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

Chapter 435 The Current State of the Immortal Realm
A colossal change!

The immortal path, which was about to close, was torn open from the inside out by a tremendous force, and the most dazzling immortal light poured out like a raging flood.

The ancient forbidden land trembled, absorbing this substance, and was shrouded in misty haze, like a fairyland on earth, making its overall momentum even more magnificent.

"My God, is this the essence of the Immortal Realm? It contains the power of immortality!"

"Even from this distance, I feel completely relaxed, as if I'm about to ascend to heaven and become several years younger."

"Could it be that the Heavenly Emperor really did it? Did he open the gate to the Immortal Realm, causing the two realms to be completely connected in a short period of time?"

"It must be that the gate opened wide, and the essence overflowed, breaking through the immortal path and arriving in this realm."

People were talking about it, and their faces showed surprise.

Even the supreme beings were filled with suspicion, staring intently at the Immortal Path, trying to uncover the truth behind it.

If the gates to the Immortal Realm are truly open, then if one were to emerge at this time, would it be justifiable to storm in?

His ambition to become an immortal reached its peak at this moment.

"boom!"

Just as the Supreme One was restless, the Immortal Path trembled violently, the immortal light became even more intense, and more immortal light matter overflowed, making it seem as if there was a sun there.

At the center of the sun was a tall, handsome young man with long, flowing hair, each strand sparkling, perfectly formed.

Following closely behind was the somewhat disheveled Golden Crow Emperor. Although his injuries had healed and his power remained undiminished, the Supremes knew that he was all bark and no bite. He appeared unharmed on the surface but was severely depleted inside, having suffered considerable damage on the Immortal Path.

"The Heavenly Emperor has returned!"

"How could I have returned? Does the Immortal Realm truly not exist, and has it all just been a fantasy all along?"

"If even the Heavenly Emperor cannot break into the Immortal Realm, then looking through the entirety of history, which great emperor could have done it?"

"Compared to the fact that even the Heavenly Emperor couldn't break into the Immortal Realm, I'm more inclined to believe that the Immortal Realm might not even exist."

Li Yao's return caused a stir throughout the universe, with everyone eager to know whether the Immortal Realm truly existed.

Even if they never manage to enter that place in their entire lives, as long as it exists, there will be a longing for it.

"Heavenly Emperor, at the end of the Immortal Path, is there an Immortal Realm?" An old quasi-emperor, whose lifespan was nearing its end and who had long since secluded himself, stepped forward to pay his respects to Li Yao with a heart full of trepidation.

The Heavenly Emperor is supreme, his power surpassing all ages, and he naturally possesses an aura of unassailability.

This has nothing to do with temperament, but rather it is the deep-seated awe that those in lower positions have for those in higher positions.

When people face an entity that can easily decide their life or death, even if that entity is harmless, they will feel a sense of awe.

The old quasi-emperor was also afraid, but he desperately wanted to know whether the Immortal Realm existed or not; this had almost become an obsession. So he mustered up his courage and stepped forward.

There were many people like him, all holding their breath and listening intently, including the supreme being in the forbidden zone of life.

The world seemed to stand still, all things were silent, and everyone was waiting, feeling as if time was stretched out infinitely.

Finally, the majestic young man, as dignified as a god, spoke, dispelling the fog shrouding ancient history and giving a definitive answer to the speculations of ages past.

"The Immortal Realm exists!"

"boom!"

Ancient lands everywhere were abuzz with excitement. The Heavenly Emperor himself declared that the Immortal Realm was not a fabrication, but a real existence. This news swept across the universe like a hurricane.

People were completely unsettled. This was the final word; there would now be a clear answer regarding whether the Immortal Realm existed.

This undoubtedly marks the beginning of a new chapter.

"The Immortal Realm truly exists! The long wait of millennia has finally yielded a definitive answer!"

"Hahaha, I have sealed myself away for countless lifetimes just to find out if the Immortal Realm is just a dream. Today, my wish has finally come true, and I have no regrets."

"I will strive to cultivate myself, hoping that one day I can see that realm of immortals with my own eyes."

Li Yao's words caused a huge uproar, even the ancient supreme beings couldn't contain themselves. These people believed in the existence of the Immortal Realm, otherwise they wouldn't have sealed themselves off.

However, such belief is more of a speculation. Some ancient books or ruins have revealed scattered remnants of the immortal realm, but there is no conclusive evidence to support it.

But now, Li Yao's words have definitively established this fact.

