Origin Source,
God Emperor couldn't help exclaiming, "Zao—what a true genius!"
"If I remember correctly, when Zhen suppressed Zao, Zao was only an Emperor Venerable."
"He was a genius—a truly exceptional one," Heaven Fighting Emperor said with a faint smile.
God Forger wouldn't have been able to create the Immortal Source if he weren't a genius.
Eighty percent of the divine weapons in the Three Realms came from God Forger's hands. Even the Nine Emperors and Four Emperors had to consult him when crafting divine weapons.
If he wasn't a genius, who was?!
Watching the Sky Screen's description of God Forger, God Emperor couldn't help sighing.
"He hasn't been idle these past eight thousand years..."
God Forger had been only an Emperor Venerable back then. After being imprisoned for eight thousand years, he had become a Heavenly King—a supreme Break-Eight powerhouse.
He had even created a fake body and a fake Dao, making it impossible to tell whether the Emperors were real or fake.
He truly was the Three Realms' foremost master of fakes!
"Qiong, if we had Zao guard the Immortal Source, perhaps he could come up with a way to break it," Heaven Fighting Emperor said softly.
God Emperor scoffed and looked toward the depths of the Origin Source.
"The Heavenly Emperor won't give him the chance."
Meanwhile,
in Star Suppressing City,
Zhang Tao had barely stepped inside when Heaven Suppressing King grabbed him and pulled him into the Small World.
"Heaven Suppressing King... This must be Senior God Forger. Zhang Tao pays his respects."
Zhang Tao looked at God Forger, who resembled a scruffy old man, and bowed slightly. He was deeply wary.
God Forger waved a hand and said casually,
"No need to be wary of me. I'm just a scruffy old man now, and I'd never do anything to harm humanity.
"Besides, I'm no match for Li Zhen."
Zhang Tao didn't believe him.
Even if he really was a scruffy old man, he was still a supreme Break-Eight powerhouse.
"Senior, if you can't beat Heaven Suppressing King, does that mean he's become an Emperor?"
Heaven Suppressing King chuckled. "I'm no Emperor. I'm just an ordinary Emperor-level fighter."
At that, even God Forger gave him a look of contempt.
Other people might not know Heaven Suppressing King's true strength, but how could he not?
"May I ask what crime Senior God Forger committed to be imprisoned here?" Zhang Tao asked gravely.
God Forger thought for a moment, then sighed. "Just call me God Forger or Zao. Hearing 'Senior' every other word makes me uncomfortable."
"Crime... I wouldn't say I committed a crime."
Heaven Suppressing King didn't contradict him.
After all, the Nine Emperors had ordered him to create the Immortal Source and separate humans from immortals. If God Forger had refused, he would have been killed on the spot.
He had been imprisoned for eight thousand years and had already shouldered the responsibility he owed. They couldn't pin all the blame on a mere tool.
Thinking of how he had robbed God Forger after the Heavenly Court fell, then dragged him back here, Heaven Suppressing King felt inexplicably guilty.
God Forger felt a little guilty too. If he hadn't created the Immortal Source, perhaps none of what came afterward would have happened.
God Forger sighed and briefly explained the situation to Zhang Tao.
"So the Nine Emperors were behind the separation of humans and immortals!"
This time, Zhang Tao was truly stunned, his expression turning grave.
No wonder the energy in the Human Realm was inferior to that in the Earth Cave, and Peak powerhouses couldn't prove their Dao in the Human Realm.
It was all because of the Immortal Source...
"Don't be wary of me. I haven't been trapped here all these years because I couldn't leave. I've gotten used to it, and I'd never do anything to harm humanity."
God Forger had truly grown used to being a homebody.
Besides, if he went outside, an Emperor might descend on the Three Realms and kill him outright.
"Zhang Tao thanks you and Heaven Suppressing King."
Heaven Suppressing King bristled. Was he taking another jab at him?
Now that he understood what had happened, Zhang Tao wasn't as wary anymore.
When you were weaker, you had to accept it.
Besides, with Heaven Suppressing King around, things probably wouldn't get out of hand.
Just then, the golden light on the Sky Screen shifted again.
"It's happening again! The Sky Screen's about to reveal someone else!"
"The sixth Old Six was already a supreme Break-Eight powerhouse. Could the fifth Old Six really be the legendary Emperor?"
"There are just too many Old Sixes in the Three Realms!"
At that moment, countless people held their breath, eagerly awaiting the Sky Screen's next revelation.
Who on earth would the next Old Six be, and what kind of shock would he bring to the Three Realms?
Golden light blazed. The next Old Six appeared!
