Please Ascend the God Conferring List

In the present Red Heaven Realm, there were only two types of grotto-heavens.

The Five Elements Grotto-heaven, where metal, wood, water, fire, and earth circulated endlessly.

And.

The Four Elements Grotto-heaven, where Earth Wind Water Fire split open heaven and earth.

As for the Yin Yang Grotto-heaven, no one had ever actually completed one. At most, they had created fixed spaces resembling secret realms or storage magic treasures.

This might have been because its history had been buried, but it might also have truly never existed.

Almost every space Yun Ye had encountered was a Five Elements Grotto-heaven, whether it was the Moon Reflection Secret Realm or the secret realm within the Moon Reflection Treasure Ring.

Although the Moon Reflection Heavenly Gate was a Three Heavens Level Force and had only left behind two great secret realms, that did not mean it had possessed only two.

For those at the pinnacle among Venerable Position cultivators, it was not difficult to fuse the Five Elements and open a world with immense power. What was truly difficult was opening one upon achieving the Profound Realm or True Realm. Only a grotto-heaven opened in those two realms could allow one to become a Grotto-heaven Master and use the grotto-heaven as a path of cultivation.

At a level below that, opening one upon achieving the Venerable Position could barely count as becoming half a Grotto-heaven Master. One could evolve one's own authority into a world, split open heaven and earth, and gain an immeasurable increase in strength.

But opening one at the Venerable Position was of little significance. It could not increase one's strength by much; it merely opened a secret realm to bolster one's force's foundation, without granting the power to split open heaven and earth.

Opening a grotto-heaven upon becoming an Emperor was different. Because of the Fourth Heaven of the Imperial Dao, one could still gain Imperial Dao power resembling the force that split open heaven and earth. Yet compared with truly achieving the Dao through a grotto-heaven, the difference was as vast as heaven and earth.

A true Grotto-heaven Master could contend for supremacy in the Red Heaven Realm, whereas an Emperor was merely the strongest of their generation.

Shenmie Shi had opened a Five Elements Grotto-heaven in an era that was not at its height, then gone against the tide to become an Emperor. This was truly an opportunity defying the heavens, brought about by countless factors.

Yet precisely because of that, Shenmie Shi still displayed an advantage when facing Water Emperor, who possessed a Dao Canon. His strength ranked among the peak figures throughout all of history.

This level of difficulty had indeed caused the many Venerables of the Red Heaven Realm to misjudge the situation, believing that what covered Border Continent was merely the Fourth Heaven.

In theory, the embryonic form of the Fourth Heaven was actually not much different from a grotto-heaven. The difference was that one relied on a Venerable to maintain it, while the other possessed the potential to grow.

Grotto-heaven Masters were far too rare. Even the previous Skillful Spirit Sovereign had failed to open one, let alone now, barely a hundred years later.

Moreover, Border Continent was the weakest of the great continents. In this era, it was destined to be impossible for an unparalleled figure to be born there!

"They won't see through my methods in the short term. Of course... even if someone rushes in recklessly, it will only be an acceptable margin of error."

Yun Ye spoke.

Beside him, flames of Tomorrow wound around her hair. She sat cross-legged on a ribbon with her arms folded, feeling the chains around her body loosen. Should the need arise, the Tomorrow Sword would also reveal its edge.

Within Border Continent.

More than a dozen auras awakened as well. Startled awake by Border Continent being covered by the grotto-heaven, they were all greatly shocked and emerged from seclusion.

A Common People Venerable projected his gaze and swept across Border Continent. As he watched the world evolve, astonishment appeared in his eyes. He spoke, "You have revealed the will of heaven. Do you intend to sweep across Border Continent and participate in the struggle to become an Emperor?"

Unifying Border Continent, bearing myriad fortunes upon oneself, and raising one's cultivation by an entire level was an essential path to participating in the struggle to become an Emperor.

When the will of heaven covered a continent, one was destined to be invincible. Only an Invincible Expert of the same level could fight them.

Moreover, the unparalleled figure before them possessed something far more than an embryonic Fourth Heaven!

"Naturally, I came for this."

Yun Ye rose and spoke, his figure entering Border Continent and appearing before the many Venerables.

Enveloped in chaos, his figure was vast and immeasurable. With merely one glance, the many Venerables knew that this was a divine sovereign seated high upon the throne of heaven, absolutely beyond the mortal realm. They could not control the urge to bow in submission.

"Such bearing. As expected of a God Lord—"

"Sever the thoughts!"

The expressions of the Venerables shifted slightly. They immediately swung the divine blades of their consciousness, severing their distracting thoughts to keep themselves from being influenced by this astonishing aura.

They understood that an unparalleled figure had been born in Border Continent. This place might become the final battlefield.

