The Ancient Saint Emperor of the Heaven-shading

Chapter 121 The Changes at the Sea Eye: A Mystery

Wow!

The visitors from the underworld took the lead and used a secret method to open the long-sealed Eye of Mars, causing the entire ancient star to tremble violently.

Visible to the naked eye, a vast black ocean surged in from the horizon, the sound of tsunamis filled the air, and huge waves crashed against the sky.

"It's those corpse thieves again! Did they come to Yinghuo this time to try and guide the corpses that fell in the war of gods?" Immediately, a cultivator who was swept away by the black wave cursed and showed no interest in the underworld.

The Golden Crows of Fire Mulberry Star also arrived, nimbly dodging the waves. Gazing at the sea eye, they hesitated and said, "Perhaps, but if that were truly their purpose, they should have arrived long ago. Why wait until today? Unless the previous bell tolling proved something, prompting the Underworld to take such action!"

"Who cares? These guys are hated anyway. If a fight breaks out, they'll definitely be surrounded and attacked. We can just follow behind and reap the benefits. Even the God Organization has people here, so we don't have to worry about them not fighting." The other visitors from the star regions didn't care at all. They came here to try their luck and couldn't be happier if things got chaotic.

The God Organization? Wang Hongwu's expression suddenly changed, and a mask appeared in his hand, with the character 'God' engraved on it, which was faintly glowing, indicating that members of other organizations were here.

He looked up and saw three figures above the sea eye, all dressed in white with white masks and the character "God" engraved on them. The one leading the group was obviously the Heavenly Net God, who held a bronze halberd in his hand and slashed at the visitors from the underworld below without hesitation.

Boom! A great battle broke out instantly. These two factions were irreconcilable and would clash as soon as they met. Even the saints of the various star fields were used to it.

"The traces here seem somewhat familiar." Ignoring the battle, Duan De began to explore the surrounding land and discovered that this place had once been a source of life, but it had completely dried up. All the spiritual energy had vanished, taken away by a mysterious force. Moreover, there were remnants on the ground, places where dragon veins had once been located.

Upon hearing this, Wang Hongwu immediately realized that Yinghuo had also been absorbed by the Ninety-Nine Dragon Mountain back then as resources for cultivating the Immortal Cauldron. Under his perception, the Immortal Cauldron in his mind indeed shook, transmitting a similar aura, and even triggering a response from the ancient star beneath his feet.

With a loud crash, the calm was shattered. The great battle between the divine organization and the underworld broke the seal and rushed directly into the sea eye. As a result, the black waves that had been boiling violently receded, revealing the dark red ground once again.

People's eyelids twitched. These were all caused by being soaked in blood. In the battle back then, the entire ancient star Yinghuo was stained red. If it weren't for the celestial bell suppressing it, the entire starry sky would have been shattered.

After the tide receded, a huge skeleton was revealed on the ground. At first, people thought it was a majestic mountain range, but later they discovered that it was the spine of a creature. Even though it was dry and decayed, it stretched for a long distance and attracted attention.

"The skeleton is silvery white and shrouded in starlight, exactly as described in ancient books. This is a star beast, still in its juvenile stage, which feeds on star cores. I never thought such a creature actually existed. There have been very few of them in ancient times."

"This race is also extraordinary. They can grow stronger by constantly devouring stars and breaking through their limits. Their physical bodies are exceptionally powerful. It is said that in the past, powerful individuals faced them as if they were trying to fight against a constellation of stars."

Everyone was surprised. This thing had enormous potential for development, and in the later stages it would have the strength of a quasi-Emperor. In fact, the few that appeared in history had stirred up boundless storms.

If this race were not so rare, it would surely become a great threat to the universe.

Wang Hongwu was quite interested in it. He circulated the Eight-Nine Heavens Technique and pressed it onto the star beast's skeleton, absorbing its residual aura. Gradually, he simulated it, and starlight began to emanate from his body. At the same time, the broken bowl at his waist lit up, and the essence of the powerful beings he had killed earlier surged into it. It took a full depletion of the essence of the powerful beings he had collected from the killing of the divine general in the Primordial Lake to successfully purify it.

This star beast perished when it was still in its growth stage, leaving only its skeleton here. With the help of the sacrificial bowl, it successfully purified and integrated the skeleton into the Eight-Nine Heavens Technique, and obtained the secret method of the race to devour star cores to strengthen itself.

