Chapter 229
by fanqienovelChapter 229: Nangong Proving Emperorship
"Is this the depth of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion?"
Everyone fell silent. The Dao King, having attained immortality and acting with utter arrogance, suffered great damage and retreated in humiliation before Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, failing to withstand even a single finger.
Were it not for the miraculous nature of the Enlightenment Tree, the Dao King would have fallen here today.
"Quick! Leave!"
The two elders from the Taihao Heavenly Sect seized Yan Duxing, whose life hung by a thread, and fled like a wisp of smoke. They feared staying longer would bring the vengeance of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion upon them.
"This Enlightenment Tree truly is wondrous," Ye Xu murmured.
His primordial spirit was anchored within it, granting eternal communion with the Great Dao. This caused a momentary lapse that allowed the Dao King to escape.
Naturally, this was but a minor matter.
From beginning to end, the Dao King was never capable of stirring true waves in Ye Xu’s eyes—merely a ruthless figure blessed with some luck, yet one who ended up betraying his master and exterminating his own ancestors.
Ye Xu’s gaze settled on the Epoch Golden Book.
His strike was not solely meant to punish the Dao King; he also sought to examine the Epoch Golden Book and comprehend the origin of the Yuan Realm.
His thoughts, swift as streaming light, plunged into the Epoch Golden Book.
"Huh?"
Nangong Zhandao’s expression underwent a great change. "Senior also seeks to seize the Epoch Golden Book?"
Lin Qianmo said, "He probably doesn’t."
"So even the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion covets the Epoch Golden Book. No wonder he chose to suppress the Dao King. Our chance is gone." The man in yellow, Han Daokong, frowned upon realizing this.
Having witnessed Ye Xu’s power, Han Daokong wouldn’t dare contend for the scripture even with a hundred times his courage.
Ye Xu’s consciousness surged into the Epoch Golden Book.
Instantly, infinite profundities flooded into Ye Xu’s awareness.
Countless scenes unfolded before his mind:
From the creation of the heavens and formation of the earth, to the human ancestor’s enlightenment, propagation of the Dao, and the subsequent rise of the Heavenly Emperor.
It transitioned to the Yuan Realm’s sealing, culminating in the short-lived splendor brought forth by the Human Emperor’s restoration.
Emergence amidst the void, zeniths followed by decline.
Ye Xu finally comprehended the ultimate mystery of the Yuan Realm.
Pan Gu.
It must be understood that the Yuan Realm took form from the flesh of Pan Gu, embodying the will, spirit, and Great Dao of this divine creator whose merits remained eternal.
The Yuan Realm bore the power of Pan Gu and was thus near-impossible to utterly annihilate.
Beyond this, Ye Xu gleaned another piece of information from the origin of the Yuan Realm:
The identity of the Behind-the-Scenes Culprit sealing Godfall Ridge.
Purple Star Heavenly Court!
In other words, the enigma behind Godfall Ridge stretched into the secrets of the Immortal Realm. As for the precise cause, Ye Xu still remained unaware. He only understood that within the deepest seal of Godfall Ridge lay a golden heart.
That golden heart was the origin of everything.
The entire Godfall Ridge existed solely because of that golden heart.
Now that the seal had broken, the golden heart had escaped its imprisonment, vanishing without a trace.
"This golden heart has endured for tens of thousands of years without being destroyed and could withstand the tempering of the Heavenly Dao’s power. It must have belonged to an extremely formidable master, one renowned throughout the Immortal Realm," Ye Xu mused, his eyes gleaming. "What if he was the Heavenly Emperor?"
A bold thought sprang into Ye Xu’s mind.
He slowly drew back his thoughts and turned his gaze to Nangong Zhandao, stating, "Nangong Zhandao, those destined obtain the Epoch Golden Book. You bear the luck of the Yuan Realm; this belongs to you."
"He doesn’t want the Epoch Golden Book?"
The three true immortals—Green Robe Drunkard, Meng Changan, and Han Daokong—exchanged sharp glances. The Epoch Golden Book was incomparably precious; obtaining it could mean gaining control of the Yuan Realm. That the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion could resist such temptation genuinely took everyone by surprise.
"Perhaps this esteemed master isn’t unwilling, but rather, the Epoch Golden Book holds little use for him," Green Robe Drunkard said with a knowing glint, guessing the key point.
One Epoch Golden Book, bearing boundless mysteries, held scant value for Ye Xu.
The information within, however, allowed Ye Xu to fully grasp the history and the fundamental essence of the Yuan Realm.
"My thanks, Senior!"
Nangong Zhandao looked astonished, then ecstatic, bowing deeply in gratitude to Ye Xu.
"This is your fortune. There is no need to thank me."
The immortal light dissipated, and Ye Xu’s presence vanished.
“Pretentious mysticism,” the Black-robed Immortal King muttered coldly. If his master hadn’t forbidden him from acting, he would have tested the depth of this master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.
