The Ancient Saint Emperor of the Heaven-shading

Chapter 224 Internal Strife in Heaven, Entire Sect Ascends to Immortality
The celestial palace fell from Kunlun and was suppressed on this mountain peak.

The sacred soil that repaired the Immortal Bell and gave birth to the Immortal Cauldron has now welcomed the third immortal artifact, which stands atop the mountain as if it has always been so.

Cao Yusheng glanced at the ancient hall, which seemed to have always been here, but was lost due to the great battle, though the nodes remained connected.

"Now, it's time to consider the matter of ascending to immortality with the entire sect." Having obtained the mysterious substance, the Emperor felt confident that the path to immortality in this life was his alone.

"All eight Supreme Beings are wiped out?" "How could this be?"

The moment they returned, divine senses swept out from the Primordial Ancient Mine and Burial Sky Island, and they were all very surprised. Ten years ago, eight supreme beings followed them into the Immortal Palace, but none of them survived.

This was somewhat unbelievable, and they were eager to know what had happened inside that caused such a bloodbath.

However, the three who survived today cannot reveal the secret; the secret of the blocked road must not be revealed, or there will be great disaster.

“Now, it’s time to make my preparations.” Wang Hongwu glanced at the Immortal Palace, took out the Chaos Divine Embryo, and the Nine-Aperture Stone Man opened his mouth and inhaled. The Seven-Colored Immortal Gold turned into a layer of skin covering his body. Then, the Supreme Blood Bone shattered, and strands of Imperial Law poured into the stone man, giving his body surface more intricate patterns.

Then, all the collected immortal gold flew out. Phoenix Blood Crimson Gold became his flesh and blood, Immortal Tear Green Gold entered the Sea of ​​Wheels, Divine Mark Purple Gold forged the Dao Palace, Eternal Blue Gold shaped the Four Extremes, Dragon Pattern Black Gold transformed into the Spine, Dao Tribulation Gold condensed the Immortal Platform, Feathering Azure Gold followed the Laws, and together with the Seven-Colored Immortal Gold as the central hub and the Divine Marrow Blood produced by the Chaos Heart, the eight immortal golds became one, forging the Chaos Immortal Gold Holy Spirit Body!

"Nine secrets unite, seal!" In the next moment, Wang Hongwu shouted, and the Heavenly Venerable Great Harmony Transformation manifested. With the Yuanzun of the Word Formation as the main body, he set up the supreme Dharma seal, sealing the divine embryo in the immortal pool of the Ninety-Nine Dragon Mountain. Then he performed immortal magic, transforming the Qilin Heavenly Map and outlining it. Even the Supreme Being would be in danger of destruction if he acted recklessly.

At that very moment, sensing the birth of the divine embryo, which was about to transform into a weapon, the universe also responded. Crimson lightning surged forth, like the heavens weeping, a truly astonishing sight. One streak of blood light after another engulfed the area. From afar, it looked as if the heavens and earth were weeping, with a long rain of blood falling from the sky to the earth!
The lightning was too violent, containing the aura of immortality, making people tremble. Its power was beyond imagination. Cao Yusheng was surprised. He did not expect that he would face such a calamity when he had just started preparing. Judging from its appearance, this thing's potential was at least no less than that of the Immortal Ascension Cauldron.

With a thunderous roar, the world was instantly filled with light and thunder erupted. Wang Hongwu made his move, with the roar of dragons, the howl of unicorns, the flight of phoenixes, the spread of wings of the Kunpeng, and the appearance of the Thunder Emperor. The five immortal spirits emerged together, reversing the crimson sea of ​​thunder and single-handedly blocking the tribulation from falling.

The Emperor then intervened to conceal the secrets of heaven, preventing other supreme beings from discovering the changes in this place. Three days passed before the lightning tribulation finally dissipated, and a drop of celestial dew emerged from it, falling onto the divine embryo—a blessing after the tribulation.

Nourished by the immortal dew, various extraordinary phenomena appeared on its body, reflecting the cosmos and the ancient realms of the heavens. The divine embryo sat cross-legged in the center, like a god looking down upon the impermanence of the world, with all things changing with every breath.

