Ye Chen gazed intently, seeing among the items a necklace, a dagger, and a handgun. More striking than these, however, was a tiny black dot suspended in mid-air, radiating an overwhelming, ominous black light.
This black dot seemed the sole source of illumination in the world—dazzling and brilliant. Upon closer inspection, it resolved into a wholly black stone, about the size of a fingertip, etched with numerous intricate secret markings that outlined a complex formation diagram.
After appearing, the black stone paused briefly before shooting rapidly toward the laboratory, halting at the massive door as if slamming on the brakes. Tendrils of black energy issued from the stone, swirling around the bolt of the laboratory door. It was as if the stone was communicating with the internal electronic system, and moments later, the heavily sealed door slowly swung open, revealing a wide passage.
Ye Chen and the others watched, their pupils contracting in shock. They hadn't expected such an unremarkable-looking black stone to possess the power to open the laboratory door within this Demon God Palace.
A thought flashed through Ye Chen’s mind, and he decisively made up his mind. He hastened after the black stone, simultaneously snatching up the few items lying on the ground with a casual gesture. While sprinting, he glanced down and realized that faint lines of Law secret patterns could be discerned on those items; they felt incredibly heavy and radiated heat—they were all Divine Artifacts!
A tremor ran through Ye Chen’s heart. That obsidian box had been obtained from that desolate, demigod-level planet. To find such treasures in such a barren place was astonishing.
Where did the person holding the box get it from? They must have been after the divine artifacts inside. But what exactly is that black stone? Ye Chen mused, his body never pausing, flashing forward as he darted into the laboratory.
Kaba and the other puppet followed closely behind, their movements unhurried. For them, keeping pace with Ye Chen was effortless.
Before long, led by the black stone, Ye Chen arrived at the laboratory’s lowest level. Along the way, numerous rooms and passages were breached by the stone. Every electronic mechanism, upon scanning the black stone, immediately displayed a green "Pass" status.
With the black stone leading the way, Ye Chen and his group reached the very bottom of the laboratory. When a solid metal door yielded under the stone's direction, a cerulean halo materialized before them, exquisitely beautiful, like a treasure from a world of fantasy—a breathtaking spectacle.
Ye Chen was nearly mesmerized, only snapping back to attention moments later to notice a dark obsidian token suspended within that luminous halo.
The token hung in the radiance, rotating autonomously, giving the impression that the entire cosmos revolved around it. Its trajectory was measured and unhurried, making one reluctant to disturb its wondrous rotation.
Ye Chen approached, staring at the obsidian token. After a moment, he summoned Kaba and murmured, “You take this token out and examine it.”
Kaba forced a bitter smile but did not demur. Only he was suited for such a task. He immediately tapped his palm, and a black iron chain materialized from it, penetrating the beautiful halo to wrap around the token, lifting the entire artifact free.
When the token settled into Kaba’s hand, the surroundings remained unchanged, no traps triggered.
Ye Chen couldn't help but be slightly astonished. This obsidian token appeared to be the most vital treasure in the entire laboratory, yet there were absolutely no safeguards set up around it?
Just as he was wondering, the black stone floating in the air suddenly shot over and landed precisely atop the obsidian token. There was a fingernail-sized indentation at the top of the token, and the black stone settled into it perfectly. The entire obsidian token resembled a plume of dark flame, its intricate patterns displaying masterful craftsmanship.
As the black stone slotted into place, the obsidian token suddenly erupted in a brilliant, intense black light. The token lifted itself from Kaba's grasp, ascending slowly. It began to rotate automatically in mid-air, broadcasting torrents of vast, awe-inspiring aura that compelled observers to look up in reverence.
Ye Chen frowned slightly, adopting a subtle posture of readiness.
At that moment, the token flashed, and from the black stone at its apex, a wisp of dark energy drifted out, slowly coalescing in the air into an illusory figure. The features were indistinct, but the general form suggested an elder with a long beard and flowing hair, exuding a profound aura with every subtle movement.
“Successor…” the robed elder’s voice was deep. “Welcome to the Demon God Palace. I am M-8, the main processing unit of the Inheritance System!”
Ye Chen’s expression grew solemn as he scrutinized the illusory elder. His gaze sharpened. “What is the Inheritance System?”
The robed elder replied calmly, “Within the Demon God Palace left by the Master, there are twelve major sub-Inheritance System main units, and one primary Inheritance System main unit. This primary unit resides in the restricted area of the Central Citadel, while the twelve sub-units are distributed across twelve different locations within the Demon God Palace.”
Ye Chen furrowed his brow and remained silent in thought.
The elder continued, “Anyone who activates an Inheritance System main unit is granted a choice. You now have two options: First, accept the inheritance; or second, leave the Demon God Palace!”
