Chapter 462

Chapter 462: The Heavenly Emperor’s Ascension

"Daoist friend Mu, if you keep holding on stubbornly, you’ll surely die," Yi Daoist solemnly declared. "Our targets are the Heavenly Emperor and Daoist friend Taisu. This doesn’t concern you. Why stake your life for them?"

Mu Fanyin smiled faintly. The furrow between her brows vanished, and her entire body eased.

"Something’s amiss," murmured Yi Daoist, a seasoned strategist who sensed trouble instantly.

"Stubborn fool!" Martial Emperor Lingxiao gripped his Lingxiao Sword coldly. "This Emperor shall slay you first, then execute the chief culprit."

"Block me and perish!" Chaos Immortal Emperor thundered.

"Daoist friend Lingxiao," a voice drifted lazily from afar. "Haven’t you always longed to battle Us?"

From the depths of the Heavenly Emperor’s dojo, Li Ruoyu stepped forward. He traversed boundless space and arrived in an instant.

An imperial aura radiated from him. Cosmic time and space froze under his momentum. The great Daos of all heavens were suppressed. An immense, crushing weight emanated from Li Ruoyu.

The eighteen Immortal Emperors tensed gravely. They had to approach the strongest of the lower plane universe with utmost caution.

Chaos Immortal Emperor clutched the Chaotic Tree, bracing for combat.

"Is this your true form?" Martial Emperor Lingxiao stared hard at Li Ruoyu.

Yet he found himself utterly incapable of seeing through the figure before him.

Yi Daoist’s heart pounded violently. Records from Heaven’s Secret Pavilion stated Li Ruoyu’s true form was undergoing the pivotal self-severing of three bodies. If he hadn’t succeeded, his presence here was impossible.

"He succeeded!" Yi Daoist subtly retreated, clutching the bisected Cosmic Chessboard, his expression severely grave. At the first sign of peril, he would flee.

"Hahahaha!" Immortal Daoist laughed loudly. "They say the Heavenly Emperor’s physical body is the lower plane universe’s number one fierce weapon! This Daoist longs to see whether your flesh is tougher… or my Undying Heavenly Coffin mightier!"

"Immortal Daoist, permit this venerable to go first," Sword Master declared, his finger aiming an invisible sword at Li Ruoyu.

Qin Emperor’s spirit shuddered. A grim foreboding rose within him.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty!" Immortal Emperor Taisu greeted with a graceful salute, a bright smile lighting his face.

"Congratulations, Daoist brother," Mu Fanyin echoed the felicitations.

"Run!"

Yi Daoist’s pupils constricted violently. Already sensing danger, he had no further doubt upon seeing Taisu and Mu Fanyin’s stances. His magical power erupted as he turned and fled.

Qin Emperor, quick-witted himself, instantly realized the source of his unease.

He stowed away his Three Lives Zither and vanished like greased lightning.

"These two…"

Anyone not a fool could sense the peril.

Everyone scattered like startled birds and beasts.

The eighteen Immortal Emperors fled in all directions.

"A guest deserves hospitality. As your host, I’ve yet to properly receive you all. Dear friends, why rush to leave?" Li Ruoyu chuckled lightly. Without even lifting a hand, the entire realm fell into the palm of his grasp.

Though fleeing through endless time and space, Yi Daoist, Qin Emperor, Chaos Immortal Emperor, and the others remained captured within Li Ruoyu’s palm in the eyes of Taisu and Mu Fanyin.

"How does Your Majesty intend to deal with them?" Immortal Emperor Taisu inquired.

"Kill."

A single word escaped Li Ruoyu’s lips.

Had Mu Fanyin not risked her life to stop them, the eighteen would have breached the Heavenly Emperor’s dojo long ago, causing his plan to fail. Now, with victory secure, Li Ruoyu had no intention of sparing them.

His hand slowly closed. His expression was as placid as still water, as if the eighteen Immortal Emperors were but insects beneath his gaze, utterly insignificant.

Swish!

Suddenly, a flash of azure light shot across the sky, like a sliver of sword radiance. It sliced through the space-timescape in Li Ruoyu’s palm. Yi Daoist and the other seventeen Immortal Emperors burst free from Li Ruoyu’s divine power.

