Shrouding the Heavens: Starting by joining the Holy Land of Yao Guang

Chapter 360 Opening Five Demon Wells in Succession
Ye Fan knew that Li Yao also had fragments of green bronze, and the Immortal Cauldron had sensed this when it approached him.

But Li Yao's decision to put the green copper fragments back in their place was something he hadn't expected at all.

He was well aware of the preciousness of green bronze; every time it appeared, it sparked countless battles among powerful individuals.

Now, Li Yao has essentially given him these two fragments, leaving Ye Fan speechless and only able to silently remember this kindness.

And then there's his parents' situation; it seems he's unknowingly incurred too many favors from Li Yao.

"Don't overthink it. Green copper is of little use to me. Rather than letting it sit idle here, it's better to put it back in its proper place," Li Yao said casually.

That's the truth. Ever since he got the green bronze, he's never used it and it's always been left lying around in a corner.

Now that he has broken through to the Quasi-Emperor level, the two green copper fragments are even more useless.

Furthermore, this object has too many karmic connections, and keeping it around makes one feel uneasy.

The Emperor is not dead. Although we don't know where he is now, the Ascension Cauldron is his weapon after all, so he might be able to sense it.

If it's neither useful nor likely to cause any unforeseen problems, it's better to get rid of it in time.

"Thank you for your kindness, Brother Li." Ye Fan put away the green cauldron and thanked him solemnly.

Although a simple thank you might seem perfunctory, he really didn't have anything worthwhile to offer in return at the moment.

He could only remind himself to remember Li Yao's kindness and repay him when the opportunity arose, even if it cost him his life.

"Strive to cultivate diligently, for the greatest upheaval in history is about to occur, and the time for peace is running out." Li Yao did not dwell on the matter of the Ascension Cauldron, but changed the subject.

Ye Fan's heart stirred, and he asked curiously, "Brother Li, are you referring to the path to immortality?"

Given Li Yao's current strength, the only thing he could think of that would make him so solemn, claiming it involved a change that would last for millennia, was the path to immortality.

But what does this have to do with him? He never even considered rushing into that so-called immortal path.

“The path to immortality will open, and at that time, supreme beings will surely emerge. But throughout history, who has ever entered the Immortal Realm? Those supreme beings who failed to break through to the Immortal Path will inevitably unleash unprecedented dark turmoil in order to survive,” Li Yao explained.

These blunt words surprised not only Ye Fan, but also Qing Shi and Long Ma.

Darkness and turmoil—what a heavy word! Unparalleled darkness, each time it appeared, brought ancient history to the brink of collapse.

Ordinary cultivators might only have a vague understanding of this, but those with cultivation levels like theirs already know many secrets from ancient history.

No one in this world can live forever. Even a powerful emperor will be slain by the passage of time.

Ordinary cultivators can preserve their divine essence and avoid the erosion of time.

However, the Great Emperor level beings are simply too powerful, and no method can seal them. Only by severing oneself and falling below the Great Emperor level can one obtain a higher level of immortal source and barely seal one's own essence.

But this is still not perfect; as time goes by, they will eventually give in.

The supreme beings, unwilling to perish, desired immortality, but having already consumed the elixir of immortality, they could no longer extend their lifespan through medication.

Thus, they completely degenerated, setting their sights on the very life source of all beings, transforming from emperors and rulers who protected all living beings into hunters.

Almost every so often, they are born, and all spirits are harvested one after another like ripe wheat.

As the time for the opening of the path to immortality, as predicted by many emperors, draws ever closer, it seems that no one has ever considered the inevitable chaos and turmoil that would ensue if the Supreme One were to fail.

But Li Yao's words made them freeze, as if they were foreseeing the scene of the Supreme Being stepping out of the forbidden zone and frantically devouring all living beings in the universe in the near future.

Ye Fan unconsciously clenched his fists, feeling a sense of urgency. He immediately took his leave to focus on his cultivation.

"How long do you think it will be before the Path to Immortality opens?" At this moment, Qing Shi's red lips parted slightly, her voice clear and melodious.

Li Yao did not hide anything and said truthfully, "At the latest, the path to immortality will open within a hundred years."

"So that's why you're progressing so frantically?" Qing Shi suddenly realized.

She had always had a feeling that Li Yao seemed very anxious, as if something was chasing him from behind, making him dare not stop, as if he were racing against time.

She used to wonder why Li Yao, with his cultivation level that was far ahead of all the other geniuses, was in such a hurry. If he had just played it safe, no one could have caught up with him.

Now that she knows the Dark Turmoil will begin in a hundred years at most, she understands completely.

This is a race against time!

Qing Shi and Long Ma left not long after, and then began to cultivate frantically, not daring to slack off in the slightest.

A hundred years is neither a long nor a short time; it is probably the peak of a mortal's lifespan, but for them, it is no different from a fleeting moment.

If we didn't know about it, that would be one thing, but now that we do, who would dare to be complacent in the slightest?

