Becoming Emperor Through Oneself

The path of controlling weapons holds infinite divine mysteries.

Zhang Huan repeatedly observed, grasping its essence.

To master the art of controlling weapons, one must possess their own weapon and cultivate their own foundation.

He had been using the Demonic Pot all along, and he didn't lack Saint Weapons. Zhang Huan had been wholeheartedly immersed in improving his cultivation, never having forged his own artifact.

At this moment, he had some ideas. If he had enough Immortal Gold, Zhang Huan might try to forge his own ultimate embryo artifact.

After digesting his insights, Zhang Huan thought of a way to deal with the Quasi-Emperor corpse and then flew towards the main hall of the Underworld.

The Underworld specialized in this path and understood spirit-infused corpses the most thoroughly. It was the most suitable place to gain detailed knowledge about that Quasi-Emperor corpse.

If he could exchange for one or two peculiar corpse-controlling and ghost-subduing techniques, the threat posed by the Quasi-Emperor corpse would be greatly reduced when he devoured its Origin.

With over twenty years left for planning, Zhang Huan was confident he could make thorough preparations. The sheer amount of Origin contained within a peerless Quasi-Emperor corpse made his heart yearn just thinking about it.

It was the same attractive and spirited Female Saint he had met last time, dressed in professional attire that perfectly accentuated her figure, like a beautiful flower, exuding alluring charm with every glance and smile.

"Hello, Great Saint. How is your injury recovering? We have a few more burial pits here, ready for you to extract Origin for healing at any time."

The Female Saint greeted him politely, her professional smile immediately creating a favorable impression.

"Mm, only partially recovered. I was just about to discuss this with you, so I won't refuse."

Zhang Huan smiled as he took the map from her hand and put it away.

Since they were offering Origin willingly, Zhang Huan naturally wouldn't refuse.

"I also have a personal matter to discuss with you all."

Zhang Huan feigned a sigh, a hint of worry on his face.

The two of them entered a side room. Zhang Huan took a deep breath, as if preparing himself mentally, and spoke with difficulty.

"Actually, I once had an enemy with whom I shared a deep hatred. He has already reached the Quasi-Emperor realm."

"It's an old spirit-infused corpse…"

Zhang Huan showed a look of helplessness on his face, elaborating on the fabricated cause and effect, making it seem as if he had no choice but to seek refuge in the Underworld.

The Female Saint listened intently, without interrupting.

Figures at the Quasi-Emperor level were already supreme powerhouses in the universe. Their every action had far-reaching implications, and any related information was worth noting, as it might be useful one day.

Moreover, it was directly related to Zhang Huan, who had entered the Underworld, so it deserved even more careful attention.

Zhang Huan portrayed the old corpse as a formidable enemy, stating that he had been feeling uneasy recently, sensing a calamity. His divination revealed it was related to that old corpse.

He also mentioned that he was about to make a final push to reach the Quasi-Emperor realm and was confident he could fight his enemy then.

The injuries he sustained earlier were precisely because he was too eager to break through.

He told the Female Saint his speculation that they might meet on the battlefield in the future. The old corpse was powerful, and a fierce battle would likely put his life at risk. He hoped the Underworld could provide some targeted powerful talismans or similar treasures.

At the very least, he needed some items to counter corpses, otherwise, Zhang Huan wouldn't feel secure.

He spoke with great sincerity and earnestly requested, leaving the Female Saint speechless and hesitant to refuse.

"If this Great Saint insists, I can try to look for treasures that can counter corpses."

"However, those capable of dealing with Great Saint-level opponents are likely very valuable and cannot be given away casually. If approved by my superiors, you might have to exchange them for other items, Great Saint."

The Female Saint explained the situation, and Zhang Huan's eyes lit up. He readily agreed, stating it was only right, and presented the benefits he had previously received from the Underworld, such as Quasi-Emperor insights and Nine Heavens Jade.

Zhang Huan didn't dare to use these items, suspecting the Underworld of adding something sinister. He returned them all, wanting to get rid of them.

The Female Saint submitted the materials for approval, leaving the decision to her superiors.

It would take a considerable amount of time, and he could only wait as the request was passed up through the ranks to the core personnel for review.

Zhang Huan sat alone, sipping tea, his fingers idly rubbing the teacup, his mind elsewhere.

He considered the connection between his words and his true objective, telling himself he was overthinking.

The universe was vast and full of wonders. The Underworld wasn't the only place with ancient spirit-infused corpses.

