Urban Super Medical Sage Chapter 2040 - 2136: Explosive Growth

"So formidable?" Su Chen let out a soft gasp. The Iceflame Vermilion Bird was, as imagined, incredibly terrifying beyond belief!

Even with its powers restrained by its predecessor, it still possessed such overwhelmingly powerful techniques?

This was indeed a good development.

With the Iceflame Vermilion Bird by his side, Su Chen’s heart felt completely settled.

Without a moment’s delay, Su Chen directly consumed the Sword Heart Stone.

Precisely so.

This was the intended use of the Sword Heart Stone. For countless millennia, no one within the Imperial Family had ever conceived of ingesting the stone, making it an extraordinary discovery for Su Chen.

Following Su Chen’s act of swallowing the Sword Heart Stone.

Instantly.

A stone that was originally hard beyond comprehension and seemed utterly indigestible, upon being consumed by Su Chen, inexplicably... inexplicably... inexplicably liquefied.

It dissolved into delicate streams of subtle vapor.

Even more remarkably, these vapors swiftly ascended into Su Chen’s mind.

Before long.

They all converged within Su Chen’s consciousness.

Furthermore.

These vapors coalesced to form a humanoid shape.

An incredibly lifelike human form.

A supreme, majestic figure.

A figure holding a long sword aloft.

That figure merely cast a single glance at Su Chen, and Su Chen experienced an overwhelming sensation, as if his very soul was on the verge of being ripped apart.

Profoundly potent!!!

Absolute majesty!

Su Chen was utterly convinced that if that figure were alive, a single strike, no, perhaps even half a strike, would suffice to obliterate him completely.

Su Chen had already deduced that the figure was most likely that of a Great Emperor.

The Great Emperors were indeed awe-inspiringly formidable.

Simply possessed of an indescribable might!

Yet, this encounter also fueled Su Chen’s ambition further. Despite the Great Emperor’s immense power, his own aspirations far surpassed theirs. How else could he shatter the barriers of the Flame Plane? How else could he return to the Su Family? How else could he locate his mother?

After the initial wave of profound shock subsided, Su Chen steadied his mind, his gaze locked intently upon the spectral figure.

And at this precise moment, the figure began to brandish the long sword.

Su Chen’s eyes widened further in revelation.

For the figure was merely making sword motions with the long blade, yet each movement was imbued with an indescribable, unprecedented ethereal grace!

This was the essence of Sword Rhyme.

This... this... this manifestation of the Great Emperor before him, seemed to exude Sword Rhyme with every gesture... it was the Nine Segments!

It was the ultimate Nine Segments Sword Rhyme!

Su Chen’s heart pounded, his eyes gleaming like the myriad stars scattered across the celestial expanse.

Fixated on the Great Emperor’s swordplay.

He did not grasp it all.

But he felt an immense sense of satisfaction, gleaning countless profound and ineffable insights.

Su Chen fully immersed himself in this transcendent experience.

Meanwhile.

The thirty-three potent individuals from the Imperial Family, alongside Di Jie who had reached the foremost section of the River of the Dead, making a total of thirty-four pursuers.

Persisted in their relentless hunt for Su Chen.

The thirty-four individuals divided themselves into three distinct search parties.

One contingent consisted of eleven members. The remaining searcher was the most formidable elder, known as Di Kuang, who held a position at the Seventh Level of the Human Lord Realm. He pursued Su Chen independently.

Di Jie was also conducting an individual search for Su Chen.

However.

They were utterly unable to locate him.

Truly, they could not find hide nor hair of him.

One day.

Two days.

Three days.

......

Time flowed by swiftly.

Yet, not a single trace of Su Chen could be found.

Certain members of the Imperial Family began to entertain the notion that Su Chen had already met his demise.

But Di Jie adamantly refused to accept the possibility of Su Chen’s death.

At the very least, Su Chen, capable of vanquishing Di Heng and the others, must have possessed the Wind Absorbing Pearl. Although it was purported to be unusable by those outside the Imperial Family, Di Jie harbored a strong intuition that Su Chen could indeed wield it.

