Heavenly Passage Opens, Drawing the Empress's Gaze

It was not just the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth. The Spiritual Essence contained within the Sacred Fruit he had just eaten was also taking effect, transforming into pure energy that filled Shi Jue's entire body.

Shi Jue had not intended to break through to the Heavenly Passage here, but plans could not keep up with change. He had still underestimated the strangeness of the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land, as well as the refined energy brought by this incomplete Immortal Medicine fruit. Even before coming here, he had already shown signs of breaking through to the Heavenly Passage. Combined, they made it impossible for him to suppress his realm any longer.

Who knew what consequences would arise when a method that had long vanished from the past appeared in this era?

The Heavenly Passage realm drew upon the essence between Heaven and Earth to derive the true meaning of Dao Talismans, comprehend the changes in the world's rules and order, and thus evolve a small world. One could open up a small world within or outside the body, a Pure Land beyond generations, or even an entire expanse of world.

Rumble!

A vast and majestic sound rang out, like the low chant of Gods and Demons, shaking the entire Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land. The mountain ranges trembled, the Laws of Heaven and Earth resonated with it, and it was like heavenly music from ancient times. Birds and beasts began fleeing in every direction.

"Damn it!"

At the sight of this phenomenon, Shi Jue's heart turned ice-cold. The entire Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land was shaking. If this still did not wake the Empress, he would chop off his own head and use it as a ball, even kicking it into a latrine.

Now, he could only pray that, for Ye Fan's sake, the Empress would not do anything to him. Otherwise, crushing him would be as easy as crushing an ant.

Deep within the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land.

A peerlessly elegant woman sat cross-legged there, dressed in a moon-white gown. Her figure was slender and flawless, as if she did not exist in this world. Time did not touch her, and her bearing transcended all else, like an Immortal who had walked out of the mythological age.

A mist of chaos concealed her face, yet one could imagine just how breathtaking that fair, immortal visage must be.

When the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land began to shake, she opened her beautiful eyes, their rippling radiance like autumn water.

"The aura of a method that does not belong to this world, yet it has karma with the methods of this world."

The Empress spoke slowly, her immortal voice ethereal, crisp and cold like pearls falling upon a jade plate.

The Heavenly Passage Shi Jue was opening manifested before her eyes. It was connected to the current cultivation system.

That was only natural. Though Shi Hao's Seed of Oneself was a new cultivation system, it was deeply connected to the methods of the Chaotic Ancient era.

"Is it truly just a similar flower?"

Then, the Empress's gaze fell upon Ye Fan beside him. Seeing that familiar face and the identical aura of a Saint Body, a trace of complexity flashed through her clear eyes.

"Ah..."

With a faint sigh, the Empress resumed observing Shi Jue's breakthrough. She was rather interested in this method.

At this moment, countless golden runes appeared in the space around Shi Jue. Dense and dazzling, they branded themselves into the void and wrapped around him.

The next instant, a surge of blood energy rose from Shi Jue's crown, piercing Heaven and Earth and shattering clouds in all directions. A cave mouth like a volcano appeared three inches above his head.

This Heavenly Passage looked as though it had been carved from stone. Within it flowed crimson Life Essence, rolling endlessly and shining brilliantly, like a volcano on the verge of erupting at any moment.

After opening the Heavenly Passage, Shi Jue felt his level of life beginning to transform, while his strength rose by a great margin. At the same time, this Heavenly Passage devoured and absorbed the creation of Heaven and Earth, converting it into an endless stream of divine essence to replenish him.

Compared with the Blood Moving Realm, his endurance had greatly improved as well. Unless it was a life-and-death battle, he would be able to maintain his peak condition continuously.

Rumble!

The Heavenly Passage rumbled. From the ancient, weathered volcanic mouth descended torrents of essence like blood, flowing into Shi Jue's small body.

The Heavenly Passage almost brutally plundered the divine essence of Heaven and Earth around it, converting it into the energy it needed. The surrounding spiritual energy thinned noticeably in an instant, showing just how tyrannical its absorption was.

"What a wonderful feeling. I feel like it's more than just one Heavenly Passage." Shi Jue closed his eyes, an expression of deep enjoyment appearing on his face as he experienced the marvelous sensation brought by the Heavenly Passage.

This was something the Blood Moving Realm could not compare to. As the Life Essence entered his body through his head, he could feel every cell in his body cheering. That surging power made him want to vent it immediately.

The blood energy within him was far too abundant. There was still plenty left, so he should be able to open several more Heavenly Passages at once.

"It has some connection with the Sea of Bitterness." Endless runes evolved within the Empress's eyes. With her astonishing talent, she quickly deciphered the peculiar nature of the Heavenly Passage.

Boom!

Shi Jue's body trembled again. Radiance blazed in every direction, auspicious light swirled around him, and an identical volcanic mouth appeared on his right side. However, gray essence flowed within it, making it exceedingly strange.

When the second Heavenly Passage appeared, Shi Jue's treasured body became even more crystalline, with a rain of light scattering around him. Already handsome, Shi Jue now looked like the descendant of a True Immortal.

"Years of accumulation finally bearing fruit?!"

The smooth opening of the Heavenly Passages made Shi Jue open his eyes in surprise. Yet this was not his limit. He could still feel strength remaining.

Buzz!

Just as Shi Jue intended to press onward and open several more Heavenly Passages in one go, an invisible force descended from the heavens. Endless silver runes appeared and formed a vast, ethereal hand, like the power of a god, forcibly suppressing the Heavenly Passages that were about to emerge.

"Suppression by Heaven and Earth!"

His breakthrough interrupted, Shi Jue could not help letting out a muffled groan. A trickle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth, and his face turned much paler.

For the time being, he could no longer find that feeling of breakthrough. In the end, he had opened only two Heavenly Passages. Compared to Shi Hao opening four at once, he fell far short.

Moreover, the injuries he had suffered this time meant that he would be unable to open any more Heavenly Passages for quite some time.

This should be the so-called Heavenly Heart Imprint. It truly was tyrannical and overbearing. Was it because of his cultivation system, or because of himself? He had anticipated something like this, but he had not expected the suppression to be so severe that it would interrupt his breakthrough entirely.

Boom!

The two Heavenly Passages he had opened frantically absorbed the essence of Heaven and Earth, helping him recover from his injuries.

"The cultivation system is very ancient and has vanished into the River of Time. It is only natural that it would draw suppression from the Laws of Heaven and Earth." The Empress watched the scene calmly.

Because she had once been a Great Emperor and had obtained the Heavenly Heart Imprint, she immediately sensed that familiar aura. No one had yet become emperor in this age, so the Heavenly Heart Imprint remained ownerless. This time, it had merely sensed Shi Jue, this anomaly, and acted on its own to suppress him.