Suddenly, the swirling dust of the mortal world arrives again, depicting the myriad aspects of human life, each with its own unique atmosphere and character; in the end, everything appears, from divine birds and ferocious beasts to galaxies, and all aspects of human existence, as well as the long river of time and eternal silence.

"What a grand gesture!" Cao Yusheng exclaimed, then stepped in to help, using Origin Technique Immortal Runes to inscribe and set up an array to create concealment; the Emperor also stepped in to reinforce the seal, so that even if a figure of the Nine Heavens Venerable level came, they would not be able to shake it.

"This is also a debate on the Dao, a gamble concerning beliefs that spans eternity, Your Majesty. Let me see if there is reincarnation in this world."

For the Emperor, this is also a test to see if reincarnation truly exists. If the seal is triggered after countless ages, it means that the Bright Lord has truly returned, and reincarnation does exist in the world. If not, then it proves that he is right. As for whether he himself can live to see that time, he is naturally confident.

Therefore, no matter what happens, he will not disturb the arrangement here. On the contrary, he will intentionally protect it and prevent others from touching it. He has such courage and determination to win.

Without lingering, they returned directly to the Heavenly Court. Changsheng and Xiaoyao had already returned, but according to them, ten years had passed.

The three were surprised, not expecting that the flow of time on the cycle of reincarnation was different from that outside; it was truly a day underground, a year on earth.

"What did you encounter? How did all eight Supreme Beings perish?" The Eternal Life Celestial Venerable wondered. Could it be that the immortal corpse had truly become sentient? But that shouldn't be the case. They were all dead in that state, headless, legless, without a primordial spirit, and without any laws. But if they were sentient, perhaps only the Bright Venerable or the Emperor Venerable could withstand them.

"They were killed by us. There's no need to mention this again." The Emperor casually brushed it off and returned to his secluded retreat to study the substances he had collected.

The carefree Celestial Venerable narrowed his eyes, thinking to himself that the Emperor Venerable seemed to be a little different after returning this time, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what was strange about him.

After politely declining the invitation from the Celestial Venerable of Nirvana to discuss the Dao, Wang Hongwu returned to his own Bright Venerable Hall and began his seclusion.

A bronze-colored halo appeared in his palm. This was the Immortal-Breaking Dao Mark of the Bronze Immortal Palace, which had a malevolent effect. However, he had now integrated it into the Heavenly Will Blade, helping it to be sublimated.

With a whoosh, the silver celestial blade hanging infinitely high in the sky transformed, acquiring a touch of bronze color and a mottled, ancient charm, as if it had undergone countless tribulations and decays, and traveled from the distant past.

Upon closer inspection, the power of the end of Dharma, the power of transformation, and the power of immortality are all forged into a single blade, shimmering and sparkling, reflecting prehistory and illuminating the future. It is as if the end of each era is incorporated into it, and that rise and fall are inevitable, ultimately returning to the end of Dharma and becoming part of the blade's light.

The moment this supreme celestial blade appeared, the void froze, the universe and the starry sea fell silent, and only that streak of light flashed by, becoming the only eternal one.

Swoosh! The gleaming blade seemed to traverse the ages, leaving no one able to resist; at this moment, even the supreme being would be imprisoned and bound, waiting for that blade to fall, offering their neck for slaughter.

A single stroke of divine will can cleave through a thousand autumns!

"Very good. This technique has now evolved into a near-immortal technique, especially effective against forbidden zones. When we return, we will have a great gift for them, hahaha."

Wang Hongwu laughed with satisfaction. Now he had the power to threaten the forbidden zone. With a single strike, even the Supreme Being would be affected, unable to seal himself off, or even able to ascend.

During this period, a tremor was heard from the place where the Emperor was in seclusion, with fluctuations like those of longevity substances spreading out, which alarmed many people.

That substance carries a sense of evolution, and even a hint of longevity; it's quite subtle.

"It feels so familiar, but it seems to be less sophisticated than the thing I remember? It's not that black substance?" Cao Yusheng rubbed his head, feeling that his memories were fragmented and that he had forgotten many things.

The Celestial Venerable of Longevity and the Celestial Venerable of Freedom looked rather grim. They began to suspect that the Emperor Venerable had monopolized the immortal corpse's fortune.

