Intense pain wracked every inch of Long Chen’s body as if millions of bloodthirsty creatures were devouring his life energy. Not only was it absorbing his flesh and blood, but it also devoured his life energy and Spiritual Strength. Long Chen felt that he didn’t have the slightest ability to resist. He could only allow this sinister curse to take his life.

Just as he was preparing to circulate the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art to see if it could resist it, the Nirvana Scripture activated on its own. Sacred chanting filled the air, and flame runes revolved around Long Chen. A sacred aura grew and suppressed the curse.

Only then did Long Chen manage to sense millions of tiny runes spread throughout his body, runes so small that they couldn’t be seen with the naked eye. If it wasn’t for his extremely powerful soul, it would have been impossible to even sense their existence.

Just now, these runes had crazily devoured his life energy, but now that the Nirvana Scripture was suppressing them, the runes grouped up. Like thieves that had been caught, they obediently spat out the life energy they had absorbed.

Once those runes became calm, the Nirvana Scripture also ceased activating. The curse was suppressed just like that.

“The Nirvana Scripture is able to suppress the Underworld Soul Ghost Curse?” Li Tianxuan was stunned.

He was someone who knew who Long Chen was. Such a person should have been fated to not die to the hands of another expert.

And so he had assumed that there would be something capable of suppressing the Underworld Soul Ghost Curse. But according to his predictions, it should have been the Xuantian Tower.

He hadn’t expected Long Chen to be able to suppress it even without the Xuantian Tower’s assistance.

Although Li Tianxuan considered his calculations to be as flawless as possible, there were many things he couldn’t see through when it came to Long Chen.

Seeing those runes in his body being suppressed, Long Chen was delighted, but then the Xuantian Tower said, “Don’t get too happy. The Underworld Soul Ghost Curse is one of the Corrupt path’s supreme dark magics. It’s not so easy to handle. Try circulating your spiritual yuan.”

Obeying the Xuantian Tower, Long Chen had only just started circulating his spiritual yuan when his expression changed. Those suppressed curse runes suddenly seemed like worms that had been woken from hibernation. They once more began crazily devouring his life energy.

At this moment, the Nirvana Scripture once more activated, suppressing them.

“What…?” Long Chen’s expression became unsightly. Was this supposed to mean that he couldn’t use spiritual yuan in the future? Then wouldn’t he be a cripple?

“The Nirvana Scripture is an immortal scripture passed down from the immortal era. It’s split into three volumes. You’ve only learned the first volume, which is the introductory volume. Its power is limited, so it can only suppress the Underworld Soul Ghost Curse, not remove it,” said the Xuantian Tower.

“Senior, how can Long Chen remove the curse then?” asked Li Tianxuan.

Li Tianxuan was extremely respectful to the Xuantian Tower. The Xuantian Tower was a divine item left behind by the Xuantian Ancestor. It had fought for a lifetime alongside the Xuantian Ancestor and had seen the passing of countless years. So the Xuantian Tower possessed the highest status in the Xuantian Dao Sect. Everyone, including Li Tianxuan, had to be respectful to it.

It was different from the Reincarnation Mirror. The Reincarnation Mirror had been the weapon of the second-generation patriarch of the Xuantian Dao Sect. Although it was also a divine item, it could not be compared to the Xuantian Tower. The difference between them was that one was a core sect divine item, while the other was just a protector.

The Xuantian Tower always stayed in the Xuantian Dao Sect. It never appeared in the outside world, so many people had already forgotten its history. They thought that the Xuantian Tower was nothing more than the core of the Xuantian Dao Sect’s grand formation.

Instead, it was the Reincarnation Mirror that dazzled others. That was because in all the historical battles, it was the Reincarnation Mirror that had appeared and shaken the Central Plains. But in truth, the Xuantian Dao Sect’s most terrifying divine item was the Xuantian Tower.

“I can’t do anything, and neither can the Reincarnation Mirror. If I tried to forcibly extract the curse, it would also extract Long Chen’s life. The curse is inextricably intertwined with Long Chen’s soul and body. There’s no way for an external force to remove it,” said the Xuantian Tower.

“Senior, if I obtain the second volume of the Nirvana Scripture, would I be able to completely remove the curse?” asked Long Chen. His hope rekindled, because he knew right where he could find the second volume.

“In truth, you’re at a disadvantage because of your low cultivation base. If you were at the Jade Core realm, even just the first volume of the Nirvana Scripture would be able to remove this curse. But now, without being able to cultivate spiritual yuan, obtaining the second volume of the Nirvana Scripture is your only option,” said the Xuantian Tower.

Long Chen nodded. If that was the case, he had some confidence. It seemed he would have to take a trip to Pill Valley.

“Since you’ll be able to suppress the curse, you should go and rest. As for the second volume of the Nirvana Scripture, I’ll help you think of something later,” said Li Tianxuan.

