Chapter 175

Chapter 175: Great Emperor Ziwei

Tianxu was at one extreme of the Sea of All Realms, incredibly distant from the Yuan Realm. Even if Ye Xu traveled with all his might, it would take him a minimum of four to five days to reach it.

Ye Xu wasn’t anxious. The Dao King and the others knew the location of the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest, but they couldn’t rush there in a short time either.

Moreover, the Great Emperors of the major powers still needed to return to their sects to report.

Therefore, it would take at least ten days to reach the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest.

"Why have so many Great Emperors suddenly appeared on the Sea of All Realms?"

Ye Xu’s gaze sharpened. Tower ships were numerous, jostling like a hundred boats racing downstream, all moving in the same direction – towards Tianxu.

This phenomenon was absolutely not a coincidence.

"Someone must have leaked information about the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest, wanting to muddy the waters and exploit the chaos." An answer quickly surfaced in Ye Xu’s mind.

Duobao Daoist.

The various sects guarded the news tightly; it was impossible for the message to leak and invite others to take a share.

It could only be Duobao Daoist.

Ye Xu gave a faint smile. As expected of that old geezer, full of tricks.

Several days later, numerous tower ships sailed into a barren world.

Tianxu.

As its name suggested, it was a place of ruins. The firmament was spider-webbed with cracks. The land was desolate and bleak, strewn with remnants of broken walls.

The entire world was permeated by an aura of lifeless stillness.

A chilly wind moaned, having long since desiccated countless corpses, leaving skeletons scattered upon the ground.

Legend had it that Tianxu was what remained after a world met its destruction and end. It brimmed with the power of decay and extinction and hid countless, immensely ferocious beasts – a place of extreme peril.

As the tower ships sailed into Tianxu, one after another, they vanished.

Ye Xu had walked some distance when he suddenly heard an earth-shattering roar.

He saw a Great Emperor enveloped in a purple aura, locked in hand-to-hand combat with a Suanni! Man and beast fought fiercely, blow for blow, inextricably locked in battle.

Bang!

That Great Emperor’s vital life force blazed like a furnace, seemingly inexhaustible. Like a war machine, each fist shattered the void, hammering the Suanni into constant retreat, leaving it utterly powerless to fight back.

All around, numerous auras had been hiding; clearly, people were lying in wait to watch the tigers fight from the mountaintop.

This Suanni was a descendant of an ancient god lineage, with formidable bloodline strength. Its power had already reached the late Great Emperor realm.

That Great Emperor’s cultivation base was even stronger; he had attained the peak of the emperor realm.

Roar!

Several breaths later, the Suanni let out another mighty bellow. The world around it began to warp. Innumerable streaks of golden light melted the heavens and the earth, burning its own life force as it unleashed a final, devastating assault upon the Great Emperor.

"Foolish beast! Do you think you can overthrow the heavens?" The Great Emperor sneered in contempt. He clenched his right hand into a fist imprint, then swung. It was like watching a star plummet. Instantly, he shattered the Suanni’s Dao Laws, his fist striking true on the beast’s head.

Thud!

The Suanni’s head exploded, brains splattering in all directions. A streak of golden light burst forth, attempting to flee.

But that Great Emperor reached out and grasped, trapping the Suanni’s primordial spirit.

Bang!

Suddenly, a flash of cyan light illuminated the scene, the resonance of a sword filled the void, its fierce aura shredding the Great Emperor’s vital essence, slashing towards his right hand in an attempt to sever it and seize the Suanni primordial spirit.

Ye Xu frowned slightly, flicked his finger, channeling the power of destruction within Tianxu. It coalesced into a radiant divine dagger that descended with devastating force to meet the cyan sword aura.

Rumble!

As the power of the Great Dao from each collided, the very void trembled. The Path of Oblivion manifest effortlessly shattered the sword aura.

A muffled grunt echoed in the void, followed by the swift departure of that presence.

Witnessing this, the Great Emperors hidden nearby melted away into silence.

That Great Emperor was momentarily stunned. He turned to look at Ye Xu, who had intervened. Realization dawned, and he clasped his fists in respectful salute, laughing heartily, "Many thanks, Daoist friend, for lending a hand! I am Ziwei. Fellow cultivators are kind enough to address me as Great Emperor Ziwei!"

