Chapter 17 Xiao Yan Almost Collapses_1
"How is this possible?"
Ling Ying stared at the worldview-shattering scene before him, utterly dumbfounded. Even though he was born into an Ancient Clan and had witnessed many wonders, he couldn't comprehend this illogical spectacle. Dou Emperors had seemingly become as common as bok choy. Any random beast was stronger than a Dou Emperor! He couldn't be dreaming, could he?
「Demon Beast Mountain Range.」
Xiao Yan, who hadn't left yet, looked up, his eyes widening as he exclaimed, "Old Yao, what level of existence is that? It feels terrifying!"
"I sense it's an existence that surpasses a Dou Emperor."
Old Yao gazed at the metamorphosing Divine Beasts in the distant sky, his expression horrified, his heart in turmoil. Born into the Yao Clan, he had some understanding of Dou Emperors. Yet, he felt Dou Emperors shouldn't be this powerful.
"Wait, aren't those Ya Fei and Nalan Yanran?"
Suddenly, Xiao Yan spotted two figures enveloped in Divine Light, resembling Immortals. His eyes nearly popped out, and his mouth fell agape, a feeling of suffocation washing over him.
"Impossible! They can't be this strong!"
Xiao Yan shook his head vigorously. If Nalan Yanran were this powerful, their three-year agreement would be a farce; he'd surely be slapped to death.
"It is them, Ya Fei and Nalan Yanran!"
Old Yao observed them closely and confirmed their identities. He had also seen both women before. Although their Cultivation Levels and auras had undergone immense transformations, their appearances hadn't changed significantly.
"How could this be? How could *she* be so strong?"
Xiao Yan's body trembled, his gaze becoming vacant. He grew listless, his spirit crumbling.
"Old Yao, do you think I can still escape if I run now?" Xiao Yan asked fearfully.
"Where would you run?" Old Yao glanced at Xiao Yan. "You don't have a mortal feud with her. At worst, you'll just lose the three-year agreement. Besides, they probably wouldn't even bother with a little ant like you now."
"I..." Xiao Yan felt a surge of defeat, considering himself the most pathetic transmigrator.
No! I am the fated protagonist! My future isn't limited to being a Dou Emperor; I can become The Sovereign of the Great Qian World!
Old Yao's disdain ignited Xiao Yan's defiance. He'd already died once; what was there to fear? If a man must die, let him die facing the heavens!
"Good!"
Seeing Xiao Yan's fighting spirit rekindle, Old Yao nodded with satisfaction. He had intentionally provoked Xiao Yan. If Xiao Yan had crumbled under the pressure, his journey would have ended there, and he would no longer be worth nurturing. Fortunately, Xiao Yan hadn't disappointed him.
"Let's go see what's happened. I've met Ya Fei and Nalan Yanran before; they definitely couldn't have achieved such a breakthrough on their own. Something monumental must have occurred there. It might even be an opportunity for you!" Yao Chen said.
"Alright."
Xiao Yan took a deep breath, his eyes filled with resolve, and then headed towards Hongmeng Divine City.
「Zhongzhou Ancient World.」
In the gathering place of the Ancient Clan, Clan Leader Gu Yuan and numerous powerful members of the Ancient Clan assembled, gazing in shock towards the northwest region.
"Is this the emergence of an Emperor? What a terrifying aura!" Gu Dao, one of the Three Immortals of the Ancient Clan, exclaimed, his eyes filled with awe and fervor.
Dou Emperors! They were gods in their hearts. The birth of a Dou Emperor could bless an entire clan. The great renown of their Ancient Eight Clans stemmed from their lineage as descendants of Dou Emperors. With Dou Emperor blood flowing in their veins, their Cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds, far surpassing ordinary people.
"Could it be that the Soul Heavenly Emperor has become an Emperor?" a member of the Ancient Clan asked, his voice trembling.
If the Soul Heavenly Emperor had achieved Emperorhood, it would spell disaster for their Ancient Clan.
"That's not the Soul Heavenly Emperor's aura. Besides, this aura is too terrifying—far stronger than any Dou Emperor recorded in history. It's highly probable this is an existence that surpasses Dou Emperors."
Gu Yuan, a late-stage Nine Star Dousheng and from a Dou Emperor lineage, knew a fair amount about Dou Emperors. Moreover, as a long-standing rival of the Soul Heavenly Emperor, he was very familiar with his aura.
"What should we do? Should we go take a look?" one of the Ancient Clan experts asked, both hopeful and apprehensive.
"We go. We must find out what has happened."
Gu Yuan's gaze sharpened. He then tore through space, heading towards the northwest region, with the other Ancient Clan experts following closely behind.
From the Soul World, the Soul Heavenly Emperor mobilized the experts of the Soul Clan.
From the Medicine Realm, Yao Dan of the Yao Clan.
From the Thunder Realm, Lei Ying of the Thunder Tribe.
From the Flame Realm, Yan Jin of the Flame Clan.
...
