The Ancient Saint Emperor of the Heaven-shading

Chapter 183 The Great Calamity Approaches, a Mysterious Land Connecting Heaven and Earth
The Holy Venerable's wedding, the alliance between the Myriad Dragon Nest, the Fire Kirin Cave, the Golden Cave, and the Ziwei Sect, was arguably the grandest royal event in the history of the Beidou Kingdom.

The fact that the four royal families are so closely united is truly astonishing and unprecedented.

When it was learned that Wang Hongwu had married the Heavenly Princess, the Dragon Princess, the Fire Lin'er, and the Golden Heavenly Princess, the world was shocked and the world was in an uproar. This was too frightening. There had never been any ancient imperial princesses marrying before, let alone four of them at once!
This is truly another historical milestone, following the rebellion against the empress consort.

Upon learning of this, Fairy Yunxia, ​​who had emerged from the Primordial Ancient Mine, met with the Daughter of the Ruins and asked with great interest, "Why didn't I see you go? If we really want to record this, there's no better place than to stay by the side of the one destined for tribulation, isn't there?"

The Daughter of Ruins paused slightly, touched her cheek, and said, "It's not time yet. It will happen when the scene in the Stone Book's prophecy appears. Besides, there is still a great calamity to come."

Upon hearing the words "Great Calamity," Fairy Yunxia's expression changed slightly. She looked towards the direction of the Undying Mountain and sighed softly, "There is clearly no path to immortality in this life, but why does it seem even more terrifying?"

In Zhongzhou, this grand event lasted for a full half month. People knew that from now on, the power of the Ziwei Sect Alliance would grow even larger, with even the Fire Kirin Cave and the Golden Cave joining in, making it an amalgamation of the six major royal families.

Today, the saying "Among all races, humans are the leader" is no longer an empty phrase, but a reality. At least in the eyes of all races, the Beidou Human Race is a supreme royal family, inviolable and unprovoked, and worthy of worship and homage.

"There will likely be many more great battles to come, and the number and strength of the quasi-emperors dispatched by the Underworld will only increase. I hope the Holy Venerable will break through soon."

This is a consensus. As for the true essence of each ethnic group and their powerful ancestral artifacts, they are destined to be revealed, and the future will inevitably be very cruel.

Under the leadership of the Ziwei Sect and the Divine Organization, the conference proceeded smoothly. The route of helping the Divine Organization to restrain the Underworld was reaffirmed. This time, it wasn't just them; various star regions in the starry sky also offered assistance to jointly resist the Underworld. The main battlefield was still the responsibility of the Divine Organization; otherwise, without a Quasi-Emperor in charge, the people would not be willing to go to their deaths.

Conversely, the ancient underworld was not at peace, and after the Quasi-Emperor was killed by the Holy Venerable, it was violently shaken.

"Idiot! Why did you go to Beidou on your own initiative instead of sending him to the God Destroyer Organization's stronghold!"

"How utterly foolish! How could we not have a backup plan for the All Races Conference? Why would we need him to get involved?"

"You worthless wretch! You have disgraced the Underworld and have become someone else's stepping stone. What a disgrace, a true disgrace!"

Not only the Yama Palace, but also the Underworld Emperor Palace and the Prison Suppressor Palace were like this, howling like a storm, enraging the giants of the underworld.

"The Underworld is truly getting worse with each generation. If this continues, we might as well just devour all the Yin spirits. What's the point of nurturing any immortal divine corpses? It's all useless. The three future successors have been killed, and even the quasi-emperor corpse spirit has been slaughtered. What's going on? Do they think my Underworld is some kind of charitable place to 'add to our battle achievements'?"

The rulers of the underworld were furious, wishing they could awaken the sleeping future Daoist, wash the starry sky in blood, and then destroy the world. This time, they were truly frustrated, having done all the work for someone else's benefit and only bringing glory to others.

This is a disgrace; if it gets out, it will become a joke.

Who are they? They are the Underworld! They caused the collapse of the Heavenly Court, caused immense suffering to all the gods, and terrified everyone in the world at the mere mention of their names. Yet now, they have been slapped and trampled on, their faces swollen like pig heads.

"No matter what, we must settle this score! Send troops! Open the Black Prison! Contact the Undying Empress and the Eight Divine Generals! I will destroy the Divine Organization and the Big Dipper!!"

Within the underworld, black demonic clouds surged, crimson lightning flashed, and torrential rain of blood poured down, creating an atmosphere of boundless terror.

When the news arrived and was sent to the Undying Mountain, the Eight Divine Generals and the Heavenly Empresses did not make a move. Instead, they looked towards the deepest part, at the supreme being undergoing transformation.

