The Legend of the Great Desolation: I Am the Fortress

"Beihe," said Dingyuan Emperor, the strongest of the five emperors, "You are second only to me in strength among us. This time, we will need you to lead the way..."

"I understand." The Northern River Emperor, with his hair disheveled, nodded gently.

Over the countless years, they have worked together to overcome challenges, and the tacit understanding they have developed needs no further explanation.

"Brother Dingyuan, Sister Minghua, please wait a moment while I go and investigate."

As soon as he finished speaking, a deep blue divine sword appeared in the hand of the Northern River Emperor.

Holding the divine sword, he transformed into a streak of light and flew directly into the distance.

Not far behind Emperor Beihe, Emperor Dinghua was piloting a huge warship following behind.

At the speed of Eternal Emperors, even the most ordinary one can reach a hundred times the speed of light. A distance of billions of miles is covered in an instant.

Soon, Emperor Beihe arrived near the giant star. Looking at the giant star that was almost within reach, his eyes were filled with overwhelming fighting spirit.

“Every time a Sith treasure appears, it attracts a large number of powerful beings. I hope we arrive quickly enough this time!”

The Northern River Emperor's heart stirred.

boom!
A vast and mighty divine sense then spread out in all directions.

He has attained eternal and endless years of Dao, and his own strength is at the level of a first-level emperor. With a single thought, he can cover countless territories.

The divine thought enveloped the surrounding trillions of miles.

"Hmm? Just one cultivator? And a fourth-step Dao Lord at that?"

Emperor Beihe frowned. "No, that vast and mighty divine sense that swept across just now was clearly the divine sense of a first-level emperor... Could it be that some powerful beings have already entered the interior of this Sith war weapon?"

Enveloped by divine sense, every detail became clearly visible.

Within a radius of trillions of miles, the Northern River Emperor could only sense one cultivator emanating the aura of a Fourth-Step Dao Lord.

However, even with his powerful divine sense, he was unable to fully explore the interior of this massive Sith war machine.

Just then, a vast array of divine thoughts enveloped the surrounding void, followed by four streaks of light that pierced through the void and appeared beside Emperor Beihe.

"So... just one Dao Lord?" Emperor Minghua frowned slightly. "Then where did the divine sense and mental energy just now come from?"

"Although this Sith war weapon can hide powerful beings, it has not yet been repaired and refined, and the dangers inside are unknown."

Emperor Wuchen was also puzzled, "It's impossible that all those emperors broke into the interior of this war machine?"

While Sith weapons are precious, they are generally fought and refined in battles outside. Very few people dare to venture inside.

After all, no one can guarantee what unknown and terrifying threats might still exist within the core of a Sith weapon.

"Could it be..."

The long-standing tacit understanding suddenly made Emperor Minghua and the others think of a possibility.

"Could it be that the cultivator who came before us is a solitary powerful being? Is he currently refining the core of a weapon and therefore unable to leave?"

"That's why we sent a fourth-step Dao Lord to keep watch outside?"

They had considered associating the master of the divine thought with Lei Zhan, but the result was too astonishing.

It should be noted that even the most extraordinary Dao Lords of Life and Death, who were invincible to the peak Dao Lords of an era, could only barely rival the level of the Lords of the Eight Great Holy Cities. That is, the likes of Emperor Dingyuan and Emperor Beihe, who were first-level Emperors.

As for Dao Lords on the verge of achieving Dao Integration, their divine sense alone is stronger than that of most First-Level Emperors.

Even though they wandered and ventured through the eight major source domains and even the surrounding domains, they had never heard of it.

"Let me capture that little fellow and question him first." Emperor Beihe also breathed a sigh of relief. "Our arrival has probably already alerted that emperor, but he hasn't appeared yet, which shows that he is at a critical moment in the refining process and can't spare the time."

"Be careful, don't be careless," Emperor Dingyuan said softly. "We'll go together. Those who are guarded outside by that emperor are probably quite extraordinary. If they are the most powerful peak Dao Lords, they could pose a threat to you and me."

"Alright." Emperor Beihe nodded gently.

Wow.

The distance of billions of miles was covered in an instant, and Emperor Dingyuan and Emperor Beihe saw the golden-robed youth standing quietly in the void.

……

In the void.

Lei Zhan was sitting on a floating component, leisurely drinking from a wine jug, gazing at the vast emptiness.

When the other Eternal Emperors discovered this Sith war weapon, and there were five of them at once, Lei Zhan's second primordial spirit naturally could no longer concentrate on comprehending it.

After scanning the area with his divine sense to investigate the situation of the arriving group, he casually found a place to wait quietly.

"Among the five emperors, none of them are rulers. In the worst-case scenario, all five emperors are powerhouses at the level of the lords of the eight holy cities."

Lei Zhan pondered to himself, "While my strength is insufficient to simultaneously contend with the lords of the five holy cities, my survival is assured thanks to the Ultimate Time-Space Dao. However..."

