When Lu Chen awoke, he found himself sprawled atop a mound of shattered stone.
There was no sky above—only a vast expanse of ashen chaos, as though smothered by dense fog, or sealed behind some unseen barrier. The light was dim, barely sufficient to make out the surroundings within a few dozen meters.
He propped himself up, pain erupting through his body. The residual force of Director Wang's palm strike still lingered—his internal organs were gravely damaged, at least three ribs shattered. The bones in his right arm were dislocated, hanging limp at his side.
But he was alive.
He coughed up a mouthful of blood, flecked with fragments of viscera. A level-63 strike—even with the Demon-Suppressing Stele absorbing ninety percent of the force—the remaining tenth had nearly claimed his life.
[Warning: Host vital signs critically reduced]
[Internal organ damage: 43%]
[Skeletal damage: Right arm comminuted fracture; rib fractures ×3; sternum cracked]
[Recommendation: Immediate use of high-grade healing medicine, or cultivation regression risk imminent]
Lu Chen fished out the last vial of enhanced gene-repair serum from his pack, bit off the seal, and swallowed it in one gulp.
A cool current coursed through his body, beginning to mend torn tissues. But the dosage was insufficient—he would need further treatment.
He surveyed his surroundings.
This was an immense subterranean space—or rather… a ruin.
Its area spanned several football fields, the ceiling soaring nearly a hundred meters high. Crumbling stone structures surrounded him: collapsed pillars, fractured walls, and half-destroyed towers. The architectural style was ancient, reminiscent of the Tang–Song era, yet subtly alien—many decorations took the form of spiraling runes rather than traditional motifs.
The ground was paved with thick bluestone slabs, most cracked apart. From their fissures grew eerie bioluminescent moss, emitting a faint blue glow that served as the only illumination.
The air was frigid, steeped in stale decay and a faint… metallic tang of blood.
Farther away loomed colossal shadows—statues, perhaps, though all lay in ruin. One retained its rough outline: an armored warrior wielding a halberd, its head long since gone.
So this was the secret realm?
Or rather—the place connected to it: the ruins of the Demon-Suppressing Sect?
Lu Chen climbed down from the rubble, every movement drawing cold sweat from his brow. He reset his bones first—the right arm snapped back into place with a sharp crack, pain blotting out his vision.
Then he checked his pack.
The four fragments of the Demon-Suppressing Stele were intact. The Devouring Core stone remained. Hummingbird's twin daggers, Chen Tieshan's storage pouch, the energy pistol, and the odds and ends Old Ghost had given him—all accounted for.
A stroke of fortune.
He slid the twin daggers into his belt and inspected Chen Tieshan's pouch. Inside were pills, jade tokens, and a compact compass etched with directional runes—clearly some form of positioning artifact.
Its needle spun wildly before locking onto the depths of the ruins.
Something there was drawing it in.
Lu Chen took a steady breath and advanced.
Each step sent gravel skittering beneath his feet, the sound piercing in the oppressive silence. The moss's blue glow cast warped shadows across the broken structures, like fanged specters clawing at the air.
After about a hundred meters, he encountered the first skeleton.
Clad in tattered ancient robes, reduced to bone, it knelt with arms outstretched as though pleading. Its skull bore a deep fracture, as if crushed by a heavy blow.
Scattered beside it lay a rusted iron sword, several small porcelain bottles, and a waist plaque.
Lu Chen picked up the plaque and brushed off the dust.
Two characters were carved upon it: "Demon Suppression."
So it truly was the Demon-Suppressing Sect's remains.
He pressed on—and found more skeletons.
Some slumped against walls, others lay sprawled face-down, still others entangled together, as though locked in mortal combat at the moment of death. Their attire varied—some wore the sect's robes, others foreign garb, likely invaders.
A cataclysmic battle had taken place here.
The deeper he ventured, the better preserved the structures became. Some stone houses still retained their roofs; some towers had collapsed only halfway. Yet every surface bore scars of war—sword marks, palm imprints, and blast craters.
The compass needle steadied, pointing toward a grand hall ahead.
