The Great Ruler: Starting from the Dark Ages

Chapter 121 Unrivaled Under Heaven! (4K)

Ancestral land of the Golden Crow

This place was once incredibly glorious, home to not only several Great Saints, but also two Quasi-Emperors. However, due to their efforts to suppress the bloodline of the Sun Emperor and their attempt to seize the Fusang Ancient Tree, they were subsequently purged.

Therefore, this place is extremely desolate.

However, considering that the Golden Crow clan could transform into the sun to illuminate the human world, the Heavenly Emperor did not exterminate them completely. He only executed the ringleader and implicated many members of the Golden Crow clan.

As for whether the remaining bloodline of the Golden Crow clan will harbor resentment or attempt a counterattack?

For all eternity to come, they would not dare to have such thoughts, much less possess such abilities.

Although the Golden Crow can transform into the Sun, they all know that there is only one sun in the nine heavens and ten earths.

After the Golden Crow clan was purged, they should have remained silent, but today the Golden Crow ancestral land has burst forth with a rare golden light.

A truly supreme imperial aura emerged, emanating waves as bright as the sun.

This imperial might appeared only for a moment before being quickly concealed, as if in a hurry to cover up some heavenly secret.

The Golden Crow Clan mobilized all its cultivators above the Saint level, working together to activate the legendary array left behind by their ancestor, who was almost a Daoist, in an effort to conceal everything.

Within the Golden Crow Clan, a surviving Great Sage wept with joy, gazing at the very center of the fluctuations, where a golden egg lay.

“Sure enough, sure enough!”

"The golden egg that was found on the ancient star of the Heavenly Soldiers tens of thousands of years ago is our ancestor!"

This Golden Crow Great Sage had been sealed within the divine source and had never caused any trouble, so he was never punished. However, on a certain day when he sealed his divine source, a force drawn from his bloodline awakened him.

Following the power of his bloodline, he arrived at the Heavenly Soldier Ancient Star and found the golden egg.

At the time, he only felt that it was somewhat mysterious, because the golden egg was constantly absorbing the divine liquid above the Heavenly Soldier Ancient Star Life Spring, and he could also feel that the golden egg actually had vitality and could see through the things in the outside world.

Therefore, he thought of a rumor that the golden egg was the transformation of his own family's Golden Crow Ancestor, who almost attained enlightenment, during his nirvana.

Now, the golden egg bursting forth with imperial might has further confirmed this point for the Great Sage Golden Crow.

"Our ancestor is going to defy the heavens and return? Then our Golden Crow clan will once again return to its former glory and prosperity!" a member of the Golden Crow clan shouted excitedly.

"Now is not the time to be happy. Continue to conceal the secrets of heaven! Things are accomplished in secrecy, and ruined by words. If someone deduces or senses that imperial might, they might make a move at a crucial moment." The Golden Crow Great Sage did not say it explicitly, but everyone understood.

Of course, apart from the current Heavenly Emperor, the Golden Crow clan also has a few enemies in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, who are also very likely to take action.

"Anyone who leaves the core of the formation and hinders the revival of my Golden Crow clan will be a sinner of my Golden Crow clan!" With a command from the Golden Crow Ancestor, no one dared to slacken and continued to maintain and consolidate the formation.

Three months have passed, and the supreme imperial aura has grown increasingly intense, while the golden light has become ever more dazzling.
Countless members of the Golden Crow Clan were exhausted, but they remained on high alert, not allowing even a trace of imperial might to leak out.

Finally, on this day, the golden crow inside the golden egg hatched.

At the same time, the earth-shattering formation shattered instantly as the eggshell began to crack.

An overwhelming and extremely dense imperial might swept across the four seas and eight wastelands, sweeping across the entire nine heavens and ten earths.

"Is this the might of an emperor? Could it be that another great emperor has been born?" A cultivator affected by this domineering imperial might asked with awe in his eyes.

“No, without the Emperor Tribulation, he probably didn’t become an Emperor, but he’s at least a peak Quasi-Emperor, and not just any ordinary peak Quasi-Emperor,” someone retorted.

Some people sensed the source, and the next moment their expression changed slightly: "The source of this imperial might... is the Golden Crow Ancestral Land!"

"Could it be that after the Golden Crow clan is purged, it will rise to power and give birth to a great emperor?"

The news spread like wildfire, and countless people were talking about it. This kind of gossip-like news attracted the most attention, and many people were speculating about the Heavenly Emperor's attitude in the future, as well as what attitude the Golden Crow Quasi-Emperor would have if he were to attain enlightenment.

……

Ancestral land of the Golden Crow

The Golden Crow Quasi-Emperor hatched from its shell, its golden hair and robes exuding an overbearing aura. Its eyes blazed like torches, creating a sense of oppression and truly conveying an air of unparalleled dominance.

This domineering and unparalleled imperial might swept across the land once again at this moment.

Countless members of the Golden Crow Clan cheered at this moment; it truly was their ancestor, who had once been a near-Daoist.

Now that the ancestor has reappeared, if he can forcefully prove his Dao, he can truly lead the Golden Crow Clan to glory once again and reach its peak.

