Shrouded Sky

Chapter 280 - Grand Emperor's Imperial Palace

Grand Ascension, Primordial Beginning, Purple Mansion, the Jiang Clan, the Ji Clan, Radiant Light, Absolute Dao, and Jade Pool, these holy lands have endured alongside the world itself, passing down their inheritances across countless tribulations, never perishing.

At this moment, the heirs of these holy lands, all peerless talents of their age, hesitated. None dared to make the first move, for whoever did would likely become the target of all others.

“Since you’re all being so modest, why not just hand it over to me!”

The Leviathan Prince strode forward, thrusting his Grand Desolate Halberd into the ground with a resounding dong. The entire divine temple shook violently.

No one had known where he was hiding before, but now he appeared, eyes sharp like an eagle’s, gaze fierce and predatory, exuding wild, untamed might.

Though none of the heirs from the sacred lands truly feared him, tension filled the air, because a chaotic battle could erupt at any moment.

Buzz!

The Leviathan Prince suddenly acted, whirling his halberd. The radiant Light God Temple dimmed, space itself distorted and warped beneath its crushing weight.

The future overlord of the Leviathan God Race transformed into a streak of golden light, diving for the Chaos Stone. His great hand stretched out, seeking to seize the ancient beast-skin scroll.

“How dare you!”

Everyone struck out at once to stop him, sacred swords, divine chants, and ancient towers all surging forward.

“Hundred-and-Eight-Thousand Swords!”

The Leviathan Prince bellowed. His whole body blazed with golden radiance as tens of thousands of blades clanged into being, flying outward in all directions. It was an indiscriminate attack.

Chaos erupted within the Light God Temple. The fragile balance shattered. Sacred heirs had no choice but to counterattack, murderous intent filling the air.

This was exactly his plan, not to fight everyone head-on, but to disrupt the stillness, forcing all into a mad scramble for the treasure.

With the peerless speed of a Leviathan, he was unafraid of chaos. The more turmoil, the greater his advantage. In an instant, he withdrew, slipped free of their encirclement, and darted out of the temple.

Now, there was no turning back. The calm was gone. Everyone’s focus sharpened onto one thing: the pitch-black divine platform and the beast-skin scroll upon it.

The Jiang Clan’s God-King Physique moved decisively, summoning a crimson divine furnace wreathed by phoenixes, soaring toward the Chaos Stone.

The Radiant Light Saint was equally ruthless, calling forth a dragon-engraved cauldron that exuded the Dao’s rhythm. It unleashed a swallowing power that sought to claim the black bed itself.

They aimed not only at the scroll, but even the Chaos Stone. Others, unwilling to fall behind, also released weapons to seize the black platform.

The Light God Temple was once an emperor’s bedchamber. Were it not so sturdy, it would already have been reduced to dust under the assault of these peerless youths. Even so, it trembled violently.

Yet despite the efforts of many saintly heirs, the Chaos Stone did not budge in the slightest. It was as though it were the root of heaven and earth, the pillar of the cosmos, utterly immovable.

“Receive!”

The Radiant Light Saint chanted. His dragon-carved cauldron rose and fell, emitting sacred light, its aura frightening. Still, it failed to collect the Chaos Stone.

“Rise!”

The Ji Clan’s future God King, still shrouded in armor, conjured a radiant moon above his head. Moonlight cascaded down toward the black platform, forcing others back. Yet even such divine brilliance could not shift the stone.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed outside the hall. Qingyi and three other young, peerless Demon Race prodigies strode in.

Following them came Wu Zhongtian, Blackwater, Liu Kou, Jiang Huairen, and other scions of the Thirteen Warlords. Many bore wounds from earlier battles.

“Damn that coffin, it won’t open at all!”

Clearly, they had tried their luck at the three colossal coffins in the back, each as large as a palace. Yet they could not open them and had returned empty-handed.

“Attack!”

They all rushed forward toward the Chaos Stone.

The black bed shed rays of divine glow, mysterious and heavy, suspended motionless in the air.

“Why is it so heavy?!”

Some tried to grasp the scroll directly, but ten paces away, the oppressive pressure was already unbearable.

“Fight with all you’ve got!”

At this point, there was no holding back. Whoever reached the scroll first would likely claim it.

Clang, clang, clang!

The Grand Ascension Sacred Ground’s heir carved a path with a sacred sword, its light like a dragon, forcing his way forward step by step toward the Chaos Stone.

Elsewhere, the Radiant Light Saint shone like a celestial king descending to the world, displaying Radiant Light’s peerless Radiant Light Scripture, said to be impervious to all methods.

Bathed in divine brilliance, his hair itself glowing golden, he advanced slowly and painfully toward the black stone dais.

No one could afford to hold back now. Whoever seized the scroll would own it, because the elders of the great sects would not wage war over it, lest all of Eastern Wilderness be drenched in blood. This trial was for the younger generation.

It was both a test and the first clash of future supremacy. Already, one could glimpse who might one day rule the East.

Yao Xi’s brow shimmered with crystal light, enveloping her form as she stepped gracefully forward.

