Chapter 20: The Young Steven

Nathan, who was hiding nearby, wanted to move immediately when he saw Quentin swaggering in, but Mia stopped him.

Just wait a bit for him to go inside and open the secret, then kill him; it's not too late.

Nathan felt that it made sense, so he sat still, starting to observe Quentin's every move.

Quentin arrived at the palace door, removed a jade flute, and blew into it. He blew without any melody, and although it sounded very harsh, it made the palace tremble in waves as if some terrifying monster had just woken up from a deep sleep, now preparing to rush out.

"Roar!"

Nathan and Mia used all their strength to resist the monster's terrifying roar, but the aftershocks still forced them, causing all seven orifices to flow with fresh blood. At the forefront, Quentin was even more miserable, his clothes torn and some of his bones broken, clearly indicating serious injury.

Is this an ancient beast that has reincarnated, even reaching half the height of the Great Emperor?

That monster's terrifying aura enveloped the entire ruins; it walked heavily out of the palace, and the ground shook violently as if it were about to crack under its weight.

When they saw the shape of this ancient beast clearly, Nathan and Mia couldn't help but be shocked.

True spirit, Steven!

A giant monster that was five to six hundred meters tall appeared. It had a human-like body, yet it moved on all fours; its long and slender head was completely incompatible with its wide mouth full of fangs, which was always open; and the most terrifying aspect was its pair of large, pitch-black eyes, which seemed to contain the underworld of hell, causing anyone who looked at it to feel numb.

Mia trembled:

A true spirit possesses an existence akin to that of the Great Emperor. Only Steven's severe injury allows him to unleash the aura of reincarnation!

When Quentin saw Steven appear, he immediately knelt down and kowtowed nine times, then raised the jade flute above his head with both hands and said respectfully:

Greetings, Lord Steven, I discovered the Serene Forest of The Heavenly Lord of Purple Mist by chance, and now, following the instructions of the person who brought it here, I have returned it to Alaca King, hoping to receive a great opportunity...

Zi Xia! This is the beauty of the Hell King!

Steven seemed to recall some tragic memory and roared loudly, then his giant body suddenly shrank and turned into a black-clothed youth with an ordinary appearance, his worn eyes filled with the vicissitudes of time.

Come inside! That year, before he passed away, the Hell King instructed that all of the old man's descendants could go in and try to claim the inheritance, but whether or not they would succeed would depend on fate!

Quentin's face was filled with joy after hearing this. He quickly thanked him and ran straight inside.

When he completely disappeared, young Steven turned his gaze toward Nathan and Mia, making both of them tremble.

You're here; why are you still hiding?

Senior is truly magical; his eyes are bright as torches. In this world, nothing can surpass the old man's wisdom.

Nathan chuckled and pulled Mia away from the wall, which was not far away. In his heart, he was extremely wary of the young Steven in front of him, not knowing what action he would take.

You're very talkative, but you need strength to become a strong person. You have an old friend's aura around you; do you want to enter the palace?

Nathan understood that young Steven was referring to the ancient jade, but he had an uneasy feeling that once he entered the palace, he would encounter a great danger that involved life and death.

Thank you for your good intentions, senior. I just accidentally stumbled here. Let brother Quentin accept the opportunity!

After saying that, he hugged Mia and immediately used the Devil Knife to escape. His body flashed, signaling his imminent departure from the ancient ruins.

Just when he thought he was lucky to escape a disaster, a terrible suction force suddenly came from the direction of the palace, pulling him and Mia back inside. This time, the young Steven was no longer far away from him but stood close, his cold eyes filled with murderous intent as he looked at him as if he wanted to transform into his true form and devour him.

Senior, you are the invincible Great Emperor of the universe, but you're making things difficult for a junior like me?

Nathan choked, knowing that he would have a hard time escaping this true spirit's devilish palm today.

You have the aura of that hateful person in you; you must be his descendant. If we were living in ancient times, I would definitely bite you to death in one go.

The young Steven's expression became ferocious, causing Nathan to tremble violently. However, he calmed down and proceeded.

However, millions of years have elapsed, and the majority of my friends and enemies have become dust, buried in the "forbidden time"! Even if I meet that person again today, I can only sigh and call him an old friend.

The young Steven sighed, and the sadness in his eyes deepened. Nathan and Mia felt that he was completely and genuinely moved, without any pretense.