It was the most intact structure in the ruins—three stories tall, with sweeping eaves and bracketed beams. Though its walls were damaged, the core structure endured. Two massive bronze doors stood ajar, their surfaces densely inscribed with runes, the interior beyond shrouded in darkness.
Lu Chen halted before the doors.
A wind seeped through the gap—icy, heavy with the stench of blood.
And… faint energy fluctuations.
Ancient. Potent. Chaotic.
He drew a dagger and pushed the doors open.
"Creeeak—"
The grinding groan echoed through the cavernous hall.
Inside was darker still, lit only by the pale blue glow spilling in from behind. Lu Chen switched on his flashlight—a heavy-duty model from Old Ghost, waterproof, shockproof, and brilliantly bright.
The beam swept across the interior.
The hall was vast and bare, supported by thick pillars. The black stone floor was polished smooth, reflecting the light like a mirror.
At the far end stood a raised platform.
Upon it rested a stone altar.
And atop the altar…
A skeleton.
Not human.
It stood over three meters tall, its bones massive. The skull resembled that of a ferocious beast, fanged and savage. Behind it spread the skeletal remains of wings—feathers long decayed, but the wing bones intact.
What manner of creature was this?
Lu Chen approached.
Under the flashlight, dark-golden patterns could be seen etched across the bones like natural runes. Even after countless years, the remains radiated a faint pressure—at least an Earth-tier being.
Beside the altar lay several objects: jade slips, a broken sword, and… a black stone slab.
A Demon-Suppressing Stele fragment!
Lu Chen's eyes lit up.
He took a step forward—then froze.
Something was wrong.
Too quiet.
Since entering, there had been nothing but the wind. Yet here, where even the wind did not reach, there lingered an unmistakable sensation—
He was being watched.
Slowly, he turned, the flashlight probing the shadows.
Behind the pillars. In the corners. Along the beams overhead.
Nothing.
Yet the sensation intensified.
[Warning: High-energy lifeform detected (dormant state)]
[Location: Deep within the hall, beneath the energy source]
[Threat level: Upper Earth-tier]
[Recommendation: Immediate retreat]
The system's alert flashed.
Lu Chen tightened his grip on the dagger and began backing away.
Too late.
The skeleton on the altar moved.
Not revived—but ignited.
The dark-golden runes flared to life, dust cascading from its bones. Twin blue flames ignited within its empty eye sockets.
"Clack… clack…"
Bones grinding.
It rose.
The towering skeleton unfurled its tattered wings and gazed down upon Lu Chen. The blue flames pulsed, conveying a clear intent:
"Intruder… must die…"
Not spoken words, but a direct proclamation into the mind.
Lu Chen didn't hesitate—he turned and fled.
But the skeleton was faster.
With a single beat of its skeletal wings, a gale erupted. In an instant, it appeared before him, a massive claw descending from above.
Lu Chen raised his blade to block.
"Clang!"
Sparks flew as the dagger struck bone. The immense force sent him flying, slamming into a pillar.
"Pff—"
His internal injuries worsened; blood spilled from his mouth.
The skeleton pressed the attack, giving no quarter. Both claws struck at once, sealing every avenue of escape.
No way to dodge.
Gritting his teeth, Lu Chen yanked the Demon-Suppressing Stele fragments from his pack and raised them before him.
At the brink of death, the four fragments fused together, erupting in golden radiance.
"Woooo—"
The claws struck the light and were violently repelled. The flames in the skeleton's eyes flickered wildly—it recognized the artifact.
"Demon… Suppressing… Stele…"
The mental transmission trembled with fury, hatred—and a trace of fear.
It recoiled a step, then surged forward again, this time opening its jaws. Though nothing but bone remained, a sphere of blue flame condensed within.
An energy attack!
Lu Chen rolled aside.
The blast grazed his back and struck the pillar behind him.
"Boom!"
Stone shattered, debris spraying everywhere.
The power rivaled a full-force level-50 strike.
He couldn't fight head-on.
Scrambling up, Lu Chen bolted toward a side door deeper within the hall.
The skeleton pursued relentlessly.
Beyond the door stretched a long corridor lined with stone chambers, their doors gaping open. Lu Chen dashed into the first chamber and slammed the door shut—
Wooden. Rotten.