"Go."

Finally, a voice rang out, conveying their will, and they bowed respectfully before departing for the underworld.

Only the Immortal Queen remained, seemingly still somewhat doubtful, and cautiously asked, "Your Majesty, does that strange world you spoke of, the one that grants immortality, truly exist? The Underworld Emperor and the others seem to have some reservations about it."

“It is true, of course. Those who participated in the final battle of the mythical era will understand. Those who did not participate will also understand when that day comes.” The Immortal Daoist’s gaze was deep. He knew this because the Emperor had discovered it, and the true Immortal Emperor had also discovered it. Only the two of them knew the coordinates, while the rest of the Supreme Beings did not and did not know how to enter.

That place can be considered a node between the path to immortality and the Immortal Realm. The difficulty of entering is much, much lower than that of the Immortal Realm. At least a flawless emperor has a chance, and of course, if one is stronger, the chances are even greater.

He had three purposes in exploring that strange world: first, to suspect that the real Emperor was still alive, either undergoing a transformation there or being reborn in the mortal world; second, to obtain the longevity substance to help himself transform; and finally, to use it to lure the supreme beings of the forbidden zones, triggering a great battle between them, thereby obtaining the supreme origin and strengthening himself.

The day of my perfect Nirvana is not far away. At that time, I will use the universe as a chessboard, the otherworld of immortality as bait, and the forbidden zones as chess pieces to catch a group of supreme fish!
Bathed in royal blood, I forge my immortal body!

Meanwhile, within the Phoenix Nest of the Ziwei Sect.

Wang Hongwu awoke from his post-war slumber, and the secret of the "Former Character" began to operate on its own, as if sensing something, which suddenly gave him a jolt.

He glanced at the four exhausted women, then quietly left and went to the outer heavens.

"It seems that some kind of danger is approaching. Peace and tranquility are indeed short-lived. The most urgent task is to strengthen our strength and enhance our foundation."

Wang Hongwu sensed something and naturally wouldn't ignore it. Instead, he took out the congratulatory gift from the Divine Organization. It was a bronze artifact engraved with birds, beasts, fish, insects, the sun, moon, and stars. It was one-third of the Immortal Ascension Cauldron that they had collected!
With his other hand, he reached out and took the other third of the Immortal Cauldron from the Heavenly Dragon King. He then used the Heaven-Mending Technique to slowly piece the two together.

Click! With a soft sound, the two joined together perfectly, celestial light flowing, and they stuck together.

"Is it repaired just like that?" Wang Hongwu was somewhat surprised. He thought it would take a long time to nourish it, but he later discovered that the Divine Organization had already completed this step for him. They had already set up a secret soil and repaired the broken cauldron over many years. Now, with the help of the Heaven-Mending Technique, it was naturally quick to unite.

Then, from the unified immortal cauldron, streams of pure energy rose up, transforming into dazzling rays of light, like flying immortals, creating many wondrous scenes. It was as if celestial beings were calling out, or as if the gates of the immortal realm were being opened, revealing a vast and bizarre world.

"What happened? Why is there such a strange phenomenon in the sky?"

The saints were astonished and looked towards the heavens. There, it seemed, were the mythical deities reappearing, standing side by side, looking down upon eternity and facing all living beings, making people tremble and prostrate themselves.

When the radiance faded, a bronze cauldron that had been mostly repaired appeared in Wang Hongwu's hand. Except for the three legs, the rest of the parts had been assembled. Colorful clouds could be seen rising from the two handles and the circular cauldron wall. To the naked eye, there were some silk-like nets inside the cauldron, each one crystal clear and flowing with celestial light, like the blood vessels of a living being, and even capable of breathing.

The ancient and mysterious cauldron was a deep, unadorned green. He held it in his hand and suddenly activated it, and an aura of supreme power and holiness emanated from it, soaring above the nine heavens. At this moment, all the cultivators on the Big Dipper felt a tremor in their hearts, and the more powerful the cultivators were, the more obvious it was. They even heard bursts of celestial music!
"It's the legendary Cauldron of Immortality!" "Is it already two-thirds complete?"

"Legend has it that it holds the key to immortality." "Just having the cauldron isn't enough; the spirit within is gone!"

The saints were stirred up by this and began to discuss it intensely. After all, it was the highest achievement of the ancient Heavenly Court, and the opportunity to become an immortal was enough to drive people crazy.

Unfortunately, the Holy Venerable now possesses the strength of a quasi-Emperor, so even if many people have greedy desires, they can only obediently suppress them, as they cannot afford to offend him.