Lei Zhan's gaze was deep and unfathomable.

"My greatest trump card is the Origin Heart Scripture and the World of the Heart. If I can use my status as a Dao Lord to feign weakness and separate these Emperors in the first instance, it will probably be much easier!"

Just as Lei Zhan was pondering...

"They're here!" Lei Zhan looked up into the distance.

Five streaks of light flew in from afar, then stopped, standing in the void. Each of them possessed an extraordinary aura.

"I have met the five emperors," Lei Zhan announced loudly, his voice resounding throughout the heavens and earth.

"You little rascal, who was the Emperor who went in? Was it your master?" Emperor Dingyuan, one of the five Emperors who was also dressed in golden robes, asked.

"Quickly bring out that powerful being inside. If you are willing to swear an oath to keep the secret, we can spare your lives."

"Hmm?" Lei Zhan paused, a thought striking him. The Emperor who went in?

With his current cultivation level, Lei Zhan's thoughts raced incredibly fast. In just a moment, he understood, "Perhaps the divine sense I released just now caused these emperors to misunderstand something. However, this is my opportunity..."

“My lords,” Lei Zhan said, looking at the Dingyuan Emperor in his golden robes, “my master, the Mangya Overlord, entered this Sith war machine a long time ago, but for some reason, I have been unable to contact him since then…”

Lei Zhan was very sincere, "If you want to see my master, you will probably have to risk going into the core of this weapon."

"Hmm? The Lord of Mangya? The Lord?"

"The Lord of Mangya? Who is this Lord? Why does the name sound so unfamiliar?"

"The strength of that divine sense just now was only at the level of a first-level emperor. Although it is considered extremely strong among first-level emperors, it is still quite a bit short of the level of a ruler!"

"A Sovereign? This is troublesome! Although he is an unfamiliar Sovereign, the five of us have accumulated some powerful treasures over countless years. Now, we want to take this Sith weapon from a Sovereign..."

Emperor Dingyuan and the others were somewhat puzzled and curious, but upon hearing that the one who entered was a ruler, their hearts became solemn.

Even among the eternal emperors in the chaotic universe, there are many different levels.

Among the Eternal Emperors, the weakest and most numerous are those at the third level.

Those with greater strength, such as Emperor Minghua, Emperor Lieyang, and Emperor Wuchen, are second-level emperors.

The strongest among the Emperors, but not yet at the Dominator level, is the First-Level Emperor.

Therefore, these first-level emperors and second-level emperors are on completely different levels from a ruler, with a huge gap between them.

Moreover, even if the five of them joined forces, they wouldn't dare say they could kill a ruler.

"No! Fellow Daoists, this Dao Lord is not being honest! We clearly sensed that divine sense and mental power just now," Emperor Lieyang transmitted. "It is clear that even within this Sith weapon, divine sense can be released. This Dao Lord... is probably stalling for time."

"Indeed, we don't know how long that Lord Mangya has been inside. If he's about to refine it, we'll be in some danger!"

"If the Overlord refines this Sith weapon, his strength will likely surpass that of an ordinary alien lord, making him far beyond our capabilities. We cannot afford to delay any longer!"

They whispered to each other, all understanding the urgency of the situation.

After all, a Sith war weapon is like an alien universe, providing a huge boost to one's strength!
The Mangya Overlord already possessed Overlord strength; if he were to obtain a Sith weapon, it would be like adding wings to a tiger.

With the situation reversed, it's questionable whether the five of them can even escape.

"Then I'll capture this Dao Lord first and get a detailed understanding of the strength of the Mangya Overlord," Emperor Beihe transmitted his voice. "Knowing ourselves and our enemy will greatly increase our chances of victory!"

"Okay, Beihe, be careful!"

“Brother Beihe, this Dao Lord is behaving rather strangely. He didn’t seem too flustered when he saw the five of us. Be wary.”

"Fellow Daoist Beihe, please go ahead and do it! If the Mangya Overlord appears, none of us will be afraid."

Everyone agreed.

Whether through soul searching or interrogation, they can quickly understand the strength of a ruler. Dealing with such situations inside war machines will also be easier.

Of course, capturing a mere Fourth-Step Dao Lord was a trivial matter that none of the five of them could possibly handle together. So...
……

"You Dao Lord, obediently surrender." Emperor Beihe said calmly, while extending his hand.

Wow~~~
Suddenly, a huge sword energy palm appeared in the endless void, and this sword energy palm went directly towards Lei Zhan to capture him.

"Block!" Lei Zhan flipped his hand, and a crimson spear swept out angrily.

The spear's light lashed out like a waterfall, frantically lashing out at the massive sword-energy palm that was attacking. At this moment, Lei Zhan was displaying a level of spear technique that... was a complete unleashing of the full power of the spear's essence.

