"Rumble!"
The Qilin Emperor was still gazing at the palace built amid the distant Corpse Mountain when he suddenly heard a rumble from within. Only then did he realize that a terrifying presence was awakening in its depths, its blood energy shaking the heavens, even mightier than his own as the reigning emperor.
"Are you saying the person inside is the Undying Heavenly Emperor?"
Only now did the Qilin Emperor turn toward Yuangeng, utterly stunned. He had never imagined that the god of the Myriad Races who had ushered in this era had truly survived to this day.
"It's that Phoenix."
The crimson-and-black Eternal Ancient Ruler appeared in Yuangeng's hand. Without slowing, he strode toward the island that resembled a mountain of corpses. His presence grew cold to the extreme, and the absolute power of Lunar Essence instantly froze the piled corpses and rotting flesh on the island into nothingness.
A little anticipation stirred in his heart. The being inside the palace was not only the target of his journey, but also the first being on the verge of becoming an immortal that he had encountered since awakening.
"Boom!"
Just as Yuangeng was about to kick open the palace doors, a thunderous boom rang out. The two doors, heavier than stars, swung open of their own accord, as though inviting and welcoming the two guests who had come from afar.
Seeing this, Yuangeng and the Qilin Emperor exchanged a glance. Neither hesitated as they stepped forward, crossed the palace threshold, and looked toward its deepest recesses.
"Splash!"
The moment they entered the Heavenly Palace, they heard the continuous murmur of flowing water. A closer look revealed that it was no water at all, but streams of blood trickling in from every direction in this realm.
The streams converged in the void at the very center of the Heavenly Palace, forming a vast Blood Pool of scarlet so vivid it hurt the eyes. Densely packed Innate Dao Principles gathered within it, lending it an eerie sense of sanctity.
Beneath the Blood Pool sat a hazy figure, cross-legged. On closer inspection, he was a man dressed in five-colored feathers, with long, elegant brows and features too beautiful to be mortal. A Five-Colored Heavenly Blade lay across his knees, and he exuded both composure and dominance.
The man had already awakened. Blazing heavenly light flickered in his eyes as he gazed at Yuangeng and the Qilin Emperor without a trace of emotion.
"Clang!"
At a certain moment, heavenly light flashed in his eyes. A Phoenix's cry rang out alongside the sound of a Heavenly Blade leaving its sheath. Two illusory Five-Colored Heavenly Blades flew from his eyes and abruptly appeared before Yuangeng and the Qilin Emperor, slashing down without hesitation under the command of a supreme will.
"Boom!"
The Qilin Emperor hurriedly moved to block. Facing the legendary god of the Myriad Races, he dared not be careless. Light flashed between his brows, and the Eternal Blue Gold Staff appeared. The azure Qilin Staff collided with the illusory Heavenly Blade, smashing it into a sky full of glittering fragments.
On the other side, Yuangeng also acted. His palm turned pitch-black as ink, and he caught the illusory Heavenly Blade directly before crushing it to pieces.
"Trouble brought here by Kunlun."
Only then did the man in five-colored feathers murmur these words. His sharp gaze scrutinized Yuangeng and the Qilin Emperor before settling on Yuangeng, and he spoke in a cold, chilling voice.
"A prehistoric being, a cultivator of an ancient system. You carry the aura of my realm. Why go to such lengths to come here?"
This attitude surprised Yuangeng somewhat. He had emerged only two years ago, yet the Undying Heavenly Emperor already knew of his existence and seemed to have detected the aura of the Immortal Domain on him.
But he soon understood. He had indeed visited the Immortal Domain. This cultivator, who had lived from the final years of the Mythical Era until now, seemed to have long withdrawn from the world. Yet judging by the many legends surrounding him, he likely watched the universe at all times and would not miss any major event.
"I merely seek the truth. You've committed no shortage of sins, fellow Daoist. Naturally, many people have you on their minds."
Yuangeng's reply was calm and even. He looked up at the Blood Pool above the Undying Heavenly Emperor's head. It was no simple thing. At the very least, it had been refined from the blood, bones, Primordial Spirits, and weapons of several Extreme Dao beings, along with vast quantities of Quasi-Emperor vital essence. Bloody as it appeared, it was actually an extraordinary medicine.
