Chapter 542: The Legendary Genius Who Illuminated an Era!

"Husband, what's wrong?"

Hua Baobao keenly sensed her husband's unease and asked with concern.

"I… I'm fine."

Su Donglai took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, forcing a smile for his wife—but the shock, disbelief, and a faint, indescribable sense of loss and defeat in his eyes remained partially uncovered.

He had just broken through the Earth Altar Realm's "Crossing the Divine Bridge," feeling his cultivation had made great progress and finally narrowed the gap with some peers of his age; his heart was brimming with ambition.

But this letter…

Chen Mu, Tiangong Realm?

Slaughtered two Mo Sect Tiangong elders?

That young man who once secretly aided him in Bai Yun City and won him a beautiful wife—now stood at a height he could only look up to, a height he might never reach in his entire life?

Hua Baobao, sharp-witted, saw his expression and glimpsed the words "Chen Mu" and "Tiangong" faintly on the letter in his hand—she instantly understood most of it.

She gently clasped Su Donglai's cold hand and said softly, "Father often said that Young Master Chen is a rare genius, unmatched in history. Such a person is born to be a star one looks up to."

"We need only walk our own path steadily. If we insist on comparing our light with that of stars, we'll only blind ourselves and disturb our hearts."

Feeling the warmth and understanding from his wife's palm, Su Donglai trembled inside, and the turmoil in his eyes slowly calmed.

He gripped Hua Baobao's hand in return and nodded firmly: "I understand."

Yes, he understood.

Compared to a monster like Chen Mu, dwelling on it only brings needless torment and breeds inner demons.

The path of martial cultivation is ultimately a battle against oneself.

Chen Mu is Chen Mu; Su Donglai is Su Donglai.

To be born in the same era as such a star, to witness his radiance—perhaps that is also a kind of fortune.

Realizing this, Su Donglai's heart cleared suddenly; the sense of defeat vanished, replaced by a deeper, calmer resolve.

He carefully put away the letter and put on a relaxed smile: "Come, Baobao, let's keep walking—see if the flowers in the garden have bloomed."

…

Southeast Circuit, a bustling Wulong Fucheng.

Hero Tower.

On the first-floor hall, voices buzzed loudly.

Dozens of martial cultivators sat around a dozen tables, drinking from large bowls, devouring meat, and passionately debating the most sensational topic of the moment.

Chen Mu broke through to Tiangong, slew Mo Sect elders.

"In my opinion, Inspector Chen must have inherited the legacy of an ancient powerhouse! Otherwise, how could he advance so swiftly?"

"Nonsense! It's because Inspector Chen is naturally gifted and possesses extraordinary insight! You haven't heard of his deeds in Shannan Circuit, Jiangnan Circuit, and Southeast Circuit—when has he ever lost against stronger foes? How strange is it for such a man to break through to Tiangong?"

"Exactly! Inspector Chen is our righteous path's role model! Slaying Mo Sect elders brings great satisfaction! Let's drink a full cup!"

"Come on, let's toast to Inspector Chen! Bottoms up!"

"…"

Just as the crowd was in high spirits, raising their cups, a grizzled old man in a tattered cloak, with a full beard, lowered his head and walked into Hero Tower.

He intended to find a quiet corner seat, but the noisy chatter in the hall—especially the words "Chen Mu," "Tiangong Realm," and "slew Mo Sect elders"—pierced his ears like needles.

The old man froze mid-step, then suddenly lifted his head!

Beneath the cloak's shadow, his once-dull eyes blazed with terrifying fury and disbelief.

Swish~

His figure flashed like a ghost, instantly crossing several zhang, appearing beside a wine table, and extending a withered, claw-like hand—brimming with terrifying power—to snatch up a cultivator who was enthusiastically speaking.

Lifting him nearly to eye level, his voice hoarse and dry, trembling with uncontrollable excitement and brutality:

"What did you just say? That Chen Mu from the Town Suppressing Office… broke through to Tiangong Realm? And killed two Mo Sect Tiangong elders?!"

The seized cultivator was only at the Primordial Foundation stage; the sudden attack and the old man's terrifying aura terrified him into near-hysteria, his face turning pale as he stammered:

"Y-yes… Elder… It's spread across the land… Chen Mu, Inspector Chen, broke through to Tiangong Realm at Soulfall Gorge, fought two at once, and slew the Tiangong elders of Xuelian Sect and Xuemo Sect…"

Plop!

The old man, as if drained of all strength, loosened his grip; the cultivator fell to the ground, ignored the pain, and scrambled away in terror.

The old man seemed unaware, standing frozen, his face shifting wildly between pale, red, purple, and green.

Shock, envy, venomous hatred, disbelief, and a bone-deep terror—all these emotions churned wildly in his eyes.

"How… how could this happen…"

He roared silently within, "That Earth Altar Realm brat… how could he possibly reach Tiangong Realm so fast?!"

The old man was Gao Xingde—the man who, years ago, hunted Chen Mu, was nearly killed by "Ju Sect Star," barely escaped, and ever since had hidden in remote lands, nursing his wounds in secrecy.

He had spent years exhausting his precious reserves, barely recovering seven-tenths of his injuries, convinced his strength was mostly restored, ready to emerge: first to find Chen Mu and settle old scores, second to seize opportunities amid the chaos of the righteous-mo war.

Yet he never imagined that the very first news he heard upon entering the city was that the prey he'd considered easy to capture—Chen Mu—had now reached the same Tiangong Realm as himself!

And upon breaking through, he had already achieved the astonishing feat of slaying two peers.

What did this mean?

It meant Chen Mu hadn't just caught up in cultivation—his true combat power likely far surpassed Gao Xingde's, a wounded, aging Tiangong beginner.

A chilling despair and overwhelming hatred instantly drowned Gao Xingde.

He felt as if he could already see how laughably small and insignificant his desires for revenge and seizing opportunity were against Chen Mu's current radiance and strength.

"No… I don't believe it… it must be rumor… or he used external power, arrays…"

Gao Xingde muttered to himself, eyes dark and cunning, but his trembling fingers and chaotic qi betrayed the storm raging inside.

He spun on his heel, ignoring the stunned crowd, and stumbled out of Hero Tower like a stray dog, vanishing into the bustling crowd outside.

He only wanted to leave this place as soon as possible, find somewhere alone, and properly digest this terrifying news that could shatter his Dao heart.

Inside Hero Tower, after a brief silence, even louder discussions erupted again.

Everyone debated the old man who had appeared and vanished suddenly, acting as if mad, but soon the topic returned to the brilliantly radiant "Chen Mu."

From south to north, from east to west, Chen Mu's name exploded like a thunderclap beneath the darkened sky of the Holy and Demonic War.

Whether it was awe, admiration, doubt, envy, or the fear and hatred like Gao Xingde's, none could change one fact.

An unprecedentedly brilliant new star had brazenly risen in the martial cosmos, its brilliance destined to illuminate an era!