Chapter 197: Ruins of the Ancient Heavenly Court

"They really are them!"

Yang Zhu could be certain that everything happening here was closely tied to an extremely ancient and powerful force—namely, the Ancient Heavenly Court!

The Sovereign Emperor, one of the Nine Great Heavenly Lords, was also the master of the Heavenly Court in the mythic era, revered by the universe and worshipped by gods and ghosts.

To elevate his sect and ascend, he had once carried out many heaven‑shaking, scandal‑defying opportunities; even the immortal holy lands of the Big Dipper could only look up in awe.

One of his plans was to drag ninety‑nine supreme dragon veins through the universe, sacrifice other star fields, and obtain vast amounts of life origin.

Whenever they reached a Gu Xing, they would settle the dragon veins there, then use heaven‑piercing means to drain the place's spiritual energy before moving on.

"That Sovereign Emperor, that old coot, has some skill, whether you praise him or not."

Even the living Great Emperor was bewildered by his tricks, choosing to join the Heavenly Court; although he eventually saw through the plot and thwarted the Sovereign Emperor's plan.

But there's no denying that the Sovereign Emperor truly deserves to be called a remarkable figure.

The Sovereign Emperor's plan was cruel to the sacrificed planets, but cultivation is like that—survival of the fittest; if you can't resist, you can only become a sacrifice.

Searching nearby, they soon found a ruin that looked like a corner of the Heavenly Court had fallen to the mortal world.

Pavilions, towers, immortal pavilions and divine islands were all present, magnificent and holy, exuding supreme dignity—this must be a relic of the Ancient Heavenly Court.

Yang Zhu paced back and forth on this divine land, occasionally observing or pausing to ponder, gaining some insight.

Although the ruins have been abandoned for a long time, many formations and imprints remain, worth contemplating.

Some places were badly damaged, with over half of the formation lines faded; Yang Zhu could himself deduce and restore the lines, then carefully study them to grasp their profundities.

At the very center of the ruins, Yang Zhu discovered an ancient, simple bronze cauldron—unadorned yet majestic, naturally perfect, exuding the aura of the Dao.

"Cast from an imitation immortal cauldron."

Yang Zhu found that this bronze cauldron, both in material and form, was highly particular; if he guessed correctly, it should be an imitation.

What puzzled him was that this cauldron was actually a peerless holy weapon; despite countless ages of tempering, it still radiated divine light.

Its surface was covered in dust and mottled with rust, yet Yang Zhu could feel that divinity still flowed within; if activated, it could regain its former divine might.

"Why didn't they take this with them when they left?"

What puzzled Yang Zhu was that this flawless holy weapon had actually been left behind here, not taken away.

Even if the Ancient Heavenly Court was immensely powerful, it had not sunk to the point of treating holy weapons as trash.

When things go awry, there must be a demon—this surely has some unspeakable reason! "Imperial Son!"

As he pondered, the big black dog's voice came, pulling Yang Zhu's thoughts back.

The big black dog and Duan De, after searching and deducing, also found this place; they hadn't gained insight and pondered along the way like Yang Zhu, but had rushed straight down.

"Imperial Son, what place is this, and what's the deal with this cauldron?"

The big black dog was stout as an ox, with a fierce and greedy appearance, yet before Yang Zhu it appeared quite obedient, tongue lolling, actually rather handsome.

"Infinite Heavenly Lord, treasure, this is!"

Duan De's eyes lit up; he immediately came before the bronze cauldron, examining it from all sides.

Although he couldn't tell the cauldron's grade, he could see from the divine materials used for sacrifice and the carved runes that it was extraordinary! "This matter must start from……"

Yang Zhu gave a rough account of the Ancient Heavenly Court's plan and his own discoveries. "Such methods are too shocking—I once heard the Great Emperor say that Sovereign Emperor that old coot is no good bird, and indeed he isn't!"

The big black dog suddenly stiffened, as if lost in memory.

After finishing, Yang Zhu patted Duan De and smiled, saying, "Come to think of it, Daoist, you must have some great connection with the Sovereign Emperor."

"Well… maybe? This poor Daoist seems to have a faint impression, but it's very vague."

The Infinite Heavenly Lord Daoist stroked his chin, also falling into memory; gradually he recalled some past‑life experiences.

Duan De knew Yang Zhu's identity, so he wasn't surprised that he knew of his endless reincarnation; moreover, when they spoke of the Underworld, he had already brought it up.

"This cauldron is a holy weapon, yet it's been left here—do you know why?"

"Just a moment, let this poor Daoist study it."

Hearing Yang Zhu's words, Duan De didn't hesitate; relying on his knowledge and the ancient texts he'd read, he observed everywhere while constantly employing various divine abilities and methods.

The big black dog didn't disturb him, but instead wandered nearby, hoping to find some other treasure.

"Yo? What an ancient formation…"

His formation expertise was indeed impressive; in no time he discovered a complex pattern of lines, threw himself onto it, and recorded everything.

"Damn Infinite Heavenly Lord! Brother Yang, this place is insane!"

Half an hour later, Duan De seemed to have discovered something and shouted curses.

"You dead fatty, hurry up and explain what's going on!"

The big black dog turned into a black streak and shot back in a puff of smoke.

"This place is indeed a peerless treasure land, called the Silver Dragon Nirvana; generally such terrain is extraordinary, capable of sheltering thousands of dragon veins, big and small."

"But extremes reverse; because this spot's feng shui is too good, it harms heavenly harmony, giving rise to a great ominous thing—the Heavenly Court's people noticed this back then, so they used this cauldron to suppress it here…"

According to Duan De, this place was laid with a tremendously powerful seal—not only this bronze cauldron, but also those immortal pavilions are part of the seal.

The cauldron functions as the eye of the formation; at the core, once moved, the entire seal will collapse.

At that time, the suppressed great ominous thing will break through the seal!

"What should we do?" Upon hearing this, the big black dog's hairs stood on end, and he turned his questioning gaze toward Yang Zhu.

"My father sent me here; he must have his purpose."

Yang Zhu's eyes were deep and calm; he reached out, grasped the bronze cauldron, and with a heave stuffed it into his bag.

"Boom—"

The next moment, it was as if an earthquake struck—the earth shook violently, cracks spiderwebbed across the surrounding immortal pavilions and great halls, which then exploded one after another into fragments; soon, the ruins that had been relatively intact collapsed entirely, dust billowing, turning into a wasteland in the blink of an eye.

Boom! The ground beneath the rubble split open, revealing an endless abyss; endless killing intent surged up like towering floods.

That was a terrifying killing intent, making one feel as if their body were about to tear apart; even souls could not withstand it, as if they would shatter! Beneath the abyss, thick black mist rose, as if some terrifying existence had awakened, and vaguely a pair of gloomy eyes opened.

"Damn Infinite Heavenly Lord, it's really come out!"

In an instant, the big black dog and Duan De's scalps were about to explode, trembling, their hairs standing on end, their eyes full of terror! (End of chapter)