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

Chapter 451 The war breaks out
"One, two, three... twenty-one!"

Li Yao glanced around and surveyed all four forbidden zones, discovering a total of twenty-one immortal sources.

In other words, there are a total of twenty-one supreme beings in the four forbidden zones.

They made no attempt to hide anything; on the contrary, they deliberately exposed their auras so that Li Yao could see them.

If all twenty-one supreme beings were to emerge and engage in a battle of ultimate sublimation, who could rival them?

Both Wanlonghuang and Chuanying changed color, feeling a sense of pressure rising in their hearts.

With so many supreme beings, the difference in numbers between the two sides is obvious; they are not even in the same league.

They can hold off some of them, but the remaining number of supreme beings is still enormous. Can the Heavenly Emperor alone withstand them?
Even though they had great confidence in the Heavenly Emperor, they couldn't help but start to have doubts at this moment.

The universe trembled, and countless cultivators trembled with fear. Their cultivation was not high enough to see the specifics, but they could feel the fluctuations that engulfed the entire universe.

"There are quite a few of them." Just then, Li Yao spoke softly.

"But do you think this will scare me?"

His tone was very calm, as if he were recounting something extremely ordinary, and his expression was full of confidence.

Just like the twenty-one supreme beings, they were nothing more than ants that could be destroyed with a flick of his finger.

"Heavenly Emperor, do you really think you can win?" The Supreme Being in the Primordial Ancient Mine roared in fury.

The joint statement from several restricted areas gave him some confidence.

Although the Heavenly Emperor is powerful, he does not believe there are no limits. Constantly lowering one's stance will only allow the Heavenly Emperor to take advantage of one's strength.

As his words fell, the supreme beings in the Divine Ruins, Immortal Tomb, Burial Sky Island, and Primordial Ancient Mine all unleashed terrifying auras, pressing down on the Heavenly Emperor.

At this moment, they maintained unprecedented unity, trying to force Li Yao to back down.

The heavens and earth shook, divine power surged like the sea, countless stars dimmed, and the entire star field seemed on the verge of collapse.

This is terrifying. Each of these supreme beings was once an ancient emperor, and now their numbers have reached an astonishing twenty or so. Their auras are intertwined, as if they are about to overturn all the heavens and myriad realms.

"boom!"

Just then, several more bursts of energy erupted, and the imperial divine might swept across the sky.

Emperor Qianyang, Emperor Xuguang, Emperor Jinwu, and Gai Jiuyou appeared, all staring at the several forbidden zones and locking onto their locations.

"As expected, you have all recovered to your peak condition. Was it the Nine-Turn Immortal Pill?"

The Supreme Being in the Forbidden Zone had already guessed something when he saw the Myriad Dragon Emperor, and now he was completely certain.

The Heavenly Emperor has gained allies: several ancient emperors at their peak. This is a tremendous force that makes the supreme beings tremble with fear.

“I wouldn’t touch you unless I was absolutely certain.” Li Yao glanced around, but this time no one from the Supreme Beings responded.

They threw punches first, but failed to overwhelm the Heavenly Emperor. Their momentum was blocked, and their current prestige was no longer at its peak.

"The forbidden zones must be eliminated, but I will not kill indiscriminately. Anyone who has not instigated any unrest may leave on their own," Li Yao said again, making this promise.

He didn't say this at the beginning, but made such a promise only after the Supremes realized that he really could destroy the Forbidden Zone.

The reason is simple: if your fist isn't big enough, no one will care what you say.

"Fellow Daoist Qilin, are you not going to make a choice yet?" The Myriad Dragon Emperor's deep purple eyes gazed at the Primordial Ancient Mine, conversing with the supreme being within.

"Where can those who are barely clinging to life go after leaving the Primordial Ancient Mine?" The ancient mine trembled, and a voice, somewhat mournful, came from its depths.

The ancient emperor could not seal himself off, so he cut himself off and used immortal energy to seal himself in the forbidden zone, barely managing to avoid the erosion of time.

If one leaves the forbidden zone, even if one is in the immortal realm, one will be gradually eroded by time, and it will not be long before one dies of old age.

A burst of blue divine light erupted, and another source of immortal energy appeared, rising and falling like the sun.

This immortal source had not appeared before; it was only revealed after the Dragon Emperor's question that it made its stance very clear—it was not in opposition to the Heavenly Emperor.

In the Northern Region, within the Fire Scale Cave, a dazzling blue divine light erupted, piercing through the heavens and the earth, displaying the vast and mighty imperial power.

"Ancient Imperial Weapon - Qilin Staff!"

"What's going on? Why did it wake up at this time?"

Everyone was stunned and bewildered by the actions of the Qilin Staff.

At this critical moment, with the Heavenly Emperor facing off against the Supreme Being of the Forbidden Zone, a fight could break out at any moment.

Although the Ancient Emperor's Weapon is a continuation of the Ancient Emperor's life, and can be revived to the fullest extent to deliver an attack like the Ancient Emperor, it is ultimately not the Ancient Emperor himself.

