256: Western Desert, Regaining Memories

Eight years later,

The Western Desert, located in the western part of the Xuantian Continent, has a harsh environment, constantly shrouded in poisonous gas, and few Human Race members live on this land.

Mozhou, this province is located in the center of the Western Desert, and is the only pure land not recorded as being polluted. However, it is perpetually covered in darkness, seeing no sunlight.

A majestic and imposing palace stood here.

Demon Nether Palace. The name might sound familiar. That's right, it is the very Demon Nether Palace that was originally conquered by the Southern Continent.

Chen Moyou, the Old Ancestor of the Demon Nether Palace at the time, fled when the Southern Continent attacked, running all the way to this Western Desert.

Inside the great hall,

A boy of about eight years old was sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed.

He wore a well-fitted black brocade robe. His young face was tender but already showed handsome contours, and a condensed Evil Qi faintly swirled between his brows.

"Chen'er, you must immerse yourself in Cultivation and restore the great rule of our Demon Race."

Chen Moyou muttered silently toward the back of the eight-year-old child.

Chen Moyou had one son who had been managing the Demon Race hiding in the Western Desert.

It was just that his son had Cultivated for half his life and failed to Breakthrough to the Undergoing Tribulation Stage, which became a source of worry for him. Thankfully, Heaven gave him a grandson.

This grandson started Cultivating at three, reached Foundation Establishment at five, and is now eight, already at the Ninth-Stage of Foundation Establishment.

Such a Cultivation speed was truly astonishing among the remnant Demon Race in the resource-poor and harsh environment of the Western Desert.

As if sensing the gaze behind him, Chen Yuan in this life finished his technique, exhaled, and slowly opened his eyes.

They were a pair of very clear eyes. He stood up, turned toward the shadows, and bowed respectfully, his voice carrying the crispness of a child: "Chen'er greets Grandpa."

"Hahaha, good, good!"

Chen Moyou walked out of the shadows, his face beaming with a benevolent smile.

"Grandpa was just passing by to see you. Chen'er, continue to Cultivate; you don't need to mind me."

"Yes, Grandpa." Chen Yuan nodded obediently and sat down cross-legged again, though a trace of doubt flashed through his heart.

This Grandpa always seemed to like watching him silently like this.

Chen Moyou watched for a little while longer, then stroked his sparse beard contentedly and turned to leave the great hall.

Instead of returning to his quiet room, he flashed and arrived at a more secluded secret chamber deep within the Demon Nether Palace.

Inside the secret chamber, a sallow-faced middle-aged man was already waiting.

He was Chen Moyou's son, and Chen Yuan's father in this life, Chen Tiansha.

"Father." Chen Tiansha bowed.

"Mhm." The benevolence on Chen Moyou's face had long vanished, replaced only by indifference. "How was the matter handled? Was it clean?"

A flicker of emotion crossed Chen Tiansha's eyes, but it quickly returned to indifference:

"Reporting to Father, it has been handled cleanly. All traces have been thoroughly erased."

"Very good." Chen Moyou nodded. Looking at his son, whose Aptitude was limited but whose Heart-Nature was sufficiently ruthless, his tone softened slightly for a rare moment.

"Tiansha, do not hate your father for being ruthless. I am not an old-fashioned person. If you had merely sought a common Human Race woman for pleasure, or even married her, I might not have stopped you."

He paused, and the cold light in his eyes intensified:

"But your Aptitude, as we both know, cannot bear the burden of reviving our Demon Race.

This immense responsibility can only fall on Chen'er's shoulders! Chen'er is extraordinarily gifted, a prodigy our race hasn't seen in ten thousand years. He must harbor sufficient vigilance and hatred toward the Human Race!"

Let Chen Yuan know his mother was Human Race? Absolutely impossible!

He did this because he feared that if Chen Yuan Cultivated to a high Realm in the future, he might realize his mother was not Demon Race.

For the great cause of the Demon Race, that woman had to disappear, and Chen'er must never know she existed!

