Chapter 22: The Seal of the King
With a deep sigh, Shadowless spoke in a hoarse voice, “The Celestial Clan is powerful, and moreover, they reside above the Ten Suns, making attack nearly impossible. Throughout history, our clan has always been on the defensive. The Great Emperors must remain in the Wilds, and cannot easily leave. As for the others, even the kings—how could they possibly seek vengeance? The Celestial Clan has nine leaders in every generation, each at the half-emperor level. More terrifying still, there is a mysterious being—the Celestial Mother.”
“It’s said the entire Celestial Clan was created by her alone, and no one knows the true extent of her strength. There were even rumors that not even a Great Emperor can be certain of victory against her…”
“But I’ve heard that in our Wilds—the Eastern Wastes—there is the Supreme Eastern Emperor, a genius unseen in ten thousand generations, whose might is unrivaled, called the Emperor of Emperors. Can even he not oppose them? And what is there to guard in the Wilds? If a few Great Emperors joined forces to annihilate the Celestial Clan, there would be no more enemies to defend against.”
Solitude Farewell, having fused with Hidden Separation’s memories, knew of the peerless emperor in the Eastern Wastes.
The Supreme East!
It was he who, more than ten thousand years ago, emerged into the world, slew the traitorous former Eastern Emperor who had betrayed humanity, and then, with unmatched strength, stormed into the realm of the Ten Suns. There, he single-handedly destroyed the nine great leaders, wielded invincible might, and nearly wiped out the entire Celestial Clan, creating an immortal legend.
If not for the Celestial Mother appearing at the very end and holding a secret meeting with him, forging a pact, the Celestial Clan would likely have been exterminated.
That agreement brought about ten thousand years of peace.
The more one knows, the deeper the puzzle becomes. With such an invincible emperor present, why endure in silence?
“You’re still young and know too little,” Shadowless shook his head. “After the agreement, the two clans entered an era of peace. The Great Emperor rarely appeared. In the past several millennia, he hasn’t shown himself at all. I heard the Queen say he is cultivating a special art—the Tenfold Breakthrough…”
Tenfold Breakthrough!
Solitude Farewell’s left hand jerked violently, as if struck by a spasm. Though he tried to remain calm, his throat moved involuntarily. His heart raced, blood boiled, and his thoughts were in chaos. A single idea screamed constantly in his mind: “Tenfold… Tenfold… Could that mysterious powerhouse be the Supreme Eastern Emperor, unmatched through the ages?”
As soon as the thought emerged, it seemed to touch upon some unfathomable rule. Solitude Farewell’s spirit quaked, and clarity returned. He pondered, “If that’s so, does it mean the Supreme Eastern Emperor is already dead? Strange. How could such an unrivaled figure, invincible across heaven and earth, die? Was it really because of the Sun Slaying Spear? Impossible. That spear is marvelous, but even if it doubles one’s strength, it’s no different from ordinary martial weapons…”
“When the King of Longevity was dying, he entrusted his infant daughter—that is, Xi Ruo—to me. Then, he poured all his life’s cultivation into her body. Fearing that her infant body was too fragile to bear it, he performed a unique divine art he had just created—the Body Seal…” Unaware of the storm surging in Solitude Farewell’s mind, Shadowless returned to the main topic, rising and continuing with a bitter smile, “Perhaps even the King of Longevity himself didn’t anticipate that, while the seal could suppress a king’s power, it would also leave behind an unsolvable affliction.”
He pointed at Su Xiruo, speaking with worry. “A king’s strength is too vast to be unsealed easily. Over time, it fused completely with Xi Ruo. No one can move it—so she cannot cultivate at all. I once begged the Queen to let me meet the Everlasting Emperor, famed for healing, hoping he could help. Yet even the Emperor was powerless. Should anyone try to force the seal, the King of Longevity’s remaining power would rebound, perhaps even endangering Xi Ruo’s life.”
“The key is to break the seal, dissolve the king’s power, then open the meridians and awaken the Source of Strength, so Xi Ruo can walk the path of cultivation.”
“I’ve been paying attention to you. In several battles, you used a unique art that absorbs the strength of others, both physical and spiritual.” As Shadowless spoke, a sharp light flashed in his eyes. He seemed almost excited. “I don’t know who created this technique, but it could be called the ultimate rule, the pinnacle of all arts that seize the fortune of the universe. From the moment I saw it, I felt it might help Xi Ruo.”
Hearing this, Su Xiruo grew extremely tense.
