Chapter 992: Huaqing Emperor City

Since Huaqing Emperor City boarded the Realm Vessel, eight months had passed in the blink of an eye.

To cultivators of the Heavenly Realm, this time was short—even too short—since cultivators were immortal beings who did not care about a year or two.

But for Li Yi, much had transpired; it had been extraordinarily eventful and had altered his fate in the Heavenly Realm.

That day.

The Realm Vessel halted at the Third Heaven.

As the gates opened, a purple divine light shot forth from a hidden realm within the vessel, followed by a dozen figures, each radiating the aura of a mighty Heavenly General.

The purple light vanished in an instant, swiftly departing the vicinity of the vessel and heading eastward.

Li Yi felt the vastness of the Heavenly Realm as he raced across the sky, several stars flickering around him as he manifested the Heavenly Divine Speed Technique, moving at an unimaginable speed.

Along the way, he moved in utter silence, his form able to pass directly through both tangible and intangible objects without leaving any trace.

Had this been Earth, this divine technique could even pierce through spacetime wormholes and enter another dimension.

Li Yi had learned many divine techniques, and now that he had the chance, he practiced them all—after all, practice made perfect.

Moreover, the divine arts of the Heavenly Realm surpassed all he had previously studied; now that his strength had grown, he could no longer afford to neglect this aspect.

“Huaqing, this is the Third Heaven where your homeland lies. Point me a direction—I’ll take you back.” Li Yi whispered secretly.

“Head east, straight east. When we arrive, I’ll warn you. I never thought I’d return home after all I’ve endured. Looking back on these years, it feels like a dream. Had I known, I should have stayed quietly in Emperor City, enjoying endless bliss. Sigh—I shouldn’t have been so reckless, wandering everywhere. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have ended up like this.” Huaqing had awakened and sighed.

Li Yi said, “Once you’re back, cultivate diligently. This is a lesson learned—just be more careful next time.”

Huaqing fell silent for a moment. “With my current state—no cultivation base, no strength—what will happen when I return? Perhaps your words were right.”

“My Emperor City is probably in ruins. My former concubines and servants may have looted everything. And if I appear like this, it will be extremely dangerous.”

“I have no combat power even equal to a Heavenly Soldier. Even if I burn my essence, I can barely unleash a trace of Imperial Aura—but it won’t help. So I ask you for one more favor.”

Suddenly, Huaqing’s tone turned pleading.

“What new scheme are you cooking up now?” Li Yi growled suspiciously.

Huaqing said, “How can you call it a bad idea? It benefits you too. If all goes well, you might inherit part of my estate. A Heavenly Emperor’s wealth is immense—don’t you want it?”

“Tell me.” Li Yi said.

“I want you to return to Emperor City posing as me, Huaqing the Great Emperor. That way, I’ll know who still controls the city and who remains loyal.” Huaqing said.

Li Yi cursed, “Bullshit, you old bastard—you’re trying to get me killed again. If I show up as Huaqing the Great Emperor, your old enemies will tear me apart. I’m only at Heavenly General level, not a Divine Emperor!”

“You’re using me as bait to lure out traitors—how cleverly you’ve calculated.”

He immediately sensed the danger and refused on the spot.

“Don’t refuse so fast. You’re a direct heir of the Heavenly God Clan, have a retinue of Heavenly Generals, a Heavenly King as your protector, and even a sliver of Divine Emperor power sealed in your Heavenly God Armlet. With all these cards, what are you afraid of?” Huaqing said. “Besides, my Emperor City is remote—no other Divine Emperors could possibly be nearby. By assuming my identity, you can legitimately inherit everything.”

“How much you take is entirely yours. How about it?”

“Including my concubines?” Li Yi asked.

Huaqing said, “I’ll handle my own concubines. You’ve got the Dragon Princess and the Divine Maiden beside you—aren’t they enough for your nightly needs? Why keep lusting after others’ wives? That’s immoral. Besides, aren’t you supposed to be uninterested in beauty? Even that gorgeous Immortal Nun didn’t move you.”

“I was just asking. Why are you so defensive?” Li Yi said. “Your proposal has some merit, but given how close you came to getting me killed before, I’ve decided to observe your hometown first.”

“If there’s no major danger, I’ll help you manage the Emperor City. But if it’s been stripped bare, sorry—I’m leaving. My status as a Heavenly God Clan heir is too useful to risk for some money.”

Huaqing sighed. “Fine. Go observe the Emperor City first. If it’s feasible, impersonate me and reclaim everything. If not, once you confirm the situation, drop me off and return.”

“With the Heavenly God Clan backing you, your cultivation path will be smooth. Perhaps one day you’ll become a Divine Emperor. When I reclaim my throne, we’ll sit together and discuss the Dao.”

He didn’t press further—Li Yi was no longer the same. He was now a genuine Heavenly Realm heir, escorted by ten Divine Generals and a Heavenly King. Such status made no need to covet his estate.