They were eager to communicate with Li Yao and uncover the secrets of the Immortal Realm, but after only a moment, they calmed down and their hearts sank to the bottom.

Over the past century, Li Yao's attitude toward the restricted area has been quite clear. It's already difficult enough that he doesn't actively cause trouble, let alone sit down and have a philosophical discussion with them.

This realization left the Supreme Beings feeling utterly powerless; they had never experienced such emotions before.

Even ordinary people, or even the current emperor, wouldn't be helpless against them; they could simply emerge together to suppress them. The Immortal Realm possesses this kind of allure.

However, this approach is not suitable for the Heavenly Emperor, whose combat power is too great.

Even now, the Supreme Being cannot fathom the extent to which the Heavenly Emperor has progressed in his cultivation. It remains unseen.

The supreme beings were very wary and dared not make the slightest rash move.

……

Li Yao didn't reveal much. For the masses, all they wanted to know was whether the Immortal Realm existed, to satisfy their fantasies. Most people would never have the chance to set foot there in their entire lives.

So he left behind the statement that the Immortal Realm existed and returned to the Yao Guang Continent, accompanied by the Golden Crow.

Then, the fact that the current emperor became the mount of the Heavenly Emperor inevitably spread, causing another great uproar. Following the existence of the Immortal Realm, this was another major event that shook all the heavens and myriad realms.

The Golden Crow Clan was the most affected.

This race was originally a great race in the universe, with many powerful individuals. Even before the Golden Crow became a Great Emperor, it was already a force to be reckoned with in the universe.

At that time, the Golden Crow Clan each took charge of their own affairs, somewhat like the human race. Only after the Golden Crows attained enlightenment did they gather together to prepare to dominate the universe.

They did indeed achieve this; apart from the area surrounding the Big Dipper Starfield, the Golden Crow Clan's sphere of influence has spread throughout the entire universe.

The only one who displeased the Golden Crow Clan was probably Yao Guang. Over the years, Yao Guang had been eagerly preparing to attack, waiting for the Great Emperor to defeat the Heavenly Emperor so that he could officially march into the Big Dipper Star Region and complete the great cause of dominating the universe.

However, this idea only lasted until the Heavenly Emperor attained enlightenment, after which he never dared to have such delusions again.

Despite their constant boasting, the Golden Crow Clan knew very well that their Great Emperor would probably never be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Heavenly Emperor throughout his life.

Dominating the universe is no longer realistic; the best outcome is to safeguard the territories already conquered.

But this idea, after today, will also vanish like a dream.

They were ready to fight to the death, but His Majesty had already surrendered.

This whole thing is ridiculous. It turns out that all the hard work they put into building this empire was just a waste of time and effort for Yao Guang.

It's really disheartening.

Li Yao never intended to dominate the universe, but he achieved it by accident. He firmly believed that as long as one is strong enough, one can transcend worldly affairs.

The Jinwu tribe's case is the best proof of this.

……

The Immortal Path came to an end, and the world was in an uproar. For a long time, people discussed it with great enthusiasm, creating a great commotion.

However, the years passed uneventfully on the Undying Mountain. After Li Yao returned, he immediately began to study Tianwu's primordial spirit, along with Qianyang Ancient Emperor, Xuguang Emperor, and his father-in-law, Wanlong Emperor.

Even Jinwu, while healing his wounds, kept a close eye on things.

"Is this the emperor of the Immortal Realm? His strength is not superior to ours." Emperor Wanlong commented as he looked at Tianwu's primordial spirit.

This discovery shattered his illusions about the Immortal Realm; he had always thought that everyone living there was an immortal.

“Indeed, he is no different from the emperors and sovereigns of this universe, but he has lived for millions of years.” Li Yao said, paused, and continued to stab him in the back: “He did not proclaim himself emperor, but has actually lived for over a million years and is still at the peak of his life.”

Emperor Wanlong: ...

Qianyang Ancient Emperor: ...

Emperor Xuguang: ...

Golden Crow Emperor: ...

"He hasn't become an immortal after more than a million years, is he a pig?" The Dragon Emperor's eyes turned red with envy.

As Li Yao's father-in-law, he was very open in front of him. The Heavenly Emperor, whose power surpassed that of the ancients and moderns in the eyes of the world, was like a son to him. Emperor Xuguang, Emperor Jinwu, and Emperor Qianyang were also jealous, but they remained silent.

Millions of years is an incredibly long time in the eyes of cultivators in the Shrouding the Heavens universe; they have lived almost from the early stages of the Ancient Era to the middle and late stages of the Ancient Era.