One by one, these powerhouses tore through space and hurried over.
...
「The Northwest Region.」
Hongmeng Divine City.
Divine Beasts bathed in Divine Light, undergoing an ultimate sublimation. The women blessed with great destiny possessed skin as clear as crystal, shimmering with Divine Light. Their black hair flowed, their eyes shone like black gems, and their gracefully curved brows exuded myriad charms. Dressed in fluttering robes and swirling long skirts that accentuated their proud, undulating curves, they were graceful and captivating. Enveloped in a sacred radiance, they resembled the Nine Heavenly Empress descending to the mortal realm.
"Is this the might of the God of Hongmeng? So powerful, so terrifying!"
Gu Xun'er's eyes were filled with shock, excitement, and anticipation.
She had no way out now. Medusa had become terrifyingly strong, unkillable. The Green Lotus Core Flame had also vanished, transformed into a lotus platform wreathed in Divine Fire. Her side mission was now impossible to complete. Her only hope was that the God of Hongmeng could help her deal with the System, even if it meant sacrificing herself.
SWOOSH, SWOOSH, SWOOSH!
Just then, the sound of rending air heralded the arrival of Gu Yuan and the Soul Heavenly Emperor, two Nine Star Dousheng experts, who were the first to appear. They were closely followed by the experts of their respective clans, along with high-level Sage Dou from the Thunder Tribe, Yao Clan, and Flame Clan.
HISS!
Gazing at the scene above the altar, both Gu Yuan and the Soul Heavenly Emperor widened their eyes in utter disbelief, a chill gripping their hearts.
They had assumed a Dou Emperor, or an even more powerful being, had been born or had appeared. But what in the world were these hundreds, even thousands, of Divine Beasts above the altar, each stronger than a Dou Emperor? And who were these Goddesses, also stronger than any Dou Emperor? Were beings surpassing Dou Emperors now being produced in batches? This was too insane, too terrifying!
Suddenly, the situation in the sky above changed dramatically.
BOOM!
It was like a clap of thunder, yet also like the heavenly sound of the Great Path. No one could describe the power of this divine sound, nor could they comprehend its content. The moment it echoed, everyone's mind went blank—even Nine Star Dousheng like Gu Yuan and the Soul Heavenly Emperor were no exception.
Instantly, they plummeted from the clouds like kites with severed strings, falling one after another as if dumplings being dropped into a pot.
THUD, THUD, THUD!
Scrambling up from the ground, covered in dust, their eyes were filled with shock and terror as they regained their senses.
A streak of Divine Thunder tore through the firmament, stretching across the horizon. An endless, terrifying pressure bore down, relentlessly assailing the minds of all non-believers.
Submit. Only by submitting could one find release. Only by submitting could one find liberation.
"What manner of terrifying existence is this?"
Gu Yuan, the Soul Heavenly Emperor, and the other experts trembled to their core. Under their terrified and shocked gazes, endless divine light cascaded down.
Then, two Peerless Goddesses, enveloped in boundless divine light, emerged from an unknowable realm, strolling gracefully along a Golden Light Path.
Peerless elegance.
Unrivaled grace.
Is this the terrifying power from a world beyond? Gu Yuan and the Soul Heavenly Emperor mused, yet they sensed something was amiss.
This isn't that Divine Spirit, Gu Xun'er thought with disappointment. I wonder if it's too late to offer myself as a sacrifice now?
"We respectfully welcome our God's arrival!"
Just as Gu Yuan and the Soul Heavenly Emperor were puzzled, the Peerless Goddesses who had descended from the unknowable realm knelt reverently towards the depths of the sky, proclaiming.
As their voices faded, boundless divine light surged in the depths of the sky, revealing a magnificent world.
Within that world, Divine Trees towered, and a vast Life-giving Lake shimmered with endless vitality. Divine Beasts frolicked joyfully through the forests, drinking freely from springs of life, carefree and content.
Deep within this world stood a Temple of indescribable grandeur.
As the divine light swirled, an indescribable and majestic presence manifested. His gaze descended, piercing through past, present, and future, seeing through all of time and space.
In that instant, the minds of Gu Yuan, the Soul Heavenly Emperor, and the others went utterly blank, their thoughts freezing.
"We respectfully welcome our God's arrival! We pay homage to our God!"
Yunyun, Yun Shan, Jia Xint Tian, and the others, their faces alight with excitement, knelt eagerly.
"Yunyun, for her merit in spreading the faith and performing the sacrificial ritual!"
A majestic voice, seeming to echo from the annals of ancient time, resonated.
"You shall be rewarded."
His words were like imperial decrees, laws manifested with each utterance. Instantly, the Doupo World was suffused with an endless purple aura, brilliant light stretched for ten thousand li, and auspicious multicolored streams filled the air.
In that moment, celestial flowers rained down, and Golden Lotus Bananas sprouted from the earth. It was as if the entire world was celebrating, cheering, and exulting in the presence of this magnificent being.
...