Chapter Thirty-Seven: Ten Years

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It has been ten years since entering the first trial of the Mountains and Seas Heaven. Out of ten thousand stages, only two remain.

"Ten years already. The one who created this Mountains and Seas Heaven must be truly twisted; just passing the first trial alone took ten years," Qin Shuang stood at the entrance to the final trial, a hint of melancholy in her heart. Over these ten years, she had faced all sorts of enemies. Fortunately, thanks to these adversaries, her resolve had become incredibly strong—far beyond what she was as a newly ascended seventh-level Immortal Emperor in the Mortal Realm.

"I wonder what kind of gatekeepers await in the final two trials." Qin Shuang smiled faintly and stepped into the mouth of the cave.

"This labyrinth is becoming easier and easier, which must mean the gatekeeper is even stronger than that eighth-level Immortal Emperor from before." Out of ten thousand stages, the mazes had grown simpler, but the gatekeepers' strength had grown ever more formidable, making them increasingly difficult to deal with.

In just a few breaths, Qin Shuang had traversed the labyrinth. Before her stretched a solitary space, and at its center, a human figure floated.

"So, you are the final gatekeeper?" Qin Shuang smiled softly and flashed into the isolated space.

Suddenly, upon entering, she realized her immortal sense could now leave her body. "What's going on?"

"It's for fairness," the figure standing in the void replied indifferently, his back to Qin Shuang.

"Oh?" Qin Shuang smiled. "So, your strength must be very great. Yet you still have no soul, no nascent spirit. Standing like that, I can't discern your cultivation level."

"Soul?" The figure paused, then turned around. "After I kill you, my master will grant me a soul."

"Qin Shuang, once I possess a soul, I'll cultivate much faster than you, and I won't leave home out of jealousy toward my brother."

"You..." Qin Shuang was utterly stunned. The person before her looked exactly like herself.

A cold smirk appeared at the corner of the other’s mouth. "Surprised? The master said that as long as I kill you, I can take your place and become the second son of Lord Qin Yu of the Violet Profound Manor."

"Dream on..." Qin Shuang's eyes turned murderous. "You're nothing but a soulless puppet, and you hope to take my place?"

"As I said, once I kill you, my master will give me a soul. Then... I will be you," the figure continued.

"Hmph, do you think you'll find it so easy to kill me?" Suddenly, a long staff appeared in Qin Shuang’s hand. Its grade wasn’t high—only a mid-grade divine weapon, once used for practice at Violet Profound Manor. When she descended to the lower realms, she took nothing but this staff.

"Not easy?" The figure sneered. "Let’s see, then."

"Thirty-six Shocking Strikes!" Qin Shuang shouted, and thirty-six staff shadows swept forth with boundless power, crashing down upon her opponent.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Explosions echoed. Qin Shuang’s staff technique surpassed even the greatest achievements of the Ape Emperors from the Immortal, Demon, and Monster Realms. After all, she had received direct instruction from Hou Fei. Combined with her understanding of space, even as a seventh-level Immortal Emperor, she wouldn’t lose to an ordinary ninth-level Immortal Emperor.

"Heh, where exactly are you aiming?" Suddenly, a mocking voice sounded from behind Qin Shuang.

"You’re quick to dodge," Qin Shuang replied coldly. "But just dodging won’t kill me. Take another strike!" She swung her lower-grade divine staff in another set of thirty-six thunderous blows, clearly intent on smashing this hateful puppet to pieces.

"Eighteen Shocking Strikes!" As Qin Shuang’s thirty-six strikes began to lose momentum, her opponent summoned a mid-grade divine staff and, spotting a flaw, unleashed an even more powerful set of eighteen strikes.

With a crash, Qin Shuang was sent flying, leaving a trail of blood in the air.

"Ha! How’s that?" her opponent laughed arrogantly. "Do you still think it’s hard for me to kill you?"

"You... you seem to know the rhythm of my attacks." Qin Shuang had been wounded, but her soul and nascent spirit remained intact.

"So you finally realized. You’re sharper than I expected," the figure replied with ease. "I told you, once I gain a soul, I will be you. I know your every thought and action. Are you thinking of using the Shocking Single Strike that you haven't fully mastered?"

"Hmph, so you know," Qin Shuang snorted. He was right; she had thought of using that strike, but now she saw that even if she perfected it, it would be hard to hurt someone who knew her every move.

