25: Suppressing the world for a thousand years

So that's how it is!

Then he didn't need to rush to extract it. Even if the Incarnation's strength Realm was stronger, it couldn't threaten his safety. He only needed one command to self-destruct on the spot.

What's more, Xiao Qitian hadn't even reached the Ascension Realm yet, so he could wait a few hundred more years.

Furthermore, Xiao Qitian was investigating Boundless, who was also Lu Chen's biggest concern. It was very strange that this guy could escape his Heavenly Dao Eye.

Lu Chen wanted to figure out what conspiracy was behind it all.

Closing the Small World, Lu Chen hailed another taxi and headed to the high-speed rail station.

After three hours on the high-speed rail and a transfer to a bus, he finally returned to his hometown—Boundary City.

Boundary City is a tourist city located in the western part of Hunan Province.

When Lu Chen stepped into the shantytown house, which was less than twenty square meters, the dim yellow light illuminated his parents' faces, which were full of joyful surprise.

His father, Lu Deshan, and mother, Jiang Xiuzhen, were so happy when they saw Lu Chen appear that they danced like children.

Despite it being 11 PM, they quickly got up to prepare a hot meal for their son.

Lu Chen was deeply moved and quickly stopped them: "Dad, Mom, I've already eaten. It's so late, don't bother!"

But his father wouldn't give up, his eyes filled with unconcealed joy, and he took out a bottle of white wine he had treasured for ten years.

Lu Chen looked at his father, a sudden pang in his heart, realizing with a start that at some point, his father's hair had turned as white as snow, and his once upright figure was slightly stooped.

Over the years, to support his schooling, his parents had toiled under the Scorching Sun at construction sites during the day, moving building Materials;

At night, they set up a street stall, working until midnight before returning home.

He had once vowed to his parents that he would earn a lot of money after graduating from university, bring them to a big city, and let them live a good life.

But what about now?

Not only had he failed to keep his promise, but sometimes he even had to borrow money from his parents to pay rent.

This guilt was like a heavy stone pressing on Lu Chen's heart, making him feel worse than death. Countless times, Lu Chen tossed and turned in the dead of night, feeling that he had let his parents down, and even thought of ending it all to escape the heavy pressure.

But he knew he couldn't do that.

His parents had raised him for over twenty years; if he were to die like that, it would be too unfair to them.

It was during that darkest period of his life that the heavenly dao system appeared.

"Dad, I toast you!" Lu Chen picked up his wine glass, his voice trembling slightly.

His father's eyes widened in surprise: "You drink?"

"I'm happy today, I'll drink with you!" Lu Chen forced a smile, holding back tears.

After three rounds of drinks, his father's face flushed, and he asked with a hint of expectation:

"Son, this time you're back, don't leave, okay? Your mom misses you every night, she secretly cried who knows how many tears, and her eyesight is getting worse and worse."

His mother, hearing this, quickly said: "Child, don't listen to your dad's nonsense, I'm perfectly fine, I'm happy wherever you go."

Despite saying that, due to poor eyesight, she almost bumped into the table.

Lu Chen watched this scene, his heart aching as if pricked by needles. He quickly supported his mother: "I'm not leaving, Mom, I'm not leaving this time. I'll stay here with you!"

After this civilization harvest, Lu Chen would possess strength comparable to a Loose Immortal. At that time, he would definitely repay his parents' nurturing grace and ensure they lived better lives.

His father, hearing this, beamed with joy: "That's great! Boundary City is recruiting auxiliary police officers. You should quickly go and sign up. Don't think the salary is low; it's an iron rice bowl, and it comes with three insurances and one housing fund. With this job, you won't have to worry about finding a wife."

His mother also chimed in: "Yes, child, this job is indeed good. You're still a university student, so you might even be assigned to a management or technical position, which would be very easy."

Lu Chen looked at his parents' expectant gazes and couldn't bear to disappoint them, so he simply nodded: "Mhm, mhm, mhm, when I have time, I'll go and check it out."

"That's great!" His parents exchanged glances, revealing relieved smiles. At this moment, they felt that years of anticipation finally had some hope.

Lu Chen rarely drank, and after a few cups, his head felt dizzy, like a swarm of bees buzzing inside. He didn't even have the energy to shower, collapsing onto the bed and quickly falling into a deep sleep... The next day, he woke up to sunlight streaming through the gaps in the worn curtains, falling on Lu Chen's face.

He groggily opened his eyes, glanced at his phone, and instantly sobered up, almost springing out of bed.

Oh no! It was already three in the afternoon!

It's over, it's over!

According to the time flow of the Small World, at least 600 years had passed!

His heart was burning with anxiety as he opened it to check.

Martial Soul Era 1000.

Heavenly Ranking First: Boundless (Above Ascension, specific Realm unknown)

Heavenly Ranking Second: Xiao Qitian (Tribulation Crossing Realm · Fifth Rebirth)

Heavenly Ranking Third to One Hundred: Tribulation Crossing Realm

"What's going on?!" Lu Chen's pupils contracted slightly. "Xiao Qitian is still alive?!"

Upon closer inspection, it turned out that this guy had awakened a second Martial Soul—the Chaos Heavenly Tome—extending his lifespan.

In martial soul civilization, dual Martial Souls meant very long lifespans.

But the problem was... why hadn't Xiao Qitian ascended after Cultivating for six hundred years? Something was wrong!

The entire martial soul civilization had been suppressed by an invisible force for a thousand years!

Except for Boundless, all Cultivators on the Heavenly Ranking were stuck at the ninth level of the Tribulation Crossing Realm.

To break through the shackles, countless Geniuses created various novel Cultivation Techniques, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't step into the threshold of the Ascension Realm.

In desperation, some desperate Cultivators chose to self-destruct their Nascent Soul and start Cultivating again from the Qi Refining Realm.

As a result, the Tribulation Crossing Realm was subdivided into First Rebirth, Second Rebirth, Third Rebirth... up to Ninth Rebirth, each Rebirth signifying a difficult re-Cultivation.

Everyone thought there was a problem with the Martial Soul Meridian Cultivation Art taught by Boundless.

Thus, some Immortal Cultivation Sects were unwilling to sit idly by. They cultivated Martial Soul Geniuses from a young age, not allowing them to Cultivate the Martial Soul Meridian Cultivation Art, but instead making them Cultivate Cultivation Techniques entirely self-created by their School.

These Geniuses trained day and night, spending a hundred years, yet still remained trapped in the Tribulation Crossing Realm, unable to Breakthrough.

Because, no matter how a Cultivation Technique was self-created, it still bore the shadow of the Martial Soul Meridian Cultivation Art.

For a time, the entire martial soul civilization fell into despair.

Some angrily cursed, calling Boundless a sinner of the ages, saying he had cursed the entire world, preventing Cultivators from Ascending;

But others offered a different view, believing that perhaps Boundless was saving the world, because there were rumors that once a Cultivator Ascended, a world-ending calamity would descend upon the entire world.

Xiao Qitian was at the Fifth Rebirth of the Tribulation Crossing Realm, and he had tried almost every method to Breakthrough.

He even risked finding the world suppressing stele left by Emperor Qin, and with the world suppressing stele's Territory Suppression Divine Power, he created his own Cultivation Technique, the "World Suppressing Divine Art."

However... he still couldn't Breakthrough!

—

"Boundless, get out here, you're too arrogant!"

Xiao Qitian roared.

"Even if prohibiting Ascension is to protect the world, you can't suppress the entire world!

"Do you think you're the only Genius in the world, and no one else can do better than you?!"

"Boundless, I will definitely find you!"