Under such circumstances, it was inconceivable for Su Chen to perish easily within the treacherous confines of the River of the Dead.

Moreover, had Su Chen truly died, his weaponry, his spatial ring, and other possessions ought to have been scattered by the tempestuous current at the river’s entrance, including any fragments of Su Chen’s physical form. Yet, from the outset until this very moment, there had been no sign of Su Chen’s presence within the Primeval River Storm.

Su Chen must be concealed!!!

"Everyone, intensify your search, that young rascal is not dead; he is still alive. All of you must exercise extreme caution. Bear in mind, the instant you ascertain Su Chen’s location, notify everyone immediately. He is exceedingly perilous, unnervingly strange, and demands your utmost vigilance – one hundred percent attention." As he navigated the initial segment of the River of the Dead, Di Jie utilized a Sound Transmission Talisman to relay these urgent instructions to the remaining Imperial Family members.

Time continued its unyielding march.

In the blink of an eye.

A full month elapsed.

Still, no progress was made.

Di Jie began to exhibit signs of weariness.

"What precisely is transpiring? These past days, the entirety of the Mother River’s initial segment, every conceivable space, every potential opportunity, has been meticulously scoured. If Su Chen is indeed alive, he should have been discovered by now!" Di Jie muttered to himself, his voice low but heavy with suppressed frustration, potent anger, unwavering unwillingness, and deep-seated resentment.

All the treasures contained within the Emperor’s Treasure Abyss were in Su Chen’s possession.

The delay in finding him extended the period during which Su Chen could utilize more treasures. A whole month had passed; who knew the quantity of Heavenly and Earthly Treasures Su Chen had already consumed?

One couldn't fathom the cultivation heights Su Chen might have attained. This uncertainty fostered a gnawing fear.

At this very moment.

Below.

On the surface.

A full month had elapsed.

Su Chen finally opened his eyes.

An intense aura of confidence radiated from him!!!

The instant his eyes opened, the Primeval River Storm swirling before him appeared to freeze, receding as if in fear. A torrent of an incredibly profound Sword Rhyme essence surged from Su Chen’s gaze like a breaking wave.

After a few breaths, Su Chen’s demeanor settled, returning him to that of an ordinary young man.

"Seven Stages Sword Rhyme, still only Middle Stage," Su Chen mused, a faint, roguish smile touching his lips.

Throughout this month spent in seclusion.

He had witnessed the Great Emperor's sword dance an astonishing thirty-nine thousand eight hundred times. It felt like an obsession!

And his rewards were immense.

He had ascended from the Sixth Segment Pinnacle to the Seven Stages Sword Rhyme. While seemingly a small step, it represented a leap of monumental significance.

The divergence between the Sixth and Seventh Stages of Sword Rhyme was more than fundamental; it marked the most arduous threshold to overcome in the path of Sword Rhyme comprehension. Below the Seventh Stage, even at the Sixth Stage, a considerable number of Sword Cultivators could achieve comprehension. Merely half a month prior, among the Imperial Family's prodigies Su Chen had eliminated, one had grasped two distinct forms of Sword Rhyme, manifested through both palm and fist techniques, both reaching the Sixth Stage. Though not precisely Sword Rhymes, they yielded similar results, indicating the Sixth Stage was not exceptionally rare.

However, the Seventh Stage presented a different challenge entirely.

At the Seventh Stage, within the entirety of the Minor Thousand Worlds, Su Chen stood alone in his comprehension. Even in the vast Grand Cosmos World, such an achievement would be exceedingly rare, like finding phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

Furthermore, he had reached the Middle Stage of this Seventh Layer.

"Within the Seven Stages Sword Rhyme lies the essence of 'Truth'," Su Chen chuckled. Over this past month, the single word 'Truth' encapsulated his entire journey.

