Strongest War Emperor

Deep beneath the volcano, there was an incredibly vast cavern.

At the center of the cavern lay a Lake of Lava, thousands of yards wide. Bubbles constantly broke on its surface with a series of loud POPS, and a few Flame Demons and other Fire Attribute creatures could be seen swimming within.

A few scattered patches of scorching, smoking, dark-brown rock dotted the Lake of Lava like tiny islands.

In the center of the Lake of Lava, stone pillars stood tall, each so thick it would take five or six people to encircle one.

The pillars were fiery red all over, as if formed from the lava itself, with molten rock constantly sliding down their sides.

Atop eight of these pillars, a burly figure sat cross-legged.

However, each person was wreathed in roaring flames that seemed to make the very air around them shimmer, completely obscuring their features.

And at the very top of the tallest pillar sat a man with long, fiery red hair.

He was the only one among them whose form was clearly visible.

Raging flames burned around him, and he exuded an aura of arrogant disdain, gazing down upon everything like a king.

His eyes, as brilliant as stars, shone with a light that none dared to meet directly.

It was none other than the one Shen Lang had met before... Flame Demon King Dinaros!

The Flame Demon King’s voice was deep and magnetic. ”Wait peacefully. Wait for his return. Not only does our chance to open the Seal lie with him, but the fate of our Flame Demon Race is also in his hands.”

”A new era is about to begin. From this day forward, the Flame Demon Race will be reborn...”

Flame Demon King Dinaros’s voice still echoed through the cavern, but the pillar he was on had already sunk into the Lake of Lava, vanishing without a trace.

The flames surrounding the figures on the other seven great pillars began to flicker violently, as if their minds had also become unsettled.

These seven pillars were slightly smaller and shorter than the Flame Demon King’s.

But the presence sitting cross-legged on each one was majestic and immense, heavy as a mountain.

”This boy is extraordinary. Even back in the days of the Pocket World Blessed Lands, it would have been hard to find someone with such peerless talent. But... based on this alone, how can we be sure he is the one we are waiting for?”

A voice like rolling thunder boomed from one of the pillars.

”The boy is indeed impressive. Give him some time, and he will surely soar to the heavens. But his current Cultivation is far too weak. How can he possibly open our Seal? How can he change the fate of our Flame Demon Race? What exactly is the King’s reason for valuing him so highly?”

A muffled voice spoke from another pillar.

”To open this Seal, one needs the Elemental Power Fragment from the Dragon Scale Divine Hall and five Spirit Meridians... Right now, auras that make even our hearts tremble have appeared in the Yumu Cave Blessed Land. With his level of Cultivation, the chances of him snatching food from a tiger’s mouth are far, far too small...”

”Since the Yumu Cave Blessed Land opened, only ten of the young talents who passed by this Stone Forest have been worthy of our notice. And those ten are likely the ones who will ultimately enter the depths of the Dragon Scale Divine Hall.”

”Among those ten, at least three are not much weaker than Shen Lang. Why is the King so certain, so early on, that Shen Lang is the one we are waiting for?”

The seven subordinates of the Flame Demon King, all at least in the Emperor Martial Realm, were filled with doubt.

Everyone hoped for a miracle, but no one trusted in miracles.

Because the hope of a miracle occurring was simply too remote.

Just then, another pillar began to sink, and a female voice rang out. ”Questioning this now is useless. Miracles only happen for those who are worthy of creating them. The world is vast and unpredictable, its myriad mysteries impossible to fathom. But in just this short time, we have already witnessed many incredible things from this young man...”

”His physical body is as tough as a Rock Demon Lord’s.”

”His Cultivation Technique is more powerful than any from the Pocket World Blessed Lands.”

”His mind is firm and unshakeable.”

”His intellect is monstrous, his perception sharp enough to see the smallest details.”

”And what’s more, as a member of the Human Race, he wields the Vermilion Bird Divine Fire!”

”If even a monstrous talent like him isn’t the one we’re waiting for, then who else could we possibly wait for?”

When she finished speaking, her pillar also sank completely into the lava, disappearing from sight.

The others fell silent...

A moment later, the remaining six pillars also sank slowly, and the immense cavern was filled with nothing but the sound of bursting lava bubbles.

...

Leaving the Stone Forest, Shen Lang flew close to the ground, heading northwest.

The farther north he went, the closer he got to the Dragon Scale Divine Hall. The jungle grew denser, the mountains steeper, and ancient trees reached for the sky. As far as the eye could see, there was only a sea of green.

The calls of deer, the howls of wolves, the roars of tigers, and the cries of apes echoed through the mountains and forests. Lizards scurried, insects leaped, and snakes hid among the rocks. The richness and diversity of life were on full display in the Yumu Cave Blessed Land.

Shen Lang, whose mind was weighed down by many worries, felt the stir and joy of this life and, for the first time, experienced a true moment of peace...

Just then, a sudden feeling of unrest rippled through the air.

Countless creatures in the jungle began to flee madly to the south, and the Primordial Qi between heaven and earth seemed to tremble violently!

Shen Lang’s expression changed slightly. He immediately scaled a mountain peak that pierced the clouds.

A silver glint flashed in his eyes as he activated his Silver Eyes of Truth.

On the distant horizon, several terrifying and unfathomable auras became perfectly clear under the gaze of his Silver Eyes of Truth.

’Candle Dragon really is something else. A mere clone at the Quasi-Emperor Martial Realm is still alive despite being hunted by multiple Emperor Martial Realm Powerhouses...’

