53: The Emperor's Conspiracy

During the mythological era, the Universe was initially settled, and the Myriad Dao revived.

Ninety-nine Dragon Mountains guarded a Supreme divine court suspended in the center of the Universe, where billions of strands of immortal light and millions of auspicious energies converged. This was precisely the Ancient Heavenly Court established by Di Zun.

At this moment, deep within the Heavenly Court, inside an ancient dao palace, two Supreme beings whose auras dominated an era sat opposite each other.

One was clad in a Myriad Dao Dragon Robe, his gaze, when opened and closed, seemed to encompass the birth and destruction of the Universe, utterly domineering. He was the only Supreme of this era — Di Zun.

The other wore a simple daoist robe, with an ancient and unadorned face, eyes as profound as the starry sky, and a Dao rhyme (Dao Rhythm) swirling around him that had endured countless tribulations without perishing. He was the first Heavenly Venerate of the mythological era, who had Attained the Dao with the Calamity-Crossing Heavenly Art, creating the title of 'Heavenly Venerate' — Tribulation-Crossing Heavenly Venerate.

The two were once close friends, jointly exploring the path to longevity. Di Zun's ninety-nine Dragon Mountains and the nascent form of his Immortal Ascension Cauldron even bore traces of Tribulation-Crossing Heavenly Venerate's assistance with Source Techniques. However, as time passed, their understanding of 'longevity' diverged into two completely different extremes.

"Dao Brother, look at this Universe, so vibrant with Life Qi, with myriad spirits multiplying. Isn't it a perfect crucible?" Di Zun raised a cup of divine wine brewed from star core essence, his tone calm, yet the content of his words sent a chill through the entire Star Domain.

Tribulation-Crossing Heavenly Venerate frowned slightly. He had long noticed the change in his close friend; that original intention of jointly seeking the Dao seemed to have been swallowed by boundless ambition.

"Di Zun, you and I seek the Dao for transcendence, not destruction," Tribulation-Crossing Heavenly Venerate's voice was as steady as a mountain. "All things have their own Reincarnation; birth, aging, sickness, and death are all cycles of the Heavenly Dao. I created the Calamity-Crossing Heavenly Art precisely to conform to this Dao, undergoing nine lives of Reincarnation, enduring myriad tribulations, washing away the Mortal World, and finally Attaining an immortal fruit in the Mortal World. This is the Dao of 'Natural Reincarnation'."

"Natural Reincarnation? Hahahaha..." Di Zun burst into laughter upon hearing this, his laughter filled with disdain and mockery. "Dao Brother, your path is too slow, and too weak! Nine lives of Reincarnation? One life is one or two tens of thousands of years, nine lives are nearly two hundred thousand years! How many variables are there in that? Can you guarantee that you will return smoothly in every life? Can you guarantee that your Dao Heart will not be worn away over such a long period of time?"

"What's more," Di Zun's eyes became incredibly fervent, "even if you succeed in nine lives, you will only achieve a small Mortal World Immortal! What I want to become is an Immortal King! A Supreme being who transcends Immortals!"

He suddenly stood up, spreading his arms as if to embrace the entire Universe.

"I have found the true immortal path! That is... refinement! To refine this Universe, along with that legendary Strange World, together! Using the two realms as fuel, and myriad spirits as sacrifices, to forge a 'world cauldron' unprecedented and unmatched! On the day the cauldron is complete, I will be able to lead my entire sect to Immortal Ascension, ascend to the heavens in one step, and achieve the Supreme Immortal King fruit position!"

Boom!

Di Zun's words, like the most terrifying curse, struck Tribulation-Crossing Heavenly Venerate like lightning. He stood up abruptly, and for the first time, his eyes, which could discern heavenly secrets, revealed incredible shock and anger.

"You're mad! Di Zun! You want to destroy the entire world! Are hundreds of millions of living beings merely fuel for your immortal path?! How are you any different from those Devil Heads who initiated the Dark Turmoil!"

"Difference?" Di Zun looked at him indifferently, the last trace of their old friendship vanishing from his eyes. "The difference is that they failed, and I will succeed! Dao Brother, our philosophies differ, there's no need to say more. Today I invited you here to give you one last chance. Help me, and when I succeed, you will be the foremost person under my Heavenly Court, the strongest below an Immortal King. If you don't help me..."

