(190,000 words already. It's been put on the shelves. These struggling days are truly too hard. I beg all my generous benefactors to give me a subscription. I'll kowtow to you all: thud, thud, thud...)
Tribulation Heavenly Venerable had attained Enlightenment as Supreme once more, and the news shook the entire universe.
On this day, Li Ming suddenly received a letter of challenge.
It was formed from incomparably dense corpse qi and contained the Ultimate Dao Laws of corpse qi. It flew to the Heavenly Gate of Reincarnation Sea and exploded directly.
Tribulation Heavenly Venerable had challenged Demon Venerable, intending to wage an earth-shattering battle. The news swept through the entire universe like a thunderbolt.
Tribulation Heavenly Venerable had not died. His corpse had awakened as a spirit, and he had attained Enlightenment as Supreme once more, shaking the entire Nine Heavens and Ten Lands.
He wanted to challenge Demon Venerable, the Chaotic Body. Once the news spread, the entire universe erupted.
Before the battle had even begun, the news was already spreading across all the major life-bearing planets.
Many people were looking forward to it. Tribulation Heavenly Venerable, the first Heavenly Venerable of the Age of Mythology, was surrounded by legends so miraculous that there were countless unbelievable tales about him.
Just how profound a foundation had he accumulated to allow his corpse to awaken as a spirit and attain Enlightenment as Supreme once again?
Exactly how powerful had he become?
People also longed to witness the clash between Tribulation Heavenly Venerable and Demon Venerable.
Demon Venerable had already slain more than thirty Dark Supremes and was known as the foremost Heavenly Venerable in the universe.
Now, someone actually dared to challenge him. Either Tribulation Heavenly Venerable was too arrogant, or he was truly exceptionally powerful.
"His status as the first Heavenly Venerable of the Age of Mythology, Tribulation Heavenly Venerable, already gives him enough weight and qualification!"
"The strongest corpse since ancient times has awakened as a spirit and cultivated back to the realm of Heavenly Venerable. Just how powerful is he now? It is truly something to anticipate!"
For all these years, Demon Venerable had stood unmatched in the universe, with no one able to resist his edge. Many people had been hoping for something to happen.
Now that such an overwhelmingly powerful challenge had appeared, countless people were filled with anticipation.
Li Ming naturally knew that Tribulation Heavenly Venerable was clearly resentful, believing that being forced to hand over the Source Heaven Book back then had been a humiliation.
Thus, after attaining Enlightenment once more, he had come to challenge Li Ming at the first opportunity.
Li Ming looked at the letter radiating corpse qi atop the Southern Heavenly Gate of Reincarnation Sea and grabbed it.
There was only one word on it: "Battle!"
Li Ming did not sense hostility from it. Instead, he sensed confidence—the confidence of one who stood alone above all others.
It seemed that Tribulation Heavenly Venerable was extremely confident in his own strength.
"Tribulation Heavenly Venerable? Netherworld Emperor Duan De?"
Li Ming was also greatly anticipating just how powerful Tribulation Heavenly Venerable, who had awakened as a corpse spirit and attained Enlightenment as Supreme once more, truly was.
After all, the Supremes of this era were simply too useless. Li Ming had killed them as easily as chopping melons and vegetables.
Even the renowned Longevity Heavenly Venerable and Carefree Heavenly Venerable had been killed by him.
Li Ming truly was very strong, rarely seen throughout all ages. But Tribulation Heavenly Venerable was likewise a famously formidable figure.
Many people were eagerly awaiting this clash.
Li Ming took a single step and arrived at the Mythical Battlefield.
There was not a single sound here. It was cold and dark.
With a deafening boom, an incomparably blazing bolt of lightning tore through the universe and entered the Mythical Battlefield, surrounded by Chaos qi.
It was Li Ming.
He looked toward Tribulation Heavenly Venerable opposite him. At this moment, Tribulation Heavenly Venerable still appeared as a plump Daoist priest, as though the years had left no mark on him.
