Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 589: Chapter 593: Grand Emperor Sword, Nine Li Diagram, Heaven-devouring Jar

A fierce character’s life needs no explanation. Daoist Duan De’s way of threatening people was unique; his opening gambit was to dig up someone’s ancestral grave, and his closing move was to excavate their tombs.

Everyone was speechless. They had seen people who talked tough, but never anyone who used the dead to threaten others.

A disagreement, and he would go digging up your family grave—who could tolerate that? Such distinctive retribution was bewildering.

Damn, what’s the deal with this blasted fatty? That’s what many people wondered, murmuring internally.

However, when people calmed down, they became even more terrified. Half of an Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon hung in the air, its pressure nearly suffocating them.

The Ruthless Great Emperor is known as one of the most dazzling figures of ancient and recent times, awash in countless legends. No appraisal can fully encapsulate their essence.

Above Daoist Duan De’s head, on the lid of the Heaven-devouring Demon Jar, was a ghostly face imprint. It bore tear marks but also a smile—sunshine amidst sorrow.

Neither truly crying nor truly laughing, tears blurring a smile—perhaps this represented the life of the Ruthless Great Emperor, an embodiment of their inner self, possibly understood by no one.

Yet this childlike scribble struck fear into everyone. Reminded of the Great Emperor’s life and methods, they all couldn’t help but retreat in submission.

“How does he possess an Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon?!” many questioned.

Even half of such a weapon, though unable to be fully revived or exert its world-encompassing Immortal Power, was more than enough to sweep away those present with its ordinary might; it wasn’t being used to deal with ancient emperors.

“What’s so impressive about your broken mirror? At most, it’s good for a woman’s grooming,” Daoist Duan De strutted forward, his portly belly preceding him.

Above his head, the lid of the Ancient Heaven-devouring Demon Vessel rained down tens of thousands of strands of black light, as dense as a curtain of rain.

Everyone retreated to avoid it. Half of an Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon was no mere scare tactic; only a few such weapons had ever existed throughout history.

Once an Emperor Weapon was activated, even if it couldn’t be fully revived, it could still slaughter everything in all directions. Who could withstand it?!

“Try shining that broken mirror on my incomparably handsome face. Let me see if I’ve gotten even more handsome,” Daoist Duan De said, advancing with the Pottery Lid hovering above his head.

Wang Yangzhan, the Yin Yang Sect Hierarch, wore an expression of extreme displeasure. The others also felt incredibly unlucky, as if they had stepped in dog feces right after leaving home. This seedy fat man was utterly detestable.

“You think I’m easy to bully, huh? If Phatty here doesn’t flex, you really think I’m a pushover!” Daoist Duan De grumbled, glancing from one person to another.

Finally, he fixed his gaze on Xiao Yunsheng, whose brow bone Ye Fan had stomped flat, and said, “Damn it, you, the guy whose head looks like it got squeezed flat by a door! Didn’t you just tell this Daoist Lord to roll over? Now, you roll over to me!”

What a wicked fat guy! Many cursed in their hearts. His words were utterly vile, the kind of bastard who, when fighting, exclusively aims for the face, and when cursing, exclusively targets sore spots.

Xiao Yunsheng’s face turned green with anger, but he was helpless. He truly feared this damn fatty would act. If half an Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon was unleashed, everyone would be in a dire state.

“And you, old white-hair! Didn’t you want the bowl? Go on, keep snatching for it!” Daoist Duan De then fixed his gaze on Wang Yangzhan.

The Yin Yang Sect Hierarch felt as if he had swallowed a dead rat; he was deeply troubled. He had no idea of the fat man’s cultivation base. However, he knew there was an old blind man present. With a living-fossil level cultivation base, if that man activated the lid, he could definitely annihilate any obstruction.

BOOM!

Daoist Duan De was never one to suffer losses. Having been verbally berated for some time, he now unleashed half an Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon, pressing it forward.

An aura that could collapse the ages pervaded the area as the lid of the Heaven-devouring Demon Jar transformed into a black hole, intent on devouring all of creation as it pressed downwards.

Xiao Yunsheng said nothing, reattaching his severed leg. Bracing himself with more than ten forbidden items, he leaped directly from the ten-thousand-zhang high platform.

Wang Yangzhan, using the damaged Ancient Mirror to envelop several sovereigns, transformed into a streak of light and retreated several hundred zhang, distancing himself from the central area.

The half Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon was a hazy presence, seemingly alive. On the ghostly face imprint, tears actually seemed to flow.

