The Ancient Saint Emperor of the Heaven-shading

Chapter 313 The Fallen Emperor, the Priest of the Calamity Land

The burial pit of the Heavenly Emperor has been quiet and peaceful since ancient times.

Today, the Lord of the Burial Pit has summoned all heroes to gather in the council hall. All those of supreme status, even Dao Ancestors, have arrived.

"What is the purpose of the meeting convened by the Pit Master today?" A Dao Ancestor looked at the enormous head of the Heavenly Emperor, his expression filled with doubt.

In the past, such grand actions only occurred when waging war against the heavens. Even when offering sacrifices to the heavens or holding various rituals, it was rare to see such a large gathering.

"Who knows? Perhaps something happened in the land of Evil." Another supreme being shook his head, not caring about it. Since the Great Sacrifice to the Heavens, the ominous race has had no rivals and has been peaceful for too long. What could possibly cause them to make a big move?

Another ominous Dao Ancestor who arrived whispered, "Perhaps it's related to that person. It's said that the chief priests and the ancestor once chased and intercepted him, resulting in an unimaginable battle. There are rumors from the ancient underworld that the chief priest had an accident."

"Be careful what you say." The supreme being beside him quickly stopped him from continuing, because any mention of beings at that level would trigger a reaction and affect his state. If they were to seize the opportunity to return, it would be disastrous.

"The pit master has arrived." At this moment, the deputy of the burial pit, who had been silent all along, spoke up. His name was Sanzang, and his strength was also among the top Dao Ancestors. As soon as he spoke, the scene fell silent.

Suddenly, a round table rose from the entire hall made of bones, followed by rows of stone chairs. At the very center, a gust of wind swept across the throne.

Whoosh! Amidst the swirling wind, everyone present recalled a series of images from the past, including one figure leaning against the central throne.

He had already arrived in the past.

When everyone's memory of this scene was complete, in the actual history of that time, Wang Hongwu also appeared on the throne, his eyes slightly closed, his whole person very profound and unfathomable. A metallic halo hung behind his head, surrounded by dreamlike colors, swaying and shining, illuminating the hazy and chaotic sky of history.

The Supreme Beings and the Dao Ancestor were startled, realizing that the Lord of the Burial Pit had reached a new level of strength. They immediately bowed and said, "Greetings, Lord of the Burial Pit, Fallen Emperor!"

Within the ancient land, the master of the Heavenly Emperor's Burial Pit is also known as the "Fallen Heavenly Emperor." It is said that he once devoured a celestial ruler of the level of a trailblazer, which transformed into the prototype of the burial pit, hence the title, which inspires awe.

Then, the Third Burial Ancestor stepped forward and stood behind Wang Hongwu, whispering, "Master, everyone is here."

Wang Hongwu nodded slightly upon hearing this and said, "The reason I have summoned you all here today is because something has happened deep within the Evil Land. All the substitute chief priests must return to their ancestral lands. In the future, there may be disputes among the four ancient lands."

Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback. What could have caused a conflict among the four ancient lands? Upon further reflection, their expressions changed. Could it be that during the pursuit of that person, an accident occurred, and one of the high priests truly perished?

In that case, one of the substitutes will inevitably be chosen, and the four ancient land lords will undoubtedly be among them!

If that's the case, will there be a civil war among the four peerless Dao Ancestors to compete for the position of High Priest? And it's highly likely that there will be more than just them, because there are other peerless figures among the ten major clans in the Calamity Land. In the past, perhaps merits in great battles could be used to determine who is superior, but now that there is too much peace and no fighting, it is naturally impossible to do so.

The best approach is to determine who is superior based on their abilities and have a contest!
Upon realizing this, everyone's expressions changed slightly. No wonder the Fallen Emperor summoned everyone; it seemed he wanted to compete for the new position of High Priest.

In an instant, their emotions fluctuated. Some wanted to take advantage of the situation to gain merit, while others wanted to stay out of it. Still others were people who had come from the land of misfortune and had other candidates in mind, or even wanted to compete for it themselves. Naturally, their thoughts were all different.

"Besides that, there's one more thing. I'd like to introduce some new assistants to you all." Wang Hongwu took everything in, but didn't care. He simply clapped his hands and said, "Cang, Hong, Yu, Mie, come out."

As soon as the words were spoken, four figures suddenly appeared: one with gray hair flowing down his shoulders, wearing an imperial robe and an ancient crown; another with purple armor and a golden face, standing tall on the rainbow bridge; one accompanied by holy light and rain, with wings growing on his back; and another in ancient black clothes, exuding a world-destroying aura.

