything!
"Aah!"
With a piercing scream, clarity returned to heaven and earth.
Blood trickled from the corner of Luo Yan's mouth. His face was deathly pale as he stared at Su Changge in terror.
His connection to his teacher had been severed!
"You... you killed Teacher?!"
Luo Yan's eyes nearly split with rage as he growled at Su Changge.
"How laughable. He was nothing more than a Sage's remnant soul."
"Who knows where he found the nerve to threaten this Divine Son."
When Su Changge said this, his expression was indifferent and cold, as though he were recounting something utterly insignificant.
His indifferent eyes were not without a trace of feeling, and he seemed like a deity, lofty above all.
"Teacher was a follower of Heaven River Great Emperor!"
"You killed Teacher! Aren't you afraid the Great Emperor will hold you accountable someday!?"
Luo Yan's hair hung disheveled. It had all happened so suddenly that he could not accept it!
"Revenge?" Those words nearly made Su Changge laugh himself to death. This was a Great Emperor's Tomb. What did that mean?
It meant Heaven River Great Emperor had died long ago.
Besides, even if Heaven River Great Emperor were alive, so what?
With the Returning Origin Holy Land's foundations, dealing with a Great Emperor would hardly be difficult.
"Enough of your blubbering and squawking."
"Since you're so grief-stricken, I'll send you along with him."
As his words fell, Su Changge kept his left hand behind his back and raised his right hand high. Vast power of Qi and Blood surged straight upward.
Above his head, brilliant runes flowed, and vast spiritual power condensed into a massive hand that blotted out the sky!
"From beginning to end, you were only ever an ant to me."
"And finally, congratulations. You've fulfilled what little value you had left."
"Suppress."
As Su Changge slowly lowered his hand, the sky-obscuring hand erupted with an aura that towered over the heavens. Its might was like an ancient divine mountain, capable of annihilating stars!
"No... don't..."
Luo Yan's pupils contracted. The tremendous threat to his life left his mind numb!
He unleashed his power with all his might, but before that sky-obscuring hand, it was nothing more than a dying struggle.
Rumble!
The massive hand fell mercilessly. Amid the rampaging spiritual energy, Luo Yan's body turned to dust, vanishing completely from this stretch of heaven and earth.
Su Changge watched it all with an indifferent expression.
This fantasy world was cruel by nature. If his own strength were lacking, he believed others would likewise take everything from him without mercy.
Besides, he was already a powerhouse standing at the summit, so he had to adapt to all of this!
For a predator, sympathizing with his prey was the greatest taboo.
Before you continue