After a long time.
Lin Yi and his mother left Xuanhuang Heaven together. The woman in the white dress said she was going to search for the scattered members of the Phoenix Clan and rebuild it.
The mother and son were deeply grateful to Qin Chuan, vowing to repay him no matter the cost, even if it meant risking their lives!
Qin Chuan was quite pleased by this.
Though he didn't need them to do anything for him—his power made it unnecessary—this sense of harmony and goodwill made him feel comfortable. He believed that after doing so much good, it was only fitting to receive some kindness in return.
As the old saying goes:
Sincerity will always be met with sincerity.
"Daoist Qin Chuan, you..."
A Xuanhuang Heaven giant walked over after a while, his face filled with respect, yet he hesitated to speak.
Qin Chuan glanced at him.
The man took a deep breath, gathered his courage, and asked, "Have you... already reached the realm beyond that of the giants?"
"Yes."
Qin Chuan nodded calmly.
"I knew it!"
The man's face lit up with excitement and relief as he said, "That's wonderful! Xuanhuang Heaven finally has hope!"
"What do you mean by that?"
Qin Chuan furrowed his brow, pretending not to understand.
The giant's smile faded, replaced by a serious and doubtful expression. He asked cautiously, "The event that occurred all those years ago—are you really unaware of it? Given your depth of cultivation, that shouldn't be the case..."
"Speak plainly."
Qin Chuan said evenly.
The giant nodded and, with a grave tone, said, "It's well-known that Xuanhuang Heaven was destroyed by a mysterious force all those years ago. In truth, it wasn't a force, but a person—a terrifying existence who was likely... at your current level."
"Back then, despite using all our might, Xuanhuang Heaven was helpless before his unmatched power. If he returns, we'll stand no chance."
"However, if you are willing to act, the situation could change. As the father of the Heaven's Lord and someone with earth-shattering cultivation, surely you wouldn't stand by idly?"
The giant looked at Qin Chuan nervously.
This man would decide the fate of Xuanhuang Heaven!
Qin Chuan furrowed his brows and thought for a moment before asking, "Are you referring to the one sleeping in the Sea of Chaos?"
"You know of him?!"
The giant was stunned. After all, that person had emerged from the Sea of Chaos like a submerged dragon rising to sweep across the heavens!
Qin Chuan nodded and looked up at the infinite void, his face growing serious as he said, "His cultivation is beyond mine. He's already half a step ahead of me. Moreover, he's still evolving, and his power is growing by the day. Once his evolution is complete... he might be a full step ahead of me."
"What?!"
The giant was utterly horrified.
One step represented an entire realm!
Being one full realm beyond a giant was already terrifying. But if he ascended yet another realm, how powerful would he become?
"This... how could this be..."
The giant's breathing became erratic, and he was overwhelmed by despair. He asked, "Is there any hope of you catching up to him?"
"Perhaps," Qin Chuan said indifferently. "But why should I oppose him?"
The giant's face changed, and he gritted his teeth before saying, "You may not be from Xuanhuang Heaven, but your son is the Heaven's Lord. Even if you wanted to remain uninvolved, it would be impossible."
"According to our speculation, that individual likely holds no personal grudge against us, but against Xuanhuang Heaven itself. In other words, his goal is to destroy Xuanhuang Heaven."
"And since your son is the Heaven's Lord, his fate and destiny are intertwined with Xuanhuang Heaven. If that individual returns, the first person he'll want to kill is your son!"
Upon hearing this, a gleam flashed in Qin Chuan's eyes!
However, that gleam quickly faded as he furrowed his brow, feigning deep thought.
After a long while, his eyes gleamed with resolve as he coldly stared at the giant, speaking in a powerful tone: "You say my son's fate is tied to Xuanhuang Heaven. But what if... I sever that connection?"
"You..."
The giant stumbled back two steps, pale from the pressure of Qin Chuan's gaze and aura.
