CHAPTER 9: THOUSANDS OF YEARS BATTLEFIELD
"Senior Gu! Senior Gu!" Haochen shouted, searching everywhere in the imprint space world but coming up empty.
"What're you yelling my name like that for? Can't these old bones get a little peace?" Old Gu shot back, popping out from the imprint temple with a grumble.
"Senior, do you have any idea how I can push my strength to the Law Tempering Realm in less than five years?" Haochen asked, his words tumbling out in a rush.
"Kid, don't tell me you've gone and gotten yourself into some mess already," Old Gu said, eyeing him suspiciously.
"There are a few paths to boost your power, but hitting the Law Tempering Realm? That's a tougher call. Just remember, your cultivation level isn't everything when it comes to real combat strength. If you're serious about standing out on the imprint continent, focus on heaven-grade skills and work hard to grasp at least one unique law," Old Gu advised.
"But at my stage, trying heaven-grade skills is basically asking for death, let alone the price of mastering a unique imprint law," Haochen muttered, turning away with a sigh of defeat.
"For most practitioners at the Imprint Bearer realm, yeah, heaven-grade techniques and unique laws are off-limits. But you're not like them. With the imprint of origin, it'll be rough starting out, but stick it out and you'll make it." Old Gu's figure flickered, then he was right in front of Haochen, with a condensing finger touching his forehead. A wild rush of dark and white divine imprints flooded in.
Haochen's mind went blank, pulling him into a huge ancient green mountain scene. Old Gu's form hovered high above the open expanse.
"Look sharp, kid. This is the power of the Dead Sun, a top-tier heaven-grade skill blending divine imprints and supernatural power together to create a destructive force. One of my proudest creations, if I do say so myself." Old Gu moved his hand in quick, almost invisible strokes, and the whole area plunged into shadow. A massive black-and-white sun rose behind him in the sky, pulsing with destructive dead imprints that tore through the cosmos, sending waves rippling through the air.
As soon as the sun showed up, the green mountain shriveled and died in seconds under its crushing might. With a light flick of his finger, Old Gu guided the fearsome dead sun downward. It smashed through space like it was cracking glass. Mountains and trees below melted away to nothing. When it hit the ground, the explosion wiped out the entire space, and Haochen's awareness snapped back.
"Hope you caught that, kid," Old Gu said, gazing down at him with a regal air. Haochen gave the move a few tries, but nothing happened.
"Indeed heaven-grade techniques are not something a low level practitioner can meddle with" he thought.
"Don't push it; that won't do the trick. This skill's called Heavens Incineration Sun. To learn it, you need to gather dead imprint fragments, and those could only be found in Villains' Valley. Also, you build them up through heavy killing. I wouldn't recommend you go chasing it," Old Gu warned.
"Villains' Valley? You mean that ancient battlefield from thousands of years back, the site of the big catastrophe?" Haochen asked, eyes widening.
"Look sharp, kid. You know fully well how deadly that place is."
Villains' Valley was the spot of humanity's massive wipeout eons ago. A sprawling territory where billions of humans, gods, demons, and beasts met their end. Their lingering hatred had twisted into destructive dead imprints hanging in the air. Some of it spawned demons or vengeful spirits hunting for hosts to possess.
Back in his room, a storm of thoughts raced through Haochen's head.
"Villains' Valley isn't some game. Do I really need to head there?"
"But if I skip it, how am I supposed to hit the Law Tempering Realm in five years, especially with my resources dried up?"
"I can't keep leaning on Mom for supplies. Time to handle this myself."
With that, Haochen slipped on his storage ring, tucked the bone-piercing sword inside, and stepped out.
He headed right to his mother's garden, where she sat tending her flowers. "Mom, I'm off on a trip. This time, I don't know when I'll be back, could be two years, maybe five," he said, flashing her a reassuring smile that said he'd be fine.
"Xiao Bao, I'll be here waiting. Whatever comes your way, put your life first. Mom's always got your back," she replied, her voice soft but firm.
"Don't worry, Mom. Xiao Bao can look after himself. When Xiaotong stops by, tell her for me,I don't want her fretting. And nudge her to study hard for the academy exams. Who knows, we might cross paths there." Haochen wrapped himself in a swirl of imprint aura and shot into the sky, vanishing into the far horizon.
Luoxin watched his fading figure disappeared. "This might be the best choice for you, Xiao Bao. Just stay safe," she murmured, turning back to her peach trees.
"Mom, don't worry. Once I regain enough strength, I'll head to Yan City and get you some soul medicine. You're all I have left, I won't let you die." He thought to himself as he soared high through the sky, passing over vast fields, dense woods, and rushing rivers.
Nearly a month had passed since Haochen took to the skies toward Villains' Valley. He reached the border between Night-less City and Villains Valley.
The atmosphere was cold and deadly, anyone could see it. Haochen glanced back,lush forests full of chirping birds stretched behind him. Ahead lay a barren wasteland, full of fallen bones, not a blade of grass in sight for miles.
The air over the desolation was heavy and dark, laced with swirling black and white imprints. Deadly dead imprints choked out any chance of life. Haochen stared at the cracked earth, his face a mix of resolve and unease, as tall, withered trees creaked in the chill, poisonous breeze.
"This is where my path leads. How will I ever know if I don't give it a shot?" he thought to himself and plunged forward into the wasteland.
"This boy's got guts. I didn't think he'd actually show up at the battlefield. Alright, let's see what kind of tricks you've got up your sleeve," Old Gu muttered, running a hand over his beard.