CHAPTER 745: CHAPTER 170 PUSHING THE STAR RIVER WITH HANDS

Xuanyuan Ancestor, even as a Sword Soul, possessed strength that Zhou Yan had come to understand.

At this moment, hearing him speak thus, Zhou Yan was also filled with anticipation.

However, because he was not completely ignorant of the ancient knowledge on Earth, Zhou Yan instead had some doubts—Xuanyuan Ancestor was, after all, only related to Emperor Xuan Yuan. And even if he were Emperor Xuan Yuan himself, he might not necessarily be stronger than Pangu, the master of the ’Pan Emperor Heaven Creation Tribulation,’ right?

In this case, how could Xuanyuan Ancestor capture the Heavenly Tribulation to be his servant Zhou Yan?

Moreover, Xuanyuan Ancestor was not Emperor Xuan Yuan, which Zhou Yan could assert with complete certainty; otherwise, the Ancestor would not have made a corresponding request.

As Zhou Yan pondered his doubts, he did not hide them but directly voiced his confusion.

Xuanyuan Ancestor was not surprised, as if he had anticipated Zhou Yan’s question. He simply smiled lightly and said, "First of all, myth and legend are, after all, just legend. The content of legends, mostly true and false, cannot represent the actual truth.

Of course, your doubts are not without reason. Indeed, I am not in the most ideal state, nor have I achieved immortality. It seems impossible for me to have such ability—but likewise, this Tai Chu Heavenly Tribulation is but a tribulation, even if it takes the form of an ancient Great Emperor, it is still just a tribulation.

The Heavenly Tribulation in this world is suppressed to the final combat power state of the Nine Changes of Sword Void.

The ultimate combat power state is also the Sword Void Nine Transformation Realm; it won’t truly surpass that, whereas my Realm, although now severely damaged and little remains, is not suppressed by this world. Thus, capturing these Heavenly Tribulations becomes very easy for me."

Xuanyuan Ancestor’s explanation immediately clarified Zhou Yan’s confusion.

Because this statement was quite reasonable. And indeed, Xuanyuan Ancestor’s actual move in exchange for the ’Emperor Blood Oath’ was the most effective promise.

With Xuanyuan Ancestor addressing the matter thus, Zhou Yan felt even more at ease. However, regarding Hou Chen, Zhou Yan subconsciously held back, not clarifying the matter.

Zhou Yan knew one thing: while the Xuanyuan Sword Fragment was inside him, he had had some contact with Hou Chen and even imparted Tao to Hou Chen. Had Xuanyuan Ancestor not sensed it then? Or, as inside his own Soul Dantian, was he mostly unaware of the outside world, or, as he had said, mostly in slumber?

If Xuanyuan Ancestor himself couldn’t sense things like the Xuanyuan Sword Fragment or Emperor Blood, what did that imply?

Zhou Yan didn’t doubt Xuanyuan Ancestor; such an existence had no need to scheme against him, since even at his most ideal peak, Zhou Yan wouldn’t catch the other’s eye.

Thus, it could only mean that Xuanyuan Ancestor had his own unspeakable difficulties.

Not only that, but such a being as Xuanyuan Ancestor had also fallen to this state—what had brought him to such a pass?

The more Zhou Yan thought about these things, he felt a sense of great dread. Remembering a phrase that Xuanyuan Ancestor often muttered, ’Cultivation has no end, white bones turn to ashes,’ Zhou Yan’s mood grew heavy.

Zhou Yan pondered in his heart but still nodded absentmindedly, indicating that he understood.

Xuanyuan Ancestor’s eyes burned fiercely; he seemed to see Xiao Fei outside Zhou Yan’s body, vigilantly guarding in all directions. He transmitted a whisper, "Before this, I will unleash a force of True Void Heavenly Prohibition to make her lose her way for a while, forgetting what she saw, and enter a deep state of Enlightenment as if struck by Sudden Enlightenment. She will be fine; when she wakes up, two months will have passed, and you will have fully refined the Heavenly Tribulation, and the Twelve Beast Sword Soul will have succeeded."

"Xuanyuan Ancestor, I will follow your lead in all things."

Zhou Yan immediately agreed.

