Chapter 142 Who said they wanted to strip me of my Dao Fruit?

"This... quickly, go stop him!" Someone in the Void Realm shouted at the top of their lungs.

This stretch of starry sky at the edge of the Demon God Domain had originally been pitch black, with only a few stars in the distance occasionally flickering with faint light.

But now, it was illuminated by a dazzling white light as if it were daytime; the Lightning Tribulation was terrifyingly massive, and the starry sky seemed to be trembling.

The four Divine Emperors stood at the edge of this starry sky, their expressions all looking terrible, each gloomier than the last.

Fantian stood at the very front, his pair of demonic eyes bloodshot and terrifyingly red, as if he hadn't closed them for days and nights.

"Stop him? With what are we supposed to stop him!" Emperor Xiangliu gritted his teeth, squeezing these words out from between them.

Behind him stood the Yao Race masters of the Seventy-Two Caves; by now, quite a few of them had been shaken by the aftermath of the Divine Tribulation, spitting blood and collapsing limply in the Void Realm, unable to even stand steady.

Emperor Xiangliu sneered, "That is the World-Extinguishing Divine Tribulation descended by the will of the great Universe. Whoever touches it will die, without even a complete corpse left behind."

"Fantian, don't you brag all day about your demonic might covering the world?" Emperor Ming spoke up, the two balls of ghostly green fire in his eye sockets suddenly leaping violently, like boiling oil.

His voice was mocking, "You're the closest one. Why don't you manifest your Primordial Demon God Dharma Form, rush directly into the center of the Lightning Tribulation, and drag that old fox out from inside?"

"Bullshit!" Upon hearing this, Fantian cursed on the spot.

He reached out, pointing his finger directly at the distant sea of thunder that had almost swallowed the entire star System. The thunder within that sea poured down like a waterfall, and the purple-gold light was so dazzling that one couldn't even open their eyes.

Fantian shouted at the top of his lungs, "The Lightning Tribulation has completely locked onto the Origin Divine Pool! If anyone rushes in now, the will of the great Universe will treat all intruders as challengers and wipe them out along with it! If you want to die, that's your business, don't drag this Emperor down to be your scapegoat!"

"So we can only stand here and stare?"

The two great Divine Emperors opposite, supreme existences who could summon wind and rain in the Three Thousand Great Worlds and make countless planets tremble with a stomp of their feet, were now like ants on a hot pan, pacing anxiously. They pushed each other, mocked and ridiculed one another, but no one dared to take that step forward, and no one had the guts to rush in.

They could only stand honestly outside the safety zone, watching helplessly as the purple-gold thunder poured down like a torrential rain, completely submerging the Nine-tailed White Fox Ancestral Land in a sea of thunder.

On the side of the Demon God Domain, it fell into a deathly silence and deep shock. Everyone had their mouths agape and eyes wide open, unable to speak.

In the distant Dragon God Domain, "Boom—" deep within the Forbidden Ground of the Dragon Clan, the incredibly ancient divine mountains that had stretched across countless epochs suddenly shook violently at this moment, as if an earthquake had occurred, with rocks tumbling and dust flying.

Immediately following this, an aura that was ancient, vicissitudinous, and filled with endless rage erupted. That aura was outrageously powerful; the moment it emerged, it caused the starry sky of the entire Dragon God Domain to change color, and the originally pale golden nebulae were instantly dyed a dark red.

In the Dragon Domain, at Longyuan Hall, outside, Black Dragon Immortal Emperor and Green Dragon Immortal Emperor were guarding the Lietian Grass, their faces filled with joy. But the moment that aura appeared, both of their expressions changed drastically.

"This is... the Ancestor's aura?" Black Dragon Immortal Emperor's legs went soft, and he almost fell to his knees. He hurriedly reached out to steady himself against the pillar beside him, barely managing to stand firm.

"The Ancestor... has come out of seclusion?" Green Dragon Immortal Emperor was also badly frightened; he turned his head, looking in the direction of the Forbidden Ground with a face full of terror, his mouth open wide enough to fit an egg.

Everyone suddenly realized. The commotion caused by this Divine Emperor Tribulation in the Demon God Domain was simply too great. It was so great that even the Origin of the entire Three Thousand Great Worlds was trembling, as if it had been shaken hard by a giant hand. This earth-shattering fluctuation had actually awakened the Dragon Ancestor who was in deep seclusion.