His entire body was shrouded in corpse qi, while all kinds of Source Art Runes emerged. The Myriad Dao of Heaven and Earth roared, and he seemed like a controller of Heavenly Emperors.
"Tribulation Heavenly Venerable?" Li Ming asked.
"That's right. It's me. I have revived, and I have attained Enlightenment as a Heavenly Venerable once more!" Tribulation Heavenly Venerable said calmly.
With a deafening boom, their battle erupted without any warning.
Chaos qi surged violently while corpse qi spread in all directions, drowning the entire battlefield.
For a moment, no one could see the exact battle unfolding within.
They only knew that an earth-shattering and incomparably fierce clash was taking place there.
It was a true battle between Heavenly Venerables, causing the awakened Dark Supremes' expressions to change again and again.
What a powerful Chaotic Body!
What a powerful Tribulation Heavenly Venerable!
His reputation was indeed well deserved. Everyone was deeply shaken.
They had never imagined that such an intense battle would occur.
As the incomparably fierce slaughter continued, people finally saw the blurry scene within.
Li Ming was surrounded by Chaos qi, with endless Chaos Laws, Immortal Ascension Light, and Great Dao Flowers swirling around him.
Across from him, Tribulation Heavenly Venerable seemed to have shattered the Chaos Domain. Azure Dragons, White Tigers, Vermilion Birds, and Black Tortoises formed from wave after wave of corpse qi, mixed with endless Source Art Runes, and unleashed an earth-shattering battle against Li Ming.
"Too powerful!"
A Dark Supreme exclaimed in amazement.
He could sense that Tribulation Heavenly Venerable had fused corpse qi with the Origin Heaven Forbidden Divine Formation, forming an incomparably strange Great Dao.
Within those most ancient Source Art Runes were nine exceedingly mysterious Heavenly Venerable runes.
Although Li Ming's Chaotic Body could wield the Myriad Dao of Heaven and Earth, Tribulation Heavenly Venerable could likewise borrow the power of heaven and earth through the Origin Heaven Forbidden Divine Formation. Representing the will of a Heavenly Emperor, he fought until all things between heaven and earth were destroyed.
Punch after punch crashed out. Azure Dragons, White Tigers, and Vermilion Birds fell one after another, turning into ashes amid blazing flames...
They decayed within the Immortal Ascension Light...
Li Ming's expression remained calm. Immortal Ascension Light shone forth, collapsing even the surrounding void.
Immortal Spirits formed from corpse qi and Source Art Runes fell into the starry sky one after another.
Yet these Immortal Spirits were endless. Each was incomparably powerful and had evolved to an unbelievable degree, as though they had emerged from the Immortal Domain or the Underworld.
It was as though all heaven and earth had been branded with endless Source Art Runes by Tribulation Heavenly Venerable. Laws erupted like a vast ocean and shook the world. He was using the power of the entire Nine Heavens and Ten Lands to attack Li Ming.
"Tribulation Heavenly Venerable truly is powerful. As expected of one who attained Enlightenment as Supreme once more."
"His body has undergone multiple transformations. It can actually rival, or even surpass, the Chaotic Body."
"This is simply unbelievable!"
Everyone was utterly shocked. They discovered in astonishment that Tribulation Heavenly Venerable's strength was actually so formidable.
The collision of Grand Dao Laws burst forth with dazzling radiance, and every energy storm was incomparably brilliant.
"Why didn't Tribulation Heavenly Venerable die?"
"Why could his corpse awaken as a spirit and attain Enlightenment as Supreme once more?"
Everyone looked at the overwhelmingly powerful Tribulation Heavenly Venerable, their faces full of disbelief.
"Could it be that he truly broke the shackles of heaven and earth and found another kind of Longevity Method?"
"Tribulation Heavenly Venerable, you truly are strong!" Li Ming praised.
"No. Tribulation Heavenly Venerable is already dead. I am now Netherworld Emperor Duan De!"
