Chapter 225

Chapter 225: The Epoch Golden Book; The Dao King Falls into the Trap

"Father Emperor, will you still be staying?" Deep within Lian Jiuyou’s gaze flickered a trace of confusion, but he did not dwell on it excessively, instead remaining focused on worrying about the Green Lotus Demon Emperor’s condition.

The Green Lotus Demon Emperor gave a slight nod. "The fragments of rules have merged; the origin of the Yuan Realm is about to emerge. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth will soon reach its peak, unprecedented in all time. This is an opportunity to increase cultivation and augment strength," the Green Lotus Demon Emperor said coldly.

Lian Jiuyou frowned. The Green Lotus Demon Emperor seemed like a completely different person, utterly unfamiliar to him. However, Lian Jiuyou internally reasoned that this was because the Green Lotus Demon Emperor had been trapped within the Burial Soil, deprived of sunlight throughout the year, which led to his current state.

Boom! With the effort extended by the Black-robed Immortal King’s single arm, the fragments of rules belonging to the Yuan Realm finally merged completely within a short span. Majestic golden streams of light cascaded down from the sky, golden springs gushed up from the earth, and vast quantities of spiritual energy poured down like rain, showering the world.

"I can sense it… the Yuan Realm of old has returned…" Meng Changan stood together with Meng Feixian, his Divine Sense enveloping the surroundings as he perceived the transformation of the Yuan Realm.

"Our homeland has finally returned," came the sighing voices from one true immortal’s cave after another. "Is this indeed the Yuan Realm at its zenith?" The white-bearded old man exclaimed in wonder. The concentration of spiritual energy in the Yuan Realm was more than tenfold that of his native world.

"When things reach an extreme, they reverse," the middle-aged Daoist nun remarked, consumed with envy. "After declining for ten million years, the Yuan Realm has suddenly restored itself to its peak. Who knows how many Great Emperors, Emperor Venerables, and even true immortals will emerge in the days to come?"

Hum! Suddenly, golden light appeared in the heavens like radiant clouds, divine light surged, and ancient characters flew forth from the rules of the Yuan Realm. The sound of the Dao reverberated like the tolling of great bells, reaching every quarter. Each character emanated a golden brilliance, flowing with Dao rhythm.

Every single character seemed to contain a profound Great Dao rule, enigmatic and unfathomable. Countless pairs of eyes blazed with fervor. Even Meng Changan, the Green Robe Drunkard, and the man in yellow who had fled hundreds of thousands of miles distant felt their hearts stirred.

"My lord, the Epoch Golden Book has revealed itself. Do you not wish to seize it?" The Black-robed Immortal King looked towards the youth before him and inquired with a bow. The youth clothed in black shook his head. "Times have changed. The Epoch Golden Book will choose its master itself. Let it be left to one who has a use for it." The present was different from the past. That which the world revered as a supreme treasure, the Epoch Golden Book, had already become something that hardly mattered anymore to the youth in black.

The myriad ancient characters gradually converged into a single golden book. The Great Dao of Great Emperors and Emperor Venerables resonated with it in unison. "What is this?" exclaimed the white-bearded old man in shock. That this golden book could stir resonance within his own Great Dao indicated its origins were bound to be astonishingly immense.

"The legendary Epoch Golden Book…" Light flashed in the eyes of Emperor Venerable Four Extremes. He had heard tales of the Epoch Golden Book, said to be formed by the gathering of the Yuan Realm’s rule power. To grasp the Epoch Golden Book was equivalent to seizing control over the Yuan Realm’s rules. The legendary Epoch Golden Book had once had three masters.

Ancestor of Humans, Heavenly Emperor, Human Emperor.

All three possessed the grand fortune of the Yuan Realm. Beyond that, no one in history had ever obtained the Epoch Golden Book.

"Junior Brother Nangong, you bear the luck of the Yuan Realm. This Epoch Golden Book is a supreme treasure crafted just for you. Claim what is rightfully yours!" Lin Qianmo fixed her gaze on Nangong Zhandao and shouted.

"Right!"

Nangong Zhandao snapped out of his daze and immediately urged the Creation spiritual embryo toward the Epoch Golden Book floating mid-air.

Though wounded, the Creation spiritual embryo remained a true immortal level entity. As it surged forward, not a single Emperor Venerable dared block its path.

"This is the supreme treasure of the Yuan Realm. It must not fall into outsider hands!"

A furious shout erupted from the true immortal’s cave of the peacock divine clan. A Seven-colored Feather soared out, its Seven-colored divine light forming a domain of the Great Dao that swept downward. Laws, the Great Dao, spiritual energy, and magic power shattered instantly under its touch.

The Creation spiritual embryo lifted its arm, radiant with treasure light, and met the Seven-colored Feather head-on.