"Good, now—"

Xuanyuan Ancestor casually struck out a force of Soul Power, immediately altering the Void’s transformations, sweeping towards Xiao Fei. Xiao Fei had no power to resist and was instantly wrapped in an invisible energy, vanishing in an instant.

At the same time, Xuanyuan Ancestor’s transmission was cut off after only half had been conveyed.

Zhou Yan was curious when he heard Xuanyuan Ancestor continue to transmit, "After I act, I fear I must fall into eternal slumber, until the Xuanyuan Sword is completely reassembled before I will awaken. There are two things I need to tell you beforehand, which you must face after going to Earth. I will tell you now."

Xuanyuan Ancestor transmitted, and Zhou Yan immediately concentrated and held his breath to listen.

"The first matter is the path of Ancestor Worship. In ’Immortal Realm’ places of various mythologies on Earth, those places won’t change with the passage of time. You need to seek out the hidden places of the major preaching lands. While exploring the paths walked by the sages, you should offer appropriate support to these ancient lands."

"The second matter is, in addition to the Xuanyuan Sword Fragment, on Earth, those who resonate with your Emperor Blood, remember to take them as disciples and impart to them the Emperor Qi Dragon Transformation Technique. Perhaps, the possibility is extremely slim, but even if it’s minute, once it does happen, doing so will be greatly beneficial to you in the future."

Having finished, Xuanyuan Ancestor directly said, "Now, summon the Heavenly Tribulation."

Zhou Yan was solemn and no longer hesitant; he called forth the Heavenly Tribulation with his soul once more.

This time, he used a Soul Split to summon the Heavenly Tribulation, not his main soul. He was not worried about Xuanyuan Ancestor’s schemes, but rather concerned that his main body would not react in time to the Heavenly Tribulation’s onslaught and would end up in a very awkward and passive position.

The Soul Split flew out, immediately summoning the Heavenly Tribulation.

It was still the massive snake-bodied female form, yet this time, as soon as she appeared, Xuanyuan Ancestor directly unleashed a radiance that enveloped the Heavenly Tribulation within it, then reached out and pulled, as if devouring the Heavenly Capital itself, capturing all the power of the Heavenly Tribulation in one go.

It was as if the Heavenly Tribulation had suddenly vanished. Indeed, in the next moment, a headless giant man reappeared, wielding a double-headed axe, looking exceptionally ferocious.

His neck, where a head should be, had two bloody holes the size of bells, which suddenly glared at Zhou Yan’s Soul Split. The ghostly eyes of these blood holes glared, almost shattering Zhou Yan’s Soul Split, blinding the eyes of his soul.

"Pfft—"

He swung his axes fiercely, yet as they came close to Zhou Yan, they were swept away by a surge of energy, disappearing without a trace.

With a mere pinch into the Void, the Xuanyuan Ancestor’s hand of Soul Power captured him, leaving him utterly powerless to resist!

Zhou Yan was almost stunned by the sight; the Heavenly Tribulations were indeed ferociously violent.

After this wave of Heavenly Tribulation passed, the next to appear was a man holding a bow and arrows. He suddenly materialized in the Void, causing Zhou Yan to shiver, thinking he had seen Zhou Lingyao come back to life. This man was a spitting image of Zhou Lingyao, but he was exceptionally powerful and fierce. Raising his bow and arrows, Zhou Yan felt as if his soul had been locked on, ready to be shattered.

Yet before the man could shoot his arrow, the Xuanyuan Ancestor’s hand suddenly reached into the Void. With a "whoosh," the figure of the Heavenly Tribulation was captured once again.

The archer disappeared, immediately replaced by a man enveloped in flames. As soon as he materialized, he was captured by the Xuanyuan Ancestor.

Then came a man made entirely of water, a man radiating the intense aura of the Fiery Sun Golden Crow, and so on. All were captured before they could even fully appear.

The first experience with the Heavenly Tribulation passed in this fashion, and straight away, the second Tribulation manifested.

This second tribulation brought forth a grand Heavenly Palace teeming with an endless host of powerful beings, charging like the collective force of the Sacrificial Heaven Ancient City. The momentum left Zhou Yan utterly dumbfounded, wondering if this was truly a tribulation a person could endure.