"Old Wang, Old Wang, stop playing with your Immortal Ascension Cauldron and come to me. I said I had a surprise for you last time, and I also have a congratulatory gift for you!"

Just then, Wang Hongwu received a message from Duan De. This guy had been acting strangely lately, as if he had unearthed something extraordinary and was trying to take credit for it.

Now that he had some free time, he naturally didn't mind taking a look. With one step, he returned to Beidou. Along the way, as he passed through the Eastern Wilderness and the Central Plains, he saw many figures lingering in the secret realms he had once explored.

Even their clothing and attire imitated him, as if they were 'visiting the past' and tracing the path of a former strongman.

Wang Hongwu shook his head, finding it both funny and absurd; he never expected to have such an effect on him.

When they found Duan De, the unscrupulous Taoist was in the central region of the Eastern Wilderness, holding a large stone in his hand, which was exactly the same as the Origin Stone.

"Old Duan, is this the stone you gave me?" Wang Hongwu took a closer look when he saw him holding it in his arms. The stone was grayish-brown and unremarkable. It had many cracks and looked like it was about to fall apart. There were even hollow holes that were transparent from front to back. Anyone would consider it a worthless stone and that it was impossible for it to contain any precious treasure.

"Hehe, don't underestimate him!" Duan De patted the stone, and a primordial aura immediately emerged from it, with wisps of chaos spreading, making the place look mysterious and unpredictable. Wang Hongwu immediately exclaimed in surprise. He had never heard of a divine source that could generate chaotic energy. Could this be something from before the creation of the world?
He opened his third eye, trying to see clearly, but it seemed as if there was a wisp of celestial energy within the stone, enveloping something. No matter how bright his gaze was, he couldn't penetrate it and couldn't see it clearly.

This is quite interesting. First came chaos, then such dazzling celestial light, which is enough to prove that there is something extraordinary inside the source stone.

Duan De scratched his head and handed over the stone, saying, "It was quite an accident to find this thing. To be precise, it was a series of accidents that finally led to its discovery on a light blue planet."

"A series of unexpected events?" Wang Hongwu raised an eyebrow; that was no coincidence.

Yes. Duan De nodded.

"Was it dug up on a blue planet?" Wang Hongwu asked again, his expression turning strange. Wasn't that Earth? Back in the mythical era, this old guy dug up something big there.

Yes, Duan De nodded again. When he was tinkering with the teleportation array, something went wrong, and he ended up being teleported to a moon palace. There, he discovered some traces that he had been searching for, and he followed the clues, digging and digging until he reached that blue planet.

"This... could it be the thing I'm thinking of?" Wang Hongwu's heart stirred, and he couldn't help but think of many things. He looked at the Immortal Ascension Cauldron that he had assembled, and his expression gradually became subtle.

However, this source stone was very stubborn, with special patterns engraved on it, making it very difficult to break. So Wang Hongwu temporarily put it away, leaving it for future exploration.

"By the way, what place did you say you were going to take me to in a surprise?" Then, he remembered what the unscrupulous Taoist had said earlier. He saw Duan De's eyes flicker before he said, "There's no rush. I need to prepare for two more days. That place isn't always open."

Seeing this, Wang Hongwu was not in a hurry and began to revisit this old place in the Eastern Wilderness.

He arrived at the Dragon Nest first, met with the Holy King Qiankang and the Great Sage Qianlun, and gave some pointers to the Dragon Nest disciples. Unfortunately, the old dragon was still in seclusion and he was unable to meet him.

Afterwards, Wang Hongwu arrived at the Golden Cave, which put a lot of pressure on the Golden Great Sage. Sweat poured down his forehead. In the end, he casually brushed aside the past, and the Great Sage Clan Chief breathed a sigh of relief, and his face regained some color.

On his third stop, he visited the Fire Kirin Cave, where two great sages came out to greet him and exchange pleasantries, serving him Enlightenment Tea. Unfortunately, Fire Kirin had gone on an adventure along the ancient road since returning from the ancestral star and had not yet returned.

Then Wang Hongwu went to the Primordial Lake, met with the Great Sage Yuanguang, gave him guidance on cultivation, and preached to the royal family members for three days before departing.

Since that day, some people have said that they saw the Holy Venerable's figure in front of the Divine Ruins. He was gazing into the void, seemingly lost in thought.

Some people say that the Holy Venerable was also seen outside the Primordial Ancient Mine. He went deep into it and came out unharmed, and even had a Primordial Life Stone in his hand!
Then, a message from beyond the borders attracted people's attention, reminding them of ancient legends from the mythological era.