Having created such a vast Blood Pool, the Undying Heavenly Emperor had undoubtedly reaped the greatest benefits from that God War.
"Sins? You come from ancient times. You should know what this realm once looked like. The Desolate Heaven Emperor clearly had the power, yet he allowed his homeland to become this. How many people who should have lived forever died after a mere ten thousand years? Compared with his sins, what do mine amount to?"
The man in five-colored feathers cared nothing for the sins Yuangeng spoke of. He clearly knew many truths about this realm, and he could also see that this ancient being was no ordinary figure, so he spoke at length.
"He had his own helpless circumstances. You don't understand."
Yuangeng sighed softly. Though the Undying Heavenly Emperor had come from the Immortal Domain, he had fallen into this realm in his youth. He knew nothing of the secrets concerning the Other Shore of the Boundary Sea or Above the Heavens, nor did he understand the Desolate Heaven Emperor's situation.
"I have my own helpless circumstances too. I am not a being of this realm. Why should I suffer here? Do you know how many calamities I've endured? All I want is to return to my homeland!"
The Undying Heavenly Emperor's voice was heavy. At the mention of his homeland, his inhumanly beautiful face twisted slightly. He pointed a slender finger at the Blood Pool above his head and spoke coldly.
"All of them were destined to be sacrifices to the Desolate Heaven Emperor's actions, destined to be mere bubbles in the long river of time. They were fortunate enough to help me become an immortal. Their deaths served a worthy purpose."
Yuangeng's expression showed no particular change. He gazed at this Five-Colored Phoenix, who had lived in this realm for over a million years and had once been worshipped throughout the universe as the god of the Myriad Races, and said softly:
"Twisted reasoning."
"Boom!"
At these words, the Undying Heavenly Emperor beneath the Blood Pool ceased concealing his malice. Five-colored immortal light shrouded this world of death. He looked at Yuangeng and the Qilin Emperor as though they were two prey animals, his killing intent surging to the heavens.
"Think what you like. An Extreme Dao Supreme of an ancient system, and a reigning emperor. Both of you will stay. My ultimate transformation still requires a little more Extreme Dao blood."
Such universe-crushing might stunned the Qilin Emperor. The old emperor had never imagined that this god of the Myriad Races would be so mad as to challenge two Extreme Dao Supremes alone. His confidence truly knew no bounds.
"Clang!"
He dared not be careless. His Eternal Blue Gold Qilin Staff had already awakened completely, its aura becoming one with that of the old Qilin. He looked toward Yuangeng nearby and warned:
"Be careful. The Undying Heavenly Emperor has probably never severed his own cultivation. Having lived for nearly an entire era, he may already be close to becoming an immortal."
"I know."
Yuangeng nodded. Of course the Undying Heavenly Emperor had never severed his cultivation. He and this Phoenix were cultivators on the same level, and he could see it clearly. The other man was undergoing transformation after transformation as well. Perhaps only a few final Nirvanas remained before he could ascend into the Immortal Dao Domain.
He understood that in the state of his second life, he could not possibly match the Undying Heavenly Emperor. After all, as far as the Human Body Secret Realm method was concerned, Yuangeng had cultivated for only two years in total. He was still a minor cultivator at the Other Shore stage. Perhaps he could overpower the Qilin Emperor, but
he absolutely could not overpower the Undying Heavenly Emperor.
"Ding!"
Thus, Yuangeng lightly flicked the Eternal Ancient Ruler in his hand, making the crimson-and-black Dao ruler turn illusory and merge into his body.
The Dao Fruit of the Immortal Ancient Method returned!
He had sealed all his cultivation in the Immortal Ancient Method within a Dao Seed and then forged this ruler, leaving himself a fallback. When needed, he only had to draw the Eternal Ancient Ruler into his body to regain the cultivation and power of his Immortal Ancient Method.
At that moment, the Undying Heavenly Emperor felt Yuangeng's aura rising at a terrifying speed. It had originally been only comparable to the Qilin Emperor's, but after several explosive surges, it reached a level that was in no way inferior to his own.
When Yuangeng's cultivation reached its peak, surging battle intent also appeared on his face.
"Come!"
Before you continue