"Father, Su Hao has already sent word. We must expel Su Chen from the clan, or else the Su Clan will enforce family law and purge him from the lineage."
"Alas! He has already crippled Su Chen's Blood Wheel, must he still drive him to total destruction? If Third Brother hadn't met with disaster back then, Su Hao would never have dared to act so atrociously. Poor Su Chen had only just awakened his Emperor Realm bone when Su Hao forcefully ripped it away from him."
"Su Hao is the premier genius of the entire Su Clan, and now he has even reached the Peak Solid Pill Realm. Are we supposed to ruin the entire clan just for the sake of a cripple?"
Eastern Wasteland.
Panding Dynasty.
Panyou City, Su Family.
Sitting in the main seat of the grand hall, the old man's weathered face was fraught with gloom, his pitch-black eyes resembling two endless abysses that made one's blood run cold.
"Father, Su Hao has already promised that as long as the family expels Su Chen, he will allow Su Yang to go to the Su Clan and cultivate there. Su Yang has already awakened his Blood Wheel and successfully achieved Foundation Establishment."
"Shut your mouth."
Seeing that his father was truly enraged, Su Xuan did not dare speak another word.
His gaze growing increasingly chilling, Su Yuan clenched his fists tightly. How could he not understand what Su Hao was driving at? Yet he was utterly powerless to do nothing.
The Panyou City Su Family was merely a tiny branch of the Su Clan. If the Su Clan so desired, they could wipe out the Su Family with a flick of a finger.
Back then, when Su Hao had publicly stripped away Su Chen's newly awakened Emperor Realm bone, not a single soul within the Su Family dared to step forward and stop him. Because of this matter, he had lived with crushing guilt for a full ten years.
On the Tianhuang Continent, martial artists reigned supreme.
The cultivation realms of martial artists were divided into the Mortal Realm, Innate Realm, Level 3 Foundation Establishment Realm, Golden Core Realm, Nascent Soul Realm, Soul Palace Realm, Condensing Spirit Realm...
When every person reached the age of six, their bloodline would awaken within them. Only by doing so could they channel the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into their bodies and break through the Innate Realm.
As for martial artists wishing to achieve Foundation Establishment, their bloodlines needed to evolve a Blood Wheel. By channeling spiritual energy into the Blood Wheel, Foundation Establishment was achieved. It could be said that those incapable of evolving a Blood Wheel had no hope of success in Foundation Establishment for the rest of their lives.
At the age of six, Su Chen had successfully awakened his bloodline, and moreover, he had awakened a companion Emperor Realm bone, triggering celestial phenomena that stretched across ten thousand miles and sent shockwaves through all directions.
A natural-born Emperor Realm bone meant one was destined to reach the Emperor Realm.
Yet who could have foreseen...
Su Hao of the Su Clan happened to be passing by. Seeing the celestial phenomena, he immediately made his move to strip Su Chen of his Emperor Realm bone. As long as it had not yet fully fused, an Emperor Realm bone could be forcibly ripped away.
Even after losing his Emperor Realm bone, Su Chen refused to grow decadent or give up. Working harder than anyone else, he finally relied on his bloodline to evolve a Blood Wheel, and successfully completed Foundation Establishment, becoming the very first person among the younger generation of the Su Family to achieve Foundation Establishment.
Three days ago, Su Chen went to the Heavenly Punishment Forest in search of Heavenly Soul Grass to save his father, Su Zhan, only to cross paths with Su Hao once again.
Su Hao deliberately crippled Su Chen's Blood Wheel, yet stopped short of killing him. His sole purpose was to let Su Chen live on, so that he could look down upon him from on high.
"When Chen'er wakes up, have him come see me."
Hearing their father's words, both Su Hong and Su Xuan understood that their father had made his choice. For the sake of the entire clan, they had no option but to sacrifice Su Chen and expel him from the family.
~~~~~~~~
In the remote and secluded courtyard at the northwest corner.
Dusk fell.
Inside the dim room, a youth lay upon the bed. His handsome, resolute face bore traces of lingering pain. With sword-like brows, starry eyes, cherry-red lips and pearly teeth, his deep eyes were tightly shut.