"This technique may be of great use in the future." Wang Hongwu's eyes flickered slightly as he thought of the sun, the Big Dipper, and strange places like the Heavenly Soldiers Ancient Star. He clenched his fingers and continued forward.

The planet Mars was obviously much larger in the past than it is now. Due to a dramatic change, it shrank rapidly and became what it is now. When the tide recedes, sand and boulders are exposed at the eye of the lake. They are washed very clean and are mostly reddish-brown.

"There is nothing left to explore outside; all of creation is hidden in the eye of the sea."

"Let's go, let's go, don't waste time." Gradually, the search yielded no results, and the group had no choice but to gather at the eye of the sea, only to find that a magnificent temple had once stood there, but it had been destroyed and reduced to ruins by the divine war.

The so-called sea eye should have been suppressed by a statue of a deity, but it was broken for some reason. You can still vaguely see an old Taoist priest with a thin and kind face, sitting on a lotus platform, untouched by worldly affairs, holding a whisk in his hand.

"This stone statue looks familiar; it's been passed down through generations." A member of the Tongtian Starfield murmured, examining it closely. It seemed to resemble a painting from the mythological era.

Duan De, however, found it extremely familiar and exclaimed in surprise, "Amitabha Buddha?"

"Nonsense! The Boundless Heavenly Venerable was a person from the mythological era. The divine war that broke out in Mars occurred after the Sun Saint Emperor passed away. How could it possibly involve the Heavenly Venerable of the previous era?" The saint of the Eternal Star Domain frowned and denied it, saying that the difference was too great.

The ancient sage of the Free and Unfettered Star Domain shook his head and said, "No, although the God War happened in this era, the ancient star Yinghuo already existed in the mythological era. Back then, a Heavenly Venerable calculated that this place was one of the possible nodes on the path to immortality. Although the timing is not right, perhaps it was calculated by the Boundless Heavenly Venerable? So he left some methods here."

“I’ve heard some rumors. In ancient times, Mars was known as the Demon Star. The area beneath its eye is extremely mysterious. It seems that a terrifying demonic being was born here, which occupied this place as its sacred site and enjoyed the worship of all spirits. Later, it was suppressed and killed by an ancient celestial being from the mythological era. This seems to match the scene before us.” A Taoist from the Silent Ancient Star Region suddenly spoke up, revealing a secret.

The demon spirit that was suppressed and killed by the Celestial Venerable under the sea?
"Could it be... a Holy Spirit?" The Golden Crow of Fire Mulberry Star's expression became subtle, his gaze inadvertently glancing at a stone chariot in the distance, as if he was suppressing a laugh.

When people mention the troublesome creatures that were suppressed and killed by the ancient Celestial Venerable, they unconsciously think of the Holy Spirits first. This is because these creatures, born of nature and indifferent to all living beings, often do such things. After all, too many of their kind have been harmed and forced to be born prematurely, so naturally they have a grievance to express and erupt. However, this also makes it easy for them to become the glorious achievements of those who prove the Dao.

At least the Celestial Venerable of Morality suppressed the Holy Spirit's alchemy; the Celestial Venerable of Spiritual Treasures beheaded the Holy Spirit; the Ancient Heavenly Court's battle formation trapped and killed the Holy Spirit; the Undying Emperor also beheaded the Holy Spirit; and the Fighting Holy Emperor, who was closest to the Holy Spirit, also blasted it to death.

Looking at it this way, it seems to fit perfectly.

In this ambiguous atmosphere, a cold snort came from inside the stone chariot, shaking the earth like muffled thunder, indicating great dissatisfaction.

“That makes sense.” Wang Hongwu’s eyes flickered. If that were the case, it could be pieced together. The former Boundless Heavenly Venerable had calculated the path to immortality and discovered that both the Flying Immortal Star and Mars were promising. He didn’t know why he chose Mars, or perhaps he left preparations in both places, but he was in the wrong time and not in the same world. So he studied the method of immortality and discovered what seemed to be a Holy Spirit under the Eye of the Sea. After killing it, he comprehended its method of transformation.

Then came the Chaos Body, in which he saw hope for a second life. He made a reckless move, but the Chaos Body was incredibly powerful. He was nearly killed and seriously injured, and was about to die prematurely. So he decided to take a risk and refine the Chaos Body, set up a divine land outside the heavens, and combine his faith body, divine thoughts, and the method of nurturing the Holy Spirit to prepare for reincarnation.