The purple qi dissipated, revealing a powerfully built figure. Great Emperor Ziwei radiated an intense yang energy. His bright, focused eyes shone within a square-jawed face now spread with a wide, inviting smile, giving off a genuinely approachable aura.

A flicker crossed Ye Xu’s gaze.

Great Emperor Ziwei’s strength was truly formidable. If one were to compile a Great Emperor List across all realms, this person would undoubtedly secure a place.

"No need for thanks," Ye Xu smiled, "I simply have little tolerance for villains who ambush from the shadows. Hence, I acted."

"Heh…" Great Emperor Ziwei chuckled, his face etched with disdain, "Villains who only know how to strike in the dark. Their lifetime achievement was barely noticeable, hardly worth worrying about."

"This Suanni possessed significant power. Daoist friend Ziwei subdued it with such ease; truly impressive," Ye Xu remarked.

"But that can’t compare to your deed," Great Emperor Ziwei countered genuinely impressed, "A mere flick of your finger summoned the power of Oblivion from Tianxu, repelling with a single strike a sneaky villain whose cultivation was at the peak among Great Emperors."

"You flatter me." Ye Xu found the praise highly agreeable, reveling fully in the satisfaction.

As he cultivated the Creation Heart Sutra, mastering the Great Dao of creation, achieving clarity in a singular method opened comprehension to countless more. Except for a very few unique cosmic principles like the power of the Heavenly Dao—forces beyond his immediate grasp—any of the Great Dao rules, he could employ effortlessly as though plucking them ready-made.

Of course, this Second Primordial Spirit Avatar was formed from a seven-colored divine stone, inherently containing Heavenly Dao power, which he could access.

While only an avatar, its power unquestionably ranked among the very peak of Great Emperors.

"And how may I address you fellow Daoist?" Great Emperor Ziwei inquired.

"Ye… Qing Xuan…" Ye Xu paused, nearly blurting out his real name. Fortunately, his thoughts were quick; he instantly substituted it for another name.

"Ye Qing Xuan…"

Great Emperor Ziwei pondered briefly, as though trying to recall the name Ye Qing Xuan.

However, possessing skills like this, it wouldn’t be long before the name Ye Qing Xuan resonated throughout the Heavens.

"Fellow Daoist, how do you plan to handle this Suanni?" Ye Xu asked.

"Of course we eat it."

Great Emperor Ziwei chuckled heartily, "Brother Ye, this ancient divine beast tastes supreme. I guarantee you’ll crave seconds after the first bite."

"Running into me? That Suanni was downright unlucky."

Boom!

Great Emperor Ziwei ground his palms together, chaotic energy erupting forth. The Suanni’s primordial spirit instantly shattered into dust, transforming into streams of divine light that rained down upon its physical body.

"Is it really that delicious?" Seeing Great Emperor Ziwei practically salivating, eyes gleaming intensely, Ye Xu muttered under his breath.

"You’ll understand after you taste it."

Great Emperor Ziwei channeled his magical power, and a bean-sized purple divine flame flew out.

"Good grief."

Ye Xu felt simultaneously amused and exasperated. An emperor-grade divine flame used for… barbecuing?

Yet a thought struck him: the Suanni was an ancient divine beast with emperor realm cultivation. Without an emperor-grade flame, one probably couldn’t even pierce its hide, let alone roast the meat.

"Trust me."

Great Emperor Ziwei thumped his chest reassuringly. With a shring, a divine sword leapt from its sheath.

With a mighty sweep of his hand, sword light danced, neatly peeling the fur off the ancient Suanni.

The carcass was truly massive, like a mountain.

A solid quarter-hour later, Great Emperor Ziwei finally completed the first step.

The Suanni meat glistened, snow-white and tremendously appetizing.

After thoroughly cleaning the carcass, he immediately summoned the Purple Divine Fire. The divine flame roared, instantly engulfing the colossal body of the ancient Suanni.

The Purple Divine Fire burned relentlessly, liquefying the surrounding void, yet it miraculously didn’t char the Suanni flesh.