"The Ancestor is forcefully coming out of seclusion now, I fear..." A Dragon Clan Elder said with deep worry, but before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by another, even more incredible fluctuation.

"Hum—" An aura transcending that of a Divine Emperor swept silently across the endless galaxy.

"This... this aura..." Black Dragon Immortal Emperor turned his head abruptly, his eyes staring straight toward the direction of the Human God Domain. It wasn't just him. In the Demon God Domain, those four Divine Emperors also changed their expressions in unison.

"Human God Domain?" Fantian shouted out involuntarily, "This aura... is it a half-step God Emperor?"

The ghostly fire in Emperor Ming's eye sockets suddenly shot up three zhang high, like two green pillars of fire, almost burning up to the sky. "Jiang Wanyin..." A flash of extreme gravity crossed Aphro's purple eyes, and she enunciated the name word by word, "It is that Imperial Teacher of the Divine Court, Jiang Wanyin. She actually broke through to half-step God Emperor at this critical juncture." What kind of day is this, anyway?

Human God Domain, Divine Court Main Hall. The main hall had already erupted in an uproar. "half-step God Emperor! It's the aura of a half-step God Emperor!" "Lord Imperial Teacher! Lord Imperial Teacher has broken through!" Dozens of Elders were so excited that tears flowed down their faces, old tears streaming down one after another.

Red-robed Elder threw his head back and laughed heartily, laughing so hard he swayed back and forth, not even noticing that his hair crown had tilted to one side, just hanging crookedly on his head. "Heaven bless our Human Race! Heaven bless our Divine Court!" "Although Her Majesty the Empress's whereabouts are unknown, since Lord Imperial Teacher has stepped into the Realm of half-step God Emperor, our Human Race remains the absolute hegemon of these Three Thousand Great Worlds! Let's see if the Yao Race and Demon Race dare to be arrogant in the future!"

A mood of wild joy spread throughout the main hall for quite a while, everyone chiming in, talking heatedly. After a good while, everyone's emotions slowly calmed down. Red-robed Elder wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, suddenly remembering an important matter. He turned his head and looked at Old Palace Master, who was leisurely sipping tea in the side seat. Old Palace Master held his teacup, taking small sips, with no expression on his face.

"Old Palace Master, speaking of which, that commotion over in the Demon God Domain... what exactly is going on?" Red-robed Elder frowned, "More than three hundred days ago, the scouts we sent out risked their lives to send back intelligence, stating that the aura breaking through was indeed that of the Nine-Tailed Ancestor, and even the Insect Empress personally appeared to protect the Dharma. This matter cannot be fake."

"Indeed." Another Elder stroked his beard, "The Demon God Domain has always been xenophobic; it's difficult for outsiders to get in. The Insect Empress is an even more ruthless fiend who eats people without spitting out the bones; whoever sees her takes a detour. If she can personally protect the Dharma, it means the one breaking through inside is definitely that old thing, Ancestor Tushan Yao." Everyone nodded one after another, feeling that these words made sense.

"However..." Red-robed Elder's brows knitted together again, his face full of confusion, "What about that thief with the heaven-reaching tower? Where is he now?" Once these words were spoken, the main hall instantly fell silent, and everyone fell into a brief silence. Indeed. That mysterious young man who appeared out of nowhere, snatched the heaven-reaching tower, and was even suspected of refining the Original Realm, had vanished as if he had evaporated into thin air; not even a shadow could be found.

"Sigh..." An Elder skilled in divination let out a long sigh, his face full of frustration, "That thief has a divine object like the heaven-reaching tower in his hands, which can shield heavenly secrets. We have exhausted countless years of our Lifespan to divine, but we simply cannot calculate even a bit of his location; it is simply... too frustrating!" "If we let him completely refine the heaven-reaching tower, it will also be a huge hidden danger to our Human Race." The Elders fell silent again, the atmosphere becoming somewhat heavy for a moment; everyone looked at each other, and no one could come up with an idea.

Just at this moment, Old Palace Master put down the teacup in his hand. He shook his head, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth. "Everyone, there is no need to be so worried."

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up immediately, as if they had grasped a life-saving straw. Red-robed Elder hurriedly leaned forward, his body leaning ahead, and asked with a beaming smile, "Old Palace Master, what do you mean by that... could it be that you have another brilliant plan? Can you find the whereabouts of that thief?"

