Volume 1, Chapter 344 – Linglong

Most of the martial artists in Langya Grotto-Heaven had already withdrawn. Only a small number remained, scattered through the corners of the Grotto-Heaven.

In the void, that peerless figure holding a battle halberd shifted her gaze onto Shi Lan and the others. Her eyes seemed to pierce through the river of time, crossing millions of years to look upon the present age.

Deep in Tianwu Yangyu’s eyes, a flame rekindled. He lifted a hand and slashed open his own chest with his blade. The wound was so deep that bone could be seen, and his violently beating heart was faintly visible. Threads of golden blood, wrapped in imperial divine might, surged through his body with each pulse of that heart.

His bloodline was extraordinarily pure, almost approaching ancestral reversion.

“Emperor blood flows through me. Please, use it as you will!”

His face was full of fervor. Perhaps there was still a chance to make amends for the mistakes the Tianwu clan had committed.

Not far away, the young man frowned tightly as he stared at the phantom of Great Emperor Linglong, his face filled with confusion. In his memories, there had never been any trace at all of the Ancient God King beneath the altar.

In the later ages, after obtaining half of the Linglong Ancient Jade by chance, he had opened Langya Grotto-Heaven. Inside, everything had been withered and silent. There had been no yin spirits, no living beings at all—only a bare altar.

At that time, there had only been a gap beneath the altar. The Linglong Ancient Jade that should have been stored there had already been taken away by someone and was nowhere to be found.

Even in this era, Great Emperor Linglong should have been someone who had died millions of years ago. There was no way she could be revived. Yet the figure standing in the void in the distance did not look at all like some lingering obsession or remnant soul.

With that thought, he shifted his gaze to Shi Lan. That unremarkable blue stone from just now seemed to possess the power to connect with the river of time. Perhaps some wondrous mutation had occurred between that stone and the Linglong Ancient Jade, which was why this phantom had appeared.

“Why does this woman look somewhat familiar…?”

The more he looked, the deeper the furrow between his brows became, and he muttered unconsciously to himself.

He had only just arrived in this world and did not know anyone here at all. If he had to say he had seen someone before, it could only have been in the later ages.

But he had come from the distant future, countless ages later, and had lived through the rise and fall of several epochs. As far as he knew, no being from this epoch had survived into his era.

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Perhaps the woman before him had inherited the legacy of some powerful clan, with bloodline descendants still remaining even after countless ages.

After thinking it over and over, that was the only conclusion he could reach.

…

The phantom of Great Emperor Linglong lifted a hand toward Tianwu Yangyu. A soft rosy light enveloped Shi Lan and the others. Their bodies grew light and drifted involuntarily toward the black vortex in the sky, while the wound on Tianwu Yangyu’s chest began healing at a speed visible to the naked eye. Within a few breaths, he had fully recovered.

“Great Emperor…”

Tianwu Yangyu stood there in a daze, a faint bitterness rising in his heart. Great Emperor Linglong had saved his life, yet he could not feel the slightest bit of joy.

Shi Lan cast a distant glance at Great Emperor Linglong. Suddenly, a streak of blue light flew over from afar into her arms, turning into a fist-sized blue stone.

[Three-Life Stone Fragment (Nine Stars)]

Seeing the feedback transmitted by the system, Shi Lan’s heart jolted. She lifted her head and met Great Emperor Linglong’s projected gaze head-on.

Her eyes were extremely complex. In the relief of finally letting everything go, there was also a trace of remembrance.

“We will meet again…”

Great Emperor Linglong’s voice, carrying a gentle warmth, echoed in Shi Lan’s mind.

“In the past, or in the future…”

Shi Lan was briefly stunned, unable to grasp the meaning of those words for a moment. In the next instant, she had already stepped into the black vortex.

The familiar pressure of void-force pressed in from all sides. Shi Lan steadied herself and pulled up the system panel.

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“Construct a spacetime passage. Coordinates: Lingyang Realm, Vast Land of Shenzhou, Central Heaven Domain.”

[Construct spacetime passage: requires 0.01 units of nine-star energy. Confirm construction?]

Shi Lan let out a breath of relief. As expected, after the seal had been opened, the energy required had dropped dramatically.

“Construct!”

Just now, she had more or less offended over half the factions present. If she left directly through this passage and happened to appear in front of those Human Emperor clans, she would have nowhere to hide and might even die without a burial place.

A passage illuminated by starlight appeared beneath Shi Lan’s feet.

“Will you come with me to the Central Heaven Domain?”

Shi Lan looked toward Shen Tianlan and Gu Rongyue and asked.