Clearly an expert, Great Emperor Ziwei controlled the heat with practiced skill. The Suanni meat roasted to a perfect golden hue, its oils continually refined out, saturating the air with an intoxicating aroma.

The fragrance drifted for miles, inevitably attracting countless Great Emperors.

"Scram!"

Ye Xu raised his index finger. A sliver of sword energy pierced heaven and earth, its annihilating power coalescing and transforming ten thousand leagues into forbidden territory. The Emperors hiding in the shadows were forced into the open.

"Utterly untouchable."

A chill of dread ran through the Emperors, and they fled in disarray.

That casual display of power – none dared face it head-on unless possessing peak Emperor strength.

And this was merely a flick of Ye Xu’s wrist. Who could tell if this devastatingly handsome young man was perhaps some ancient, undying Emperor Venerable?

"Done."

Unfazed, Great Emperor Ziwei remained wholly focused on roasting.

Half an incense stick later, he produced various seasonings and sprinkled them generously over the Suanni meat. Waves of fragrant spiciness assaulted their senses.

Ye Xu could only manage a wry smile, half-amused, half-dismayed.

A dignified Great Emperor carrying cumin, chili powder, and assorted spices… Great Emperor Ziwei was truly a real character.

However, when Ye Xu took a bite of the Suanni meat, his mouth instantly watered, and his eyes widened in astonishment.

Great Emperor Ziwei’s culinary method, while rather crude, showcased the Suanni as exceptional ingredients—it truly melted in the mouth and tingled the scalp.

"Brother Ye, your way of eating is too frugal. A real man drinks wine heartily and feasts on meat generously.

"Here!"

With a mere thought from Great Emperor Ziwei, two jars of aged wine materialized out of thin air. "This is Ten-Thousand-Year Blossom Brew—mellow, sweet, fragrant, and lingering on the palate.

"Try it."

"Then I shan’t stand on ceremony."

Ye Xu grabbed a wine jar and gulped down a hearty swig.

"Superb wine!"

"Superb wine calls for superb meat!"

Even as he spoke, Great Emperor Ziwei tore off the Suanni’s leg—over ten meters long—and devoured it with gusto.

"Brother Ye, how is it you’re only eating the meat and not drinking the wine?"

Before long, Ye Xu had consumed two-thirds of the Suanni meat. Great Emperor Ziwei felt like weeping but had no tears left.

"Burp…"

Eating meat as he drank, Ye Xu soon glowed with a ruddy complexion and expelled a long, satisfied belch.

"Brother Yu, your culinary skills are beyond reproach."

"But of course!"

Great Emperor Ziwei wore no hint of modesty. The alcoholic flush reddened his face as he declared proudly, "The things I make are rarely shared with others. Only you, Brother Ye—finding such immediate resonance."

"A pity we cannot drink ourselves into oblivion together today.

"Within Tianxu lies the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest—a treasure trove that has endured for ages. I cannot let wine delay vital affairs."

"Brother Ye, you too have surely come for the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest?"

"Naturally."

Ye Xu nodded.

"On my journey here, I sighted numerous Great Emperors. Likely, word of the Forest has spread far and wide. Many monks, but little porridge—securing ample treasure will prove no simple feat."

Great Emperor Ziwei deeply concurred.

"Rumor has it that Heaven’s Secret Pavilion divined the Forest’s location. Yet who leaked such knowledge remains a mystery."

"In my view, the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion is genuinely formidable."

Raising a thumb in admiration, Great Emperor Ziwei swallowed another mouthful of wine. "Knowing the Forest’s position yet proclaiming it openly? Truly, the mark of an exalted master.

"In all my days, it is such individuals who command my reverence."

Ye Xu’s expression turned awkward.

Hearing Great Emperor Ziwei extol him as noble, lofty, and transcendent—even Ye Xu’s thick-skinned nature felt shamed.

Were Ziwei to learn that the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion stood before him—that Ye Xu himself had, solely for the Forest’s treasures, forged a Second Primordial Spirit Avatar—what spectacular expression might arise?

BOOM!

Suddenly, an earthshaking blast erupted from the southeast.

Seven-colored divine light coiled between heaven and earth.

An ancient aura was awakening.