However, judging from the result, it was clear that something unexpected happened. Not to mention that the process was extremely long, the fact that the Immortal Lotus fell into the Immortal Transformation Pool was a major change that interrupted his plans. Then the ancient war broke out, which directly disrupted his arrangements in Yinghuo. Although he learned of the existence of the Immortal Bell from this, everything was in chaos, and he missed the path to immortality once again.

"This Boundless Heavenly Venerable is really having a rough time." After sorting things out, Wang Hongwu's expression also seemed a bit strange. In fact, strictly speaking, his luck after reincarnation wasn't very good either. There was no path to immortality in this life, but there were quite a few powerful figures from all walks of life, which was hard to describe.

As the Boundless Heavenly Venerable was repeatedly mentioned, wisps of light of vow power appeared, and then a person appeared in the collapsed ruins. Only an outline could be seen in the darkness. He stood there quietly, with only a pair of bright eyes, like two green lamps.

who!

The crowd was immediately terrified. The sudden appearance of the figure was quite frightening. Moreover, the figure neither spoke nor made a move, but simply stood there, staring straight at them, which was rather unsettling.

Wang Hongwu seemed to sense something, and a golden evil sword appeared in his hand. He slashed at the figure, and with a whoosh, under the suppression of the secret treasure targeting the power of will, the silhouette retreated, its two blue lamp-like eyes dimmed, and it vanished into thin air, as if it had never existed. The place was empty. "It really is that fox's doing!" Duan De cursed inwardly upon seeing this. He connected Yinghuo with the outer divine land; that guy's arrangements were truly far-reaching.

Finally, a sage from the Eternal Life Starfield stepped forward, picked up a fragment of a divine statue, examined it, and said, "I think that's not a ghost, but a trace of the Dao."

"What do you mean?" "Back then, a powerful being once stood here, gazing at or sealing the sea eye. But its existence was too powerful, so heaven and earth etched it into their memory, forming that figure."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions turned strange. Even a quasi-emperor couldn't reach that level, right? It must be a true Dao Prover.

Could it really be the Boundless Heavenly Venerable?
Thinking again of this ancient celestial being who pioneered the path of incense and vows, people feel a chill in their hearts for some reason. What exactly is he plotting after laying out plans for eternity?
It is truly difficult for them to understand such lofty figures, and they cannot predict where their gaze will fall upon the future, spanning the long river of time and countless vicissitudes.

"Why think about all this nonsense? The divine organization and the underworld have already gone far away. Are we supposed to follow behind and pick up the leftovers?"
Opportunity waits for no one! Just then, a voice rang out, startling everyone awake.

Yes, it will be too late if we don't go down now!

Everyone realized what was happening and rushed down, diving into the sea eye in search of an opportunity.

Before being pulled down by Duan De, Wang Hongwu glanced back and finally saw the true face of the person who had spoken.

It was a young Taoist priest with a handsome face, holding a whisk in his hand, and a five-element halo hanging behind his head. He stood gracefully, looking down indifferently at the people entering the sea eye. He walked at the back, and by some unknown means, the broken statues from before were reassembled and slowly infused with the power of incense and prayers.

It's him? !
Wang Hongwu's heart skipped a beat. Should he send men to scout ahead or take the opportunity to ambush and kill them? Before he could think it through, he was swept away and swallowed up by a vortex-like force.

When their surroundings became clear again, they had already descended deep underground, and could faintly hear the sound of tsunamis. This was a vast world, far more expansive than they had imagined.

Turning my gaze forward, I came upon a vast ocean, as black as ink, devoid of any storms or waves, appearing lifeless and silent.

As the sea surged, they saw a gray octopus as large as a colossal mountain, shrouded in a deathly mist and exuding a putrid stench.

This is an undead creature, composed of countless pieces of rotting flesh, exuding overwhelming yin energy. It contains the flesh of a Great Sage and fragments of a Quasi-Emperor's weapon. It is very powerful, no weaker than a normal Great Sage, and some parts that have fused with fragments of Quasi-Emperor's weapon are even stronger.

The ground was covered with skeletons, the cold remains and fragments of flesh of living beings, stretching as far as the eye could see, a sight that sent chills down one's spine.

"If I weren't actually in Yinghuo, I would have thought I had come to the underworld." Duan De clicked his tongue in amazement. Is this the place that buried an era and laid the foundation for a royal-level expert?

The crowd fell silent, some growing fearful. Countless powerful warriors had perished in this place, and the number of sacred bones buried here was incalculable. This place was bound to become malevolent. It was conceivable that with so many corpses sealed in the North Sea Demon Eye, their resentment dormant for hundreds of thousands of years, it would likely nurture a living hell.