Suddenly snapping his eyes open, Su Chen felt a heart-rending agony coursing through his body, turning his complexion as ashen and pale as a sheet of paper.
"Su Hao!"
During the battle in the Heavenly Punishment Forest, he hadn't even been able to withstand a single move from Su Hao before his Blood Wheel was shattered by him.
Sparing his life was nothing more than wanting to watch him become a cripple, to look down upon him from a lofty pedestal. If not for fusing with his Emperor Realm bone, could Su Hao have achieved what he had today?
He could not accept such a reality.
The Blood Wheel was the very foundation upon which a martial artist cultivated.
Having his Emperor Realm bone stripped away was something he could still continue to cultivate past; as long as one's talent wasn't too poor and one worked hard enough, one could still advance step by step.
The Blood Wheel was entirely different. Without a Blood Wheel, a martial artist had no hope of Foundation Establishment for their entire life.
Sensing the state of his cultivation within, which had plummeted from the Foundation Establishment Realm all the way down to the Innate Realm, Su Chen could not suppress the unwillingness surging in his chest, and he coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood.
Hum!
Su Chen felt a primordial, ancient chime suddenly ring out in the depths of his mind. A small black tower slowly emerged from between his eyebrows, floating right before him.
"A small black tower?"
Looking at the small black tower hovering before him, Su Chen naturally did not find it unfamiliar.
Previously in the Heavenly Punishment Forest, while searching for the Heavenly Soul Grass, he had inadvertently stumbled into a cavern, upon whose stone walls the pattern of a black tower was etched.
Before he could even touch it, the projected image of the black tower on the stone wall suddenly vanished without a trace, yet he never expected that it would be concealed within his body.
At that moment.
A powerful suction force suddenly surged from within the small black tower, and his entire body vanished from the spot in an instant.
Inside the tower space.
It was a boundless, desolate expanse where chaotic currents churned and surged around like thick paste. Su Chen, who had been forcibly pulled inside, looked around in shock.
"Welcome, Master, to the Chaos Swallowing Tower."
An illusory figure gradually condensed before Su Chen's eyes. Its facial features were indistinguishable, and its voice sounded entirely mechanical.
"Who are you?"
"Master, I am the spirit of the Chaos Swallowing Tower."
The tower spirit?
"Can you tell me what on earth has happened?"
The illusory figure nodded and slowly replied: "This Chaos Swallowing Tower is a supreme treasure of chaos, born within the primeval chaos itself. Only those who possess a Chaos Body are qualified to become the master of the Chaos Swallowing Tower."
"Master's Chaos Body was covered by the Emperor Realm bone. Once it was stripped away, it triggered the resonance of the Chaos Swallowing Tower, thus allowing you to obtain the Chaos Swallowing Tower."
Listening to the tower spirit's words, Su Chen couldn't help but feel that having his Emperor Realm bone stripped away wasn't a bad thing for him at all, but rather a blessing in disguise.
He smiled wryly.
Now he could be certain of one thing: the Chaos Body was definitely superior to the Emperor Realm bone, and the Chaos Swallowing Tower he had acquired was likewise a heaven-defying supreme treasure.
Sighing softly, Su Chen said helplessly: "My Blood Wheel is already shattered. Even with a Chaos Body, I cannot continue to cultivate Foundation Establishment."
"Please rest assured, Master. I can enable Master to re-gather your Blood Wheel, and furthermore assist Master in using the swallowing power within the tower to evolve a Swallowing Blood Wheel."
"Twin Blood Wheels?"
On the Tianhuang Continent, those capable of successful Foundation Establishment invariably awakened a Blood Wheel, almost always a single Blood Wheel. Only extraordinary martial artists possessed Twin Blood Wheels.
Without exception, those who possessed Twin Blood Wheels were destined to become peerless powerhouses in the future. Su Chen never imagined that having his Emperor Realm bone stripped and his Blood Wheel shattered would turn into a blessing in disguise, granting him Twin Blood Wheels.
"Please sit, Master. I shall transmit the Chaos Swallowing Art on behalf of the Chaos Swallowing Tower."
Su Chen did not dally. He immediately crossed his legs and sat down, slowly closing his eyes. In an instant, strands of information rushed madly into his mind like a tidal wave—it was none other than the Chaos Swallowing Art the tower spirit had just mentioned.
