Chapter 1651: Even in Death, the Chivalrous Bones Are Fragrant
Bai Qu'er took a step back. Within that imperial coffin, a tall figure sat up. This Supreme Emperor was clearly not human, but rather a member of the demon race among the acquired races.
During the Supreme Emperor era, it was not only humans who served as the Supreme Heavenly Emperor. Moon Venerable and Ling Venerable had supported that era, selecting outstanding individuals from the acquired races, and several of the Heavenly Emperors were from other races.
This Supreme Emperor was already a corpse demon—a corpse that had become a demon, its body wrapped in chains. Yi Shisheng had suppressed it here to prevent it from turning into a rampaging corpse demon. Although a lingering obsession remained within its body, after transforming into a corpse demon, it was driven more by a bloodthirsty instinct, forcing Yi Shisheng to suppress it.
The Supreme Emperor radiated dense corpse aura, lowering its head to look at Moon Venerable's decree, a green light flickering in its eyes. The corpse aura was so thick that it made people extremely uncomfortable, which was why Bai Qu'er had stepped back.
"This is indeed my master's handwriting."
The Supreme Emperor corpse demon spoke in a deep voice: "Fellow senior brothers, our master summons us to fight again for the human race. What do you think?"
A muffled sound came from one of the imperial coffins: "We are already dead, having died fighting for the human race and for the acquired beings. Though my heart no longer beats and my blood no longer flows, the battles of those days still stir my soul. Yet we are dead."
Another heavy voice came from a different coffin: "The sound of war drums still echoes in my mind."
"In the three hundred thousand years of the Supreme Emperor era, how many heroes were born? This era was our era, and it should not be buried along with us."
"In the Dragon Han era, the Red Emperor era, the Kai Huang era, and the Yan Kang era, undying ones have emerged to fight for this calamity. What of the most glorious Supreme Emperor era?"
"The Supreme Emperor era has not fallen! It has not been buried!"
"Our master, who taught us, is still fighting, still struggling! We cannot return to dust!"
...
From the imperial coffins came the surging sound of blood and qi flowing. The chains binding those coffins clattered loudly, and then, one by one, they snapped!
The withered blood and qi of those Supreme Emperors began to revive, and above the coffins, the majestic figures of nine ancient emperors appeared, standing in the blood and qi, gazing at Bai Qu'er.
"Though many Supreme Emperors from past eras have had their souls destroyed and their bodies annihilated, those of us fortunate enough to preserve our corpses will fight in their stead!"
The last Supreme Heavenly Emperor, thick with corpse aura, spoke to Bai Qu'er: "Go first to Yan Kang and tell the emperors there that the Supreme Emperor era still exists. Even though we are dead, we will crawl out of our graves to continue fighting for the human race and for the acquired beings!"
"This is our unfinished cause!"
"Our junior brother, Yi Shisheng, will carry our coffins to the battlefield!"
Bai Qu'er bowed deeply to these nine emperors, then rose and led her people away.
At the Guixu Great Abyss.
Cloud Venerable was resisting the power of the Great Abyss. He could now use his Dao Tree and Dao Fruit to withstand the cold, silent wind of the Ultimate Void, but the Great Abyss was filled with a heat-death wind that even the Dao Fruit could hardly resist. It constantly drained his power and even caused his Great Dao to disintegrate.
"This place is likely a deadly trap for those who have imprinted the Ultimate Void!"
Fortunately, his cultivation was strong enough, and he finally reached the lowest level of the Guixu Great Abyss. Below, he saw a white sphere wrapped around Lady Yuanmu, spinning continuously, making it impossible for her to resist.
The white sphere was made of countless strands of hair, white as silk, sealing off Lady Yuanmu, this accomplished Daoist, making it impossible for her to escape.
Cloud Venerable grabbed the root of the twin lotus flower and peered downward. At the bottom of the sea, he saw a huge female face, bound by chains.
But after searching for a long time, he still couldn't find Ling Venerable.
"Has Ling Venerable met with misfortune?" he thought with a chill.
Just then, Lady Yuanmu suddenly screamed, "Sister, only by working together can we overcome this calamity! If we escape, I'll let you take over the body!"
"Good!"
From within Lady Yuanmu's body came Empress Dowager's voice: "Let's activate the Path of Reincarnation, and escape will be easy!"
"The Path of Reincarnation?"