Everyone shivered with a bone-chilling fear. Legend had it that the lid of this Demon Jar was refined from the Ruthless Great Emperor’s skull, embodying the very essence of the Emperor Weapon.

Some said the ghostly face imprint was drawn by the Great Emperor in their youth, during the happiest time of their life. Afterward, they opposed the world, living in unhappiness and melancholy.

Even when invincible under the heavens, their deepest memories were of that brief childhood. Thus, it became their unique mark, etched onto the Demon Lid.

“Damn it, come over and help! This lid is about to drain me dry,” Daoist Duan De transmitted mentally.

Ye Fan and Dongfang Ye stepped forward, sending him divine energy. Meanwhile, the old blind man sent a mental message, “Don’t push yourself too hard. This Emperor Weapon consumes a vast amount of energy. We can only ensure our own safety. Those people are the masters of this land; it’s impossible to suppress all of them.”

CLANG!

Nearby, a suit of golden armor materialized, emitting a light that pierced the skies. It appeared beside the Emperor of the Ancient Hua Dynasty. It was humanoid, holding a Golden Holy Sword and carrying a Golden Divine Bow, and it even pulsed with life fluctuations.

This extraordinary divine armor was a sentient Heirloom Holy Weapon, forged from divine materials and capable of lasting through the ages!

Ye Fan’s heart chilled slightly. He had seen this divine armor before; the Ancient Hua Dynasty had once it before the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Land to harvest the Undying Divine Medicine.

“As expected of an Ancient Divine Dynasty! They brought a flawless divine armor!” Many gasped in awe.

Its form was humanoid, bathed in resplendent golden Divine Light, resembling a living Ancient God. It inspired heartfelt reverence, making people feel an urge to kneel and worship.

BOOM!

Divine energy surged, vibrant and vigorous! Beside the Southern Mountains Demon Lord, a sun and a moon appeared, dazzling and eye-catching.

When the sun wheel moved, it roared like a dragon across the Nine Heavens, blindingly illuminating everything. When the moon wheel shifted, it sounded like a phoenix cry from the Nine Netherworld, its clear brilliance like water overflowing the universe. The sun and moon wheels, like true celestial bodies, dominated the sky.

This was also an Heirloom Holy Weapon, capable of indestructibility and possessing life fluctuations. It was left behind 15,000 years ago by a peerless Saint from the Southern Demon lineage, a rarity in the mortal world.

SWISH!

On another side, Buddha Light soared to the skies. Above a Divine Monk from the Western Desert, a Buddha Tower over a meter high appeared. It had seven layers, constructed of rock, yet it seemed capable of suppressing all things in the world.

This was the weapon of a Bodhisattva’s enlightenment. Not only was its body made of Earth-breaking Immortal Stone, a rare divine material, but the Bodhisattva, upon achieving Parinirvana, left seven sariras. These were all sealed within the tower, one in each of its seven layers, transforming the seven-story stone pagoda into an eternal Heirloom Holy Weapon!

Moreover, its power was terrifyingly immense, making it one of the supreme holy divine relics of Buddhism since ancient times.

The sudden appearance of three true Ancient Saints’ Weapons, all renowned divine objects in the ancient history of the human race, moved everyone present.

By this point, many people had consciously retreated. They knew they had no means to contend, as a single Saint Weapon was enough to sweep them all away.

Ultimately, the four Great Divine Dynasties—Great Xia, Ancient Hua, Jiuli, and Divine Land—along with the Southern Mountains demon clan, the Western Desert’s Buddhist Sangha, and Daoist Duan De’s group, totaling more than a dozen major powers, approached the front. The rest fell back.

The powerful factions holding the three Saint Weapons, along with Daoist Duan De’s group, stood at the very forefront. No one objected or said anything further; at this moment, strength was the ultimate truth.

People carefully studied the text on the coffin wall, afraid of missing even a single word, for these were the words left by the Grand Emperor, detailing an astonishing secret.

The original owner of this coffin was actually the Undying Emperor, a supreme being from before the Ancient Times, who surpassed even deities in the hearts of the myriad races of old.

The Undying Emperor truly existed… A Divine Monk from Buddhism was moved.

Regarding the events of the Ancient Times, the human race had long lost most records. Only fragments remained; everything else had dissipated into the long river of history.

The Undying Emperor—a name revered even by the Ancient Kings—was most mysterious and ancient. People never imagined that this so-called deity was actually him!

