Chapter 44: Jade Emperor

With a soft *poof*, the Soul Stone vanished, leaving Dao Wei's hand empty. "What just happened?" he asked, breathless from the pain.

"You just absorbed the stone… It's part of you now. That, I wasn't expecting," the man admitted, his laughter now tinged with surprise.

"What now? What does this mean?" Dao Wei demanded, wary of what he had just experienced.

"It works the same way… It also means that I was right about you," the man replied, his smile cryptic.

"Can you talk like a normal person for once?" Dao Wei snapped, frustrated by the man's evasive answers.

"I'm not a normal person, and I said it works the same way. The stone inside you will try to steal the soul from your opponents," the man explained, a mischievous glint in his eye. "It's up to you to decide if you will… Now, time to go back… If you make it through the last trial, you'll definitely get the answers you seek. Hehe, that's if you're not dead… Now, bye."

"Wait! I…" Dao Wei began, but before he could finish his sentence, the strange man waved his hand, and the world around Dao Wei shifted. The desolate landscape faded away, leaving Dao Wei wondering if any of it had been real.

Elsewhere…

In a serene and tranquil place, an old man sat in a rolling chair, gently swaying back and forth as if enjoying a melody only he could hear. His hair, mostly grey with patches of white, hung loosely, complementing his matching grey robes adorned with intricate patterns. He wore black pants beneath, and his face was framed by a distinguished grey and white moustache and a long, flowing beard.

The old man's hand held a green pendant, its surface etched with geometric patterns reminiscent of Taichi symbols. As he sat, the pendant began to emit a warm, azure light, growing brighter with each passing second.

"Hmm… that little beast has finally unsealed his first seal," the old man murmured to himself, his voice tinged with both satisfaction and concern as he gazed at the glowing pendant.

The light from the pendant intensified, swelling as if it might burst at any moment. The old man's expression shifted from calm to one of mild surprise, followed by a slight smile. "Oh!" he exclaimed softly, "He's also on the verge of breaking the second one."

His smile faded, replaced by a look of deep contemplation. "This could be good," he mused, his brow furrowing. "But it also means they'll find him sooner. Sigh." A heavy sigh escaped his lips, and a shadow of worry crossed his face.

'It seems I don't have much time left,' the old man thought, his mind racing with the implications of what was happening.

Rising from his chair, he clasped his hands behind his back and gazed up at the sky as if waiting for something… or perhaps someone. "Dao Wei… It's exactly as the old guy said. He isn't even 16 years of age yet." He shook his head slightly, marveling at the young man's rapid progress. "Hmm… Caught up so quickly."

Suddenly, the serene sky above began to swirl violently, dark clouds gathering with ominous speed. Lightning crackled through the air, and the once calm atmosphere turned chaotic, stripping away the serenity of the place.

"After so many years of rest, these weary bones need some stretching," the old man said, his voice carrying a note of grim determination. His gaze turned cold, and the air around him seemed to crackle with latent power.

Boom!

The sky split open with a deafening roar, and a beam of blinding white light shot down from the heavens, striking the earth with overwhelming force. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the land, shaking trees violently and uprooting some. An entire area of at least a hundred-yard diameter was reduced to ashes in an instant.

"The undefeated Jade Emperor, Duan Duyi!" a voice thundered from the sky, filled with both respect and disdain. As the white light began to fade, it was replaced by a golden beam, illuminating the area with an ethereal glow.

The one who spoke wore robes of white and purple, the hood of his garment pulled low to obscure his face. Behind him, seven orbs of light floated in a perfect arc, each glowing with a different hue. His hands were clasped together, and his posture exuded authority. As the light cleared, it revealed three men standing in the air, each radiating an aura of immense power.

The first man, the one who had spoken, stood on the left. His voice carried an edge of malice as he continued, "But after all these years, you've been hiding like a mouse."

In the middle stood a man without a shirt, his muscular physique on full display. His body was adorned with golden bracelets on both arms, and a glowing golden ring floated behind his head. His hair, a bright shade of gold, gleamed in the ambient light.

The third man, positioned on the right, was also shirtless. He wore a striking gold and silver necklace, and his purple hair contrasted sharply with his emerald earrings. His nails, painted in a rich purple, glinted as he spoke with unshakable confidence. "Hand over that person quickly, or today will mark your burial," he declared, his voice dripping with arrogance.

"Hmpf!"

The old man smiled, his amusement barely masking the deadly seriousness of the situation. He began to walk forward, his steps slow and deliberate. With each step, a golden light enveloped him, growing brighter and more intense. "Come! Come!" he taunted, his voice filled with an ancient power. "I want to see today, here, whose burial it will be!"

As he advanced, his power surged, rising to terrifying levels. The golden light around him blazed like a living flame, and in a flash, his robe was incinerated, revealing a body covered in dragon patterns that glowed like molten gold. His hair, once grey with patches of white, had turned completely white, shimmering with an almost ethereal light.

The purple-haired man with the emerald earrings was the first to react, his body tense as he launched himself at the old man.

Hmpf!

The hooded figure was quick to act, conjuring a bolt of lightning that crackled through the air, aimed directly at the old man. The golden-haired warrior in the center followed suit, his body glowing with a radiant light as he prepared to strike.

But the old man was faster. In an instant, he disappeared from sight, reappearing in front of the purple-haired warrior. With a single, devastating punch, he sent the man flying through the air.

"Ahh!" The purple-haired man cried out in pain, his body hurtling through the sky like a ragdoll.

Before the man could recover, the old man was upon him again. He caught the warrior mid-air, spinning him around with inhuman strength before hurling him back towards his companions.

Bang!

The ground shook as the purple-haired man crashed into the earth, the force of the impact creating a massive crater. The golden-haired warrior's eyes widened in shock as he turned his gaze back to the old man, who was now advancing towards him with terrifying speed.

"Hyaaa!" The golden-haired man roared, throwing a powerful punch that collided with the old man's fist in midair.