His Source was nearly exhausted. He had only a few hundred jin left.
Azure Flood Dragon King's little world seemed promising. It also contained the corpse of a Sacred Body at the Saint realm, and then there were those Desolate Ancient Families...
Su Yu contemplated his next target, while beside him, the God King's once incomparably feeble presence began to grow stronger.
At last, he forced his body upright and cast a divine art. Countless divine lights danced at once, and life essence poured from the earth veins like a tide.
Boundless divine radiance appeared. Golden light flashed, and a tiny primordial spirit emerged from the God King's Immortal Platform. It too was withered, but greatly invigorated.
"I once thought that I, Jiang Taixu, would die of old age in Purple Mountain. I never expected a benefactor to come to my aid! Hahahahaha!" The primordial spirit used a divine art to commune with the dragon vein underground, drawing on the last trace of the God King Body's origin to restore himself.
Then, bathed in the essence of heaven and earth and nourished by boundless life essence, his withered body was forcibly restored to its middle-aged appearance.
"Is that the God King Rebirth Technique?"
Holding a Great Saint Weapon, Su Yu stood guard for him while admiring the secret art of a fully mature Divine Body.
Countless streams of Source Qi surged toward them like rivers and seas. As time passed, the God King's presence grew ever stronger. The Desolate Ancient Divine Spring in the flask spilled out, and the water, brimming with vitality, danced in midair before entering the God King's body.
The dazzling radiance shone as brightly as the sun, blazing with light too brilliant to look at directly.
An unknown amount of time passed. The Source on the ground lost all its essence, leaving only broken, peeling stone skins, while Jiang Taixu emerged from the brink of death.
He no longer looked close to death. Instead, he stood handsome and majestic, his long black hair flying. He trod the order of heaven and earth beneath his feet, something only a cultivator who had fully mastered the Saint Dao Laws could do. His divine might surged to the heavens, immeasurably powerful.
His face, however, remained aged. Purple Mountain cut off the power of the stars, and Source Qi and the essence of the earth veins alone could not restore a fully mature Divine Body to its peak.
Su Yu looked straight at the God King. Now free, Jiang Taixu walked over to Su Yu, holding the jade flask, which was completely empty; the Desolate Ancient Divine Spring inside had been exhausted. He bowed with clasped hands and said sincerely, "Thank you for saving me, fellow Daoist. Whatever you may ask of me in the future, I, Taixu, will not refuse!"
Smiling, Su Yu quickly helped the God King up. Then he said just as frankly, "I am only a Four Extremes cultivator. How could I dare accept such a grand salute from the God King? And you need only call me Su Yu. How could I be worthy of being called your fellow Daoist?"
Jiang Taixu rose and said solemnly, "I was trapped in Purple Mountain for four thousand years. I had already given up hope, but I never expected fortune to turn after such hardship. I was not destined to die. Truly, it is all a matter of time and fate! Might I ask who your master is, young friend Su?"
"There is no need to say more, God King. I have admired you for a long time, and this was merely a simple favor. Besides, surely you know what kind of sect I belong to? It would be best not to speak of taking me as a disciple." Su Yu looked teasingly at Jiang Taixu in his white robes. The clothes Jiang Taixu wore had all been given to him by Su Yu.
"The ancient Devouring Heaven Demon Lid... the Indestructible Heavenly Art... I know about them all, but I do not care about such things... Since we are not fated to be master and disciple, I wish to give you an art."
Seeing how serious Jiang Taixu was, Su Yu's expression changed slightly. He replied, "Is it 'Battle' of the Nine Secrets, the Battle Saint Method?"
He had not saved the God King for a reward, but obtaining one of the Nine Secrets would naturally be excellent.
"Indeed. If you could become my disciple, I could teach you everything I know of the Hengyu Scripture as well. Sadly, we are not so fated." Jiang Taixu sighed softly. He and Su Yu had enjoyed their conversation and taken a great liking to each other.
"I heard that four thousand years ago, the Taixu God King used the Battle Saint Method to dominate an entire generation. It truly inspires longing."
As Su Yu praised him, he took out the Devouring Heaven Demon Lid and the Chaotic longsword and handed them to the God King.
He was guarding against the Primordial Race in Purple Mountain. The Extreme Dao Emperor's might just now might have awakened an Ancestor King in the depths, so he did this as a precaution.
Jiang Taixu accepted the Emperor Weapon and the Great Saint artifact in some surprise, both astonished by Su Yu's wealth and moved by his trust.
What he did not know was that in all the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, Jiang Taixu was the only one around whom Su Yu could let down his guard...
Suddenly, the God King's gaze flashed like lightning. He pointed from a distance at the center of Su Yu's brow, and countless profound and strange human postures instantly entered Su Yu's soul. At last, amid a series of obscure and profound incantations, Su Yu became immersed in comprehending the Dao.
Three days later, a supreme battle intent burst into the sky, as though it would punch through the heavens.
An air of "who else but me" and supremacy over heaven and earth flowed around Su Yu.