“Alright. Then this disciple will take his leave.”

Long Chen left the Xuantian Tower just like that. Once he was gone, Li Tianxuan said, “Senior, what do you think?”

After a pause, the Xuantian Tower said, “The appearance of a Heaven-Defier signifies the world is already in the midst of a silent transformation. The qi flow of the world is no longer flowing normally. For so many heavenly geniuses to rise at the same time, it signifies a great era has arrived. This is the best era, as well as the worst era. To have gambled everything on Long Chen, you really have some guts. Your guts are probably greater than all the patriarchs of the past.”

Li Tianxuan bitterly smiled. “I had no choice. The Corrupt path is amassing power, and Pill Valley is trying to control the Righteous path from behind the scenes. In the current era, the only power that can contend against Pill Valley is the Huayun Sect. But the Huayun Sect’s style is too restrained. Although they’ve gone against Pill Valley all these years, they’ve never shown their true intentions. There’s no way to judge them. Furthermore, my observation of the Central Plains these years has revealed that certain powers that have been in hibernation for tens of thousands of years, ancient sects on the verge of vanishing without a trace, have shown signs of gradually recovering. The ancient race alliance, the ancient family alliance, the Xuan Beasts, although everything looks calm now, there are hidden undercurrents flowing within the continent. I can already smell the scent of danger. Other than that, strange signs have even been coming from the seven danger zones. I’ve even heard that those supreme divine martial clans at the peak of the martial path have started to ask some questions about the current cultivation world. Everything points to a change of era. If we continue to stay conservative, the Xuantian Dao Sect will probably be destroyed.”

“Change is necessary for evolution. Different eras require different methods to survive. Your strategy isn’t wrong. However, to bet everything on a Heaven-Defier is truly dangerous. You should know that the endings of all the Heaven-Defiers recorded in history are incomparably miserable. None of the people by their side had good endings,” said the Xuantian Tower.

“I know. But for some unknown reason, when I see Long Chen, it feels like I can see a new future. It’s a strange feeling, but I trust he can create a miracle. I’ve always relied on my experience and calculations in the past, but the first time I saw Long Chen, I had a strong feeling that the world would dramatically change because of his existence. If I was only responsible for myself, I would definitely be like one of his people and go all-out supporting him. However, the fate of the entire Xuantian Dao Sect is in my hands. That’s a great deal of pressure…” said Li Tianxuan.

The Xuantian Tower said, “So that’s why you want to ask what I think?”

“Yes. I truly want to hear your opinion.”

“I am nothing more than an item-spirit. Although I’ve lived for countless years, I have no ability to see the future, so I can’t give you any advice. I’ve experienced era after era. I’ve seen the Martial Heaven Continent rise and fall, again and again. But I’ve never encountered such a feeling. The qi flow of the world has given birth to countless heavenly geniuses. The Reincarnation Mirror has also said that the flow of fate has become muddled. A great era has silently arrived, and more and more monsters will appear. Each generation of a great era will have an expert trample over countless corpses to reach the peak of the martial path. That one person will suppress the entire world and lead that generation. They are given a resounding title: Sovereign.

“Since the last Sovereign disappeared in the long river of history, countless years have passed, and never again did a figure strong enough to dominate their entire era appear again. It wasn’t because those people weren’t strong enough, but because the Martial Heaven Continent’s qi flow wasn’t enough to give birth to another Sovereign. But this time is different. The qi flow of the continent has changed, almost like…”

“Like the final radiance of the setting sun?” said Li Tianxuan.

“Yes, just like the final burst of light before the world turns dark. This great era will be greater than any of the past. If my senses are correct, this will be the final great era of the Martial Heaven Continent.”

Li Tianxuan’s heart pounded violently. Although he had also sensed some clues, hearing the Xuantian Tower’s reply still shocked him indescribably.

“Once the great era passes, there will only be two possibilities. One is that the Martial Heaven Continent will be destroyed, becoming a land of death. The other is that the sun will rise again, the withered tree will bloom once more in spring, and the phoenix will undergo nirvanic rebirth. A new era will come. Unfortunately, we know too little about the Martial Heaven Continent. If only the five grand divine items that maintained the entire continent’s karmic luck hadn’t vanished. They definitely know more secrets,” said the Xuantian Tower.

“Then what should we do now?” asked Li Tianxuan.

“I don’t know.”

The Xuantian Tower’s reply was direct, making Li Tianxuan bitterly smile. But then the Xuantian Tower continued.

“The arrival of the great era means that heavenly geniuses will begin displaying their dazzling brightness. No one can predict the future. Since that’s the case, why not go all-out?”

Li Tianxuan smiled. The Xuantian Tower had essentially approved of his own thinking. With its support, his confidence rose.

“Many thanks, senior.”

Li Tianxuan bowed deeply and left the Xuantian Tower. When he returned to his private room, he summoned Liu Cang.