As Li Yan rode the Ancient Dragon into the Heavenly Palace, the Purple Micro Star Lord's body shook violently.
"How can this bastard possibly—!?"
After staring blankly for a moment, the Purple Micro Star Lord flew into a rage. "After him!"
He had meant to dismiss the three great star formations and lead the host of constellations inside.
But Li Yan raised a hand and silently thought, Side Effect Suppression.
"Ao Jiao, freeze all the formations with your Dragon Breath."
"Understood!"
Ao Jiao was growing ever more obedient to Li Yan's orders. She had discovered that this skinny little monkey really was beyond her imagination.
He could truly do whatever he wanted in the Abyss of the Netherworld!
The Ancient Dragon exhaled once, freezing the entire barrier solid.
Under the influence of Li Yan's Side Effect Suppression, the formations were directly sealed by "time stop."
A crowd of Heavenly Soldiers and Heavenly Generals was blocked outside the barrier just like that.
The immortals tried to dispel the formations, only to find that the three star formations originally meant to imprison Li Yan had now become obstacles in their way.
The Purple Micro Star Lord stared in shock. "Why? Why can't the formations be dispelled?"
Why?
Because the surfaces of the formations had been frozen over, and Li Yan's Side Effect Suppression had trapped Ao Jiao's freezing Dragon Breath in stopped time.
It was easy to think of it as a layer of ice formed over the formations, with time itself stopped inside it—an ice that could not be broken.
As a result, even the Purple Micro Star Lord couldn't shatter that frozen layer or enter the Heavenly Palace.
Seeing immortals even more powerful than her helpless to do anything, Ao Jiao found it all the more thrilling. "This is fun! How interesting!"
"As expected of you. You've got so many tricks up your sleeve!"
Li Yan chuckled softly and made no comment.
His goal was the Heavenly Emperor's Divine Coffin. As long as he controlled it, he could stabilize the Abyss of the Netherworld.
As long as the Heavenly Emperor's Divine Coffin remained, the Abyss of the Netherworld would not collapse.
He looked toward the great hall behind him. Waves of energy were pouring from within.
The Divine Coffin they were guarding was surely inside.
As Li Yan pushed open the doors, Ao Jiao's enormous body transformed into human form, and she followed behind him.
Before them stood a great hall.
Golden bricks reflected the starlight beneath their feet; coiling dragon-jade pillars supported the vaulted ceiling. Nine Primordial Chaos lamps hung overhead, their light flowing like rosy clouds.
A throne inlaid with jewels gleamed with gold leaf. Immortal mist swirled all around, revealing glimpses of auspicious beasts. Cloud patterns spread across the steps, while ancient godly scenes adorned the walls. In stillness, the hall was solemn and stately; in motion, it seemed to echo with the sound of ten thousand immortals paying homage.
At the very center, protected by the Primordial Chaos Guardian Formation, lay the Heavenly Emperor's Crystal Glazed Divine Coffin.
Even from afar, the figure inside the coffin was clearly visible.
His bronze-hued body was covered in faint golden Dao Patterns that flowed like a river of stars, glimmering with each breath. His brows were sharp, his lips tightly pressed. Even in sleep, his features retained the majesty of one who ruled the three realms, while an invisible current of air coiled protectively around him.
"So this is the Heavenly Emperor?"
Li Yan gazed at the man inside the Divine Coffin. The Heavenly Emperor had fallen into endless slumber, yet he still gave off an imposing presence without so much as a show of anger.
He was like a sleeping giant dragon, ready to erupt at any moment.
The instant Li Yan saw him, the system's voice rang in his mind.
[Detected that the host has come under the Heavenly Emperor's pressure. Divine soul in turmoil!] [Side effect turned positive: The host is rapidly comprehending the Ancient Dao Runes!]
In an instant, Ao Jiao felt her divine soul tremble. Her head throbbed as if it were splitting apart.
"Hss, it hurts... It hurts..."
Gripping the horns atop her head, Ao Jiao crouched on the ground in agony.