’Why has Black Phoenix Lin Yafeng’s aura weakened so much in such a short time? There can’t be more than one or two people in this entire Yumu Cave Blessed Land who could injure her... No, that’s not right. Her aura doesn’t feel like she’s been seriously injured.’

Observing these things from hundreds of miles away with his Silver Eyes of Truth consumed a massive amount of Divine Thought, and Shen Lang was starting to feel the strain.

But the situation was chaotic, and his own Cultivation was weak. If he didn’t investigate clearly and understand both the enemy and himself, he would be courting death.

’Hm? Besides Dingdang, why does that other aura near Lin Yafeng feel so familiar?’

Just as Shen Lang was puzzling over the weakening of Black Phoenix Lin Yafeng’s aura, a faint aura next to her caught his attention.

This aura wasn’t strong; at most, it was at the King Martial Realm Early Stage Realm.

His eyes shifted slightly, and his Silver Eyes of Truth immediately focused on that faint aura, probing it layer by layer as if peeling back a cocoon.

Although this aura was far, far weaker than those of Lin Yafeng and the others, it was extremely strange. Within the faint aura, a Demon Dragon seemed to be constantly roaring and thrashing, its ferocity and violence no less than that of the Black Phoenix or Taotie!

’Mo Ge!’

Shen Lang was thoroughly shocked.

No wonder the aura was so familiar. Who else could it be but Mo Ge, who had come from the Demon Realm through the Sealing Gate?

Back when he had discovered Mo Ge was from the Demon Race in his dream, he had investigated him thoroughly with the Silver Eyes of Truth.

There was no way Shen Lang could mistake this aura!

’What in the world is going on? How did Mo Ge get mixed up with the Demon God Hall? Shouldn’t he be in the first-level area right now?’

In any case, Shen Lang never would have imagined that only a few days after entering the Yumu Cave Blessed Land, Mo Ge would appear near the Dragon Scale Divine Hall, his Cultivation having already reached the King Martial Realm!

Shen Lang reached out, grabbed a piece of green rock protruding from the cliff face, and squeezed hard.

The rock immediately turned to dust and trickled through his fingers.

’Even Life Spiritual Liquid couldn’t help a Spirit Martial Realm Martial Artist advance to the King Martial Realm in just a few days. And the hidden power within Mo Ge’s body hasn’t leaked out... which means he must have relied on an Elemental Power Fragment.’

’Looking at the Black Phoenix’s condition... could it be that she used an Elemental Power Fragment and expended her own Power to help Mo Ge reach the King Martial Realm?’

’The Black Phoenix is from the Demon God Hall. Her Cultivation is no weaker than Taotie’s, and her status should be comparable. It’s not that strange for her to have an Elemental Power Fragment. The question is, why would she do this? Using an Elemental Power Fragment is one thing, but right now, she’s trying to save Candle Dragon. Doesn’t suffering a huge loss in Cultivation just make it easier for Taotie to hunt down Candle Dragon?’

’Forget it. If the Black Phoenix really did this, Mo Ge will have her backing and should be safe for the time being. I’ll just have to take it one step at a time and play it by ear...’

These thoughts flashed through Shen Lang’s mind. His gaze swept past Mo Ge’s aura and began to examine the others.

He hadn’t thought much of it, but one look gave Shen Lang another shock. ’The Celestial Demon actually snuck in with Dugu Zhange? That bastard has some nerve! Isn’t he afraid that this Soul Thought he snuck out will be completely annihilated?’

’Wait, what could possibly make the Celestial Demon take such a huge risk to get in here? In his current weakened state, Taotie and the others could kill him without breaking a sweat!’

’Could it be that he’s also after the Elemental Power Fragment? This is getting more and more chaotic...’

On Cangxia Mountain, Shen Lang had defeated Dugu Zhange. At the critical moment, the Celestial Demon’s Soul Thought, hidden within the Scythe of Death, had appeared and tried to kill him.

In the end, the power of the Emperor Star had suddenly manifested, scaring the Celestial Demon away.

He never expected that the Celestial Demon would bring Dugu Zhange into the Yumu Cave Blessed Land...

Shen Lang’s thoughts raced. After a moment of contemplation, he shifted his gaze again.

This time, his expression grew complicated. ’The White Banner, one of the War God Hall’s Five-Colored Banners... has its master really come to the Yumu Cave Blessed Land? Didn’t Reincarnation say that before the great war, the War Emperor ordered the Five-Colored Banners and the Eight Celestial Kings to guard the Secret Realms and not leave without permission?’

’Damn it, that bastard War Emperor sealed this memory, sealed that memory, made everything so damn confusing. Now I have to solve a puzzle before I can do anything... You son of a bitch!’

’The Five-Color Banner Masters are no weaker than Taotie or Candle Dragon. If Bai Luobing wants to leave, those few like Taotie won’t be able to stop him... Forget it. You guys can have your fight; I’ll do my own thing!’

’Five days. In five days, I will raise my Cultivation to the King Martial Realm Second Heaven, absorb the insights from my battle with the Rock Demon Lord, and optimize the Five Emperors Dragon Fist.’

’Once I have a better chance of survival, then I’ll head to the Dragon Scale Divine Hall!’

Shen Lang spread his arms and plummeted down along the cliff face toward a pool of water at the foot of the mountain.

There, a waterfall hundreds of feet high crashed down, creating a deafening roar.

Meanwhile, hundreds of miles behind Shen Lang, Shen Jianfeng... or to be precise, Shui Ningxin, was riding a Fiery Demon Wolf and heading this way...