The Divine Nine-Dragon Cauldron
chapter-122

Ripple, splash—

At this moment, a giant whirlpool appeared in the Icy Azure Lake.

The azure waves rippled. An alarming chilly energy and spirit energy poured out from within.

At the same time, an azure pearl the size of a house slowly floated above the water.

The pearl was bright, and had dreamlike qualities!

The referee came to his senses from the soul-wrenching fight earlier, announcing in a high pitched voice, "The strongest candidate in the Fallen Star Contest is the Outer Sanctum disciple, Su Yu! Finally, he shall receive the test of the Icy Pearl. Should he be qualified, he will earn the right to enter the Inner Sanctum!"

The crowd held their breath. A historic moment was about to happen.

Su Yu was incredibly talented, incredibly extraordinary. Could he leap over the hurdles and fly amongst the dragons?

"Touch the Icy Pearl with your hands. If you are qualified, the pearl would turn red. If not, the pearl would once again sink to the bottom of the lake. Start!" The referee gravely announced.

There hadn't been anyone that managed to activate the Icy Pearl in the past century. Could Su Yu succeed?

Whoosh—

Su Yu took a few deep breaths. He was pale. After forcing a breakthrough and using his full powers, coupled with the heavy injuries he sustained during the fight, his stamina could not hold up!

He was shaky as he walked to the edge of the bridge. He placed his hands on the Icy Pearl. A chill spread within him, sending an invisible wave of energy into his body, inspecting his situation.

After some time, the Icy Pearl vibrated slightly.

The contest hall was silent, only a few soft breaths could be heard.

When the Icy Pearl vibrated, the hearts of everyone reached their throats.

Would it turn red? Would Su Yu become an Inner Sanctum disciple?

But, under the witness of many, after the slight vibration of the Icy Pearl, it… sank back down into the water!

In the blink of an eye, a good portion of the Icy Pearl had resubmerged into the water, leaving only a small fraction above the water surface!

Failed!

Su Yu did not qualify!

After that soul-wrenching fight, after Su Yu had broken through his despair, after the fight that defied fate, he had still failed!

Was there no way to free these hundred-year-old shackles?

Even the fate-defying Su Yu could not shatter the century-old shackles of destiny!

Su Yu's eyes gradually turned expressionless, his heart quickly turned cold.

It had an unprecedented impact on him! He could not accept the scene he saw before him. He had charged forward to this point, and all he got was an unfeeling failure.

Why? He had charged forward to the front of the Inner Sanctum, to the front of the steel bridge, and to Xianer. Could he not pass this final hurdle?

There was only an inch between him and the Inner Sanctum, between him and Xianer.

Was he doomed to a lifetime of regret, simply because of this Icy Pearl?

Would he truly be blocked out of the Inner Sanctum by the Icy Pearl and forced to helplessly watch Xianer marry another man?

Why was heaven so unfair?

He let out a piercing shout from his heart!

His feelings of anger and injustice materialized into a ball of air within him, threatening to pierce through his chest and kill everything under the sky, obliterating fate and destiny altogether!

At this moment, a thick killing intent pierced the clouds!

Su Yu's purple pupils gradually turned into a wine-red shade. From afar, they looked like a pair of bloody eyes! His silver hair and purple robe, coupled with his blood red eyes, made him look evil and sinister!

The mysterious and noble aura of the past was no more. At this moment, there was only a demonic presence that was not mortal, one that made mortal's tremble.

"The heavens have forsaken me. I would rather become a demon!" Su Yu raised his head, sighing. blood rippled within his red eyes.

His dark words shook the hearts of many. His message was sent loud and clear towards the heavens; fate had turned him into a demon. Su Yu was a mix of fury and rebellion.

Whoosh—

The power of the blood-red eyes caused the hearts of many to race in fear. Su Yu shot a cold look to the Icy Pearl that was steadily sinking.

"Not even the heavens can stop my fate, much less a mere pearl!" Su Yu's tone was icy.

While the crowd struggled to find words, Su Yu flew above the Icy Azure Lake and, with a flick of his fingers, he summoned countless Divine Ice Threads, circling the Icy Pearl.

"Rise!"

Letting out a low grunt, Su Yu's silver hair danced. He grabbed out with his hand, fixing the house-sized Icy Pearl in place!

"Him! What is he doing?" The crowd was shocked by Su Yu's insane gesture!

The referee felt a chill run across his scalp. "Su Yu! Stop!"

"Hmph! A mere pearl wants to decide my fate?" Su Yu turned his palm, pulling it from the water.

Creak—

The Icy Pearl was pulled ten inches above the water's surface!

"This… this is too insane! He wants to claim the Icy Pearl!"

No one had done something this insane throughout history! It was truly as if a heaven-defying demon was fighting the unjust wheels of fate!

Whirr—

But the Icy Pearl seemed to have a will of its own. It spun quickly as it forced itself down towards the water.

Snap—

Su Yu was connected to the Divine Ice threads, and he was brought plunging down together with the pearl.

His appearance was icy cold. Su Yu's blood eyes glowed like the last vestiges of sunlight during sunset.

The sky, ground, meteor, and faction—everything was drowned in the wine-red glow.

In that moment, everyone lost their spatial awareness. Everything around them slipped into an unreal dimension.

"Space Manipulation!"

Letting out a low grunt, the wine-red glow spilled out. Su Yu was a king of time. At his command, the surrounding space prostated itself and was transformed!

Creak—

The Icy Pearl was still spinning, without realising it had been teleported before Su Yu.

