owlsbooks Chapter 13 The Heavenly Emperor's Journey Startles All Living Beings
Chapter 13 The Heavenly Emperor's Journey Startles All Living Beings
The great shamans roared and charged forward.
But it was pushed back again, even faster than Xing Tian.
The giant golden hand landed in the same spot again, squeezing everyone and Xing Tian together. Xing Tian was already seriously injured, and this second blow caused him to groan, but he gritted his teeth and refused to make a sound.
Haotian turned to Yaochi and said, "Yaochi, keep a close watch on the Heavenly Court. I'm going to the Underworld for a trip and will be right back."
Yaochi hadn't come to her senses yet, and simply nodded blankly.
A storm raged within her. When had Haotian become so powerful? Wasn't he also a Great Luo Golden Immortal? Wasn't his cultivation level comparable to hers?
Is the Heavenly Emperor's power truly that terrifying? Yet why does her Queen Mother's power not seem so great? Why is she completely unaffected?
Yaochi was filled with doubts, but knew it was not appropriate to ask too many questions at this time, so she silently watched Haotian leave.
With a wave of his hand, Haotian's golden giant hand, which had been suppressing Xingtian and the others, transformed into chains of order. The pure yang energy circulated on them, suppressing the Great Dao Laws within the Great Witch's body and imprisoning everyone.
To prevent these guys from making a racket, Haotian simply shut them up as well.
Then, he led these "prisoners" towards the sea of blood.
When Houtu opened up the Netherworld, it was above the Blood Sea, and she absorbed nearly half of the Blood Sea's power. Therefore, the Netherworld Gate is located next to the Blood Sea.
The Heavenly Emperor's procession was naturally grand and imposing. The ancient stars descended with vast stellar power, transforming into a chariot shimmering with starlight. The supreme Yang energy of the Heavenly Emperor manifested as nine divine dragons, their bodies gleaming with golden light and exuding awe-inspiring power.
Haotian boarded the chariot, and nine divine dragons roared in unison, their voices shaking the surrounding land. They then smashed through layers of space and sped towards the sea of blood. Their momentum was undisguised along the way, vast and mighty, and wherever they passed, all living beings trembled in fear.
As for the few high-ranking shamans, they were hung on the back of the carriage as if on public display.
"This...this is a Grand Luo Golden Immortal? Then what am I? After cultivating for so many years, could it be that I've been cultivating a fake one?" A Grand Luo Golden Immortal fell into deep self-doubt.
"This aura is so terrifying, it's no less powerful than that of Di Jun and Tai Yi back then!" A veteran powerhouse who had witnessed the magnificence of the ancient demon emperor murmured in a low voice.
"As expected of someone close to the Dao Ancestor, their strength is truly terrifying."
"It seems the Heavenly Court is truly about to turn the tide this time."
"Xingtian was really unlucky to run into such a tough opponent."
"It's not just Xing Tian; I'm afraid the entire landscape of the primordial world will be about to change."
Various divine thoughts intertwined in the void, sparking heated discussions. Some were amazed, some were wary, some were gloating, and some were secretly plotting.
---
Kunlun Mountain, Yuxu Palace.
Guang Chengzi and the others sensed that vast and powerful aura, and their faces immediately turned ashen.
They never expected that a mere child could possess such terrifying cultivation. Having been publicly humiliated by Haotian in the Heavenly Court, they still harbored resentment and planned to seek revenge later.
Now, feeling this momentum, his breath immediately deflated by more than half—he was no match for them, truly no match for them.
Yuanshi Tianzun sat upright on his cloud bed, holding the Three Treasures Jade Ruyi in his hand. His eyes flickered slightly, but he didn't seem to care too much.
If you don't become a saint, you'll remain an ant.
What good is strength if one is powerful? Can one compare to a sage? As long as a sage does not emerge, the Wu and Yao sects' current state is the limit. No matter how strong Haotian is, he is nothing more than another Donghuang Taiyi.
"Let's see how it goes," Yuanshi Tianzun said calmly, then closed his eyes and entered meditation, no longer paying attention to the matter.
Biyou Palace, Jin'ao Island.
The Grand Master of Heaven, intrigued, clapped his hands and laughed, "Interesting, very interesting. This junior brother does have some skill."
Daoist Duobao cupped his hands and said, "Master, the Heavenly Emperor's strength is probably no less than that of Donghuang Taiyi back then."
"More than just not inferior, it's probably even superior. However..." The Master of Tongtian shook his head and chuckled, "...it's more like it's even better. But..."
He then changed the subject, saying, "Those below the sage are all ants; this may be harsh, but it is the truth. Let's see how he acts in the future."
Duobao and the others harbored no ill will towards Haotian; instead, sensing his formidable strength, they felt a sense of respect for him. In the primordial world, the strong are revered—an unchanging principle throughout history. Some even secretly considered seeking his guidance.
Shouyang Mountain, Bajing Palace.
Laozi remained dozing before the alchemy furnace, seemingly oblivious to everything. The flames within the furnace flickered gently, casting shimmering light on his face.
"The momentum is certainly there," he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible, "but... this road is not easy to walk."
After saying that, he fell into a deep sleep again.
Deep within the chaos lies the Palace of Nuwa.
