Chapter 160 - 189: Venerable Emperor Tower, Black Statue, Outer Realm Barren Mountain
Behind the vast portal, the outline of an immense Immortal Dynasty slowly emerged.
Within the Immortal Dynasty, Humans and Human-Demons lived together, and Immortal Gods made their presence known. Mountains, rivers, and lakes were all governed by Immortal Gods. After death, living beings had a place to go, entering the Six Paths of Reincarnation with a chance for rebirth.
There were living Immortals who watched over the Human Emperor, guarding the land from all directions and commanding the Dragon Race to perform Cloud Formation and Rainfall.
Everything had its order, and every living being had its path...
When Ao Yuan finished speaking, Su Bai’s Heart Spirit was shaken, and he struggled to calm himself for a long time.
After a moment, Su Bai couldn’t resist asking, "Do you know which province of the Dayu Immortal Dynasty the Great Xia Dynasty belongs to?"
Ao Yuan shook his head. "It doesn’t count as any province at all."
"The Great Xia is just a remote backwater."
"If you had to place it somewhere, it would fall under the Cangzhou Territory."
"..."
Su Bai froze.
’The vast Great Xia Dynasty... is just a remote backwater?’
’What exactly is a remote backwater?’
To put it simply, it was an extremely remote and insignificant place, incredibly far from the dazzling center of this world’s civilization.
’So after all this time, it turns out I’ve just been stuck in some backwater place!’
Suddenly, Su Bai recalled the nine-story tower in the depths of the cavern and asked, "Do you know where we are?"
"Huh?"
"This place... Weren’t you the one who brought me here?"
Ao Yuan was baffled and was just about to ask another question.
But Su Bai had already grabbed him and was whisking him away toward the end of the black chains.
Before long, the two of them arrived at the bottom of the cavern, at the site of the nine-story tower.
Su Bai pointed to the two words "Venerable Nine" on the tower and asked Ao Yuan, "Do you know the origin of this tower?"
"Also, what do these two words, ’Venerable Nine,’ represent?"
When Ao Yuan saw the nine-story tower, he let out a soft cry of surprise, a look of shocked disbelief on his face.
"The Venerable Emperor Tower?"
At first glance, he seemed to be in disbelief. Then he frowned, focused his gaze for a closer look, and muttered to himself, "Impossible! The Venerable Emperor Tower has always been in Cangzhou."
"How could it have ended up in a place like this?"
"This definitely isn’t the Venerable Emperor Tower..."
"Stop mumbling to yourself and tell me what you know!"
Su Bai snapped.
Ao Yuan flinched and quickly explained, "The Dayu Immortal Dynasty once forged thirteen artifacts to suppress the fate of its Thirteen Provinces."
"The Venerable Emperor Tower is one of those thirteen artifacts!"
"This tower is a National Treasure of the Dayu Immortal Dynasty. There’s no way it could have left their possession."
"Then what is this one?"
"If I may be so bold as to guess..."
Ao Yuan looked at the words "Venerable Nine" on the tower and said hesitantly, "It might be a replica of the Venerable Emperor Tower."
"The ’Nine’ after ’Venerable’ is probably some kind of replica serial number."
"A replica..."
Su Bai repeated the word, mulling it over for a moment before asking, "Then do you know why this replica tower was placed here?"
"That... I do not know."
Ao Yuan shook his head. "My status within the Dayu Immortal Dynasty wasn’t particularly high."
"Normally, if I didn’t have a Rainfall mission, I would remain in seclusion at my residence."
"As for the Thirteen National Treasures, I’ve only heard rumors. I can’t guarantee their accuracy..."
Su Bai glanced at him. "Then why did you steal the Dragon Bead and flee to this place?"
This time, Ao Yuan fell completely silent. He lowered his head with a heavy gaze, his thoughts a mystery.
Seeing this, Su Bai didn’t bother asking again. He waved a hand. "You can go back now."
"Yes, sir!"
Dragging his chains, Ao Yuan departed, the RATTLE echoing through the quiet cavern.
Only someone like Su Bai would have a prisoner obediently return to his own cell, still in shackles.