Having cultivated to this level over such a long period of time, he aroused the envy of several emperors and sovereigns who were living in hardship.

Li Yao chuckled and did not refute. Wanlonghuang and the others could indeed look down on Tianwu.

The cultivation environment was countless times better than that of the Shrouding the Heavens universe. With such a long period of time, if it were someone like Wanlonghuang, they would at least have touched the threshold of True Immortal and could step into it at any time. If they were better off, they would probably have already stepped into the realm of Immortal.

Unlike Tianwu, it is still some distance from the realm of immortality.

Of course, this is definitely unfair. The strength of Wanlonghuang and others was actually created by their environment.

If they hadn't been so ambitious, they might have been better off, but they might have also faded into obscurity long ago.

“Let’s explore his memories first. I deliberately didn’t kill him; I brought him back after suppressing him,” Li Yao decided.

He noticed that after arriving in this world, Tianwu's primordial spirit was rapidly dimming, a result of the passage of time.

In the Immortal Realm, this Supreme Being of the Ultimate Path had at least hundreds of thousands of years left to live before entering old age.

However, in the universe of Shrouding the Heavens, given the passage of time, it will dissipate in a few hundred years at most.

Therefore, time was of the essence and could not be wasted. He needed to learn about the current situation in the Immortal Realm through the other party.

"boom!"

A vast sea of ​​primordial spirits swept across the chaotic world. The deity sat on a high platform, radiating light, chanting divine scriptures and bestowing upon Li Yao immense power.

Since embarking on the path of the Primordial Spirit, Li Yao's Primordial Spirit has grown stronger every day, and the power of the deity has become even more vast and unfathomable.

Although Tianwu is the Supreme Being of the Ultimate Path, to be honest, he is still somewhat inferior in front of him.

"Hey!"

A divine light emanated from between Li Yao's brows, dazzling and beautiful, each strand resembling a celestial flower, incomparably magnificent.

A vast surge of primordial spirit energy spread outwards, invading Tianwu's sea of ​​consciousness with unstoppable force, rummaging through his memories.

"what……"

A mournful roar rang out as Tianwu struggled, unleashing overwhelming divine power. Runes intertwined across the sky, transforming into powerful offensive techniques.

"Buzz!"

The celestial furnace trembled, and the Heavenly Emperor's divine might pressed down, with countless Dao traces transforming into a giant hand that gripped Tianwu as if squeezing a chick.

This was a disgrace, but Tianwu was powerless to resist.

He regretted it deeply. Had he known this would happen, he shouldn't have gone to investigate the unknown fluctuations out of curiosity. Nor should he have been tempted by greed when he saw the immortal furnace.

Who would have thought that a simple mistake would come at such a high price?

But thinking about these things was useless at this point. Li Yao showed no pity and ignored Tianwu's struggles, charging wildly, only wanting to get what he wanted.

He didn't care whether Tianwu lived or died.

Inside the ancient cave, a chaotic mist swirled, and the piercing screams continued for an unknown period of time before finally ceasing.

The blinding rain of light dissipated, and Tianwu finally began to transform into the Dao. The Supreme Dao Being fell, and the scene was extremely grand.

However, these strange phenomena did not spread outwards, as they were sealed off by Wanlonghuang and others, remaining confined to the Undying Mountain.

Tianwu was not a Daoist who had attained enlightenment in the world of Shrouding the Heavens, and he had not merged with the Heavenly Heart Mark, so he was unaffected by the heavens and earth.

No one knew that a Great Emperor-level being had silently perished in the Undying Mountain.

Li Yao closed his eyes, processing Tianwu's memories.

In order to learn as much as possible about the Immortal Realm, he extracted most of the memories from the millions of years of Tianwu's history.

Therefore, even though his primordial spirit was powerful, he felt a sense of fatigue at this moment.

"If only there were a scripture that could devour the primordial spirit," Li Yao thought.

Then he froze.
It seems that it's not impossible. If he could create a scripture that could devour the primordial spirit, his cultivation speed would increase significantly on top of what it already was.

The benefit of the Great Dao of Primordial Spirit is that it allows the Primordial Spirit to advance rapidly, enabling the wealthy to lead the way for the less fortunate, with one person taking the lead and driving overall development.

In essence, cultivation boils down to three main aspects: the physical body, the primordial spirit, and magical power. Among these, the physical body and the primordial spirit are primary, while magical power is merely secondary.

