Deep within the stone coffin, something seemed to be guiding Chen Shuo.
It was a voice from what felt like an abyss, hollow yet resonating through one's heart.
"You've come... I've finally waited for you..."
The voice made Chen Shuo's spirit tremble, and he doubted for a moment if he had misheard. Upon listening carefully again, the voice spoke once more.
This time, Chen Shuo was certain he hadn't misheard.
Yes, that voice was real.
It was like a beacon, causing Chen Shuo to completely lose himself.
"Channel your spiritual power into me, and I will grant you even greater strength..."
The voice rang out again, and Chen Shuo, as if bewitched, unconsciously began channeling his cold yin energy into it bit by bit.
The moment he did so, the stone coffin began to glow noticeably.
In the next instant, the stone coffin became like a bottomless pit, frantically consuming the cold yin energy from Chen Shuo's body.
This action caused the surrounding heaven and earth to shift, even the air became somewhat distorted.
The scene shocked Su Xiyan. Just as she was about to reach out to stop Chen Shuo, she was held back by Su Yuanying.
"Trust him. At this point, all we can do is wait quietly."
Su Yuanying didn't know how things would develop, but he believed that Chen Shuo wasn't someone who would act recklessly.
The space became increasingly distorted, and both Su Yuanying and Su Xiyan felt an overwhelming pressure.
The feeling was suffocating; even when they channeled their internal power to resist, it was extremely difficult.
At first, they could barely hold on, but as time passed, their expressions grew more pained.
"This is no place to linger. We should leave soon."
Su Yuanying spoke directly, pulling Su Xiyan to leave.
But Su Xiyan refused. She had promised Chen Shuo that no matter what happened, she would stand behind him.
At this moment, Chen Shuo's expression was pained, and his face had turned pale from the excessive absorption.
If this continued, the consequences would be unthinkable.
"Father, we can't abandon Chen Shuo," Su Xiyan insisted stubbornly.
"Silly girl, do you not trust your father, or do you not trust Chen Shuo? Since we can't help him, the best thing we can do is not disturb him."
Under Su Yuanying's persuasion, Su Xiyan finally calmed down somewhat.
"But..."
"No buts. Listen to me, let's leave quickly, right now."
Su Yuanying didn't wait for Su Xiyan to finish speaking and pulled her away.
Su Xiyan ultimately couldn't resist Su Yuanying and was forcibly led away.
Meanwhile, Sang Biao's expression was equally grave as he watched the mutual resonance between Chen Shuo and the stone coffin, his mind filled with confusion.
"How is this possible? This can't be. Master said no one could achieve resonance with what's inside the stone coffin."
Sang Biao muttered to himself. Even with his vampire constitution, he began to be affected by the distorted environment.
Even with the body of a Demon King, he couldn't continue to stay here.
Chen Shuo, please don't disappoint me.
Finally, unable to persist, Sang Biao's form shimmered and vanished from the spot.
His disappearance wasn't entirely due to the conditions of this place; more importantly, he had sensed a powerful and familiar aura.
His master had arrived, without any warning.
Things might have been exposed, and if he didn't respond in time, next year today might become his death anniversary.
As for Chen Shuo, he was also showing signs of struggle.
The bottomless pit's absorption method was causing his cold yin energy to visibly drain at a rapid pace, and although it wasn't causing him any harm.
However, this feeling of being absorbed by someone else made Chen Shuo very uncomfortable.
"You... let go of me."
Chen Shuo snorted coldly, his body trembling as the cold yin power within him exploded out like a nuclear bomb.
He wanted to break free, but even his strongest explosive force turned to nothing at that moment.
As it was mercilessly devoured, everything turned to nothingness.
"Hehehehehe!"
"It's useless. No matter how much you release, I can absorb it all. Give me more, more! Once I completely absorb your cold yin energy, you will become me, and I will become you."
"Don't worry, I will make good use of your body to do more meaningful things. A thousand years, I've waited a thousand years, I'm finally going to be reborn!"
A sinister and treacherous laugh echoed around, the sound causing the surroundings to shake, countless rocks falling, nearly causing the area to collapse.
"Who exactly are you?" Chen Shuo frowned. He could clearly feel the rate at which the cold yin energy was leaving his body - if before it was slowly draining, now it was gushing like a spring.
The enormous power within the stone coffin continued to greedily absorb, expanding like bamboo shoots after rain.
The stone coffin began to shake violently, and the ancient carved patterns on it started to flash with strange light.
"A thousand years! I'm finally going to break free from this seal. I've maintained this deception for far too long!"
The voice from within the stone coffin grew more frenzied, and its absorption of Chen Shuo became even more desperate.
Chen Shuo tried his hardest to break free, but his hands were as if embedded in the stone coffin, completely immovable.
Feeling the rapid loss of cold yin energy from his body, Chen Shuo's lips curled into a playful smile: "Interesting. This is the first time someone has pushed me to this point."
Chen Shuo had become intrigued. Since becoming a Demon Saint, this was the first time he had been so constrained by someone.
"Submit to me, become one with me. If you accept my power, we can become the strongest existence under heaven. I will live in your stead, to fulfill the greatest mission of being a vampire."
"Your sacrifice is glorious, worthwhile. Come, accept it, accept the glory!"
The hollow voice continued its temptation, but what it didn't know was that Chen Shuo hadn't taken it seriously at all. He allowed it to continue absorbing, wanting to see just how terrifying this bottomless pit could be.
As time passed, the dark spirit within the stone coffin was no longer satisfied with just absorbing the cold yin energy; it began attempting to invade Chen Shuo's body and occupy his consciousness.
The moment its consciousness invaded, an additional thought appeared in Chen Shuo's mind, and at that moment, Chen Shuo saw the other's true form.
It was a floating dark spirit in the form of an old man, with sharp fangs that seemed capable of piercing through anything.
It greedily wanted to possess everything of Chen Shuo's, its infinite thoughts raging wildly within Chen Shuo's body.
In its understanding, it had already occupied everything of Chen Shuo's; what it needed now was time. Once it completely occupied Chen Shuo's body, Chen Shuo would be possessed by it.
"Yes, slowly accept me, let me fulfill you, fulfill your tomorrow."
The tempting voice was endless, but Chen Shuo merely smiled calmly, for he too was playing a greater game.