After Ao Yuan left, Su Bai remained where he was, staring at the words "Venerable Nine" on the tower, Ao Yuan’s earlier words replaying in his mind.
’The Dayu Immortal Dynasty.’
’They can even ennoble Acquired Divine Beings like the Mountain God, Water God, and Lake God, granting them Divine Positions.’
’Countless members of the Four Seas Dragon Race, all at their command.’
’Their court even has living Immortals.’
’What incredible might...’
Although he had never seen it, Su Bai could imagine it to some degree based on Ao Yuan’s brief description.
’I thought my current strength was already quite formidable.’
’But I never would have thought...’
Su Bai shook his head. "I’m still far too weak."
In his view, the Great Xia was already a considerably powerful Imperial Dynasty.
At least the lives of the Human Race within its borders were relatively stable, and Demon Fiends didn’t dare invade recklessly.
But compared to the Dayu Immortal Dynasty Ao Yuan described, it was much, much weaker.
No wonder it was considered nothing more than a remote backwater.
Just as Su Bai was lost in thought, he suddenly heard a series of faint noises coming from the nine-story tower before him.
Su Bai followed the sound with his eyes and saw a sizable crack appear on the tower.
The crack showed signs of mending itself, likely because Su Bai had recently thrown two more people inside.
But whether it was due to something inside the tower or something caught in the fissure, he couldn’t tell.
A series of CRACKING sounds continued for a moment.
Suddenly, something dark and round popped out from within.
Caught completely off guard, even Su Bai jumped in surprise.
He stepped forward to get a closer look.
But when he got a clear look at the dark object...
Su Bai’s brow furrowed, his expression turning to one of utter shock.
"What the hell is this thing?"
...
「Outside the Great Xia Domain, on a barren mountain.」
The black mountain was completely bare, without a single blade of grass.
It gave off a feeling of barbaric, rugged wilderness.
Halfway up the mountainside, a dark cave mouth had been chiseled out, suggesting habitation.
It was just over a man’s height.
The passage inside led into gradually deepening darkness, extending into the very heart of the mountain.
A simple stone hall came into view.
Flanking the hall’s entrance stood two ferocious Golems.
Black-skinned, four-armed, crimson-eyed, with bulging foreheads and green, fanged faces!
They stood upon ink-black lotuses, their expressions savage!
Similar Golems lined both sides of the great hall.
The deeper one walked into the hall, the more ferocious and terrifying the Golems’ faces became, looking utterly inhuman.
The two Golems in the hall’s deepest recesses sported six arms each, and their demonic, blood-red eyes, as large as lanterns, were filled with viciousness!
In the center of the hall, a short, gaunt-faced old man in a Blood Robe sat cross-legged on the ground.
He was positioned between the two six-armed Golems.
Facing the main hall, he had a blood-stained altar before him. Three sticks of black incense were stuck in it, their tips emitting a thick, peculiar fragrance that spread out in all directions like ripples.
The old man kept his head bowed, muttering something under his breath.
The syllables he chanted were bizarre and twisted, as if he were worshipping something.
And yet, on the square altar before him, there was nothing but the three sticks of black incense.
Was he worshipping empty air?
Suddenly!
The Golems in the hall seemed to come alive, their eyes erupting with crimson light!
A demonic sound, like an ancient sacrificial chant, issued from the Golems’ mouths and echoed through the hall.
The candlelight flickered wildly!
It cast ghastly, demonic shadows upon the walls.
In an instant, the scene within the hall became utterly terrifying.
The old man, who had been bowing his head, snapped his head up. A piercing glint instantly erupted from his murky eyes!
Madness and ecstasy were plain on his face!
"The Demon God! I have finally detected the Demon God’s aura!"
"Haha! The long-lost First Demon God of my Red Flame Demon Sect is about to return!"
"From this day forward, the Red Flame Demon Sect shall lead the Five Demonic Sects!"
The old man’s crazed laughter shook the entire hall, causing it to tremble violently. RUMBLE... On the barren mountain outside, birds and beasts scattered as rocks and splinters flew everywhere!
It made the great hall within the mountain seem like a true Demon Realm on earth!