The day before, a strange phenomenon occurred in a star field: the legendary Nine Dragons Pulling a Coffin appeared, but unfortunately, no one could catch up with it or get close to it.

Several great sages saw the nine black dragon bodies and the huge bronze coffin.

It is said that the Nine Dragons Pulling the Coffin has existed since the mythological era. The ancient Heavenly Court once opened an ancient road along its route, connecting various star fields and hiding a great secret.

Perhaps it can grant immortality!
This news immediately sparked a wave of searches for the Nine Dragons Coffin, and even many experts from the Big Dipper were mobilized.

"Nine dragons pulling the coffin, inside there is indeed an evolving world."

Wang Hongwu was also somewhat lost in thought after learning about it. He hadn't expected even this thing to appear. Could it be a kind of omen?

He had originally planned to go after him, but Duan De came to his door and told him that preparations were complete and it was time to go to that 'land of surprises'.

"Let's get this straight, you're not going to use the teleportation array you created yourself." "What? Old Wang, you don't trust me? You know my arrays are always very reliable!"

"Then tell me, why are we on Fire Mulberry Star now?" "Ah... Damn it, there's been a little problem. Don't panic, it's just a technical adjustment!"

“Old Duan, listen to my advice. Teleportation is a dangerous business. If you can’t handle it, put it aside. We’ve already come to the ancient road of the human race. It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just that I don’t want to fall into the edge of the universe so soon.”

"No, no, no, it was an accident! Trust me, trust me, Lao Wang, this time it won't be wrong!"

Amidst the grumbling and cursing, the two flickered continuously within the teleportation array's light, traversing countless star seas and crossing endless starscapes, their journey seemingly without end.

Finally, they arrived at a desolate frontier and then landed on an ancient and barren star.

This was once a life-bearing planet, but it is now lifeless. It is ancient, at least a product of an era ago.

After successfully arriving at his destination, Duan De breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Speaking of which, the reason I was able to find this place is still inseparable from something else."

"What is it?" Wang Hongwu asked curiously, since unscrupulous Taoist priests must have good stuff on them.

Duan De smacked his lips twice and spread his hands. "I can't really explain it. Anyway, it's been with me ever since I became conscious. It seems to have been left behind by someone I've been searching for. It's been very useful to me."

Then, he took out an ancient object and started waving it around like a shaman, muttering incantations. After fiddling with it for a long time, the planet began to resonate inexplicably, and the sound of scriptures could be heard.

Soon, a crack appeared in mid-air, then widened, and light shone through.

"Thank goodness, what he left behind is still reliable." Seeing this, Duan Decai put away the ancient object and breathed a sigh of relief, clearly he hadn't been sure before.

Wang Hongwu's eyes twitched. Wasn't this the Heavenly Land that Zhang Bairen had mentioned? In the past, it could only be opened by luck or by sacrificing the blood essence of a powerful person. He wondered what Duan De had used to open it.

The two entered the crevice and found a path leading to a misty ancient cave in the distance, spewing out chaos and celestial energy.

As you walk forward, the path behind you disappears, leaving nothing behind. One star field after another recedes beneath your feet and vanishes just like that.

Wang Hongwu exclaimed, "This is truly a mysterious place. Approaching the ancient cave, it is shrouded in mist, indistinct and impenetrable. It contains astonishing secrets."

"Reincarnation, anything is possible, anything is impossible, who can say for sure?"

Just then, a voice rang out, echoing from the void, startling the two of them. They looked at each other in bewilderment, wondering if there was a third person present.
They explored all the way to the deepest part, where they found some remains, a straw mat, and a blood-stained white cloth, seemingly remnants of a past era.

Behind it was a stone chamber, only ten feet long, very simple, with no tables, chairs or decorations, only rough stone walls.

The chaotic and celestial aura within this ten-foot-long stone chamber was even more intense, carrying inexplicable fluctuations.

At this moment, Wang Hongwu's expression changed, because the five discs inside his body suddenly flew out, as if resonating with the stone chamber.

Soon after, strange phenomena appeared in the stone chamber. It was still hazy, illuminated by chaotic light and thick with immortal mist, but some marks appeared on the stone walls.

Those are the oldest and crudest stone carvings, too blurry, left by the ancients!
It was a faded historical scene that surprised both Wang Hongwu and Duan De, who had no idea what it represented.

In the end, Wang Hongwu's face lit up with joy, sensing a certain opportunity. He suddenly stepped forward and said, "The environment here is completely different. My chance to become a Quasi-Emperor and the Supreme Ruler of the Old Law has arrived!"

(End of this chapter)