CHAPTER 242: CHAPTER 242: HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO

Hongxiu led over three hundred members of the Wuji Sect into battle. When the news spread, it shocked the entire Nan Zhanbu Province, causing many major forces to tremble with fear.

「In Stone Country, deep within the Academy.」

Chen Shixian spoke up, "They are courting death."

The ’they’ she referred to were the two major forces: the Saint Tao Family and Youming Valley.

The Grand State Master could not help but ask, "Is Chen Pingping truly so powerful as to disregard even two major forces?"

"That’s not called being powerful..." She looked up.

The Grand State Master secretly let out a sigh of relief, but the next moment...

Chen Shixian said, "That’s called being invincible."

Destroying the Bai Family, Chong Tower, slaying Emperor Realm experts. Such battle honors were unimaginable for the two major forces. For Chen Pingping to destroy them was as easy as flipping his hand; he didn’t even need to do it himself. Either of his two junior sisters could easily accomplish it.

The only issue that made Chen Shixian ponder was that passage...

She had heard rumors that the entire Heaven Martial continent was actually a gigantic prison, where criminals, their descendants, and some powerful ferocious beasts were exiled. Those branded with the bloodline of criminals were doomed to never achieve Tao Verification. Later, the Demon Flower appeared, giving birth to two Human Emperors. They used Supreme Mighty Power to close the passageway between the two realms. Now, thinking about it, hundreds of thousands of years have passed. The Supreme Mighty Power has been exhausted, and the passageway might be about to reopen.

"Teacher, what were the names of those two Great Emperors?" Chen Shixian asked.

"Emperor Wuji, Human Emperor."

That’s it! There can be no mistake. Emperor Wuji, the Wuji Sect. This small Sect was the legacy of Emperor Wuji. Only, over hundreds of thousands of years, the Sect gradually declined, its Tao was lost, also due to changes in the general environment of Nan Zhanbu Province. The Sect’s strength declined day by day, leading to its eventual obscurity. As for the legacy of the Human Emperor...

Chen Shixian frowned, unable to figure it out. She then said, "The key for the Spirit Realm to reopen the passage must lie with the Wuji Sect."

Her speculation was not wrong; that was indeed the case. Beneath the Wuji Sect, an ancient altar lay suppressed—the passageway connecting to the Spirit Realm, which was also guarded by a formidable evil being.

But hundreds of thousands of years had passed, and this secret had long been buried in dust; even the Wuji Sect itself was likely unaware of it.

Chen Pingping had browsed through many ancient texts, unable to find any clues. However, he spotted a clue on a painted scroll, and a strange feeling stirred within him.

The scroll was three feet long and one foot wide, simple and unadorned, its colors almost faded away.

There was a figure, very vague, clad in ancient attire. Its facial features had already peeled away, and the few lines of text below were eroded by time.

Baili Jiansan approached from behind and asked, "How is it? Any leads?"

"What is this scroll?" Chen Pingping asked.

"Oh, it must have been left from the past; it’s too damaged to be restored," Baili Jiansan replied.

"Look at it from there; don’t come close to me," Chen Pingping said. He spread open the Heavenly Book, Divine Brilliance enveloping him, and then began to channel the Reincarnation Mystery—The Past...

In an instant, light and shadow overlapped.

His consciousness plunged into another world.

It was a battlefield where countless beings fought in a bloodbath. Cries of slaughter and the clang of weapons shook the heavens and earth; with every breath, multitudes of lives fell into pools of blood.

ROAR!

Suddenly, a gigantic ferocious beast appeared before them. It was as large as a mountain, imposing and majestic, its body covered with black fur, its face savage and terrifying. With a gaping mouth, it let out thunderous roars, and two enormous fangs came into view.

It strode forward, its heavy steps making the ground quake.

"It’s Qiongqi, it’s Qiongqi... Run for your lives!"

"Damn it! Why is this happening?"

People exclaimed in horror, screaming in fear, turning to flee the scene.

