The Legend of the Great Desolation: I Am the Fortress

"Oh? The Heart World constructed with the Four-Step Ultimate Spacetime Path as its core seems to be much more powerful than I expected when it uses the Heart Power Secret Technique?"

Lei Zhan looked around at the vast world that existed between illusion and reality, where all five emperors, including Emperor Beihe, had fallen silent.

Their moods were unpredictable, sometimes joyful, sometimes angry, sometimes sad, sometimes in pain... completely immersed in the 'desire realm'.

"Of these five emperors, only two should have reached a level of strength comparable to the lords of the eight holy cities. The remaining three are roughly at the level of top-tier emperors."

Lei Zhan's gaze swept over the nearest Northern River Emperor and the strongest Dingyuan Emperor, and he immediately made a judgment.

For cultivators at the same level, concealing some of their strength is not a problem at all.

It was only because these emperors were all trapped in an illusion that the hidden fluctuations of their auras spread out unnoticed, allowing Lei Zhan to perceive them clearly.

"A single thought in the Desire Realm, for these emperors, will probably affect them for more than ten breaths. The duration of this effect will likely be closely related to the cultivator's mental strength and Dao aspirations," Lei Zhan pondered to himself.

"However... even the most powerful lords of the eight holy cities would find it difficult to break free from my illusion without special means and a strong Dao heart, just like Emperor Dingyuan and Emperor Beihe."

This is a kind of precognition of the strong. Lei Zhan feels that the mental power secret technique he has cultivated can affect cultivators at a certain level. These are all things that he has a sense of in the dark.

Of course, this is just a feeling. However, it can fluctuate when it actually happens.

Just like the scene right before our eyes.

Lei Zhan had a premonition that 'A Single Thought of Desire Realm' could at most immerse these Eternal Emperors in the Desire Realm for ten or so breaths. But if it were actually unleashed, the effect could last for over a hundred breaths!
The effect of a single breath is enough to make Lei Zhan strike ten thousand times. If these emperors were truly immersed in the illusion for more than a hundred breaths, they would probably have been reduced to ashes countless times long ago.

In fact, if Lei Zhan hadn't used a time-flowing technique ten thousand times faster to observe and comprehend countless Dharma teachings in the Qinghua Cave, nearly nine hundred million years would have passed in the outside world. This long period of accumulation directly brought Lei Zhan's foundation to an extremely terrifying level.

Otherwise, as Lei Zhan predicted, the ability to influence Emperor Dingyuan and the others with the One Thought Desire Realm at most for more than ten breaths would already be extremely rare.

"Nine trillion years of accumulation, though my cultivation hasn't broken through much, has undoubtedly made my foundation even more terrifying," Lei Zhan remarked. "However..."

It is precisely because Lei Zhan now possesses the formidable strength to overwhelm the lords of the eight holy cities that he has developed some different ideas.

"However, it would be a pity to kill all these emperors. Perhaps, I could recruit these few into my ranks."

"If successful, it will also give me more assistance in this extremely dangerous Blazing Sun Domain."

Lei Zhan gazed leisurely. He had quite a few followers, but although Daoist Qinghuo and Daoist Qiuyu were exceptionally talented, their strength was too low.

The cultivation level of a mere Dao Lord is completely ineffective for Lei Zhan at his current level.

Furthermore, the growth rate of Qinghuo Daojun and the others is definitely not able to keep up with Lei Zhan's own.

Although Lei Zhan is now a fourth-step Dao Lord, if he wants to merge with the Dao, without sufficient preparation and a large number of opportunities, it will be difficult for him to prepare to merge with the Dao in a short period of time.

Therefore, although these emperors were generally not very powerful, they still played a significant role in Lei Zhan's own development.

"Although I am strong enough, I expect there will still be some twists and turns in subduing them," Lei Zhan shook his head.