She seemed like a pearl blooming in a raging sea, like a lightning sprite flickering through storm clouds, swaying with ethereal charm.

The Jiang Clan’s future God King remained mysterious, still hidden beneath heavy black iron armor, face unseen. Yet his God-King Physique was unquestionable, each stride resolute, divine brilliance spilling outward. Beneath his feet appeared a radiant avenue, as though a god-king patrolled the heavens, surveying all directions.

The Demon Race prodigies pressed forward as well. Even if they could not cultivate the scroll, the black Chaos Stone itself was priceless. If they could not carry it away, even breaking off a piece would be worth it.

The heirs of the Thirteen Warlords charged too, along with disciples of many sects. Over a hundred strong figures surged forward, many wounded, yet still unwilling to miss their chance.

The Light God Temple boiled with youthful power, yet none could reach the platform. All inched forward painfully.

“The bed of an ancient emperor, hardly something anyone can simply approach!” Black Emperor sneered.

Ye Fan frowned. Could this really be an emperor’s resting place? Somehow, it didn’t seem right. He asked Black Emperor.

“Of course not!”

Ye Fan agreed. If it truly were an emperor’s tomb, it would be far more dreadful. Even the Yin-Yang Twin Tombs of the Demon Emperor had once embroiled all of Eastern Wilderness in two years of bloodshed.

Black Emperor said: “Only this bedchamber belonged to an emperor. Someone later remade it into the Light God Temple. Still, those three coffins in the back… they unsettle me. Something terrifying may indeed be sealed here.”

“Is there any way to take the Chaos Stone?” Ye Fan asked.

“This treasure is irresistible, but far too heavy. You cannot move it. Even I would like to claim it and sleep atop it for a few years, but alas, there’s no way.” The black dog was bitter with regret.

“A pity…” Ye Fan sighed.

“The Chaos Stone once held sacred essence, extracted by the emperor to forge weapons. Even so, this dark stone is priceless. Training atop it accelerates cultivation several times over. It is a natural treasure. Unless it’s struck by a Paragon Artifact, no ordinary armament can break it. In truth, it is a Chaos Seal born of heaven itself. In a Supreme Giant’s hands, it could smash through anything.” The dog drooled as it spoke.

“Which emperor was it?” Ye Fan pressed. The beast was too mysterious, knowing far too much.

The black dog suddenly fell silent, realizing it had said too much. When Ye Fan pressed further, it nearly bit him in frustration.

“Fine, don’t say. Just tell me, can I get that scroll?”

Dong!

The Leviathan Prince returned, eyes arrogant, voice cold: “This time, no one will focus solely on me. We each rely on our own strength for the treasure.”

“Out of my way! Don’t block my path!” he snapped at Ye Fan, treating him like an insect.

The Leviathan Prince strode forward. Those not participating in the struggle quickly gave way, avoiding him like venomous snakes.

Suddenly, his instincts flared. He whirled around, glaring at Ye Fan. “You dare harbor killing intent toward me? With your puny Dao Palace cultivation, I could crush fifty-six of you with one hand!”

Whoosh!

Space trembled. The Ji Clan’s future God King used the Grand Void Art, traversing space itself to approach the Chaos Stone.

The Leviathan Prince started, unwilling to fall behind. He became a streak of golden light, unleashing his race’s supreme speed to break the bindings.

Boom!

The Light God Temple shook as the Chaos Stone erupted with blinding radiance. Beams of divine color cascaded down, twisting space and forming a strange domain.

In that instant, all who had reached near were frozen. Not one could move forward.

Ji Haoyue was forced from the void, halted five paces from the stone. Even the Leviathan Prince’s supreme speed availed him nothing, he sank as though mired in a swamp.

“The emperor’s bed, stained with his imperial aura, is not something just anyone can touch!” Black Emperor muttered.

Ye Fan’s heart chilled. The might of ancient emperors was unimaginable. Even a trace of their aura upon the Chaos Stone was so terrifying.

“Is there truly no way?” he asked with divine sense.

“Damn it, boy, you deserve to be struck by lightning!” the black dog cursed furiously.

Ye Fan’s eyes lit up. Its unwillingness betrayed hope.

“They’re all immobilized. Now’s your chance. You have the Motherly Energy. The Chaos Stone cannot bind such a sacred essence.”

“Good. Then today I’ll reveal myself, and before all these heirs and heiresses, I’ll seize food from their mouths!”

If he summoned his Godrune Cauldron, his identity would be exposed anyway. Better, then, to fully reveal himself. He left the hall, transformed into his true body, and changed clothes.

“This emperor will enter your cauldron and try to take the Chaos Stone,” the black dog grinned, baring fangs.

“That damned fat Daoist still hasn’t appeared. Be cautious,” Ye Fan muttered.

“Hah! Just some shabby Daoist. If he dares snatch food from my jaws, I’ll bite his ass to death!”

“Hmm... I might as well slaughter the Leviathan Prince and all these heirs while I’m at it.”

Ye Fan’s voice was calm as he strode back toward the hall. But had others heard, it would have stirred waves of terror across the Eastern Wilderness.