The fundamental difference between the Seven Stages Sword Rhyme and the Sixth Stage lies in the former's return to simplicity. This true simplicity is incredibly difficult to attain, mandating the shedding of all sword techniques, nuances, elemental attributes, underlying intents, and other associated concepts.

For Su Chen, this presented a formidable challenge. His accumulated sword experience had forged an intensely personal imprint upon his techniques. His sword embodied numerous attributes and intents. To forsake them all was an arduous task.

Exceedingly arduous.

It was akin to demanding an ordinary person erase their entire memory in a brief span.

A true test.

Yet, Su Chen had succeeded.

Now, Su Chen could unleash his Sword Rhyme with effortless grace, as if it were an extension of his very being, as natural and routine as breathing, eating, practicing martial arts, or sleeping.

Of course, the most astonishing aspect was the sheer power increase.

By Su Chen's own estimation, the might of his Sword Rhyme had amplified approximately fivefold compared to its state before his breakthrough!!!

What did this signify?

Essentially, Su Chen's full-power Sword Rhyme attack now possessed the equivalent force of five times the single sword strike that had vanquished Di Heng just a month ago.

"It's time to present the Imperial Family with a surprise," Su Chen declared, tilting his head upwards, a serene smile gracing his features.

The surge in his power instilled within him an unparalleled confidence.

Supreme, unshakeable confidence.

He who could dispatch Di Heng in mere seconds a month prior… now… hehe… just how formidable had he become?

"Iceflame, what is the current situation in the forward sections of the Mother River? Select a target for me to eliminate," Su Chen transmitted his thoughts to the Iceflame Vermilion Bird.

"Youngster Su, Supreme Elder Di Kuang is present alone, as is Old Di Jie alone. The remaining forces consist of Supreme Elder Di Que leading a contingent of ten Imperial Family members, Supreme Elder Di Fu commanding another ten, and Supreme Elder Di Kou also leading a team of ten."

"I'm not yet fully confident in defeating Di Jie, not quite there. As for Di Kuang, I could attempt it, but if I were to truly kill Di Kuang, that old cur Di Jie would likely flee with the rest of the Imperial Family out of the Mother River in terror. Therefore, let's focus on one of the three teams. Which one holds the greatest significance to the Imperial Family?" Su Chen pondered for a moment before inquiring.

"Undoubtedly, Di Que’s team is the most crucial, without question," the Iceflame Vermilion Bird responded instantly.

"And why is that?" Su Chen inquired, slightly intrigued.

The Iceflame Vermilion Bird’s reply was laced with palpable killing intent, delivered with a playful tone:

"Di Que himself is the youngest among the Supreme Elders, not even ten million years old. It can be said that among the Imperial Family's Supreme Elders, he alone possesses the potential to ascend to the ranks of the Old Ancestors. Should Di Que perish, the Imperial Family would suffer another devastating blow."Furthermore, within Di Que’s contingent, there exists an elder known as Di Ke. While his combat prowess is merely average, ranking him as the Ninth Elder, he holds a unique standing as Di Jie’s adoptive father. Ever since Di Jie’s parents passed away in his youth, it was this foster father, Di Ke, who brought him up. Di Jie displayed profound filial piety towards Di Ke. Though Di Ke’s aptitude for martial cultivation was unremarkable, Di Jie, upon assuming the role of family head, lavished him with abundant cultivation resources, thereby elevating Di Ke’s strength and position to that of Ninth Elder. Moreover, this Di Ke truly deserves retribution!!! As this divine being understands, the scheme against Fei Jin, coercing her to ingest the Soul-Locking Pill, was conceived by Di Ke! To compound matters, Di Ke vehemently champions the marital pact between the Imperial Family and the Hu Family! In essence, if Di Que’s entire team meets their demise, I assure you, that decrepit dog Di Ke will undoubtedly collapse from grief, hehe... ... "Understood." Su Chen acknowledged, a flicker of malevolent Qi and wicked intent darting across his gaze: "Provide me with the whereabouts of Di Que’s team." [Requesting votes ahhhhh]