The Great Ruler: Starting from the Dark Ages

Chapter 137 The Azure Emperor Becomes an Immortal
"I won't let you die until you've fulfilled your promise to me," the ruthless man said, a rare occurrence.

Her expression remained unchanged, but it spoke volumes about her attitude.

Xu He nodded in response with a faint smile.

He knew that the Ruthless Emperor had always been the one who wasn't good with words.

The meaning is nothing more than to advance and retreat together.

Her long-standing invincibility and disdain, as well as her brother's death, had long fostered her proud and aloof personality. She was extremely indifferent to everything and cherished her words.

It is already quite remarkable that so much ink has been used to describe this.

"Fellow Daoist, are you perhaps underestimating us?"

Even the usually taciturn Emperor Wushi spoke up at this moment, further explaining to the Empress.

"What kind of logic is it for one person to fight to the death while we merely seek to survive? We are only defending against foreign enemies; what is there to fear even if we die?"

As soon as the words were spoken, both Xu He and Duan De felt a strange sensation.

Only two people present knew about the past life of the Great Emperor Wushi, who had truly given his life for all living beings in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

At that time, he was still the Immortal King of No End.

No matter how great the conflict between the two realms is, it cannot rise to the level of a Celestial King. With the abilities of the Immortal King Wuzhong, who has not been disturbed by darkness, the Celestial Realm will not close its gates to him.

But in the end, he died fighting for the sake of all living beings, his blood staining the military flag.

In fact, the Great Emperor Wushi was also somewhat dazed. Ever since he became an immortal, he had been able to recall fragments of his past life.

Without beginning or end.

He felt that this world was where he would shed his blood.

I've thought of many things, but I've never dared to confirm them.

Especially after entering the Immortal Realm, the people Duan De and Xu He discussed, and the glances Duan De inadvertently gave them during their conversation.

However, he does not believe in the past, nor in the future, and certainly not in reincarnation.

But now, he suddenly smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist is so serious, so the other party must be a Celestial King. If there are no Celestial Kings in this world, then I am the Immortal King of No End."

Although Emperor Wushi did not speak in a serious tone, his domineering aura still emanated from him.

Not only those present, but everyone in the Three Realms felt that unparalleled and domineering aura.

It is no exaggeration to describe it as having the power to swallow the world.

Beneath the mask, the Ruthless Emperor's expression flashed with surprise.

Xu He also raised an eyebrow and looked at Wu Shi.

But Duan De's reaction was particularly intense.

The Immortal King Wuzhong has always been a legend, and that will never change. Even though Duan De has become a mortal immortal, he still holds such a figure in high esteem.

Furthermore, it seems that the Great Emperor Wushi has regained his memories?

“We still have some time before the dark army arrives. Right now, the most important thing is to improve the overall strength of the Three Realms and for the few of us to take another step forward,” Xu He said.

There are quite a few emperors in the Three Realms right now, but there isn’t a single one at the True Immortal level.

In a real war, only these mortal immortals will decide the course of the battle; the emperors will merely ensure that any opponents Xu He and his companions miss are contained.

"After that, it's the Immortal King level." Duan De sighed, unable to say the last word: "a long way off."

It's really too far away.

The physical body is immortal, and the primordial spirit is indestructible. What is truly defying the heavens is that the Immortal King can step into the river of time, see through the cause and effect within it, and travel between the past and the future. He can ignore the years and is not afraid of the erosion of the river of time.

Even if karma catches up with you, you are not afraid and can make small-scale modifications to the future or the past.

But right now, none of the four of them have that ability.

"But how do we break through to the Immortal King realm? Nobody has told us the answer," Duan De said helplessly.

In the past, there were always people who stood in front of me; now I'm the one standing in front.

Another problem is that their path is blocked.

From the secret realm of the Dao Palace to the realm of the Great Emperor, and even to the attainment of immortality through nine lifetimes, there have been explorations and researches by predecessors.

But right now, these people have reached their limit, and there are no examples to follow.

“Perhaps Fellow Daoist Wushi will be the first to achieve Immortal King status,” Xu He said with a smile, looking at Wushi.

He could sense that, in terms of foundational knowledge and experience, the Great Emperor Wushi was probably not much different from him.
They should be the first to break through to the Immortal King level, just like me.

"Breaking through to the Immortal King realm will bring about the Immortal King Tribulation. The rules of heaven and earth, past and present, will descend to judge you. If you succeed, you will leap over the dragon gate; if you fail, you will perish in both body and spirit. Fellow Daoist, you should think twice before you act," Xu He reminded Wu Shi.

Perhaps Wushi knew all this, but Xu He was worried that Wushi would force his way through the barrier without proper preparation and stubbornly fight to the death.

At that time, he will leave behind a figure with his back to all living beings, fighting to the death without retreating...

“Actually, between the Immortals of the Mortal World and the Immortal Kings, there exists a mysterious and profound realm, which I call the pinnacle of immortality.” Xu He pondered for a moment before finally speaking.