[Old Six Ranking, Fifth Place: Heaven Suppressing King Li Zhen!]
When Heaven Suppressing King's name appeared on the Sky Screen's Old Six Ranking, the Earth Cave True Kings, humanity's Peak powerhouses, and the ancient experts all wore expressions that said they had expected it.
Heaven Suppressing King had hidden his strength well!
Li Zhu was a Break-Seven Heavenly King, and God Forger a Break-Eight Heavenly King. Heaven Suppressing King's strength was definitely above theirs!
God Forger gave him a mischievous, teasing grin and raised his eyebrows, his expression sleazy and smug.
"Old Ghost, you're about to be exposed!"
Heaven Suppressing King's face darkened slightly, though he was secretly a little pleased.
Because he was about to transcend!
Zhang Tao stared intently at the Sky Screen. He badly wanted to know Heaven Suppressing King's true strength—and why a powerhouse like him had guarded the Human Realm.
Could an Emperor have been behind all of this, too?
Rumble!
The Sky Screen projected an image specifically for Heaven Suppressing King, the fifth-ranked Old Six, so everyone in the Three Realms could see what he looked like.
"Hm? So that's Heaven Suppressing King? Why does he look a little sleazy?"
[Heaven Suppressing King Li Zhen, a disciple of Yang God and one of the leaders of Original Martial Arts; a favored guest of multiple Emperors; a peer and close friend of the Four Emperors; the elder brother of King Zhen, one of the Eight Kings of the Heavenly Realm; a supreme powerhouse at the peak of dual Break-Eight!]
"There's always someone stronger!"
"A favored guest of the Emperors, with dual Break-Eight strength... Heaven Suppressing King is invincible!"
"There's always a higher mountain. Heaven Suppressing King truly deserves to be called the Old Six!"
Thinking of how Heaven Suppressing King had once struggled to repel them and fought King Ming to a draw, the Earth Cave kings couldn't help wanting to laugh.
Whether they were rank nine, True Kings, or Emperor-level fighters, everyone who came along had been able to trade blows with Heaven Suppressing King.
They had all assumed he was constantly growing stronger. But now he'd dropped the act: he was a supreme powerhouse on par with the Emperors, and he'd just been playing them all along!
"Heaven Suppressing King isn't an Emperor, but a peak dual Break-Eight powerhouse..." King Ming's eyes widened in shock. He was utterly astonished.
Dual Break-Eight... Could it be that Heaven Suppressing King had two bodies, and both were supreme Break-Eight powerhouses?!
"Two bodies, both at Break-Eight... That's beyond what I expected." Li Zhu watched the Sky Screen's revelation, his eyes flashing.
A disciple of Yang God... Could Heaven Suppressing King also have an Original Martial Arts body?
King Huai was utterly stunned. Two bodies, both at Break-Eight!
Why had Heaven Suppressing King hidden such terrifying strength?
He had once fought Heaven Suppressing King to a draw, too.
Now that he thought about it, he'd been played!
King Gen, King Xun, and the other powerhouses were shocked beyond words!
At the peak of dual Break-Eight... Didn't that mean Heaven Suppressing King was halfway to becoming an Emperor?!
They had assumed Heaven Suppressing King was King Zhen, one of the Eight Kings of the Heavenly Realm long ago. They hadn't expected him to be Yang God's disciple and King Zhen's elder brother!
On the Primordial Martial Continent, the Original Martial Arts cultivators also saw the scene displayed on the Sky Screen.
"Zhen is still alive, and so is Yang!"
Origin Source,
God Emperor was surprised, but not surprised. He had long expected Zhen to have kept his Original Martial Arts body.
Back then, Heaven Suppressing King had claimed that he had shattered his Jade Bone and destroyed his spiritual consciousness before switching to the Origin Source Dao, but few Emperors had believed him.
Why would anyone need to go to such lengths to switch from Original Martial Arts to the Origin Source Dao?
As long as an Original Martial Arts cultivator was strong enough, why couldn't he tear through the Origin and forcibly forge a path of the Origin Source Dao?
God Emperor had done exactly that, as had Heaven Fighting Emperor!
Watching the Sky Screen, Heaven Fighting Emperor smiled and said,
"Zhen's ambitions really are immense. He cultivated both bodies to the limit of Break-Eight...
"If he merged them, I doubt his strength would be much weaker than Ji's—the Human Emperor's."
"I just wonder what makes Zhen's two bodies so different, now that he cultivates both Daos."
(Please keep reading, vote for the story, and give it a nudge! I'm begging you all!)
I still find the ending of Global Martial Arts moving when I read it again. It brings tears to my eyes.
Before you continue