Chapter 533: Immortal Treasure
The dragon-wood was pitch-black, thick and enormous, forming an ancient nest. Countless ages had passed, and it had almost lost all its luster. This was a black nest as large as a mountain.
Chaos surged at its base, as magnificent as the opening of heaven and earth. The ancient coffin rose and fell, its lid slowly shifting as it opened amidst the swirling primordial vapors.
"Clang!"
The coffin lid tilted to one side, and the sound it made caused the souls of the few present to tremble, as if it were the first note after the creation of heaven and earth.
The Primordial Qi Cauldron above Ye Fan's head trembled violently, about to fly away and rush into the massive chaotic black nest, somewhat out of control.
"Don't let it escape! The Devouring Great Emperor's corpse is calling for karmic reckoning with you—you can't give up!" the big black dog muttered, shivering as it spoke.
Ye Fan's mind was calm. He did not wish to become entangled with an ancient Great Emperor. If the Primordial Qi Cauldron flew away, he would not feel much loss.
He stood quietly on the cliff, not deliberately doing anything. If there truly was some so-called karmic connection, the means of an ancient Great Emperor would surely be impossible to resist—any effort would be futile.
"A corpse..." The monkey was extremely tense, gripping the nearly rotten ferocious weapon in its hand tightly, staring fixedly at the ancient coffin.
The young man of the Primeval Royal Clan was utterly terrified, his large eyes filled with fear. He hid behind the others, his body trembling slightly.
"The most heaven-defying Great Emperor since ancient times, who lived an incredibly long life..." The big black dog's fur stood on end as it retreated a few steps.
Inside the ancient coffin, chaotic mist was hazy. A corpse, not entirely intact, lay there covered in blood, quietly resting, difficult to see clearly.
This was the Ruthless Great Emperor's fourth incarnation!
"Even chaos cannot harm his corpse in the slightest. It's hard to imagine how strong his physical body had become..."
"A single strand of hair can break through chaos. His flesh had long become the rarest sacred object in the world, capable of being refined into an Extreme Dao Sacred Weapon!"
The few were utterly shaken. This ancient Great Emperor's realm was already beyond comprehension, comparable to a deity—one could say he was a god of the world.
Ending after four lives!
Now it could be clearly confirmed that the coffin contained the Ruthless Great Emperor's final physical body. So damaged, it indicated that he had been unable to regenerate further.
Though he had created the Indestructible Heavenly Art, it could only extend one life, not forge a new path. The Ruthless Great Emperor had ultimately reached his end.
"Thud"
The young man of the Primeval Royal Clan knelt down, trembling in fear. The faint pressure emanating from the ancient coffin made him feel as if he were facing a deity, filled with awe.
The Primordial Qi Cauldron above Ye Fan's head, though trembling, did not actually fly away. It let down ten thousand strands of silk and finally calmed down.
However, a mysterious and profound connection was not severed.
At that moment, the few all experienced an illusion, sensing an emotional fluctuation, as if someone were whispering softly.
The Ruthless Great Emperor defied heaven, standing at the absolute pinnacle a human could reach, looking down on ancient emperors, dominating later emperors, stunning the ages.
He could not achieve immortality—not because he was insufficiently brilliant, but because this world could not ascend to immortality, could not rise with radiance. He had reached the ultimate limit, yet there was no path forward.
Even so, he moved against the current, like a deity, creating a path unprecedented in history, living four lives against the natural order—none in past or present could compare.
All of this was so real, like someone speaking to themselves, transmitting into the hearts of the few, astonishing them, seeming both real and illusory.
"You stunned the ages, unmatched by anyone. Even in death, you are a supreme hero, looking down on past and present, the emperor among men."
"Dead, still dead in the end. A brilliant life, ending after four lives, with none to compare. A lifetime of invincibility and loneliness."
"Stunning talent, an ancient Heavenly Emperor, yet unable to endure forever. The fault lies in heaven not allowing it, not in your inability."
The few all sighed. Such a great and powerful being had still been worn away by time, shattering their last shred of hope.
But the Ruthless Great Emperor's life was absolutely unparalleled in past and present. He rose against the current with an ordinary body, becoming one of the most powerful figures in history, leaving them in awe.
"Was that the ancient Great Emperor's emotion, sensed by us? He seemed very peaceful before death, as if life and death were nothing more than that."
This was the feeling of the few. Though that emotion contained sighs, it was more about indifference—a transcendence of joy and sorrow, and a detachment from life and death.
Perhaps the Ruthless Great Emperor had lived too long and was simply weary.
Ten thousand dragons leaped together. The ancient coffin was surrounded and worshipped by thousands of dragon-shaped qi. Only when the fierce wind stirred could a silhouette be seen.
Another fleeting glance. Beneath the chaotic mist in the ancient coffin, the Great Emperor's head appeared. His hair was jet-black, but unfortunately, his face was covered with a mask.
A ghost face—seeming to cry yet not cry, seeming to smile yet not smile. There was sorrow, and also joy. Perhaps this was his or her life.
Shedding tears amidst laughter, smiling amidst sorrow. The Ruthless Great Emperor—no one understood him, the most mysterious. The world knew not his heart.
Perhaps only this mask revealed a trace of his or her inner feelings, which others could not comprehend.
For a short time, the few were silent, sensing a loneliness and the desolation of standing at the top.
No one knew how long passed before they gradually came back to their senses.