Without exception, all four were top-tier Dao Ancestors!

These four people look familiar?
The powerful figures in the Heavenly Emperor's Burial Pit were all stunned. Weren't these four the four Dark Dao Ancestors who had cooperated with the Four Ancient Lands back then? They hadn't expected to return after their disappearance.

Originally, these four people had appeared on the battlefield of the heavens, but the ominous beings who survived and knew about them had already been enlightened by Wang Hongwu and become his own. Several important figures who possessed supreme weapons had never come into contact with them and naturally would not leak information. The people in the Heavenly Emperor's Burial Pit only knew about their information before their defeat.

Upon realizing their strength, the other supreme beings were also horrified. These four were truly terrifying, probably second only to the Fallen Emperor himself, and could sweep across the field.

“From today onwards, they will be the four managers of the Heavenly Emperor’s Burial Pit, and perhaps they will also be the ones who govern the four ancient lands in the future,” Wang Hongwu instructed. These four people are just right to manage the four lands.

Upon seeing this, the deputy, Dao Ancestor Sanzang, was taken aback and asked, "What about you, Pit Master?"

"Me?" Wang Hongwu smiled and said calmly, "Of course, it's a triumphant return to my hometown and a promotion to a high position."

Upon hearing this, everyone became even more convinced that he was going to vie for the position of the new high priest.

"Alright, enough of the nonsense. Now, let's get down to business." Suddenly, Wang Hongwu clapped his hands and gave a wink. The four emperors, Cang Hongyu and Mie, stepped forward in unison, summoning a spear and a lamp, two supreme artifacts that emitted brilliant holy light. Prayers rang out, praising God's majesty and revering the emperor's power; hymns echoed, spreading the glory of God and illuminating the path of the lamb.

The moment they appeared, the vast world and countless universes floated like dust, trembling before the two artifacts like a drop in the ocean. They were magnificent and vast, and the rotation of the vast world and the collapse of heaven and earth were nothing more than a fleeting moment of birth and death, insignificant.

The spear of God, the lamp of God!
Supreme artifact? Immortal Emperor's weapon!
In an instant, many people were terrified and felt immense pressure, their bodies and souls trembling.

Some Dao Ancestors could not bear it, their bodies betrayed their consciousness, and they prostrated themselves on the ground, uncontrollably kowtowing!

Because that is the true power of the end of the road, irresistible, capable of obliterating all the supreme beings of the heavens and the ultimate realms. Even the most gifted Dao Ancestor could not withstand it and would die instantly.

"Master, Master, what do you mean by this?!" "We are utterly loyal, why are you doing this to us?!"

"My lord, my lord, you are innocent! We will not hinder your struggle for the position of high priest; we are your helpers!"

In an instant, wails filled the air, and the creatures in the burial pit were terrified, unable to imagine what would happen next.

They didn't want to perish like this, because dying under the supreme artifact meant eternal oblivion, with no chance of resurrection!

"Loyalty?" Wang Hongwu said dismissively, "True loyalty will only come when you all become like him and me."

"Indeed, we are the ones who are loyal to the Heavenly Father. What are you? A bunch of filthy and monstrous beings! Despicable!"

The four emperors snorted coldly and directly unleashed the Spear of God and the Lamp of Heaven to suppress it. From them, dense primordial matter poured out, and Wang Hongwu's Tai Sui system also spread out, enveloping all the supreme beings and Dao Ancestors in the arena.

This is to transform them all into others; without a supreme artifact, this would be very time-consuming and cause a great commotion, but with a supreme artifact to suppress them, it is extremely easy, and they can be captured and refined in an instant!

He's all about efficiency, not weirdness.

At this point, all the high-ranking members of the Heavenly Emperor's Burial Pit were captured and must realize who they are and become angels under God's throne.

Then, Wang Hongwu looked at the other beings in the burial pit, from the human path to the immortal path and then to the kingly path, and directly pointed a finger at them.

Whoosh! A beam of celestial light streaked across the sky, so dazzling and radiant that it illuminated the entire Heavenly Emperor's Burial Pit.

In an instant, the other creatures in the burial pit raised their heads to look at the light, which then suddenly exploded, turning into a shower of golden light that covered the entire Heavenly Emperor's burial pit, drenching all the creatures.

After that, every living being drenched in rain was momentarily dazed, a person appeared in their memory, their origin was taken over, they realized who they were, and a human-shaped outline appeared deep in their pupils.

One of the four ancient sites that was once at its peak fell silently to the control of Wang Hongwu.