Cloud Venerable was startled. "Isn't that the ultimate technique of Shepherd Venerable?"
Back in the Grand Celestial Heaven, when he had exchanged techniques with Qin Mu, he had taught Qin Mu his insights into the Path of Divine Consciousness, and Qin Mu had taught him his own insights. Cloud Venerable was no stranger to Qin Mu's Path of Reincarnation.
His heart stirred: "This must be something Shepherd Venerable taught them. It requires both Empress Dowager and Lady Yuanmu to work together to perform it? Hmph, it seems Shepherd Venerable held something back! The Path of Reincarnation he taught Lady Yuanmu and Empress Dowager must have a flaw!"
His eyes flickered as he watched Lady Yuanmu's every move, trying to discern the flaw Qin Mu had left behind when Empress Dowager and Lady Yuanmu performed the Path of Reincarnation.
Below, within the sphere, Empress Dowager and Lady Yuanmu each controlled the body, working together to unleash the reincarnation divine ability. Rings of reincarnation spun and cut through the white sphere.
Where the white hair was cut, Guixu spaces formed, but the reincarnation halos cut through these Guixu spaces, making them unable to block their path!
Lady Yuanmu passed through the rings of reincarnation and quickly escaped the white sphere. She immediately shot upward, charging toward Cloud Venerable!
Lady Yuanmu was ecstatic, giggling, "Sister, you're so naive. Did you really think I'd hand over the body to you?"
Just then, she saw a handsome man descending from above, his ten fingers dancing like lotus petals spinning and blooming!
Caught off guard, Lady Yuanmu waved her sleeves to block, but the man pointed at the spinning reincarnation halo.
Lady Yuanmu grunted, and the black mole on her forehead turned red.
"Cloud, my loyal minister." Empress Dowager looked up, her gaze falling on Cloud Venerable.
"Empress Dowager."
Cloud Venerable bowed slightly: "Where is Ling Venerable?"
"Ling Venerable has been sent to the prehistoric universe by the second young master of the Miluo Palace in the Chaos Sea, to fulfill her unparalleled reputation."
Empress Dowager rose into the air, saying solemnly, "You helped me suppress that little wench, so I won't lie to you."
Cloud Venerable walked alongside her, saying, "I trust Your Majesty."
The two of them shot out of the Guixu Great Abyss, one landing on the left side and the other on the right.
Empress Dowager's gaze fell on him, and she said flatly, "So, Cloud Venerable, why are you still following me? Do you intend to strike at me?"
Cloud Venerable shook his head: "Your Majesty, now that you've become the master of this body, how will you fare back in the Heavenly Court? Hao Tian Venerable may not tolerate you."
Empress Dowager snorted: "I'll go find Tai Chu. With my support, he can seize the throne!"
Cloud Venerable laughed heartily, shaking his head: "How naive you still are, Your Majesty. You were betrayed by Tai Chu and Yuanmu back then, ending up in your current state, and now you want to rely on that adulterer again? Your Majesty, you are skilled in the Path of Reincarnation. Why not disguise yourself as Lady Yuanmu? If you pretend to be Lady Yuanmu, will Hao Tian Venerable still be wary of you?"
Empress Dowager thought it over. The Path of Reincarnation could indeed achieve this, and it would be so lifelike that no one could tell the difference.
"Cloud, my loyal minister, why are you helping me?"
Empress Dowager sneered: "Do you want me to sow chaos in the Heavenly Court and help your Yan Kang win?"
Cloud Venerable didn't deny it, nodding with a smile: "Exactly. So, what will Empress Dowager choose?"
Empress Dowager activated the reincarnation divine ability, her appearance, voice, and personality becoming identical to Lady Yuanmu's. She flew off at an angle, still facing him, not letting her guard down, and giggled: "I'll do as you wish!"
Cloud Venerable hesitated for a moment. Behind Empress Dowager, in the sky, his Divine Consciousness Grand Celestial Heaven appeared, with the Tai Chu Emperor Sword hanging on the Dao Tree, poised to strike.
But he stopped and didn't take the chance to assassinate her.
"Ling Venerable is gone, and Yan Kang is short one expert. I can only keep Empress Dowager. Besides, I might not be able to assassinate her..."
With that thought, he concealed the Divine Consciousness Grand Celestial Heaven and smiled slightly at Empress Dowager.
