Chapter 629: Mysterious Elder, Unseen Killing Intent

Startled, Jiang Chen quickly steadied himself, bowed respectfully toward the elder, and said, "Greetings, senior."

The elder's face was kind and benevolent, repeatedly saying, "No need for such formalities, no need for such formalities."

He was being courteous, but Jiang Chen could never truly be so bold; the proper rites still had to be observed.

Jiang Chen knew that appearing before him without a trace, even without alerting his soul, meant this being was certainly extraordinary.

The elder seemed very pleased with Jiang Chen's attitude and asked, "How is it? Are you satisfied with your Source Skill?"

"Senior, are you saying that what I have obtained is called a Source Skill?" Jiang Chen heard the term "Source Skill" for the first time.

The elder smiled ambiguously, "What? Is there something wrong with the name of the skill?"

Jiang Chen quickly shook his head, "Nothing wrong at all; it's very fitting."

"Primordial Rune," "Yuan Shi Mi Jing," "Source Skill," indeed convey a sense of continuity.

The skill derives from the Primordial Rune, called a Source Skill, and that is indeed very fitting.

The elder smiled and said, "You saw that huge bird in the sky, didn't you?"

Jiang Chen looked at the massive object in the sky; it blocked the sun, and his gaze could only catch a tiny fragment, unable to discern what creature it was.

But since the elder called it a bird, it must be a bird.

Jiang Chen could only nod, "I saw it."

The elder smiled, "It is not its true form, merely an illusion. Its true body is many tens of thousands of times larger."

Jiang Chen was startled again; now it truly blocked the sun.

Standing beneath it, he only saw a portion; its length was estimated at several hundred kilometers, not smaller than a City.

If magnified another ten thousand times, wouldn't it rival the sun, moon, and stars?

Could such a colossal creature truly exist in the world?

Jiang Chen did not hide his astonishment; the elder seemed pleased with the effect and laughed, "It is called the Source Bird, bearing a Primordial Bloodline."

"The Primordial Bloodline is a treasure of great value, priceless. Unfortunately, though it possesses this treasure, it is not strong enough to wield it."

"In the end it was slain by an invincible strongman, who used blood refinement to forge the Nine-Character Incantation."

"Lin, Bing, Dou, Zhe, Jie, Zhen, Lie, Zai, Qian."

The elder recited each word, his tone slightly flat.

Yet each character made Jiang Chen's heart quake like an earthquake.

"Primordial Rune" actually originated from this.

The elder continued, "Across all realms, strong ones vie for the Nine-Character Incantation, staining the star‑river with blood. My master obtained the Nine-Character Incantation, created the Yuan Shi Mi Jing, and transformed the incantation into nine Primordial Runes."

He paused there, no longer continuing.

Jiang Chen realized the elder had said enough; even these few words revealed far too much information.

The Source Bird, the invincible strongman, the master of the Secret Realm.

Combining that with the scene he had seen earlier in the pavilion, Jiang Chen guessed whether the elder's master might be the old man riding a green ox.

And whether that old man might be the Taoist ancestor from ancient Chinese legend, Laozi, the author of the Dao De Jing.

Jiang Chen dared not ask; if the other did not speak, he could not ask.

He understood this principle.

With insufficient strength, the more one knows, the faster one tends to die.

Jiang Chen's thoughts turned sharply, "So the Source Bird was captured and killed like that? Monsters that are killed can all be reborn, can't they?"

The elder burst into hearty laughter, laughing delightedly.

"Yes, yes, yes. Monsters that are captured and killed can all be reborn."

Jiang Chen's expression was unreadable as he analyzed the meaning behind the elder's laughter.

Although the elder's face was kind, he appeared as a harmless old man.

Yet such a being is capricious, and must not be judged by appearances alone.

Jiang Chen, accustomed to caution, promptly followed the elder's words, "Then could one repeatedly capture and kill the Source Bird to continuously obtain the Nine-Character Incantation?"

He feigned ignorance, but his mind was clear as a mirror, surmising that once the Source Bird dies, there is an eighty‑plus percent chance it cannot revive.

Otherwise countless strongmen would not have bled the star‑river for the Nine-Character Incantation.

He only needed to display his ignorance to coax information from the elder.

The elder laughed for a long while, looking extremely pleased, almost shedding tears of laughter.