Countless people outside were also awestruck by this renewed surge of imperial power, and many marveled at it.

But this imperial aura did not last long; it vanished in an instant, like a bear with human faces that had ceased its ferocious actions, or like a treacherous minister who dared not reveal his ambitions.

At this moment, the old Golden Crow sighed, its eyes no longer displaying the arrogance of before, and its posture, which had never yielded even to the Ancient Emperor Heavenly Venerable, bent at this moment.

At this moment, the old golden crow bowed and paid homage to the void above:
"Meet the Emperor of Heaven."

As soon as the words were spoken, countless Golden Crow tribesmen widened their eyes in astonishment.

The Golden Crow Ancestor's imperial might had just been revealed, and before they could fully experience it, it disappeared. The next moment, the Golden Crow Ancestor in front of them went from being arrogant to being extremely low-key.

"The Heavenly Emperor has arrived?" Only now did they realize what was happening and hurriedly turned around.

A majestic figure in white robes stood high in the sky, half of his body hidden in the void, making it impossible to see his entire form, as if they couldn't fathom the Heavenly Emperor's cultivation level.

They no longer knew when the Heavenly Emperor arrived, but they saw that the Heavenly Emperor was located within the formation.

A terrible idea was born in their minds.

Perhaps the Heavenly Emperor has been here from beginning to end.

"Greetings, Heavenly Emperor." Countless members of the Golden Crow clan knelt and kowtowed at this moment.

They didn't know what would happen. Although the Golden Crow Quasi-Emperor had not participated in any siege of the Sun Emperor's bloodline, it still made countless Golden Crow people worried.

"To survive a second life through one's own rebirth is quite remarkable." Xu He nodded silently as he looked at the old golden crow.

"Your Majesty is joking. To have someone who has lived several lifetimes and truly become an immortal so highly praise me at this moment is truly embarrassing," the old Golden Crow said with a wry smile.

Although he had been undergoing rebirth within the golden egg, he was not oblivious to the outside world; on the contrary, his perception was extremely strong. He was even able to use the power of his bloodline to guide the Golden Crow Great Sage to the Heavenly Soldier Ancient Star to take him away. In particular, Xu He's attainment of Dao and each time he reversed his life left an extremely deep impression on him with that domineering imperial might.

To some extent, Old Jinwu genuinely envied Xu He.

Both are somewhat similar; both were attacked by supreme beings just as they were about to attain enlightenment.

But the outcomes were quite different.

One person was forced to undergo Nirvana and barely survive, while the other ascended to the top by stepping on the supreme being, dominating the heavens and earth for hundreds of thousands of years.

More accurately, Xu He is the kind of emperor the old Golden Crow should be in his heart.

At this moment, countless members of the Golden Crow Clan lowered their eyes. After all, their own supreme expert was still so humble. Although they had expected it, it was inevitable to feel disappointed when it actually happened.

Many cultivators in the universe also captured this moment and expressed their feelings:

"That golden crow was truly close to attaining enlightenment, it's just a pity it encountered the Heavenly Emperor..."

"Could it be that the Heavenly Emperor has already become an immortal?" "That means he's the Heavenly Emperor now. If he lived in another era, how could we see a peak Quasi-Emperor being so humble and subservient?"

Such comments mostly express feelings of regret and sorrow.

But Xu He discerned a different meaning in the old Jinwu's words.

Translate this: what the old Golden Crow meant was, "You're an immortal, so don't bully a lowly cultivator like me."

Xu He raised an eyebrow slightly. This was Old Golden Crow trying to play the victim in order to achieve some goal.

"It is rare for the demon race to produce a person who can prove the Dao. Such a person is one who has gathered the blessings of heaven and earth and is favored by the heavens. I, the emperor, naturally also have a heart that cherishes talent."

As soon as Xu He finished speaking, countless members of the Golden Crow Clan looked up, their eyes filled with hope.

At this moment, the Golden Crow Quasi-Emperor's expression froze, and he had a vague premonition of something bad.

"The world is in decline. Even though divine bodies of various races are emerging one after another, their quality is far inferior to what it used to be. If a demon emperor were to attain enlightenment now, he could establish a celestial court, cultivate demon geniuses, and make this ancient starry road even more brilliant." Xu He said with a smile at this moment.

Many members of the Golden Crow clan looked at Xu He with a hint of excitement in their eyes.

From those words, the Demon Emperor and the Celestial Court sensed a sense of rivalry, which meant that the Golden Crow Clan was destined for prosperity.

And this glory will shine upon every member of the Golden Crow Clan!

For a moment, many members of the Golden Crow tribe wanted to shout out the word "loyalty".

Old Golden Crow's expression grew increasingly rigid, gradually becoming covered with black lines.

Although Xu He wore a bright smile, Old Jinwu felt extremely uneasy.

Although Xu He's words were like a gentle breeze to many, Old Jinwu saw them as demonic whispers from beyond the heavens.

Old Golden Crow is now certain that if he takes this seriously, or rather, if he actually agrees, he can foresee that one day in the future he will die because his left or right hand tears through the void.

Xu He, high in the sky, still wore a faint smile.