Otherwise, where did he get these longevity substances?

Finally, unable to contain themselves, they went to the Emperor to inquire, only to find out that it had nothing to do with the immortal corpse. Although the Emperor would not lie to them, the two Heavenly Venerables still felt a thorn in their hearts.

They were deeply troubled by the missed opportunities for immortality; they weren't afraid of missing out on everything, but rather of someone else enjoying it all to themselves.

After Wang Hongwu emerged from seclusion, he sensed the undercurrents within the Heavenly Court and couldn't help but frown. Such an event occurring at this crucial juncture, when the entire sect was about to ascend to immortality, was not a good thing.

Gradually, the Emperor left seclusion less and less often, and his palace was shrouded in an unknown shadow. Sometimes, even Cao Yusheng couldn't find him.

Even Chuanying and the God felt that this Lord of Heaven seemed to be becoming increasingly eccentric and extreme.

It wasn't until Cao Yusheng couldn't hold back any longer and forced his way in to meet the Emperor that the Underworld Lord realized something was wrong. He found Wang Hongwu and said, "I feel that my disciple has been acting strangely ever since we returned from the cycle of reincarnation. Although he hasn't fallen to the point of self-destruction, he has become quite extreme."

He might ultimately ascend to immortality with only his own people, intending to benefit only his own followers. Other external forces, forbidden zones, and supreme beings will likely become sacrifices. The Underworld I created is probably one of his targets, and those residing within will all suffer.

This was a clue he sensed from some of the Emperor's words; he felt that the Emperor was plotting something much bigger, something very dangerous.

Upon hearing this, Wang Hongwu frowned, thinking of some kind of rule on the path to immortality. Just as he was about to say something, Cao Yusheng said as if they were of one mind, "Do you still remember the stone tablet we dug up back then? He deciphered the mystery on his own and found the records about that Heavenly Emperor and the path to immortality at the end of the chaotic era."

The text states that to break through the Immortal Path node, a blood sacrifice from a royal figure is necessary! I think that's why he harbored murderous intent and wanted to strike, but unfortunately, my injuries on the Cycle of Reincarnation were too severe, forcing me to enter a premature slumber.

Cao Yusheng sighed. Unfortunately, he didn't have much time to make amends. The Dao injuries on his body were difficult to heal. He prepared to go into a deep sleep to undergo a life-and-death tribulation and see if he could recover before the path to immortality appeared.

If we succeed, we might even be able to go further!

However, in order to help his disciple, Cao Yusheng left the supreme divine weapon he had refined in the underworld, along with the Heavenly Nether Treasure, for the Emperor to use.

“Some things have changed, and perhaps there will be a turning point in the future.” Wang Hongwu sighed inwardly. Because of his influence, the Emperor had not fallen so deeply and had a chance to turn back, but at present, he was still biased and unfamiliar.

Subsequently, together with the Underworld Lord, he found a chaotic immortal land, where Cao Yusheng planned to temporarily slumber and use the Tribulation Transcending Heavenly Technique to overcome this tribulation.

While they were out, the Emperor revived. Two eerie black lights flashed in the secret room, and his appearance was even younger than before, with his strength having increased.

A sea of ​​blood energy surged from the top of his head, sweeping across the universe and beyond, enough to burn all paths. His aura controlled the stability of the universe, and his mere existence was enough to crush the heart of heaven.

He said calmly, "Indeed, it has the effect of a longevity substance, which is very beneficial to cultivation. It should be the effect of the purification of the clay body on the path of reincarnation. There is no need to worry about its corruption. Even if there are negative effects, they are within my control and are nothing. As for the entire sect ascending to immortality, of course we will use all means. The outsiders are all pawns that can be used to do the work for the Heavenly Court. Changsheng and Xiaoyao have been restless lately, and there is also that Huashe, which can be used as a sacrifice. As for Jimie, I hope he will not do anything stupid. Otherwise, they will be the ones to pave the way to immortality with blood sacrifice."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Emperor stepped down to the Tower of Ten Thousand Demons. He stared at the enslaved serpent, his expression cold. A chain slowly emerged from his fingertips and was driven into the Serpent Transformation Platform.

