Fighting: Practice makes it real, start with a poisonous body.

Chapter 326 Two more strands of Origin Qi?!
Gu Yuan quietly clenched his only fist, but soon, a hint of disappointment rose in his heart.

"It seems that the Pure Lotus Demon Saint has gained nothing from this trip..."

The Sword Emperor's legacy resides in Xiao Jibai. Even without knowing what happens next, he understands that the Pure Lotus Demon Saint was not chosen by the Sword Emperor.

"But if that's the case, what does it mean that he left behind this tomb and that fragment of a map..."

Gu Yuan frowned slightly, his gaze returning to the rock wall.

"That day, I was galloping across the desolate plains of the Northwest Continent. In my despair, I thought I would end my life there."

But as they passed through a desolate black sand plain, they inadvertently glimpsed a faint, almost imperceptible imperial aura emanating from the depths of the earth!

The writing on the rock face suddenly became sharp and incisive.

There can be no mistake!

That vast and boundless aura, though only a wisp escaped, was as dazzling as the sun in the heavens, too radiant to look directly at!

Before that aura, my half-emperor body was like a drop in the ocean, insignificant and not worth mentioning. Even the battle qi within my body was trembling slightly, unable to even glimpse a fraction of the power of heaven and earth!

I'm so excited, more excited than I've ever been before!
It wasn't until this moment that I realized my obsession with the Imperial Realm hadn't truly dissipated; it had simply been buried deep within my heart amidst long periods of disappointment and loneliness!

An indescribable longing rose wildly within me, almost driving me to madness!
The path to the Emperor is right before our eyes; the so-called state of no thought or desire is nothing but a momentary confusion!
I want to become emperor!
This thought, like wildfire, instantly swept through my entire being!

The fervor and obsession between the lines, even across countless ages, could be clearly conveyed, causing Gu Yuan's brow to twitch.

"I exhausted all my knowledge, tracing back to the source, and following the guidance of that wisp of imperial might, I searched deep beneath the Black Sand Plains for three whole months, and finally discovered the source of that imperial might!"

"Sure enough, he entered the Sword Emperor's Ruins... That so-called Black Sand Plain must be the present-day Black Corner Region."

Gu Yuan was resolute, and his expression became increasingly solemn.

He already knew that the Pure Lotus Demon Saint had not received the inheritance, but what exactly happened in the ruins that made him go to such lengths to leave this tomb and message?

Upon arriving here, he knew he was finally about to uncover the true purpose of the Pure Lotus Demon Saint.

"It is an ancient ruin sealed by the dust of time, hidden thousands of feet underground, protected by an invisible barrier of imperial might."

If I hadn't sensed that wisp of imperial might, I would never have been able to find its trace even if I had traversed the entire Black Sand Plain!

With the power of a semi-emperor, I forcibly tore open the earth, allowing the ruins to see the light of day again.

When that ancient ruin floating in the void, and that ancient sword that pierced the sky and exuded endless imperial might appeared before my eyes, I went completely mad!
Those are the relics of an emperor! Remains left behind by a true emperor!
I can sense that the key to breaking through to the Emperor Realm is hidden within the ruins. As long as I can step into it, I will be able to achieve my wish and ascend to the Emperor Realm!

I desperately squeezed out the power of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame, turning it into a ten-thousand-foot-long fiery lotus, which bombarded the imperial barrier surrounding the ruins time and time again.

I will step into it and find the Emperor's secrets! I will become Emperor!

However, just as my attack was about to reach the core of the barrier, the supreme divine might suddenly erupted within the ruins!

That power was ten thousand times more terrifying than I had sensed before. It was like the might of heaven descending, easily shattering all the methods I was so proud of!
Before the Emperor's might, the Pure Lotus Demon Flame was like a firefly meeting the sun, instantly dimming and losing its luster!

The emperor's aura was like a thorn in my back, chilling me to the bone, instantly sobering me up from my fanaticism...

