372: intrigue

Zi Xuwu's forehead was beaded with cold sweat, and he couldn't help but advise, "But Your Majesty! I once fought him, and his Cultivation Technique is extremely bizarre. The Law of the nine tripods he wields… it subtly suppresses the Law of the Immortal Realm! That is definitely not a Law of this realm. If he truly becomes a Heavenly Venerate, I'm afraid even your Law might not be able to suppress him!"

"Shut up!" Haotian suddenly turned around, his gaze like a lightning bolt, "This is not for you to worry about! You only need to hide yourself—if the Five Directional Emperors find out you are still alive, they will surely shift their wrath onto me. At that time, internal strife in the Immortal Court will be the true disaster!"

"Yes…" Zi Xuwu bowed deeply and respectfully withdrew.

But his heart churned non-stop: What other trump cards did the Immortal Emperor have hidden? How could he be so certain?

Returning to the secret chamber in the deepest part of Lingxiao Hall, Zi Xuwu sat cross-legged, the Five Elements Qi circulating around him, healing the Divine Soul trauma caused by the demise of his Clone.

At the same time, his fingertip lightly tapped the Void Realm, and an invisible rune disappeared into a fold in space—that was his unique 'Five Elements Reverse Transmission Art,' which could transmit information through a special method, synchronizing it to another location—the Five Directional Emperors' secret palace.

Zi Xuwu was actually a double agent. He fully informed the Five Directional Emperors of the Immortal Emperor's plan to use Taichu's hand to purge the Five Directional forces; and he reported the Five Directional Emperors' deployment to counterattack the Immortal Court to the Immortal Emperor, without missing a single word.

No matter which side won, he would be the meritorious minister who 'turned the tide'; if both sides perished together, he could also seize the Immortal Court's authority amidst the Chaos.

"In terms of Cultivation, I am inferior to you," Zi Xuwu's lips curled into a cold, sinister smile, his eyes glinting like a venomous snake, "But in terms of wisdom, calculation, and strategy… within the Three Realms, only I, Zi Xuwu, am the foremost in the Three Realms!"

The reason why Immortal Emperor Haotian remained calm and even showed anticipation in the face of the Spirit Realm's collapse, the Five Directional Emperors' stirrings, and Taichu's rise, was only because he possessed an ultimate secret that even Zi Xuwu did not know—

The Reverse Spirit Returning to Ruins Formation was never meant to destroy the Spirit Realm.

The true core of this Formation had long been connected to the Origin Cave Heaven within his body.

Whenever the Formation extracted a wisp of Spiritual Qi, a trace of Law, or an inch of the world's Origin from the Spirit Realm, it would be channeled through a hidden reverse passage into an ancient Restriction deep within the Cave Heaven, named the 'Myriad Realms Spirit Devouring Formation.'

This Formation was obtained by Haotian from an ancient relic. It could transform the Dao rhythm overflowing during others' Breakthrough, the power of Law transitions, and even the world's will's feedback, all into resources for his own advancement.

For thirty thousand years, he had been stuck at the Peak of Heavenly Venerate, unable to make any progress.

And now, Taichu Heavenly Venerate's assault on the Heavenly Venerate Realm, in Haotian's eyes, was no different from a Divine Beast willingly sacrificing itself, step by step walking towards his altar.

"Taichu, oh Taichu, the harder you struggle, the more I will help you succeed." Haotian's eyes glowed with golden light as he murmured, "The moment you truly step into the Heavenly Venerate Realm, the heavens and earth will resonate, Laws will be reshaped, and that magnificent power that breaks through shackles… half of it will be intercepted by my Myriad Realms Spirit Devouring Formation.

At that time, I will be able to use your Dao to break through my own obstacles, and directly step into the legendary—Domain Suppressing Realm!"

As for the Five Directional Emperors?

A mocking, cold smile appeared at the corner of Haotian's mouth.

Just five Saint Immortals.

Even if they mastered the art of Five Elements Fusion and could unleash combat power that threatened Heavenly Venerate powerhouses in a short period, they were nothing more than struggling ants.

Once he reached the Domain Suppressing Realm, he could suppress a realm's Law with a mere flick of his hand. The five of them, even united, would find it difficult to even breathe in front of him.

Haotian looked towards the Ascension Platform, his eyes burning with fervent flames: "Once I ascend to the Domain Suppressing Realm, the first thing I will do is personally break through that Ascension Platform that has been sealed for ages! I want to see with my own eyes—what that so-called 'Upper Realm' truly is, a divine kingdom or a cage!"