If it were an ordinary fourth-step Dao Lord, or even the most powerful fourth-step Dao Lords, it would be a pipe dream to subdue the Eternal Emperor as a follower.

The Endless Realm is full of wonders, and very few can possibly achieve this level of skill.

After all, the Eternal Emperors have eternal lifespans, while the longest a Dao Lord of Life and Death can reach is only 108,000 Chaos Eras.

If one does not conform to the eternal Tao, then all is but a dream, a bubble, a shadow.

……

Time passed, and nearly eighty breaths went by.

Among the five emperors, the Northern River Emperor, whose Dao heart was the strongest, seemed to be waking up from a dream, slowly struggling out of the illusion.

"Senior sister, wait for me..."

"One day, I will definitely accumulate enough treasures to ask the Supreme One for help."

"To resurrect you..."

A deep sound echoed across the land.

Lei Zhan looked up and his gaze lingered for a moment on the corners of the Northern River Emperor's eyes, which were faintly filled with tears.

"woke up?"

Lei Zhan looked at the disheveled man with loose hair, "Eighty breaths... You are the first of the five of you to wake up from the illusion."

"I never imagined my Dao Heart had such a glaring flaw." Emperor Beihe sheathed his deep blue divine sword, shaking his head. "For nearly eighty breaths, it would have been easy for you to kill me. Yet, in the end, you didn't choose to make a move..."

Although the Northern River Emperor was immersed in the illusion, he was still aware of everything around him.

He naturally saw the Daoist Lord in front of him, but he had no intention of killing him.

“Killing you all…is pointless. It would only waste some effort,” Lei Zhan said calmly.

"Although I am a fourth-step Dao Lord, I am not simply a Dao Lord who relies on mental power. At least, mental power is not my forte."

"Hmm? His greatest strength isn't mental power?" Emperor Beihe was startled.

It is completely unheard of for a Dao Lord of Life and Death to possess the strength to crush a Level One Emperor!

And the strength displayed is not even the opponent's strongest...

Although the Northern River Emperor appeared calm on the surface, his heart was already churning with turmoil.

"Where did this monster come from? He's only a Dao Lord and he's already so terrifying! If he could successfully merge with the Dao..."

Emperor Beihe dared not even think about it, because if this outcome were to actually happen, it would be far too astonishing!
“There are still more than twenty breaths left…” Lei Zhan glanced at the several emperors behind Emperor Beihe and smiled. “Let’s have a good talk.”

"Talk? Talk about what?"

The Northern River Emperor looked at Lei Zhan with a very complicated expression.

"A fourth-step Dao Lord's mental strength alone is almost comparable to that of a Dominator... If he wants to kill us, even if we join forces, it will be difficult to resist. And inside this Sith war weapon... there probably isn't any Mangya Dominator."

"So, tell me, what is your purpose?"

"Purpose?" Lei Zhan looked at the disheveled man whose eyes seemed to hold stars. "If I had to say what purpose it was... killing all five of you would be too much of a waste. I'm in dire need of cultivators at the Eternal Emperor level to follow me."

Being alone in this vast Blazing Sun Domain, some trouble was inevitable.

In the current situation, if Lei Zhan were to be surrounded by a group of emperors and rulers, even if other eternal emperors saw the treasure of the Sith race, they would have to stay far away.

After all, emperors who have achieved eternal enlightenment are not fools. They will only fight and snatch treasures if there is even a sliver of hope of obtaining them.

However, many cultivators would carefully consider the possibility of risking their lives to compete for treasures.

"Let us become your followers?" Emperor Beihe was taken aback, but then immediately shook his head.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! You're only a fourth-step Dao Lord, you can only live for a maximum of 108,000 Chaos Eras."

"If you succeed in achieving Dao integration, we'd even be willing to be your servants. But your Dao is too powerful; the hope of achieving Dao integration is far more remote compared to those who defy the heavens and become Dao Lords..."

"If you succeed in achieving Dao integration?" Lei Zhan smiled, but there was a hint of indifference in his smile.