"What’s wrong? Disappointed? You can never defeat me. I know your every thought," the figure laughed wildly, suspended in midair.

"Oh?" Qin Shuang’s mind stirred, and she asked, "Since you know my every thought, why don’t you attack me?"

"Ah..." The figure’s laughter abruptly stopped. "For fairness, I will always let you strike first."

"Fairness?" Qin Shuang smiled. "You know my thoughts, but I don't know yours. Is that what you call fair?"

"You don’t attack because if I don’t, you can’t spot any flaws in my offense. Restoring my immortal sense here lets me always know your position, so I’ll keep attacking, giving you an opening to exploit and kill me. Am I right?"

Clap, clap, clap! The figure actually applauded. "Qin Shuang, it seems nearly ten thousand trials have made you much cleverer. But if you don’t attack, you can’t kill me, and you’ll never pass."

"Who said I wasn’t going to attack?" Qin Shuang retorted. "Killing a soulless being is simplicity itself." As she spoke, she closed her eyes, her sea of soul clearing completely, with not a trace of thought. She stepped lightly toward the figure.

"What... what are you doing?" The figure grew anxious; now he had no idea what Qin Shuang intended. If he attacked, he risked exposing a flaw, so he just stood there, frozen.

"Thirty-six Shocking Strikes forward, then suddenly turn and follow with nine Shocking Strikes behind." Suddenly, this message flashed through the figure’s mind.

"Hmph, in the end, you’ll still have to think of a way to counter me," the figure smirked, now reassured.

"Thirty-six Shocking Strikes!" Qin Shuang’s eyes snapped open, and she roared, unleashing thirty-six violent staff shadows.

"She thinks I’ll circle around and try to ambush me? That’s too easy." The figure waited for the first wave to pass, then launched a frontal assault. "This time you die—Three Shocking Strikes!"

"Shocking Single Strike!" As the force of the thirty-six strikes faded, Qin Shuang’s staff shot out. It seemed without power, but it pierced straight into the midst of the figure’s three staff shadows.

Boom! Qin Shuang was blasted backwards by the force of the three strikes, spitting blood, her nascent spirit dimming.

Coughing violently, she said, "Attempting the Shocking Single Strike before mastering it is dangerous indeed. But at least that damned puppet is gone."

The solitary space vanished like weathered stone. Only at the moment of death did the figure realize Qin Shuang had deliberately let him see her attack strategy.

********************************

Boom! Not far away, a solemn upper-tier Celestial God exploded, his soul shredded.

"Whew—" Qin Si stood holding his spear, exhaling deeply. "That guy was truly monstrous. Thankfully, the spear Second Uncle gave me is effective."

"Only the final trial remains. I really wonder what kind of fiend awaits in the last stage." The thought of the last trial filled Qin Si with both anticipation and dread. Along the way, he had faced nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine gatekeepers, each unique and challenging in their own way. Even the very first one would have been a huge problem without a top-grade primal chaos treasure.

"I wonder what kind of reward awaits after the final trial," he mused. With so many formidable gatekeepers, the reward should be impressive as well. Qin Si was not lacking in treasures, but those were gifts from his elders. The thought of gaining one through his own efforts thrilled him.

The spiritual energy in Mountains and Seas Heaven was abundant. Soon, his Celestial God power was fully restored, and his soul was in peak condition. Without hesitation, he strode toward the cave entrance before him.

It was another labyrinth, but for Qin Si, these simple mazes posed no challenge. After a few twists and turns, he reached the end.

"An energy gate?" Qin Si was surprised. In previous trials, he arrived immediately after the maze. This last trial was unique—it required passing through a gate.

"The final trial. I really can’t wait," he murmured, stepping through.

As soon as he crossed, a wave of familiarity washed over him. He looked around. The space was like an ink painting: bizarre stones and plants intertwined, every scene harmonious and natural.

To the left, in a flowerbed, stood a stone statue. From its aura alone, Qin Si recognized it as a top-grade Celestial Divine Artifact.

"This is... the Violet Profound Manor?" Qin Si was utterly stunned. Yes, this was the second gift Qin Yu offered at his marriage contest—the Violet Profound Manor. Though it had been destroyed once by Lei Fa Celestial Sovereign, Qin Yu had restored it to its original state.