125: Chapter 125 The Miserable Azure Emperor

Inside Undying Mountain.

The massive Void Water Mirror still floated above the courtyard, clearly reflecting the figure sitting cross-legged in the thatched hut within Lingxu Cave-Heaven. Ye Fan was flipping through that copy of the Dao Scripture under the lamp, sometimes frowning in thought, sometimes seemingly having an epiphany.

Xiao Nannan looked at her brother in the mirror, a gentle smile on the corners of her mouth.

"Brother needs the complete Dao Scripture."

She spoke softly and took out an ancient scripture from her bosom. That scripture was dark gold throughout, and the two words "Dao Scripture" on the cover were vigorous and powerful, with Dao Laws faintly circulating—this was the true complete version of the Dao Scripture, not the copy from Lingxu Cave-Heaven.

Chu Tianjiao glanced at it and nodded.

"void mirror."

He called out softly.

On the stone table, that ancient mirror trembled slightly, and a faint silver light appeared on the mirror's surface. It flew up from the table, suspended in mid-air, quietly waiting for its master's command.

Xiao Nannan handed the Dao Scripture in her hand to the void mirror.

"Send this scripture to Brother."

The void mirror shook gently, and a silver light projected from the mirror's surface, enveloping the Dao Scripture within it. In the next moment, that scripture disappeared into the silver light, taken into the space within the void mirror.

Then it turned into a streak of light, escaped into the Void Realm, and disappeared.

Willow Deity looked at the direction where the void mirror disappeared and spoke indifferently: "That mirror is quite loyal."

Xiao Nannan nodded.

"It followed Ji Xukong in battle for a lifetime, and now it protects his child. This mirror has more sentiment and loyalty than many people."

Ancient Kirin Emperor was sipping enlightenment tea on the side and smiled upon hearing this.

"An object follows its master; it is also fate."

Chu Tianjiao withdrew his gaze and looked at Ye Fan in the water mirror. The young man was still studying hard under the lamp, completely unaware of what had just happened.

"It will still take some time for Ye Fan to advance to the Dao Palace," he said softly. "The path of the Ancient Desolate Saint Body is inherently harder to walk than that of ordinary people. However, with his Heart-Nature, it shouldn't take long."

He paused and changed the subject.

"Next, I want to go see the Azure Emperor."

Willow Deity was slightly stunned.

"Azure Emperor? That last Great Emperor?"

Chu Tianjiao nodded.

"If I haven't guessed wrong, he should be in the Desolate Tower right now."

A hint of surprise flashed in Willow Deity's eyes.

"Desolate Tower? Isn't that tower on you?"

Chu Tianjiao shook his head.

"It was indeed on me back then. But later when we went to the Immortal Realm, that tower disappeared."

He recalled the scene at that time.

"At that time, I thought it followed us to the Immortal Realm, but after arriving in the Immortal Realm, I found it was gone. However, I can vaguely sense that it is still in this realm, just don't know where it's hidden."

"So I didn't dwell on it further, thinking I would look for it after returning."

Willow Deity nodded thoughtfully.

"Since that's the case, this time when you go to find the Azure Emperor, bring the Desolate Tower back as well."

Chu Tianjiao smiled.

"Exactly my intention."

He stood up and looked at Xiao Nannan.

"Nannan, you stay here. I can go by myself."

Xiao Nannan looked at him with a hint of reluctance in her eyes, but still nodded.

"Okay. Come back early, Teacher."

Chu Tianjiao reached out and rubbed her head.

"Don't worry, it will be quick."

He turned and took a step out, his figure disappearing from Undying Mountain.

Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone.

When Chu Tianjiao's figure appeared again on this land shrouded in mist, he couldn't help but look around a few more times.

It hadn't changed much since he came half a month ago. It was still the desolate land, the pervasive mist, and the ruined ancient buildings. It was just that the eerie aura in the air seemed to have faded a bit.

Not long after he landed, a figure walked out from the mist.

It was exactly that old man of the Great Completion Holy Body.

After half a month of recovery, his complexion had improved a lot. His originally withered face had become a bit fuller, and the Death Qi on his body had mostly dissipated, replaced by a faint vitality. Although he was still far from a true resurrection, at least he was no longer in that state of being in his twilight years.

Seeing Chu Tianjiao, he quickly took a few steps and came before Chu Tianjiao, bowing respectfully.