Unfortunately, Qiongqi’s slaughter was too swift; its giant palms smashed down again and again, reaping group after group of lives...

Behind Qiongqi hovered a figure shrouded in golden Divine Brilliance. From afar, he looked divine and holy, like a god.

Watching Qiongqi’s slaughter, the golden figure said coldly, "Criminals are merely criminals, fodder for my Spirit Realm. This is a fate you cannot escape. Do you still delude yourselves with thoughts of struggling?"

He was very strong.

His Dharma Heaven and Earth was supremely solemn.

The Qiongqi that served as his mount was even stronger, killing a great number of powerful foes with each strike.

And the Life Essence within those who perished was completely devoured, their bodies instantly desiccated into mummies.

HUM!

Suddenly, a sword struck from afar upon the land.

It was a broadsword.

It was huge and entirely black, devoid of Divine Radiance or any powerful fluctuations, possessing only a heavy, brute force.

A man clad in black hastened forward, his expression calm, his eyes dark.

He raised his head, looking straight at the Qiongqi before him.

The broadsword slashed down, but Qiongqi was too strong, its defenses absurdly solid; his sword could not harm it.

Of course, the man had no illusions about inflicting serious damage on Qiongqi with a single strike.

BANG!

A gigantic palm followed, striking with wide, powerful swings. It still lacked Divine Brilliance but carried a particularly special Tao.

Wu Ji!

Yin and Yang worked in concert, generating and counteracting each other, rapidly expanding. Descending from above the Nine Heavens with a deafening boom, the Wuji Taoism directly suppressed Qiongqi.

The golden figure was taken aback for a moment, staring intently at the newcomer. "Are you the one chosen by the Tao Seed?"

The man in black remained silent.

The golden figure laughed heartily. "Excellent, excellent! The Tao Seed will be mine."

Qiongqi was suppressed. He did not care in the least; his eyes were fixed only on the man in black. If he could obtain that Tao Seed, then achieving Tao Verification would be just within reach!

The golden figure made his move.

Both were very strong. Each collision caused mountains to collapse and the earth to crack. Terrifying waves swept across the distance, and any cultivator touched by them was unable to withstand the force, instantly suffering heavy injuries.

BOOM!

In just ten short minutes, they had clashed hundreds of times, evenly matched, neither able to best the other.

But the golden figure was clearly growing impatient and anxious, sensing another person—the second possessor of a Tao Seed—also closing in.

If the two of them attacked together, he might not win! The more he thought about it, the more his mind grew restless.

At that critical moment, the black-clad man’s Wuji Taoism shattered his defenses and struck his Dantian. With a sickening squelch, the golden figure suffered a grievous wound.

This was fatal.

The black-clad man would not miss this opportunity. He attacked relentlessly—one punch, two punches, three punches... an uncountable barrage—eventually suppressing the golden Divine Brilliance that enveloped his opponent.

AH! A bloodcurdling scream erupted.

BANG! BANG!

Immediately, Wu Ji manifested, swiftly descending to suppress him, crushing his body deep into the earth.

"You deserve to die..." the golden figure roared furiously, trying to resist, to revive his Divine Weapon, cast Secret Techniques, and so on.

But it was already too late.

From the very beginning of the fight, the black-clad man had been laying his plans. Now, his grand strategy was complete, and he began to close the net. Yin and Yang manifested, forming a colossal prison that trapped the golden figure within.

The roaring noises gradually faded away.

Of course, Qiongqi was also suppressed.

The battlefield gradually calmed. Onlookers trembled in shock, their mouths agape as they stared at the black-clad figure, gasping in awe.

Subsequently, the man in black raced towards a distant battlefield.

Countless more formidable enemies awaited him there...

Chen Pingping was also stunned and instinctively wanted to follow. But when the black-clad man glanced back at him, Chen Pingping’s body and footsteps froze. He managed to say with difficulty, "Senior!"