Chapter 1568: A Prehistoric Villain
In the Ancestral Court’s Jade Capital City.
A tall figure walked into this ancient divine domain. His physical body was tattered and broken, the top of his skull had been torn open, his brain matter steaming with hot vapor, and his body was covered in all kinds of wounds.
Not only that, but there was also a sword wound on his forehead. Someone had pierced his skull with a sharp sword and planted a Dao Tree of the sword path inside his body.
This Dao Tree would occasionally manifest within him, continuously destroying his bodily functions, making every step he took incredibly difficult.
The sword wound caused internal bleeding in his body. With every step he took, his footprints filled with his blood, and the wound never healed.
He was Xiao Tianzun, who had taken back the Heavenly Emperor’s physical body, or perhaps it was better to call him Tai Chu, because Xiao Tianzun, as a Celestial Venerable, was already dead.
Xiao Tianzun’s physical body had been completely destroyed in the battle of the Divine Awareness Great Luo Heaven by Kai Huang and others, and no longer existed. Now, the one who had taken over the Heavenly Emperor’s body was one of the three souls of the Heavenly Emperor Tai Chu.
The Heavenly Emperor’s physical body was his true form.
His reclaiming of his own body also represented the return of Tai Chu, the second of the Five Primordials of Innate Chaos.
Tai Chu walked with difficulty through the Ancestral Court’s Jade Capital City. All around was desolation, with collapsed palace buildings everywhere, and the cold and hot winds of stillness howled through the withered forests of Dao Trees.
His steps were heavy. After dodging Ling Tianzun’s attack and falling from the Great Luo Heaven, the various injuries on his body had erupted, nearly dragging him to death.
He had to avoid the sight of Hao Tianzun and the others. He was very weak now. Although his physical body still possessed immense power, he was no longer invincible, so he had to be cautious.
After walking for so long, he finally arrived at the Ancestral Court’s Jade Capital City.
The Jade Capital City had been sealed by the Celestial Venerables, and Xiao Tianzun was once one of the sealers. They didn’t want outsiders to come here.
But as the former Heavenly Emperor, Tai Chu naturally had left behind a contingency plan to facilitate his entry into the Jade Capital City.
He continued deeper, searching for the Chaotic Long River. Suddenly, his pupils contracted as his gaze fell upon a sword.
It wasn’t a single sword, but rather the mark left by an incredibly powerful sword path expert who had come here and fought a battle, using his unparalleled sword path against an opponent, so much so that his Dao was imprinted in the Ancestral Court’s Jade Capital City.
Tai Chu exhaled a turbid breath. “Kai Huang is here too.”
His heart was on alert. In his current state, he was not fit to fight Kai Huang. If he encountered him, he feared he might not be able to save his own life.
He avoided the sword path traces left by Kai Huang all the way, finally reaching the Chaotic Long River.
He was about to cross the river when his pupils suddenly contracted. He saw a figure on the river surface ahead, standing with his hands behind his back, facing away from him.
A sword domain formed beneath that person’s feet. Strange attacks from the river came at him. A giant palm made of the Dao bones of an Ascended Being reached the person’s forehead, but was pierced by a flash of sword light and sank into the river.
Tai Chu’s pupils shrank. His voice was hoarse. “Qin Ye!”
Kai Huang turned around, glanced at him, and said calmly, “Emperor Tai Chu, you have come here with great difficulty, hoping that the so-called Third Young Master of the Mi Luo Palace will repair your physical body, isn’t that right?”
Tai Chu stood on the bank, staring at this man.
Back then, Kai Huang had used Ling Tianzun’s divine ability to return to the early years of the Dragon Han Era, participating in the Yao Chi Gathering and fighting against Qin Mu, displaying his supreme divine ability mastery.
At that time, Tai Chu had unified the universe and was full of ambition, summoning all the gods and divine beings from various clans to hold the Heavenly Court Gathering.