I don't expect to fight the Supreme Being a hundred years from now, but at least if my cultivation level is higher, my chances of survival will greatly increase.

Li Yao also set off to open other magic wells.

Now that he is at the Quasi-Emperor level, every step he wants to break through to the next level is extremely difficult and requires a massive amount of divine energy.

To quickly accumulate power, the only way is to devour the strong. The gods and demons and the limbs of the Great Perfection Holy Spirits in the Demon Well are currently the most suitable resources.

The starry sky is deep and dark, like a black curtain, with stars scattered across it, emitting a faint glow, almost eternally unchanging.

The fifteenth level of the Ancient Road of Humanity, this is the location of the second Demon Well.

Li Yao tore through the void, stepped into this starry sky, and after gazing around for a while, chose a direction to approach.

He did not enter the ancient city; the location of the Demon Well was not there, but on an ancient star not far away.

Of course, this "not far" only applies to him. In reality, there is a distance between the two. Even a Saint King would have to cross it using a teleportation array, and it would take quite a while to fly on his own.

However, it is unlikely that a Saint King would come here, because this is a dead ancient star, filled with death energy, and no life remains.

Stars like these are completely empty, truly desolate and barren. Moreover, there are countless ancient stars like these in the universe, so they are hardly noteworthy.

The location of the Demon Well is of utmost importance, and few people know its exact location, so naturally no one attempts to explore for treasure.

A moment later, Li Yao descended upon this star. This was his current speed; with a thought, he could traverse the universe.

Standing on this desolate star, Li Yao spread his divine sense and quickly locked onto a spot where there was a mysterious and unpredictable aura.

"boom!"

A terrifying surge of energy erupted, the divine might of a quasi-emperor swept across the sky, and dazzling divine light shot into the heavens, illuminating this star field.

Li Yao extended his palm and slammed it fiercely towards the strange place. His immense magical power gathered into a hand that could pluck stars and grasp the moon, enormous and boundless.

This was a lifeless star, so Li Yao didn't need to worry about anything and simply pushed it across, knocking out the ancient well.

"boom!"

The star shattered, smashed to pieces by a palm strike imbued with the laws of a quasi-emperor, bursting forth with dazzling flames, like a magnificent firework display.

But soon, the unstoppable hand encountered an obstacle, intercepting him and unleashing an overwhelming killing intent that obliterated the Quasi-Emperor's Law.

That is the Celestial Venerable Formation. Even after millions of years, and ancient stars dying with the passage of time, it still retains its power.

Even though it's less than one percent of its peak strength now, it's still terrifying. The only way to break through is through constant hardship.

Just like the Demon Well in the tenth level, it took countless blood sacrifices to erase the array patterns.

Li Yao's expression shifted slightly. This attack wasn't his full strength, but he was standing in the Divine Forbidden Domain. Even a casual strike could still overturn a Quasi-Emperor at the fourth level, yet he couldn't break through this nearly annihilated Heavenly Venerable Array!

The ancient Celestial Venerables are indeed not to be underestimated; one cannot even imagine how powerful they are until one reaches that level. Li Yao became serious and struck out with his full strength once more.

"boom!"

The deafening sound spread, and the terrifying sound waves swept across the starry sky, shattering countless meteorites as large as mountains wherever they went.

This time, the Heavenly Venerable Formation finally broke, and countless Dao patterns dissipated, turning into a rain of light, revealing the ancient well that had been suppressed.

Black mist surged forth from the ancient well, filling the starry sky.

If someone were to witness this scene from afar, they would be utterly astonished. In the ruins of the universe, thick black mist blocked out everything, and even if one were to probe into it with divine sense, nothing could be seen.

The heavens and earth sensed the aura of the Great Perfection Holy Spirit and began to rain blood, just like in the tenth level, it was corrosive.

The blood rain, seemingly from nowhere, swept across the Milky Way, dense and numerous, like a river of blood, accompanied by a pungent stench.

"Roar!" "Roar!" "Roar!"...

Blood rain, which is no different from deadly poison to normal living beings, is a great tonic to the gods and ghosts in the ancient well.

With the seal broken, one after another ferocious and terrifying monsters burst out of the ancient well, standing tall in the starry sky, receiving nourishment from the blood rain.

Li Yao did not move, but waited for the gods and ghosts to recover. It would be most beneficial for him if they gained weight.

Soon, the blood rain stopped, and the auras of nearly a hundred gods and demons reached their peak.

Each one is comparable to a Great Sage, and the best among them are even comparable to a high-level Great Sage.

"Roar!"

The demon roared, its blood-red eyes fixed on Li Yao, locked onto him.

These ghostly things possess a certain level of intelligence. When they first burst out of the ancient well, they were at their weakest, so they silently absorbed the blood rain to restore themselves.

Now in perfect condition, they all revealed their murderous intent, rushing towards Li Yao, wanting to tear him apart and devour his flesh and blood.