“He truly is unusual,” the adolescent clad in black reflected. “Few in this world can resist the temptation of the Epoch Golden Book. The master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion is one.”
Whoosh!
Nangong Zhandao, maneuvering the Creation spiritual embryo, flew towards the Epoch Golden Book.
With Dao King no longer obstructing the path, Nangong Zhandao successfully retrieved the Epoch Golden Book.
Han Daokong’s gaze burned with fervent desire, yet he dared not make a move.
Dao King’s lesson served as a stark warning, vivid before his eyes.
Humm!
The moment Nangong Zhandao’s fingertip touched the Epoch Golden Book, it transformed into a brilliant golden radiance. Countless specs of light, like fireflies, streamed into Nangong Zhandao’s Purple Palace.
Boom!
Instantly, Nangong Zhandao’s aura exploded in power, ascending from the Quasi-Emperor level into the emperor realm.
Within his Purple Palace, the Dao seed took root, sprouted, blossomed, and bore fruit.
Infinite, profound mysteries from the golden book’s script surged into his mind, embedding themselves deeply. Nangong Zhandao’s comprehension of the world’s Great Dao attained an entirely new plane.
A tsunami of heaven and earth’s spiritual energy surged in like a tidal wave, engulfed his body.
BOOM!
In the sky, another mass of dense clouds of tribulation materialized, spanning a hundred thousand miles. Rolling thunder clouds covered the heavens and shook the earth.
"Nangong Zhandao is facing a tribulation. He’s about to attain the Dao and become an emperor," exclaimed the white-bearded old man in astonishment.
"How long has he cultivated? How can he possibly become an emperor already?" Ao Lie and the Eastern Sea Dragon King in the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace felt deeply unsettled, uncertain whether they felt envy or admiration.
Just a few months earlier, when they first met Nangong Zhandao, he had merely ascended as a Saint after overcoming heavenly tribulation. Yet within mere months, Nangong Zhandao traversed three great realms to attain the Dao and become an emperor.
His cultivation speed couldn’t even be described as rocketing—it was a breakthrough at the speed of light.
Lan Youruo’s pretty face was filled with excitement.
Nangong Zhandao had finally become an emperor.
"After today, countless across the Yuan Realm shall break through…" Lin Qianmo chuckled softly, sensing she too would reach Emperor Venerable realm this very night.
Her gaze shifted to Qi Ruyu and Ye Hongchen. Both had encountered bottlenecks, yet the origin of the Yuan Realm reviving and spiritual energy erupting granted them enlightenment. Their breakthroughs were imminent.
"It’s over. Let’s go. I want to see him," declared the black-clothed youth as he turned to leave.
The Black-robed Immortal King understood his master sought an audience with the human ancestor and hurriedly followed.
KABOOM!
Divine thunder crashed from heaven.
A youth drew his blade against the heavens, cleaving heavenly tribulation as he weaved through the sea of thunder. Not a single divine bolt so much as scratched him.
"Brother Yu, now is precisely the chance to seize treasures!" roared Ye Xu’s Second Primordial Spirit Avatar.
He flew into the newborn realm with Great Emperor Ziwei, chasing beams of treasure light, intent on gathering treasures scattered across heaven and earth.
"Charge!" yelled Great Emperor Ziwei, utterly thrilled.
Half an hour later…
Nangong Zhandao landed by Lan Youruo’s side, blade in hand, radiant with renewed energy.
"Congratulations, my husband, on attaining the Dao and becoming an emperor," Lan Youruo beamed, her smile as radiant as flowers.
"After today, I daresay I must address you as Uncle Master," Qi Ruyu remarked with profound bitterness.
Nangong Zhandao smiled, "Senior Sister Qi Ruyu, you are my senior. We address each other as we always have."
"…"
Qi Ruyu stole a subtle glance at Lin Qianmo, then hastily shook her head. "But Uncle Master is now a Great Emperor, a Supreme Lord. How could you be treated as my equal?"
"It matters not," replied Nangong Zhandao, indifferent.
Mundane titles had never concerned him.
Nangong Zhandao assessed his cultivation. Ascending to Great Emperor had solidified his realm; neither the inner demon tribulation nor the merging with the Dao tribulation affected him.
This feat hinged not only on his unshakable Dao foundation but also on that test left by the human ancestor long ago within the Origin Palace.
Without that trial question, he’d remain trapped at Quasi-Emperor level, never able to attain the Dao so swiftly.
"Junior Brother, attaining the Dao and becoming an emperor is merely glimpsing the threshold," Lin Qianmo advised. "With the ancient divine clans emerging now, chaos will engulf the Yuan Realm."
"A single Great Emperor is naught but a speck of dust."
She lifted her gaze skyward. Across the heavens stretched the scars of the heavens—fiery, crimson, and deeply unsettling.
"The true Age of Chaos… is far from descending," Lin Qianmo murmured to herself.
Her beautiful eyes brimmed with deep apprehension.