Only Li Yan was unaffected by the Heavenly Emperor's pressure. Ancient Dao Runes constantly appeared in his mind as he continued to comprehend them.
As he comprehended them, the powerful side effects spilled over, and Li Yan's cultivation began to surge.
"How incredible. So this is what a god is?"
"The side effects of his pressure alone can improve my cultivation, divine soul, and comprehension all at once."
As he marveled inwardly, Li Yan raised a hand. "Side effect turned positive."
At once, Ao Jiao's headache vanished. Like Li Yan, she began absorbing and comprehending.
"I... I think it doesn't hurt anymore?"
Ao Jiao slowly released the horns she had been clutching.
She began to feel an invisible energy repairing the internal injuries she had accumulated over tens of thousands of years.
"My cultivation... It seems to be recovering rapidly. I feel like I can return to my peak strength, or even... even surpass it!"
Ao Jiao quickly realized what was happening. It was this person before her. With a casual lift of his hand, he had given her benefits beyond measure.
Gradually, Li Yan looked more and more pleasing to Ao Jiao.
Well... it wasn't as though she couldn't consider being with Li Yan.
She couldn't accept other humans, but this man before her was terrifyingly powerful. He was just the sort of partner an Ancient Dragon would like.
At the thought, Ao Jiao couldn't resist pressing herself against Li Yan's back and wrapping her arms around his waist.
"Shh. Don't say anything."
"Let's enjoy this feeling together."
The sensation of absorbing the side effects gave Ao Jiao a taste of sweetness for the first time.
She assumed Li Yan had mastered some kind of law that could even alter the Heavenly Emperor's laws.
As Ao Jiao pressed herself against him, the system's voice rang out again.
[The host is protected by a true dragon. Comprehension of the Dragon Soul Golden Body is accelerating!]
What!?
Being held by Ao Jiao could also help him comprehend the Dragon Soul Golden Body?
If that was the case, Li Yan could only let this big female dragon take advantage of him.
With cultivation, divine soul, Dao Patterns, and other benefits all pouring in, his cultivation shot up like a rocket, reaching the eighth level of the Void Refining Stage.
[Congratulations, host. You have comprehended one-fifth of the Ancient Dao Runes!] [Congratulations, host. Your divine soul has broken through to the third grade!]
The continuous stream of good news left Li Yan utterly stunned.
He had never expected the Heavenly Emperor's lingering might to bring him so many benefits.
The formations in this hall alone, along with the pressure emanating from the Heavenly Emperor, had filled Li Yan to the brim.
"I've comprehended one-fifth of the Ancient Dao Runes... I'd only comprehended one-tenth before. At this rate, I'll eventually master all of them."
Li Yan realized that the newly acquired Dao Patterns were enough to change the power of his existing spells.
The most obvious example was the Void Breaking Claw. The Void Breaking Claw infused with the Ancient Dao Runes...
Just as Li Yan was enjoying all of this, a loud crash rang out from beyond the great hall.
The crackling sound of splitting ice jolted Li Yan from his cultivation.
"Hm?"
"Can someone actually break through the ice formed by stopped time?"
At the thought, Li Yan immediately sensed danger.
Whoever could break through stopped time could damage the things inside it.
They meant trouble!
"Ao Jiao, someone's coming!"
Ao Jiao was still sprawled across Li Yan's back, comfortably absorbing the energy.
She had been enjoying the time spent cultivating with Li Yan, but the crash outside left her no choice but to let go.
"Hmph..."
Ao Jiao was a little annoyed.
Someone had made her angry at the happiest moment of her life.
"My strength has already returned to its peak, and the hidden injuries in my body have healed."
"Let this old lady go see which killjoy is out there."
Ao Jiao reluctantly pulled away, wishing she could stay here and cuddle up with Li Yan.
Li Yan warned her with a solemn expression. "The other party can break through the ice, which means they can hurt you too."
"Ao Jiao, don't underestimate them."
Before you continue