Di Zun did not continue, but the icy killing intent had already begun to freeze the surrounding space and time.

Tribulation-Crossing Heavenly Venerate looked at him deeply, his usually calm face now filled with disappointment and sorrow.

"Our Daos differ, we cannot conspire together. Di Zun, take care of yourself."

With that, he showed no reluctance, turned, took a step, and his figure vanished from the Heavenly Court.

Returning to his Dao field in a hidden valley deep within the Big Dipper Star Field, Tribulation-Crossing Heavenly Venerate was overwhelmed with vexation. He used the 'Prior Character Secret' to deduce the future, but only saw a bloody mist, and at the end of the mist, Di Zun's mad and indifferent face, and a giant cauldron that had swallowed the Myriad Heavens and Myriad Realms.

He saw his own powerlessness, the end of the mythological era, and the wails of myriad spirits.

"Is there... truly no way to stop him?" He sat cross-legged, Dao rhyme flowing around him, yet he could not calm his Dao Heart, which was agitated by the betrayal of his close friend and the despair of the future.

He knew that Di Zun had already gained momentum; the Ancient Heavenly Court held sway over all ages, and Undying Heavenly Emperor and other powerhouses supported him, either openly or secretly. He alone could not contend against them.

Could it be that he truly had no choice but to embark on that lonely, long path of burying himself and initiating nine lives of Reincarnation, placing his hope in that distant future?

Just as he was distraught and felt lost, a mechanical voice, out of place in this world, suddenly, without warning, echoed directly in the deepest part of his Divine Soul.

[Detecting a powerful life form that meets the conditions...]

[The 'Myriad Worlds Chat Group' System is being activated...]

[Congratulations, Tribulation-Crossing Heavenly Venerate from Shrouding the Heavens World, you have successfully joined the 'Myriad Worlds Chat Group'!]

...Within the Chat Group, after a brief silence caused by the appearance of this new name, it instantly erupted.

[Black Emperor]: "Woof?! Tribulation-Crossing Heavenly Venerate?! That old monster from the mythological era? You're still alive?!"

[Xiao Yan]: "mythological era? What era is that? Is it even older than the desolate era?"

[Luo Feng]: "Another powerhouse from the Group Master's world? The title 'Heavenly Venerate' sounds even more ancient than 'Great Emperor'."

[Ancestor Dragon]: "Mythological... Heavenly Venerate... Interesting. I wonder, compared to Our Great Qin, what kind of splendor does this 'mythological' era possess?"

As everyone was discussing, that ancient and majestic Divine Thought finally sounded in the group.

[Tribulation-Crossing Heavenly Venerate]: "This is... where?"

His voice was filled with vigilance and doubt. As the first Heavenly Venerate of the mythological era, proficient in the 'Prior Character Secret,' capable of predicting fortune and misfortune and discerning heavenly secrets, he had never anticipated such a peculiar change. A place of communication that appeared directly in his Divine Soul? Ignoring his Heavenly Venerate-level Dao fruit?

[Black Emperor]: "Heh heh, don't be angry, don't be angry, this Emperor means no harm! Newcomer, first read the group announcement, and you'll understand everything! There's a surprise in there!"

The big black dog's tone carried a strange, gloating quality.

Though Tribulation-Crossing Heavenly Venerate was suspicious, he still followed the guidance, sinking his Divine Thought into the so-called 'group announcement' and 'group files'.

[Welcome to the Myriad Worlds Chat Group. This group aims to connect the Myriad Heavens and Myriad Realms and promote communication between them... Group Master: Wushi Great Emperor.]

Wushi Great Emperor?

Tribulation-Crossing Heavenly Venerate's heart stirred. He had never heard this title before. Was it an existence who Attained the Dao in a later era?

He continued to read, and when he saw the group files named 'novels,' he felt even more absurd.

The Legend of Xiao Yan, Luo Feng's Journey Through Swallowed Star, Mortal Han Li's path to immortality... He randomly clicked on a file titled Shrouding the Heavens. With a sweep of his Divine Thought, countless pieces of information flooded his mind.

The opening was the Nine Dragons Pulling the Coffin, the Ancient Star of Yinghuo... Ye Fan, Ancient Desolate Sacred Body...