The Chaos Swallowing Art could only be cultivated in conjunction with a Chaos Body.
An ethereal, primordial voice echoed through his mind.
"The Great Chaos Dao seizes the fortune of heaven and earth and masters the reincarnation of the ages. Only by peeking into the Great Chaos Dao can one become undying and indestructible. The Chaos Swallowing Art swallows all things in chaos, swallowing step by step, defying the heavens step by step, and ascending to the peak of the Great Chaos Dao!"
Hum!
The bell chime resounded throughout his entire mind.
Su Chen's body shuddered violently, pain once again surfacing on his face, yet he gritted his teeth and endured.
His already shattered Blood Wheel unexpectedly began to slowly re-condense in the void above his head. It was a circular, wheel-like shape, dyed a solid, bloody crimson throughout.
Within the entire Su Clan, anyone who carried the Su Clan bloodline would awaken a sword as their Blood Wheel.
Su Chen was no exception.
Within the Blood Wheel floating above his head, shattered fragments of blades drifted about. As it re-condensed, Su Chen could not suppress the killing intent raging in his heart. His boundless murderous intent toward Su Hao began to converge into the Blood Wheel, using slaughter as a medium to re-forge the sword Blood Wheel.
He would never forget 'Su Hao': stripped of his Emperor Realm bone ten years ago, and crippled of his Blood Wheel ten years later—all of it was brought upon him by this very person.
The sword condensed through the medium of slaughter erupted with an even more terrifying killing intent within the Blood Wheel, resembling vengeful spirits from the endless abyss as they wantonly devoured the ten-thousand-mile cloud layer.
With his Blood Wheel re-gathered, Su Chen began his re-establishment of Foundation, and the Chaos Body within his body manifested itself.
Torrents of vast, chaotic Qi instantly enveloped Su Chen's entire body. Behind him, an enormous physical projection towering ten thousand feet high coalesced, radiating ten-thousand-fold ash-black light that permeated the entire tower space.
"The Blood Wheel gathers, Foundation Establishment condenses."
Rumble!
The churning torrent of chaotic Qi, covered by the ten-thousand-foot Chaos Body, allowed his fallen cultivation—now driven by the Blood Wheel devouring spiritual energy—to instantly re-establish its Foundation without encountering a single bottleneck to speak of.
With his mind already merged with the Chaos Swallowing Art, Su Chen naturally would not let slip this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He immediately began circulating the Chaos Swallowing Art, his entire body turning into a vortex as it started to devour frantically from all directions.
The swallowing energy from all around was sucked in by Su Chen's vortex, and streams of swallowing Qi poured endlessly into his body, forming a ceaselessly circulating circular vortex in his dantian.
As the speed of devouring grew faster and faster.
Above Su Chen's head, right where the slaughter sword Blood Wheel had previously appeared, another circular Blood Wheel unexpectedly condensed. Inside it swirled a vortex of black mist—precisely the Swallowing Blood Wheel the tower spirit had spoken of moments ago.
The black mist vortex within the Swallowing Blood Wheel gradually formed a black hole, radiating a terrifying swallowing aura whose grade was clearly superior to that of the slaughter sword Blood Wheel.
Twin Blood Wheels: one was the slaughter sword Blood Wheel, and the other was the Swallowing Blood Wheel.
Su Chen had never imagined that one day, he would actually possess two Blood Wheels.
Just as Su Chen was about to let go, he suddenly discovered that the bloodline within his body seemed to be exhibiting cracks.
What was going on?
Could his bloodline have been sealed by some mysterious power?
How could such a thing be possible? Who would inexplicably seal his bloodline? Yet as he sensed his internal bloodline, there indeed was a certain power sealing it, and under the operation of the Chaos Swallowing Art, it began to emit cracking sounds.
As the first crack appeared, right on its heels came a second and a third crack upon the bloodline's seal, until countless fissures spread in all directions like a giant spiderweb.
The tyrannical Chaos Swallowing Art surged wildly through every part of his body. The seal could no longer hold out and shattered completely, and the sealed bloodline broke free like a wild horse, galloping wantonly across a ten-thousand-mile battlefield.