On the Heavenly River, the Heavenly Court's vast army advanced along the river. Almost all the gods and demons in the Heavenly Court had been conscripted, and many more were flying to various heavens—the Heavenly Court's directly governed territories. These gods and demons held Hao Tian Emperor's decrees, conscripting various armies to join the march to the Yuan Realm.
Along the way, the scale of the Heavenly Court's campaign against the Yuan Realm grew larger and larger, with reinforcements from various heavens constantly joining, making the momentum even more formidable.
During the journey, the Heavenly Court also destroyed several rebellious heavens, plundering them and capturing many slaves to manage logistics.
Meanwhile, Ancestral God King, residing in the Xuan Du, used the power of the Heavenly Duke to drive the waters of the Heavenly River, speeding up the Heavenly Court army.
On the surface of the Heavenly River, various tower ships and great vessels were crowded with divine soldiers and generals. These ships and vessels were themselves heavy artifacts, with suns and moons revolving around them, and on board, there were not only day and night but also the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
Some even drove an entire heavenly palace as a means of travel, with gods and demons standing like a forest within!
The various star gods and celestial evil gods of the Heavenly Court were also mobilizing stars, constellations, and star mansions, all rushing to join.
Some tower ships and great vessels towed giant divine artifacts, sitting deep in the water.
The divine artifacts on these ships were not forged like Yan Kang's artifacts; they seemed more like natural formations.
Some ships carried huge mountain ranges, with tens of thousands of gods and demons surrounding them, constantly refining them, trying to forge the mountains into various forms of heavy treasures based on their shapes!
Other ships had many gods and demons refining a river thousands of miles long, with Taiji ancient gods standing by, guiding them, teaching them how to refine the river into a weapon.
Some ships even had a Heavenly Gate standing on them, along with massive structures like the Nine Hells Platform and the Yao Tai, all excavated from the Heavenly Court's territory and refined into treasures!
The Heavenly Court was entrenched in the Ancestral Court, which was vast and rich beyond imagination. All the sacred lands in the Ancestral Court had been excavated by them. These sacred lands possessed boundless innate power. Although the Heavenly Court's forging techniques were inferior to Yan Kang's, the power of these sacred lands themselves was enough to suppress everything!
The Heavenly Court's million years of accumulation meant not only a vast number of gods and demons far exceeding Yan Kang's but also far greater financial and material resources!
Hao Tian Emperor returned to the central army camp, his face dark. This skirmish with Qin Mu had given him a strong sense of crisis.
This probing battle had shown him that Yan Kang's high-end combat power was no longer inferior to the Heavenly Court's. The only shortfall was in mid- and low-level gods and demons, where the Heavenly Court had an overwhelming advantage.
But if the high-end combat power were damaged, then this war would be a certain loss!
"For now, the only option is to borrow the power of the Third Young Master and the Fourth Young Master."
His eyes flickered. Just then, a divine general reported, "Your Majesty, the Tian Hu Heaven has rebelled. The rebels refused to obey orders, killed the ruler of Tian Hu, and declared themselves emperor!"
Hao Tian Emperor smiled faintly and said softly, "Order the ghost gods to go to the Netherworld and tell Void Venerable to sacrifice the Tian Hu Heaven. Remember, tell Void Venerable my exact words: sacrifice the Tian Hu Heaven!"
The divine general accepted the order and hurried away.
Hao Tian Emperor leaned back, muttering to himself, "Sacrificing a heaven to the Third Young Master should be enough to gain an accomplished Daoist, right? The Third Young Master will also see my loyalty and will surely lend me more power! And I am only one step away from perfecting my second Heavenly Court technique. Then, both methods of achieving Dao will be in my hands..."
He completely relaxed: "Shepherd Venerable, I won't let you become my inner demon again. In this battle, you will surely lose!"
Crushing Yan Kang was just around the corner!
In the Ultimate Void, the Abandoned Land.
In front of a huge square stone tablet, a door plank floated. Qin Mu looked up at this obelisk, which was made of Chaos Stone, enduring through the ages without decay.
Qin Mu examined the text on the stone tablet for a moment, then reached out and forcibly broke off a piece of the stone. He tilted his head back and swallowed this piece of Chaos Stone.
"This Chaos Stone must be highly nourishing. If I eat the whole stone tablet and refine it into Hongmeng Purple Qi, I might be able to return to my peak state..."