The golden formation above the city illuminated the night sky like a second sun.
Ancient symbols stretched endlessly across the heavens while spiritual energy throughout the entire region descended into chaos. Every hidden cultivator within thousands of miles felt their blood freeze the moment those four words appeared.
The Primordial Emperor Returns.
The pressure behind those words was indescribable.
Not aggressive.
Not violent.
Absolute.
Like a forgotten ruler announcing his return after countless ages.
High above the city, Bai Xue's floating swords had all dropped downward involuntarily, trembling violently as if submitting to a superior existence.
Even her massive silver sword beneath her feet shook faintly.
Her cold eyes stared upward at the golden formation in disbelief.
"…The Emperor Mark…"
Su Chen remained silent beside her.
But internally—
His synchronization surged violently.
Primordial synchronization: 82%
Ancient inheritance unlocked.
A sharp pain exploded through his mind instantly.
Countless fragmented memories flooded into his consciousness like a storm.
Ancient armies stretching across stars.
Golden palaces towering above worlds.
A throne suspended within endless darkness.
And beneath that throne—
Millions kneeling.
Not from fear.
From instinct.
Then—
One final memory appeared.
A man dressed in black robes standing before shattered heavens with golden eyes cold enough to silence worlds.
His face remained hidden.
But Su Chen understood immediately.
That was the Primordial Emperor.
The last true ruler of the Ancient Court.
And somehow—
Connected to him.
The memories vanished abruptly.
Su Chen's breathing remained steady despite the overwhelming pressure inside his mind.
But Bai Xue noticed the brief flicker in his eyes immediately.
"You saw something."
"Yes."
"What?"
Su Chen looked toward the golden formation quietly.
"…Him."
The atmosphere around them became colder.
Because Bai Xue understood exactly who he meant.
Below the city, hidden cultivators had already fallen into complete chaos.
Inside underground sects, ancient elders stood abruptly from meditation with pale faces.
"The Emperor Mark appeared?!"
"That should be impossible!"
"Wasn't the Primordial Emperor erased from history?"
"No… the records said he vanished…"
Fear spread rapidly through the hidden world.
Because ancient cultivators understood something modern ones did not.
Names carried power.
And the appearance of the Emperor Mark meant only one thing.
The Primordial Bloodline had truly awakened.
Inside the Lin Corporation office, Zhao Ren stared upward blankly through the broken windows.
"…Why do I suddenly feel like our problems just became a thousand times worse?"
Xu Mingshan looked like he had aged several years in seconds.
"Because they did."
Lin Yanyan remained quiet.
Her eyes stayed fixed on Su Chen's figure floating above the city.
Even now—
She still could not fully connect the calm man she slept beside at night with the terrifying existence causing ancient cultivation clans to panic.
Yet strangely—
She wasn't afraid.
Not truly.
Her fingers tightened slightly against her arm.
Because deep down—
She trusted him.
That realization itself irritated her a little.
Above the city, Bai Xue slowly regained control of her floating swords. But unlike before, the blades no longer pointed naturally toward Su Chen.
They pointed downward.
Submission.
Her eyes narrowed faintly.
"The Emperor Mark only appears for one reason."
Su Chen looked toward her.
"A successor?"
"No."
Bai Xue's expression became serious.
"A ruler."
Silence lingered between them while golden light continued illuminating the dark heavens.
Then suddenly—
BOOM.
The sky cracked again.
This time not from the upper realms.
But from the golden formation itself.
A massive pillar of light erupted downward directly toward Su Chen.
Bai Xue's pupils contracted instantly.
"Move!"
But Su Chen didn't.
Because the moment the light appeared—
He felt no danger from it.
Only familiarity.
The golden pillar engulfed him completely.
The pressure spreading from it caused nearby clouds to evaporate instantly while the city below trembled violently.
Then—
Inside the light—
An ancient voice echoed.
Not inside his mind.
Inside his soul.
"Bloodline confirmed."
Su Chen's eyes narrowed slightly.
The voice continued.
"Authority inheritance approved."
The golden light around him intensified.
Then countless ancient symbols began appearing across his body again, more complex and deeper than before.
The synchronization surged.
Primordial synchronization: 89%
Primordial Authority unlocked.
A terrifying pulse exploded outward from Su Chen instantly.
BOOM.
The entire city shook violently.
Every cultivator hidden within its borders dropped to their knees simultaneously regardless of cultivation level.
Foundation Establishment.
Golden Core.
Nascent Soul.
Even Spirit Transformation experts.
All forced downward.
Not by pressure.
By instinct.
Xu Mingshan's breathing became uneven as he knelt inside the office despite trying to resist.
"…Authority…"
Zhao Ren slammed against the floor helplessly.
"What the hell is happening?!"
Lin Yanyan remained standing.
Barely.
Her body trembled under the overwhelming force pressing against her existence, but she refused to kneel.
Above the city, Bai Xue's expression changed completely after noticing that.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Meanwhile, inside the golden light, Su Chen slowly opened his eyes.
And the world froze briefly.
Because his pupils had fully turned gold.
Ancient symbols rotated slowly within them like living laws.
The voice echoed again.
"The Ancient Court awaits your return."
Then—
The light vanished instantly.
Silence crashed over the city.
Su Chen remained floating calmly in the sky while the golden markings across his body slowly faded beneath his skin again.
But nothing felt the same anymore.
The spiritual energy around him had completely changed.
Before, the world merely submitted instinctively.
Now—
It revolved around him.
Like he had become the center of something ancient waking up.
Bai Xue stared at him silently for several long seconds.
Then finally asked softly,
"…What are you becoming?"
Su Chen looked at his own hand quietly.
Golden energy flickered briefly between his fingers before disappearing.
Then he answered honestly.
"I don't know yet."
Far above the mortal world—
Beyond countless layers of shattered space—
Inside an enormous silver palace floating within endless darkness—
Several figures suddenly opened their eyes simultaneously.
Their pressure distorted entire stars around them.
One of them spoke coldly.
"The Emperor Mark appeared."
Another voice echoed darkly.
"The Primordial Bloodline has awakened."
Silence followed briefly.
Then a third figure slowly stood from an ancient throne.
Its eyes burned silver.
"Prepare the descent."
The surrounding heavens trembled.
"Before he becomes impossible to kill."
Back in the mortal world, rain finally stopped falling over the city.
But nobody felt relief.
Because everyone understood now.
The real storm…
Had only just begun.