A dragon's roar echoed out.
An elephant's trumpet sounded in tandem.
Both erupted in a roar from within his bloodline.
Dragon roars and elephant trumpets.
His bloodline churned furiously like boiling water.
Snapping his eyes open, he watched as his uncontrollable bloodline surged with nine divine dragon phantoms and nine colossal elephant illusions, roaring up at the heavens above his head.
"Congratulations, Master, on acquiring the Dragon-Elephant Bloodline, which allows you to condense a third Blood Wheel."
Even though Su Chen had already guessed a hint of the truth, upon hearing the tower spirit's words, he still couldn't help but be filled with utter astonishment.
Three Blood Wheels?
It was definitely unprecedented, and he believed it would have no successors either.
Looking across the entire Tianhuang Continent, who else could possibly possess three Blood Wheels at the same time?
Even Su Chen was somewhat dumbfounded; to this day, he still couldn't figure out who on earth had sealed the bloodline within his body, preventing him from condensing the Dragon-Elephant Bloodline.
He did not suppress the bloodline.
Amidst wave after wave of dragon roars and elephant trumpets, accompanied by the violent churning of his bloodline, a third Blood Wheel condensed once more above Su Chen's head.
Dragon and elephant projections materialized within the Blood Wheel. The three Blood Wheels stacked neatly atop one another, and waves of Blood Wheel energy washed over his entire body.
Previously, Su Chen had broken through to the Level 3 Foundation Establishment Realm, but due to his Blood Wheel shattering, his cultivation had plummeted back to the Innate Realm.
Now, aided by the re-gathering of his Blood Wheels and the reconsolidation of his Foundation—further compounded by the overlay of three Blood Wheels—Su Chen, having returned to the Foundation Establishment Realm, began to advance at a rapid pace.
Level 1 Foundation Establishment Realm!
Level 2 Foundation Establishment Realm!
Level 3 Foundation Establishment Realm!
Level 4 Foundation Establishment Realm!
Level 5 Foundation Establishment Realm!
Level 6 Foundation Establishment Realm!
Level 7 Foundation Establishment Realm!
Surpassing his previous cultivation by four whole tiers, Su Chen could not suppress the joy welling up in his heart over this blessing born of misfortune.
"Congratulations, Master, on possessing three Blood Wheels."
Standing up, Su Chen felt that his internal injuries had completely healed. The sensation of possessing three Blood Wheels was truly exhilarating; the absolute suppression of the Blood Wheels gave him absolute confidence that he could sweep across the Foundation Establishment Realm, and he could even do battle against a low-level Void Pill Realm expert.
The Golden Core Realm was further divided into three tiers: the Void Pill Realm, the Solid Pill Realm, and the Golden Core Realm.
Su Hao happened to rank among the Peak Solid Pill Realm.
"Master, I have a welcoming gift for you."
A writing brush appeared in the tower spirit's hand, and it was handed over to him.
Taking the brush, Su Chen looked at the two characters carved onto its handle: 'Burying Tribulation'. Before Su Chen could speak, the tower spirit spoke first: "Master, this brush is named the Burying Tribulation Brush. Once deployed, it can forge a power of tribulation restriction within a specific spatial range."
"Are there any restrictions?"
"The realms cannot differ too vastly, and each time the Burying Tribulation Brush is used, it consumes a tremendous amount of soul power."
"Understood."
The tower spirit continued: "Master, within the Chaos Swallowing Tower reside numerous martial arts techniques and treasures. If Master wishes to obtain them, you must continuously grow stronger so that you may acquire what you desire from within the Chaos Swallowing Tower."
"Good."
Turning around, he clenched his fists tightly. His deep eyes were filled with hatred, and waves of slaughter surged from Su Chen's body, resembling an endless primordial fierce beast roaring up at the heavens, eager to devour the entire firmament.
"Su Hao, I will go to the Su Clan to find you. The hatred of having my bone stolen and the enmity of having my wheel crippled—I will take it all back with interest."
The Su Clan ranked among the peak powers of the Eastern Wasteland; even the Panding Dynasty was no different from an ant before the Su Clan.