"Emperor! Are you going to sacrifice me? You won't get your way. I want to watch you fail, watch you be reduced to nothingness for eternity!" The serpent, now a sacrifice, roared in extreme anger, but no matter how much it cried out, the Emperor paid no heed and left indifferently.

Xiaoyao and Changsheng also noticed the changes here. They later visited the Ten Thousand Demon Tower and met Huashe. When they noticed the chain left between his eyebrows, their pupils shrank. They recalled the scene they had seen when they were predicting the future. Emperor, do you really want to sacrifice them?

"Hahaha, I think all of you are going to be the ones to pave the way for the Emperor!" Inside the Ten Thousand Demon Tower, the snake struggled and laughed maniacally, causing the two Heavenly Venerables to experience significant emotional turmoil.

The Heavenly Court spent ten years in this turbulent and unpredictable atmosphere.

Until the Lord of Heaven emerged from seclusion again and summoned everyone.

"Since the Underworld Lord is unwell, then Changsheng, you will take charge of the Underworld in his place." The Emperor stepped forward and gave Changsheng Heavenly Venerable an important task: to manage the Underworld and inscribe some array patterns. In the future, the Underworld will assist the Heavenly Court and they will embark on the path to immortality together.

Upon coming into contact with those array patterns, the Eternal Life Celestial Venerable's expression changed slightly, because he sensed that they were very similar to some of the laws within the Serpent's body!

He suspected that the Emperor intended to sacrifice the supreme beings of the underworld to aid his ascension to immortality and eliminate any unsettling elements. This discovery made him even more vigilant, and he also recalled the words of the serpent:

If you want to survive and avoid becoming a pawn for the Emperor, you can cooperate with it! It can summon the Immortal Bell.

Xiaoyao's eyes flickered, and he glanced at Ji Mie without leaving a trace, thinking that perhaps he could bring him along.

At this moment, Wang Hongwu had already sensed that something was wrong with the Emperor and warned the Divine Phoenix Maiden, "The Emperor is different now. You must be on guard. If anything happens, your own safety is the most important thing."

“I understand. If he fails or something goes wrong, I’ll kick him aside and do it myself. If there’s a limit to the number of people who can become immortals, then it can only be you and me!” The Divine Phoenix Maiden was also very decisive and ambitious.

After that, the Heavenly Court enjoyed another period of peace.

Changsheng and Xiaoyao secretly met with Huashe on that day, when a bell tolled deep within the universe.

Following this, Changsheng returned to the underworld and found the sleeping Zhenyu Tianzun. This Tianzun had a wide range of knowledge and cultivated the secrets of weaponry, so he was extremely skilled in wielding weapons.

"You've seen these array patterns yourself. The Emperor is clearly going to sacrifice the Venerables to achieve his own ends. Now, I'm reversing these array patterns. In exchange, I hope you can control the Heavenly Nether Treasure and the weapons left behind by the Nether Venerable. If something unexpected really happens, I hope you'll help me in this battle."

"You are being too cautious. Even if the Emperor were to make a sacrifice, it would be a snake."

"It's just a matter of being prepared. If all goes well, you can also use the Heavenly Nether Treasure to assist in the battle and enter the Immortal Realm to achieve immortality. What's wrong with that?"

"Then so be it."

After their private conversation, the Prison Suppressor smiled faintly and said no more.

At that time, he can transform into the Underworld Emperor and deliver a powerful blow to the Emperor at the crucial moment.

Since Changsheng was taking action, Xiaoyao naturally wouldn't sit idly by. He also set out, using the fastest speed in the world to search for the array diagram and the four killing swords left behind by Lingbao Tianzun!
That was a weapon that had once slain a mutilated, spirit-possessed immortal corpse; it was more than qualified to trap and kill an Emperor.

"How foolish! I kindly guided you to immortality, yet you secretly plotted against me. How can this not chill one's heart?"

All of this could not be kept from the Emperor. He sighed softly, thinking that outsiders were indeed not trustworthy. He decided to sacrifice them all and let them become immortals with him.
Meanwhile, on Kunlun Mountain on Earth, the long-silent Immortal Palace began to tremble slightly. A strange corpse crawled out of it. Strangely, its missing legs were replaced by two demonic ape legs, and its missing head was filled with a string of nine-headed bird heads, stitching together a monstrous creature.