Boom!

The seven-colored immortal light exploded. The Feather shattered like glass, scattering into fragments.

The Creation spiritual embryo swept a cold glance over the true immortal’s cave. Strands of the Great Dao of creation intertwined, morphing into an immortal sword that slashed down.

Boom!!!

Countless immortal lights and divine patterns surged from the true immortal’s cave, revealing a top-tier defense formation. A peacock materialized in the world, radiating ten thousand beams of immortal light as it released a piercing cry.

Crack!

The descending Great Dao of creation cleaved the peacock in two with a single sword strike. The true immortal’s cave trembled violently as heaven seemed to collapse and the earth gave way.

In that moment, all Emperor Venerables fell silent.

Though the Creation spiritual embryo couldn’t match the man in yellow, it was clear that a group of Emperor Venerables was utterly incapable of subduing it.

Even for the ancient divine clans commanding true immortal’s caves.

"Is this youth the child of fortune you spoke of?" Meng Changan looked toward Meng Feixian.

Meng Feixian gave a slight nod.

"The youth shows pure sincerity. It wouldn’t disgrace the book to land in his hands." Meng Changan smiled, showing no intent to seize it.

Truth be told, he kept another reason to himself: the Epoch Golden Book chose its masters. Every previous master bore the Yuan Realm’s grand fortune. Nangong Zhandao was undoubtedly destined to be the fourth. Even if he acted, it would achieve nothing and might even invite backlash.

The Green Robe Drunkard understood this too and simply watched the events unfold.

"Enormous fortune already rests upon this youth. If he gains the Epoch Golden Book now, it will only make him even more powerful. We cannot let this succeed," Dao King’s eyes held dark ruthlessness as he gripped the Taihuang Purple Gold Hammer, barely restraining himself.

Nangong Zhandao, commanding the Creation spiritual embryo, had suppressed the peacock divine clan in a single blow. A chill swept the entire hall.

If the combined strength of an entire clan couldn’t withstand one Creation spiritual embryo, how could they dare act recklessly?

Whoosh!

At that very moment, Dao King moved.

Like a phantom, he vanished from his original spot in an instant, slipping into the void and reappearing beside Nangong Zhandao.

Clang!

He swung the Taihuang Purple Gold Hammer. Purple qi swirled as bizarre divine patterns danced through the air, instantly enveloping Nangong Zhandao. The Purple Gold Hammer smashed toward Nangong Zhandao’s head.

This strike wasn’t meant to take Nangong Zhandao’s life; it aimed to seize his fortune.

Once that fortune was stolen, Nangong Zhandao would surely fail to gain the recognition of the Epoch Golden Book. Who ended up possessing that Epoch Golden Book would then become uncertain.

“I’ve been waiting for you to make your move.”

Hiding in the shadows, the Duobao Daoist watched the Dao King’s every action.

With a shift in his thoughts, endless divine light suddenly erupted throughout heaven and earth. Divine patterns transformed like dragons, phoenixes, birds, fish, tigers, and lions, shifting through countless forms.

Boom!

A true dragon roared across the sky. A massive claw pressed down, severely damaging the Taihuang Purple Gold Hammer and violently knocking it from the Dao King’s grasp. The Dao King himself was slammed deep into the void’s farthest reaches, landing at the very core of a formation.

Rumble!

This formation resembled a massive altar, built upon the void itself, ceaselessly draining the Yuan Realm’s spiritual energy.

The Duobao Daoist had waited all this time precisely for the Yuan Realm’s spiritual energy to fully recover and its essence to manifest, thereby luring the Dao King into action.

He knew well the Dao King’s insatiable greed—he would never abandon the Epoch Golden Book.

And the key to the Epoch Golden Book was none other than Nangong Zhandao.

As long as he kept an eye on Nangong Zhandao, the Dao King would willingly walk into the trap.

Everything was unfolding according to plan.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Countless divine patterns shifted, fitting together perfectly like interlocking gears. The entire altar functioned as a precision-engineered killing machine, each segment intricately connected.

The first layer of divine power erupted. Heaven and earth underwent a great change, reverting to the chaotic primordial times of antiquity. All things vanished, and Innate Divine Beings were born from the cosmos, descending into the mortal world.

The Dao King’s cultivation base was instantly suppressed, his full strength impossible to unleash.

“Duobao Daoist!”

In that instant, the Dao King understood who was behind this.

Gnashing his teeth, he looked up and roared furiously.

“Good grand-disciple, this is an offering from your humble Daoist. Accept it well.”

The Duobao Daoist looked down upon him, his eyes filled with nothing but contempt and icy indifference.

“Boundless Celestial Lord…”

The Duobao Daoist pressed his palms together, radiating lethal intent.