Chapter 2157: The True Face of the Celestial Ancestor's Legacy

He was keenly aware of one thing: the relationship between the Lu family, Muguang, and Lingshan could never return to what it once was. From this day forward, only Cang Yan could protect Bailie. All members of the Lu family present today had no choice but to pledge their unwavering allegiance to the Great Emperor Jiuyou. There was no other path for them.

Once the family members had left and the ancestral hall door was sealed shut, the Blood Demon transformed from its cloak into a red shadow and floated around the hall.

"What exactly is that Golden Serpent Ring?"

He Lingchuan's eyes were slightly closed. "It's the Lu family's heirloom."

"Those fools still think it's merely a relic from an immortal!" The Blood Demon burst into laughter, though naturally, those outside the hall couldn't hear it. "I'm not so easily fooled!"

Both the Blood Demon and the Soul-Capturing Mirror were consumed by curiosity about the Lu ancestors' relic—what was it, and how could it possess such immense power that it could even ambush the Great Emperor Jiuyou? They had waited until now to ask.

"A divine spark."

Even the Blood Demon was astonished. "This is a divine spark?!"

It was well-traveled and experienced, but this object truly defied its understanding. Divine sparks were not of the mortal realm; they belonged solely to extraterrestrial demons. They were the source of a demon's power, and ordinary demons were not even worthy of possessing one!

"It is the Divine Spark of Destiny, a supreme treasure that even ordinary extraterrestrial demons cannot control," He Lingchuan emphasized. "And it's a complete, whole Divine Spark of Destiny!"

That was why it had caught him off guard earlier. Who could have guessed that the Lu family's immortal ancestor's relic would turn out to be the divine spark of an ancient demon? It was an unprecedented way to sabotage one's descendants.

"The emergence of 'Children of Destiny' within the Lu family is due to this object. As long as it is within its sphere of influence, a Child of Destiny can appear within three to five generations of the Lu family. However, Lu Zhensheng, that unworthy descendant, used it to harm others. This object is so dangerous that even immortals and demons dare not easily touch it; mortals who come into contact with it are certain to die!"

He had always wondered how the Lu family ensured that Children of Destiny would be born within their own lineage, rather than straying to collateral branches or having their destiny stolen by others. It turned out the Children of Destiny were created! The fragment of the ring had continuously influenced the Lu family members, giving them the potential to produce a Child of Destiny. Collateral branches, being far from the Lu family ancestral hall and this fragment, naturally saw no Children of Destiny emerge after a few generations. As a direct descendant, Lu Xiaoyun was born in the Lu manor and was influenced by this fragment from childhood. If her child, He Lingchuan, were to have descendants in a distant foreign land, those descendants would no longer be affected by the ring fragment, and thus, no Children of Destiny would appear among them.

He Lingchuan summoned the Golden Serpent Ring, letting it float in mid-air. "The early demise of the Lu family's immortal ancestor might also be related to it."

This object was too destructive. If the Lu family's immortal ancestor was not truly at the level of an immortal, they likely sustained irreversible damage back then. The Blood Demon secretly congratulated itself, realizing that its earlier intuition to avoid touching the dangerous fragment had been correct.

"Wasn't it just a fragment before? How is it complete now?"

"I completed it," He Lingchuan claimed the credit for the Grand Alms Bowl. "I just happened to have the other fragments, so I put them back together."

He had always suspected that the Divine Spark of Naraka had either been seized or duplicated by the Grand Alms Bowl, and now it seemed his suspicions were confirmed. Once the Divine Spark of Destiny was complete, its power was naturally incomparable to its fragmented state. Moreover, the Children of Destiny previously tested by the Lu family simply needed to follow their ancestor's instructions and dip their hands into the water in the incense burner; they never had to directly touch the brass fragment, nor was their life ever in danger.

"...Just happened?" The young man spoke casually, as if he had merely picked up a piece of pork belly at the market. "You just happened to have divine spark fragments?"

"I was surprised too," He Lingchuan smoothly changed the subject. "However, the trial for this divine spark felt... too simple and shallow, not fitting its status. What's going on?"

"You think it's too simple?" Did the young man wish to die in the trial?

"The Divine Spark of Destiny originates from the Ancient God of Destiny, one of the three Holy Gods of the Demon Realm. Deities below the level of a Great Celestial God dare not even attempt to control it. Furthermore, 'destiny' itself is synonymous with unpredictability and elusiveness. The trial it presented to me was, frankly... simpler than what befits its identity."

Of course, simple didn't mean non-lethal. Was it because the Grand Alms Bowl had intervened? He Lingchuan recalled the coiled snake wooden carving necklace in the trial ground; its appearance felt incredibly out of place no matter how he thought about it. This small wooden carving was key to He Lingchuan breaking through the trial, as if someone had specifically provided him with a hint, instantly lowering the trial's difficulty by several levels. Without it, he truly might not have emerged alive today. The Divine Spark of Destiny wasn't so benevolent, so had the Grand Alms Bowl deliberately inserted it?

"Hey, what exactly was that trial testing?"

"I think it was probably a form of 'self-realization'," the Golden Serpent Ring slowly vanished from the air. "If I can't even comprehend my own destiny, how could I be worthy of being a candidate master for the Divine Spark of Destiny?"

Even with the Grand Alms Bowl's assistance, if he couldn't comprehend it himself during the trial, the divine artifact would not acknowledge him. The complete Divine Spark of Destiny, an artifact of such caliber, possessed its own pride and character. Perhaps even the Grand Alms Bowl couldn't truly subdue it and make it recognize He Lingchuan as its master, like the Rakshasa Armor did. As He Lingchuan encountered increasingly powerful objects and principles, he no longer expected the Grand Alms Bowl to tame every treasure for him before presenting it, as it had done in the past. Though powerful, the Grand Alms Bowl also had its limits.

Where did the Divine Spark of Destiny originate? From the Ancient God of Destiny, who once captured the World Core. And the connection between the World Core and the Grand Alms Bowl needed no further explanation, did it? It seemed they were old rivals. This trial could perhaps be considered a joint effort between He Lingchuan and the Grand Alms Bowl, and also a significant step in his own growth.

Returning to the point, the Grand Alms Bowl no longer guaranteed his safety. Initially, he could revive endlessly after dying in the Ancient City of Panlong, but now he only had one life left. If he died, he died, just like in the real world. As people grew up, they eventually had to become self-reliant. As the Grand Alms Bowl became increasingly unpredictable, the risks of He Lingchuan's association with it were also increasing.

"Candidate?" The Blood Demon was slightly surprised. "You haven't fully subdued it yet?"

"In fact, the Divine Spark of Destiny has only given me its preliminary acknowledgment so far," He Lingchuan sighed. "I can't unleash its true power."

He was not yet an immortal, and the Divine Spark of Destiny was a supreme treasure that even immortals and demons dared not touch. How could he expect to wield it as he pleased? It was like a five-year-old child attempting to throw a discus meant for an adult: first, they couldn't lift it, and second, they would easily injure themselves.

There was also a secret he didn't even tell the Blood Demon: With his current abilities, holding the Divine Spark of Destiny was extremely draining. If he wanted to display it in front of others, he could not do so for more than a quarter of an hour. That was why, when he executed Lu Zhensheng earlier, he only held out the divine spark for a quarter of an hour.