"Even as a Dao Lord, I can easily crush you few. If I were to successfully merge with the Dao, countless Sovereigns and Emperors would be vying to become my followers and servants. Why would I accept a few of you?"

The Northern River Emperor's pupils contracted.

It must be said that if the Dao Lord in front of us truly succeeds in merging with the Dao, his strength would at least be at the level of a top-tier alien universe master, or even stronger.

They were at most Level One Emperors, far too weak to follow an existence of that level. "Alright, I'm not begging you to follow me. Your lives are entirely in my hands. If you agree, all will be well. If you disagree... hmph." A hint of killing intent flashed in Lei Zhan's eyes.

"You should know that you came here to capture me and steal my treasure, so I have already shown you mercy. Your companions are about to awaken, and I will only give you ten breaths to consider."

"It depends on whether you ultimately want to live or die."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lei Zhan pointed a finger at the distance.

Wow~~~
In that instant, a peculiar fluctuation spread out, instantly enveloping the Northern River Emperor.

Countless layers of spatial turbulence appeared, completely enveloping Emperor Beihe. Like a cage with billions of layers, it completely imprisoned the disheveled man in the center.

This technique is a secret art created by Lei Zhan based on the ultimate time-space cycle of the fourth level.

Even a powerful figure at the level of the lords of the eight holy cities would need the time it takes to drink a cup of tea to break free of this cage.

"Hmm? This method..." Emperor Beihe's expression was extremely ugly. It was too powerful, far too powerful. This single method alone made him feel despair.

"Oh? Another one is awake?" Lei Zhan looked at Emperor Dingyuan, who was about to break free from the illusion, and then a thought crossed his mind.

"town!"

“Buzz~~~”

A terrifying and strange spatial-temporal force suddenly appeared, instantly converging around Emperor Dingyuan and forming a void cage. Layer upon layer of spacetime seemed to be imprisoned in the deepest part of the spacetime dimension.

"Damn it!" Emperor Dingyuan's expression changed. He looked around and clearly saw that he was trapped in a spacetime prison, and he could clearly see the spacetime membrane wall that was constantly deforming.

"Break it for me!"

Emperor Dingyuan extended his right hand, and a large hammer immediately appeared in his hand. With terrifying power, he smashed the spacetime membrane directly into the hammer.

With a loud bang, Emperor Dingyuan was shaken and forced to stagger backward.

The spacetime membrane rippled silently, like bubbles, easily dissipating a large amount of power, and only a hundred or so layers of the membrane shattered. Compared to billions of layers of barriers, it was utterly insignificant.

"What kind of secret technique is this? It can even shake my full-force attack... Impossible, I am a first-level emperor, while the opponent is only a fourth-step Dao Lord! No matter how heaven-defying it is, how could it be so powerful?"

Emperor Dingyuan was somewhat incredulous, but then a boundless killing intent erupted in his eyes.

"However, since it can be shaken, it means that this secret technique is not flawless. Maintaining this method also requires magical power. As long as my burst of power is strong enough, I don't believe you can hold out indefinitely!"

Suddenly, Emperor Dingyuan's body swayed, revealing six arms, each arm holding a large hammer. Then, the six large hammers blasted directly at the surrounding spacetime membrane!
"BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!!"

A sudden roar erupted within this spacetime prison spanning a hundred feet.

"Hmph! You want to break my secret technique in front of me... Do you think I don't exist?" Lei Zhan's expression turned cold.

In an instant, countless spatial turbulence surged within the cage, which spanned a hundred feet. The turbulent currents, filled with annihilation power, collided and annihilated each other, frantically suppressing the Dingyuan Emperor who had made his move.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" Emperor Dingyuan resisted the raging spacetime turbulence, but the six great hammers in his hands never stopped.

"Break it for me!"

The hammer was as heavy as a mountain, yet it surged like a torrent, its continuous attacks shattering layer after layer of spacetime membranes.