"We've come all this way, we can't leave empty-handed!" Looking at the octopus, many people showed interest, because they saw the underworld's forces chanting scriptures, wanting to guide this evil spirit octopus into the underworld to become their battle slave; while the divine organization was trying to stop them, with great saints on both sides intervening, making the scene extremely chaotic.

"It would be good to make a move and snatch some fragments of quasi-royal weapons!" "The Great Sage's corpse is also very useful. We don't expect to kill this octopus, but getting something from it is already a profit!"

Immediately, many more people surrounded them, hoping to take advantage of the situation.

Wang Hongwu and Duan De did not participate. They had already sensed something was wrong. Looking at this ancient battlefield and graveyard, they felt an endless yin energy and knew that there was great danger here.

Adding to what the Taoist priest said earlier, there seems to be some unspeakable change happening here?

Many others continued onward like them. As they ventured deeper, their hearts pounded with fear. Countless broken weapons and flags lay scattered on the ground, including some near-royal artifacts, but all were destroyed beyond repair. Even the divine essence of the materials had vanished, testifying to just how terrifying that battle had been.

"This is practically the second underworld. Who knows what terrible things might happen? It's a forbidden land of death, filled with yin energy. With so many corpses, some might even be resurrected from the dead and embark on the path of zombie transformation!" Suddenly, a Saint King from the Longevity Star Region uttered a shocking statement, causing everyone to stop in their tracks and almost retreat.

"Using corpses to prove one's Dao is even more difficult than achieving Dao normally; it's extremely rare. Just guess if you want, don't make it sound so scary." Duan De muttered in dissatisfaction, but Wang Hongwu silently remembered his words. As they went deeper, they discovered that there were endless corpses on the ground, and the soil was blackish-red, formed from countless pools of blood and mud.

"These remains were piled up later; otherwise, there would only be remnants of blood. They were buried here, using the entire star as a great tomb, seeking life in the midst of death. It's really starting to resemble a kind of formation." The more they explored, the more solemn everyone's expressions became. A great star becoming a graveyard, with a formation set up to reverse life and death—whose handiwork was this?
Or perhaps it is some kind of being that wants to break free from its constraints and transform into a living 'human being'?
Wang Hongwu's gaze was deep, and he made a deduction: "The dead have been brought back to life. None of the corpses here have any spiritual power; they have only become beings."

Following this line of reasoning, it is highly likely that a single being underwent a transformation, absorbing the power of the other corpses and devouring their remaining Dao foundations, thus becoming an unparalleled supreme being.

"Legend has it that some powerful beings, after dying and being buried underground, become sentient and their physical bodies form the Reincarnation Seal, allowing them to be reborn. Could it be that someone on the ancient planet Yinghuo is plotting such a transformation?"

"Not necessarily. I saw some remnants of incense and vows here. Thinking about it more deeply, it might be some kind of divine thought or belief that is being reincarnated."

The two saints from the Divine Race spoke, immediately silencing the crowd and gradually bringing them to a solemn state.

If those things really exist in this place, then they are the victors of the war of gods. If they come here, wouldn't they be walking into a trap?
bass!
Just then, a violent fluctuation suddenly came from the depths of the road. A monstrous death aura surged forth, accompanied by a vibration of immortal light, and rippled outwards, causing everyone to lose their footing and sway precariously, not understanding what was happening.

Several groups of people could be vaguely seen standing there, and ancient palaces and bells appeared.

Above, a violent rumbling sound came from the dark ocean, which surged forward, while the entrance to the sea eye gradually closed and was submerged again.

Someone intervened and sealed off the area, preventing entry and exit, intending to trap them like turtles in a jar.

"The entrance is sealed!" "Is this a trap? Who is plotting this in the shadows!"

"Damn it, this is infuriating! The Divine Soil is a scam, and now this Mars is a scam too? People's hearts have changed; there are scams everywhere!"

Chaos erupted as everyone was filled with shock and disbelief, unable to figure out who was so audacious as to do such a thing.

Below the sea eye, the Taoist priest, who had calmly withdrawn his hand, smiled, glanced at the sky, shook his head, and said, "Judging by the time, it has reached the time when the yin energy is abundant, which can be called night."

By day I am God, God is supreme; by night I am Demon. The gods are in chaos, Yin and Yang are one, reversing the primordial chaos. Now then, you shall aid me.

(End of this chapter)