Morning sunlight finally broke through the clouds after days of endless rain, casting a strange calmness over the city.
But beneath that calm
The hidden world had already exploded into chaos.
Every cultivation forum hidden on the dark web, every underground sect communication network, and every ancient clan intelligence branch carried only one topic now.
The Primordial Emperor Mark.
And the man connected to it.
Su Chen.
Inside the Lin Corporation building, dozens of hidden spiritual arrays glowed faintly beneath the structure, forming invisible defensive layers around the tower. Zhao Ren had practically turned the building into a small fortress overnight.
Yet nobody felt safe.
Because everyone understood something terrifying now.
If the upper realms were preparing to descend in seven days…
Then the hidden cultivation world would move first.
Inside the top-floor office, Lin Yanyan stood beside the windows quietly, dressed in a black business suit that highlighted her cold elegance perfectly. But despite her calm appearance, her eyes carried visible exhaustion.
She still hadn't truly slept.
Not after watching the heavens crack open above the city.
Not after seeing ancient cultivators kneel beneath her husband's presence.
And definitely not after realizing that every hidden power in the world now knew Su Chen existed.
Behind her, Su Chen sat calmly on the couch while looking at the black ring on his finger again.
Ever since the Emperor Mark appeared—
The ring had changed completely.
Ancient golden patterns now rotated slowly across its surface constantly, pulsing faintly like a living heartbeat.
Xu Mingshan stood nearby watching it carefully.
"The inheritance is fully active now."
Su Chen glanced toward him.
"How long before it opens?"
Xu Mingshan hesitated slightly.
"That depends on you."
"Meaning?"
"The ring responds to bloodline authority."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"The stronger your synchronization becomes… the more inheritance it reveals."
Before Su Chen could respond—
A sudden pressure descended outside the building.
Not violent.
Controlled.
But powerful enough to distort the surrounding spiritual energy instantly.
Zhao Ren rushed into the office immediately.
"They're here."
Lin Yanyan turned calmly.
"Who?"
Zhao Ren's expression became tense.
"The first ancient clan."
Silence fell instantly.
Xu Mingshan's face darkened slightly.
"So they moved faster than expected."
Outside the massive glass windows, several black luxury vehicles slowly stopped in front of the Lin Corporation building.
Every car door opened simultaneously.
Then—
Figures dressed in ancient-style black robes stepped out calmly onto the modern city street.
The contrast felt surreal.
Modern skyscrapers surrounding people who looked like they had walked out of another era entirely.
Pedestrians nearby instinctively moved away despite not understanding why.
Because the pressure surrounding those figures felt dangerous even to ordinary humans.
At the center of the group stood a woman.
Young.
Beautiful.
And terrifying.
She wore a dark red dress beneath a black robe, long crimson hair falling over one shoulder while her crimson eyes scanned the skyscraper calmly.
Nascent Soul Peak.
The spiritual pressure surrounding her was even stronger than Bai Xue's disciples.
Behind her stood two old men.
Both at Spirit Transformation Realm.
The hidden world had truly started moving.
Inside the office, Zhao Ren swallowed slightly.
"They brought two Spirit Transformation protectors…"
Xu Mingshan narrowed his eyes.
"The Yan Blood Clan."
Lin Yanyan looked toward him.
"You know them too?"
"One of the surviving ancient bloodlines."
A pause.
"And one of the most dangerous."
Below the building, the crimson-eyed woman slowly lifted her head toward the top floor.
Toward Su Chen.
Then—
She smiled.
The atmosphere inside the office instantly became colder.
Lin Yanyan's expression sharpened immediately.
"…I don't like her already."
Su Chen almost smiled.
Almost.
Then suddenly—
The office doors opened again.
An employee entered nervously.
"President Lin… there's a group requesting a meeting."
Lin Yanyan's voice remained calm.
"Did they make an appointment?"
"…No."
"Then reject them."
The employee's face became pale.
"I-I tried…"
A faint pressure spread through the room suddenly.
Not from Su Chen.
From below.
The employee's legs trembled violently.
"They said… if the Primordial descendant refuses to meet…"
Her voice shook.
"…They'll come upstairs themselves."
Silence.
Then Su Chen slowly stood.
Golden traces flickered faintly beneath his skin before fading again.
"I'll handle it."
Lin Yanyan immediately stepped forward.
"You're not meeting them alone."
Su Chen looked at her quietly.
"They came for me."
"And I'm your wife."
Her tone remained cold.
Firm.
Dangerously possessive.
Xu Mingshan quietly looked away like he suddenly found the wall interesting.
Zhao Ren coughed awkwardly.
Su Chen stared at Lin Yanyan for several seconds.
Then nodded once.
"Fine."
Ten minutes later, the atmosphere inside the private meeting hall on the lower floor felt heavy enough to suffocate normal people.
The crimson-haired woman sat calmly across from Su Chen while the two Spirit Transformation elders stood silently behind her like shadows.
Lin Yanyan sat beside Su Chen.
Cold eyes locked directly onto the woman.
Neither looked away.
The tension between them was immediate.
Dangerous.
Interesting.
The crimson-haired woman smiled faintly.
"So this is the famous Lin Yanyan."
Lin Yanyan's voice remained calm.
"And you are?"
"Yan Ruoxue."
Her crimson eyes shifted toward Su Chen slowly.
"He's more handsome than the rumors said."
Lin Yanyan's expression instantly became colder.
Xu Mingshan silently drank tea while pretending not to notice.
Yan Ruoxue leaned slightly forward.
"The Yan Clan wishes to formally welcome the return of the Primordial Bloodline."
Su Chen looked at her calmly.
"You sound very certain I'm connected to it."
Her smile deepened slightly.
"The Emperor Mark doesn't lie."
A brief silence followed.
Then Yan Ruoxue's expression slowly became serious.
"The upper realms have already started opening the descent pathway."
"We know."
Her crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
"Then you should also know what happens after they arrive."
Su Chen remained calm.
"They try to kill me."
"No."
Yan Ruoxue's smile vanished completely.
"They erase entire continents."
Silence crashed through the meeting room instantly.
Even Zhao Ren's expression changed.
Yan Ruoxue continued quietly.
"The upper realms will never allow another Primordial Emperor to appear."
Her gaze locked onto Su Chen.
"So the moment they descend…"
A pause.
"They will slaughter everything connected to you."
The room became deathly quiet.
Then suddenly—
Yan Ruoxue smiled again.
Beautiful.
Dangerous.
And completely fearless.
"So naturally…"
She slowly crossed her legs while staring directly into Su Chen's eyes.
"…The Yan Clan has decided to bet on you instead."