Chapter 93: First Steps into the Demonic Path (Part 5) (Please do not use special symbols, great authors)

Half a month later.
A dark underground space.
Su Chen opened his eyes. Beside him lay a desiccated skeleton, its features completely unrecognizable.
The skeleton naturally belonged to Mu Yingyi.
Having refined the essence of a prodigy, Su Chen clearly felt an improvement in both his aptitude and cultivation.
His current cultivation was roughly equal to Mu Yingyi's, having reached the seventh level of the Spirit Soul Realm.
Su Chen clenched and unclenched his fist, pure white primordial energy coalescing into a ball.
Such a cultivation speed... was simply too fast.
So fast that it was intoxicating, allowing him to enjoy the slaughter and the thrill of becoming stronger.
Su Chen's mind quickly returned to calm.
While the Devouring Heaven and Earth Technique was powerful, it couldn't be used frequently.
Otherwise, he would surely be controlled by the technique and become a puppet.
The primordial energy in his hand enveloped Mu Yingyi's skeleton, vanishing without a trace.
After completing all this, Su Chen left and returned to the Devouring Sun Holy Land.
Su Chen went to the Mission Hall to return the mission as usual.
The Mission Hall elder glanced at Su Chen indifferently and nodded.
After leaving the Mission Hall, Su Chen returned to his cave. Zhou Hanchan, having learned of Su Chen's return to the sect, busied herself preparing a sumptuous dinner for him.
The brother and sister enjoyed this rare moment of warmth.
After the dinner
Zhou Hanchan looked at Su Chen, her eyes filled with burning fighting spirit: "Brother...I want to become stronger!"
Su Chen stared at Zhou Hanchan intently for a moment, then calmly said, "It's enough that I'm protecting you."
Zhou Hanchan threw herself at Su Chen, shaking his arm, and said sweetly, "Brother, you're already an inner disciple. I'm your sister, and I'm only at the ninth level of the Spirit Gathering Realm, not even at the Spirit Pattern Realm yet."
"I want to become stronger, I don't want to hold you back!"
Zhou Hanchan earnestly pleaded.
Su Chen rubbed his forehead, somewhat helplessly saying, "Becoming stronger is a very difficult thing. You'll have to endure a lot of hardship and undergo a lot of trials."
Zhou Hanchan shook her head: "Brother, I'm not afraid of hardship, I'm not afraid of trials!"
Su Chen had no choice but to compromise: "Then we'll talk about it tomorrow."
Zhou Hanchan's face lit up with excitement. Her adorable chubby cheeks made Su Chen unable to resist pinching them twice.
The next day
Su Chen began guiding Zhou Hanchan on her path to becoming stronger.
Three days later
Zhou Hanchan said with a bitter face, "Brother, I don't want to become stronger anymore, I want to lie down and relax."
Su Chen righteously refused, and pinched Zhou Hanchan's chubby cheeks again.
And so, day after day, a year quickly passed.
The death of Mu Yingyi, the once-sensational genius on the Heavenly Pride Ranking, was gradually forgotten with the tide of time.
Su Chen went to the Mission Hall and accepted another mission.
After Su Chen left the Sun-Swallowing Holy Land,
outside the Holy Land,
Su Chen encountered a familiar face.
Zhou Yi, who seemed to have been waiting for him.
"Zhou Yi greets Your Majesty. There are many of Zhou Hao's lackeys within the inner sect. My ancient clan cannot be exposed, lest we give ourselves away and be targeted by Zhou Hao's henchmen. Please forgive me for not seeking Your Majesty's attention again."
Su Chen was surprised.
'It seems there are remnants of the ancient clan within the inner sect! Perhaps even high-ranking and powerful ones!'
Zhou Yi knew his mission and route so quickly.
Unsurprisingly, it must have been leaked by a powerful elder in the Mission Hall.
"Zhou Yi, you've risked your life to come see me this time. Is there something important you need?"
Zhou Yi nodded. "The elders hope that you, Master, can participate in the True Disciple Trial a year from now and advance to the True Disciple level of the Holy Land."
Su Chen frowned. "Advance to the True Disciple level? Isn't that a bit too fast?"
He had only just advanced to the Inner Disciple level.
Zhou Yi said, "Master, rest assured, the elders will help you conceal your true identity... The True Disciple Trial a year from now involves a major event within the Holy Land. Advancing to the True Disciple level will bring you many benefits."
"Please keep the details a secret... This matter is of great importance; only you, Master, will know after advancing to the True Disciple level."
Su Chen nodded.
Su Chen understood the caution of the elders of the Ancient Clan.
After all, if they weren't careful, they would have been wiped out a hundred or two hundred times over.
After delivering the message, Zhou Yi disappeared again as if by magic.
Su Chen looked thoughtfully at the spot where Zhou Yi had vanished, then continued towards the mission location.
One month later,
Xie Feng, ranked eighty-third on the Prodigy Ranking, disappeared and died. The Xie family was furious and offered a large bounty, determined to kill the culprit who dared to murder their prodigy and avenge Xie Feng.
Unfortunately, no matter how hard the Xie family searched, they couldn't find a trace of Xie Feng.
Some speculated that Xie Feng had offended a powerful enemy and been killed; others guessed that he had been devoured by a powerful demonic beast; still others speculated that he might have entered some ancient ruins, encountered danger there, and tragically perished.
This continent
Regret is never lacking.
An old generation passes away, and new legends are filled in.
Su Chen returned to the Devouring Sun Holy Land.
He delivered the task as usual, then guided Zhou Hanchan's cultivation.
Zhou Hanchan's cultivation improved, reaching the fifth level of Spirit Patterns, and even possessing purple-quality Spirit Patterns.
Time flew by, and another year passed.
"Brother, are you going to compete for the title of True Disciple?"
Zhou Hanchan looked surprised and doubtful.
Su Chen nodded.
"A True Disciple? I'm determined to get it!"
Zhou Hanchan said with a bitter face, "Brother, that's too dangerous. You've only been in the inner sect for two years; you can't compete with those senior brothers and sisters who have been in the inner sect for a long time."
Su Chen rolled his eyes and pinched Zhou Hanchan's chubby cheeks: "What? You don't trust your brother?"
Zhou Hanchan mumbled, "Thank...trust..."
Su Chen released Zhou Hanchan and looked outside the cave.
One by one, exceptionally talented individuals returned to the Sun-Swallowing Holy Land.
Without a doubt, these were all inner disciples of the Sun-Swallowing Holy Land.
For the sake of the true teachings of the Sun-Swallowing Holy Land!