From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 69 Adversity may befall him, but his will remains unbroken

The Asura King grinned maliciously, the demonic runes on his black armor gleaming with an ominous light. "Overestimating yourself!" Before he finished speaking, his figure pounced on me like a ghost, unleashing a punch with overwhelming force.

I dared not take the blow head-on, and dodged to the side. The force of the punch grazed my cheek, leaving a burning pain. This demon's power was several times stronger than before! I was secretly shocked. Although my inherited power had improved, it was still insufficient against such a powerful enemy.

"Where's Wen Chen?" I asked anxiously, dodging Asura King's attacks. He had gone to stop Asura King's men, but now he was nowhere to be seen. Could it be...? I dared not think any further.

"Don't count on your lover," the Asura King seemed to see through my thoughts, his tone full of sarcasm, "He's in dire straits himself!"

My heart sank. I suppressed my unease and focused on the battle before me. The power of inheritance surged within me, and I tried to awaken its new abilities. I had sensed that it contained some kind of power of rules, but I had no clue how to use it.

The Asura King's attacks grew increasingly fierce, and I gradually felt my strength waning. Each of his attacks carried destructive power; I could only barely dodge, with no chance to retaliate. At this rate, I would eventually be exhausted by him!

I gritted my teeth, a resolute glint in my eyes. Rather than waiting to die, I might as well fight! I took a deep breath and poured all my spiritual power into the power of inheritance.

Golden light gathered in my palm, forming a dazzling sphere of light. I felt an unprecedented power surging within me, as if it would burst my body apart.

"Die!" The Asura King charged again, black demonic energy forming a giant skull behind him, emitting a chilling roar.

I hurled the ball of light in my hand at King Asura.

boom!

With a deafening roar, golden light collided with demonic energy, erupting in a dazzling display of light. I was blasted away by the immense impact, crashing heavily to the ground. A sweet taste rose in my throat, and a mouthful of blood gushed out.

I struggled to stand up, but found my body was numb and I couldn't move.

As the smoke cleared, I saw that the figure of the Asura King still stood tall, though several cracks had appeared in his black armor.

He looked at me, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, which quickly turned into a cruel sneer. "You actually managed to hurt me? Well, that's enough for now!"

He slowly raised his hand, and the black demonic energy gathered again, forming a huge black vortex that exuded a suffocating pressure.

I closed my eyes in despair, waiting for death to come.

Suddenly, a clear, cold voice rang out in the air: "Asura, you have crossed the line."

I suddenly opened my eyes and saw a figure dressed in pure white appear before the Asura King.

Wen Chen... he's back.

He held a long sword that emitted a faint golden light, his gaze coldly fixed on the Asura King.

The Asura King looked at Wen Chen, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his arrogant demeanor. "Wen Chen, are you also going to interfere in this matter? Do you know that obstructing me is tantamount to making an enemy of the entire Demon Realm!"

Wen Chen didn't speak, but slowly raised the long sword in his hand, the tip of the sword pointing directly at Asura King.

“Then…” Wen Chen’s tone was icy, devoid of any emotion, “...let’s give it a try.”

Wen Chen's appearance was like a ray of dawn, dispelling the despair in my heart. He exuded a chilling aura, completely different from his usual gentle and refined demeanor. I knew he was truly enraged. The Asura King clearly felt this oppressive aura as well, his face darkening.

"Wen Chen, are you really going to make an enemy of me for the sake of a junior who is about to ascend?" The Asura King's voice was deep, carrying a hint of warning.

Wen Chen sneered, "Asura, you have disrupted the order of ascension, which violates the Heavenly Rules. As a Celestial Venerable, how can I sit idly by?"

The tense atmosphere between the two men made it almost impossible for me to breathe. I struggled to get up, but found that I still couldn't muster any strength. I could only watch them helplessly, my heart filled with anxiety.

Just then, I noticed a golden light appear in the sky, followed by a majestic voice that resounded throughout the heavens and earth: "Asura, how dare you obstruct ascension? Do you know your crime?"

It's the Jade Emperor! I was overjoyed; it seems the Heavenly Court has finally made its move.

However, although the Jade Emperor's voice was majestic, he made no concrete move. He simply hovered silently in the air, watching the battle below, as if he were merely an observer.

The Asura King sneered, "Jade Emperor, if you want to interfere, then just do it. Why bother with this pretense?"

The Jade Emperor did not respond, but silently gazed at the Asura King. This eerie silence stirred a sense of unease within me. Why wasn't the Heavenly Court intervening? Could it be… that they were wary of the Asura King's power?

