Chapter 443

Chapter 443: First Clash of Two Emperors

The Taihang Mountains of the Yuan Realm, Pangu universe.

Martial Emperor Lingxiao descended.

"This emperor, Martial Emperor Lingxiao, the foremost power of the Cangyue universe, has come to visit the Heavenly Emperor of the Ancient Heavenly Court, Li Ruoyu." Lingxiao Martial Emperor bellowed with laughter, his voice thunderous, echoing across the entire Taihang Mountains.

"He came after all…"

Heavenly Emperor Li Ruoyu furrowed his sword-like brows. The day the Golden List of the Unparalleled Rankings was announced, he had known this day would arrive.

He flew out of his cultivation ground, arriving through the air.

"So it is the Heavenly Emperor."

Martial Emperor Lingxiao examined Li Ruoyu. "However, the title of number one on the Golden List of the Unparalleled Rankings… that crown does not seem to fit you. Today, this emperor will test exactly how much you are worth!"

"Daoist friend, hold."

Li Ruoyu said, "The number one spot on the Unparalleled Golden List… if you desire it, take it. I do not covet it."

"Are you implying," Martial Emperor Lingxiao sneered coldly, "that this emperor covets something you deem unworthy?"

"…"

Li Ruoyu was momentarily speechless. Hadn’t he clearly meant he didn’t want to be number one? Whoever wanted it could have it.

"If the Daoist friend desires to be number one on the Unparalleled Golden List, I am willing to yield it to you," Li Ruoyu patiently explained a second time.

Martial Emperor Lingxiao ranked third on the Unparalleled Golden List; his full strength undoubtedly surpassed Li Ruoyu’s current Innate Dao Body.

If it were his original body, Li Ruoyu wouldn’t fear him at all.

However, this Innate Dao Body existed only to protect his original form as he pursued his second path of transcendence. While its power exceeded that of Immortal Emperors like Daoist Qing Xuan, it still fell short when compared to Martial Emperor Lingxiao.

"Heh heh…"

Martial Emperor Lingxiao’s majestic aura radiated magnificence. "This emperor certainly aims for number one – not by having it handed to him, but by fighting his way there with his own fists!"

With those words, Li Ruoyu instantly knew this matter could not be settled peacefully.

"Then come," Li Ruoyu announced solemnly.

Clang!

Martial Emperor Lingxiao’s hair and beard flew as if stirred by wind. The Lingxiao Sword materialized in his grasp. Ranked fifth on the divine weapons list, this sword had been forged from his vital energy and refined with his thirty-three Great Daos, bound to his very life.

"Great Zhou Heaven Sword Art!"

He took a single step. The void beneath his feet shattered like glass, and the entire Taihang Mountain instantly turned to dust, filling the air.

Clang!

Martial Emperor Lingxiao swept his sword downward. Sword light flowed endlessly, seeming to contain a boundless universe as it descended toward Li Ruoyu.

"Heavenly Emperor’s World-Suppressing Fist!"

Li Ruoyu raised his fist to meet the attack.

Boom!

He shattered Martial Emperor Lingxiao’s Sword Intent Realm with a single punch, but his fist was also cut by the Lingxiao Sword, leaving a fine wound. In this first exchange, Li Ruoyu found himself at a disadvantage.

"Your physical body shouldn’t be this weak," Martial Emperor Lingxiao frowned, puzzled. "If this was all you could do, you couldn’t have become number one on the Golden List of the Unparalleled Rankings."

"Save your nonsense!"

Li Ruoyu activated the Heavenly Emperor Scripture. The Hongmeng Primordial Talisman flew out from his Purple Palace. Hongmeng Purple Energy surged for hundreds of thousands of miles, encompassing the entire world within the talisman as endless Symbols imprinted upon the void.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Primordial Talisman manifested myriad Daos, encompassing all creation. Countless divine abilities assaulted Martial Emperor Lingxiao in an instant.

"Fine treasure indeed."

A faint gleam lit Martial Emperor Lingxiao’s eyes. "This time, this Emperor will show you the strength of my physical body."

"Hongmeng Body Tempering Art!"

He let out a long cry, his physical form shuddering violently. His flesh and blood seemed to transform into Chaotic Particles, possessing substance yet no fixed form, like an original chaotic storm as he surged towards Li Ruoyu.

The countless divine abilities striking into the chaotic storm vanished utterly.

The power of the Hongmeng Primordial Talisman couldn’t harm Martial Emperor Lingxiao in the slightest.

Li Ruoyu felt his head swell like a bucket. Martial Emperor Lingxiao’s tenacity far exceeded his expectations.

"Master, you’ve truly given me a big surprise," Li Ruoyu ground his teeth, a choking sense of humiliation rising in his heart.

Were it not for his true body undergoing the tribulation of severing the three bodies, a single Martial Emperor Lingxiao wouldn’t have posed any problem.

"All Laws Return to the Source!"

Li Ruoyu formed hand seals. From within the Hongmeng Primordial Talisman, the Innate Primordial Talisman Path erupted. At this very moment, all the myriad laws of heaven and earth were unified into the Innate Primordial Talisman Path.

Swoosh!

A finger, like purple jade, emerged from the Hongmeng Primordial Talisman, entirely condensed from the essence of the Innate Primordial Talisman Path.

Kaboom!

