Chapter 274

Chapter 274: Hongmeng Dao Realm, Authority Insufficient

Li Ruoyu no longer held any doubt about Ye Xu’s strength.

The master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion was undoubtedly a peerless expert of the transcendent realm.

Li Ruoyu’s eyes burned with eager curiosity as he said, "I have ascended to the peak and attempted numerous methods, yet I still fail to touch the threshold of transcendence."

"You stand aloof above worldly matters, Master. Surely you must know the path beyond the heavens!"

Li Ruoyu straightened his robes and bowed deeply to Ye Xu.

Ye Xu smiled.

The Heavenly Emperor was nothing short of a plump sheep ready for slaughter. A single cut might well surpass all his previous earnings combined.

"Daoist friend, throughout the ages, countless individuals sought freedom from their universe—to escape the bondage of Heaven’s Will. Yet those who succeed can be counted on one’s fingers."

The light in Li Ruoyu’s eyes dimmed slightly.

How could he not grasp its difficulty?

Millions of years since he ascended the throne, every attempt ended in vain. He’d reached the pinnacle of the cosmos, yet that final step remained forever out of reach.

"However," Ye Xu drew out his words, tone brimming with arrogance, "there exists nothing within this world I do not know."

"You seek transcendence, and I can extend that very hand to pull you through."

The flame of hope roared back to life in Li Ruoyu’s gaze.

Such a statement contained not an ounce of exaggeration coming from a transcendents.

"The rules of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, Daoist friend, are known to you. What follows requires no elaboration," Ye Xu said with a faint smile.

"Name your price, Master," Li Ruoyu declared, his expression turning solemn.

System, query the cost in heavenly secrets points for a method enabling the Heavenly Emperor to achieve transcendence, Ye Xu thought.

[Nine trillion.]

"… …"

Ye Xu internally gasped. Nine trillion heavenly secrets points—an absurd, staggering cost. Even Pangu’s Daoist Temple on the Secret Realm Ranking demanded merely one hundred billion.

Yet pondering it deeper, a transcendents’ worth was perhaps justly priced at nine trillion.

Ye Xu beamed at Li Ruoyu, eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Daoist friend, produce nine trillion Star Yuan, and I shall impart unto you the complete method of transcendence. I will guide you beyond Heaven’s Will, into eternal, absolute freedom."

"Nine… trillion?"

Li Ruoyu’s face twitched. He understood the purchasing power of Star Yuan currency—nine trillion represented an astronomical price.

Never mind casually procuring immortal wine worth over a hundred million; even that amounted only to one hundred twenty-six million. Nine trillion Star Yuan lay galaxies beyond his grasp.

"Too costly. I cannot afford it," Li Ruoyu shook his head. He was no longer the Heavenly Emperor, devoid of authority to command the cosmos’ resources. Given his current circumstances, gathering nine trillion Star Yuan bordered on impossible.

Ye Xu’s heart plunged into utter disappointment. He’d hoped to gorge on fat profits in one feast, only to see that hope utterly vanish.

"True transcendence," he uttered flatly, "was never meant to come easy."

Ye Xu comforted Li Ruoyu, then added, "Since this deal won’t work, we can make another trade."

Hearing this, Li Ruoyu’s spirits lifted.

"A question has indeed haunted me for years, with none able to provide an answer," Li Ruoyu gazed at Ye Xu and asked, "Where is Empress Nuwa?"

"After Repairing the heavens, she vanished without a trace, her fate unknown. I wish to know whether she lives or perished, whether she transcended or has long fallen."

A hint of madness flickered in Li Ruoyu’s eyes, revealing a puzzle he had desperately pursued.

Nuwa’s act of Repairing the heavens was an immeasurable meritorious deed.

Yet afterward, she left no trace, not even when Li Ruoyu attained the Heavenly Emperor’s throne could he find a single clue of her existence.

"Daoist friend, if you seek Nuwa’s traces, why not journey to the Haotian Realm?"

Ye Xu said lightly, "The Haotian Realm was left by Nuwa, ranked second on the Secret Realm Ranking. Entering it would unravel all mysteries for you."

Li Ruoyu frowned, "Master, you misunderstand. I seek only confirmation of Empress Nuwa’s survival or demise."

Ye Xu also furrowed his brows. The secrets of the Haotian Realm seemed trivial to Li Ruoyu, who cared solely about Nuwa’s life or death.

But Li Ruoyu pursued transcendence with singular devotion—shouldn’t the Haotian Realm be his objective?

After all, earth-shattering secrets lay concealed within that Secret Realm.

A strange glint shone in Ye Xu’s eyes.

He faintly sensed Li Ruoyu was far more complex than his surface suggested.

"How naive I was," Ye Xu mocked himself inwardly.

"How could a child of fortune, who led postnatal beings through thorns to claim the Heavenly Emperor’s throne, ever be so simple?"

The Heavenly Emperor must harbor deeper secrets.

"System, query Nuwa’s life status and cultivation realm," Ye Xu commanded.

[Two hundred billion heavenly secrets points.]

"Two hundred billion heavenly secrets points—that’s not unreasonable," Ye Xu’s eyes shifted imperceptibly. "I wonder how much information it can reveal?"

