Pursuit of the Truth
chapter-189

The ninth section of the Chain was the final section of the entire Chain of Han Mountain. It was connected to Puqiang Mountain. If he stood there, he could see all the details on Puqiang Mountain clearly.

Su Ming took a step forward. The moment his foot landed on the ninth section of the Chain, a loud boom echoed in his body once again. This time, however, he was not the only one who heard the boom. That sound also reverberated in the air.

This was a sign that another blood vein was about to manifest as his blood veins clashed against each other in his body in a strange manner!

The sound may not have been loud, but it made the Elder and tribe leader standing on Puqiang Mountain, along with all those who heard it, to be shocked. It was as if their blood veins were stirring up due to the boom and started appearing one by one on their bodies.

The feeling of time spreading out from the ninth section of the Chain was incredibly shocking, causing Su Ming to be unable to move fast. He moved forward, and once he covered two tenths of the ninth section, a jolt ran through his entire body. The booming sounds inside his body were growing stronger, reaching a volume that shook the heavens and earth. Amidst the dense blood veins covering the chest of the blood red giant above him, another blood vein appeared once again!

The 981st vein!

Su Ming lifted his head and looked at the clear sky. His eyes, which were hidden underneath the hood, were sparkling brightly. By revealing that he had attained completion of the Blood Solidification Realm when he climbed the Chains of Han Mountain, not only could he amaze the people, as per his goal, he could also use this method to increase his power as he walked through the Chains of Han Mountain.

The Elders of the three tribes and the other leaders had guessed that Su Ming wanted to use the Chains of Han Mountain to increase his blood veins, but they did not manage to speculate that Su Ming had a second goal.

Su Ming took in a deep breath. Mountain breeze blew against his face, causing him to feel as if his breathing had stilled. Even if he managed to suck in a breath into his mouth, it was difficult for him to inhale it. The Chain swayed under his feet. With each swing, it would feel as if time itself was surging like waves.

"981 blood veins… It’s still not enough," Su Ming mumbled and moved forward once again.

He had no idea how those who managed to walk through the ninth section of the Chain did it. He could sense that the speed at which the Chain was absorbing his life force was so quick that even a Berserker in the Transcendence Realm would find it hard to counter it. Even if they managed to walk through it, their vitality would suffer greatly.

A glint appeared in Su Ming’s eyes. He walked forward and the distance between him and Puqiang Mountain continuously shrank. The presence emitting forth from his body grew once again after the time it takes to burn an incense stick.

This time, the additional blood vein also appeared on his chest. As it was reflected on the giant above him, all the people in the area saw the 982nd blood vein appearing abruptly on Su Ming’s body.

Uproars broke out in the area. Han Mountain City was seething with excitement. All the people from the three tribes stood on the three mountains gazing upon Su Ming standing on the ninth section of the Chain with a respectful look.

"982 blood veins! If he finishes walking through the ninth section, just how many blood veins will he manage to obtain?!"

"I’ve never seen a Berserker attaining great completion in the Blood Solidification Realm before. Could… Could he be trying to create a miracle and challenge himself to achieve the one state that was considered rare even during the time of the Ancients... 1,000 blood veins?!"

"1,000 blood veins… I’ve heard about an old saying, ‘Those who Transcend with 1,000 blood veins will be the strongest among all below the Bone Sacrifice Realm!’"

Discussions were rife in the air, but the Elders and tribe leaders were silent, their faces filled with reverence towards Su Ming.

Su Ming continued walking down the Chain. He could sense his own might. As his blood veins increased, even if it was just by one blood vein, it felt as if he had taken a gigantic leap forward in his Path, making him realize clearly that he had total control over a certain power.

That power was the power of the Qi from all 982 blood veins. It was a power that was unique to all Berserkers who attained great completion of the Blood Solidification Realm!

He would even occasionally look at the sky. The clouds had been ripped apart and in their place was a layer of mist. That mist was not as thick as the clouds, but it was filled with a majestic presence. The deity statue of Transcendence was rapidly materializing in the sky. Once it appeared again, it would mean that Su Ming needed to Transcend.

"I’ve finally chosen to Transcend…"

Su Ming looked at the mist tumbling in the sky with a conflicted expression. He lifted his foot and walked forward along the Chain slowly.

Walking on the Chain was akin to walking on the passages of time. However, the memories of his life when he was in Dark Mountain surfaced in his mind. How many years had it been? Perhaps it had been four to five years, perhaps it was longer. Su Ming could not tell himself with certainty just how many years it had been.

The memories of the confusion and sorrow when he initially arrived in the Land of South Morning, and when he laid on the mountainside crying as he looked at the sky at a loss were still fresh in his mind.

The already mighty presence within Su Ming’s body increased once again, and there were 983 blood veins on the giant above him now!

The 983 blood veins glowed with a bright red light that lit up the sky and pierced into the eyes of all those watching. A mighty pressure that could make all those in the Blood Solidification Realm tremble erupted forth from Su Ming’s body.

All those who were in the Blood Solidification Realm within Han Mountain City and the three tribes started shivering faintly under this pressure, as if they were about to lose control of their bodies and were going to fall down to their knees to worship.

This was the subjugation of blood veins. It was also something that would only appear once a Berserker attained great completion of the Blood Solidification Realm – a subjugation of a level equivalent to those in the Transcendence Realm!