Everyone's gaze was filled with anticipation, focusing in unison on Old Palace Master. This old antique, who had lived for who knows how many years, could always provide brilliant strategies at critical moments that made people applaud in admiration. Old Palace Master looked at the expectant eyes of everyone, the smile on his face deepening; he shook his head and slowly spat out two words: "None."

The Elders: "..." The air in the main hall seemed to solidify instantly. Dozens of Elders, at this moment, each had their mouths agape, their expressions stiff on their faces. None? If you have none, why are you smiling so inscrutably?

Watching the deflated appearance of everyone, the smile on Old Palace Master's face grew even thicker. He stood up, put his hands behind his back, walked slowly to the center of the main hall, raised his head, and looked into the endless starry sky outside the hall with a profound gaze, putting on the air of an expert.

"Everyone, think carefully." "Now that Lord Imperial Teacher has come out of seclusion and has stepped into the Realm of half-step God Emperor. That Divine Venerable who snatched the heaven-reaching tower, no matter how much of a Prodigy he is, no matter how many methods he has, in the face of such absolute power, what waves can he possibly stir up?"

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded one after another, feeling it made sense. Indeed. A half-step God Emperor is an existence that has already stepped half a foot into that step; a mere Divine Venerable, even with the heaven-reaching tower in hand, is nothing more than a slightly stronger ant that could be crushed with one foot.

Old Palace Master paused, a flash of sharp light crossing his eyes, and continued. "Moreover, in a few dozen days, the Dragon Clan Divine Treasury will be completely opened. The Opportunities there are numerous enough to make anyone go crazy. Lord Imperial Teacher's cultivation has greatly advanced now; if she obtains some Opportunity in this Divine Treasury..." Old Palace Master's voice drew out slightly, "Perhaps... our Human Race could produce a second one..."

"Hiss—" A sound of gasping for air echoed in the main hall. A second... God Emperor? Red-robed Elder was so excited that his whole body trembled, his legs were shaking, and he slapped his thigh fiercely, "Old Palace Master is truly far-sighted! As long as Lord Imperial Teacher can advance one step further, that thief will be nothing more than a turtle in a jar, to be caught however we want."

"Old Palace Master is wise!" The Elders nodded repeatedly in agreement, words of praise flowing endlessly like a surging river, popping out one after another; they wished they could praise Old Palace Master to the heavens. Just as they were preparing to offer even more magnificent words of praise again, Old Palace Master smiled. He turned around, waved his hands repeatedly at the crowd, putting on an appearance of being indifferent to fame and wealth. "Just empty names. Just empty names." After speaking, he flicked his sleeves and walked leisurely toward the outside of the hall, leaving behind only a profound and inscrutable back view.

The Elders stood frozen in place, watching the Old Palace Master depart, unable to recover from their stupor for a long while.

The Red-robed Elder scratched his head and muttered, "This scene... why does it look so familiar?"

Meanwhile. In the Demon God Domain, at the Nine-tailed White Fox Ancestral Land.

The purple-gold lightning of the World-Destroying Lightning Tribulation had turned the star valley into an ocean of thunder and lightning, with crackling sounds everywhere.

In the center of the Origin Divine Pool, Gu Heng sat cross-legged. The heaven-reaching tower's Chaotic halo enveloped him, wrapping him inside like a giant eggshell.

Outside, the thunder roared like a furious beast. The purest obliteration force of the Universe's will struck down fiercely, hammering again and again against that seemingly thin halo.

[High-concentration Universe Origin destruction energy (Divine Emperor-level Lightning Tribulation) detected approaching.]

[Entering Passing By distance...]

[Passing By successful. Lightning Tribulation energy has been converted into pure Creation Origin.]

The System prompt faded. The moment those purple-gold lightning bolts outside touched the Chaotic halo around Gu Heng, they vanished silently without a trace.

The all-destroying lightning couldn't even lift a corner of Gu Heng's clothing; it simply turned into the purest Origin energy and surged frantically into his limbs and bones.

Outside. In the starry sky at the edge of the Demon God Domain. The four Divine Emperors stood with tense faces, staring at the center of the Lightning Tribulation in the distance.

"The Lightning Tribulation has descended!"

Fan Tian crossed his arms over his chest, a cruel sneer curling his lips. "Hmph. With such a terrifying World-Destroying Lightning Tribulation, even if that old fox had nine lives, he would be blasted to nothingness this time. Everyone, prepare to divide the heritage of the Nine-Tailed White Fox."