Compared to the Heavenly Court Gathering, the Yao Chi Gathering seemed insignificant, but from that time on, he had already noticed this man, amazed by the divine abilities of Qin Ye and Qin Mu, and appointed him as a Celestial Venerable, placing him alongside the Seven Celestial Venerables of the Dragon Han Era.
He never imagined that today, this man would become his most powerful and troublesome opponent.
“As long as I am here, Your Majesty cannot cross the river.”
Kai Huang’s tone was indifferent. After his Ascension, his desire for power and authority had greatly diminished, replaced by the belief and original intention that had run through him from beginning to end.
He stood on the Chaotic Long River, like a sword spanning from ancient times to the present, sharp and unmatched, cutting through everything, blocking Tai Chu’s path.
“As one of the Five Primordials of this universe, Your Majesty should not rely on the power of old Ascended Beings to achieve your ambitions.”
A Dao Sword slowly appeared in Kai Huang’s hand. He said softly, “If Your Majesty insists on going your own way, then your subject will have no choice but to bury Your Majesty on this river.”
Tai Chu laughed heartily, stepped into the long river, and stood on the water’s surface, facing him from a distance.
“Qin Ye, you are indeed very capable, the first to Ascend, and you have impressed me. But Ascension through the Dao Realm is not the only path. There are other ways to Ascend, so you are not invincible.”
Tai Chu said calmly, “Don’t forget, your Dao Realm system is also built upon the Heavenly Palace system. You have achieved your current success by borrowing the power of the Jade Capital City and the Ling Xiao Palace. If your Ling Xiao Palace were destroyed, would you still have your current cultivation and status? A wise man submits to circumstances. Let me pass.”
Kai Huang did not move.
Suddenly, a Great Heavenly Court composed of thirty-six Heavenly Palaces appeared behind Tai Chu’s head, and the phantom of a Ling Xiao Treasure Hall pressed down. He said in a deep voice, “In the Ancestral Court’s Jade Capital City, I can easily borrow the power of the Third Young Master of the Mi Luo Palace, and the Third Young Master can easily suppress your power, causing your Ling Xiao Palace to be completely destroyed! On this river, I do not fear you in the slightest!”
Kai Huang held his Dao Sword, ready to strike.
Tai Chu let out a fierce shout, his voice transforming into the Tai Chu Dao Sound, sweeping through the chaotic energy. His aura surged, his primordial spirit sat within the Ling Xiao Treasure Hall, his power connecting all the Heavenly Palaces as he stepped forward!
Just then, a light from a lantern suddenly shone across the vast Chaotic Long River. Tai Chu quickly stopped, holding back his power.
Kai Huang frowned slightly, his hand still gripping the sword hilt, layers of sword domains overlapping, but he did not strike directly.
A young boy carrying a lantern emerged from the depths of the Chaotic Long River, rising step by step until he quickly reached the river’s surface. The lantern light shone towards the two of them.
The young boy rose from the Chaotic Long River, and by the time he reached the surface, he had become extremely old, with white hair and a frail, decrepit appearance. The light shone on their faces, and he chuckled, saying, “Tai Chu, the Third Young Master has ordered me to guide you to the Ling Xiao Treasure Hall. Anyone who dares to block you will meet their death!”
This old man had experienced childhood and old age, but seemed long accustomed to this kind of thing. He was unconcerned about the immensely powerful Kai Huang and paid him no mind.
“Are you Qin Ye? I advise you not to move, otherwise, my lantern light will shine on you, shave off your Dao cultivation, and knock you down into the Calamity of Annihilation, causing both your body and your Dao to vanish!”
The old man spoke with an air of superiority. “You also walk the path of borrowing power from the Ling Xiao Hall. Shaving off your Dao cultivation is the simplest thing for me.”
Kai Huang raised his sword and slashed behind his own head. Within the Heavenly Palace behind him, the Ling Xiao Hall collapsed with a thunderous roar!
The old man’s pupils contracted. With a flash of sword light, Kai Huang’s Ling Xiao Treasure Hall was shattered by his own hand!