Everyone’s gaze fixed on that piece of Five-Colored Divine Ice. It contained a piece of human skin that emanated a Qi Mechanism comparable to a revived Emperor Weapon, a pressure beyond what anyone could bear.

Heavens, that’s the Undying Emperor’s skin! If the ancient races knew, this place would surely become their Divine Land!

If those ancient beings found out the Undying Emperor’s corpse was buried here, it would likely cause chaos across the world! All the Ancient Kings would rush to this place!

This was absolutely a heaven-shattering secret!

The deity worshipped by the myriad ancient races was entombed here; he was not an illusion but had truly existed.

He was the Undying Emperor!

The shock in people’s hearts could not be calmed; the within them could not be stilled.

An existence from ages past, the legendary deity, worshiped by future generations of races! There has never been conclusive evidence to prove his existence, yet now we have seen him!

People were amazed. Only the Undying Emperor from endless eons ago could have possessed such grand means: felling the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree and using an Undying Tree to construct his coffin.

He existed in the distant Ancient Times when there were no rivals, Spiritual Qi was abundant, and Immortal Medicine could still be found. Only he could have accomplished all this.

And the Grand Emperor was truly audacious, to have moved the Undying Emperor out and entered the coffin to slumber himself.

But why was only a sheet of skin left of the Undying Emperor? And where had the Grand Emperor gone? Why was he nowhere to be seen?

Unfortunately, there were no further records on the coffin walls, only those few lines of text explaining the origin of the coffin’s original owner.

Ultimately, it’s still not possible to prove that Immortals exist in the world! People sighed; knowing the origin, they felt a mixture of relief and disappointment.

The Undying Emperor, though surpassing divinity in the hearts of the ancient races, was ultimately just an invincible ancient emperor who had been deified. He was not a true Immortal or deity.

Does an Immortal truly exist in the world? Even now, these significant figures were perplexed. All evidence seemed to suggest that Immortals did not exist.

BOOM!

Suddenly, someone made a move, starting to snatch the ancient coffin, contending for the world-shocking Immortal Treasure.

At the bottom of the coffin was a carving left by the Grand Emperor, a Dao Seal; no one could remain unmoved.

Daoist Duan De did not join the commotion. He shook the Heaven-devouring Demon Jar, which transformed into a black abyss and instantly collected the coffin lid. This lid was made of Enlightenment Wood, irreplaceable by any amount of Divine Sources.

“Only what’s in your hands truly belongs to you! That’s the truth!” Fatty Duan was quite satisfied. While others scrambled for the natural image of the Dao, he had first secured the most tangible, priceless divine object.

Meditating upon this coffin board would allow one to easily enter the Enlightenment Realm. Even a small piece cut off and sold would be worth a fortune.

BANG!

Someone channeled divine energy but was completely unable to shatter the coffin made from the Undying Tree. In the end, the Southern Mountains Demon Lord pulled out several Stone Nails, dismantling the outer coffin.

Those are Stone Nails refined by the Undying Emperor! They’ve survived from the long Ancient Times until now! They must be Immortal Treasures!

Everyone’s eyes turned red with envy, but all eight Stone Nails fell into the hands of the Southern Mountains Demon Lord. No one else managed to seize any, for he wielded the Ancient Saint’s Weapon—the Sun and Moon—and no one dared to approach.

BOOM!

The wooden boards of the outer coffin were snatched up, ultimately falling into the hands of the Ancient Hua Dynasty and the Divine Monk from the Western Desert. One possessed the peerless Golden Divine Robe, and the other held the Stone Tower of a Bodhisattva’s enlightenment; no one could contest them.

The others grew anxious, fiercely battling for the smaller coffin inside and the Grand Emperor’s Dao Seal.

“You can take the coffin wood, but leave the bottom board! No one is to damage the Dao Mark left by the Grand Emperor, or don’t blame my Great Xia for acting mercilessly!” Emperor Xia spoke up.

They did not wield an Ancient Saint’s Weapon, yet they remained remarkably composed and steady as they scanned everyone present.

Why? Whoever gets it, keeps it! someone dissented, voicing the sentiments of the major powers.

That was left by our ancestor for my Great Xia! If you’re not convinced, go ahead and try something! Emperor Xia coldly rebuked. Just then, a brilliant light appeared above his head, and a vast, heaven-and-earth-shaking erupted, causing many sovereigns to nearly prostrate themselves on the ground.