Emperor Ming also let out a cackling laugh. The Nether River behind him churned, transforming into towering waves, ready to rush in and plunder at any moment.

Aphro frowned, her purple eyes fixed on the center of the Lightning Tribulation, saying nothing.

Everyone expected to see a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering scene of destruction next. However. One second passed. Two seconds passed. Ten seconds passed.

The Lightning Tribulation continued to pour down like a waterfall, crackling incessantly. Yet, the divine valley was eerily quiet, so quiet it made one's hair stand on end.

The anticipated explosion did not occur. Even the barrier protecting the Divine Pool didn't ripple much. Those violent lightning bolts seemed as if they had been swallowed.

The smiles on the faces of the several Divine Emperors froze. Everyone was completely bewildered, eyes wide and mouths agape.

"This... why is there no reaction from the Lightning Tribulation?"

"Could it be that the Universe's will is dozing off? Is this Lightning Tribulation just a hollow shell, all thunder but no rain?"

Fan Tian wore an expression as if he had seen a ghost. "Impossible. The Law of Destruction contained within that Lightning Tribulation makes even this Emperor's heart tremble. How could there be no reaction!"

Emperor Ming's ghost fire flickered violently, brightening and dimming. "Could it be... because his Breakthrough is somewhat unique?"

Everyone fell silent again.

"Hum—" An aura, more vast and complete than before, drifted out from the Origin Divine Pool like a gust of wind, sweeping across the entire starry sky.

This was the true aura of a Divine Emperor who held the authority over time, space, and creation, so thick and heavy that it made people unable to breathe.

Everyone finally reacted. That was it... the Breakthrough is finished? Big question marks floated over everyone's heads; they all wore dazed expressions, as if they couldn't believe their eyes.

One second they were facing the World-Destroying Lightning Tribulation, and the next, without even a sound, the Breakthrough was successful? Is this some kind of game?

"What are you all still waiting for?" Fan Tian was the first to recover from his extreme shock.

His face instantly turned ferocious. With a roar, his Primordial Demon God manifestation surged in the starry sky again, rising from the ground like a great mountain and letting out a roar that shattered the galaxy.

"While he has just advanced to Divine Emperor and his aura is unstable, and his Realm has not yet fully consolidated. Let's join forces, kill our way in, and seize his Divine Emperor Dao Fruit!"

Fan Tian's words were like a thunderclap on a clear day, instantly waking the dazed Emperor Ming. "Correct!"

Emperor Ming's bone throne surged forward a great distance, emitting a cracking sound. The Nether River transformed into towering waves, rushing over to cover the sky. "He just survived the Lightning Tribulation, so even if he isn't dead, he must be severely injured. This is his weakest moment; we must not let him catch his breath!"

"Kill! Divide the Divine Emperor Dao Fruit!" The auras of the two Divine Emperors climbed to their peak at this moment, like two volcanoes erupting simultaneously, shaking the surrounding Void Realm.

Without hesitation, they abandoned their previous mutual suspicion and decided to join forces to strangle this newborn variable.

Just as they were preparing to launch a destructive strike. "Hmph." A lazy, cold snort echoed in the starry sky.

Aphro's figure appeared like a ghost in front of the three Divine Emperors. "Fan Tian, you failed to stop me from acting as Protector back then. Now that he has already broken through, do you still want to go and throw your life away?"

Aphro stood with one hand on her hip, her purple eyes filled with mockery, her lips curled high. "What, do you think your life is too long?"

Fan Tian was so angry he laughed. "Aphro! You mad woman, he is just a newly advanced Divine Emperor, what is there to be afraid of? Do you really think that broken shield of yours can block our combined force?"

"A newly advanced Divine Emperor?" Aphro's lips curled, and she was about to continue mocking him. But suddenly, her voice stopped abruptly.

She paused, her brows slightly furrowed. Her purple eyes narrowed sharply, like a feline spotting its prey, as she stared in the direction of the Origin Divine Pool.

"Wait..." The mockery on Aphro's face vanished, replaced by a trace of deep confusion. "This aura... isn't there something wrong with it?"

Hearing Aphro's words, Emperor Xiangliu stopped his charge, forcibly retracting the toxic miasma he was about to spew. His sharp, slit pupils locked onto the Divine Emperor pressure that was constantly expanding outward, his pupils shrinking again and again.

