My divine sense hurtled through empty space, pulled by an inexorable force toward the ancient stone statue. The sensation was disorienting—like being yanked out of my body by an invisible hand.


    When my consciousness settled, I found myself facing a spectral figure emanating from the stone. The Earth Fiend Valley Ancestor.


    He appeared as an elderly man with a long beard, his translucent form flickering with instability. Despite his imposing reputation, he looked unexpectedly frail.


    "You''ve arrived atst," the Ancestor said, his voice raspy yetmanding. "I''ve waited centuries for someone strong enough to receive my summons."


    I kept my expression neutral, hiding my wariness. "Why have you called me here?"


    The Ancestor''s eyes gleamed with desperate hope. "Tell me, young one—what has be of Earth Fiend Valley? My descendants? The seal that binds me?"


    I decided to y along, testing his intentions. "Earth Fiend Valley still stands," I lied smoothly. "Though they faced challenges recently."


    "And the seal?" he pressed eagerly. "The formation that keeps me trapped in this stone prison?"


    "I believe I can break it," I responded, watching his reaction carefully.


    His spectral form brightened noticeably. "Excellent! Free me, and I shall reward you beyond your wildest dreams. Powers forgotten for millennia will be yours."


    "What would you require of me?" I asked, feigning interest.


    "Return to this statue physically. ce your hand upon it and channel your divine sense through the meridian points carved into the stone." His words came faster now, excitement poorly concealed. "The seal will shatter, and both of us will benefit enormously."


    I nodded solemnly. "I understand. I''ll return to free you soon."


    "Do not dy!" he urged, his form flickering more intensely. "My power wanes with each passing day."


    With calcted deference, I bowed slightly. "Until then, Ancestor."


    I pulled my divine sense back, returning to my physical body on the ne. Conrad was still staring at me with concern.


    "Liam? What happened?" he asked, gripping my shoulder.


    I held up a hand, signaling him to wait as I closed my eyes and activated my father''s technique—Divine Judgment. Golden light flickered behind my eyelids as I directed my consciousness inward, searching for what I suspected was there.


    Deep within my spiritual core, I found it—a subtle, foreign imprint left by the Ancestor during ourmunication. Most cultivators would never detect such a thing, but after my experiences with Adrian Whitlock''s mind control, I''d developed heightened sensitivity to spiritual intrusions.


    This imprint was masterfully crafted, designed to remain dormant until triggered. But its purpose wasn''t mere control as I''d initially suspected—it was far worse.


    I examined the construct carefully, tracing itsplex spiritual architecture. This was meant to devour my divine sense entirely, providing the failing Ancestor with the energy needed for reincarnation.


    The realization sparked cold anger within me. I''d been marked as a sacrifice.


    "Attempting to use me, are you?" I muttered, focusing my power.


    The golden energy of Divine Judgment expanded from my spiritual core, encircling the foreign imprint. Like a divine me purifying corruption, my father''s technique began systematically erasing the Ancestor''s mark.


    The process was delicate—one misstep could damage my own divine sense—but I proceeded methodically, burning away the invasive spiritual construct until nothing remained.


    When I opened my eyes, Conrad was watching me with undisguised concern.


    "Another enemy?" he asked quietly.


    "The Earth Fiend Valley Ancestor," I replied, my voice hard. "He''s not as dead as his disciples believed."


    Conrad''s eyes widened. "What does he want?"


    "To use me as a vessel for his reincarnation," I said, a cold smile forming on my lips. "But I think it''s time I paid him a proper visit instead."


    I closed my eyes again, sending my divine sense back toward the statue with purposeful force. This time, I didn''t wait for his summons—I invaded his spiritual space. <small ss="in-imprint-b">Find the source of this chapter at *.</small>


    The Ancestor appeared startled by my return. "You''vee back so soon? Have you decided to help me already?"


    "I have," I said, letting my fa?ade drop. "But first, I should tell you what really happened to Earth Fiend Valley."


    His spectral form tensed. "What do you mean?"


    "Earth Fiend Valley is destroyed," I stated tly. "Your disciples are dead. Your sacred grounds lie in ruins."


    Rage contorted his ghostly features. "You lie!"


    "I crushed them myself," I continued, satisfaction coloring my voice. "Adrian Whitlock is dead by my hand. Your bloodline techniques have been broken. Your legacy is finished."


    "YOU!" The Ancestor''s form expanded with fury, spectral energy crackling around him. "You dare!"


    I remained unmoved. "I also found the imprint you ced within me. Did you think I wouldn''t notice? That I''d blindly serve as your sacrifice?"


    Panic shed across his ancient face before being reced by cold calction. "Clever boy. But it matters not. You''ve brought your divine sense back to me willingly. Now you''ll pay for your insolence!"


    He lunged forward, attempting to engulf my divine sense with his own. But where he expected to find a vulnerable mortal, he encountered something far more dangerous.


    My divine sense, fortified by techniques passed down from my father, stood firm against his assault. His attacks slid harmlessly past my defenses like water off stone.


    "Impossible," he hissed. "How can you resist me? I am centuries old!"


    "And considerably weakened," I observed coolly. "You expended much of your power maintaining that statue and the imprint you ced on me. Now you have neither."


    The Ancestor''s form flickered violently as realization dawned. "The imprint—you destroyed itpletely?"


    "Every trace," I confirmed. "Without it, you have no hold over me. No means of devouring my divine sense for your reincarnation."


    Desperation reced his rage. He gathered what remained of his power for one final assault—a concentrated beam of malevolent energy aimed directly at me.


    I didn''t dodge. Instead, I activated the Heaven Swallowing Skill, a technique I''d refined since consuming Adrian''s spiritual energy.


    Like an overwhelming tide meeting a drought-parched streambed, my power engulfed his attack and continued forward, catching the Ancestor''s weakened divine sense in its inexorable pull.


    "What—what are you doing?" Terror filled his voice as he felt himself being drawn into me. "This cannot be! I am immortal! I am the Earth Fiend Ancestor!"


    "You are nothing," I replied calmly. "And soon, not even a memory."


    His screams echoed through the spiritual ne as I methodically devoured his divine sense. Centuries of umted knowledge, power, and malice flowed into me—all of it bing mine tomand.


    The stone statue in the physical world began to crack. Fissures spread across its ancient surface as its spiritual anchor disintegrated within my Heaven Swallowing Skill.


    With a final, desperate wail, thest fragments of the Earth Fiend Valley Ancestor''s consciousness dissolved into my divine sense. The statue shatteredpletely, reduced to worthless rubble.


    I opened my eyes on the ne, a slight smile ying at the corners of my lips. The Ancestor''s power—what little remained of it—now served me. His knowledge of forbidden techniques and ancient formations had be mine. A fitting end for someone who had sought to consume me.


    But my satisfaction was short-lived. As my divine sense fully returned to my body, I sensed something unexpected—a presence on the ne that hadn''t been there before.


    My expression changed abruptly as I sat up straight, eyes darting around the cabin.


    "Liam?" Conrad whispered, noticing my sudden alertness. "What''s wrong now?"


    I didn''t answer immediately, my senses stretching outward to confirm what I''d detected. There was no mistake—someone with considerable power was aboard our aircraft, their aura carefully masked but not perfectly concealed from my heightened perception.


    "We havepany," I finally responded, my voice low and tense. "Someone followed us from Earth Fiend Valley."


    The victory over the Ancestor suddenly felt hollow as new danger loomed. Who was watching us from the shadows? And what were they waiting for?