Just as I was wondering, I suddenly felt a wave of drowsiness wash over me, and the world before my eyes began to blur. I felt as if I were in a cloud of mist, and everything around me was indistinct.

“Child…” A gentle voice rang in my ear, filled with compassion and care.

I struggled to open my eyes and saw a woman dressed in white, holding a jade vase, appear before me. It was Guanyin Bodhisattva!

"You are..." I could hardly believe my eyes.

Guanyin Bodhisattva smiled gently: "Child, you don't need to panic. I have been watching over you."

“But…I…” I wanted to ask, but I found that I couldn’t make a sound.

Guanyin Bodhisattva seemed to sense my confusion and sighed softly: "I know you have many questions in your heart. But there are some things I cannot tell you now. You only need to remember that the power of inheritance is not as simple as you imagine. It contains the power of rules, and you need to use your heart to comprehend it in order to truly master its power."

The voice of Guanyin Bodhisattva grew softer and softer, and my consciousness gradually faded. When I awoke again, I was back in the real world.

Wen Chen and Asura King remained locked in a standoff, but their auras seemed to have undergone a subtle shift. A hint of determination appeared in Wen Chen's eyes, while a trace of hesitation flashed across Asura King's face.

I felt my body brimming with power, the power of inheritance surging within me, as if it could erupt at any moment. I tried to mobilize the power within me, and an unprecedentedly powerful feeling arose spontaneously.

Could this be... the power of rules that Guanyin Bodhisattva spoke of?

I looked at Wen Chen, and his gaze fell on me as well, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes. He seemed to understand something, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

Just then, a roar echoed from the sky: "Stop!" A golden light flashed, and a figure wielding a three-pointed, double-edged sword appeared before us. Erlang Shen… he had finally made his move… but his gaze didn't seem to be fixed on Asura King, but rather… on me?

Erlang Shen stood majestically in the air, his three-pointed, double-edged sword gleaming coldly, exuding an imposing aura. I had initially thought he had come to help us, but his sharp gaze was fixed directly on me, making my heart sink. Could it be… that the Heavenly Court had ultimately decided to prevent my ascension?

"Xiao Yao," Erlang Shen's voice boomed like a bell, resounding throughout heaven and earth, "you have disrupted the order of ascension, your crime is unforgivable!"

My heart turned ice-cold. Disrupting the order of ascension? When have I ever done such a thing? The Asura King interfered, and instead of punishing him, the Heavenly Court pinned the blame on me?

Wen Chen stood in front of me, his gaze icy as he stared at Erlang Shen: "Erlang Zhenjun, the Asura King is acting recklessly, why do you turn a blind eye? Xiao Yao is about to ascend, how can you say she is disrupting order?"

Erlang Shen frowned slightly, his eyes flickering as if he hesitated. He glanced at the still arrogant Asura King in the distance, then looked at me, and finally pointed his three-pointed double-edged sword at me: "Heavenly decree: Anyone who interferes with the order of ascension shall be killed without exception!"

Just then, a sharp, piercing laugh came from afar. I looked in the direction of the sound and saw the White Bone Demon leading a group of lesser demons, rushing towards the Ascension Platform. They were wantonly destroying the surrounding formations, and the previously repaired defenses were cracking again.

"Hahaha! Xiao Yao, do you think you can ascend to immortality? Dream on!" the White Bone Demon shrieked, directing her lesser demons to wreak havoc everywhere.

I cursed inwardly, "This White Bone Demon is truly persistent! She's clearly acting on the orders of the Asura King, deliberately causing trouble!" I tried to intervene, but found that the power within my body was still unstable and difficult to control.

Seeing this, Wen Chen immediately diverted some of his forces to deal with the White Bone Demon and the lesser demons. However, Asura King's subordinates also seized the opportunity to launch an attack, and for a time, we were caught in a predicament of being attacked from both sides.

I gritted my teeth, struggling to control the surging power of my inheritance within me. I cannot fall; I must protect Wen Chen, and I must ascend to immortality!

"Xiao Yao, give up! You can't succeed!" The Asura King's voice was laced with sarcasm, as if he could already foresee my failure.

I took a deep breath, suppressing the fear and despair in my heart. Guanyin Bodhisattva's words echoed in my ears again: "The power of inheritance is not as simple as you imagine. It contains the power of rules, and you need to use your heart to comprehend it in order to truly master its power."

The power of rules… I closed my eyes, feeling the surging power within me, trying to understand its essence. I felt as if I were in a state of chaos, everything around me becoming blurred. I sensed a powerful force awakening, containing the rules of heaven and earth, possessing boundless potential.

Just then, I felt Wen Chen's breathing suddenly become erratic. I opened my eyes abruptly and saw that he had been struck by one of Asura King's subordinates, and a trickle of blood was spilling from the corner of his mouth.