A moment later, Emperor Xiangliu nodded slowly. "This aura... does it look like the Foundation is unstable at all?"

Emperor Xiangliu simply couldn't believe his own perception. For someone who had just broken through to Divine Emperor, the Origin within them should be chaotic, and the Laws should be restless.

However, the aura drifting out from the Divine Pool was as heavy as an ancient star that had experienced billions of years of sedimentation, so steady that it made one's heart panic.

"It is as solid as... not inferior to this Emperor at all." Emperor Xiangliu gritted his teeth.

As soon as these words were spoken, the movements of Fan Tian and Emperor Ming also froze. "Impossible!"

"He is just an old fox whose Lifespan is coming to an end, lucky enough to break through using some unknown crooked path. What real ability can he have?"

"It's just bluffing. This Emperor wants to see if his old bones can withstand a few of my punches!"

Saying this, Fan Tian channeled his Devilish Qi again, preparing to strike forcefully. Just one second before Fan Tian was about to act, the Divine Emperor aura in the Origin Divine Pool erupted again.

This time, the aura was mixed with an extremely pure, extremely ancient Bloodline power, like an ancient Vicious Beast that had been sleeping for eons opening its eyes.

That was... the aura radiated after completely digesting the essence blood of Ancestor Tushan Yao.

Fan Tian's raised fist froze in mid-air, as if someone had grabbed his wrist. He was stunned. In his abyssal demon eyes, a rare trace of confusion flashed.

"This aura..." Fan Tian carefully sensed the fluctuation, his brows furrowing tighter and tighter. It wasn't just him. Emperor Ming and Emperor Xiangliu also noticed something was wrong, each wearing subtle expressions.

"In this aura, although there is the scent of the Nine-Tailed White Fox's Origin, the core will... why does it feel somewhat unfamiliar?"

Emperor Ming's ghost fire flickered unsteadily. "This is definitely not the will of that old thing, Ancestor Tushan Yao, definitely not."

The aura of Ancestor Tushan Yao was something the four present Divine Emperors could recognize with their eyes closed. But now, this Divine Emperor will that ruled over the world, with an indifference that transcended the Three Thousand Great Worlds, was like a high and mighty deity looking at a group of ants.

This was simply not an aura that a Yao Race could possess. Fan Tian took a deep breath, suppressing the shock and doubt in his heart.

He retracted his demon god manifestation, his tall figure returning to the size of a normal person, and then stared gloomily at the Nine-tailed White Fox Ancestral Land.

"Old fox!" Fan Tian's voice rolled like muffled thunder, exploding in the starry sky. "Since you have already broken through, why not come out and meet? Hiding in a Formation and playing tricks, what kind of skill is that!"

Facing Fan Tian's challenge, the direction of the Divine Pool remained quiet. Aphro, standing in front, had an expression of extreme arrogance on her stunningly beautiful face, like a proud peacock.

She crossed her arms over her chest, looking down at Fan Tian from a high position with the attitude of watching a show, her eyes filled with contempt.

"Fan Tian, you really are a fool." Aphro laughed softly, her laughter crisp and melodious, but the irony in her words was thick enough to choke someone. "Have you not realized yet? The one inside is not Ancestor Tushan Yao at all."

"What did you say?" Fan Tian's pupils shrank sharply. It wasn't just Fan Tian. Emperor Ming, Emperor Xiangliu, and those new, hidden alien powerhouses in the distance all gasped.

Not Ancestor Tushan Yao? Then who is this person who triggered the World-Destroying Lightning Tribulation and broke through silently and eerily?

While everyone was in shock and doubt, "Rumble—" Just then, a huge crack suddenly opened in the sky above the Nine-tailed White Fox Ancestral Land.

Endless Chaotic Primordial Qi poured out. Immediately after, a small tower emitting an aura of ancient vicissitudes, as if it could suppress the heavens and myriad worlds, descended from the Star Domain. It was the heaven-reaching tower.

The moment he saw that tower, Fan Tian's face turned pale. How could he not recognize this thing? Fan Tian's heart contracted violently.

Only a clear voice was heard, spreading throughout the starry sky of the Demon God Domain. "Fellow Daoists..."

A white figure slowly stepped out of the Void Realm. Gu Heng stood with his hands behind his back, sweeping his calm gaze over the four Divine Emperors in front, purple-gold Divine Emperor Laws surging in his eyes.

"Just now—who was it that said they wanted to seize this Emperor's Dao Fruit?"