Then, a dragon’s roar sounded as a Dragon Sword flew out, seemingly capable of collapsing all the myriad worlds!

Its blade edge was shaped like a dragon’s head, its body adorned with nine-clawed patterns, and its tail formed the hilt. Even if countless suns gathered, their collective brilliance could not outshine it.

PFFT!

Some sovereigns could not withstand this pressure. Even with forbidden items protecting them, they coughed up blood and retreated, unable to endure.

The Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon—the Grand Emperor Sword—had appeared! The people of the Great Xia Divine Dynasty had actually brought it here!

A dragon’s roar resounded through eternity. The sword shone like an Eternal Light, suspended above Emperor Xia’s head, making almost everyone want to bow in worship.

At this moment, everyone was as silent as cicadas in winter. The Grand Emperor Sword had emerged, suppressing all heavens. Who could resist it? It possessed unparalleled Attack Power!

“Heh heh…”

Suddenly, an eerie chuckle echoed. Not far away, a demonic shadow stood, its cold eyes staring at everyone. The Divine Thought had appeared again!

Everyone felt a chill run from head to toe. This so-called Divine Thought had to be the manifestation of the Undying Emperor’s malevolent side—a demon, undefeatable unless a Saint intervened.

Thankfully, the Grand Emperor Sword is here!

The Grand Emperor Sword, nearly capable of collapsing all realms, transformed into a Heavenly Dragon. It spiraled in the sky, its endless brilliance illuminating the Heavenly Universe and purifying every inch of space.

BOOM…

Suddenly, another tremor shook the heavens. An Ancient Scroll flew out from the head of the Jiuli Divine Dynasty’s Emperor, suspending itself in mid-air and covering the sky.

My heavens, that’s the Nine Li Map, the Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon of Jiuli from the Central State Immortal Dynasty!

This Ancient Scroll encompassed all things and contained 3,000 Great Worlds. It was capable of suppressing and refining anything, causing some sovereigns to retreat while spitting blood.

In a single day, two flawless Extreme Dao Emperor Weapons had astonishingly appeared, shocking everyone. No one had expected these two Ancient Divine Dynasties to reveal their ancestral Immortal Treasures at such a crucial moment.

The Grand Emperor Sword and the Nine Li Map confronted each other. Neither moved to suppress the demon; instead, they prepared for a fierce battle, clearly intending to fight for the Grand Emperor’s Dao Seal.

If two Extreme Dao Emperor Weapons clash, an immeasurably vast area will be obliterated! Never mind this place; even the Immortal Mansion World will collapse! The old blind man spoke, “We have no choice but to protect ourselves!”

BOOM!

He opened his mouth and spat out a jar. It was exceedingly ancient and ordinary in appearance, revealing nothing special, yet it was terrifying, instilling a deep chill in people’s hearts.

“Lad, let’s cooperate!” the old blind man patted Daoist Duan De’s shoulder.

Everyone was dumbfounded. This was the Ancient Heaven-devouring Demon Vessel belonging to Flickering Light, the Seventh Great Bandit of the Northern Region, borrowed by the Second Great Bandit! At this moment, it was merging with the Demon Lid!

BOOM!

A monstrous Emperor’s Might surged. No one was actively controlling it; the Demon Jar merged on its own. This terrified everyone, and they seemed to hear a sigh.

My heavens, this Demon Jar was refined from the body of the Ruthless Great Emperor! Could their soul be within it?!

Far away, even the Divine Thought retreated a few steps. This showed the suppressive force of the merged jar, which was like an ancient emperor being reincarnated!

The Ruthless Great Emperor, an enemy to the world their entire life, dazzling through the ages! Their Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon has reunified! Won’t they come back to life?!

Throughout this process, only one person remained calm: Ye Fan. He held the Bodhi seed obtained from the Red Wanderer and had Enlightenment Tea Leaves in his mouth. His eyes were fixed on the Grand Emperor’s Dao Mark within the coffin as he continuously tried to comprehend it.

RUMBLE…

Thunder rumbled above, shaking the ten-thousand-zhang Jade Platform. Massive bolts of lightning struck down, followed by an endless Thunder Sea pouring forth.

Damn it, who’s undergoing a tribulation?

Which bastard?! Who triggered a Heavenly Tribulation at a time like this?!

Everyone’s expression changed, and they couldn’t help but curse.

Finally, they saw it: the lightning was striking towards Ye Fan! He had briefly achieved enlightenment and was about to begin his Heavenly Tribulation!