A hundred years ago, Border Continent had not even participated in the great struggle. The process of becoming an Emperor had nothing to do with them. Only after Skillful Spirit Sovereign achieved the Dao had they directly merged into the Immortal Dynasty, thereby escaping a calamity that might have claimed their lives.

But now that an unparalleled figure had appeared in Border Continent, matters would likely not be so simple.

Having opened the Fourth Heaven in Border Continent, his strength would certainly be at its strongest there.

Whether he was defeated and forced to retreat or succeeded in becoming an Emperor, he would begin from Border Continent.

This would inevitably drag Border Continent into the final battlefield of the struggle to become an Emperor.

One Venerable after another awakened.

Someone had already issued a declaration of war. Naturally, the Venerables stationed in Border Continent could no longer remain hidden. They would either submit or fight.

Although they were separated by distant horizons, the Venerables' figures seemed to project across the entire world. Whether cultivators or mortals, when they looked up at the sky, each of their titles echoed through the air.

"The ruler of the Great Li Dynasty, Common People Venerable."

The Venerable who spoke sat cross-legged atop a divine mountain. Praise for his merits and virtue filled the sky, golden light covered his body, all techniques failed to invade him, and every evil force retreated.

When this figure appeared, the countless people of the Great Li Dynasty knelt and cried out, "May the Lord of Li flourish forever!" Their surging faith transformed into a streak of golden light beside Common People Venerable.

"The National Teacher of the Great Li Dynasty, Earth Talisman Venerable."

Countless talismans were engraved across heaven and earth. The old man with shoulder-length black hair and dressed in Daoist robes pressed his palms together, his eyes closed, his aura exceptionally tranquil.

This existence also moved many older cultivators.

The current National Teacher of the Great Li Dynasty was an extraordinary figure. It was said that he possessed a forbidden art capable of destroying heaven and earth, and Skillful Spirit Sovereign had once personally visited him.

"The Grand Emperor of the Great Li Dynasty, Great Unification Venerable."

The third Venerable of the Great Li Dynasty was extremely decrepit, resembling a skeleton. Yet golden light enveloped him, concealing his form. He could merely not block Yun Ye's gaze.

"Grand Elder of the Nine Stars Heaven Sect, North Star Venerable."

"Grand Elder of the Nine Stars Heaven Sect, South Star Venerable."

"Grand Elder of the Nine Stars Heaven Sect, West Star Venerable."

"Heavenly Maiden of the Nine Stars Heaven Sect... East Star Venerable!"

The four Venerables of the Nine Stars Heaven Sect all awakened. Their powers intertwined, nearly crushing Star Province.

The most terrifying aura among them belonged to the Nine Stars Heavenly Maiden. Shrouded in mist, she possessed a pair of silver eyes. When she looked over, the Nine Heavens and Nine Hells were laid bare. Even the heavens and earth around Yun Ye seemed to undergo subtle mutations, but when chaotic qi swept over them, they were immediately suppressed.

Separated by half a continent, Yun Ye exchanged gazes with the Nine Stars Heavenly Maiden. A special meaning gleamed in both their eyes.

"Lord of the Heavy Origin Heaven Sect, Heavy Origin Extreme Yang Venerable."

"Son of Heaven of the Heavy Origin Heaven Sect, Ten Thousand Hearts Benevolent Light Venerable."

The two Venerables of the Heavy Origin Heaven Sect manifested phenomena filling the sky. A great sun rose, phantoms of gods and Buddhas appeared, and under the convergence of their powers, the aura of a third Venerable was faintly outlined. Yet that aura was far too ancient and rotten. It was likely an old man who had sealed himself away and had never emerged.

Even so, the Venerables present sensed a great terror from the aura formed by the two forces converging. That self-sealed old man was absolutely no ordinary figure.

Besides them, the other two great forces were Sealed Wolf God Mountain, located in the Ice and Snow Extreme Region, and the Nether Devil Dao Domain, located in Eternal Undying City.

The five Three Heavens Level Forces had a total of fourteen Venerables appear. This was practically most of the Venerable Position cultivators in Border Continent, enough to determine its ownership.

All fourteen Venerables bowed slightly to Yun Ye. The Nine Stars Heavenly Maiden looked at him and pondered for a moment before speaking, "Celestial Stem God Lord, you went so far as to reveal your strength and cover Border Continent. You should have something to do with us. Please speak plainly."

God Lord...

This was the title for a Grotto-heaven Master.

Yun Ye had concealed this identity from outsiders, but within the forces of the world, this identity was incomparably noble and important. It possessed the effect of subduing an army without fighting.

Yun Ye looked at the Nine Stars Heavenly Maiden, then swept his gaze over the other Venerables and spoke:

"I am a Grotto-heaven Master and wish to become an Emperor. I have one thing to say, and I ask all of you to listen..."

"Venerables, please ascend the God Conferring List and serve the Divine Court!"