Ye Chen’s eyes flickered, and he asked without betraying emotion, “Are you saying that besides the primary Inheritance System in the Central Citadel, which handles the main inheritance task, your twelve sub-systems can also do so? If so, what is the difference between you and the primary system?”
The robed elder stated placidly, “The difference is that the primary system’s core computer holds a holographic recording left by the Master. If a candidate encounters that recording during the inheritance process, their chance of success increases by fifty percent!”
Ye Chen fixed him with a gaze and murmured, “What happens if one chooses to accept the inheritance?”
The robed elder calmly explained, “Once the choice to accept is made, your various vital metrics will first be tested against the inheritance requirements. If they all meet the criteria, you will be transported to the inheritance grounds to begin. The process cannot be interrupted; failure results in the death of the soul, while success means seizing control of the Demon God Palace!”
Hearing this, Kaba couldn't help but have his eyes gleam with anticipation, looking expectantly at Ye Chen.
Ye Chen’s demeanor remained unchanged. After a moment of consideration, he inquired, “What is the inheritance task?”
The robed elder answered indifferently, “You do not have the authority to know that. You only have the right to choose.”
Ye Chen’s brow tightened; he felt uncertain. The master of this Demon God Palace must have been an individual of unimaginable stature; the difficulty of obtaining such a legacy would surely be extraordinary.
I wonder if the human girl in the Central Citadel has already started, Ye Chen thought, then declared to the elder, “I choose to accept the inheritance.”
Although Kaba secretly hoped for this answer, hearing Ye Chen utter it so calmly made his heart jump. He couldn't help but exclaim, “Are you tired of living? This inheritance looks highly suspicious; failure means death!”
Ye Chen maintained his composure. “This system stated that it tests all metrics before the inheritance begins. If the requirements aren't met, the process cannot proceed. In that case, it’s entirely possible I won't qualify as a successor and will simply be eliminated. Moreover, if I meet all the specified metrics, the probability of success is likely not too low.”
“Furthermore, the highest level among those who have entered the Demon God Palace is merely a Mid-Stage Deity. This suggests the successor isn't chosen based on raw martial power, but potential!”
Kaba paused upon hearing Ye Chen’s reasoning. He considered it, finding some validity in the logic, yet a distinct sense of unease lingered.
At that moment, the robed elder waved his hand, and a beam of light enveloped Kaba, the other puppet, and the three individuals, including Ye Chen.
“Scanning initiated…”
“Scan 1.”
“Robot? Does not meet metric requirements. Eliminated!”
“Scan 2.”
“Robot? Does not meet metric requirements. Eliminated!”
“Scan 3.”
The red light fell upon Ye Chen, and various data points were recorded into the robed elder’s system main unit.
“Strength: Peak Demigod. Meets requirement!”
“Physique: Meets requirement!”
“Race: Meets requirement!”
“Talent: Meets requirement!”
“Mental State: Meets requirement!”
Success confirmations flashed through Ye Chen’s mind. Simultaneously, a piece of information was transmitted into his consciousness: the system’s mandated requirements for a successor appeared in his mind.
These successor requirements are this strict?
Ye Chen was momentarily stunned as he reviewed the data on the successor criteria. The system stipulated that the successor must be at the level of an Early to Peak Demigod! No lower than Demigod, and no higher. As for those at the Pseudo-God level, they shouldn't even dream of becoming a successor.
Second, the race must be the Dark Emperor Clan!
This point confused Ye Chen. He was clearly human; how could the scan register him as a Dark Emperor Clan member? Was he somehow a dark being? If so, during the countless spatial jumps across the Ancient Continent, he should have been flagged by the security systems long ago and certainly wouldn't have made it this far.
Third, to become a successor, the mental state must have reached the level of an Eighth-Rank Sage!
Most critically, the required talent must be Dark-elemental Devour! If a Peak Demigod met all other requirements but lacked the Dark-elemental Devour talent, they would still be ineligible.
“How did my race pass? I’m clearly human, so how could it pass?” Ye Chen frowned deeply, glancing up at the robed elder with suspicion. He almost suspected the sub-system was aging, malfunctioning, or suffering from some sort of internal imbalance.
According to these standards, the probability of finding a successor is less than one in a hundred million. Moreover, even if such a candidate qualified, they might still die during the inheritance process. Calculated this way, this Demon God Palace might remain unclaimed for countless eons.
Ye Chen offered a wry internal smile. The Dark-elemental Devour talent was extremely rare. While one might find a few scattered across the entire Great Dark World, pinpointing such an individual within the ranks of the Dark Emperor Clan, and at the Demigod stage no less, presented an almost insurmountable difficulty.
“Connecting to the inheritance grounds now. Please wait a moment,” the robed elder stated softly.
Suddenly realizing something, Ye Chen interjected, “Wait. How long will this inheritance take to conclude?”