"Whether you are Tribulation Heavenly Venerable or Netherworld Venerable, you will not escape defeat and death today!" Li Ming shouted.
"Let me see just how strong a true Chaotic Body really is!" Netherworld Venerable shouted.
Rumble!
The incomparably fierce battle continued. A Netherworld Venerable's Treasure Wheel appeared above Netherworld Venerable's head. It had fused the Nine Immortal Metals and, after being tempered by corpse qi, had become pitch-black.
Li Ming's Heavenly Demonic Saber appeared and clashed head-on with the Tongtian Nether Treasure.
Clearly, the Tongtian Nether Treasure was no match for the Heavenly Demonic Saber. With one strike, the Heavenly Demonic Saber cleaved it in two.
This battle dimmed the sun and moon and drained the mountains and rivers of color.
Netherworld Venerable had abandoned everything related to Tribulation Heavenly Venerable's Dao and methods. Every move he made was Origin Heaven Divine Art.
He even used the Origin Heaven Divine Formation to evolve Chaos and sweep across the six directions and eight wastelands.
Li Ming had not expected that Netherworld Emperor Duan De had cultivated the Origin Heaven Forbidden Divine Art to such a level.
Li Ming had fought Netherworld Emperor Duan De for a long time, not because he was unable to defeat Netherworld Venerable, but because he wanted to study Netherworld Venerable's Dao and methods.
In this lifetime, Netherworld Emperor Duan De had attained Enlightenment as Supreme through Source Arts. It was truly inconceivable.
To uncover the secret within, Li Ming had to force Netherworld Emperor Duan De to his limit before he could truly glimpse its mysteries.
"Kill!"
Li Ming let out long roars.
He forced Netherworld Emperor Duan De to the very limit.
At this moment, Netherworld Emperor Duan De's body was nearly exploding. He was covered in blood and on the verge of collapse.
That terrifying energy storm even threatened to blast the Mythical Battlefield into pieces.
This deeply shocked everyone. Just what level had the two men's strength reached?
But people soon discovered that Demon Venerable had actually gained the upper hand long ago.
It was only that Demon Venerable kept attacking Netherworld Venerable and had never ended the battle.
This battle continued until heaven darkened and earth dimmed, until an entire Cosmic Frontier Wasteland collapsed.
People believed the two were locked in an even fight, but only those Dark Supremes could see clearly that Netherworld Emperor Duan De's understanding of Source Arts had been completely seen through by Demon Venerable.
In the end, Netherworld Emperor Duan De transformed his entire body into an Origin Heaven Forbidden Divine Formation, enclosing Li Ming within it. He wanted to refine him, refine Chaos, and melt down Chaos.
Yet Li Ming effortlessly fought his way out and counterkilled him.
In the end, Li Ming was completely unharmed, graceful and jade-like.
Meanwhile, Netherworld Emperor Duan De was covered in blood, his body shattered.
"I truly did not expect such an outcome!"
"I did not expect you to be this powerful!"
Netherworld Emperor Duan De's face was full of bitterness and disbelief.
"You truly are strong. Killing the other Dark Supremes would pose no problem for you, but compared to me, you are still far too lacking," Li Ming said with a smile.
"Attaining Enlightenment as Supreme through Source Arts gives you great promise in this lifetime!" Li Ming encouraged.
With a puff, Netherworld Emperor Duan De's body exploded, blood spraying everywhere. He had not died, but his Dao Injuries were simply too severe.
He painfully reassembled his body. "Demon Venerable truly deserves to be called the foremost expert among Heavenly Venerables!"
"This poor Daoist admires you!"
And so, the battle came to an end.
Many people had not expected Netherworld Emperor Duan De to be defeated so thoroughly before Demon Venerable.
And Demon Venerable's strength was actually so overwhelming.
Li Ming invited Netherworld Emperor Duan De into Reincarnation Sea, where they discussed the mysteries of the Dao together.
They spoke at length about the Way of Reincarnation through corpse spirit awakening and explored the Red Dust Immortal Path.