"Dead, dead, all dead..." The big black dog sighed long, then actually let out a mournful howl. "Emperor Wu Shi is dead too, all dead. In the end, not a single one survived. What meaning is there in cultivating to the end?!"
Black Emperor rarely showed such emotion, incredibly sorrowful, murmuring in grief. It gazed toward the direction of Purple Mountain and said, "Great Emperor, may you travel well!"
The last shred of hope was shattered. Ye Fan stood there in a daze. Truly, not a single Great Emperor had survived. His expectations for Emperor Wu Shi had also dissipated because of Black Emperor.
"Rustle!"
A soft sound came from the ancient coffin. A hazy light flew out, like a dragon leaping through the chaos, very mysterious and strange.
"What is that?"
The few all snapped awake, staring at the chaotic mist, their hearts shaken with astonishment. Was there something alive in the ancient coffin?
"Ah... xu qiong lei qiong..." The young man of the Primeval Royal Clan exclaimed, his face very excited.
The monkey explained with surprise. This was the immortal treasure in the ancient nest. Ordinary people could never see it. It was already good fortune if it flew out once every tens of thousands of years.
Even the Primeval King sleeping here had only been fortunate enough to sense it once or twice, but he dared not come to seize it, only watching from afar.
"Grab it, grab it!" The big black dog wiped its face, its sorrow fading away, reverting to its greedy nature, constantly shouting.
"Xu qiong gu na li ya..." The young man of the Primeval Royal Clan shouted in warning.
The monkey showed a grave expression and said, "He says we absolutely must not try to catch it. Otherwise, even if a Primeval King made a move, he couldn't save his life."
The big black dog scratched its ears and cheeks, unable to sit still, but it was anxious and helpless. It shouted, "Entering the black nest and not obtaining a single immortal treasure—I'd be letting down eight generations of ancestors!"
"Dang!"
It held the Ancient Emperor Command in its paw, knocking it repeatedly, shaking it toward the chaotic dragon nest. "The ancient sacred emperor's divine command is here, heed my summoning..."
That light was not very dazzling. It seemed condensed from starlight, soft and pure, very captivating to the mind.
It circled the ancient coffin, rushing out nine times and sinking back in nine times. Finally, it surged up and flew out of the ancient black nest.
"Dang..."
The big black dog worked even harder, forcefully striking the ancient emperor command with its large paw. "It really has been summoned by this emperor!"
That light indeed flew over, falling like a moonbeam. The big black dog howled, reaching out its large paw to catch it.
But with a flash of light, it evaded the big black dog and, with a swoosh, vanished into the Primordial Qi Cauldron above Ye Fan's head, its divine radiance converging.
"Kid, this is robbery! You're committing a crime!" The big black dog was furious, pouncing over, opening its big mouth to bite, trying to snatch the cauldron along with it.
"It has nothing to do with me. It flew in on its own." Ye Fan pressed down on its massive head to prevent being bitten.
"Nonsense! This emperor summoned it with great effort, and you intercepted it halfway!" The big black dog was enraged.
When everything calmed down, the big black dog had no choice. Because once this light was taken out, if left untouched, it would automatically fly back into the cauldron.
The few all gathered around, carefully examining this immortal treasure, all astonished, especially the young man of the Primeval Royal Clan, who was filled with shock.
Ye Fan held it in his hand. It was an ancient scroll, sparkling and translucent, as if forged from the essence of the sun and moon, yet very soft.
It was square-shaped, about one and a half meters across. When spread out, stars occasionally flashed and vanished on it, light and peaceful. It was impossible to tell what it was.
"What divine object is this?" The few were all puzzled. They studied it for a long time but could not figure it out.
"Could it be an ancient scripture?" The big black dog was uncertain.
The few probed it with their divine thoughts but still gained nothing. The interior of this scroll, forged from solar and lunar essence, was boundless, with no end to explore.
The monkey recalled carefully, as if remembering something, and suddenly showed a shocked expression. "My father seemed to have such an ancient scroll too. I have a vague impression that he often looked at it late at night."
His father was an ancient emperor of the primeval era, a generation's Battle Saint, unmatched under heaven. That he would often study such an ancient scroll late at night was truly astonishing.
"Could it be the immortal treasure held by the Battle Saint Emperor of the primeval era?" Ye Fan was uncertain.
"It looks like it, very much like it. I think it's that scroll!" The more the monkey looked, the more familiar it seemed, and he nodded solemnly.
"Damn it, it's definitely an immortal treasure! The Battle Saint Emperor often contemplated it quietly, and later it fell into the hands of the Devouring Great Emperor. Its value is incalculable!" Black Emperor was almost lying on top of it, staring intently.
"Clang!"
In the mountain-like black nest, the ancient coffin's lid closed, then slowly sank downward, vanishing into the endless chaos.
"It has sunk down, not remaining in the world, returning to chaos." Ye Fan was stunned. Perhaps this was the best final resting place for an ancient Great Emperor. He sighed long and said, "Let's go. This place cannot be lingered in."
There were certainly other divine objects in the ancient nest, but they could not approach them. Staying any longer would be useless.
The few bowed to the black nest, expressing their respect for the Ruthless Great Emperor, then quickly moved away.
"Xu qiong da li na?" The young man of the Primeval Royal Clan called out, feeling that taking the immortal treasure was very inappropriate.
The monkey explained repeatedly before he stopped saying anything more.
"Boom!"
When they reached a distance, a great tremor came from behind. The entire ancient nest became hazy, completely submerged by chaos!