But the old golden crow below was filled with bitterness.

Heavenly Emperor, please stop testing me...

"I dare not have such thoughts. If the Heavenly Emperor wishes to hone the prodigies, I may share some opportunities and set some obstacles. As for other matters, I am single-mindedly devoted to the Dao and truly dare not think of those things," the old Golden Crow said sincerely.

Afterwards, Xu He tested them a few more times before finally dispersing the group of Golden Crows and heading to the ancestral land of the Golden Crows to carefully examine the old Golden Crow.

"Not bad, the Great Emperor of this era is yours." After examining him for a moment, Xu He made his judgment.

Jinwu's strength is decent, not weak at all. He certainly gives the impression of being weak, but that's only because the person he's facing is too strong.

He himself is indeed a man of great ambition and has considerable ability.

"The quality of cultivators in the past was indeed higher," Xu He sighed. The Golden Crow before him was indeed a bit stronger than the Dao Proving cultivators of later generations.

"What's the point of talking about quality? I and the Dao-achievers of later generations are nothing but green leaves; you, Heavenly Emperor, are the true blossoming flower," the old Golden Crow said with a smile.

Xu He raised an eyebrow upon hearing this: "Let me ask you, having lived for so long, have you ever felt that becoming an immortal is something illusory and unattainable?"

Old Golden Crow's eyes flickered slightly, and after a long while, he slowly nodded.

Throughout history, emperors have always looked down upon the world at the height of their power, and were utterly dejected when they declined.

He started by believing himself to be special and destined to become an immortal, but gradually his arrogance faded, and in the end, he cut off his own arm and waited, hoping for even the slightest chance to become an immortal.

Although the old Golden Crow never experienced old age, he truly felt helpless when he was about to attain enlightenment, was ambushed by the Supreme Being, and his Sendai was shattered.

That desire to live, that thirst for survival, made him feel somewhat like a stranger.

It was this thirst for immortality that propelled him to Nirvana, enabling him to be reborn in this world.

Even the old Golden Crow was wondering if he would commit suicide when his lifespan was nearing its end after he attained enlightenment.

Of course, if the Heavenly Emperor were to ask him now, he would definitely say no.

"It is indeed within reach for the Heavenly Emperor, but for us, it may really be too far away." The old Golden Crow sighed. This was not a compliment; it was truly his sincerity.

"What if I had a way to help you become an immortal..."

Before Xu He could finish speaking, the old Golden Crow responded immediately, kneeling down and offering the highest honors, leaving Xu He and the Golden Crow clansmen and powerful cultivators watching from a distance dumbfounded.

"Having wandered for half my life, I have never met a wise ruler! But now, the clouds have parted and the sun shines through, and all my confusion has been resolved!"

"..."

……

No one knows how that day truly ended.
There was also no old golden crow who knew how the Heavenly Emperor responded.

All the world knows is that, several years later, the Tribulation of Becoming an Emperor began to spread on the Golden Crow Ancestral Star. After experiencing several tribulations and countless hardships, a Golden Crow Emperor was born, reigning supreme over the nine heavens and ten earths.

In the centuries that followed, many prodigies emerged from the Golden Crow clan and joined the ranks of those vying for supremacy on the Imperial Road.

Since then, the Ancient Starry Sky Road has become somewhat more interesting to see.
Several hundred years passed. In this era, many ancient races emerged, and many prodigies began to rise and compete in the starry sky.

Among them were many ancient princes.

This was intentionally done by the Supreme Being within the Super Forbidden Zone, and of course, all of this was tacitly approved by Xu He.

Previously, Xu He wanted to improve the quality of the geniuses of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, so he had created opportunities and set up obstacles, but gradually he felt that it was still not enough.

Only genuine pressure, life-or-death pressure, can unleash a cultivator's potential.

This was also one of the reasons he entered the Primordial Ancient Mine. However, Xu He, no matter how strong he was, could not openly say that the ancient princes were released to hone the talents. He could only give subtle hints. Although the Supreme Being had not taken any action for hundreds of years, he had at least come to understand it in this life.

Allowing the ancient prince to pursue his dream of the stars is actually a win-win situation.

The Supreme Being desires the rise of his offspring, and Xu He wants to put pressure on the geniuses of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

As for life and death? Neither side cared too much about it. After all, this was the awareness that cultivators should have. From the moment they stepped onto the ancient starry road, they should be prepared to die.

Of course, without such determination, one might never have the chance to embark on the ancient starry road, since every prodigy there is the strongest among the young people of their region.

This has been the case for generations of cultivators. Although most of them end up as skeletons and only a few attain enlightenment, it cannot be denied that many others have risen from the ranks to become great saints or quasi-emperors.

Both sides also reached an agreement that ordinary people should not be tortured and killed using bloodthirsty methods.

Even if this point is not mentioned, those ancient princes and princesses would understand where the bottom line and red line are.

Everything is moving in the direction Xu He envisioned, and for a moment Xu He truly felt a sense of loneliness and desolation, like snow.

Having lived to his fifth incarnation, and with the blessing of the Chaos Body, his name truly represents invincibility.

(End of this chapter)