The Immortal Emperor Reborn: Accompanying My Child on the Extraordinary Journey

Chapter 16: Treasures of the Trial Ground

However, just when Yun Che thought victory was imminent, that he could soar to the sky with this treasure and completely crush the evil forces, a greater crisis quietly arrived. He had not realized that behind the evil forces lay an even more powerful existence—a demon who intended to subvert the entire cultivation world. This demon was extremely powerful and ruthless, secretly manipulating everything, attempting to use this conflict to achieve his own ambitions.

Yun Che stood deep within the trial grounds, surrounded by a gloomy and mysterious environment. Only a faint light trickled down from the cracks in the cave ceiling, barely illuminating his figure. His heartbeat quickened, and his eyes gleamed with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. When he discovered the hidden treasure, he could hardly believe his eyes. The treasure was cleverly concealed behind a seemingly ordinary stone wall. If he hadn't accidentally triggered a mechanism, it would have been impossible to detect.

He slowly approached the treasure chest, his hands trembling slightly as he opened the heavy stone box. What greeted him was a dazzling array of cultivation resources and magical artifacts, gleaming with an alluring luster. There were elixirs that could enhance cultivation, incredibly sharp magical weapons, and a wide variety of talismans and secret manuals on formations. But what captivated Yun Che most was the ancient and weathered cultivation manual lying deep within the stone box.

Yun Che carefully picked up the manual. The cover had yellowed, and the writing was a little blurry, but he could still make out a few ancient characters—"Nine Heavens Mysterious Secret Art." An inexplicable excitement welled up in his heart, as if this manual was the turning point of his destiny. He gently flipped open the first page, only to see a cultivation method he had never seen before. It was said to be able to greatly increase a cultivator's strength in a short period of time, and even break through the barriers of their previous realm.

"Is this... is this really the long-lost Nine Heavens Mysterious Secret Art?" Yun Che muttered to himself, his eyes gleaming with disbelief. He knew full well that such an opportunity was rare and must be seized. Thus, he took the secret book into his arms as if it were a treasure, secretly vowing to practice diligently and live up to this rare opportunity.

However, just as he was about to leave the trial grounds and find a safe place to concentrate on his training, a cold and powerful aura suddenly enveloped the entire space. Yun Che's expression suddenly changed. He turned abruptly, only to see a dark figure appear before him like a ghost. The figure was surrounded by black mist, and its face was blurred, but its eyes, as deep as the abyss, made people shudder.

"Hehe, kid, you're lucky to have found this Nine Heavens Mysterious Netherworld Art." The shadow let out a sinister laugh, the sound seeming to come from the Netherworld, filling people with fear. "But, do you really think you can control this power?"

Yun Che tightly grasped the secret book, his eyes gleaming with determination: "Who are you? Why are you here?"

"Who am I?" The black shadow sneered. "I am an existence you cannot even imagine. I am the true ruler of this world of cultivation—Demon Lord Sha Xuan! And you are merely a pawn in my plan."

Yun Che's heart trembled. He had long heard of the name of Demon Lord Sha Xuan, a demonic figure feared by the entire cultivation world. He had never expected to encounter him here, and from his words, it seemed as if he had been targeted by him.

“You…what do you want?” Yun Che pretended to be calm, but his voice was still trembling.

"It's very simple." Sha Xuan slowly stretched out a hand, palm facing up, as if to control everything. "Give me the Nine Heavens Mysterious Nether Art, then become my slave, and I will give you a chance to live."

Yun Che gritted his teeth. He knew the importance of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Nether Art, and he also knew that if it fell into Sha Xuan's hands, the consequences would be disastrous. He absolutely could not let such a thing happen.

“Don’t even think about it!” Yun Che roared, his spiritual energy surging as he prepared to fight Sha Xuan.

Sha Xuan sneered repeatedly, "Hmph, you overestimate your own abilities. Do you think that a mere cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Stage like you can contend with me?"

Before he finished speaking, Sha Xuan flashed and appeared in front of Yun Che in an instant, striking out with a hand as fast as lightning. Yun Che felt a powerful force rushing towards him, and before he even had time to react, he was blown away and slammed hard into the stone wall.

"Puff!" Yun Che spat out a mouthful of blood, his face instantly turning pale. He struggled to get up, but the spiritual energy in his body was already in disarray, clearly having suffered a serious injury.

Sha Xuan slowly walked in front of Yun Che and looked down at him. "How is it? Now you understand the gap between you and me, right? Hand over the Nine Heavens Mysterious Nether Art, and I can spare your life."

Yun Che gritted his teeth, his eyes gleaming with an unyielding light: "Don't even think about getting it! Even if I die, I won't let you succeed!"

Sha Xuan's expression turned extremely gloomy: "Hmph, you're just being stubborn. Since you won't hand it over, don't blame me for being ruthless."

As he spoke, Sha Xuan raised his palm once again, ready to deliver the final blow to Yun Che. However, at this moment, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck Yun Che's mind. He remembered a passage he had read in the Nine Heavens Mysterious Secret Art, which was the key to unlocking the hidden power within the secret book.

"Nine Heavens, Heed my command! Gather your spiritual energy and aid me in the fight against the enemy!" Yun Che silently chanted the incantation in his mind, while exerting all his might to mobilize the spiritual energy within him. Miraculously, the spiritual energy within him began to surge crazily, as if guided by a mysterious force.