In terms of strength, he's probably comparable to a peak Dao Lord of average strength.

"Boom boom boom~~~" With a long boom, the huge sword energy palm finally shattered completely, and Lei Zhan was forced to retreat hundreds of millions of miles, looking very disheveled.

"Senior, why are you attacking a mere Dao Lord like me? My master is currently inside this weapon of war; if he comes out..."

"A mere Dao Lord? He already possesses strength comparable to a second-level Emperor, so he can hardly be considered weak." The Northern River Emperor, with his hair disheveled, frowned slightly and immediately flew forward, a deep blue divine sword appearing in his hand.

The divine sword exuded a powerful aura; although it could not compare to the treasures of the universe, it was still quite extraordinary.

"Boy, surrender obediently, and I'll spare your life out of consideration for your hard-won cultivation! But if you resist, I won't hold back!"

"Surrender? Hmph! As long as I hold out until my master comes out, it will be you who surrender!" Lei Zhan sneered, but moved even closer to the huge star behind him.

"Oh? Interesting!" Emperor Beihe revealed a smile, and a deep blue sword light flashed, directly slashing towards Lei Zhan.

Wow~~~
Lei Zhan's figure blurred as he charged towards the Northern River Emperor, wielding a crimson spear.

They were getting closer and closer. At the same time, the Northern River Emperor was also moving further away from the four Eternal Emperors behind him.

"Now!" Lei Zhan thought to himself.

Rumble~~~
Instantly, the vast projection of the world of the heart descended! Upon its appearance, it enveloped trillions of miles around.

Wow~~~
The moment the projection of the World of the Heart descended, an invisible wave of mental energy completely enveloped the five emperors, including Emperor Beihe.

With one thought, the realm of desire arises.

A beautiful and real world appeared before the eyes of the emperors.

"Senior sister, is that you?"

"Having traveled through these eight origin realms for countless years, I have accumulated a vast amount of treasures... I have finally been able to persuade the Supreme One to resurrect you!"

"Senior sister, it's been so long, so very long since I've seen you."

The Northern River Emperor gazed at the stunningly beautiful woman before him, a woman who haunted his dreams and filled him with longing.

He harbored this obsession even when he was still a Dao Lord: he was determined to resurrect his Daoist companion, his senior sister!
From Dao Lord to the edge of Dao Integration, he finally achieved eternity. He also became acquainted with Emperor Dingyuan and several others, and together they ventured into the Origin Domain.

The ultimate goal has never wavered in the slightest.

"Do not--"

"No, no, no! It's all fake!"

"Although I have accumulated a great many treasures, I am still far, far from being able to persuade the Supreme Being to take action!"

"Mental Power Secret Technique! This is the Mental Power Secret Technique!"

"But this illusion... it's too real! It's so incredibly real..."

"Senior sister...it's been so long!"

Emperor Beihe struggled frantically, but in this illusion, he saw the woman he longed to see most deep in his heart.

This was the softest spot in his heart; although he knew he was in deep danger, he instinctively didn't want to wake up.

……

"This Dao Lord is quite powerful! Just the power of the Dao he has invoked is at least a fusion of the two strongest Daos," Emperor Minghua commented from the side.

“Indeed remarkable. Although Brother Beihe used that sword energy grappling technique casually, its power was so great that even I had to exert some effort to resist it. But although Daojun struggled a bit, he still managed to block it.”

"Indeed, he possesses the strength of a second-level emperor!"

"The one who can cultivate such a disciple must be an old fellow who has lived for countless years."

Emperor Dingyuan and his companions chatted telepathically, remaining quite relaxed despite being wary of any unfamiliar rulers who might appear at any moment.

No matter how powerful a peak Dao Lord is, it's already incredibly difficult to reach the threshold of a first-level Emperor.

The Northern River Emperor is very powerful among the many first-level emperors, so capturing a peak Dao Lord is not too difficult for him.

suddenly.

"Huh? What?" Emperor Dingyuan was startled.

"Such a vast world of the heart?"

"This... watch out! It's an illusion!"

"This illusion is terrifying! This Dao Lord's strength is questionable!"

The emperors who had been watching the battle with ease all changed their expressions.

They had been on guard against a potential overlord appearing in the shadows, never expecting that a seemingly normal peak Dao Lord would suddenly unleash such terrifying power!

Everything happened so fast!
The projection of the world of the mind also occurs in an instant.

Wow wow wow~~~~
An invisible force of the mind is wreaking havoc. The secret technique of "One Thought Desire Realm," passed down as a method of self-control, has become even more terrifying after hundreds of millions of years of study and practice, combined with the extremely powerful force of the mind.

A single thought can give rise to countless desires.

Even the most powerful of the five emperors, Emperor Dingyuan, can easily influence them and drag them into a world that evolves based on the cultivator's inner world, a world that can best evoke the softest parts of their heart.

...(End of chapter)