In a sense, the two could be considered fellow travelers upon the Red Dust Immortal Path.
While everyone else was still lost in confusion, they had already begun discussing how to achieve Mortal-World Ascension.
Time passed day by day.
On this day, an astonishing Great Dao fluctuation swept across the entire universe.
Li Ming looked toward a region of Chaos in the depths of the universe, surprise appearing in his eyes.
"The aura of a Sacred Spirit?"
That earth-shattering aura was clearly the sign that a Perfected Sacred Spirit was about to emerge.
The moment a Great Perfection Sacred Spirit was born, it possessed the strength of a peak Quasi-Emperor. It could even directly attain Enlightenment as Supreme, its power incomparably formidable as its might pressed down upon the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands.
The Sacred Spirit Race was extremely special. It was said to be blessed by Heaven, naturally able to nurture Immortal Gold and Grand Dao Scriptures within their bodies.
They were born from the union of heaven and earth, naturally conceived by nature itself. They needed no one to teach them forbidden secret arts, as they could naturally nurture Grand Dao Scriptures on their own.
Moreover, they were incomparably powerful.
So long as they were successfully nurtured, they would become Great Perfection Sacred Spirits at the peak of the Ninth Heaven Quasi-Emperor realm.
It was said that Sacred Spirits of this level challenging Supremes, or even Heavenly Venerables, was no mere legend.
Although they could not defeat true enlightened cultivators, that also showed from another perspective just how powerful such Sacred Spirits were.
Nearly every person who attained Enlightenment as Supreme had a record of killing Great Perfection Sacred Spirits.
Every Great Perfection Sacred Spirit required several million years to be successfully nurtured.
Legend had it that killing one would incur Heaven's curse.
Only true enlightened cultivators, who were likewise favored by Heaven, could kill Great Perfection Sacred Spirits without suffering a curse.
Li Ming thought of this legend and dismissed it with disdain.
Back then, he had devoured who knew how many Sacred Spirits, yet had never encountered any censure or curse from heaven and earth.
Perhaps the Bronze Mirror had concealed his aura, or perhaps his luck itself defied the heavens and he was one of Heaven's favored children.
Perhaps the Sacred Spirits he had killed simply deserved to die.
Their origins may have existed only to fulfill Li Ming.
"A Great Perfection Sacred Spirit has emerged?"
"It is said that Great Perfection Sacred Spirits are extremely powerful, only one step away from attaining Enlightenment as Supreme."
"There are already enlightened cultivators in this era. No one else has any chance left!"
"Judging from this aura, it is definitely a Great Perfection Sacred Spirit, with the strength to challenge Supremes!"
"I hope they do not massacre the universe!"
"Yes, these creatures are terrible. They actually hate every living being in heaven and earth besides Sacred Spirits!"
"Every time they emerge, there is a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood."
"Are they trying to become the enemy of the entire universe?"
Regarding the birth of this Great Perfection Sacred Spirit, all living beings of heaven and earth could only watch coldly.
Only the Sacred Spirit Race cheered.
This was because the Sacred Spirit Race was exceedingly powerful and proud, looking down on every other race.
Throughout the history of Shrouding the Heavens, nearly every era had records of Sacred Spirits bringing calamity upon all living beings.
It was said that during the era when Daode Tianzun attained Enlightenment as Supreme, the calamity of the Sacred Spirits had been at its most rampant.
It was said that several Sacred Spirits had been suppressed by Daode Tianzun. He had even torn them into eight pieces and refined them into divine fluid.
A Perfected Sacred Spirit of later generations had even sought revenge, yet it had never found Daode Tianzun's burial place.
By then, the birthplace of that Sacred Spirit had already become a Sacred Spirit Forbidden Zone.
That vast world was boundless, majestic, and magnificent.
That pitch-black divine mountain was impossible to take in at a glance from afar.
Chaos energy even coiled around it, making for a truly astonishing sight.