The Imperial Dragon Qi along his spine also flew out with his battle intent. He was like a supreme Immortal King, his palm overturning realms and annihilating them, everything held within his grasp!
The blood in his body surged, his battle blood boiling.
This was a supreme secret art, among the finest even when compared with the secret methods of the many Ancient Emperors and Great Emperors. Its hand seals were immensely intricate, and its offensive techniques changed without end. Yet all those countless transformations returned to one point: the Great Dao was simplicity itself, and all attacks were gathered into a single art!
This secret method had only one form, returning to a single origin, yet it could evolve into countless techniques. Once its true meaning was grasped, its forms would appear of themselves and could change at will. Once the foundation was mastered, every other posture could be manifested.
"Thank you, God King."
Su Yu bowed with clasped hands, grateful indeed.
Jiang Taixu nodded in satisfaction and said heartily, "Why thank me? How could this compare to the kindness you have shown me, young friend?"
Su Yu withdrew his divine ability, then offered an invitation. "I wish to explore Purple Mountain. Would you care to join me, God King?"
"I ventured deep inside four thousand years ago. Great Emperor Wushi's cultivation rivaled Fortune itself, inspiring awe and respect! But his Emperor Scripture has already been sealed, and its teachings cannot be seen!" Jiang Taixu also sighed, then looked at Purple Mountain with complicated feelings. Four thousand years of his life had been left here. In those four thousand years, time had passed and the seas had turned to mulberry fields.
Even if he possessed the Eastern Wasteland Divine Body, how many stretches of four thousand years could he live? How many of his contemporaries from those days were still in the world? Once he had entered Purple Mountain, it was as though he had been separated from the world for a lifetime. Those he knew had gradually withered away. Was his beloved still alive...?
At these thoughts, the light in the White-Clad God King's eyes dimmed slightly...
A moment later, he followed Su Yu. He was worried about Su Yu. Even though Su Yu held half an Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon, there were members of the Primordial Race in Purple Mountain, and Su Yu could not fully activate the Devouring Heaven Demon Lid or face a Saint-level Primordial Ancestral King head-on.
The two walked on together. As they went, Su Yu said, "Fairy Caiyun is still alive, God King. You need not worry!"
Jiang Taixu's expression was complicated. He looked relieved, but remained sorrowful. He said little, only letting out a long sigh.
So many lofty ambitions had been worn away by those four thousand years.
"She never married. She has been waiting all this time for the peerless God King of four thousand years ago," Su Yu added.
The God King's emotions surged violently, and regret showed on his face. In the end, he walked on in silence.
Several hundred zhang farther on, dense Source Qi reached them, and the Stone Garment Su Yu wore continued to shine. After another two or three li, a huge block of Source appeared ahead. It gave off a unique Source Qi and glittered brightly. It stood a full two meters tall, with a breathtakingly beautiful woman sealed inside.
Like a flower emerging from water, flawless and unstained, she was unearthly and beautiful beyond compare. She sat quietly in the Source like a sleeping beauty, utterly serene and peaceful.
Beside the peaceful Source Qi lay the corpse of a primordial creature. It resembled the Half-Saint of the Ancient Clans they had encountered earlier and was clearly of the same race.
This block of Source was not Divine Source. Clearly, this Ancient Clans being had been its owner, but the Fifth Generation Source Heavenly Master had killed him and cast him out, then used it to seal this divine woman. There was a hole in one side of the Source, filled with fragments of Divine Source.
"Yang Yi, the Jade Lake Holy Maiden!" Su Yu looked at the beautiful and captivating Holy Maiden. She seemed to be a Saint as well.
Jiang Taixu was somewhat shocked, but also somewhat numb by now. There had been an Emperor Weapon, a flawless Great Saint artifact, and now ancient secrets.
This Jade Lake Saintess dated back eight thousand years even before his time, yet Su Yu had named her at once.
"There is no need to be surprised, God King. The Fifth Generation Source Heavenly Master fled into Purple Mountain to escape the curse. Back then, rumors about him and Yang Yi, the Jade Lake Saintess, spread throughout the world. Surely you must have heard them?"
"A thousand years ago, I met someone who was a descendant of that Fifth Generation Source Heavenly Master. He also entered Purple Mountain, but unfortunately never made it out. He must have met with misfortune as well."
The God King looked at the divine woman in the Source. The sight seemed to stir memories of the past, and as he thought of leaving without saying goodbye, tears fell from the corners of his eyes.
Su Yu thought for a moment, then swept his sleeve and stored the special block of Source in his Saint Weapon.
She was a female Saint, enough to keep as a contingency.
[Yang Yi was at the fully mature King realm. This will be mentioned later. Su Yu was mistaken here.]
Chapter 26: The Transformation of Chaotic Blood
In the dark stone cavern, two figures cast long shadows through the darkness, lending the scene an ethereal air.