To be precise, this is not a breakthrough in realm, so there is not much risk involved. Once a breakthrough is achieved, one can have the combat power of a Celestial King without having to risk undergoing the Celestial King Tribulation.

But Xu He's concern was that the three of them couldn't reach that point.

"The pinnacle of immortality?" Duan De, Wu Shi, and the Ruthless Man all exclaimed in surprise.

Duan De, in particular, had his eyes narrowed and his mind was somewhat muddled.

He had stayed in the Chaotic Ancient Era for so long, yet he had never heard of the concept of the pinnacle of immortality. Even his good brother Shi Hao had not been able to enter this state.

But what the Heavenly Emperor said must not be baseless.

So, what is the concept of the pinnacle of immortality...?

"It seems the Heavenly Emperor has some knowledge of this realm. Is there any hope of breaking through?" Duan De asked, filled with curiosity.

Xu He paused for a moment and said, "I'm not entirely sure, but I'm willing to give it a try."

After all, this "state" was something that even Shi Hao and Ye Fan of the past had never reached, and only Chu Feng of later generations had glimpsed it.

If Chu Feng hadn't appeared, Xu He might not have been able to glimpse the pinnacle of immortality.

But now, Xu He has an idea, which he shares without reservation:

"To become an immortal in the mortal world, each lifetime's Dao Fruit is the foundation of the path to immortality. With enough foundations, one can pave a path to the pinnacle of immortality."

"That's all I have to say. Fellow Daoists, please take your time."

The group waved goodbye, pondering the day's conversation.

Dark Army, Celestial King, Pinnacle of Immortality...

As the four dispersed, an indescribable aura permeated the Three Realms, and everyone could sense the impending storm.

……

Human life, like sand slipping through the palm of your hand, is fleeting over seventy thousand years; once spilled, it cannot be gathered up again.

During this period, many people became immortals.

The Golden Crow Emperor, the various emperors of the Heavenly Court, and even the immortal realm and strange spaces have all seen emperors and supreme beings who have abandoned darkness for light and become immortals.

The speed at which they achieved immortality truly shocked many people, and countless people could only marvel at how high the quality of cultivators in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths was.

At this moment, the Three Realms are a scene of prosperity and flourishing. Of course, there are also a few supreme emperors who are obsessed with becoming immortals in the mortal world and are still searching for the secrets of immortality.

Perhaps it's a fantasy, but they remember a saying the Heavenly Emperor once said:

"Aim for the best, and you'll get the middle; aim for the middle, and you'll get the worst."

Therefore, many people are still persistent.

This represents the three disciples of the Heavenly Emperor: Jiang Taixu, Xu Chang'an, and the Kunpeng Demon Emperor Jiang Lu, who later completed the master-disciple etiquette.

There is also the Azure Emperor.

At this moment, the Azure Emperor was in a mysterious and enigmatic state.

He has lived through eight lifetimes and is almost ready to enter the ranks of those whose bodies are no longer adorned by the passage of time.

Xu He observed Qingdi's desperate attempts to survive several times and initially wanted to intervene. However, as Qingdi escaped danger time and time again, Xu He gradually became convinced that Qingdi could take that step.

People's paths are not the same. Although Xu He saw that the Azure Emperor could achieve Nirvana, he did not give him any guidance, but instead let him explore on his own.

The eighth incarnation of the Azure Emperor ultimately transformed into a lotus seed.
In the past, he too transformed from a lotus seed into an immortal herb, but this time, there is no longer a pool for immortal transformation in this world.

Insiders were worried for him.

But no one expected that this place had already been used by the Azure Emperor as a pool for immortal transformation.

He once reached the pinnacle, and the Heavenly Heart Imprint of this world was captivated by him.
This time, the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth also paved the way for him, making the entire Nine Heavens and Ten Earths his training ground.

This time, the ascension to immortality is a true ascension to immortality; the Ascension Pool alone, formed from the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, has been in existence for ten thousand years.

Finally, a man with pale green, translucent skin emerged from the Immortal Transformation Pool.

Each step reveals a blue lotus, formed from the Great Dao, spreading from the earth to the heavens, from the post-primordial era, flowing upstream against the river of time, directly reaching the Immortal Ancient Era.

The Azure Emperor's peerless figure ascended step by step towards the heavens.

Until the emerald green lotus covered the entire world.

Until the Chaos Green Lotus took root in the Three Realms and Six Paths.

That domineering and unparalleled, yet sharp and piercing, mortal pressure swept across the Three Realms and Six Paths, and across the Four Seas and Eight Desolations in the blink of an eye.

"This aura... could it be the Azure Emperor?" someone exclaimed from the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

"That's right, the one with the lotus flower is the Azure Emperor!"

Since the Heavenly Emperor entered the Immortal Realm, he has not manifested in the mortal world for tens of thousands of years, but the image of the Azure Emperor struggling in the mortal world is imprinted in their minds. Therefore, his identity can be guessed at a glance.