As long as he didn't reveal any information himself, no one would suspect that he had already dug up several ancient tombs, and the ancient corpse he intended to deal with was right here in the Underworld. It was a case of the darkest place being right under the lamp.

Thinking that there shouldn't be much of a problem, Zhang Huan left the main hall and leisurely flew towards the burial pits the Female Saint had given him.

Sometimes, he would take a detour, using Origin Arts to investigate anomalies in the cursed lands. If his Spiritual Sense was blocked, it usually meant he had encountered formations or restrictions, and an ancient tomb was hidden within.

He searched meticulously. Although it was a place that could be reached in a short time, Zhang Huan spent several months, discovering several tombs along the way and "friendly" interacting with their owners.

Years passed. Zhang Huan moved to another burial ground and searched a wide area, frequently making discoveries, and his Demonic Cultivation Method grew rapidly.

"I have now reached the peak of the Great Saint realm. I've absorbed too much Origin and can't suppress my cultivation anymore; I'm about to break through to Quasi-Emperor."

Zhang Huan sat on a coffin, adjusting the aura within his body, and exclaimed.

The Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art was too potent. The further he cultivated into the later stages, the faster his cultivation grew with the addition of devoured Origin.

"Unfortunately, it's not suitable to break through now. There's no other way, I'll have to cut myself again."

Zhang Huan hardened his heart, intending to expel a mouthful of blood essence and revert his realm to the late stage.

He was currently a guest in someone else's home, and attracting heavenly tribulations would be problematic.

Although the Quasi-Emperor realm is powerful, it is like a potent poison to Zhang Huan. Once achieved, unknown and bizarre calamities might descend, causing his death and the dissipation of his Dao.

He harbored a constant concern, deeply avoiding the Spirit Absorption Unity Demonic Art.

Seeking the Ruthless Emperor's inheritance, devouring Origin in the Underworld—everything was connected to this, preventing him from acting rashly.

Rather than a sublimation of his realm, or forging himself into a complete Quasi-Emperor in one go, Zhang Huan intended to first temper his physical body, transforming it into a Quasi-Emperor physique.

Though his realm had not yet reached it, he could already exhibit Quasi-Emperor might with a raise of his hand. Coupled with other preparations, this would be enough to deal with that sentient Quasi-Emperor corpse.

Previously, Zhang Huan practiced a Demonic Cultivation Method that placed him under someone else's control. All his cultivation stemmed from it, and its various traits had become deeply ingrained, making it difficult to easily sever.

He was even more deeply ensnared than those who cultivated lesser demonic arts; his cultivation would ultimately only benefit the mastermind behind it all.

From his perspective, the cultivators of these lesser demonic arts were all connected by invisible threads. Even if some of them had switched their cultivation methods, that connection had not faded and could still be sensed.

He himself had switched his cultivation method decades ago, no longer receiving cultivation from the Demonic Cultivation Method. Yet, the cultivators of the lesser demonic arts were still being siphoned as usual. Cultivation was still transmitted through the invisible threads, but it strangely disappeared upon reaching Zhang Huan.

Zhang Huan suspected it went to the master of the Demonic Cultivation Method.

Transmitting layer by layer downwards, the master of the Demonic Cultivation Method sat at the apex of a golden pyramid, with puppet-like figures constantly spreading his influence throughout the universe, enjoying the worship of countless people.

How terrifyingly profound must the schemes and strength of such a mastermind be?

In the past thousand years, to Zhang Huan's knowledge, only one person had escaped: the Innate Dao Embryo who joined Jade Pond.

Initially, she was siphoned of cultivation without her knowledge. It was only when the Western Emperor Pagoda intervened that the connection was completely severed in secret while her cultivation was still shallow. Other cultivators would never escape the net Zhang Huan had woven.

The cultivators one layer removed were like this. For him, a butterfly who had personally fallen into the Demonic Cultivation Master's scheme, how much deeper would the surveillance and hidden manipulations be?

At the very least, the other party, like Zhang Huan, could seize the cultivation of lesser demonic art users with a mere thought. This meant they could also turn him into a lamb ready for slaughter.

Therefore, Zhang Huan had primarily focused on accumulating Origin all along, suppressing his cultivation whenever possible. He hoped that after the Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art reached great success, he could offer all its accumulated power to the Divine Embryo, allowing it to burst forth from its shell and soar into the heavens.

This way, he could resolve his own predicament of being controlled, gain the ability to contend with the mastermind, and achieve transcendence in one fell swoop. It would also compensate for his insufficient innate talent, allowing him to contend for the throne of Emperor in this era.