"Pass!" Su Yu ordered, striking the Icy Pearl with his palm!

Other than the slight vibration, the Icy Pearl showed no other signs of acknowledgment.

"Hmph! Then I shall continue until I have shattered you!" Su Yu's palm manifested the Purple Star Thunderbolt, the spiritual energy and the energy of his blood fully activated!

The blood droplets from within the Nine-Dragon Cauldron in his veins fused into his attack.

Rumble—

A horrifying attack shook the Icy Pearl.

A light cracking sound surrounded the Icy Pearl. It had developed a crack under Su Yu's attack!

The crowd gasped. He… he wanted to destroy the Icy Pearl?

If it did not obey his wishes, he would destroy every trace of it! It was total insanity!

After the blow, the Icy Pearl, as if felt an intense pain, stopped its spin and showed a radiant red glow!

Pass! Su Yu passed!

The Icy Pearl had submitted to Su Yu's killing intent!

Su Yu, who had failed, had forced the Icy Pearl to revoke it's initial decision!

The contest hall fell silent; no one could say anything! A light breeze dissipated the cold fog, but it could not blow away the awe in the hearts of the crowd.

It was the same for the Outer Sanctum disciples, the Inner Sanctum disciples, and even the referee.

After awhile, the referee hesitated before he announced the ultimate decision. "Su Yu… passed! He has earned the right to enter the Inner Sanctum!"

The century old shackles had ultimately been shattered. As the announcement of the referee slowly reverberated around the contest hall, a silence enveloped the audience.

Rumble—

Suddenly, an unprecedented cheer erupted within the arena!

There was deafening applause, excited shrieks, and crazy shouts. The fanfare rained down on the brilliant genius!

A mortal body had fought against all the talents from the same generation! His singular power had done what all had failed to do for the past century. After declaring himself a demon and forsaking heaven, he had channeled his fury into his power and had forced the Icy Pearl to submit to his will!

These events would be forever etched into the hearts of the disciples. He would be the inspiration for an entire generation! Su Yu was like a ruler. He sat silently suspended in the air, accepting the respect of everyone around him.

Su Yu looked up, wearing a mocking smile as he thought of the wheels of fate. "No one can stop me! Not even heaven or Earth!" These words reverberated through the air, clearly audible to everyone in the arena.

They would never forget, even years later, that there was one a legendary youth that even heaven failed to stop!

Rumble—

Amongst the fanfare of the crowd the Icy Pearl suddenly spun hurriedly more violently than ever before.

Suddenly, Su Yu was dragged down towards the Icy Azure Lake!

The strong wind blew beside his ears. Su Yu wore a mocking and cold smile. "You wish to drag me into the depths of the abyss? You hate me!" He was dragged along by the Divine Ice Threads without an opportunity to free himself.

Before he plunged into the water, he looked up at the clouds and let out a rebellious sigh. "I, Su Yu… will eventually be back!" These were the final words of a rebellious demon!

He would not die.

He had forsaken the heavens and turned into a demon, the heavens could not bury him so easily.

He would return!

Plosh—

The Icy Pearl dragged Su Yu along and plunged into the ice cold Icy Azure Lake.

Ten foot tall waves washed over him as they transformed into a terrifying chilly energy, freezing multiple areas around the arena.

Crack—

Where the water landed, the earth turned into pitiful ice!

The vast chilly energy froze the water vapours in the air, transforming into a celestial fog, enveloping half the arena.

The temperature of the arena dropped quickly! The area around the arena was frozen rapidly and began to flood. Many trembled under the cold and the lips of many turned blue.

But no one left.

The passionate fanfare from earlier had abruptly stopped, as if the string had snapped from a violin, slipping the arena into silence.

Su Yu had plunged under the Icy Azure Lake!

He had rebelled against the heavens. He had smashed the wheels of fate. He had obtained the right to enter the Inner Sanctum—why did his story have to end here?

After a moment, feelings of fury and pity suddenly surfaced on the audience's faces!

Such a figure, such an undefeatable king... Why was this his fate?

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

Upwards of a thousand disciples flew toward the Icy Azure Lake. They did not accept that Su Yu would perish here! He was a figure who had crowned the stars. He was a person who had fought against fate and continued fighting on the stage.

Why had he disappeared?

There were still ripples on the Icy Azure Lake, Su Yu's grave disguised as waves.

"No!" A person from within the crowd could not stop himself, unable to hide his grief.

Su Yu had provided them with a sliver of hope to cling to among despair and anger. He had provided the hope that maybe someday things could change. Maybe, someday, they too could achieve what he had done!

But all that hope had disappeared along with Su Yu into the water!

The referee was shocked for a long moment. Everything had happened too fast, even he didn't have the power to save Su Yu.

He was silent for a while before announcing the grim news. "Su Yu has died!"

Under the Icy Azure Lake rested the remains of previous generations of warriors; the ice cold water swallowed any hopes of survival. A Holy King would undoubtedly die if they fell in! Even powerful Dragon Realm warriors would have much difficulty surviving.

"He will eventually be back!" A low voice came from within the crowd.

The referee shuddered slightly. "Su Yu has died…"

"He will eventually be back!" Another voice came from the crowd.

The referee creased his brows. He had a duty to report the situation. "Su Yu…"

"He will eventually be back..."

"Will eventually be back..."

"Be back…"

A thousand voices fused into one, shaking the Liuxian faction.

Su Yu's last words reverberated in the air.

Under the uproar, the referee no longer had the heart to announce Su Yu's death!

The final words of Su Yu were ringing in his ears.

I, Su Yu, will eventually be back!