40: Emperor's Legacy

Nie Li was swept by the icy blue light into the depths of the Great Emperor Fengxue's Palace, finding himself in an immensely vast crystal hall of ice. On the walls surrounding the hall, countless flowing runes were inscribed, containing the Profound Truth of supreme ice and Soul Law. Just one glance made his Divine Soul sway, as if he was about to fall into an endless cycle of ice and snow Reincarnation.

In the center of the hall, Great Emperor Fengxue's emperor soul phantom became even more solidified. Although still blurry, the majestic pressure of an emperor was like a tangible entity, enveloping the entire space.

"Junior, my Legacy is not merely a bestowal of power, but also a trust of responsibility," the emperor soul's grand voice echoed through the hall. "You must pass three trials to inherit my mantle."

"The first trial: Tempering the Heart. Face your deepest fears and obsessions, uphold your true self, and do not be invaded by external Heart Demons!"

As the words fell, the scene around Nie Li drastically changed! He seemed to return to that desperate moment in his previous life when his brothers died tragically and he was powerless to save them. Heart-wrenching pain and regret surged like a tide, almost devouring his reason. At the same time, various illusions arose: the temptation of power over the world, the false hope of resurrecting loved ones... Heart Demons proliferated!

Nie Li firmly held onto a sliver of clarity in his mind. The process of meeting Yun Feng in this life, fighting alongside his companions, and gradually changing his destiny flashed through his mind. That indomitable will and faith in the future, like proud plum blossoms in a snowstorm, stubbornly resisted the erosion of the Heart Demons. After an unknown period, the illusions finally receded like a tide. He was drenched in cold sweat, but his eyes were even more resolute.

"Good," the emperor soul's voice held a hint of approval.

"The second trial: Comprehending the Dao. Within three days, comprehend the Profound Truth of the first three layers of the "Myriad Transformation Ice Heart Art" on the walls!"

Nie Li dared not delay. He immediately sat down cross-legged, his mind completely immersed in the profound Law runes on the surrounding walls. He had the foundation of the Wind and Snow Spirit Record and had experienced Rebirth, making his Comprehension Ability far beyond ordinary people. Coupled with the emperor soul's intentional guidance, those obscure and difficult-to-understand scriptures and runes gradually became clear in his mind... While Nie Li was undergoing the trials in the Emperor's Palace, outside in the Wind and Snow Realm, Yun Feng's investigation also yielded new discoveries.

With the System's keen perception of rules, he found an extremely hidden spatial node deep within a seemingly ordinary glacier crevice. This node did not lead to the main world; its fluctuations were older, more primitive, and even carried a hint of... demonic aura.

"System, analyze where this node leads."

"[Analyzing... The spatial rules on the other end of the node are chaotic, and the energy attributes lean towards Chaos and demonic power. There are significant differences compared to the known Demon Spirit Continent rules. It is suspected to be connected to a shattered ancient battlefield or a lost plane. Forcibly opening it requires a large amount of Rule Energy and carries unknown risks.]"

"Ancient battlefield? Lost plane?" Yun Feng's eyes flickered. This was an unexpected pleasant surprise. Such places often meant danger, but also Opportunity, potentially containing ancient resources, Legacy, or even... world rule fragments needed for System upgrades, which had long been extinct in the outside world.

He temporarily suppressed the urge to explore, firmly remembered the coordinates of this node, and left an extremely secret "Spacetime Beacon" as a marker.

Afterward, he refocused his attention on the Great Emperor Fengxue's Palace. Through the System's continuous collection and analysis of scattered information fragments from the emperor soul, some scattered pieces of information gradually came together:

"...The Great Calamity is not the end... merely the prelude..."

"...The Watchers have all fallen or become dormant..."

"world heart... key... hidden in..."

"world heart?" Yun Feng caught this keyword. Combined with the context, this seemed to refer to the core of something extremely important, possibly related to the so-called "Great Calamity" and "Watchers." Unfortunately, the information was too fragmented to draw a complete conclusion.

Just then, a strong energy fluctuation came from the direction of the Great Emperor Fengxue's Palace!

The gate of the Emperor's Palace opened again, and Nie Li's figure slowly walked out. At this moment, his aura had undergone earth-shattering changes! Although his Cultivation remained at Gold Rank, the cold Qi swirling around him carried a solemn imperial might. His eyes were profound, as if they contained an endless world of ice and snow! Evidently, he had successfully passed the trials and obtained the core Legacy of Great Emperor Fengxue!

"Congratulations, Brother Nie Li, on obtaining the Great Emperor's true Legacy," Yun Feng said.

Nie Li saw Yun Feng, and a trace of complexity flashed in his eyes, immediately turning into deep gratitude and a subtle, almost imperceptible reverence. He bowed deeply: "If not for Brother Yun Feng's repeated assistance, Nie Li would never have had this Opportunity today! This kindness, I will never forget!"

He clearly knew that without Yun Feng, he might not even have been able to enter the Heavenly Illusion Sacred Realm, let alone obtain this Heaven-Defying Legacy.

Yun Feng calmly accepted his bow and said lightly, "This is your good fortune. Now that you have the Legacy, can you control this 'Wind and Snow Realm'?"

Nie Li nodded. With a thought, the cold Qi of the entire ice and snow world seemed to flow according to his will: "Although I cannot fully control it, I can initially mobilize the power of this realm. It can serve as an excellent place for Cultivation and refuge."

"Very good," Yun Feng nodded. "This place is of great importance and should not be leaked. You should stabilize your Legacy here for now and familiarize yourself with controlling this realm. I will handle matters outside."

Nie Li naturally understood the principle that possessing a treasure makes one vulnerable, and he solemnly agreed.

Yun Feng said no more. With a sweep of his sleeve, he took Lu Piao, Yun Qiao, and others, directly using spatial power, and left the Wind and Snow Realm, returning to outside the Shattered Star Corridor. Only Nie Li remained, in this vast ice and snow, digesting his immense gains and also shouldering a heavy imperial responsibility.

After leaving the Sacred Realm and returning to the Yun Family, Yun Feng immediately summoned his grandfather and the core Elders.

"The depths of the Heavenly Illusion Sacred Realm are now controlled by Nie Li and can serve as another foundation for our Yun Family," Yun Feng first announced the good news, which brought joy to everyone. Then, he changed the subject, his expression slightly solemn:

"However, this exploration also uncovered some clues. This world may not be as peaceful as it appears. The legendary 'Great Calamity' may not be without basis."

He did not mention specific information like the "world heart" to avoid unnecessary panic, but the urgency of improving overall strength had been conveyed.

"Issue an order to increase resource allocation and fully Cultivate core disciples. At the same time, widely recruit talented individuals in Formation, Alchemy, forging, and other fields scattered across the continent, no matter the cost!"

"Yes!" Everyone accepted the order, feeling the solemnity in Yun Feng's words, and dared not delay.

After arranging these matters, Yun Feng returned to his secret room and once again brought up the System interface.

"[Current Rule Energy: 5850 - 300 (deduction) - 100 (marking Spacetime Beacon) = 5450 / 10000.]"

The energy reserve was still ample.

His gaze once again turned to the spatial node hidden beneath the glacier in the Wind and Snow Realm, leading to an unknown shattered plane.

"Perhaps it's time to go there and see. I hope to find some... interesting things."