Laughter echoed through Lingxiao Hall, cold and aloof.

In his eyes, all living beings in the Three Realms were merely nutrients; all the myriad worlds were firewood.

And he, in the end, would become the only one holding the fire… Heavenly Venerable Palace!

Three terrifying energies were almost breaking through the Heavenly Venerable Palace's Restriction.

"It's done! Hahahaha—I've finally succeeded!!"

Emperor Qin roared to the sky, the heaven opening axe in his hand bursting with Chaos divine light, and Laws like Dragons coiled around him.

His eyes were bloodshot, almost frenzied—once upon a time, the great qin civilization was crushed to dust by a single finger of the Heavenly Dao, he died at the end of the starry river, and his eternal hegemony turned into a mirage.

He thought everything was over, but he never expected the Heavenly Dao to grant him a chance at Rebirth!

"What a pity… I couldn't personally slay the Heavenly Dao."

Emperor Qin always felt that the Heavenly Dao had not died, or that the next Heavenly Dao had already been born—whoever it was, this time, destiny must be held in his own hands! I, Emperor Qin, am the first person for all eternity!

In contrast, Shen Wuya's expression was indifferent. He had no interest in power struggles or imperial undertakings; his eyes only held the Great Dao itself.

Ascension is merely the starting point. Once I step into the Divine Being Realm, I will ascend the Ascension Platform and personally see the truth of that so-called 'Higher World'—is there an existence that transcends Law there!

Ling Tian's gaze was like a knife, filled with killing intent: "Heaven and earth should take me as their Venerable! Even if I am not the Heavenly Dao, I will declare myself the Heavenly Dao! All living beings shall kneel, and all worlds shall submit—this is my Dao!"

Only Lin Fei in the corner quietly lowered his head.

He was just an ordinary person from Earth, with mediocre talent, and had not even condensed a Nascent Soul to this day.

The Spiritual Qi in the Spirit Realm was depleted, and the path of Cultivation had long been cut off. He had no grand ambitions, only hoping that Emperor Qin would rebuild Great Qin, allowing him to see Snow White's Reincarnation again, marry and have children, and live a peaceful life until old age—this was all his extravagance.

Just then, Taichu Heavenly Venerate appeared, his face grim: "Three of you! You have all stepped into the Ascension Realm, why am I still stuck at a Bottleneck? Could it be… you're holding something back? We agreed beforehand, you help me Breakthrough to Heavenly Venerate, and I will let you go! If I cannot Breakthrough—" A blood-colored rune appeared in his palm, "I will immediately detonate the entire Origin of the Spirit Realm, and no one will survive!"

Emperor Qin sneered: "Taichu, you don't need to threaten. I'm eager for you to become a Heavenly Venerate soon and charge into the Immortal Realm, leading the way for us! What reason do I have to hide anything?"

Shen Wuya nodded: "Indeed. The four of us are now in the same boat. Perhaps the problem lies in—the Cultivation Technique we Cultivate all originate from our respective civilized worlds, and are incompatible with the Law of the Spirit Realm. If you let us go and allow us to each open a Small World, replicating our original Cultivation environment, it might trigger a resonance of Law and help you Breakthrough."

"Do you take me for a fool, letting tigers return to the mountains?" Taichu Heavenly Venerate cackled, "If you were to defect to the Immortal Emperor, wouldn't I be digging my own grave!"

"You've lived for fifty thousand years, yet you have no vision?" Shen Wuya shook his head and sighed, "You have no trust in us, so how can you comprehend the true meaning of the Great Dao within our Cultivation Technique?"

Ling Tian, with his fiery temper, directly shouted: "If you have the guts, kill us now! Otherwise, when the Reverse Spirit Returning to Ruins Formation completely descends, we'll all die together!"

Taichu Heavenly Venerate's expression was uncertain. To release them, he feared complications; not to release them, his Heart Demon had already arisen, and he would never Breakthrough.

At this critical moment, Emperor Qin displayed the composure of an ancient emperor and slowly said: "If you are uneasy, the four of us can make a Divine Soul blood oath—with our Nascent Soul as the covenant, and Reincarnation as the witness. If there is betrayal, the Heart Demon will backlash, and we shall never be reborn!"

Taichu Heavenly Venerate pondered for a long time, finally nodding: "Good! Let's do it this way!"

The four immediately split their Divine Souls, offered their Nascent Soul, and carved an ancient oath in the Void Realm.

As the oath was formed, heaven and earth resonated, and a blood-colored chain coiled around the center of the four's brows.