Facing the question, Zhao Wuhen answered, "A single universe has its limits after all. The tribulations a Ruler passes measure talent and combat potential, but not true strength. To grow stronger, one must constantly devour other universes and perfect one's own path. There was once a Ruler who swallowed thirty thousand universes, stepped onto the path of immortality, and evolved his own immortal domain."

"Your talent is astonishing… it would be a shame to let it go to waste here," Zhao Wuhen said, his heart stirring slightly as he looked at the supreme figure. If he could make such an existence submit and serve him…

His beautiful dream was shattered before it could even begin. The last words he heard echoed in his mind: "A mere decree thinks it can block my path? No law or decree in this world can stop me!"

Su Chen killed Zhao Wuhen without hesitation. From an ordinary crow, he had risen to become the first Emperor of the Emperor Dao Era. He had undergone eight Nirvanas, lurked in the shadows for millions of years, ambushed and killed Primordial Demon Lord, slain countless Emperors and Supremes, and even eliminated the God Emperor—the greatest schemer of the ancient era. Every one of them had been an unparalleled genius.

Did a mere seven-layered Great Emperor think he could make Su Chen bow his head and sign a contract?

Ridiculous.

"What dogshit decree? What gives it the right to block my path?" Su Chen declared. "Even if I fail in this life, I will try in the next, and the one after that. One day, I will transcend this realm and see exactly what those beings beyond the boundary rely on to suppress me!"

Su Chen looked up at the boundless barrier. Perhaps once he crossed it, he would achieve transcendence. He did not attempt it immediately. He was not strong enough yet. He needed to become even stronger. Even now, he had already surpassed every Emperor and Supreme in history.

Su Chen continued to lie low. He devoted himself to perfecting the Undying Nether Scripture and the Nirvana Scripture. He needed to successfully complete his ninth Nirvana. He killed many Supremes. He also ambushed and slew many Great Emperors. He lived on for another ten million years.

One day, boundless nether light flooded the entire starry sky. All daos melted away, filling countless living beings with terror.

"It's… that mastermind behind the scenes. He hunted countless Supremes, Great Emperors… he's still alive…"

"The first Emperor of the Emperor Dao Era… the Undying Nether Emperor!"

Ancient Supremes watched that supreme figure with both admiration and envy in their eyes. That existence was simply too powerful. They had feared him because even the Supremes and Great Emperors were nothing more than food to him. Yet now, they watched his direction with excitement. Their fear had transformed into reverence.

"The Undying Nether Emperor… is he going to attempt transcendence?"

"Transcendence has always been nothing but a vague legend. Can he really do it?"

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"He will… the Undying Nether Emperor will definitely succeed. He is the first Emperor of the Emperor Dao Era, the most brilliant being in all of history. He will surely transcend!"

"..."

Under the gaze of countless beings, Su Chen's aura returned to its peak. This time, he did not hunt any more Supremes.

The current Great Emperor looked at that towering figure with deep sorrow. The title of Great Emperor had once symbolized invincibility. Yet before that supreme existence, it meant nothing more than food.

Su Chen paid no attention to the current Great Emperor.

He was about to attempt the path of transcendence.

With the Immortal Underworld Blade in hand, the weapon itself had already become a symbol of calamity and taboo. Even without anyone wielding it, it could easily slay a Great Emperor.

Su Chen cleaved apart the Sea of Chaos with a single strike and charged toward the border wastelands. Merely a trace of his aura was enough to crush a forbidden zone into ruin and annihilate everything within it.

"Kill!"

Filled with endless killing intent, Su Chen brought his blade down upon the invisible, indescribable barrier that undeniably existed. It was the wall imprisoning an entire world. Under that strike, the barrier trembled violently, and every powerful being in the universe burst into tears of joy.

"That is... the barrier. The passage! As long as it is broken through, transcendence can truly be achieved!"

"So the legends of transcendence were real!"

Su Chen's strike confirmed one truth for every expert beneath the starry heavens.

The path to transcendence truly existed.

Their faith had not been an illusion.

Blood sprayed from Su Chen's body. Though his strike landed on the barrier, the backlash it unleashed was unimaginably terrifying, shattering his Dao itself. Yet Su Chen did not stop. He unleashed supreme divine arts that surpassed all limits.

The accumulated power of all living beings in this world, the greatest techniques of countless dazzling geniuses, were fused together by him into the most astonishing law ever created. He wanted to carve a path out of the universe itself.

All living beings watched in anticipation.

Could that figure truly succeed?

A terrifying heavenly punishment descended as though enraged by Su Chen's actions. A mere lifeform from an ordinary universe had dared challenge the dignity of an immortal. The catastrophic punishment sought to erase him completely.

But Su Chen refused to yield.

He charged directly into the Ninth Heaven, fighting until the Immortal Underworld Blade shattered apart. Even then, he did not stop. His hands exploded into pieces and were consumed by taboo power, yet still he continued forward.

Half a foot.

Half a body.

He forced his way through the barrier.

Su Chen's consciousness blurred as chaos slowly swallowed his mind.

Faintly, from the other side of the world, voices drifted toward him.

"So this is the one who violated the order? He truly was extraordinary. He even alarmed an immortal within the Void Heaven. Unfortunately... he still fell half a step short."

"Failure means death. He violated the rules established by the immortal lands. The backlash he suffered cannot be healed."

"What a pity. In the end, we arrived too late."

"You cannot blame Senior Brother Gu for this. It was all because of the Main God Hall. One of their squads intercepted us, which delayed our arrival."

"The Main God Hall... they truly are a scourge. Once the Heavenly Lord awakens, this debt will be settled sooner or later. Despicable. They even dare to interfere in the affairs of the Void Cosmic Sea."

"..."

Amid the haze, Su Chen heard countless voices. His consciousness faded further and further. Then he began to fall...

"He failed... Even the strongest being in all of history still failed?"

"Does that mean living beings like us can never achieve transcendence?"

Hope turned into despair. Even someone so terrifying had failed to take the final step.

"No... transcendence exists in this world."

"As long as one lives... There is still hope..."

Su Chen's final trace of consciousness vanished. His body disappeared as well. Even after countless ages passed and all living beings searched for tens of thousands of years, no one ever found him.

As time flowed on, the name of the Undying Nether Emperor gradually became legend and eventually faded from existence altogether.

"So that fellow finally died... Transcendence... One day, I, Tian Mingzi, will surpass him and step onto the path of transcendence myself!"