The cycle of spacetime is like a perfect cycle, endlessly revolving. The spacetime membrane is constantly being destroyed, and new spacetime membranes are constantly being created.

"Beihe, let's join forces." Emperor Dingyuan's eyes revealed a hint of joy as he transmitted his voice.

"This Dao Lord is far too arrogant! He actually dares to imprison two Level One Emperors at the same time! Although his secret technique is troublesome, it requires magical power to maintain! I don't believe his magical power is inexhaustible!"

"Fine!" Emperor Beihe was equally unwilling.

No powerful first-level emperor, who traverses the universe, could remain unmoved by the humiliation inflicted by a mere Dao Lord. Even if this Dao Lord possessed strength comparable to a ruler.

"Hmph! You're asking for death!" Lei Zhan's face darkened. "You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to suffer the consequences! Die!"

"Wow."

suddenly--

The defense vanished without a trace.

"Huh? Where is he?" Emperor Dingyuan, who was frantically bombarding the spacetime membrane, was stunned. His divine sense covered the surroundings, but the Dao Lord seemed to have vanished into thin air, and even his divine sense could not detect him.

call.

A long spear appeared in the time-space prison, followed by Lei Zhan.

Although that spear was just an ordinary, high-grade eternal divine weapon, and seemed to have been casually swung out by Lei Zhan, it erupted like a volcanic eruption, instantly unleashing earth-shattering power.

Fast, too fast!
Everything is almost at its peak!
"Die!" Lei Zhan roared.

The fifth move of the Origin Heart Sutra: Stepping on Time!
The Annihilation of the Ultimate Spacetime!
boom! ! ! ! ! !

With a loud bang.

It was as if the sky had fallen and the earth had split open.

Emperor Dingyuan also showed a look of shock, and at the same time he was sent flying backward and crashed into the spacetime prison behind him.

The spacetime membrane shattered layer by layer, and even the divine body of Emperor Dingyuan began to crack.

"What a terrifying attack! This power is definitely at the level of a ruler." Emperor Dingyuan was extremely wary. "Simply using an eternal divine weapon can unleash such power..."

It should be noted that his Daoist name was Dingyuan, and he was quite skilled in defense. Yet, even so, he still suffered considerable losses from this single spear thrust.

"Hmph!" Lei Zhan glanced coldly at Emperor Dingyuan. "I'm too lazy to repeat what I just said to Emperor Beihe. Your lives are now in my hands."

Lei Zhan remained quite calm.

“Swear an oath to become my followers. If I succeed in achieving the Dao or fail in achieving the Dao, I will set you free.”

"To be a follower..."

Emperor Dingyuan's expression was uncertain as he glanced at the long spear with fine cracks in Lei Zhan's hand.

"Although I possess some treasures capable of unleashing the power of a ruler, this Dao Lord is so strong that he likely has many treasures as well. With my own strength alone, I'd already have difficulty breaking through his spacetime secret technique; if he were to unleash that terrifying mental power secret technique..."

Emperor Dingyuan pondered inwardly, and the more he thought about it, the more gloomy he became.

"If you become a follower of this Dao Lord, you will only be free when this Dao Lord achieves Dao integration..."

Emperor Dingyuan was filled with countless thoughts, but then he gritted his teeth.

"How are you thinking about it?"

Lei Zhan stared at Emperor Dingyuan, but a smile appeared on his face. "It's only 108,000 Chaos Eras, which is nothing to Emperor Eternal."

"It's only because I haven't yet attained enlightenment that I need followers. Becoming my followers and saving the lives of the five of you is a very worthwhile deal."

"One hundred and eight thousand chaotic eras..." Emperor Dingyuan glanced around at the spacetime prison that confined him, as well as Emperor Minghua and the others who were still immersed in the illusion.

“I, Ding Yuan… am willing to be a follower of the Dao Lord.”

...(End of chapter)