The Innate Primordial Talisman Path struck Martial Emperor Lingxiao, instantly cleaving him in two. The power of the Primordial Talisman Path invaded his body; countless divine patterns split and multiplied, filling the Chaotic Particles, striving to rend Martial Emperor Lingxiao into countless fragments.

"Hahaha…"

"That felt GOOD!"

Martial Emperor Lingxiao’s voice echoed from countless directions. "It’s been too long since this Emperor encountered a foe worthy of his full strength! The title ‘Heavenly Emperor’, you deserve it!"

Crack!

The countless Chaotic Particles erupted with boundless light, forcibly refining the Primordial Talisman Path and reassembling into a flawless physical body. Martial Emperor Lingxiao stepped forward, traversed infinite space, and hurled a punch at Li Ruoyu.

"Ultimate Great Luo Heaven!"

Seeing the dangerous turn, Li Ruoyu immediately invoked Yi Tianxing’s space unified divine ability.

Swoosh!

Infinite space blossomed like lotus petals, and Li Ruoyu vanished from Martial Emperor Lingxiao’s perception.

"Hiding like a coward, what skill is that?"

"Get out here!"

Martial Emperor Lingxiao roared, his fists shattering voids one after another, locking onto Li Ruoyu’s aura as he charged into the Ultimate Great Luo Heaven.

"Huh?"

Martial Emperor Lingxiao’s expression shifted slightly.

"It seems your mastery of space is not weak—the void is nearly turning into a vacuum," Martial Emperor Lingxiao praised.

"My teacher taught well."

Li Ruoyu said lightly.

"A pity. Trying to trap This Emperor with the Great Dao of Space is nothing but wishful thinking."

Clang!

Martial Emperor Lingxiao summoned the Lingxiao Sword, layers upon layers of Great Dao swirling around it. "Sword Splits Heaven and Earth!"

As the imperial sword emerged, yin and yang split apart, heaven and earth overturned.

Crack!

Martial Emperor Lingxiao pierced through the Ultimate Great Luo Heaven with a single thrust, pinpointing Li Ruoyu’s location. Yin and Yang energies anchored the void, firmly imprisoning him.

The sword tip loomed larger and larger in Li Ruoyu’s pupils.

Splash!

At that instant, the sound of rushing water erupted. Beneath Li Ruoyu’s feet, the River of Time suddenly manifested. Surging waves swallowed him, pulling him into the currents.

"The Great Dao of Time?"

"Interesting, truly interesting," Martial Emperor Lingxiao laughed heartily.

Whoosh!

He plunged into the River of Time, but looking around, he found no trace of Li Ruoyu.

"Did that damn bastard escape?"

Martial Emperor Lingxiao thundered with rage. He had just begun warming up, yet Li Ruoyu had already fled?

"That cowardly wretch deserves to be called Heavenly Emperor? Deserves the number one spot on the Golden List of the Unparalleled Rankings?" Martial Emperor Lingxiao fumed.

"Even if you flee to the ends of the earth, This Emperor will find you."

"Until I defeat you, This Emperor shall not return to the Cangyue universe."

Martial Emperor Lingxiao flew toward Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

In this world, only one person could accurately reveal Li Ruoyu’s location—the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

…

"Master."

As dusk fell, a shadow landed before Heaven’s Secret Pavilion. Li Ruoyu’s aura was slightly scattered, his face etched with helplessness.

Avoiding confrontation entirely was impossible; otherwise, he would never have come here.

"Daoist friend has already crossed blades with Martial Emperor Lingxiao?" Ye Xu asked, barely holding back his laughter, adopting a serious tone. "It appears you came off worse in the engagement."

Inside Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, only Xixi and Ye Xu remained.

The others were out roaming.

"Senior, have some tea."

Xixi offered a cup.

"Was Our identity exposed by the Master?" Li Ruoyu accepted the tea and asked steadily.

Ye Xu nodded.

"Unavoidable, I’m afraid. Daoist friend, as number one on the Golden List of the Unparalleled Rankings, casts far too bright a shadow. Martial Emperor Lingxiao is only the first. Many more will seek to challenge your prowess."

"…"

Li Ruoyu understood.

He, too, had become a pawn for Heaven’s Secret Pavilion to earn money.

He simply refused to become a second Emperor Tianzi.

"Merely a month after the battle against the Heavens, and Li Ruoyu has already taken the first step in severing his three bodies—quite impressive," Ye Xu mused, a strange light flashing in his eyes.

Li Ruoyu’s innermost thoughts could no longer be hidden from him.

Three days earlier, his true self had successfully severed his past self and was now recuperating.

It wouldn’t be long before Li Ruoyu severed his present self as well.

His strength could truly be hailed as the foremost of the current age.

Within the eight great universes, at least, no single entity surpassed him in raw power.

Li Ruoyu, of course, remained unaware that his secrets were laid bare before Ye Xu.

Yet to him, even if Ye Xu knew, it mattered little.

Before, lacking security and witnessing Pangu’s fall firsthand, he had dared not sever his three bodies.

But after acquiring the Innate Dao Seed and the Ziwei Spirit Root, all reservations vanished.

Even if severing the three bodies failed, his Innate Dao Body would remain indestructible. He would still be the Heavenly Emperor, still able to harness the creation of the Tianyuan to enter the Taihuang Ancient Realm and seize the opportunity for transcendence.

After a long silence, Li Ruoyu spoke slowly.

"Master, this time We have come to Heaven’s Secret Pavilion… seeking to reside here for a while."