Chapter Nineteen: The Young Prince’s Scheme

He continued approaching the Primordial Realm, and sure enough, the system’s loading percentage in his mind increased from ten to twelve percent.

Just as he had suspected, the closer he got to the Primordial Realm, the faster the system loaded. At the same time, the thunder-freezing system he had previously used was now completely ineffective.

Simply by drawing near to the Primordial Realm, this was already the result—one could only imagine what would happen to the system upon actually entering. Clearly, this was not something to be rushed. Fortunately, the Primordial Realm was not so easily entered, and he had no fear that the remaining factions would get in before him. For now, he decided to return and devise a better plan.

He was determined not to let the tragedies of his previous life repeat themselves in this one. Without thorough preparation, he would not set foot inside lightly, especially since the remaining portion of the Thunder Emperor’s Scripture was now within his grasp.

Meanwhile, those around him began to test the boundaries of the Primordial Realm, but fate was unkind. Many emerged severely wounded, coughing blood, while those of lesser strength failed to return at all.

This spectacle thoroughly intimidated the onlookers. No one dared approach again; after all, they were merely scouts and did not wish to die senselessly here.

Their first thought was to find an unrelated person to try entering once more. At that moment, their eyes fell upon Chu Han, who stood nearby, lost in thought.

“Hey, kid! Come here, stop staring. Yes, you!” one of them shouted, waving him over. Chu Han, surprised to find himself the object of their attention, strolled over at an unhurried pace.

He didn’t know which faction these men belonged to, but he had observed their earlier attempts to enter the Primordial Realm. He could already guess their intentions—a chill ran through his heart.

“Kid, here’s your chance. If you go in, all these gold coins are yours,” the burly man said, tossing a pouch of coins at Chu Han’s feet and gesturing at the glowing sphere before them.

Chu Han’s expression darkened. As he suspected, they wanted him to test the dangers of the Primordial Realm, caring nothing for his life. How ruthless.

He glanced at the group: a dozen or so men, all mere mortals in the Body-Refining Realm, their strength unremarkable. A faint smile played at his lips—so they wanted him to die for their benefit. How well they’d calculated.

“Someone just went in and never came out. If I die in there, what then? I’m not going. If you want to, go yourself,” Chu Han replied coolly.

He shook his head, refusing the burly man’s demand. At his words, the man’s face contorted with menace.

“What did you say, boy? You dare defy me? Looks like you’re tired of living. Brothers, teach him a lesson!” the man barked, waving his hand.

None of them recognized Chu Han; to their eyes, he was an ordinary person, for he cultivated the Thunder Emperor’s Scripture, and at the Body-Refining level, he appeared no different from a commoner.

At the man’s command, the others closed in with grim smiles, clearly intending to force Chu Han into compliance.

Chu Han laughed, then struck first. Leaping into the air, he brought his fist down with tremendous force as all watched.

His punch landed squarely on one man’s head, and the victim collapsed like a pile of mud, lifeless on the ground. Chu Han’s fist then struck the earth, shattering it with a thunderous crack.

The ground split in all directions, throwing the surrounding men off their feet. Stones tumbled down the mountainside, crushing bones and snapping tendons among the scouting parties nearby.

The burly man who had threatened Chu Han stared, eyes wide with terror. To shatter the earth with a single punch—what kind of power was this? Now, he regretted provoking Chu Han.

But Chu Han would not spare such a cruel soul. To leave him alive would be to unleash disaster upon the world. He ended the man’s life with a single blow, then brushed his hands clean.

Just as he was about to leave, he heard a sudden rush of footsteps behind him—a chaotic clamor, as if many people were approaching. Quickly, he concealed himself nearby.

Sure enough, within five minutes, a large contingent arrived. Among the crowd, Chu Han spotted Tang Chengcheng leading the Everflowing Spring Palace, Lin Yan at the head of the Lin family, and representatives of other clans as well—hundreds in all.

They all seemed to be following a single figure: a man riding a fine steed, dressed in flamboyant, brightly colored clothes, exuding an air of arrogance. Yet the energy radiating from him sent chills down the spine.

Chu Han recognized him at once—it was the Young Prince of Jingyuan City.

“Young Prince, what do you want with all of us here? I’ve already sent men ahead; those who went in met untimely deaths. It’s too dangerous,” one man said obsequiously, sidling up to the prince and volunteering his knowledge.

Others nodded in agreement. Most clans had already tested the Primordial Realm, but none had found a way in—those who tried either staggered out grievously wounded or died inside.

“This place is not so simple. Entering will require careful planning. I summoned you all for another reason,” the Young Prince replied with a mysterious smile. “I want one person’s life—alive, if possible. That person is Chu Han.”

Having suffered Chu Han’s provocations more than once, the Young Prince could no longer restrain himself.

“Chu Han? The blacksmith’s boy from the Tang family? He’s just a brat, Your Highness. Why bother mobilizing us? Couldn’t you handle him yourself?” someone asked, puzzled by the scale of the operation.

The Young Prince chuckled. “You Mao family have only just returned to Jingyuan City, so you don’t know. Chu Han’s strength is formidable—he defeated Elder Songmu of Everflowing Spring Palace, and nearly beat Lin Feitian, head of the Lin family, to death.”

At these words, silence fell over the crowd, including the previously doubtful Mao clan.

Everyone knew the might of Everflowing Spring Palace, and Lin Feitian, master of the Lin family, was a Body-Refining Ninth Level expert—yet both had fallen to Chu Han. No wonder the Young Prince had gone to such lengths.

“But you needn’t fear. I have a plan. I have already broken through the mortal limits and entered the Wheel-Sea Realm. Moreover, my backer is the Lingxu Grotto-Heaven—I have already summoned their assistance. Everflowing Spring Palace will also send a Wheel-Sea Elder. When we act, you will all help me deal with the Tang family’s blacksmith shop,” the Young Prince declared, laying his plans bare. To deal with Chu Han, he would marshal every force at his command.

His words drew sharp breaths from the crowd. All now wondered what Chu Han had done to so offend the Young Prince, that even the Lingxu Grotto-Heaven would be involved. After all, Everflowing Spring Palace itself depended on Lingxu’s power.

“So the Young Prince has already broken through to the Wheel-Sea Realm! Truly the foremost genius of Jingyuan City—congratulations,” Tang Chengcheng smiled sweetly, throwing him a coquettish glance.