The fragmented immortal corpse that had disappeared reappeared, having obtained special substances from the path of reincarnation. In addition, it devoured the origin and soul behind the millstone, thus gaining spiritual power and returning to the present world. It stared in the direction of the Big Dipper and mumbled incoherently, "Immortal, path, go back!"

On that very day, the Big Dipper trembled, and a crack suddenly appeared in the immortal palace belonging to the Celestial Venerable of Annihilation.

An unprecedented aura emerged, making all living beings in the myriad realms understand that the path to immortality was about to begin!

The aura of immortality surged and filled the universe, causing an uproar and shocking the world. No one was left standing still. This was the dream of cultivators throughout the ages, and it would be fulfilled in this lifetime.

"The greatest upheaval in history is about to begin, and a new era is about to arrive!"

"It's true, it's been verified. There's a different aura there. Just now, a celestial light flew out and was caught by someone who immediately broke through their bottleneck and entered a higher realm."

The hearts of the people burned with fervor; this was the desire of every single one of them. The greatest divine opportunity in all of history was about to give rise to a multitude of changes.

In that chaotic immortal land, one could sense an immortal aura from afar. The white mist pressed down on the eight wastelands, sweeping across the vast sky, making one's heart tremble.

At the very center, a terrifying crack appeared, from which wisps of immortal energy occasionally spilled out, leaving people in awe.

"It turns out that everything was as the Emperor had predicted. They descended to Beidou in the first place for the sake of this path to immortality."

"In this life, will the Emperor ascend to immortality? That would be an unprecedented feat!"

People speculated that the true immortal realm was about to open, and everyone gathered around the Big Dipper, rushing there to witness a miracle that would quell the age-old obsession with pursuing immortality.

Inside the immortal abode, more and more beams of light shot up from the mysterious great rift. They were very special, sometimes transforming into true dragons and sometimes into Vermilion Birds, accompanied by bursts of chaotic energy.

There, one can clearly see a path to immortality emerging, with swirling, pure white clouds and mist. Taking a breath of it will refresh one's mind and body, and help one quickly attain enlightenment.

"True immortal energy can nourish one's primordial spirit and physical body, and it will have an effect on even those at the Quasi-Venerable realm."

"It's a real dragon! I think I saw a dragon fly across the sky?"

Instantly, the Big Dipper trembled violently, and celestial light filled the sky, like a grand fireworks display that nourished countless people. This was a sign that the immortal gate was about to open.

Amidst the shattering sounds, a faint, ethereal figure appeared, towering majestically in the darkness of the great rift, immortal and imposing amidst the chaos.

Everyone was astonished. Was that a building from the celestial realm? It was too magnificent, its outline visible even through the world barrier.

Then, with a loud thud, a huge crack broke open, and rubble flew out, wrapped in immortal energy and carrying immortal power. People could vaguely hear the cry of the immortal phoenix and see the lush and prosperous Great Wilderness Immortal Realm through a crack.

Roars of living beings echoed from the Immortal Path, shaking the universe. At the same time, a red Vermilion Bird flew about, followed by a snow-white giant tiger that appeared as if carved from white jade, exuding overwhelming pressure. This further confirmed that this path would bring the opportunity to become an immortal.

At this moment, the gazes of all the emperors in the Heavenly Court also turned over and noticed this place.

At the same time, the Kunlun Mountains on Earth trembled, and a powerful aura flowed, fixing its gaze on the path to immortality.

"There's been a change in Kunlun." The Emperor spoke. It concerned the cycle of reincarnation, and could have been entrusted to Cao Yusheng, but he had buried himself, making it difficult to handle.

"I'll go." Wang Hongwu frowned, somewhat worried that his divine embryo plan would be affected. Seeing this, the Emperor waved his hand and said, "It's alright, you can go and take a look. With divine speed, it won't be difficult for you to come back."

Nodding, Wang Hongwu spread his Kunpeng wings and traversed the universe, appearing on Earth's Kunlun Mountains.

From there, he immediately saw the towering celestial palace and the bizarrely pieced-together corpse standing in front of it.

The incomplete immortal corpse from back then?
How did it get here?

(End of this chapter)