After a moment of hesitation, he seemed to gather his thoughts and, despite his fear, forced himself to say:
"With your power, you may indeed be able to sever the connection. But if you do, your son may never reach his full potential. His current cultivation could dissipate entirely, and he might never be able to cultivate again."
"Are you threatening me?!"
A flash of anger crossed Qin Chuan's eyes, and an overwhelming pressure erupted from him, like a roaring river carrying the weight of half the elements in the periodic table, crushing down on the giant.
"Boom!!"
Despite being a mighty giant, he couldn't withstand the pressure and collapsed to the ground, hands and knees on the floor in utter humiliation.
"Aaargh!"
The giant summoned all his strength, his energy swirling around him like a Super Saiyan's aura, desperately trying to lift his head.
His face was bulging with veins, and he gritted his teeth, shouting, "It's the truth! If you sever the connection, your son will be ruined!"
"Crack, crack, crack."
Qin Chuan clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking loudly, his expression dark and menacing, almost savage!
"Boom!"
A white pillar of light shot into the sky, piercing through the barriers of Xuanhuang Heaven, reaching into the upper realms and extending into the outer reaches of the cosmos.
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Countless stars exploded simultaneously, and the entire cosmic space was thrown into turmoil, swirling around the pillar of light like a boiling cauldron.
"What is this?!"
"What a terrifying aura! What a powerful force! How can such an existence be in the world?!"
"Gasp!!!!"
Countless beings in the upper realms were shocked by this aura, and even the reclusive giants awoke, trembling with fear!
If the upper realms were so shaken, Xuanhuang Heaven fared even worse. Dark clouds covered the sky, lightning crackled, the seas roared—everything looked like the end of the world.
In the face of Qin Chuan's "rage," every living creature trembled. Even the giants dared not approach.
After a long time.
Qin Chuan calmed down. He took a deep breath, turned to look at Qin Zi, whose face had gone pale, and said in a grave voice:
"Xiao Zi, you must decide for yourself. If you wish to sever the connection, even if you become a mortal, I will protect you for the rest of your life. But if you don't want to sever it... then I'll take a risk with you."
Qin Zi's face twisted with pain.
He didn't want to become a mortal. He had lofty ambitions and dreams. In his heart, even if it meant death, he wanted to reach the highest peaks! But... he also didn't want to drag his father into this danger.
After a long struggle, he gritted his teeth and slowly knelt down, his face filled with pain and guilt, tears streaming down as he said, "Father, I am unfilial..."
With that, he slowly bowed his head.
His message was clear—he wanted to grow stronger and didn't want to sever the connection!
"Silly boy..."
Qin Chuan sighed softly, then smiled bitterly and shook his head, looking somewhat helpless but also at peace.
In truth.
He was overjoyed inside!
He knew it would end this way. How could a chosen one, destined by heaven, willingly live as a mortal? What a joke!
Chosen ones were always the type to risk everything in their pursuit of strength. They would sacrifice anything.
They had the mindset that said: "Sacrifice the parents, gain boundless power!"
Better to shatter and burn than never to strive for greatness!
And thanks to his "clairvoyance and keen hearing," he overheard the giants of Xuanhuang Heaven communicating telepathically in secret:
"Hurry, let's focus our minds together. As long as we wholeheartedly recognize him as the Lord of Xuanhuang Heaven, his connection to Xuanhuang Heaven will grow even stronger, and he'll never be able to sever it!"
"The Heaven's Lord—none other than him!"
"We can't let him escape!"
"Sigh, disciple, I'm not trying to harm you. Just think of the countless lives in Xuanhuang Heaven."
"Brother Qin Zi, forgive me, but for the sake of the greater good, I have no choice."
In an instant, an immense and boundless force of willpower converged on Qin Zi. At that moment, the winds and clouds of Xuanhuang Heaven shifted, purple energy surged, and a sacred light enveloped Qin Zi, resonating with Xuanhuang Heaven itself.
The Heaven's Lord—chosen by fate!