With the sudden appearance of the female voice, the collapse of the entire Secret Realm instantly came to a halt. Even the rampaging demonic beasts froze in place. They lowered their bodies to the ground in the most submissive posture, trembling in fear.
Everything happened so quickly that no one—including Su Ming—had time to react.
“Mother… is that you?” Su Ming didn’t even realize how much hope was in his voice when he asked that question.
“Yes… my little Ming’er, even though it’s just a trace of will, I finally get to see you…” The voice in his mind carried a deep sorrow, just like when Su Wu’s will first spoke to him.
For this child they had personally brought into the world yet were forced to abandon, both parents felt overwhelming guilt.
Hearing her voice, Su Ming was truly grateful for his transmigration—at least he had a real family now. Even if the three of them were separated by the ends of the world.
“When I gave birth to you, you were still so small. In the blink of an eye, my little Ming’er has already grown so much…”
“I’m really sorry, my son… for not being able to stay by your side.”
“Mother, you don’t need to explain. Father already told me everything. I don’t blame either of you.”
Having experienced destiny’s targeting firsthand, Su Ming finally understood what his parents had gone through. He also gained a deeper understanding of how lightly Su Wu had spoken of it at the time.
“We thought that placing you in this world would minimize destiny’s pursuit.”
“But we didn’t expect it would still cling to my son so disgustingly.”
“You’re nothing but a strand of fate, a possibility. You have no right to dictate everything or to decide the path of all living beings!”
Her voice, cold and dignified, carried unstoppable fury that pierced through space itself.
In an instant, Su Ming felt the overwhelming malice dissipate completely. In the distance, Chu Fan collapsed, convulsing on the ground.
With just one sentence, the destiny that had been targeting him was thoroughly shattered.
The scene changed again, and Su Ming suddenly realized he had exited the Secret Realm and now stood before Li Jianping and the elders.
“I ask you, why was my son in a place like that?”
The high-ranking members of the Trinity Saint Sect immediately dropped to their knees the moment they came to their senses.
Just one sentence—and all the sect’s elders were on the ground, trembling uncontrollably, unable to answer.
“I asked you a question. Are you all deaf?!”
As those words fell, thunder crashed from the sky, tearing a massive gap through the sect’s protective formation.
All the elders turned their gazes toward Li Jianping, cursing him silently in their hearts. If he’d brought Su Ming out earlier, how could this have happened?
“This was merely a segment of the sect’s grand competition… with us monitoring the event, no accidents could possibly occur…”
“Then why was my son still inside when the Secret Realm collapsed?!”
“T-That was…” Li Jianping’s voice trembled. He spoke with great difficulty, “It was to temper the disciples’ abilities. I swear on my life… there was absolutely no danger!”
“What is the ultimate goal of the sect competition?”
“To select the Holy Son…”
“In that case, no need to continue the contest. Announce it to the entire Trinity Saint Sect—my son is your Holy Son of this generation.”
There was no hint of consultation in her words. It was a decree.
“Does anyone have a problem with that? If you do, speak now. If not, then it’s settled.”
“We obey the will of the Supreme One…” Li Jianping slowly bowed his head and then spread his voice throughout the entire Trinity Saint Sect using spiritual power.
“As Sect Master of the Trinity Saint Sect, I hereby announce: Disciple Su Ming is the Holy Son of this generation.”
Although many had targeted Su Ming and resisted his candidacy for Holy Son along the way, the current situation left no room for refusal. If they didn’t recognize him now, their sect would vanish from history.
[Congratulations, host, for completing the challenge and becoming the sect’s Holy Son. Battle Puppet has been issued to the system space.]
[Congratulations, host, for surviving the destiny targeting. A mysterious reward has been issued to the system space.]
However, Su Ming wasn’t paying attention to the system notifications. His mind was filled with his mother’s voice.
“My Ming’er, this is all I can do for you right now… This Sect Master harbors ill intentions. You must remain vigilant.”
“But don’t worry too much. Your father and I will always be watching over you. We’ll be your strongest backing.”
Knowing her will was about to fall silent, Su Ming asked the question that had been on his mind, “Mother, I still don’t know your name…”
“Ling Xiao. That’s your mother’s name.”
The voice faded from his mind. After being in this world for so long, Su Ming finally knew his parents’ names.
“Su Wu… Ling Xiao…”
He repeated their names silently in his heart, then turned his gaze toward Li Jianping.
A cold smile appeared on Su Ming’s lips. Some people only learn their lesson after they’ve kicked an iron wall and felt the pain.
Hearing this seemingly kind reminder, Li Jianping’s eyes flashed with humiliation—but he still obediently did as told.
With the elders taking action, all the disciples were finally rescued—except for one.
Chu Fan.
He seemed to have been caught in spatial turbulence and was now missing.
Upon learning this result, Su Ming instantly understood it was destiny at work.
Chu Fan definitely wouldn’t die. And before long, the system would probably notify him that Chu Fan had gained some great opportunity.
Within Destiny Vision, Chu Fan’s representative tree had already withered by one-tenth. Most of the branches that stretched into the Trinity Saint Sect had broken off completely.
Looking at his gains, Su Ming nodded in satisfaction.
[Name]: Su Ming
[Realm]: 1st stage Longevity Realm
[Innate Divine Abilities]: Supreme Chaos Physique (Stage 1), Innate Dao Bone
[Techniques]: Creation Origin Canon (Level 1), Trinity Scripture (Level 3)
[Possessions]: Will of Heavenly Dao *2, Chaos Spirit Crystal, Battle Puppet (Half-step Void Realm), Heaven-Earth Freedom (movement-type martial technique)
[Destiny Points]: (approaching 300,000)
With nearly 300,000 Destiny Points, even if Chu Fan encountered more opportunities, Su Ming would be able to destroy or steal them easily.
What surprised him most, though, was the Heaven-Earth Freedom he received as the mysterious reward.
The system’s description of this technique was brief: Heaven and Earth—mine to roam freely.
After instantly learning it through the system, Su Ming took a single step—and when he looked back, he was already outside the sect’s boundary.
He had bypassed the protective formation without triggering any alarms.
Realizing the power of this technique, he took another step and reappeared on Chenyang Peak.
“With this Half-step Void Realm Battle Puppet and this movement technique, once the Trinity Secret Realm ends, I can head straight to the place where Chu Fan’s greatest cheat is hidden.”
Su Ming looked at the ring in his hand.
“Very soon, I’ll come and take you for myself.”