The skeleton smashed it apart with a single blow.
He ran again—second chamber, third…
Each room held remnants: bookshelves reduced to ash, alchemy rooms with empty furnaces, armories where weapons crumbled at a touch.
Nothing usable.
Until the fifth chamber.
It was larger—an artifact-forging room. At its center stood a workbench, and upon it rested a blade.
A complete blade.
Long and narrow, sheathed in black, etched with cloud patterns. The hilt was wrapped in aged beast hide, worn but intact.
Lu Chen lunged forward and drew it.
"Shing—"
Cold light flashed.
The blade was dark silver, and near the guard were carved two ancient characters:
"Demon Cleaver."
A fine weapon.
The moment he grasped it, a gentle current flowed into his body, easing some of his pain. The blade was responding to him.
Just then, the skeleton burst in.
Seeing the blade, it faltered. Hatred surged through the mental link:
"Demon… Cleaver… traitor…"
It charged without restraint.
Lu Chen advanced instead of retreating.
[Penetrating Force] surged to its limit, energy flooding the blade. The Demon Cleaver hummed softly, glowing silver.
He struck.
No technique—just a single, ruthless chop.
Fast. Precise. Merciless.
The blade sliced through the skeleton's left arm.
"Crack!"
The bone snapped cleanly, the golden runes extinguishing at the fracture.
A silent scream rippled through the blue flames. The skeleton staggered back—but Lu Chen pressed on.
Second strike—its right leg.
Another break.
The skeleton collapsed with a thunderous crash.
Lu Chen stepped forward, blade tip resting against its skull.
"What are you?" he asked.
"I am… Guardian Divine General… of the Demon-Suppressing Sect…" the mental voice faltered. "Tasked… to guard… the inheritance… from defilement…"
"What happened to the sect?"
"Foreign enemies… invasion… Sect Master… fell in battle… disciples… all perished…" The flames dimmed. "I was ordered… to remain… awaiting… the destined one…"
"The destined one?"
"One who bears… Stele fragments… may inherit…" The remaining claw pointed toward the main hall. "Beneath… the altar… secret chamber…"
The flames went out.
The skeleton collapsed into dust.
[Defeated: 'Demon-Suppressing Sect Guardian Divine General (Remnant Soul)']
[Experience gained: 2000]
[Current level: 24 (+1)]
[Item acquired: 'Divine General Bone Powder' (Earth-tier, low grade)]
[New quest: Explore the Demon-Suppressing Sect's secret chamber]
He leveled up.
Only from 23 to 24—but breaking through while grievously wounded proved how much potential the battle had forced out.
Lu Chen sheathed the blade and returned to the hall.
With the guardian gone, silence reclaimed the space. He moved to the altar and examined it closely.
The stone altar was heavy but movable. With effort, he shoved it aside, revealing the floor beneath.
A hidden hatch lay there, its bronze ring corroded with age. He pulled it open, revealing stone steps descending into darkness.
The flashlight beam showed the stairs dropping about twenty meters to a platform.
He inhaled deeply and descended.
The steps were steep and uneven; he moved cautiously, hand never leaving the blade.
At the bottom lay a small platform, scarcely ten square meters. At its center stood a stone pedestal bearing a jade box.
White jade, smooth and luminous, carved with the sect's emblem—a stele suppressing demons.
No lock.
Lu Chen opened it.
Three items lay inside.
First, a black stone slab—the fifth fragment of the Demon-Suppressing Stele.
Second, a palm-sized jade slip, emerald green.
Third, a small bronze seal engraved with two characters: "Demon Suppression."
He took the jade slip first.
Warm to the touch, it lit up as he grasped it, a torrent of information flooding his mind:
"True Demon Suppression Codex · Fragment II"
Demon Suppression Seal: Using Stele fragments as a foundation, condense a suppression mark to restrain demonic entities or protect oneself. At mastery, a single seal may suppress mountains and rivers.
Demon Suppression Domain: With the Stele as the core, unfold a domain wherein demonic techniques fail and aberrant energies are suppressed. Range scales with cultivation.