When his laughter subsided, he finally spoke, "Enough teasing. Little one, your world has rules; monsters truly can revive after death."

"But the Source Bird cannot; there is only one Source Bird, and once it dies, it is dead."

"Although the Source Bird cannot revive, the Primordial Rune forged from the Nine-Character Incantation can be infinitely duplicated, existing in various forms."

"However, to elevate the Primordial Rune to the level of the incantation is something one can hope for but cannot obtain."

Jiang Chen's face showed disappointment, "Is there no way at all?"

The elder shook his head, "It's not that there is no method, it's just extremely difficult. For the Nine-Character Incantation, obtaining just one of them and integrating it gives a chance to become an invincible strongman; it's not that easy."

"I, the old man, have studied for countless years."

The elder stopped there again, still unable to continue.

Jiang Chen's face remained disappointed, as if he hadn't heard the elder, "An invincible strongman. Then your master, having obtained the entire Nine-Character Incantation, wouldn't that be super‑invincible?"

The elder laughed again, "My master's realm is beyond your and my speculation; the master does not keep the Nine-Character Incantation in sight."

"That said, you have done well; you obtained two Primordial Runes and even transformed one into a Source Skill."

"The rules of your world are indeed odd, and I do not know which supreme being established them; it's quite interesting."

Jiang Chen wore a puzzled expression, seeming not to fully grasp the elder's words.

The elder, unconcerned, continued, "That concludes our idle talk; now let us discuss your second Primordial Rune."

Jiang Chen respectfully bows, "The junior listens attentively."

The elder says, "'Primordial Rune' originates from the nine‑word mantra; obtaining one is a great opportunity, obtaining two is a heavenly great opportunity."

"But since ancient times, many have obtained the Primordial Rune, yet those who ultimately acquire a 'Source Skill' are exceedingly few."

"You have already obtained a 'Source Skill', which is an unparalleled opportunity, regarding the second 'Primordial Rune'."

The elder's meaning is clear: he does not want Jiang Chen to continue.

But he does not state it outright.

Jiang Chen has experienced similar Instance Secret Realms and realizes that perhaps some rule restricts the elder, preventing him from speaking plainly.

However, his meaning is already crystal clear; he just doesn't intend for even a fool to understand.

Jiang Chen indeed understood, yet he still pretended not to, even a bit impatient, "What about the second 'Primordial Rune'? Please, senior, speak plainly."

The elder's eyes flicker; he cannot discern anything from Jiang Chen's expression.

If Jiang Chen were over fifty, he could be certain Jiang Chen is merely pretending not to understand.

But Jiang Chen is too young; he can see Jiang Chen's bone age is under twenty‑two.

Such a young man might truly not have grasped the meaning of his words.

Yet he cannot state it plainly.

According to the Secret Realm's rules, he can only answer Jiang Chen's question: "If you wish to turn the second Primordial Rune into a Source Skill, the Difficulty will increase manyfold. I suggest."

Before he finishes, Jiang Chen hurriedly says, "My teacher once told me, no matter how hard the road ahead, one must try. A true warrior should not fear failure. Even if one dies, loses one's head, it's merely a bowl‑sized scar. Eighteen years later, one is reborn as a fine man."

"Moreover, I believe senior would never watch me die. According to our Human Race records, those who enter the Yuan Shi Mi Jing have never died, not even been injured."

The elder's mouth twitches; Jiang Chen's words give him an undeniable feeling.

In the Yuan Shi Mi Jing, indeed no one dies, but that's a later remark.

The elder's eye corner flickers, "Have you considered that no one dies because those who emerge are all living? The true dead are not spoken of outside."

Jiang Chen knows his meaning: he merely wants to tell himself that the dead are possible, but the dead do not speak outside.

Yet Jiang Chen hears a hint of urgency in his words.

Clearly, the elder really does not wish him to continue.

This further confirms his speculation; there must be something fishy.

He immediately says, "Senior, I've decided; I must try. If I truly die, then it's my fate's lack, my destiny not big enough!"

The elder stares at Jiang Chen for a long time, speechless.

Jiang Chen wears a sincere expression, full of anticipation.

He looks like a raw youngster, completely unaware of hell's perils, yet wants to rush straight in.

Finally, the elder can only follow the Secret Realm's rule, "Since that's the case, let us begin."