The years were ruthless, and the true spirit had a long life, almost as long as the heavens and the earth. Unlike cultivators, no matter how powerful they were, there would come a time when they would fall because their lifespan was over. True spirit Steven had lived so long that he himself could no longer remember. Following the significant battle in that year, he sustained severe injuries that compelled him to slumber for innumerable years. Upon awakening, he found that the heavens and earth had undergone a transformation, with both adversaries and allies having perished. He only remembered the words of the Hell King before he fell asleep: to protect his legacy and wait for the descendants of the old friend to come and take over.

Senior, I understand your sorrow very well. But I still have something to do...

Nathan looked into the deep palace, his unease growing more and more. Intuition is a vague and unpredictable thing, but the effect it brings is unquestionably good. He has a premonition that if he enters the palace today, he will definitely die, without a doubt.

Seeing the young Steven fall into a state of reminiscence, Nathan immediately grabbed Mia's hand and ran away again. This time he was more careful, using escape techniques continuously for more than ten times, until the spiritual liquid in the sea of bitterness dried up before he dared to stop and gasp for breath.

Damn it, I finally escaped from that goat-face!

Nathan put his hands on the ground and gasped, not paying any attention to Mia's half-crying, half-laughing expression.

Do you think you're so great, goat-face? When I become the Great Emperor, I'll beat you with a pig's head!

While waiting for his blood to recover, he stood up and addressed Mia.

Let's move; if we don't, that goat face will ruin everything. Are you mute? Why aren't you saying anything?

Nathan looked at her in confusion, but at this moment, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine. He turned his head and saw the young man, Steven, looking at him gloomily.

"What did you call me?"

"Senior, you are truly a great genius; you have no opponent in the ninth heaven and tenth earth!"

Nathan's face was pale; only now did he notice the surrounding scenery! He didn't expect that he had run for his life, thinking that he had escaped, but he was still in front of the palace gate.

"Your entire lineage is as shameless as ever—all low-class and despicable! Get in here!"

This time, the young man, Steven, grabbed his collar and lifted him up like he was carrying a chicken. His right foot kicked his ass hard, sending him flying into the palace.

After finishing, the young man, Steven, smiled happily. Obviously, kicking the ass of that hateful person's successor had greatly relieved his mood.

"Senior, what about me?"

Upon hearing Mia's low voice, Steven, the young man, said, "Young lady, you are the successor of Nine Turns Heavenly Art; logically speaking, you are qualified to enter." However, your vitality is not weak; being away from that brat for too long will endanger your life. Stay by my side; I will help you overcome this life and death tribulation."

Thank you, senior!

Mia happily saluted, feeling that the young man Steven was truly kind, despite Nathan's repeated attempts to escape. She respectfully asked:

Is there any danger inside the palace, Senior?

It's both dangerous and not dangerous. It all depends on his luck.

Suddenly, Steven, the young man, turned to face the entrance of the ancient ruins and said:

You two come in too!

Kaden, who had a mysterious background, was the first person to appear unexpectedly. At this moment, his expression was extremely solemn as he gazed at the young man in black who was walking parallel to him.

Mia was completely surprised; there were a total of eleven keys being fought over in the first secret realm. She didn't expect to miss out on a strange character.

Kaden greets the senior!

Kaden respectfully saluted first.

The black-clothed youth did not bow but only clasped his fists; his posture was like he was greeting a friend, not afraid at all when facing a powerful true spirit that was on par with the Great Emperor.

I am The Laughing Slayer. Greetings, the young Steven!

The young Steven, not at all angry, simply gazed at The Laughing Slayer from head to toe. After a long while, he nodded and said:

Not bad; finally, in this life, I can see with my own eyes a true Emperor seed.

The Laughing Slayer smiled:

Senior is incorrect; I am not an Emperor seed, but I will undoubtedly become an Emperor, surpassing even the strength of a Human Lord-level expert.

I can't blame you, young man; you are not arrogant or in vain. Come on, you are truly fortunate to have met the successor to the four ancient experts of the past today. I hope you will successfully obtain the legacy of the Hell King; don't let it end!

Steven, the young man, led the two people into the palace.

Before vanishing behind the shadowy gate, the Laughing Slayer abruptly turned around and inquired:

My father told me that if I meet you, I must ask you to help me solve a question!

Steven, a young man, smiled.

Tell me!

The Laughing Slayer deliberated for an extended period before resolutely posing the question:

My father wants to know whether or not the Nether King is still alive.

He is alive, but he is also dead. He is not himself now, but he will undoubtedly return to the world in the future.

After hearing the young Steven's answer, the Laughing Slayer seemed to have no more regrets and walked straight into the dark gate.