"Lord, you have come."

Chu Tianjiao smiled and nodded.

"No need for such formality. Looking at your complexion, you have recovered well."

The old man raised his head, his face filled with gratitude.

"It's all thanks to you. That drop of immortal liquid allowed these old bones of mine to live again."

Chu Tianjiao waved his hand.

"You have guarded this world for countless years yourself; this is what you deserve."

The old man smiled and didn't say any more words of gratitude. He looked at Chu Tianjiao and asked, "Lord, have you come this time because there is something you need my help with?"

Chu Tianjiao nodded.

"There is indeed something I need you for."

He paused and asked, "In this place, have you ever encountered a small tower broken in half?"

The old man froze for a moment.

"A small tower broken in half?"

He frowned and thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up.

"Is what the Lord speaks of this?"

He raised his hand with a beckon, and an object flew from the depths of the forbidden zone, falling into his hand.

It was a ruined small tower, only half a section, charred black throughout, looking ordinary and unremarkable, like a broken stone that had been burned by fire. If one did not sense it carefully, one would not perceive any special qualities in it at all.

Seeing it, Chu Tianjiao's eyes lit up.

"That's the one."

He reached out and took the half-section of the small tower, examining it carefully.

That's right, this is the Desolate Tower.

The half of the Desolate Tower he brought back from the Chaotic Ancient Era back then. Later it disappeared mysteriously; it turned out it had landed here.

Seeing him value it so much, the old man couldn't help but be curious.

"Lord, what is the origin of this half-section of the small tower? Three thousand years ago it suddenly appeared in my forbidden zone. Seeing that although it was ruined, its material was extraordinary, I kept it by my side. But I have studied it countless times over these years and could not see any significance in it."

Chu Tianjiao smiled upon hearing this.

"Of course you couldn't see it."

He raised his head and looked at the old man.

"However, what's interesting is that inside this small tower lives an extraordinary figure."

The old man was stunned.

"An extraordinary figure?"

Chu Tianjiao nodded.

"It's not just anyone; it's this last Great Emperor—the Azure Emperor."

The old man's eyes widened instantly.

"Azure Emperor?! That Azure Emperor who disappeared ten thousand years ago?!"

Chu Tianjiao smiled and nodded.

"Precisely."

The old man sucked in a cold breath.

Although he was the guardian of the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone, he still knew about the Great Emperors of the outside world. The Azure Emperor was an existence that suppressed an era ten thousand years ago! Legend had it that he disappeared; some said he had passed away, some said he had entered the Immortal Realm, but who would have thought...

He was actually inside this half-section of a small tower?

"Lord, you are saying... the Azure Emperor is in this tower?" His voice was even trembling slightly.

Chu Tianjiao nodded.

"That's right. He buried himself in the Desolate Tower, wanting to use this tower to evolve a Small Immortal Realm. Unfortunately, this path is too difficult; he still hasn't been able to come out until now."

He looked at the Desolate Tower in his hand, a hint of complexity flashing in his eyes.

Azure Emperor.

That is also a character in the original Shrouding the Heavens work who was stunning throughout the ages, but his head was a bit off. The Immortal Realm had opened for him, but he felt it wasn't good enough, so he ran into the Desolate Tower by himself wanting to evolve a Small Immortal Realm; it's simply ridiculous.

Then he was trapped in the Desolate Tower.

Now, he was back.

Perhaps, he could help him a bit.

Chu Tianjiao put away the Desolate Tower and looked at the old man of the Great Completion Holy Body.

"Alright, the tower has been found, so I'll be leaving now."

He paused and then added: "By the way, that boy of mine has already opened his Sea of Bitterness. In the next few years, he might return here again. When that time comes, I'll trouble you to take care of him."

The old man nodded solemnly.

"Rest assured, Lord. Someone valued by you, who is also an Ancient Desolate Saint Body, I will naturally look after him well."

Chu Tianjiao nodded with satisfaction.

"With those words of yours, I am relieved."

He turned and took a step, disappearing into the mist of the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone.

The old man stood in place, looking at the direction where Chu Tianjiao disappeared, not moving for a long time.

After a long while, he murmured softly.

"Azure Emperor... is in that tower..."

He shook his head and turned to return to the depths of the forbidden zone.

His path was still long, and he still needed to continue recovering.

As for the matters of those Great Emperors, with that Lord around, it was not his place to worry.