The silver formation in the sky continued descending slowly through the storm clouds, covering the entire district in a pressure so heavy even breathing became difficult.
Buildings trembled.
Glass shattered endlessly.
Far away, people collapsed in panic without understanding why their hearts suddenly felt suffocated.
But at the center of it all—
Su Chen stood unmoving.
Golden lines spread beneath his skin like living veins of light, ancient symbols flickering faintly across his neck and arms. The energy surrounding him no longer felt like ordinary spiritual qi.
It felt primal.
Wild.
Like something older than cultivation itself.
The Watcher stared at him silently.
For the first time since appearing—
Its expressionless eyes carried caution.
"…The synchronization should not have started yet."
The voice inside Su Chen's mind echoed again.
Primordial synchronization: 7%
Pain surged through his body instantly.
Not normal pain.
His bones felt like they were splitting apart from the inside while burning energy flooded through every meridian violently. His muscles tightened unnaturally as ancient power awakened piece by piece.
Yet his expression barely changed.
Lin Yanyan noticed immediately.
Her eyes sharpened.
"…You're injured."
"No."
Blood suddenly dripped from the corner of Su Chen's mouth.
The old man's face darkened instantly.
"The body is forcefully awakening."
Zhao Ren was still struggling under the pressure, one hand against the cracked street just to remain standing.
"What does that even mean?!"
The old man didn't look away from Su Chen.
"It means his physique is responding to a threat beyond the mortal world."
A pause.
"And that has never ended well in history."
The Watcher finally moved again.
Silver light gathered around its hand as space distorted violently.
This time—
Killing intent appeared clearly.
"Forbidden existence must be erased."
The moment those words fell—
The Watcher vanished.
No movement.
No transition.
Just gone.
Then—
BOOM.
The street exploded beneath Su Chen as the Watcher's strike landed directly in front of him. Space itself folded inward, creating a violent collapse that swallowed everything nearby.
Cars twisted into metal fragments instantly.
Concrete shattered.
The old man grabbed Zhao Ren and retreated immediately.
"Move!"
Lin Yanyan was already moving too, her instincts screaming danger as destructive force spread outward.
But through the collapsing space—
A figure remained standing.
Su Chen.
One hand raised.
Blocking.
The golden lines across his body glowed brighter now, pulsing like living fire beneath his skin.
The Watcher's silver eyes narrowed.
"…Impossible."
Su Chen's arm trembled slightly from the impact, blood running down his wrist, but his gaze remained calm.
Cold.
Focused.
Then—
He pushed forward.
The surrounding space cracked violently as the Watcher was forced backward for the first time.
The old man's pupils shrank.
"He pushed back a Watcher…"
Zhao Ren stared blankly at the scene.
His mind couldn't process it anymore.
Qi Condensation Realm.
That was what Su Chen claimed to be.
Yet right now—
He was fighting something beyond Spirit Transformation.
Lin Yanyan's eyes never left Su Chen.
Not fear.
Not shock.
Something deeper.
Because she could feel it now.
The thing awakening inside him…
Was terrifying.
The Watcher landed several meters away, silver light flickering around its body unstablely for the first time.
"You are incomplete," it said coldly.
"Yes."
"And still capable of this."
Su Chen wiped the blood from his mouth slowly.
"You talk like you've already won."
The golden markings suddenly spread across half his face.
The moment they did—
The pressure in the entire district changed.
No longer oppressive.
Dominating.
Like an ancient ruler had awakened and was looking down upon the world itself.
The voice inside Su Chen's mind echoed once more.
Primordial synchronization: 15%
More pain.
Sharper this time.
His heart slammed violently inside his chest as ancient memories briefly flashed through his mind.
Endless stars.
Broken worlds.
A giant figure standing beneath collapsing heavens.
And blood.
So much blood.
Su Chen's eyes flickered slightly.
The Watcher noticed immediately.
"You are remembering."
The old man's face changed.
"…Memories?"
The Watcher raised its hand again.
"Then you cannot be allowed to awaken further."
Silver light exploded across the sky formation above.
The massive circular seal began rotating faster, causing terrifying pressure waves to descend upon the city.
Entire streets cracked open.
Electricity failed across nearby districts.
People screamed in panic as the heavens themselves seemed to darken unnaturally.
Lin Yanyan looked upward briefly before turning back toward Su Chen.
"Can you stop that?"
Su Chen looked at the descending formation silently.
Then—
"No."
Zhao Ren's face paled instantly.
"What?!"
"I can destroy the Watcher."
A pause.
"Not the formation."
The old man's expression became grim.
"Because it's not an attack."
Everyone looked at him.
He continued heavily.
"It's a law."
Silence.
"The upper realms are suppressing this area directly."
Lin Yanyan frowned.
"…Meaning?"
The old man's eyes stayed on the descending silver circle.
"It means the heavens themselves are trying to erase him."
Zhao Ren felt cold all over.
Erase.
Not defeat.
Not capture.
Erase.
Like Su Chen's existence itself was unacceptable.
The Watcher spoke calmly.
"The Primordial Bloodline was judged long ago."
Su Chen's gaze darkened slightly.
"By who?"
"The ones above."
"And who gave them the right?"
For the first time—
The Watcher paused.
Just slightly.
Then—
"The strong require no permission."
The moment those words fell—
Something inside Su Chen snapped.
Not emotionally.
Instinctively.
The golden lines across his body ignited fully.
A terrifying wave of ancient energy exploded outward from him, forcing the Watcher back several steps instantly.
The old man's face lost all color.
"…No…"
The voice inside Su Chen's mind roared now.
Primordial synchronization: 22%
Bloodline authority detected.
Law resistance activating.
The descending silver formation trembled.
For the first time—
It slowed.
The Watcher's silver eyes widened slightly.
"…Authority?"
Su Chen slowly lifted his head.
His pupils were no longer fully human.
Faint gold burned within them now.
Ancient.
Emotionless.
Dangerous.
Then he spoke.
And his voice carried something else beneath it.
Something vast.
"You came to judge me…"
The street beneath his feet shattered completely.
The air screamed.
Space distorted violently around his body.
Even the rain evaporated before touching him.
Then—
Su Chen looked directly at the Watcher.
And smiled.
Not like a human.
Like a predator finally waking up.
"…But did you ask if this world still has the right to judge my bloodline?"
Silence crashed down across the district.
The Watcher stared at him.
For the first time since appearing—
Real danger reflected in its silver eyes.