"Next, it's time to wait. I have no shortage of patience." He slowly turned around and returned to the palace of the Lord of the Burial Pit. Here, there is also the accumulation and treasure of a great ancient land, which has collected many wonderful techniques and unique evolutionary paths from ancient times to the present, which are worth studying.

While the outside world was in turmoil due to the disappearance of all the heavens and myriad worlds, one of the four ancient lands quietly completed its succession and was taken over by someone else.

In the primordial lands, the supreme being of the ancient underworld blew the conch shell, disturbing the deathly silence of the River of Souls, disrupting the tranquility of the Heavenly Emperor's burial pit, and stirring up dust among the floating earth of the four poles.

This matter is neither too big nor too small. At its smallest, it's just the disappearance of a harvest field; at its largest, it's the loss of subsequent offerings. Because if all the heavens and myriad realms are gone, they can truly rely on the heavens and other realms of the great world to hold regular sacrifices.

The next moment, on the ancient path of reincarnation, an aura of supreme beings emanated. A being approached from afar at incredible speed, arriving in the blink of an eye from beyond countless realms. It was a powerful being from the ancient underworld.

Almost simultaneously, another indistinct road appeared, leading to the unknown. A strong wind blew from there, raising large areas of ash and terrifying dust.

It resembled ashes, or perhaps the fragments of an indescribable creature that had been obliterated. Then, an ominous creature, shrouded in darkness and exuding an aura of malevolence, emerged, stepping out of the ancient cycle of reincarnation. It was a being that crawled out from beneath the floating earth of the four poles.

It was terrifying, its body shrouded in blood mist. It was also a supreme being. After descending, it frowned slightly and asked, "What is it that requires you to blow the conch shell?"

"All the heavens and myriad realms have vanished." The Supreme Being of the Underworld sighed, revealing the problem. Upon hearing this, the two ominous beings who had arrived were both stunned. Vanished?
How could such a vast universe of countless worlds simply vanish into thin air!

Even if it was sacrificed, there should be remains flowing into the sacrificial sea, it shouldn't be empty, unless it was taken away by someone!

Moreover, what's even stranger is that they've arrived at the ancient underworld and the floating soil of the four extremes, but the River of Souls and the Heavenly Emperor's Burial Pit are nowhere to be found.

“I think this matter needs to be reported; we can’t afford to take responsibility if something goes wrong.”

"Isn't that necessary? This isn't a big deal. Even if all the heavens and myriad realms are gone, there's still the Heavenly Realm and other realms in the Great Thousand Worlds. It's just a matter of cultivating for a while longer before reaping the harvest."

Some people cared, while others didn't, but in the end, they still reported it as a formality.

"Interesting. These things happen just as we're about to select a new high priest. Well, anyway, let's meet him first." Both the Lord of Floating Earth and the Lord of the Underworld had strange expressions after receiving the news.

However, they still sent messages to the Lord of the Soul River and the Lord of the Burial Pit, asking them to return to the Calamity Land together to discuss the replacement of the chief priest. As for the so-called disappearance of the myriad worlds, in their view, it was a minor matter. There were still many realms in the Great Thousand Worlds, and it was probably just something that had happened during the chief priests' battle with that person.

A moment later, the Lord of Floating Earth arrived at the scene first. He was ferocious, covered in bumps, oozing pus and blood. His beast head was pieced together with a rotting human head, his crocodile mouth was wide open with protruding serrated teeth, and his body was irregular and asymmetrical, making him quite terrifying.

The Lord of the Underworld appeared shortly after, draped in a wide black robe, revealing only a pair of golden eyes. He appeared relatively normal, but his entire body was covered in red hair, making him look like a vengeful ghost seeking death.

The two arrived without saying a word, simply waiting quietly for the other two to arrive.

However, after waiting for a long time without seeing the two people, they became somewhat impatient.

"What's going on? It's understandable that the Lord of the Soul River is still in slumber, but what is the Lord of the Burial Pit doing?"

"You'll know as soon as you ask."

As they spoke, the two of them opened a passage leading to the Heavenly Emperor's Burial Pit and the River of Souls.

Inside the final area of ​​the Heavenly Emperor's Burial Pit, Wang Hongwu was examining a massive stone wall with his hands behind his back. The wall was engraved with illustrations, and each illustration, when touched, revealed the amazing path and world-shaking supernatural powers of that era. By comprehending these methods, he felt as if he had witnessed countless extraordinary beings from different eras.