The two beings currently locked in a standoff could easily destroy an ancient imperial weapon with a single move.

To put it bluntly, weapons at this level are merely crafted by them; how can they possibly compete with them?

The Qilin Staff's sudden burst of power at this moment gives the impression of someone rushing headlong into their death.

With a deafening roar, the heavens shattered, and a divine staff erupted with eternal radiance, dazzling and brilliant. Immortal light engulfed the entire Eastern Wilderness, tearing through the void as it descended towards the Primordial Ancient Mine, carrying with it the vast divine might of the imperial way.

This is a fully resurrected imperial weapon, unlike those activated by Great Sages or Quasi-Emperors, which are only resurrected to a certain extent. The power emanating from the divine staff is enough to make even a Great Sage tremble if it is released even in a wisp. If it gets close, even a Quasi-Emperor will be torn apart.

The vast blue light filled every inch of the sky, making the sun pale in comparison and unable to compete with its brilliance.

"It was that aura that revived the Qilin Staff!"

"The mere appearance of his aura was enough to make the Qilin Staff sense it; only the Qilin Ancient Emperor could do such a thing."

The Ancient Emperor Qilin is still alive; he is in the Primordial Ancient Mine!

"Father!"

A trembling sob rang out, coming from afar and echoing throughout the world, growing louder as it approached.

This was an absolutely beautiful woman who came with the Qilin Staff. Her slender hands gripped the staff tightly, her long, light blue hair fluttered in the wind, her slender body was radiant, and her bright, pretty face was streaked with tears, making her look pitiful. However, the upturned corners of her mouth proved that she was in a very good mood.

The newcomer was none other than the princess of Fire Kirin Cave, the biological daughter of the Ancient Kirin Emperor, Fire Kirin'er.

Beside her stood a tall and imposing man with long, wild blue hair. He was treated far worse than Huo Lin'er, being bound by a blue fairy chain. This was Huo Lin'er's elder brother, Huo Qizi.

Both of them were extremely excited, never expecting to see their father again, and their bodies were trembling.

In his later years, my father sealed them away with his own hands, thinking it meant they would never meet again. But now that the ancient era has ended, we have a chance to meet again in this life.

The joy of regaining something lost was truly indescribable. Even the strong-willed Huo Lin'er couldn't hold back her tears, bursting into sobs and losing her usual composure. She followed the Qilin Staff into the ancient mine, throwing herself onto the dazzling immortal source, disregarding everything, crying her heart out. Inside the immortal source was a middle-aged man, clearly also caught off guard by this scene. His expression was somewhat bitter, his purple pupils sharp, but upon closer inspection, one could see a subtle emotion, indicating that he didn't want to appear so calm.

The middle-aged man stood tall and imposing, surrounded by an aura of immortality. He stood in mid-air, with a divine staff made of eternal blue gold floating beside him, emitting a thunderous roar.

A ripple appeared in his deep eyes, and a warm color appeared on his face, revealing a tenderness that was not in keeping with the supreme ruler of the forbidden zone. "Don't cry. Your father has always been here. Although I am not by your side, I am watching over your growth."

Seeing this, Huo Qizi looked on with envy.

The ancient emperor's son, throughout his life, looked up to his father, his familial affection filled with boundless reverence.

However, the relationship between father and son is like that between ruler and subject. Although they are close, they cannot act like daughters, freely rushing into their father's arms and acting coquettishly.

Amidst the somber atmosphere, this heartwarming scene unfolded.

Li Yao did not disrupt the atmosphere, but simply observed quietly. However, it was clear that the Supreme Ones had no interest in it; their hearts had long since turned cold, and they were completely unable to empathize with him.

"Fellow Daoist Qilin, this is not the time for sentimentality. With a formidable enemy at hand, let's calm our minds first." A cold voice emanated from the floating immortal source above the Primordial Ancient Mine.

This was also a middle-aged man, dressed in black and gold armor, with a full head of silver hair, and his dark, deep eyes radiating a cold killing intent.

"Father, no..." Huo Lin'er, who had always been strong, was now filled with fear as a royal princess, shaking her head with tears in her eyes.

She didn't want her father to participate in this battle. The Heavenly Emperor was too powerful. As an observer, Huo Lin'er really couldn't see any chance of victory for the forbidden area side; it was more of a death struggle.

They might cause trouble for the Heavenly Emperor, but the ultimate victor will surely be the Heavenly Emperor, because one side is declining while the other is on its way to its peak.

"Heavenly Emperor, my father has never started any rebellion, and there is no record of his birth in ancient history. I beg you to let him go," Huo Lin'er cried, her bright face filled with pleading.

At this moment, she couldn't help but feel regret. After she was born, she was in the same era as the Heavenly Emperor and had many opportunities to befriend him, but she didn't take any action. If she had known this would happen, she should have taken the initiative to befriend him back then.

