The Ascension of Contracted Spirits

Chapter 836 - 338: Double Pupils

years—fleeting in an instant.

This was the 99th year since Ye Hanjun entered Shura’s Tomb, with only the final year left before leaving the tomb.

However, time flowed by, simple and unadorned.

He wandered through the knowledge torrents of the Ancient Cosmos Era, burning brightly every day, his divine hall full, his spirit high, completely losing track of time.

Aegifura, Absolute String, Huazhu, Goose Immortal, GuaGua, Chimera cubs, Meteorite Giant, Secret Technique Demon—night and day, refining the sacred Marks, improving their status by the day, equally unaware of the current year or where tomorrow would take them.

"Whoosh~~~"

The calm sea of blood suddenly rippled.

Ye Tianzi, with eyes firmly closed, slowly rose from the seabed in a peaceful, lying position.

He opened his eyes, and time had left indelible traces in his pupils, marks that pierced the soul with tranquility and steadiness.

As if frost couldn’t eat away at his bones, nor could the vast sea fill his heart.

Where he stood, light converged, and the elegance of a young man, vibrant and vital as a fine steed, was a sight to behold.

"Senior, have you awakened?"

Ye Hanjun, holding a scroll, slowly gathered his Soul Power.

His pitch-black eyes, spinning crazily like a vortex, softened in their turbulence, revealing wisdom and brilliance, his charm intact.

"A short nap turned into decades, truly impressive of you."

Ye Liuying, having put down her scroll, quipped the moment she came to her senses.

"I’ve been asleep here for 120,000 years. To me, isn’t a century just a ’moment’?"

Ye Tianzi stood up without kneeling, flipping his body 90 degrees from lying to standing, and said with ease:

"The Tomb will close in one year."

"As of now, little girl, your two Contracted Spirit Fond Spirits have gathered a total of 7 Marks."

"This boy, together with his Contracted Spirits and enslaved Servants, plus the Chimera cub, has gathered 55 Marks in total."

"Such a number will definitely play a crucial role at the key moment."

"But this is still not enough. What the Ye Clan truly lacks has never been Supreme Level combat power."

Ye Tianzi’s gaze fell upon Ye Hanjun with the same unflappable composure:

"You still have one final task to complete; are you ready?"

Ye Hanjun thought for a few seconds and mused aloud:

"Senior, there couldn’t be ’Divine Marks’ here, could there?"

"The sacred Marks do indeed have a minor effect on a battlefield worthy of Divine Enthronement."

"Given that this is the Ancestor’s fallback, I imagine there must be stronger measures..."

"Yes and no," Ye Tianzi first nodded, then shook his head, saying lightly:

"After being together for so long, haven’t you guessed my identity yet?"

"Guesses aren’t the same as certainty," Ye Liuying glanced at Ye Hanjun and murmured:

"You must be from the same era as the Ancestor, a veritable ancient venerable from the Ancient Cosmos Era."

"I once speculated that you were the Ancestor’s elder, a member of His immediate family."

"Ye Hanjun didn’t agree with this deduction, and dismissed it immediately."

"So?"

Ye Tianzi seemed to smile but not smile, his gaze swept over Ye Liuying and locked onto Ye Hanjun again:

"Who do you think I am?"

A gentle but palpable oppressive force approached.

Ye Hanjun clasped his fists and said methodically:

"Although there are confusing aspects, such as you calling the Ancestor by name and not showing much respect to the great deity."

"But after much thought, this place is called ’Tomb of Asura.’

"And you frankly stated, this is your resting place."

"Weighing it all, the truth, it seems, is already before our eyes."

As he spoke, Ye Hanjun lowered his head, his right hand over his heart, and said with utmost respect:

"Wouldn’t you say so, Lord Shura Bow?"

"Hahahaha—"

Ye Tianzi laughed heartily, as his robe billowed with the laughter, blood blossoms bloomed in the sea, each delicate and dazzling, incomparably beautiful.

"Back then, before I attained divine status, Ye Shura was worried I might fail to ascend and prepared a contingency plan."

"But I succeeded, and at the time, the contingency lost its purpose."

"Later, he refurbished this place, turning it into a Trial Ground for future generations, providing the crucible of blood and abundant treasures to prop up their growth, one after another, over ten thousand years."

"When my original body finally perished in battle, the 19th floor of the great Tomb was reactivated. The majority of my body’s fragments were transported into the Tomb, scattered in every corner, waiting for future generations to collect and gather..."

"Rumble—"

A loud noise as Corpse Mountain crumbled to both sides.

A giant crystal coffin, stretching over a kilometer, lay entwined in the center, like interlaced tree roots or overlapping mountain ridges, adorned with the majestic pose of dragons in the fantasy, the crystal sparkling with the brilliance of stars, everlasting at a glance.

Ye Hanjun and Ye Liuying took a deep breath, as if emerging from a long slumber, their souls shaken.

"Rumble rumble rumble rumble—"

The giant coffin lid slowly slid open.

Countless dark red shadows flickered. Upon closer inspection, they turned out to be pieces of metal.

The smallest were only the size of a fingernail, the largest large enough to cover a face.

But the divinity they exuded, even in mere traces, was enough to distort space and impart the terror of death.

The barely there killing intent gradually permeated the flesh, striking fear into the heart and chilling to the bone.

"Hum hum hum—"

Because the time for exploration was far too limited, Ye Liuying had no chance to search for the pieces of the Shura Bow.

Ye Hanjun, however, had as many as six pieces, not only covering his entire right arm but also part of his shoulder blade.