"Boom!"
At that moment, it felt as though the heavens and earth had collapsed within Qin Chuan's body. It was as if the entire world had awakened, brimming with life.
His personal small world had fully taken shape.
It had transformed from something resembling a mere painting into a real, living world—with mountains, rivers, and growing flora.
All forms of life could now survive within it.
This small world had been granted a soul.
This was the hallmark of a Quasi-Emperor, a realm divided into nine heavens, representing the process by which one's small world continued to expand.
A Quasi-Emperor's power came from their small world. The larger the world, the more powerful the Quasi-Emperor. When it expanded to its limit, "Martial Fortune" would be born, and by fusing with it, a Quasi-Emperor could ascend to become a Martial Emperor!
At that point, even the slightest motion could influence the forces of the heavens and earth. They could wield multiple Great Daos with unimaginable power.
In the blink of an eye!
As the overwhelming pressure threatened to crush Qin Zi, Qin Chuan made his move. A similar pressure surged forth, meeting the oncoming force head-on.
"Bang!"
The Quasi-Emperor's pressure was instantly dispersed, like golden mist blown away by a powerful wind. The dark clouds covering the sky were also torn apart.
"Who's there?!"
The Quasi-Emperor roared in fury.
"Leave."
Qin Chuan didn't show himself. He only uttered a single word, his voice raspy, sounding like that of an elder.
The Quasi-Emperor was momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting anyone to be so overbearing, demanding that he leave.
Then, he coldly asked,
"Who might this expert be? Are you from the human race or the demon race?"
"I told you to leave. Why all the useless talk?"
Qin Chuan replied indifferently.
"You dare to act so arrogant while hiding in the shadows? Come out and face me in battle!"
The Quasi-Emperor shouted in anger.
"I'm standing right in front of you, and you can't even see me? Yet you dare talk about fighting me?"
Qin Chuan sneered. His voice was calm but carried an undeniable weight.
"Do you even deserve it?"
Boom!
At this, the demon Quasi-Emperor exploded with rage. A vast surge of divine consciousness spread out, sweeping through everything within a radius of ten thousand miles, even scouring the ground as if it had been carpet-bombed.
However… he found nothing.
Immediately, his face turned dark, and doubt crept into his heart.
It seemed like he had really kicked a steel plate this time!
"Hmph, I don't care who you are, I'll remember this debt!"
After weighing his options, the Quasi-Emperor decided to retreat, throwing out what was clearly a flimsy threat as he prepared to leave.
However, Qin Chuan's voice was cool as he responded:
"Did I say you could leave?"
The Quasi-Emperor roared,
"You're pushing your luck! If I fight with all my strength, neither of us will walk away unscathed!"
"Not necessarily."
Qin Chuan replied calmly.
The Quasi-Emperor's face turned red and then pale.
He knew that there was no way he could defeat this unseen opponent—he couldn't even locate him! The earlier clash of their pressures had already revealed that this mysterious figure's strength far exceeded his own; it wasn't just bluster.
After a long internal struggle, he finally suppressed his rage. With a stiff expression, he asked through gritted teeth,
"What do you want?"
"What I want… is your death!"
In the next moment, a massive black vortex appeared in the sky. From within the vortex, a colossal golden hand emerged.
This hand descended like an eagle snatching up a chick, grasping toward the demon Quasi-Emperor.
"Whoosh!"
Great swathes of black clouds rushed toward the golden hand, which seemed to transform into a black hole, capable of swallowing everything.
"It won't be that easy to kill me!"
The Quasi-Emperor roared, his entire body erupting with a blood-red glow as his speed increased exponentially. He shot off into the distance.
"Hmph, do you really think you can escape?"
Qin Chuan let out a cold laugh.
In the next instant, on the horizon, a massive golden sun slowly rose, dominating half of the sky.
The fleeing Quasi-Emperor flew directly into this enormous sun, as if he had trapped himself in a net.
"Aah!"