However, the gap between the two sides is too great now, like an insurmountable chasm. She fears that the Heavenly Emperor will take action against her father, but there is nothing she can do.

Li Yao, who was watching quietly, never expected that he would be involved as well.

“I’ve said before, anyone who hasn’t started any unrest can leave without begging me,” he said calmly in response to Huo Lin’er.

As he spoke, he scanned the restricted area once more, "This is the last time. Those who haven't started any disturbances, leave immediately, or you will all be suppressed and killed."

This is the final warning. He is about to take action, and regardless of whether there has been any unrest, he will consider them enemies and will not hold back.

"Fellow Daoists, do not be misled. He only wants to weaken our strength and then defeat us one by one," a Supreme Being shouted.

Clearly, this is the entity that instigated the unrest.

Li Yao didn't say anything, promising that he would keep his word. He was just giving those supreme beings a chance; whether they cherished it or not was entirely up to them.

The Supreme Being hesitated, but ultimately set aside his pride and said in front of everyone, "Since I proclaimed myself, I have never started any turmoil. If the Heavenly Emperor does not abandon me, I am willing to follow him from now on in order to enter the Undying Mountain."

A piece of immortal energy flew out from the Divine Ruins, its light dimmed, revealing a figure within—an old man, the one who had just spoken.

To prove his innocence, the old man removed the restrictions, revealing his celestial platform and primordial spirit, a scene of utter clarity, devoid of the wailing of countless souls.

This is the most direct way to prove it. The supreme beings who have caused turmoil must have had their celestial platforms and primordial spirits filled with resentment, with billions of souls wailing. That is the resentment of living beings when they perish.

"Agreed!" Li Yao agreed without hesitation to the Supreme's surrender.

He wanted to quell the forbidden zone, but he was also willing to give a chance to those supreme beings who had never started a disturbance.

Although those people committed suicide, it was only to fight their way into the Immortal Realm. As long as they did not cause any turmoil, they were not completely corrupted.

With the saying "spending a fortune to buy a horse's bones," someone took the lead, and soon another piece of immortal essence flew out from the Immortal Mausoleum, proving itself in the same way and willing to serve under the Heavenly Emperor.

"Father..." Huo Lin'er pleaded, but couldn't utter a complete sentence.

She wanted her father to do the same, but in her heart, her father was supreme, arrogant throughout history, and to submit to others would be harder than killing him.

But seeing her father perish, Huo Lin'er couldn't bear it either; her bright, pretty face was filled with inner turmoil.

"Alright, I know what to do." Although the Ancient Emperor Qilin was proud, he was also reluctant to part with his children. He unfolded his Immortal Platform and Primordial Spirit, which were equally clear and pure.

This scene greatly alarmed the other supreme beings. Before the battle even began, such chaos had already broken out on their side. If they continued to let it go, what difference would it be from washing their necks and waiting to die?

"boom!"

Suddenly, the supreme divine power erupted, the imperial laws tore through the heavens and earth, and a jet-black hand struck out from the air, choosing to make its move.

"Oh, you don't overestimate your capabilities."

Emperor Xuguang roared and summoned his imperial artifact, a large seal, which dripped with chaotic energy to meet the jet-black hand.

"boom!"

A terrifying collision erupted, unleashing the supreme divine power that pierced through the heavens and the earth, slicing down stars from beyond the realm.

At the same time, the vast divine energy spread out and crashed down onto the earth, causing endless mountains to collapse and rivers to dry up.

This is true divine power; once it strikes, the entire ancient star of the Big Dipper will be sunk without exception.

"boom!"

Just then, the desolate forbidden land trembled, and a terrifying divine power erupted. Endless Dao traces spread and intertwined, transforming into a sacred domain that blocked all the aftershocks that were about to hit.

"boom!"

Following closely behind, several more supreme beings emerged simultaneously and achieved ultimate sublimation in the first instant.

War is imminent!
These were all supreme beings who had instigated rebellions. They knew that continuing to wait was tantamount to certain death. Since that was the case, they might as well fight to the death, perhaps there was still a glimmer of hope.

"You are making a death throes; you have no chance of winning," Wanlonghuang roared.

"Jingle Bell!"

The clear and melodious sound of bells resounded throughout the four seas and eight wastelands, purple immortal light engulfed the universe, and a string of bells forged from divine purple gold transformed into a long dragon, unleashing astonishing divine power.

At the same time, Qianyang Ancient Emperor, Golden Crow Emperor, Gai Jiuyou, and Chuanying also launched an attack, confronting an ancient emperor and engaging in a fierce battle with him.

This is an unprecedented war of gods, with all participants being ancient emperors. Every burst of their energy is enough to tear apart star fields.

The Supreme Beings have gone mad, driven solely by the desire to survive, regardless of whether the universe will be destroyed after the war.

Or rather, this is exactly what they wanted. They don't care whether the beings in the universe live or die, but the Heavenly Emperor clearly does. By using billions of lives as a threat, they make the Heavenly Emperor unable to attend to one thing at a time.

(End of this chapter)