“In that case, let me try.” Having come to understand Su Xiruo’s background and suffering, how she had been plagued by chronic illness since birth and couldn’t even train, remaining just an ordinary girl, Solitude Farewell’s heart softened at the sight of her anxious face. The deepest part of his being was pricked by compassion, and he volunteered at once.
“Excellent!”
Shadowless burst out laughing, then couldn’t resist adding, “All the energy you absorb will be yours, saving you at least decades of cultivation effort. It will be of great benefit…”
Solitude Farewell curled his lip, reaching for Su Xiruo’s wrist as he thought, “Even Lords are beyond my reach, and someone like you at the Seer level is even more unfathomable. Not to mention a King. A king’s lifetime of sealed power—if I really did absorb it all, my body would burst on the spot, and if I died again, I might not have the luck to be reborn a third time…”
Su Xiruo’s wrist was soft, warm, and smooth—a touch that made one reluctant to let go, wishing to hold it for a lifetime. The instant Solitude Farewell made contact, such thoughts flashed through his mind, and it even seemed as if a natural fragrance drifted into his nostrils.
But the next moment, a sudden change!
Bang!
A vast and boundless force, fierce and unstoppable, rebounded from the point of contact. Solitude Farewell’s hand was flung away, dragging his arm and shoulder back as if struck by a heavy blow.
His body jerked uncontrollably, thrown backward. He tried to steady himself, but his strength failed him; for a moment, his whole body was numb, inside and out.
He was no longer himself, only his consciousness remained, calmly observing as an outsider.
A splash of crimson flew from his palm, spraying through the air and dispersing into a mist. A faint metallic tang lingered in the air.
Thud!
Solitude Farewell crashed heavily to the ground on his back, raising a cloud of dust. Yet the force was not spent—he tumbled over and over, finally coming to a halt nearly ten feet away, unable to move. His entire body was covered in dust and dirt, even his face and hair caked with the earth’s gift.
He spat twice, stood up brushing himself off, and muttered in confusion, “What just happened?”
“Rebound injury,” Shadowless explained innocently. “That’s how it is—any touch is repelled, and the more force you use, the stronger the rebound. If you exceed the king’s power limit, Xi Ruo will be shattered to pieces… Sigh, I really don’t understand what the King of Longevity was thinking, leaving such a dangerous hidden problem for his only daughter…”
“Father wanted to protect me, to leave me a great fortune for my future cultivation, not to harm me,” Su Xiruo retorted stubbornly, eyes red.
“Yes, yes, uncle was wrong. Don’t cry, let’s try again,” Shadowless hastily apologized.
Solitude Farewell’s mouth twitched. “If I can’t even touch her, there’s nothing I can do.”
Shadowless sighed, “You used too much force just now. If you’re careful, nothing will happen… Even if there’s still a rebound, it’ll be within control. Have you forgotten so quickly? You kissed Xi Ruo and weren’t hurt, right?”
“Uh…”
Solitude Farewell was speechless.
Su Xiruo blushed to the roots of her hair.
Truly, his shamelessness knew no bounds—always bringing up the most embarrassing things.
“All right, let me try again.” He approached with caution, extending one finger slowly. At the moment of contact, a faint numbness spread along his nerves, sending a signal to his mind.
This time, nothing went wrong.
He added a second finger.
Success.
Then three, four, five…
Then his whole palm.
Sure enough, with a gentle, almost force-free touch, there was only a slight sense of resistance. He could maintain the connection. His spiritual perception quietly extended, and he was immediately shocked.
Every part of Su Xiruo’s body was filled with a surging power, condensed almost like a solid, beyond what words could describe. Her entire being could be likened to a crystal of pure strength. All her meridians were tightly bound, completely impassable. Luckily, perhaps out of caution, the King of Longevity excluded her bloodline; otherwise, she would have died long ago.
Origin—Nether—Art!
At once, Solitude Farewell activated his technique. The secret art awakened within his spirit, and in his palm, an invisible vortex began to spin slowly, quietly exerting suction.
Even as the rebound force persisted, the absorbing power of the Nether Art clung on like a leech—greedy and fierce, yet cautious and gentle, stealing away energy.
A sliver of pure power was stolen, drawn through the point of contact into Solitude Farewell’s palm. Then, abruptly, the force exploded, as wild as a runaway horse, turning into a torrential flood that threatened to drown all.
“Come in!”
Solitude Farewell’s nerves tensed as if stung by a venomous scorpion. He snatched his hand back, voicing a silent scream as his awareness strained to guide the energy into the center of his palm.
There, a newly opened Source of Strength awaited.
In just a single breath, it was filled to bursting. The outer walls of the space trembled, resonating with a dull, monotonous drumming—like the broken beat of a general’s command, echoing in the emptiness.