Sect Inheritance: Bearer of this jade slip is designated a ninth-generation registered disciple of the Demon-Suppressing Sect. One who gathers all nine Stele fragments and awakens the Stele Spirit may assume the mantle of Sect Master.
When the transmission ended, the jade slip crumbled to dust.
The knowledge was now engraved upon Lu Chen's mind.
He picked up the bronze seal next.
Small yet weighty, it expanded into a great seal when infused with energy, the characters blazing gold, possessing powerful sealing effects.
A worthy artifact.
Finally—the fifth Stele fragment.
He placed it with the other four.
The fragments fused automatically, leaving only the four corners incomplete. The runes aligned into a coherent formation.
[Demon-Suppressing Stele fragments: 5/9]
[New function unlocked: Demon Suppression Mark (Basic)]
[Description: Consumes energy to form a mark that temporarily seals targets up to one major realm above the user (demonic/aberrant only)]
[New function unlocked: Enhanced Stele Spirit Perception]
[Detection range expanded to 50 km; accuracy increased]
Excellent.
He stored everything and prepared to leave.
As he turned, something caught his eye beneath the pedestal.
He crouched and shone the light.
A single line of engraved text:
"Lin Xuan, ninth-generation disciple of the Demon-Suppressing Sect, fled with the Stele, bringing ruin upon the sect. Future inheritors—should you encounter Lin Xuan or his bloodline, execute without mercy. —Final testament of the last Sect Master."
Lin Xuan?
Lu Chen frowned.
That surname…
Coincidence?
He dismissed the thought and left.
Back through the hall, out the front doors.
The ruins remained—but something felt different. Not lifeless now, but subtly stirring.
Energy.
The ambient energy was rising.
He looked up at the gray-white barrier overhead—it rippled faintly, like disturbed water.
[Warning: Secret realm stability declining]
[External energy interference detected]
[Estimated total collapse: 12 hours]
[Recommendation: Locate exit immediately]
The realm was collapsing.
Lu Chen's heart tightened.
He needed to get out—fast.
By logic, the exit would be near the entry point—where he had fallen.
He retraced his path.
After only a few steps, voices echoed from afar.
Not wind.
Not bones.
Human voices.
"So this is the Demon-Suppressing Sect's ruins? More run-down than I imagined."
"It's a thousand years old—this is already impressive. Search fast. Director Wang wants Stele fragments and the Demon Cleaver."
"Heard Lin Xiao came in too. Probably dead already."
"Alive or dead, find him. Everything's ours."
Association members.
They had entered.
Lu Chen ducked behind a broken wall.
Footsteps approached.
Three operatives in Association tactical gear, energy rifles raised. The leader was level 28; the others around level 25.
They stopped at the hall entrance.
"Signs of combat," the leader crouched, examining shattered bones and blade marks. "One side was that skeletal monster. The other… used a blade."
"Lin Xiao uses guns."
"He may have found a weapon here," the leader said. "Go inside."
They entered the hall.
Lu Chen peeked out, watching their backs vanish.
Opportunity.
He circled silently to the side and climbed onto the roof.
Tiles crumbled beneath him, but held. He lay prone, peering through a hole.
Inside, the operatives searched.
"The altar's been moved," the leader said. "Hidden passage underneath."
"I'll go down. You two cover above."
As the leader descended, the remaining two chatted:
"Why's Director Wang so desperate for the Stele?"
"Heard it's tied to a key stage of the 'Ark Project.' Headquarters issued a death order—must be secured."
"And if the realm collapses?"
"Even better. Bury Lin Xiao with it."
Lu Chen's eyes turned icy.
He drew the Demon Cleaver.
Minutes later, the level-28 operative emerged, grim-faced.
"Cleared out. Everything's gone. Lin Xiao was here."
"Where is he now?"
"Still in the realm. Split up—kill on sight."
They began to separate.
Lu Chen moved.
He dropped through the roof like a falling blade.
The first target—the leftmost level-25.
Steel pierced straight through from crown to spine.
Dead.
"Ambush!" the leader shouted, firing instantly.
A beam grazed Lu Chen's shoulder.
The other level-25 fired—but Lu Chen was already upon him.