He looked at Li Ruoyu and declared, "Three hundred billion Star Yuan."

"Done," Li Ruoyu answered.

Channeling his magic power, he summoned a three-hued Ancient Mirror from his Purple Palace. Its blank surface showed no discernible wonder.

"Would this Three-Life Mirror suffice for three hundred billion Star Yuan?" Li Ruoyu inquired with a faint smile.

"System, exchange it."

Ding!

[Congratulations, Host. Acquired three hundred and twelve billion heavenly secrets points.]

This Three-Life Ancient Mirror, embodying the mysteries of the Reincarnation Dao, was forged from a Reincarnation Dao Fruit—a pinnacle Immortal Venerable treasure of profound wonder.

Naturally, being collected by a Heavenly Emperor ensured it was no ordinary object.

"System, query Nuwa’s information."

Ye Xu was overjoyed. No wonder he was the Ancient Heavenly Emperor—such extravagant generosity marked his very first move.

The sole regret was Li Ruoyu’s insufficient resources; should a method of transcendence have been sold, Ye Xu could have achieved transcendence immediately.

"This deal netted me over a billion—at least it’s some consolation," Ye Xu comforted himself.

Ding!

[Nuwa: Innate Divine Being.]

[Realm: Transcendent.]

[World: Hongmeng Dao Realm, still alive.]

[Accomplishment: Repairing the heavens.]

Four lines of text, exceptionally brief.

The moment Ye Xu saw them, his mind reeled.

"The Hongmeng Dao Realm…"

His heart echoed thunderously, refusing to calm for a long while.

Even though he knew universes like Blue Star existed beyond their own, witnessing this information still struck him with profound shock.

That Hongmeng Dao Realm must be a higher-level plane.

Likely only formidable figures transcending the heavenly laws could enter the Hongmeng Dao Realm and dwell there in eternal freedom.

"Daoist friend, the information you seek is within this jade slip."

Ye Xu flicked his finger, sending a jade slip flying towards Li Ruoyu.

Boom!

As Li Ruoyu caught it, his body shuddered massively.

"The Empress Nuwa truly lives!"

"She… she really attained the transcendent realm, and… and entered the Hongmeng Dao Realm!"

"The Hongmeng Dao Realm—what kind of world could it be?"

Li Ruoyu was overjoyed, brimming with excitement and elation.

Empress Nuwa proving transcendence and ascending to Hongmeng Dao Realm made Li Ruoyu realize transcendence was no illusory path.

Nuwa was living proof!

"Master, do you know of the Hongmeng Dao Realm’s existence?" Li Ruoyu’s thirst for knowledge flared as he stared intently at Ye Xu.

"You wish to know?"

Ye Xu looked at him with an amused smile. "Old rules."

"System, how many heavenly secrets points required to inquire about Hongmeng Dao Realm?"

[Sorry, insufficient privileges.]

"…"

Insufficient privileges?

Ye Xu could hardly believe his ears.

Since the system’s birth, it had never involved permission issues, but now with the emergence of the Hongmeng Dao Realm, simply inquiring imposed permission restrictions.

This could only prove one thing.

The existence of the Hongmeng Dao Realm was too transcendent.

"Then how can I gain the permission to inquire?" Ye Xu asked calmly.

[Once the host’s cultivation level reaches the transcendent realm, the system will upgrade and evolve into the ultimate version.]

Ye Xu did not know whether to laugh or cry.

He had never imagined that the system he obtained was actually version 1.0.

"Master, please state a price."

Seeing Ye Xu say nothing for a long time, Li Ruoyu looked surprised and spoke up proactively.

"Daoist friend, before today, have you ever heard of the Hongmeng Dao Realm?" Ye Xu asked with a faint smile.

"No."

Ye Xu continued, "This world is like the Immortal Realm you created; it’s a place for people in the transcendent realm to cultivate, involving the profound mysteries of transcendence. Even if I sold you off, you couldn’t obtain the news you desire."

Li Ruoyu looked embarrassed.

This was indeed the truth.

Though he was the Ancient Heavenly Emperor, in the eyes of formidable figures in the transcendent realm, like Ye Xu, he was just a slightly larger ant.

Beneath immortals, all are ants.

Beneath transcendents, they would all become mere dust.

However, Li Ruoyu did not obsess over the Hongmeng Dao Realm.

During this trip to Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, he had already obtained the news he wanted. As for the Hongmeng Dao Realm, that was a matter after transcending; it wasn’t his place to think about it now.

"Today’s discussion with the Master has cleared my mind."

Li Ruoyu bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you, Master, for resolving my doubts."

"Daoist friend, you’re too polite."

Ye Xu laughed and said, "It was just a business transaction."

In truth, he also needed to thank Li Ruoyu.

If not for Li Ruoyu’s arrival, he wouldn’t have known about the existence of the Hongmeng Dao Realm, much less the secret that the system version could be upgraded.

At least, before he reached the transcendent realm, he would never have discovered it.

"The ultimate version…"

Ye Xu murmured to himself.

This ultimate version must involve more information, giving him a bit more motivation to earn money.

He also didn’t know how the system would upgrade and change once he reached the transcendent realm…