"He transcended…"

Martial Emperor Lingxiao froze in place, gripped by shock, fear, and bitter envy.

"This subordinate welcomes Earth Mother!" Yi Daoist, Qin Emperor, and Chaos Immortal Emperor knelt respectfully mid-air, facing southeast.

"Welcome Earth Mother!" The other Immortal Emperors recovered their wits and promptly bowed in reverence.

"It’s her…" Recognition dawned instantly on Li Ruoyu. In all of the Pangu universe, only one person could break his divine power: the woman he had once seen beyond the ultimate void.

Several figures emerged from the horizon. Ninth Young Master’s robes billowed, his aura peerless and captivating. His gaze toward Li Ruoyu held open admiration.

"Congratulations, Daoist friend," Lin Qianmo clasped her hands in salute, her expression carrying a hint of astonishment.

She never imagined Li Ruoyu could self-sever his three bodies and successfully enter the transcendent realm before the Taihuang Ancient Realm even opened.

Li Ruoyu gave a slight nod, his eyes shifting to Ninth Young Master. "Young Master, do you intend to save them?"

Ninth Young Master nodded lightly with his head. "They pledged fealty to this lord days ago. As their master, how could I stand idly by and watch them perish?"

"Daoist friend, do me this favor," the Ninth Young Master requested.

"Regard today’s matter as if it never happened."

Immortal Emperor Taisu’s expression turned grim.

Eighteen Immortal Emperors joined forces to surround and kill; if not for Li Ruoyu taking the final step, none of the three of them would have survived.

With just one sentence from the Ninth Young Master, he insisted that Li Ruoyu set this matter aside, which was overly domineering.

Mu Fanyin appeared tranquil and composed.

Given Li Ruoyu’s temperament, he firmly rejected the Ninth Young Master’s demand.

"No problem," he replied.

Li Ruoyu smiled.

Bang!

As his words fell, Martial Emperor Lingxiao’s physical body suddenly exploded without warning, and his primordial spirit was instantly obliterated into nothingness by a tyrannical and immense power.

He was fifth on the Golden List of the Unparalleled Rankings, and his soul had vanished.

"Daoist brother Lingxiao!" Chaos Immortal Emperor, Sword Master, and Immortal Daoist cried out in shock and terror.

Right in front of the Ninth Young Master, the Heavenly Emperor had dared to strike at them?

"Audacious!" Divine Ancestor and Demon Ancestor scolded.

Ninth Young Master’s phoenix eyes gleamed with killing intent, and his expression chilled slightly.

"Daoist friend, I have given you face," Li Ruoyu said expressionlessly. "However, this person repeatedly humiliated me; if I didn’t kill him, it would disturb my thoughts."

Li Ruoyu’s action had already shown considerable face to the Ninth Young Master.

Otherwise, given his nature, he would have fought to the death—why would he have killed only Martial Emperor Lingxiao?

Li Ruoyu’s gaze grew profound.

In the lower realm, he had no fear of the Ninth Young Master.

But he was ultimately bound for Ascension to Hongmeng Dao Realm, and Ninth Young Master’s origins were clearly extraordinary, for he was likely a significant figure in Hongmeng Dao Realm.

Li Ruoyu could not drive matters to the brink.

"A bunch of disgraceful trash!" Ninth Young Master fumed indignantly. "What are you waiting for? Get out of here!"

"Your subordinate takes his leave!" they responded.

The seventeen Immortal Emperors fled in fear and panic.

"Thinking of leaving so easily?" Li Ruoyu sneered.

"Your Majesty, what orders are there?" they asked.

The crowd seemed rooted to the spot, not daring to step forward.

"Hand over my past self and present self," he commanded.

Immortal Daoist and Qin Emperor felt chills down their spines, immediately releasing their suppressed past self and present self.

"We thank Your Majesty for sparing our lives."

The crowd felt stifled and resentful.

Though clearly in the right, they’d ultimately been forced to bow submissively with lowered heads.

In the end, might dictated right.

"I hope to see you retain this arrogance when we meet again in the Hongmeng Dao Realm." Ninth Young Master cast a profound glance at Li Ruoyu before vanishing into the void with Lin Qianmo and her party.

