What was more, the energy armor that had already dissipated was now manifesting around Chu Feng once again.
It was the power of the array formation within the Demon-Slaying Emperor's tomb.
And this array formation power was far stronger than it had been before.
This was the array formation power in its relatively complete state.
"Senior, you…?"
Chu Feng was overjoyed, yet he also felt a twinge of guilt.
He had clearly failed…
He had clearly abandoned the inheritance…
He had clearly let down the Demon-Slaying Emperor's kind intentions…
"Don't look at this old man with those grateful eyes."
"It was you who passed my trial and earned their recognition — that is why you received the inheritance." The Demon-Slaying Emperor said with a smile.
"Passed the trial… earned their recognition?"
Chu Feng was still somewhat confused, but soon, his expression shifted.
"Could it be that if I hadn't abandoned the inheritance to save the Sages of the Secret Caves back then, and had instead continued with the fusion… I wouldn't have earned their recognition?"
Chu Feng asked.
"Exactly so."
"A person who cares only for power and disregards loyalty and righteousness is unworthy of inheriting my legacy."
"Also unworthy of wielding my Demon-Slaying Sword."
"Though it is but an empty shell now, I still hoped it would find a master worthy of it."
As these words left his mouth, the Demon-Slaying Emperor's body began to melt away, transforming into wisps of radiant energy that drifted off into the void.
"Senior, you—!"
Seeing this, Chu Feng's heart clenched.
He could tell that the Demon-Slaying Emperor's remnant soul was about to dissipate.
Without hesitation, Chu Feng unleashed the power of his barrier, attempting to stabilize the Demon-Slaying Emperor's remnant soul and prevent him from fading completely.
"Young friend, stop."
"If I didn't wish to dissipate, I could have survived for at least another ten thousand years."
"But I am tired… After waiting for so long, I have long since grown weary." The Demon-Slaying Emperor said.
"Senior, are you saying…???"
In that moment, Chu Feng suddenly understood what the Demon-Slaying Emperor meant.
It wasn't that the remnant soul had reached its natural end — the Demon-Slaying Emperor was dissolving it of his own free will. He wanted to disappear completely.
He wanted to truly die.
Though Chu Feng hadn't finished asking his question, the Demon-Slaying Emperor smiled and nodded, confirming the guess in Chu Feng's heart.
"This old man should have died long ago. I left this remnant soul behind not because I was attached to this world, but because I wanted someone to inherit my teachings."
"Actually, within the Ancestral Martial Starfield, I left behind many tombs. This one is merely one of them."
"In life, this old man had some measure of renown, so even before my death, I knew that countless people would covet the treasures I left behind."
"That is why I created tombs in many places — to mislead the world."
"If I had to say, this tomb here would probably be the least convincing one."
"And it did indeed fool quite a few people."
"But in truth, it is the place where I buried my remnant soul — my final resting ground."
"Young friend, do you know why I chose to place my remnant soul here?" The Demon-Slaying Emperor asked.
"Please do tell, Senior." Chu Feng said.
"In life, I had someone I loved. She was not skilled in martial cultivation, but she loved to study the methods of divination."
"I once asked her — if I were to die someday and wished to find an inheritor, which place would be the most likely to yield one?"
"And she told me about this place."
"Actually, though she had studied divination for many years, she was never particularly skilled at it. Her predictions rarely came true, and I had only asked out of idle curiosity."
"But somehow, without even realizing it, I ended up placing my remnant soul in the very place she had described."
"Who would have thought — that girl had been wrong so many times, yet this once… she was right."
By now, the Demon-Slaying Emperor's body had mostly vanished, with only his upper half remaining. Yet there was no trace of fear on his face — instead, a faint smile rested upon it.
It was the arc of happiness.
His expression was as though he were recalling a moment from long ago.
A moment that filled him with warmth.
Though Chu Feng had no way of knowing what the Demon-Slaying Emperor's beloved had truly looked like, he could feel it — the depth of the Demon-Slaying Emperor's love for her was extraordinary.