Kai Huang directly cut off the two realms of Ling Xiao and Emperor’s Throne. His aura dropped slightly, then immediately swelled again, reaching its peak, with no loss of Dao cultivation whatsoever!
“Shaving off my Dao cultivation? You are not worthy.” Kai Huang glanced at him with disdain.
The old man sneered, “You later generations always look down your noses at people, not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth...”
He was about to strike when suddenly another lantern light shone from beneath the river. A woman carrying a lantern walked up from the Chaotic Long River. She was stunningly beautiful, but by the time she reached the river’s surface, she had transformed into an old crone.
The old man looked at the old crone, frowned slightly, and did not act directly.
“Kai Huang Qin Ye, I have come to guide you to the Mi Luo Palace.”
The old crone smiled. “A certain young master is waiting for you there.”
Kai Huang frowned, looking at the old crone, confirming that he did not recognize her.
The old man sneered, glanced at the old crone with considerable wariness, and said, “Tai Chu, I will guide you to the Mi Luo Palace. The Third Young Master already knows your intentions. Come with me!”
Tai Chu breathed a sigh of relief. Engaging Kai Huang in battle was truly not a sure win for him, so avoiding a fight was naturally the best outcome.
However, the old crone also coming to guide Kai Huang surprised him, as it was unexpected.
“Qin Ye, you claim to be noble and virtuous, but you are just like me, both of you are borrowing the power of the young masters of the Mi Luo Palace.”
He followed the old man past Kai Huang, stopped behind him, and sneered, “You are no more noble than I am.”
Kai Huang turned around, and Tai Chu also turned. Their gazes clashed.
The old man stopped, turned with his lantern, and exploded with aura. A Dao Tree rose slowly from the Chaotic Long River, its Dao Fruit being Primordial Chaos, releasing earth-shattering power!
At the same time, the old crone also activated her lantern. Another Dao Tree rose from the river, its Dao Fruit spinning, emitting Dao light, confronting the old man.
The two of them gathered their power, staring intently at each other.
Suddenly, a smile bloomed on Kai Huang’s lips. “May I ask, which young master of the Mi Luo Palace wishes to see me? And for what purpose?”
The old crone’s body tensed, her eyes fixed on the old man. She said in a deep voice, “The Mi Luo Palace has seven halls. The First Young Master is in the Tai Shang Hall, the Second Young Master in the Wu Ji Hall, the Third Young Master in the Ling Xiao Hall, the Fourth Young Master in the Zi Xiao Hall, the Fifth Young Master in the Wu Zong Hall, the Sixth Young Master in the Zhan Ji Hall, and the Seventh Young Master in the Hun Dun Hall. The one who wishes to see you this time is from the Hun Dun Hall!”
“The Hun Dun Hall?”
Kai Huang thought for a moment, then smiled. “So it is the Seventh Young Master of the Mi Luo Palace who wants to see me. Very well, I will go with you. Lead the way.”
He retracted his aura, and the sword domain disappeared. The old crone led the way ahead, saying in a deep voice, “Kai Huang, please follow me.”
They passed by Tai Chu and the old man. Tai Chu laughed, “You have fallen just like me.”
Kai Huang ignored him and disappeared into the chaotic energy with the old crone.
Tai Chu sneered, “A hypocrite who only tries to gild his own reputation!”
He and the old man also walked into the depths of the chaos. He inquired, “Esteemed Daoist friend, who is this Seventh Young Master of the Hun Dun Hall in the Mi Luo Palace?”
“A villain!”
The old man carried his lantern. When he mentioned the Seventh Young Master of the Hun Dun Hall, he couldn’t help but shiver. He said coldly, “A scoundrel who stops at nothing! However, Daoist friend Tai Chu should have heard of him. He is a fellow who stowed away from the Seventeenth Universe to the prehistoric universe. His reputation is quite loud in your place.”
Tai Chu was stunned for a moment, then searched his mind. He asked in surprise, “Is there such a villain in our era?”
“I have heard that you call him Mu Tianzun!” the old man said through gritted teeth.