During the first time he saw Jing Nan, the very first time he saw a powerful Berserker in the Transcendence Realm, Su Ming’s heart had been overwhelmed by shock and eagerness. The seed of desire to become a powerful Transcended Berserker was sown in his heart since that time and been growing ever since.

"I want to Transcend. I want to be a powerful Berserker in the Transcendence Realm…" Su Ming mumbled.

This was his most straightforward wish at that time – to become a powerful Transcended Berserker and protect his tribe.

Yet now… Sorrow appeared on Su Ming’s face. He was close to Transcendence, so close that he could Transcend at any moment, however… he could no longer find the desire to Transcend in hopes to protect his tribe.

His sorrow melted into the presence emanating from his body, making the people sink into an indescribable state of depression, causing the commotion in the area to become silent.

As Su Ming walked, his blood veins increased by one again, and he now had 984 blood veins!

The existence of 984 blood veins caused Su Ming to be covered densely by blood veins, as if every inch of his skin was occupied.

The sky rumbled, thunder roared, lightning continued crackling in the sky. The mist that covered the sky gathered together and the contour of the deity statue of Transcendence appeared.

The instant the statue’s contour appeared, its might descended upon everyone. All the living beings on the land felt their hearts shaken to the core at that moment.

Su Ming continued walking, and the image of Bi Tu, the Elder of Black Mountain Tribe, surfaced in his mind. This was the second Transcended Berserker he saw. Su Ming even had the feeling that Bi Tu was stronger than Jing Nan.

Bi Tu’s strength came from his power in the Transcendence Realm. The strange Berserker Arts he’d casted, their fierce battle against each other had caused Su Ming to feel powerless time and again, and his desire to Transcend had increased.

Booming sounds came from within Su Ming, and the 985th blood vein manifested! The shocking speed made all those who saw show expressions of disbelief. Even Nan Tian and the others, including Han Fei Zi, found it hard to hide the shock in their eyes.

They suddenly understood once again why Su Ming chose not to Transcend all those months ago! He was not pleased with the number of blood veins he had. He… wanted to obtain more!

With 985 blood veins, he could call himself a Berserker who attained great completion in the Blood Solidification Realm, yet with each individual increase of one more blood vein once he attained great completion, his strength once he Transcended would also increase.

The difference that existed between him and those who Transcended would also be gigantic!

Su Ming walked forth silently. He felt as if he had returned to the moment when he first arrived in Han Mountain City, had returned to the time when he first saw He Feng and Han Fei Zi. At that time, he had absolutely not expected that he would one day become He Feng’s Master, much less cross hands with Han Fei Zi and from then on become entangled with her.

"Elder, do you know? Your La Su is about to Transcend… he’s about draw his own Berserker Mark. How would my Berserker Mark look like..?" Su Ming mumbled as he took another step, another blood vein manifesting on his skin.

The 986th vein!

By then, Su Ming had walked through most of the ninth section of the Chain. There was not even 1,000 feet away between him and Puqiang Mountain. Not only could Su Ming see the faces of those standing on the summit, the Elder of Puqiang Tribe and the others could also see Su Ming’s robes clearly.

The Elder of Puqiang Tribe lowered his head in reverence.

By his side, the tribe leader also lowered his head as if he was waiting for Su Ming’s arrival.

At the moment, the sky was illuminated by blood light. Thunder rumbled above. The deity statue of Transcendence was materializing slowly, becoming whole from just being a mere outline.

The domineering might became stronger and covered the entire land!

It was also at that moment that a sudden bright light came from Lake of Colors Tribe. That light was white. If it were during normal times, the light would not garner much attention as it was also daylight, but since the world was illuminated in red, when the white light shone, it immediately became glaringly obvious.

The light caught a lot of people’s attention, but only a handful people knew the source of the light.

"Relocation?"

The Elder of Tranquil East was stunned. He cast a glance at the tribe leader, and they saw the uncertainty in each other’s eyes.

Puqiang Tribe was similarly swathed in uncertainty. Even Lake of Colors Tribe was also uncertain. The old woman turned her head around swiftly and looked towards the location where the light was shining. That was the center of the summit of Lake of Colors Mountain. There was a gigantic picture carved on the ground over there.

"Elder, this… that Relocation Rune can only be used by Freezing Sky Clan… could it be..?"

Yan Luan looked towards the old woman.

The old woman remained silent for a moment before she nodded.

However, right at the moment the Relocation light appeared, it was instantly crushed into mere fragments of light by the domineering pressure formed by the deity statue of Transcendence that appeared in the sky. The fragments scattered away.

At the same time, in the sky above a remote mountain 10,000 li away from Han Mountain City, a loud boom suddenly resounded in the sky. A white light came out of nowhere and turned into a complex picture that burst apart. Three people walked out of the white light, looking like a right mess.

"What happened in Han Mountain City? There’s something interfering with the power of Relocation. It could only transfer us here!"

The leader of the three people was an old man in white. His eyes were sparkling with an intimidating might. At that moment, he was frowning as he looked towards Han Mountain City.

The two people by his side were a man and a woman respectively. The two of them were in their thirties. They were extraordinarily good-looking, and what was more, they were Berserkers in the Transcendence Realm!

The person who spoke was the younger man.