I finally understand that the relics of an emperor are not something I can easily offend.

I was rejected by the Emperor!

When I realized this, I was filled with panic.

I knelt before the ruins, begging the Emperor's forgiveness to atone for my previous recklessness. And that kneeling lasted for a thousand years.

A thousand years... Gu Yuan felt a sense of doubt. He had some knowledge of the life of this Pure Lotus Demon Saint, but he did not seem to have heard of the Pure Lotus Demon Saint being missing for a thousand years.

"No, I'm thinking wrong... Pure Lotus Demon Saint was an invincible half-emperor in that era, so who could possibly find his exact whereabouts?"
Whether it's our clan's records or other rumors, there must be inaccuracies.

Gu Yuan shook his head and continued reading.

"I knelt before the Emperor for a thousand years, and finally found the source of my heart and saw my true self."

Perhaps it was the Emperor's compassion, or perhaps he was moved by my sincerity, but the Emperor finally agreed to forgive me.

On that day, a strange phenomenon occurred in the sky: seven-colored rays of light descended from the heavens and enveloped the entire Black Sand Plain.

The imperial barrier of the ruins slowly dissipated, and an ancient stone gate slowly opened before me. I thought the Emperor's Path would open for me; I thought I could finally achieve my wish and step into the Emperor's Realm!

I am so happy, so very happy. The joy I feel is something I have never experienced before in my life!
However, what happened next plunged me into utter despair.

The writing on the rock face suddenly dimmed, conveying a deep-seated sense of loss and desolation.

"After the stone gate opened, I couldn't wait to step inside, but I didn't see the imperial inheritance I had imagined. Instead, I saw a majestic stone statue of an emperor."

The stone statue held an ancient sword, its face majestic, as if it could see through all things in the world; it was the source of that imperial aura.

Just as I was at a loss, the stone statue suddenly shone brightly, and the Emperor appeared!
He called himself the Sword Emperor and was an unparalleled powerhouse who had become an emperor in ancient times. He left behind this relic and legacy to deal with the son left behind by his mortal enemy, the Dragon Phoenix Fighting Emperor!
I immediately volunteered and expressed my feelings to the Sword Emperor.

I am willing to inherit the mantle of the Sword Emperor, cultivate the way of the sword, and fight against the future Dragon-Phoenix Child!

I'm willing to pay any price to become emperor!

Unfortunately, the Sword Emperor still rejected me.

He said that it is far too early for the birth of the Dragon-Phoenix Child.

More importantly, I have been passionate about fire all my life and practice fire-based techniques, so I have no chance of achieving the pinnacle of swordsmanship.

The reason he appeared before me was not to pass on his legacy, but simply because he did not wish to see such a remarkable person pass away peacefully before his tomb.

Upon hearing this, I felt as if I had been struck by lightning, my whole body turned ice-cold, and I instantly plummeted from the clouds to the bottom of the valley.

After great joy comes great loss; the cycle of nature is endless.

I spent a thousand years enduring endless loneliness, only to receive this result. That despair almost drove me to the brink of collapse again.

I bid farewell to the Sword Emperor, feeling utterly lost and dejected, wanting to leave. All my obsessions had turned to ashes, and I only wanted to end this boring life as soon as possible.

However, the Sword Emperor truly lived up to his reputation as an emperor who planned for eternity and cared deeply for the human race.

He had a compassionate heart, pitied my talent and obsession, and ultimately pointed me in the right direction.

He told me that the Dou Qi Continent was not completely devoid of Origin Qi, as I had imagined.

Origin Qi is the key to breaking through to the Emperor Realm. The sense of loss I felt when I failed to break through to the Emperor Realm was precisely because of Origin Qi!
However, two traces of Origin Qi still remain within the Dou Qi Continent today!

"Two more sources of Origin Qi—?!?"

Gu Yuan was deeply shaken.

(End of this chapter)