Li Yi continued eastward, using the Heavenly Divine Speed Technique.

The Third Heaven was boundless, and reaching Huaqing Emperor City would require a long journey.

“Heavenly King, where is Taiyi headed? This pace won’t do. Why don’t you lend Taiyi a hand?” a goddess general whispered.

Heavenly King Hanshan replied calmly, “Don’t rush. Taiyi is here to train in the Third Heaven. You merely follow. I won’t intervene lightly—even in travel, I let Taiyi decide. Haven’t you noticed he’s refining divine techniques?”

“Taiyi has just received his inheritance—he has much to learn. I estimate he’ll need a hundred years of travel to master it all, and only then might he reach the Heavenly King realm. This escort mission is vital. If danger arises, be prepared to die.”

“Yes, Heavenly King.” The goddess general bowed deeply and said no more.

They traveled for ten days and nights.

Along the way, Li Yi crossed mountains, seas, and countless cultivator kingdoms, and under Huaqing’s guidance, reached the continent’s edge—the location of his Emperor City.

The Emperor City spanned three thousand li—not large, but nestled amid lush green mountains and clear waters. Though spiritual energy was not abundant, it had been deliberately shaped, gathering qi from tens of thousands of li, concentrating divine essence and nurturing myriad wonders.

Yet none of this changed the fact that it was a remote, backwater place.

It didn’t even appear on maps of the Heavenly Realm.

“How did you ever choose to build an Emperor City here?” Li Yi stopped to rest.

Huaqing said, “Because I was born here. After becoming a Heavenly Emperor, I naturally wanted to benefit my homeland. Besides, the Heavenly Realm is vast, filled with countless powerful beings. Building my city in obscurity had advantages—it kept me from being targeted. If I’d placed it in a prime location, do you think this city would still exist?”

“An Emperor City can bless a million li. When I ruled, this place was a paradise—drawing countless wandering cultivators seeking refuge.”

Li Yi ignored the old man’s rambling. After resting, he entered the Emperor City.

Contrary to his expectations,

though it looked like a paradise, the city held few cultivators. Many buildings were damaged, neglected, and the air was thick with violence and chaos.

Li Yi’s arrival immediately drew stares—from Heavenly Soldiers and Heavenly Generals alike—and their gazes were not friendly. They radiated clear hostility.

Perhaps it was due to the retinue of Divine Generals behind him, intimidating them.

Once they sensed his power was not ordinary, they quickly looked away and scattered like birds, vanishing into the city.

“This isn’t a paradise—it’s a lawless, dark city,” Li Yi thought immediately.

He wasn’t the only one who noticed. Huaqing fell silent—he too sensed the chaos.

It confirmed his worst fear.

Even if a Heavenly Emperor vanished, as long as his death was unconfirmed, his city shouldn’t descend into this state. He had Heavenly Kings and loyal forces—maintaining the city should have been effortless.

“Li Yi, go to the center of the city. There, I established the Emperor City Guard. See if they still exist. The commander is two people: one is Qinglan Heavenly King, one of my former concubines. She commanded countless Heavenly Soldiers and Generals—she’s one of the few major powers left. The other is Shadow Robe Heavenly King, one of my most loyal followers.” Huaqing spoke after a long pause.

“Alright, I’ll check.” Li Yi didn’t refuse.

Everyone knew something terrible had happened to cause this decay—but uncovering the truth would at least make this old bastard give up.

He advanced with his Divine Generals, the Dragon Princess, and the Heavenly King.

Aware of the danger, they grew alert.

Yet the cultivators in Huaqing Emperor City weren’t fools. Seeing this Heavenly God Clan retinue, they dared not provoke them—only speculated that some noble scion was touring.

But Li Yi’s conspicuous presence had drawbacks. Soon, news spread that a Heavenly God Clan escort had entered the city.

Moments later,

Li Yi reached the city center. The buildings here were also damaged, but far better preserved than those in the outer city. Nearby stood a massive blue tower, towering to the heavens—a rare Heavenly King artifact.

“It’s still here. This is the Azure Gold Ascending Tower. I forged it myself and later gave it to Qinglan. After she took command of the Emperor City Guard, she placed this Heavenly King artifact here as their base.” Huaqing’s eyes lit up upon seeing the familiar object.

With the Azure Gold Ascending Tower still standing, Qinglan Heavenly King must still be alive. Perhaps he could contact her, rally his old subordinates, and restore the city to its former glory.

Of course, Huaqing understood how fickle human loyalty could be.

That’s why he wanted Li Yi to probe the truth—after all, the city still held his accumulated wealth from centuries as Emperor. Without reclaiming it, his path back to the Divine Emperor realm would be nearly impossible.

Though he’d gained some treasures in the small world, they were insufficient to support his return to the Divine Emperor realm.

(End of Chapter)