Nuwa leaned against her cloud bed, toying with a five-colored stone. Sensing Haotian's presence, she raised an eyebrow slightly, revealing a hint of surprise.
"Haotian's strength..." She pondered for a moment, then shook her head. "Intriguing. However, it's none of my concern."
Since her birth, she has disliked conflict. She did not participate in the Lich War, nor did she interfere in the Dragon-Han Calamity. Now that Haotian has risen to power, she will not bother with him as long as he does not cross her bottom line.
In the west, Mount Sumeru.
The Guide and the Zhunti Daoist, however, began to have their own ideas.
"Senior brother, this Heavenly Emperor is far more powerful than we anticipated." Zhunti Daoist's eyes gleamed. "If we can win him over, it will greatly benefit the development of our Western Sect."
The Guide Daoist nodded slightly: "The Heavenly Court's legitimate status was personally recognized by the Dao Ancestor, thus occupying a righteous position. If the Jade Emperor is willing to be on good terms with the West, there will be fewer obstacles to the West's future prosperity."
"However..." Zhunti changed the subject, "this person does not seem to be an easy opponent."
"Those who do not become saints will remain mere ants!"
---
In the primordial world, the other powerful beings also greatly feared Haotian.
Another Donghuang Taiyi!
The last powerful figure to emerge out of nowhere and sweep across the land had already perished in the Lich War. Now, another Haotian has arrived, and he is even younger and has a more profound background than Dijun and Taiyi—personally appointed by the Dao Ancestor, so the Six Sages cannot openly take action against him.
"I hope this Heavenly Emperor won't be as domineering as Donghuang Taiyi."
"It's hard to say. Look at his behavior; he doesn't seem like the type to stay put."
"So be it, let's see what happens in the future. As long as he doesn't provoke us, we'll be fine."
Despite their differing thoughts, the various powerful figures reached a consensus: this Jade Emperor was not to be trifled with.
---
Haotian was unaware of these discussions and didn't care to know.
Nine dragons pulled the chariot, starlight illuminated the road, and the grand procession traversed the primordial wilderness, heading straight for the Sea of Blood.
Above the sea of blood, a malevolent aura permeated the air, and a foul wind swept across the land. This was the Daoist temple of the Styx Ancestor, a notoriously dangerous place in the primordial world. Yet, when Haotian's chariot passed by, the overwhelming malevolent aura automatically gave way, as if it dared not approach.
Deep within the sea of blood, the Styx Ancestor opened his eyes, watching the golden carriage sweep past overhead. His lips twitched, but he ultimately remained silent.
The less trouble, the better.
Haotian arrived at the edge of the Blood Sea, raised his hand, and the void cracked open, revealing a deep portal. That was the entrance to the Netherworld.
He put away the carriage, took the few "accessories" with him, and stepped into the underworld.
Upon entering the Netherworld, all that lay before them was desolation.
The sky and earth were shrouded in a gray haze, devoid of the sun, moon, and stars, only endless gloomy winds and wandering souls. At the center of the world was a colossal hole radiating profound Daoist energy—the Six Paths of Reincarnation.
Countless souls wandered slowly toward the hole in a disorderly manner. Apart from these souls, there was nothing else in the entire underworld.
Haotian looked around and sighed inwardly.
This is understandable. After Houtu entered the cycle of reincarnation, the war between the Lich King and the Demon King broke out in full force, leaving no manpower or energy to build up the Netherworld. From the day it was born, this world has been in a state of desolation and disorder.
Furthermore, the Netherworld is overseen by Lady Pingxin.
Lady Pingxin is the form that Houtu, the Ancestral Witch, took after reincarnation. In this Netherworld, her strength is comparable to that of a saint, or even surpasses it, because the entire Netherworld is formed from her body, and the Six Paths of Reincarnation are the embodiment of her will.
In this world, even a saint would be suppressed by Lady Pingxin.
Who would dare to provoke this?
Although Pingxin is no longer a member of the Wu tribe, how can she easily abandon the feelings accumulated over countless years? How could Pingxin not be heartbroken and saddened by the current plight of the Wu tribe?
At this moment, Pingxin was probably a powder keg ready to explode at any moment. Therefore, in the primordial world, no one dared to cause trouble in the Netherworld.
As for the establishment of the underworld, the Ten Kings of Hell, and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's entry into the netherworld in later generations... those are things that happened many years later.
That situation gradually formed after the Wu tribe had completely declined, and Pingxin had become disheartened and stopped caring about worldly affairs.
If Pingxin hadn't come to terms with it, even if Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva or Cundi Bodhisattva himself came, they would still be subjected to two major confrontations.
"We've arrived." Haotian gazed into the depths of the Netherworld and took a deep breath.
He came not to show off his power, nor to accuse anyone.
All this was to return Xing Tian and his stubborn, reckless brutes to Ping Xin.
Let's form an alliance while we're at it.
Haotian raised his hand and waved it, removing the several great shamans who were tightly bound by the chains of order from the back of the carriage. He then led them and strode into the depths of the Netherworld.
Behind him, the six realms of reincarnation slowly rotated, and countless souls watched silently.
Ahead, a vast and heavy aura was slowly awakening.