Even beings at the level of Demon Ancestor or Dao Ancestor are nothing more than passersby in front of Evil Earth, a memory, all fleeting clouds. At this moment, however, he suddenly turned around and noticed that someone was opening the burial pit, and immediately snorted coldly.

The Lord of the Underworld immediately felt a vast and magnificent aura, as if the world had been recreated and all things were in their original state, and everything had to be overturned and started anew. He was then shaken back and the figure of Wang Hongwu appeared before his eyes.

"Lord of the Burial Pit, you're late. Are you aware of the disappearance of all the heavens and myriad worlds?" The Lord of Floating Earth waved his hand and stepped forward to inquire. Wang Hongwu simply shook his head. "I don't know."

"Let's put this trivial matter aside for now. The Lord of the Soul River is already summoning us back to prepare for the replacement of the new High Priest." The Lord of the Soul River also appeared and changed the subject.

Seeing this, the two of them didn't know what to say and could only let it go, saying, "Forget it, there's no need to dwell on it here. Let's go back to our ancestral home first."

Ultimately, they used special tools to begin a ritual, setting up an ancient altar, and thus entered a hazy land.

"The sacrificial ground of this era was red last time, but this time it is gray."

The Lord of the Underworld spoke, revealing that this place was truly isolated from the world, transcending all the heavens and realms, where all sounds and sights were only found in this place.

Wang Hongwu looked around. It was all dark. There was no concept of space, no flow of time, and even his own thoughts seemed to be frozen, almost coming to a standstill.

Not far away, there was half a piece of dim golden bone, only a small piece remained, the rest had been melted away; in another distant place, a finger floated, its nails pitch black and hooked; even more eye-catching was a ball of blood, its silver flames steaming, carrying the aura of its past vastness, but its main body was nowhere to be seen, which symbolized that a supreme being once came here to cultivate in seclusion, dreaming of breaking through that crucial step and truly becoming supreme.

However, they all failed and died tragically here.

Of course, there are very few supreme beings who dare to come here for seclusion. Throughout history, across many eras, there have only been a handful of them. This is because this place was once the highest place of seclusion. Although it bears traces of enlightenment, it also has its remaining marks. It is both a blessing and a calamity.

"The high priest is high above, unfathomable. If one could achieve such a position, this life would be worthwhile." Even the Lord of the Floating Earth, Su Lai, who had been silent, couldn't help but think and sigh, yearning for that position.

For some unknown reason, the number of Immortal Emperors within the Calamity Land has remained at ten, and cannot be increased.

Many Dao Ancestors with extraordinary talent were helplessly stuck at that step, unable to make any progress, and suffered immense pain.

Historically, only when the original chief priest is eternally deceased will there be an opportunity for a successor to take his place, but that is too slim. Such a situation only occurs during bloody battles against the heavens and during sieges of the Desolate Heavenly Emperor.

Soon, they strolled out, crossed the sacrificial site, and arrived at the real Etu Plateau.

Looking at this familiar old land, Wang Hongwu couldn't help but sigh, "Now is the time to make this place big and strong."

They began by unifying the four ancient lands, then vied for the position of chief priest, and then plotted step by step, cooperating with Shi Hao from within and without.

Boom! At that moment, the sky above the Calamity Land trembled violently, and several figures tore through the boundary wall and returned, their auras fluctuating wildly, appearing somewhat tragic.

The first figure was covered in red fur that was a foot long, and stood on chaotic mist. However, there was a fist mark on its chest that pierced through it, making it bright from front to back. This kind of creature was definitely powerful, but the wound could not be healed. In fact, the fist mark was still emitting light, and its residual power had not been extinguished to this day.

The second figure was covered in shattered purple crystals, and 108 halos appeared behind its head. Although they were also incomplete, they were still terrifying. At the same time, what was even more eerie was that there was a blood hole between its eyebrows, as if it had been pierced by a sword. The hole spread from its fair forehead into its hair, and the crack was horrifying!
The third figure was even more gruesome, with only the left half of its body remaining. Half of its face and half of its body were almost completely mangled, as if it had been cleaved in two by a sword. If it weren't for the brown rust constantly swirling around its body, it would be almost indistinguishable from a mutilated corpse.

Besides them, there were also phantom silhouettes gathering on the plateau, trying to coalesce into the former high priests. They seemed to have returned defeated, and their faces were all very solemn.

"That...that's the high priest?!"

The Lord of the Floating Earth and the Lord of the Underworld were shocked to see this, for it was none other than the chief priests!

But how could they have suffered such a crushing defeat?

(End of this chapter)