What he needed most right now was time. With his current circumstances, his cultivation speed was dozens of times faster than before. He believed the day of his vengeance wouldn't be too far off.
~~~~~~~~
Bang!
With a loud crash, the originally heavy wooden door was kicked fiercely open.
Dozens of people trooped in from outside, looking fierce and malevolent—clearly here to pick a fight.
"Young Master, Su Chen hasn't woken up yet. If we barge in like this, will the Family Head blame us?"
Slap!
The young man fiercely delivered a slap across the face. His gloomy face revealing a trace of ruthlessness, he said coldly: "Utter trash! Su Chen is about to be expelled from the clan, do I still need to care? Su Chen obviously doesn't want to accept reality and is deliberately feigning unconsciousness. Don't think such a little trick can fool me."
Su Yang, the son of Su Family's First Elder Su Xuan. Three days ago, he had evolved a Blood Wheel and successfully achieved Foundation Establishment, becoming the second person among the younger generation of the Su Family to successfully complete Foundation Establishment.
The first person to achieve Foundation Establishment had been Su Chen.
Even back when Su Chen's Emperor Realm bone had been stripped away, his talent and strength had still commanded the entire Su Family.
Su Yang had once acted like a lapdog, trailing behind Su Chen every single day, flattering him with every breath, as servile as one could possibly be.
Precisely because of this, watching Su Chen's Blood Wheel get destroyed and his cultivation plummet to the Innate Realm made Su Yang feel utterly ecstatic. This reversal of strength meant their social standings would likewise reverse.
He would no longer be that flattering lapdog who only knew how to nod and bow; now he could entirely look down upon Su Chen and take back every ounce of lost dignity.
In Su Yang's eyes, regardless of whether Su Chen's coma was real or fake, he was going to humiliate him thoroughly before Su Chen was driven out of the family.
"Dragons and dogs alike, someone go in and haul Su Chen out. I want to see just how much longer he can keep up this act."
"Yes."
Not a single person dared to defy the order.
In the present Su Family, the situation had clearly changed.
With Su Chen's shattered Blood Wheel and the looming deterrence of the Su Clan, the once high-spirited Su Chen not only saw his status plummet to rock bottom, but he was also about to be cast out of the family by the Family Head.
When Su Chen was riding high, Su Yang had undoubtedly been the most sycophantic of all, but now, that former dog-like licking had turned into venomous malice. Only through this could he smooth over the anger and wounded pride burning in his heart.
Looking at Su Yang instead, he had already successfully achieved Foundation Establishment, and shortly thereafter he would even head to the Su Clan. When that time came, let alone others, even the Family Head would have to treat him with utmost respect.
Before the crowd could step into the room—
Screech.
The door was pushed open, and Su Chen walked out from within.
Glancing at the dozens of people before him, his expression was icy cold, his voice laced with a freezing chill as he spoke coldly: "All of you, get lost right now."
His Blood Wheel destroyed, his cultivation fallen to the Innate Realm, and he still dared to act high and mighty here?
Su Yang let out a cold snort, his face full of mockery as he said: "Su Chen, stop acting so arrogant. Grandfather has already decided to expel you from the family. Right now, you are nothing more than a homeless dog. If you kneel before me and beg, perhaps I'll treat you kindly; otherwise, you can contemplate the consequences yourself."
His face bore the smug expression of a petty man having attained success.
The more it was so, the more exhilarating Su Yang felt inside. He was going to trample Su Chen beneath his feet and humiliate him ruthlessly.
Humiliate this former genius of the Su Family.
Just thinking about how he used to cower behind this guy like a dog made Su Yang unable to suppress the fury in his heart. Only by humiliating him could he salvage his dignity and feel truly gratified.
The dozens of people standing behind Su Yang rolled up their sleeves one by one, looking at Su Chen before them with vicious glares.
Being able to humiliate the former genius of the family was undoubtedly an immensely satisfying thing for them.
What they needed to do right now was to suck up to Su Yang so they could reap the maximum benefits and rewards.
Stepping on Su Chen was the only way to win Su Yang's favor.
"Su Yang, you were a dog before, and you're still a dog now. As for wanting to bark a few times, you'd better check whether your fangs are sharp enough."
Insulted as a dog in public—