"Earth Mother, that man’s insolence is truly outrageous. Why spare him?" Demon Ancestor inquired with confusion.

Lin Qianmo glanced at Demon Ancestor, inwardly shaking her head.

Ninth Young Master had refined the Reincarnation Divine Egg, only recently restoring his Great Dao World. His strength hadn’t yet returned to its peak, currently matching a Sovereign of the World who’d just barely entered the transcendent realm.

Although Li Ruoyu hadn’t grasped the Origin Dao nor forged a Great Dao World, his power had already reached the transcendent realm.

If they fought, one would inevitably be wounded.

Ninth Young Master said lightly, "Severing one’s three bodies is the strongest method of transcending through force."

"Li Ruoyu’s current cultivation hasn’t reached the transcendent realm, yet he possesses the strength of a Sovereign of the World. Though weaker than me, he must never be underestimated."

"Not transcendent, yet wielding a Sovereign’s power?" Divine Ancestor showed surprise.

"Ascending to Sovereign of the World requires transforming one’s entire Great Dao into the Origin Dao and forging a Great Dao World," Ninth Young Master explained. "In the lower realms, true Dao fruits are exceedingly rare."

"Therefore, transcendence is usually achieved either through Virtue and Fortune, or by severing three bodies with force."

"The latter, once successful, allows one to leap beyond the lower realm’s River of Time, transcend its Dao of heaven, and experience an explosive surge in power, rivaling a Sovereign of the World."

"Moreover, upon entering the Hongmeng Dao Realm and transforming their Great Dao into the Origin to refine their Great Dao World, such individuals will surpass ordinary Sovereigns of the World."

"Daoist friend Lin Qianmo is precisely such a genius."

Ninth Young Master’s gaze rested on Lin Qianmo.

Divine Ancestor and Demon Ancestor visibly stirred.

"Your Grace overpraises me," Lin Qianmo said modestly. "In my view, Li Ruoyu’s potential surpasses even my own."

"Having cultivated for tens of millions of years, his accumulated power is immense. Now that it’s unleashed, once he enters the Hongmeng Dao Realm, it will be like a fish leaping through Dragon Gate or a Garuda riding the wind."

"There’s no need to concern ourselves with him."

Ninth Young Master remained unconcerned; the upper realm teemed with geniuses, and Li Ruoyu’s talent was hardly the apex.

"Let us first pay a visit to the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion."

In this vast lower realm, only the Heaven’s Secret Pavilion could pique her interest now.

…

"How long can you remain in this realm, Your Majesty?"

When Ninth Young Master’s group had gone far away, Immortal Emperor Taisu inquired.

"Half a day."

Li Ruoyu responded solemnly.

"Half a day?"

Immortal Emperor Taisu looked astonished.

Previously, Yi Tianxing had lingered seven days after ascension; Mad Daoist managed three. Yet Li Ruoyu could only stay half a day?

"The stronger one is, the greater the restraint imposed by the Hongmeng Dao of heaven, shortening the time one can remain," Mu Fanyin explained.

Li Ruoyu nodded.

"After my departure, we shall meet again only in the Hongmeng Dao Realm."

He summoned his Innate Dao Body and his past, present, and future three bodies, instructing, "Daoist friend Mu, Taisu, I will dispatch this Innate Dao Body into the Taihuang Ancient Realm."

"As for the severed three bodies? They are mere puppets, incapable of transcendence."

"In desperate straits, you may abandon these three bodies to save yourselves."

"We thank Your Majesty."

Immortal Emperor Taisu bowed deeply.

"These items will be of no use to me in the Hongmeng Dao Realm."

With a thought, he summoned all the treasures and immortal medicine plundered from the six great cosmic realms, expelling them from his Purple Palace and handing them over. "I hope they may aid you both."

"The time has come."

Li Ruoyu raised his gaze to the heavens.

"Farewell, Your Majesty."

"Farewell, Daoist friend."

The two soared tens of thousands of miles away, watching Li Ruoyu ascend.

On that day.

Heavenly Emperor Li Ruoyu ascended to the Hongmeng Dao Realm.

His name vanished from the Golden List of the Unparalleled Rankings.

And the Heavenly Emperor’s physical body disappeared from the divine weapons list.