"Boom!" A powerful force erupted from Yun Che's body, shaking the air around him and making it buzz. Sha Xuan's face changed. He had never expected Yun Che to be able to unleash such a powerful force.

Yun Che took this opportunity to dodge Sha Xuan's attack. He knew that he was no match for Sha Xuan, but with the power of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Nether Art, he at least had a chance of fighting him.

“You… you can actually use the power of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Nether Art?” Sha Xuan looked at Yun Che in surprise, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes.

Yun Che was breathing heavily, but his eyes were filled with determination: "That's right! I will never let you succeed!"

The ensuing battle was incredibly fierce. Yun Che, relying on the power of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Nether Art, engaged in a desperate struggle with Sha Xuan. Although his cultivation was still far inferior to Sha Xuan's, with the blessing of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Nether Art, his attacks became incredibly fierce, forcing Sha Xuan to respond with caution.

"Boy, you do have some ability," Sha Xuan sneered, "but do you think you can defeat me like this? You're too naive!"

As he spoke, Sha Xuan unleashed his might once more, his attack becoming even more ferocious. Yun Che tried his best to resist, but was still forced back repeatedly. He could feel the spiritual energy within him rapidly depleting. If this continued, he would sooner or later run out of spiritual energy and fall into Sha Xuan's hands.

“I can’t lose!” Yun Che roared in his heart, “For the sake of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Nether Art, and for the sake of peace in the world of cultivation, I absolutely cannot lose!”

He once again silently recited the Nine Heavens Mysterious Nether Art, attempting to further unleash his inner potential. However, this time, he felt a powerful backlash. While the Nine Heavens Mysterious Nether Art was powerful, it also required a certain level of cultivation and state of mind to harness it. Yun Che's cultivation was still shallow, and forcibly utilizing the Nine Heavens Mysterious Nether Art's power would undoubtedly be overdrawing his own life force.

"Puff!" Yun Che spat out another mouthful of blood. His face had turned as pale as paper. But he still persisted, refusing to give up.

Sha Xuan looked at Yun Che's appearance, a trace of cruelty flashing in his eyes: "Hmph, boy, you are seeking your own death."

As he spoke, Sha Xuan launched another attack. This time, his attack directly hit Yun Che's vitals. Yun Che felt only a sharp pain spread throughout his body, as if his body was being torn apart.

"Ah!" Yun Che screamed, and flew backwards, falling heavily to the ground. He felt his life slipping away rapidly, and his consciousness began to blur.

Sha Xuan slowly walked in front of Yun Che and looked down at him condescendingly: "Boy, this is your fate. The Nine Heavens Mysterious Nether Art will eventually belong to me."

However, just as he was about to reach out to take the secret book from Yun Che's arms, Yun Che suddenly opened his eyes. His eyes flashed with madness and determination: "Don't even think about getting it!"

As he spoke, Yun Che used up the last bit of his strength, raised the Nine Heavens Mysterious Nether Art in his arms high up, and then slammed it fiercely to the ground.

"Bang!" With a loud bang, the Nine Heavens Mysterious Nether Art was shattered into countless pieces, scattered all over the ground. Sha Xuan's face instantly became extremely ferocious: "Boy, you dare to destroy the Nine Heavens Mysterious Nether Art! I want you dead!"

However, at this moment, a mysterious force suddenly surged from the fragments of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Nether Art. This force was powerful and pure, instantly enveloping Sha Xuan. Sha Xuan let out a scream, his body twisting and deforming, and was ultimately completely consumed by this force.

Yun Che watched this scene, his eyes gleaming with an incredible light. He hadn't expected the Nine Heavens Mysterious Nether Art to possess such formidable power. He struggled to his feet, looking at the fragments on the ground, his heart filled with emotion.

“Perhaps, this is fate’s arrangement.” Yun Che murmured to himself, “Although the Nine Heavens Mysterious Nether Art was destroyed, it saved my life and prevented Sha Xuan’s conspiracy.”

He took a deep breath, then turned and left the trial ground. He knew he still had a long way to go and many challenges awaited him. But this experience had strengthened his faith and determination.

Upon returning to the sect, Yun Che shared this experience with his teachers and fellow disciples. They were all deeply shocked, yet also admired Yun Che's courage and wisdom. Although the Nine Heavens Mysterious Secret Art no longer existed, Yun Che gained even more attention and training because of it. Thanks to his performance and understanding in the trial grounds, his cultivation rapidly improved, ultimately becoming a top-tier cultivator.

Years later, when Yun Che stood at the pinnacle of the cultivation world and recalled that thrilling experience, he was still filled with emotion. He knew that his journey to where he was today was inseparable from the adventures and challenges he had faced in the Trial Grounds. He also always remembered the demon Sha Xuan, who had once attempted to overthrow the cultivation world, and the Nine Heavens Mysterious Secret Art that had set him on the path to becoming a powerful being.

“Perhaps, this is fate’s arrangement.” Yun Che murmured to himself again, “No matter what challenges and difficulties I encounter in the future, I will continue to move forward resolutely and protect the peace and tranquility of this world of cultivation.”

In his heart, his nostalgia for the Nine Heavens Mysterious Secret and his longing for the future intertwined, becoming the driving force and source of his continuous progress. He also believed that in the days to come, he would be able to create even more brilliant achievements and legends.

As Yun Che's cultivation improved day by day,