158: Chapter 158 The Guardian's Dying Call, Chu Tiankuo's Mind Trembles

Above the Imperial Palace of the capital, Chu Tiankuo's face was as pale as paper.

He felt the intense pain in his mind, connected to the golden dragon of dynasty's fortune, as well as the weakness left behind by the backlash of that immense power.

Chu Tiankuo gazed at the bottomless hole, his mind filled with a thousand thoughts.

Who exactly could have provoked the Demon Emperor into such a massive display of force?

That aura, locked onto twice by the Demon Emperor, although strange, carried a hint of familiarity.

He vaguely felt that this might be related to the destruction of the Blood God Cult stronghold outside the capital.

Just as Chu Tiankuo prepared to go to the ruins himself to investigate the truth.

An invisible force, like the tolling of an ancient bell, resonated leisurely in the depths of his heart.

The voice was vast and majestic, carrying an irresistible summons.

Chu Tiankuo's body trembled violently.

He knew that this was the owner of that golden giant hand, the true guardian of the Great Chu Dynasty, summoning him.

He cast a complex look at the chaotic capital below.

Ultimately, he suppressed the thought of investigating it himself.

He could not resist that summoning force, nor could he refuse to respond.

"Everyone, this King has urgent matters to attend to, I shall take my leave first!" Chu Tiankuo said to Cao Xuan and the others in a deep voice.

Immediately, his figure flashed, turning into a streak of golden light, flying towards the Forbidden Ground deep within the Imperial Palace.

Cao Xuan and Ximen Lie exchanged a glance, a hint of understanding in their eyes.

They knew that the only thing capable of making Chu Tiankuo leave so urgently was the foundation of the Imperial Dynasty hidden in its deepest depths.

At this moment, seeing that the Demonic Qi had vanished and the turmoil had subsided, Gu Han stretched.

His bones popped and cracked as he stood up from the ground.

Feeling the unprecedented fullness of power within his body, a flash of excitement crossed his eyes.

"I wonder how angry that old dog is now?" A playful arc curved at the corner of Gu Han's lips.

He knew he had caused a huge mess this time, driving the Demon Emperor into a frenzy.

But for him, this was precisely an opportunity to become stronger, and even more so, a bit of fun.

He felt absolutely no danger or pressure at all.

However, just as Gu Han was preparing to continue consolidating his cultivation, a strange feeling suddenly welled up in his heart.

It was an illusion of being spied upon, but unlike the secret technique with Karma locking used by the Nine Nether Demon Emperor.

This feeling was more like... some invisible Law of Heaven and Earth, quietly operating.

He looked up abruptly, staring into the depths of the night sky.

Although the blood-red color over the capital had dissipated, the lingering sense of oppression in the air had not completely faded.

Gu Han's intuition told him that this was merely the calm before the storm.

"The Yao Race will absolutely not let this rest." Gu Han muttered to himself, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

"And those old fogeys of the Great Chu Imperial Dynasty are likely unable to sit still either."

"Time to fish for more remnants of fate again."

With a thought, the System panel appeared once more.

host: Gu Han; life essence: 16 / 1080; Aptitude: Peerless; Physique: Dragon-Elephant Spirit Body, Great Sun Vajra Body; Realm: Dharma Idol Ninth Layer; Cultivation Technique: Heavenly Prison Scripture - Perfection, Azure Dragon Dharma Image Meditation Diagram - Perfection; Martial Skill: Heavenly Prison Saber Scripture - Perfection (Mortal World Slash, Beast Devour, Asura Tribulation), Thousand Illusions Formless Art - Perfection; remnants of fate: +75; life origin crystal: +195; life origin pearl: 0

"There are still one hundred and ninety-five life origin crystals; it seems it is time to synthesize a few more life origin pearls." A flash of burning desire crossed Gu Han's eyes.

The feeling that the life origin pearls gave him was too intense.

He didn't really want to use the life origin crystals to deduce his cultivation anymore.

He did not notice that, just as he was deep in thought.

Deep beneath the capital, an ancient rune Formation quietly lit up with a faint glow.

That light was like a sleeping giant beast, slowly awakening, emitting a heart-palpitating fluctuation.

This fluctuation was covered up by the foundation of the Imperial Dynasty deep within the capital, and it did not attract anyone's attention.