Clearly, both sides share the same goal: to devour each other and become stronger.

The heavens and earth trembled, and the auras of gods and demons merged into one, as if the ancient blue sky had fallen, making the universe seem to be overturned.

Such an impact would make even a powerhouse like the Old Madman or Cang Yan's level tremble with fear.

But Li Yao just sneered, without even raising his hand, only his eyes flashed with a divine light as he flew towards the group of gods and demons.

"Qiang!"

The divine light flashed like lightning, weaving together countless Dao patterns, exuding an extremely chilling killing intent.

The gods and ghosts realized something was wrong and let out a mournful roar, trying to scatter and escape, but it was too late.

The divine light was like a sword, the resounding divine sound shook the heavens, and the sword energy swept across like a galaxy.

"Pfft!" "Pfft!" "Pfft!"...

The sound of skulls shattering echoed throughout the room. In an instant, the heads of a hundred gods and demons burst open, and the blood-red light in their eyes dimmed.

With the blink of an eye, he annihilated a hundred Great Saints, demonstrating the full extent of his Quasi-Emperor power in a single moment.

Li Yao extended his right hand, which radiated dark light and whose Dao patterns continuously evolved.

"boom!"

A deep black hole appeared, unleashing a tremendous suction force that pulled all the gods and demons into it.

Just then, the ancient well underwent another change. A sacred light swept through, and a white lotus, over ten feet in size, rose up and then bloomed, revealing what was inside.

That was clearly the other arm of the Great Perfection Holy Spirit, but this time there was nothing inside.

Having learned from his previous experience, Li Yao acted much more decisively this time, quickly drawing the giant hand into the Great Dao Treasure Bottle.

"A complete success." Li Yao's lips curled into a satisfied smile.

Compared to arduous cultivation and accumulation, this is clearly his style: a simple and brutal approach, turning everything into a boon to himself.

After storing the Great Dao Treasure Bottle inside his body, Li Yao entered the ancient well and found that it still contained Immortal Elixir, but only seven or eight drops, a quantity less than the first ancient well.

However, getting something is better than getting nothing at all.

Li Yao put away the elixir, not intending to use it.

This stuff is tasteless to him, but a pity to throw away; it's not very useful.

But he doesn't need it; those around him do, and it's a great stroke of luck for them.

After finishing the second magic well, Li Yao continued his journey to open the other magic wells.

Soon, on the ancient star near the eighteenth level, the third magic well was opened, yielding similar results to the second magic well.

On the ancient star below the twentieth level, the fourth magic well... the fifth magic well of the twenty-third level, and the sixth magic well of the twenty-seventh level were thus opened.

Li Yao's lips never left his mouth, and the light in his eyes grew even brighter. As he traversed the void and passed through the chaotic storm, he felt as if he were bathed in a spring breeze; everything was so beautiful.

The five consecutive demonic wells brought him unimaginable gains: hundreds of gods and demons, the arm of a Great Perfection Holy Spirit, two torsos, and two thighs.

If he fully utilizes these resources, he will surely be able to make another significant breakthrough.

Is the cultivation of a Quasi-Emperor difficult? Is each level a chasm?

Sorry, Li Yao said that was not the case; cultivation was an extremely simple matter.

Is it possible for someone to be so stupid that even at over a hundred years old, they still can't break through to the Quasi-Emperor level?
……

As time passed, Li Yao descended into the starry sky where the thirtieth level was located.

This is the location of the seventh Demon Well, situated on the ancient star below the Thirtieth Pass.

Before the majestic city gate, a group of heavily armed soldiers gazed indifferently at the starry sky, their eyes filled with pain and resentment.

They are the enforcers of the ancient road, but they were also the losers of the trial road. They were crushed by absolute power, their Dao hearts collapsed, and their path was cut off, making it impossible for them to move forward.

Therefore, when they see the spirited trial participants, they morbidly want to make them fall into the same slump as they do.

But this is the thirtieth level. Those who can reach this level are all exceptional individuals, unlike in the first level where soldiers could take advantage of their years of cultivation to bully and vent their frustrations.

The soldiers here could only endure it, but over time, their minds became increasingly twisted.

Therefore, when Li Yao arrived at the city gate, the soldiers all wore mocking smiles.

"The assessment period has passed, and we cannot enter the city now," a sergeant said coldly.

He looked expectantly at the young man in blue robes outside the city, whose aloof demeanor broke down, yet who seemed helpless against him.

This wasn't intentional; the ancient road did indeed have such a rule, but whether or not it was enforced depended entirely on his mood. The captain chose to follow the rule, using it to soothe his turbulent inner turmoil.

There's a saying that goes, "People with a little power want to use that power to its fullest extent."

But the next moment, a terrifying aura soared into the sky, as if this sea of ​​stars was about to be destroyed. The soldiers on the city gate had just shown fear in their eyes when they instinctively knelt down and worshipped.

(End of this chapter)