Chapter 151: Achievement Unlocked
The world fell into complete silence.
Not only Hong Chenji, but even Ji Hongli and Chen Xingcai were utterly stunned.
Ji Hongli's knuckles whitened around the Heavenly Cloud Sword, and for once, her usually cold phoenix eyes showed a hint of disbelief. She suddenly recalled the two battles she had once fought against Chen Chang'an—
So… he had been holding back all along?
Those seemingly perilous clashes, those moments she had looked back on with secret pride for "suppressing" him—were nothing more than a performance he had put on to humor her.
What made her cheeks burn even more was remembering how, when blinded by hatred, she had even felt a certain… appetite for his body.
Thankfully, he never took it seriously…
As for Chen Xingcai—
Father is amazing! Father is incredible! Father is the best!
The girl cupped her hands around her mouth, cheering like an excited little sparrow watching a deity descend from the heavens. Her bright apricot eyes sparkled with pure adoration.
The protective barrier around her had already shattered, and her bloodied fingertips were trembling as she jumped for joy—there was not a trace left of her earlier despair.
Thud.
Chen Chang'an descended lightly to the ground. As the hem of his white robe brushed across the scorched earth, the dead, blackened soil beneath his feet revived, sprouting green grass.
He strolled calmly toward Hong Chenji. With each step, a circle of lustrous jade light rippled out across the ground.
"Supreme One above!"
Hong Chenji suddenly prostrated himself, his forehead slamming into the stone hard enough to crack it like a spider's web. His single remaining eye streamed blood-tinged tears of fervent worship, his trembling voice breaking apart with excitement.
"Your servant has endured three million years under the False God's rule, all for this day—to finally behold the True Lord! You tore open the void with a gesture, shattered the impostor with a single blow! You are the one and only ruler of all creation!"
He grew more frenzied with each word, tearing open the rotting flesh of his chest with his remaining hand to reveal a pulsating black star map beneath.
"Look! The False God's brand is fading beneath your divine might! Please, Supreme One, take me as your gatekeeper—I will be more loyal than—"
"I'm the Supreme One?" Chen Chang'an interrupted, his golden pupils flickering faintly. "Then who was the one getting beaten just now?"
"The impostor!" Hong Chenji answered without hesitation, raising three charred fingers in oath. "That thing was but a cheap imitation, a counterfeit that stole a fraction of your power! I've endured humiliation for eons only to expose this deception for you today!"
As he spoke, he crawled forward, attempting to embrace Chen Chang'an's leg. "See, even the void itself recoils before you! This is the proof of destiny's will!"
Chen Chang'an stepped lightly aside, avoiding the writhing heap of decayed flesh. A faint, almost amused smile curved his lips.
"Apologies."
He looked down at the now-frozen Hong Chenji, his voice calm—almost conversational, as if discussing what to have for lunch.
"I don't keep dogs."
The sycophantic grin on Hong Chenji's face hardened instantly, freezing into a grotesque mask.
Chen Chang'an didn't waste another word.
He raised his hand. In his palm gathered a power so pure it seemed to hold a miniature sun.
The devastating might of the Great Sun Heaven-Burning Technique was condensed into a single point by his overwhelming cultivation.
Hong Chenji's pupils shrank to pinpricks. A strangled gasp escaped his throat, as if he wanted to plead for mercy—
But it was already too late.
Boom—
The palm descended. Hong Chenji's body disintegrated like dust. No scream, no struggle, not even the faintest sign of resistance. Before that boundless, star-sea-like power, he was crushed utterly—reduced to ash, erased from existence without a trace.
[Ding—]
The system's prompt sounded right on cue:
Congratulations to the host for completing the Legendary Achievement: "Mystery of the Void—Explored!"
Exploring the Mystery of the Void:
The void conceals the grand truth, formless and unseen by mortal eyes.
Suddenly, the abyss awakens and gazes back—
Stars tremble and fall from the sky.
Reward: A wisp of Innate Primordial Qi — granting a glimpse into the realm beyond the Saint Realm!
Reward has been delivered to the system space. Please check your inventory.
Chen Chang'an did not rush to open his system space. Instead, he first raised his hand and gently rubbed Chen Xingcai's head.
The girl's hair was soft, carrying a faint, fresh fragrance that eased his taut mind.
"Father, you're amazing!" Chen Xingcai lifted her face, her bright apricot eyes shining with admiration.
Chen Chang'an smiled lightly. Then, lifting his head, he took a deep breath and suddenly let out a long, thunderous roar toward the sky—
"Roar—!!"
The sound erupted like rolling thunder. The gray-white mist above was forcibly torn apart, revealing the unconscious members of the Hong family scattered below.
Though their breathing was weak, most of them were alive; it seemed their vital essence had merely been drained, not fatally damaged.
[Backup Cultivation Pool Countdown: 00:01:13]
The system prompt flickered at the edge of his vision.
Fortunately, there was still time. Chen Chang'an quietly exhaled in relief.
He then decisively disabled the authority of the backup cultivation pool.
In an instant, the vast, abyss-like aura surrounding him receded like a tide. The golden-red brilliance of his true essence dimmed rapidly, finally returning to its ordinary state.
But along with it came a wave of crushing weakness.
His vision blurred. His limbs felt as heavy as lead, and even standing became a struggle. A powerful dizziness swept over him, his sight dimming as though the world itself were spinning.
"The rest… I'll leave to you."
He turned his head with effort to look at Ji Hongli, his voice hoarse, carrying a weary smile.
As soon as the words left his lips, his consciousness unraveled like a kite with its string cut, and his body fell forward uncontrollably—
Thud!
He collapsed heavily into Ji Hongli's arms.
His final sensation was the faint, cool fragrance on her body and the steady hands that caught his fall.
So soft…
No—
Darkness completely swallowed his awareness.
…
Hey readers! If you're eager to dive into advanced chapters, consider joining our Patreon. By joining, you'll get access to 20 chapters ahead and enjoy 8 new chapters per week. Plus, we have 2 more exciting fics with the same chapter release rate, giving you a total of 32 chapters per week! Join now and keep the adventure going!
Patreon: https://patreon.com/Alex_Cruise