Now that a Perfected Sacred Spirit had emerged, countless Sacred Spirits cheered.
They even rushed toward the black divine mountain, hoping to join this Perfected Sacred Spirit's ranks.
"Another Perfected Sacred Spirit has emerged!"
"The glory of our Sacred Spirit Race has returned!"
"More and more Perfected Sacred Spirits are being born, and we can even seal them away to await the right moment!"
"Daode Tianzun once slew several Perfected Sacred Spirits of our race. This grudge must be avenged!"
The Sacred Spirit Race was extremely confident. To them, even a Heavenly Venerable of the current age was someone they dared to challenge.
Not to mention that they had true Sacred Spirit Supremes, and even Sacred Spirit Heavenly Venerables.
Of course, all of this was merely hearsay.
No one had ever seen a true Sacred Spirit Heavenly Venerable battle another Heavenly Venerable.
"Come, let us go trouble Daode Tianzun!"
"We must find his grave, dig him up, and whip his corpse!"
"We will refine his corpse into divine fluid and avenge our hatred!"
No one had expected that as soon as this Perfected Sacred Spirit emerged, it would immediately gather countless Sacred Spirits, who blotted out the sky as they crossed the starfields.
They searched everywhere for traces of Daode Tianzun's grave.
After finding nothing, they arrived at a Dao Gate. It was Daode Tianzun's inheritance ground.
"Where is Daode Tianzun? Get out here at once!"
"Bring Daode Tianzun here!"
Countless beings shouted in unison, carrying the momentum of people determined to flatten the Dao Gate.
"The Human Race deserves death!"
"Daode Tianzun's disciples and descendants all deserve death!"
Bloodlight surged forth, and blood energy towered into the heavens as one Dao Gate disciple after another died.
No one could stop them at all.
Just as Li Ming was about to act, a finger like a withered tree branch suddenly appeared.
The enormous finger blotted out the sky like a river of stars, like a heavenly pillar holding up the heavens.
The Perfected Sacred Spirit's expression changed drastically. It let out a long howl and fought with all its strength.
Yet in the end, that finger flicked the Sacred Spirit away with a single strike.
It coughed up blood and exploded with a thunderous blast.
The countless Sacred Spirits that had followed behind, whether Saints, Great Saints, or even Quasi-Emperors, were lightly swept by that finger and turned into pools of mangled flesh before being collected into its hand.
"Daode Tianzun!"
The entire universe erupted.
Many found it hard to believe. Daode Tianzun had not revealed any trace of himself for so many years, yet he was actually still alive.
Judging by his aura, it seemed that he had not cut himself down.
He still possessed the aura of a perfected Heavenly Venerable.
High above all else, he looked down upon the mortal world.
When Li Ming had parted ways with Daode Tianzun, Daode Tianzun had said that he intended to seal away that world and attempt Corpse Spirit Awakening.
Clearly, not enough time had passed for Corpse Spirit Awakening to succeed.
Daode Tianzun had obviously survived by some other method.
Could Daode Tianzun have also drawn inspiration from me and transformed, living out a new lifetime?
Li Ming was somewhat shocked as well.
Heroes under heaven were as numerous as carp crossing a river. So long as they gained even a little inspiration, they could change their fate.
The powerful figures who had left their mark on history truly could not be underestimated.
Daode Tianzun was also a renowned powerhouse. It was hardly strange that he had found a new method to survive.
Li Ming did not know how Daode Tianzun had survived, but it was obvious that Daode Tianzun's vitality was no longer so abundant.
Or rather, he had already entered true old age.
Li Ming could sense it from that aura.
Sure enough, just as Li Ming had guessed, a withered little old man tore through the void and walked out.
Although his aura still appeared powerful, he already radiated a heavy air of twilight.
"I have studied Sacred Spirits for many years and have finally gained some insight. Perhaps beyond the cycle of nine lifetimes, I can try transforming into a Sacred Spirit," Daode Tianzun muttered to himself.
Before you continue