The God King's gaze sharpened. Then he looked at Su Yu and shook his head. "With your talent, you could easily abandon the Indestructible Heavenly Art. My clan's Hengyu Scripture is also a supreme Emperor Scripture. In the entire river of time, only one person has ever devoured the various Kings and walked the Emperor's path. Even with an Emperor Weapon, this path is far too difficult... And the person in the Source is not yet dead.
"Do you know how powerful the ancient sect on Cloud Severing Mountain was in the past? It possessed a flawless Emperor Weapon, and its line of Great Saints never failed. Yet in the end, it still fell into decline. This path is too difficult..."
Su Yu's expression remained calm, and he said nothing more.
Seeing that he would not speak, Jiang Taixu fell silent as well. He had received a great kindness from Su Yu, and even if Su Yu wanted to devour others, he could not stop him.
"You must tread carefully in these matters. The methods of those Extreme Dao powers are beyond your imagination. If the Jade Lake Sacred Land discovers this, not even half an Emperor Weapon could protect you..."
Listening to the God King's warning, Su Yu nodded lightly, a little moved...
The two continued on their way. All the sinister ghosts and spirits, the spectral soldiers and horses they encountered were reduced to ashes before the supreme Saint's might, unable to impede them even half a step.
Su Yu picked up a stone pendant. It closely resembled the one he already had.
Then a sharp light flashed from him, and two primordial creatures fleeing in secret were instantly suppressed by a clear silver moonlight. Amid two screams, their souls were destroyed and their spiritual consciousnesses cut down by the Saint's might.
Su Yu beckoned and stored the two corpses in his storage bag. Just then, Purple Mountain's demonic sound began to grow stronger, though it still could not penetrate the barrier of the flawless Saint Weapon.
"Tap, tap, tap..."
The sound of footsteps approached from afar, carrying everywhere as it entered a vast, empty hall and broke the deathly silence.
This was a palace of white jade, immensely spacious and several hundred zhang across. Dim, ghostly light drifted through the air, like flowing veils of pitch-black beads.
In the center of the main hall, a pale corpse lay face down, dried up and cold. Beside it was a small, brilliant silver book that shimmered with silver radiance. One look was enough to tell it was no ordinary object.
The silent underground palace was opened, and two white-robed cultivators crossed the void to enter from outside.
Su Yu's gaze fell on the brilliant silver scroll. He raised a hand and sent out a streak of divine light, drawing it into his grasp.
The hundred-page silver book felt very heavy in his hand. Three ancient characters were drawn upon it in bold, graceful strokes: Source Heaven Book. They were shaped like dragons and carried traces of antiquity, evoking the vastness of ages past.
"So it is the Source Heaven Book. This truly is a supreme treasure." Jiang Taixu nodded, still composed, though inwardly somewhat astonished.
After everything he had seen on this trip, he grew ever more certain that Su Yu was a man of great fortune...
Su Yu gave a grunt, then leafed roughly through the Source Heaven Book. He found the ancient characters dazzling to the eye; they were not something he could easily comprehend.
He put the silver book away, then gathered Zhang Jiye's remains and placed them in a small bronze cauldron, intending to give them to Fifth Master Zhang after leaving Purple Mountain.
Having done all this, the corpse collector raised his eyes. All he saw was emptiness. There was nothing in the vast hall, only a deathly loneliness.
Su Yu thoughtfully recalled the finger holes in Zhang Jiye's skull. They had been made by a primordial creature a thousand years ago. It seemed that quite a few of the Ancient Clans had emerged from the Source.
The two had just walked out of the hall when a piercing cry rang out in the underground passage.
"Whoosh... pfft..."
A strange roar sounded. Dark yellow pus began to seep from the uneven stone walls, and shadowy forms twisted in the depths of the darkness, as though dancing wildly.
Su Yu's expression tightened, and he instinctively activated the Inherited Saint Weapon.
In an instant, clouds swirled, and the phantom of a true Chaotic dragon appeared, a dark, boundless sea beneath its feet. The Great Dao Treasure Vase condensed a ghostly light, stirring the domain here. Auspicious colors cascaded like waterfalls, and the Chaotic longsword floating in midair released waves of rosy light, crystalline and sacred beyond compare.
Golden light flashed in Jiang Taixu's eyes and his hair whipped about. He seemed a divine king descended into the mortal world, divine power surging through his strong, slender frame.
A single glance looked down upon the eight directions.
He opened his Martial Dao Heavenly Eye, piercing through illusion and seeing everything here in an instant.
Looking at the shadows stealing through the depths of the cavern, Jiang Taixu frowned slightly and said gravely, "It seems these primordial creatures are going to awaken the Ancestor King deep inside Purple Mountain."
He was somewhat worried.
A Primordial Ancestral King was a terrifying existence on par with the ancient sages. Even he was wary of one. After all, he had yet to return to his peak and lacked vitality. If a fierce battle truly broke out, he certainly could not protect this junior.
"There is no need to worry, God King. Among the Primordial Imperial Clans, Purple Mountain is the weakest branch. They were descendants of the Undying Heavenly Emperor," Su Yu explained, looking quite calm.