However, in the distant depths of the Demon Domain, the figure of the Demon Saint appeared once again.

He gazed into the Void, his deep eyes reflecting the faint light from beneath the capital.

"The Human Race, indeed, hides deep." The Demon Saint whispered softly, his voice carrying a hint of meaningful implication.

"This game of chess is becoming more and more interesting."

He did not look towards the direction of the Nine Nether Demon Emperor again, but instead cast his gaze into the even more distant Void.

A larger storm seemed to be brewing.

At this time, Chu Tiankuo's figure moved like lightning, golden light tearing through the night, heading straight for the Forbidden Ground deep within the Imperial Palace.

This place was covered by royal secret arts all year round; ordinary people couldn't even get close, let alone set foot inside.

However, today, following that ancient and vast summons.

The layers of light screens at the entrance to the Forbidden Ground silently dissipated, opening a passage for him.

Stepping into the Forbidden Ground, a Spiritual Qi so dense it was extreme rushed towards him.

It was not ordinary Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, but carried the weight of accumulated time and a hint of indescribable decay.

The view suddenly opened up; it was not a magnificent palace, but a stone chamber so ancient it was nearly barren.

In the center of the stone chamber, a mottled altar stood silently.

It was covered in obscure and difficult-to-understand runes, emitting a faint light.

On the altar, a figure sat cross-legged.

He wore a plain robe, his hair like snow, his face withered, his eyes closed tightly, his breathing so weak it was almost inaudible.

Were it not for the occasional flickering golden glow.

And that immense pressure vaguely connected to the Luck of the Great Chu Imperial Dynasty.

Chu Tiankuo would have almost thought it was just a piece of dead wood that had sat there for a thousand years.

"Old Ancestor!" Chu Tiankuo's mind trembled violently, an exclamation escaping his lips.

The scene before him was vastly different from the towering image he had imagined.

That golden giant hand that had once suppressed the Myriad Demon Soul Locking Formation had actually come from such a frail body?

The Guardian slowly opened his eyes.

Those eyes were as deep as an abyss, yet carried a hint of undisguisable fatigue and turbidity.

He looked at Chu Tiankuo, a faint arc curving at the corner of his lips, his voice as hoarse as two rough stones rubbing together.

"Tiankuo, you have come."

Merely five words, yet they made Chu Tiankuo's heart sink.

He could clearly feel that the Guardian's life aura was already so weak it was on the verge of extinction.

As if it were a candle in the wind, it could be extinguished at any moment.

"Old Ancestor, you... how could you..." Chu Tiankuo's throat choked up, an indescribable grief and worry welling up in his heart.

He had never imagined that the sky-propping pillar of the Great Chu Imperial Dynasty had decayed to this point.

The Guardian coughed lightly, a trace of blood overflowing from the corner of his mouth.

Yet he was completely unaware of it.

He merely swept a faint glance at the remaining blood-red color over the capital that had not completely dissipated, a hint of complexity flashing in his eyes.

"Has Great Chu finally reached this point after all?"

"To the point where even that group of beasts dares to stretch their hands into the capital."

His tone was calm, yet it made Chu Tiankuo's heart tremble.

"Old Ancestor, it is this junior's incompetence." "I have implicated you." "And have not allowed you to enjoy your later years in peace."

Chu Tiankuo's knees softened, and he knelt down on the ground abruptly, his voice filled with self-reproach and guilt.

He knew that every time the Guardian acted, it was burning his remaining life Origin.

The Guardian shook his head slightly, and in those deep eyes, a hint of reminiscence emerged.

He said softly.

"This is not your fault, Tiankuo." "I was already a person who should have died." "If it weren't for you all constantly finding Heaven And Earth Treasure for me to extend my life these past years." "Being able to hold on until now is already the limit."

He paused, his gaze landing on Chu Tiankuo, carrying a hint of complex emotion.

"I just did not expect the Yao Race to be so desperate this time."

"To go to such lengths and use the Myriad Demon Soul Locking Formation."

"That power of Karma, even I find it thorny."

A bitter smile appeared on the Guardian's withered face.

He slowly raised that palm which had once torn through the Void and suppressed the Myriad demons; the knuckles were bony, the skin cracked and dry, as if it would turn into flying ash at any moment.