Chapter 2152: The Only Way Out

This saber aura was even fiercer than before. With a casual flick of Emperor Jiuyou's hand, layers of energetic aura surged forward, revealing the 'Wave Slash' saber technique that He Lingchuan knew so well. But wielded with Emperor Jiuyou's power, it could cleave through tsunamis, not just ordinary waves.

Without looking back, He Lingchuan leaped off the slope. He saw several streaks of cold light flash above him, cleanly severing four or five small trees. "This is fatal," he thought. He even noticed a faint red glow emanating from his opponent's Fleeting Life Saber.

Primal Force!

He Lingchuan's scalp tingled. This "Emperor Jiuyou" of unknown origin was surprisingly not a fake, as Primal Force could never mistake its true owner. Therefore, this "Emperor Jiuyou" was the real deal!

How could He Lingchuan fight against this Emperor Jiuyou, who possessed formidable combat power, abundant Primal Force, and was at the peak of his strength? Emperor Jiuyou would kill him with greater ease than he had killed his original self moments ago.

Just then, he also heard a dull, clanking sound coming from due north. The Skytower's gate was closing!

As He Lingchuan stood up, his vision blurred, and Emperor Jiuyou was already upon him! Damn it all, what was the point of his diligent practice to perfect his movement techniques? Who would have thought he'd end up trapping himself?

"Wait!" he shouted urgently. "Why are you killing me? Emperor Jiuyou always has a reason for killing. If you kill indiscriminately, you're not Emperor Jiuyou! And if you're not Emperor Jiuyou, you can't kill me!" If he couldn't fight, he could only argue.

Emperor Jiuyou indeed paused, then slowly raised his saber, its tip pointing at He Lingchuan's left hand. His left hand was still clutching the Coiled Serpent Necklace.

He Lingchuan shook his left hand and asked, "If I give you the necklace, will you spare me?"

Emperor Jiuyou shook his head. Though still silent, his meaning was clear: You will die here today!

The last time the Skytower sent He Lingchuan here, it was for him to kill his original self. So this time, sending Emperor Jiuyou in was clearly meant to kill He Lingchuan. Only then would a full cycle be completed.

He Lingchuan knew he couldn't defeat his opponent; not even ten of him would suffice. This valley was also a death trap; he couldn't escape, and sooner or later, Emperor Jiuyou would catch him. That "sooner or later" would be mere moments.

He Lingchuan retreated with difficulty, clutching his bleeding abdomen, appearing to be at his wit's end. Emperor Jiuyou seemed unwilling to waste time. He closed in with two steps and swung his saber again. The saber's glow was like a swirling galaxy, sealing off all of He Lingchuan's escape routes – front, back, left, and right. If he were to be caught even slightly, he would inevitably be shredded to pieces.

But just as the chilling saber light illuminated He Lingchuan's face, he suddenly vanished. Where He Lingchuan had stood, a light, airy cicada slough fluttered down, instantly shredded by the saber aura.

This was "Sacrifice Proxy," a divine ability He Lingchuan had already mastered in this era. Earlier, as he rushed towards the Skytower's gate, he had considered that enemies might emerge from within, so he had secretly tossed a Ghost Cicada Slough near the gate. This drab little object blended in with its surroundings, making it difficult to spot.

Once Emperor Jiuyou was lured away from the Skytower, He Lingchuan used the Sacrifice Proxy technique to swap positions with the Ghost Cicada Slough, taking a single step back to the Skytower's gate! The massive azure gate was now within reach, already closed halfway, leaving He Lingchuan with at most two or three breaths of time. Not to mention, Emperor Jiuyou, having struck empty air, immediately turned and lunged back.

Time was precious. He Lingchuan stared at the darkness within the gate. If he rushed in, he could escape this dangerous place, shake off Emperor Jiuyou's pursuit, and return to reality. This was his only path to survival.

His original self had waited who knew how long in this Misty Valley for this gate to open. Now, He Lingchuan had used his ingenuity to secure this sliver of hope.

A chill ran down his spine, a gaze from his formidable opponent. Emperor Jiuyou had once again locked onto him. Without needing to turn around, he knew Emperor Jiuyou had arrived and was about to deliver a fatal blow.

Quickly, if he jumped into the gate, he would be safe. However, a voice in his mind questioned him: "Is that true? Is the path to survival his original self believed in actually real?"

If "returning to the tower" wasn't the true way to leave the Misty Valley, what would happen if he rashly jumped through the wooden gate? He had arrived in this strange valley with only his Fleeting Life Saber at hand, nothing else on him, not even the incense pellets he used most effectively during that period. But why did his Fleeting Life Saber coincidentally still contain a Ghost Cicada Slough? Was it specifically left for him to escape Emperor Jiuyou's pursuit and flee into the Skytower?

He Lingchuan had already concluded that this was a trial bestowed upon him by a secret treasure. If it was a trial, then traps were inevitable. The most troubling question resurfaced: If the exit wasn't in the Skytower, how else could he escape the Misty Valley? Don't forget, Emperor Jiuyou was already upon him; he had no time for further thought or hesitation!

He Lingchuan's gaze fell once more on the Coiled Serpent Necklace in his left hand. He, of course, remembered the second half of Grand Shaman Mandu's prophecy: "The future replaces the present."

Emperor Jiuyou, relative to "him" in the present, represented the future. His killing of his original self was "the present self devouring the original self." Emperor Jiuyou killing him was "the future replacing the present." If he didn't leave, he would certainly be killed by Emperor Jiuyou, with no chance of survival.

So, what should he do? Stay, and die. Jump into the Skytower, and perhaps there was a slim chance of survival. For any intelligent creature, this wouldn't even be a choice; they would instinctively pursue the path of survival.

But He Lingchuan's mind was racing in that instant. There was an initial, and most crucial, question, one that intruders, after experiencing killing and being pursued, could easily overlook. And that was: "Where is this place?"

He Lingchuan had initially thought this was a trial ground specially created by the Ancestral Immortal Relic. But ever since he discovered his cultivation level was only at an introductory stage, while Emperor Jiuyou, standing opposite him, possessed Primal Force, he knew his deduction was wrong. The Primal Force unique to He Lingchuan could never be attached to an entity other than "himself," not even a character fabricated by the relic. This was determined by the unique ownership characteristic of Primal Force. The relic might be able to simulate many other powers, but it shouldn't be able to simulate Primal Force, because Primal Force was not a power unique to He Lingchuan alone. It was a force of connection, an aggregate force of mutual influence between He Lingchuan and countless individuals. It was complex and ever-changing, never a static or directly quantifiable power.

Yet, Emperor Jiuyou opposite him was indeed using his Primal Force; he could easily confirm this. So, everything returned to the initial questions:

What exactly was this place?Who was 'he'?And who was "Emperor Jiuyou"?