"The Azure Emperor is about to become an immortal... No wonder he was once the supreme Demon Emperor!"

The Immortal Realm was also shaken.

"Congratulations, fellow Daoist, on successfully attaining the Immortal Fruit of the Mortal World." Xu He naturally emerged from seclusion upon hearing of such a momentous event.

A brand new immortal in the mortal world! From this point on, our side gained another high-end combatant, which also laid the foundation for a future immortal king.

The arrival of the strange army will undoubtedly relieve the pressure on Xu He and his companions.

"Fellow Daoist is joking, you..." The Azure Emperor finally stood in front of Xu He, but before he could finish speaking, his words were stuck in his neck.

"How can they be so similar?" the Azure Emperor murmured, looking at Xu He's face.

In the past, Xu He only resembled the Desolate Emperor by three-tenths, but now, especially after coming into contact with the Three-Life Coffin, Xu He's appearance is becoming more and more similar to that of the Desolate Emperor, to the point that even the Azure Emperor was somewhat dazed.

"The Desolate Emperor?" he murmured involuntarily.

Xu He was taken aback, but he was somewhat used to it.
However, this time he didn't reject it as he usually did. He just chuckled for a moment and then said:

"I wonder if anything comes to mind, my friend?"

“I remember now, I remember everything…” The Azure Emperor smiled faintly, then remained silent for a moment: “I am a lotus in the eternal blue sky, I am also the Chaos Azure Lotus.”

Having become an immortal, his memories have been restored, and he recalls all the details of the past.

His words, however, caused a huge uproar among the cultivators of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths and the Immortal Realm.

In the Immortal Realm, there has always been a vague rumor that the Chaos Green Lotus was once an extremely powerful Immortal King.

Now, in the lower realm, a majestic man has attained the status of a mortal immortal, reigning supreme in the immortal realm, and even calling himself the Chaos Green Lotus.

"Could it be...could it really be the former Immortal King?" An ancient cultivator from the Immortal Realm was shocked and stammered.

“Wasn’t that Immortal King long gone? Besides, this person is only at the Immortal Realm, far from being the Chaos Azure Lotus Immortal King, right?” someone asked.

But some people grasped the key point:

"The Chaos Azure Lotus Immortal King did indeed die in that battle, but what if this person is his reincarnation?"

This single stone stirred up a thousand waves, and countless cultivators from the Immortal Realm were horrified at this moment.

"How could a Celestial King from the Celestial Realm be reincarnated in the lower realm?"

"What's going on? How come he's a powerful figure, and he comes from the lower realms?"

"I can't take it anymore! Who...who is the real 'lower realm' here?!" the man exclaimed angrily. "Living off our past glories and squandering our family fortune—is this our confidence and strength?"

The intense discussion among the cultivators of the Immortal Realm continued unabated.

This discussion was equally intense across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

Those who bear the brunt are the Great Emperors and Supreme Beings who are undergoing trials in the mortal world and wish to attain the Immortal Fruit of the Mortal World.

They also expressed their opinions at this moment:

"Azure Emperor... If I remember correctly, the Heavenly Emperor once confirmed that every immortal herb was a fallen immortal. So, Azure Emperor, you have become an immortal twice?"

They were all exceptional figures, and naturally knew about the Azure Emperor's origins and background.

A cultivator who emerged from the elixir of immortality, after a difficult journey, finally attained immortality and returned to his rightful place.

Many emperors lamented that all of this seemed like a cycle.

Of course, they were moved, they were surprised, and they ultimately chose to go their own way.

"Fellow Daoist has already traveled tens of thousands of years ahead of me, and now I am merely following behind you." The Azure Emperor was not arrogant because of his ascension to the mortal realm; on the contrary, he remained humble.

Because he knew that if it weren't for Xu He in front of him, he would never have become a mortal immortal, and would have been the first to wither and die in the desolate tower.

Of course, the most important thing is to have real strength.

Xu He's strength was far too profound; even the Azure Emperor couldn't see through it at all, and the same was true for the Red Dust Immortal. Moreover, he looked extremely similar to his former benefactor, and the Azure Emperor absolutely refused to believe that there was no connection between the two.

If it is indeed the same person, then they saved me twice.

The Azure Emperor knew that the man before him would soon become a Celestial King, a giant, or even a being above the Celestial King.

He was absolutely certain of all of this.

The Ruthless Emperor, the Beginningless Emperor, and Duan De also emerged from seclusion at this moment to congratulate the Azure Emperor.

Unlike cultivators in the Immortal Realm, they don't engage in intrigue and power struggles. When their comrades in the same camp break through, they relieve their own pressure and offer their sincere blessings.

The group then left the place and went to the Heavenly Court to discuss matters, informing the Heavenly Court of the disaster and the dark future.

After a long sigh, the group parted ways, each striving to reach the pinnacle of immortality and the realm of the Immortal King before the arrival of the dark army.

Wang Bo, who had been watching from afar, also resolved at this moment to be reborn as a Holy Spirit.

(End of this chapter)