The two of them were still immersed in the massive upheaval that had just taken place and had yet to recover their senses. Hearing Shi Lan’s question, Shen Tianlan shook his head.

“My master and the various seniors are still in Chengtian Domain, and there are many matters that still need handling. It would not be convenient for me to travel far. If I have the chance in the future, I will come to the Central Heaven Domain and properly thank Miss Shi Lan.”

If Shen Tianlan was not going, then Gu Rongyue naturally would not go either.

As for Tianwu Yangyu, Shi Lan did not ask. As a member of an imperial clan, it would already be good enough if, once he got out of here, he did not go looking for trouble with those Human Emperor clans.

“Miss… Shi… thank you for your help this time.”

Tianwu Yangyu looked over, offered his thanks, and then said,

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“I must report this matter to the Imperial Court. In addition, I have to return to my clan for aid, notify the other imperial clans, and ask them to bring out Sovereign Weapons to ensure nothing is left to chance. We part here.”

“You have a difficult task ahead of you. Until we meet again.” Shi Lan gave a slight nod.

“If you ever have the time, Miss, you may visit my Tianwu Divine Peak. I will welcome you properly.”

…

Shi Lan watched Tianwu Yangyu and the others depart, then turned back for one glance behind her. Langya Grotto-Heaven was already nowhere to be seen. The seal had closed once more.

Although this trip to Langya Grotto-Heaven had only added countless more questions to the ones already in her mind, Lunhui’s awakening alone had made the journey worthwhile.

Her greatest concern at present was whether Langya Grotto-Heaven could truly keep the Ancient God King sealed. If such a terrifying existence escaped, it would mean an overwhelming blood calamity for the entire Lingyang Realm.

“Before one wave has settled, another rises. Truly troubled times…”

Shi Lan sighed, then, with Tianbai in tow, stepped straight into the spacetime passage and vanished in an instant.

…

Langya Grotto-Heaven was sealed off once more, becoming a forbidden land isolated outside the Lingyang Realm.

“Linglong, you can never kill me. The origin of the Ancient Gods is something you cannot possibly comprehend.”

The Ancient God King’s tone was dry and ancient. Although his body was recovering at astonishing speed, as if it would soon return to its peak, the aura that had been swelling so violently before gradually came to a halt. The isolation imposed by the laws of heaven and earth still had an impact on him that could not be ignored.

A few breaths later, his body returned to its peak state, revealing a powerful physique. Merely standing there, the terrifying fluctuations of his blood and qi shattered the sky for millions of miles.

Blood-red battle qi condensed into armor, and a crimson spear emerged from the void and was grasped in his hand. Chaotic qi coiled around the spear-tip; with the slightest movement, it could smash apart an entire great world.

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“Everything you have done has been nothing but wasted effort. Was it worth it?”

“I used blood sacrifice on Langya Grotto-Heaven. With my own hands I buried my sect, my kin, my friends, my disciples—buried those who loved me and those whom I loved. There is guilt in my heart, but no regret…”

The light around Linglong grew ever more brilliant. The aura of a Great Emperor wound around her body. With a single thought she dominated heaven and earth. The laws of the Great Dao surged like a raging storm and overflowing waves, drowning the entire world. The battle halberd gave off a cry that pierced the heavens, spitting out battle intent that seemed able to tear the sky apart.

“Xia!”

“The human race cannot be bullied. Even if I had to choose again and repeat the scene of that year, I would still suppress you here. One day, I will erase you completely.”

Her tone was calm, yet it was filled with an overbearing aura that could not be ignored. She was the Great Emperor of the human race, her light shining over sun, moon, rivers, and mountains, while all things prostrated themselves beneath her feet.

The Ancient God King tightened his grip on the crimson spear, his gaze dark and deep. The phantom before his eyes seemed to have reclaimed the Great Emperor Dao Fruit across the span of time itself. With a single step, she could shatter the eternal ages. She was terrifyingly powerful.

“The human race? Mere lowly beasts…”

He gave a cold, mocking laugh, his eyes hard as ice. Being suppressed in such a barren and desolate place for millions of years had nearly driven him mad, and violent killing intent filled his mind.

Linglong did not reply. Raising the bronze battle halberd high, she swept her gaze around and looked toward those powerful yin spirits.

“Will you follow me into battle once more?”

She possessed an aura vast enough to swallow ten thousand miles like a tiger. As her gaze swept over the land, her might pressed down upon the nine heavens and ten earths.

“We are willing!”

The overwhelming response was like mountains collapsing and seas roaring, smashing the firmament and sweeping across the boundless nine heavens!