[Penetrating Force] + [Demon Cleaver].
One horizontal slash.
The head flew.
Less than three seconds—two dead.
Only the level-28 remained.
Pale-faced, yet resolute, he discarded his rifle and drew a short sword.
"Lin Xiao—you won't escape. The Association has sealed the perimeter. Director Wang himself is here. Hand over the Stele, and I'll plead for leniency—"
Lu Chen was already in front of him.
Blades clashed.
"Clang!"
The short sword snapped.
The man retreated—but Lu Chen was faster.
Second strike—through the heart.
"You'll… regret this…" he whispered, collapsing.
Lu Chen withdrew the blade and flicked off the blood.
He searched the body, finding a satellite communicator and a hand-drawn map.
The map marked the realm's entrance and several routes.
One route bore a red circle: "Suspected exit (spatial weak point)."
An exit.
Lu Chen memorized it, then destroyed both communicator and map.
He departed the hall at once.
The exit lay in the northeast—at a half-collapsed stone tower.
He sprinted.
He encountered two more patrols but avoided them—now was not the time for battle.
Ten minutes later, he reached the tower.
Seven stories tall, its upper three collapsed. Cracks webbed its body, threatening imminent collapse.
At its base yawned a dark doorway.
According to the map, this was the spatial weak point.
But how to leave?
He entered.
The interior was empty save for a stone platform etched with a complex formation—a teleportation array, damaged and incomplete.
He injected energy.
The array glimmered faintly—then died.
It needed repair.
He didn't understand formations—but the system did.
[System, analyze this teleportation array. Requirements for activation?]
[Analyzing…]
[Array type: One-way fixed-point teleportation (target coordinates lost)]
[Damage: 73%]
[Option 1: Provide spatial coordinates; cost 5000 points; temporary system repair]
[Option 2: Use a space-type item as guidance; cost 2000 points; random safe-area teleport]
[Option 3: Force activation; cost 1000 points; success rate 30%; risk of spatial turbulence]
Option two was safest.
A space-type item…
He produced the Demon-Suppressing Stele fragments.
[Detected: Stele fragments possess minor spatial attributes (prolonged exposure to spatial rifts)]
[Eligible as guidance item]
[Proceed with teleportation for 2000 points?]
"Yes."
[Points deducted: 2000]
[Remaining points: 3750]
[Guidance initiated…]
The five fragments floated up, orbiting Lu Chen, glowing pale gold. Light threads seeped into the array, repairing fractured runes.
The formation brightened.
[Guidance complete]
[Teleportation imminent]
[Destination: Random safe zone (within 50 km)]
[Countdown: 10… 9… 8…]
Shouts rang out beyond the tower.
"There! The tower's glowing!"
"Stop him!"
Too late.
Light engulfed Lu Chen.
[3… 2… 1—]
Teleport.
White radiance devoured everything.
When the Association operatives stormed the tower, only an empty platform remained, the array's glow fading.
"He escaped…"
"Report to Director Wang!"
Meanwhile, Lu Chen drifted through viscous space, consciousness swaying.
Moments later—solid ground.
He opened his eyes.
A narrow, deserted alley.
Night was deep; distant city noise drifted on the air.
He was back.
Back in Jiangcheng.
Not the docks, though—judging by the architecture… the old district?
A street sign read: Qingshi Alley.
By coincidence, this was Ye Chen's neighborhood.
Lu Chen leaned against the wall, exhaling.
The injuries were severe—blood loss, relentless combat, teleportation strain. Darkness crept into his vision.
He needed treatment—immediately.
He looked toward Ye Chen's old house—likely empty now.
Perhaps… a temporary refuge.
Bracing himself, he moved forward step by step.
Behind him, night lay thick as ink.
At the docks, Director Wang listened to the report, face livid.
"Useless! Absolute trash!"
"Director Wang, the realm is collapsing—we must withdraw—"
"Withdraw!" he snarled. "But Lin Xiao must be found. Issue a bounty—fifty million. Alive or dead."
"Yes!"
In the darkness, a low laugh echoed.
"The Demon-Suppressing Stele… has finally emerged."
"The Ark Core… is ready to return."
"Kehehehe…"