A heart-wrenching scream echoed from within, and a figure could be seen struggling within the golden sun, causing ripples in the fiery waves, as though someone were thrashing about in molten lava.
Soon, the screams ceased, and the sun slowly faded from the sky.
"The Devouring Sun Emperor Scripture?!"
Qin Zi's eyes widened in astonishment. Then, his blood began to boil, and he shouted with joy,
"Father!!!"
It had to be his father!
His father was the only one who possessed the Devouring Sun Emperor Scripture. Besides, who else but his father would come to his rescue in such a situation?
However, there was no response from the sky.
"Father, stop pretending. I know it's you!"
Qin Zi grinned cheekily.
"Insolence! Are you mocking this old man?"
At that moment, a gruff, elderly voice sounded out, filled with indignation.
Qin Zi's smile froze.
The old voice continued its stern reprimand:
"I've cultivated for tens of thousands of years, with descendants spanning a hundred generations. How could I possibly have a son as young as you? Are you implying that I'm old and still undignified?"
Qin Zi was completely dumbfounded.
The tone of this elder didn't seem like a joke. It sounded like a scholar who cherished his reputation, being falsely accused of indecency and ready to fight to defend his honor.
Taking a deep breath, Qin Zi carefully asked,
"Then may I ask who you are, senior, and why did you save me?"
The elder's voice fell silent for a moment.
Then he sighed,
"Very well, given the situation, it won't hurt to tell you."
"In truth, I am from the Devouring Sun Emperor Palace. I am one of the elders, and I've been observing you."
"What?!"
Qin Zi's eyes widened again, and anxiety began to creep in.
His master had once told him that cultivating the Devouring Sun Emperor Scripture without being part of the Devouring Sun Emperor Palace would only lead to trouble.
Likely… it would result in him being hunted down!
But considering that this elder had saved him and had mentioned "observing" him, Qin Zi felt a little relieved.
"May I ask, senior, what kind of observation this is? And when did it start?"
He asked respectfully.
"You used the Devouring Sun Emperor Scripture at the Ziyun Academy, and someone secretly informed us. As for who, that's none of your concern. Even if you ask, I won't tell you."
The elder's voice explained.
"Could it have been the Lu Family?!"
The first thought that popped into Qin Zi's mind was the Lu Family. They were the only ones who held a grudge against him and had the influence to make contact with a power like the Devouring Sun Emperor Palace.
"Who it was doesn't matter."
The elder's voice remained indifferent, neither confirming nor denying the speculation. But this, in itself, placed the blame squarely on the Lu Family.
He continued,
"After receiving the information, I came to observe you. Anyone who cultivates the Devouring Sun Emperor Scripture outside the Emperor Palace faces two outcomes."
"The first is immediate execution. The second is observation. If the individual passes the observation, they may be recruited into the palace and become a candidate for the position of Divine Son."
Qin Zi asked cautiously,
"What happens if the observation fails?"
The elder's voice turned cold:
"Naturally… they are killed!"
Hearing this, Qin Zi felt a chill run through his entire body.
His head spun as he realized the gravity of his situation. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he asked,
"Senior, have I passed the observation so far?"
The elder's voice remained calm:
"The observation takes time, and there are many factors to consider—such as cultivation speed, comprehension, combat prowess, cleverness and composure in the face of danger, and overall character."
"So far, your performance has been acceptable. You have a chance to pass the observation and join the Devouring Sun Emperor Palace."
Hearing this, Qin Zi let out a sigh of relief.
At least his life was safe for now. It also seemed that he had gained a powerful, mysterious protector!
After thinking for a moment, he asked with a hopeful tone,
"Senior, I'm currently in the Fractured Star Demon Territory and could be killed at any time. Could you take me back to the Ziyun Domain?"
The elder's voice let out a cold laugh:
"Heh, that's part of the observation. Unless a Quasi-Emperor threatens your life, I won't save you from any other dangers."
"If you can't even survive this test… then you're not fit to become a candidate for the Divine Son of the Devouring Sun Emperor Palace. If you die, then so be it!"