A strong primordial spirit will drive the growth of the physical body, and a strong physical body will naturally lead to a rapid increase in magical power.

Li Yao pondered and felt more and more that it was worth a try. After all, with the Heavenly Book, it wouldn't be too difficult to deduce such a scripture; it would just take some time.

He is currently invincible, and the darkness is estimated to be more than two million years away, so there is no great urgency.

But that's all for later. Right now, the most urgent task is to sort out Tianwu's memories.

……

The Immortal Realm is a vast ancient world, known as the homeland of immortals.

Since the birth of this ancient realm, it was destined to stand at the pinnacle of the vast heavens.

The exact duration of the Immortal Realm's existence is unknown. It existed long before everyone knew of this ancient realm, and it was already incredibly powerful.

The world-renowned exotic realm has existed for far less time than the Immortal Realm.

At the end of the Chaotic Ancient Era, the greatest purge in history began, and the Immortal Kings who had fled to the Boundary Sea returned.

However, some of them had already left for several eras, and their mother world had long been destroyed. Some even chose to leave the Boundary Sea only after their mother world was destroyed.

This led to a problem: they had no home to return to, or could not find their way home, so they randomly chose a barren world that could not accommodate a Celestial King.

The Immortal Realm, the Otherworld, the Burial Ground, and even the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, as well as some powerful ancient realms, have all been targeted by these Immortal Kings.

Of course, there are also some Celestial Kings who are purely seeking revenge and settling old scores.

Thus, a brutal purge spread throughout the heavens, and the great war raged on for countless years.

In the end, the final imperial war broke out, and the heavens were almost destroyed. The powerful immortal realm was also shattered in that battle, breaking into many large pieces and many small pieces.

The Immortal Realm is full of talented people, and in recent years, it has been repairing itself, but progress has been slow.

Even today, many fragments remain scattered, drifting and sinking on their own.

The vast universe that Li Yao ascended to from the Path to Immortality via the Big Dipper was actually just a fragment of the Immortal Realm, not the complete one.

"So that's how it is. I never expected that the Immortal Realm would be shattered." After hearing the abbreviated version, Emperor Wanlong couldn't help but sigh.

"Doesn't that mean there are actually many Immortal Realms, just of varying sizes?" Emperor Qianyang seemed to have thought of something.

Emperor Xuguang also sensed something: "Different paths to immortality may not correspond to the same immortal realm, but rather to different fragments."

“The fragment that landed on the Beidou Immortal Ascension Path is this one, while the fragment that landed on the Feixianxing Immortal Ascension Path is perhaps another one,” Jinwu said, disregarding his injuries to join the discussion.

There's also the strange world. Where did it land from? It should be the same place as Flying Immortal Star, but the place where the Undying Emperor lives might be another one altogether. Li Yao thought to himself.

He couldn't even begin to imagine how vast the Immortal Realm was at its peak.

PS: The following text is free: Listen to advice, don't be stubborn, change the Heavenly Martial Battle Power to the level of the Second Emperor, but this is actually not important.

Regarding the descriptions of the Immortal Realm, I do not agree with the version of Shrouding the Heavens, or perhaps this version itself was overturned by Dong Ge himself.

As readers know, "Covering the Sky" was written first, and "Perfect World" was written later, so the endings of the two are different.

In the perfect ending, the Desolate Emperor leaves, then returns, taking Willow Goddess and Fire Spirit to the heavens. But at this time, the Butcher, the Burial Master, the Heavenly Horned Ant, and the Crimson Dragon, these Immortal Kings, are still in the Immortal Realm.

But those people in the Sacred Ruins later went to the Heavenly Realm. What about the time in between? What about the Immortal Kings who hadn't yet fallen in the Immortal Realm? What about the Quasi-Immortal Kings? What about the True Immortals?

Some of these people may have followed the Desolate Emperor in his conquests, but it's impossible for True Immortals to go; they weren't even cannon fodder. So I'm more inclined to believe that in the years that followed, the Immortal Kings gradually followed in the footsteps of the Desolate Emperor and went to the Heavenly Realm, while the True Immortals did not go.

This clearly contradicts the ending of "Covering the Sky," where the Immortal Realm has few or no true immortals.

Therefore, I can only create derivative works. My writing involves a trilogy, so I definitely can't just refer to the ending of "Covering the Sky".

Therefore, I made a second interpretation: the immortal realm that the four-person group arrived in was only a small part of it, and that small part was currently devoid of immortals.
(End of this chapter)