"Wen Chen!" My heart tightened, and a surge of anger instantly welled up within me. I could no longer control the power within me; the power of inheritance erupted like a flood bursting its banks!

A powerful energy surge emanated from me and rapidly spread outwards. The surrounding lesser demons were blasted away by this force, letting out screams of agony. Even several of Asura King's subordinates were affected and forced to retreat.

I felt my body brimming with power, stronger than ever before! I had finally... mastered the power of rules!

However, just as I was feeling overjoyed, I suddenly sensed an even more powerful aura approaching. This aura was even stronger than that of the Asura King, carrying a suffocating pressure.

I looked up at the sky and saw a figure in a long black robe slowly descending. He was surrounded by black mist, obscuring his face, but his cold eyes sent a chill down my spine.

“Interesting,” a deep voice rang out, tinged with a hint of mockery, “It seems a remarkable little fellow has appeared here…”

The power of inheritance surged within me, like a colossal dragon awakening, unleashing a deafening roar. I felt an unprecedented surge of power, as if the world itself were under my control. Those clamoring demons were like ants in my eyes, utterly vulnerable. The White Bone Demon, who had been so arrogant just moments before, was now deathly pale, staring at me in terror, forgetting even to flee.

I rushed to Wen Chen's side and supported his swaying body. His face was pale, and the blood at the corner of his mouth was a shocking sight, tearing my heart apart. "Wen Chen, how are you?" My voice trembled, tinged with a sob.

He forced a smile and said weakly, "I'm fine, just a minor injury."

Seeing him trying so hard to stay strong made my heart ache even more. I knew he was just trying to comfort me; his injuries were definitely serious. I quickly took out healing pills from my storage bag and gave them to him, while simultaneously circulating my spiritual energy to heal him.

However, the inherited power within me remained restless, as if it were about to break free of my restraints. I struggled to suppress this power, fearing it would spiral out of control again.

Just then, the man in black robes slowly landed, and the black mist surrounding him gradually dissipated, revealing a handsome yet sinister face. His eyes were like obsidian, deep and cold, sending chills down one's spine.

"Who are you?" I asked warily, while shielding Wen Chen behind me.

He chuckled softly, his voice deep and magnetic: "Me? You can call me... Hades."

Hades? I was startled. Could he be the ruler of the underworld? What is he doing here?

“Interesting, very interesting.” Hades’s gaze swept over me with a hint of amusement. “It’s quite surprising that a celestial being about to ascend to immortality possesses such great power.”

His words sent a chill down my spine; he seemed very interested in my power. Could he have come for the power of inheritance?

"What do you want to do?" I asked in an icy tone.

Hades did not answer, but looked at me with great interest, as if admiring a precious treasure.

"It seems you're quite interested in my power," I said coldly. "However, I advise you not to try anything with me."

Hades' lips curled into a wicked smile: "Is that so? I'd like to see what you're capable of doing to stop me."

As soon as he finished speaking, a powerful pressure emanated from him, like Mount Tai pressing down on me, making it almost impossible for me to breathe.

I gritted my teeth, enduring the oppressive force, while protecting Wen Chen even more tightly.

"It seems you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin." A cold glint flashed in Hades' eyes as he slowly raised his right hand.

Just then, a deafening battle cry rang out in the distance. I turned my head and saw the Asura King leading a large number of demon soldiers, surging towards us like a tidal wave.

When Asura King saw Hades, his expression changed slightly, and he respectfully bowed: "Lord Hades, what brings you here?"

Hades glanced at him and said calmly, "Let me see who dares to disrupt my plans."

A sinister glint flashed in Asura King's eyes as he pointed at me and said, "It's this woman. She not only ruined our plans but also killed many of our people."

Hades' gaze fell on me again, a glint of excitement flashing in his eyes. "Oh? It seems you're even more interesting than I imagined." He paused, then turned to Asura King and said, "This woman, I want her."

Asura King's expression changed, seemingly somewhat unwilling, but he ultimately nodded: "Yes, Lord Hades."

My heart sank; it seemed today was likely to be a terrible day. I gripped Wen Chen's hand tightly and whispered, "I'm sorry, I might have to break my promise..."

Wen Chen grasped my hand in return, her eyes resolute, and said, "Don't be afraid, I'll be with you."

In the distance, the Asura King grinned menacingly, his demonic blade raised high as he charged towards us, his demonic soldiers surging forward like a tidal wave, their battle cries deafening… Hades stood to the side, a playful smile on his lips, as if enjoying a good show. He slowly raised his hand, black mist gathering in his palm…