As the palace crashed down towards Zhou Yan’s head, not only was it incredibly swift, but it also crushed the spirit, rendering onlookers utterly defenseless.

If it were him facing it alone, Zhou Yan knew that no matter how powerful he was, he would be crushed into powder by this primeval palace, not to mention contending with the throng of Cultivators inside it!

However, as soon as the palace appeared, the Xuanyuan Ancestor executed the Emperor Qi Dragon Transformation Devouring Heaven Technique, inhaling deeply. The entire palace was devoured into the illusory form of the True Dragon, which then flew into a part of the Void, and was once again confined.

The following Heavenly Tribulations were so terrifying that Zhou Yan could hardly make them out, but he vaguely sensed golden Buddhas wielding earth-shattering, horrendous Great Emperor’s might, and more. All these were borne by the Xuanyuan Ancestor.

Zhou Yan felt this wasn’t overcoming tribulation; it was defying the heavens, a true battle against Heaven and Earth. This energy was simply too terrifying.

Compared to the Ancient Ice Glacier, Zhou Yan believed that even a slight leak of this energy could shatter everything.

The Heavenly Tribulation progressed faster and faster, with Zhou Yan unable to see clearly, nor even sense it. As the pace of the tribulation quickened, in just a moment, Heaven and Earth shook, returning to clarity, and the skies no longer brought snow.

The boundless Heavenly Tribulation had now condensed into a single pearl, with a world of Thunder within it, displaying various Heavenly Tribulations.

"This pearl is the Emperor Soul Pearl. Merge it into the Volcanic Crater of your Soul Sea, and then cast the six War Beast Sword Souls, the remaining half of the Holy Daughter’s Life Soul, and others into it for your final Transformation. I will concentrate my Soul Power to assist you in accomplishing all of this," the Xuanyuan Ancestor said with a feeble voice.

It was clear that capturing the Heavenly Tribulation was not as simple as he had anticipated; his voice, already aged and frail, was now so hoarse it was barely audible.

After speaking, the Xuanyuan Ancestor’s gaze penetrated the Void through Zhou Yan’s Dantian. Then, his figure suddenly flew out of Zhou Yan’s Dantian, transforming into a sky-reaching energy, enveloping all around and scattering in all directions.

"Boom!"

The Ancient Ice Glacier shattered and, as if shaking itself free, broke through countless Planes in one stroke, flying beyond the expanse of that primeval glacier, leaving the Netherworld behind.

Zhou Yan acutely felt as if a Plane had collapsed, a Plane had been exiled, and this feeling fiercely struck his heart.

The Xuanyuan Ancestor did not stop; reaching out, he pulled a small celestial body from the Void, then with both hands pushed it forward mightily.

Zhou Yan’s expression turned to shock; he could see that this diminutive celestial body was the collective will of the Ancient Ice Glacier. Pushing it away like this was akin to using the soul to expel the Glacier’s Heavenly Dao Will, allowing the Ancient Ice Glacier to independently break away from the Netherworld!

What he had sensed earlier was actually happening!

"Pfft, pfft, pfft—"

Countless laws shattered, Planes fractured, and the celestial body formed from the Ancient Ice Glacier’s Heavenly Dao Will was pushed by the Xuanyuan Ancestor’s bare hands into the depths of the cosmic Void, isolated in every direction, free from any grand scheme.

At that moment, all of the Ancient Ice Glacier’s powers were lost, yet its original rules remained.

"After leaving, the transmission won’t have issues. However, I have now pushed the Ancient Ice Glacier beyond the Plane, into the Cosmic Galaxy. From now on, the Ancient Ice Glacier is no longer part of any calculation. Once you’ve Transformed and gone out, no one will know who you are, and they won’t be able to leave marks of Derivation on you—remember, the promise you made to me."

As the Xuanyuan Ancestor spoke, his body disintegrated, and a boundless Soul Power surged into Zhou Yan’s soul. Where the Xuanyuan Ancestor’s soul once was, only a dull gold Short Sword remained, with traces of cracks. Precisely eight cracks had formed, as if nine fragments were pieced together.