Chen Tiansha lowered his head, his voice devoid of fluctuation:

"Father's painstaking efforts, your son understands. She was just a woman; if she died, she died. It is irrelevant. Chen'er's future is what matters most."

Having finished his Cultivation for the day, Chen Yuan, as usual, excitedly ran back to his exclusive small Immortal Cave on the back mountain of the Demon Nether Palace.

The layout inside the Immortal Cave was simple, yet every detail showed care.

"Mother? Mother, are you here?"

Chen Yuan called out, anticipation on his young face.

Usually at this time, his mother would appear gently, asking if his Cultivation was tiring and preparing some spirit fruits and snacks for him.

However, the Immortal Cave was silent, with no response.

Chen Yuan's heart clenched, and he had a bad feeling.

He searched every corner of the Immortal Cave, and even ran to the Medicinal Garden his mother frequently visited, but he couldn't find that familiar figure.

He bit his lip and turned to run toward the Demon Evil Hall, where his father Chen Tiansha handled affairs.

"Father!" Chen Yuan rushed into the hall, his tone urgent. "Father, have you seen Mother? I can't find her anywhere!"

Chen Tiansha was processing a Jade Slip. Hearing the call, he looked up.

He put down the Jade Slip, walked over to Chen Yuan, squatted down, and placed his large hand on Chen Yuan's shoulder, sighing:

"Chen'er, your mother... a few days ago, she accidentally suffered a Qi Deviation while Cultivating, and her injuries were too severe... she has, passed away."

Boom!

It was as if a clap of thunder exploded in Chen Yuan's mind!

His small body swayed violently, his face instantly turned deathly pale, and his clear eyes quickly filled with tears, but he stubbornly refused to let them fall.

"No... impossible... Mother was fine just a few days ago..." His voice trembled, full of disbelief.

"I am also very sad."

Chen Tiansha averted his gaze, his tone low,

"But the path of cultivation is inherently perilous; accidents can happen at any time.

Chen'er, you must restrain your grief, and strive to Cultivate even harder, so as not to let down your mother's expectations of you.

I have already handled her funeral arrangements properly. You don't need to go look, lest you increase your sorrow."

Chen Yuan returned to his Immortal Cave, looking at the familiar objects, and felt a bone-chilling coldness for the first time.

Mother's gentle smile seemed like it was just yesterday. How could she... suddenly be gone?

That feeling of his heart being fiercely squeezed and a hollow emptiness lingered in his mind.

He could only pour all his emotions into frantic Cultivation, trying to numb himself with the refinement of his cultivation base.

One month later, inside the Immortal Cave.

Majestic Devilish Qi surged and gathered like a tide, roaring and rushing within Chen Yuan's small body.

The Lightning Tribulation descended.

Rumble!

Demonic clouds gathered, but they could not withstand Chen Yuan's small body.

After the Ninth-Stage Lightning Tribulation.

A dark-gold colored Golden Core slowly condensed and took shape in his Dantian Qi Sea!

The Golden Core was formed!

Just as the Golden Core stabilized, a massive torrent of memories violently flooded into Chen Yuan's Sea of Consciousness!

Xuantian Continent, Eastern Barrens, Shenzhou, Heavenly Palace, Doomsday Dao Court, Yao Race, Princess, Ye Baixi, Leng Youmeng, Star Glass, Tribulation Transcendence Stage, Five Elements Sword Dao, System, Heavenly Abyss Great World, Reincarnation Secret Technique... "Argh!"

Chen Yuan clutched his head, letting out a painful groan, his body trembling slightly due to the information overload.

After a long time, the torrent gradually subsided, and the memories settled.

He slowly raised his head. The eyes that originally belonged to an eight-year-old child were now as profound as an ancient well.

He looked inward, sensing the pure Demonic Essence within his body.

"I... Holy f*ck f*ck f*ck f*ck!!!"

Even with Chen Yuan's Heart-Nature, having weathered great storms, he couldn't help but curse repeatedly in his mind at this moment.