Chapter 197: The Four Lineages of the Heartless One, I Am the Common Sovereign

The Divine King can only strike three more times! Is it real, or fake?!

Divine King Old Jiang Taixu, with white hair cascading down, swayed on his feet, reduced to skin and bones; not a trace of crystalline luster remained on his body surface, clearly indicating he had expended his last drop of divine spring water earlier.

Not a shred of vitality could be seen on him; he was no different from a withered piece of wood.

"The Divine King is about to fall..."

Some lamented the end of a generation's pride; the Divine King of the Eastern Wasteland, who should have enjoyed endless glory, was so downcast in his twilight years.

Recalling over four thousand years ago, when he was vigorous and looked down upon the world, then looking at him today, shaped like withered firewood, frail and nearing decay, what profound sorrow was this?

Since ancient times, beauties have sighed over their declining years, and heroes are not permitted to witness their own white hair.

"I simply do not believe it." Others voiced skepticism; a dignified Divine King who had just slain the Night Dark Monarch, a Half-Saint, in a single move, displaying power rivaling creation itself, how could he possibly die so easily?

"Should we make a move to test him..." The masterminds hiding in the shadows, who had lured the Night Dark Monarch, began to hesitate, suspecting Divine King Old Jiang Taixu was fishing for them.

But if it were true, they could not only slay a Saint and severely injure the Old Jiang family, but also seize the Emperor Emperor Hengyu Furnace by opportunity—a bargain of heavenly proportions.

"Cough, cough... Before I sit in meditation and pass away, let me clear some obstacles for future generations once more and leave behind a bit of foundation."

Old Jiang Taixu cooperated with Lin Xian's performance, coughing incessantly like a sickly old man, raising an arm as thin as withered wood, and sighed: "For my first strike, I will eliminate great enemies for the Old Jiang family and slay thirteen Saint Masters."

"Divine King Senior, spare our lives!"

"Flee for your lives!"

"What is there to fear? He is old and weak; if we rush him together, the Divine King cannot kill us all. Once his blood and qi are exhausted, he will still meet his doom..."

Three different voices represented the attitudes of these Saint Masters: some begged for mercy, some fled, and some resisted.

However, in the face of a Saint, all of this was powerless.

Old Jiang Taixu let out a soft sigh, like a deity walking the earth; thirteen drops of blood appeared at his fingertips. With a flick of his finger, they shot out like divine weapons, crimson mist illuminating the entire Shengcheng, resembling countless suns falling into the mortal world.

"Ahhh!!!"

Not one of the dozen-plus Saint Masters escaped; their brows were pierced through by the blood drops, all slain, leaving only screams echoing through the Shengcheng.

"Ancient Saints are nearly deities; a single drop of blood or a fragment of bone is a supreme divine object. Every inch of their flesh and blood can kill an unparalleled expert!"

Cultivators within the Shengcheng were chilled with fear. In an era where Immortal Tier 2 constituted a great ability and Perfected Kings dominated the mortal world, no one had ever witnessed the true power of an Immortal Tier 4 Saint; they could only imagine it based on ancient texts.

Now witnessing it firsthand confirmed the legends were true. Those below Saint and Saints themselves were lifeforms of entirely different dimensions; even a single hair naturally shed from a Saint's body could slay all things!

A Perfected King could at most cause disturbances within a star's interior, whereas a Saint's full-power strike could annihilate stars in the cosmic firmament.

From the perspective of cultivation, those below Saint are still cultivating the Five Great Secret Realms, whereas Saints have already begun perfecting the Five Great Secret Realms and, on that basis, creating their own scriptures and Dao methods.

When the created Dao method is perfected, one becomes a Dao Accomplisher, known as a Heavenly Venerable in the Mythological Era, an Ancient Emperor in the Ancient Times, and a Great Emperor in the Desolate Ancient Era, collectively called the Supreme Human Dao Sovereigns.

Only by becoming a Saint can one touch the Imperial Dao; only by becoming a Saint does the path to Emperorship begin, where prides rise together, ten thousand Saints compete, the universe floats and sinks, and all vie for the Imperial throne.

The people of Shengcheng were mesmerized by the bearing of Divine King Old Jiang Taixu; however, this was not the end, but merely a beginning.

The Night Dark Monarch had died, but his weapons remained. Those were divine garments and battle spears of an ancient Sage, rare treasures of the world possessing life; they actually revived spontaneously, attempting to break through the Divine King's pure land and escape.

"Saint weapons, stay behind to serve as foundation for my Old Jiang family!"

The Divine King shouted loudly, making his second strike, forcibly suppressing the two Saint weapons, which did not belong to the Night Dark Monarch.

The Night Dark Monarch was only a Half-Saint and could not refine Saint weapons; the two ancient Saint weapons originated from the Central Continent.

This operation involved not only the Yao Guang Holy Land acting secretly, but also two major sects from the Central Continent providing covert assistance.

The Saint weapons radiated light in resistance, Dao marks flowing, roaring in anger as if possessing spirits; if Old Jiang Taixu were truly a weakened Saint, he indeed could not have retained them.

However, this was a newly born Divine King, unmatched in combat power; with just one hand, he suppressed the two Saint artifacts, like Mount Mount Wuzhi slowly pressing down.

"We cannot lose the Saint weapons!"

Within Shengcheng, atop a jade tower, two sect masters inheriting the lineage of Central Continent sages anxiously sought help from the Yao Guang Holy Master. Not every family possessed an Imperial weapon to suppress affairs; for many major sects, one or two Saint artifacts were the utmost limit, supreme treasures passed down from their founding ancestors, which could not be lost.

The Yao Guang Holy Master's expression shifted slightly; one hundred and eight halos swirled behind his head, like a deity descending upon the dust, his Mixed Origin Saint Light Art cultivated to perfection.

He closed his eyes, attempting to establish contact with the senior elder controlling the Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron.

The Divine King could not be killed; they could only flee.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, extreme Dao Imperial might descended, tearing through the Divine King's pure land and opening a great path of escape, giving the two Saint weapons a chance to depart.

Simultaneously, a domain gate appeared in the sky; the Great Emperor Saint weapon battling the Emperor Emperor Hengyu Furnace unleashed trillions of lightning bolts, attempting to tear open space and traverse the void away, with the two Saint weapons following closely behind.

"Think you can escape!" Old Jiang Taixu roared, like a heavenly god, as if refining all the essence blood in his body, he bellowed: "My third strike is to retain the Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron."

"Old Jiang Taixu, do you truly intend to ignite a great war between the Old Jiang family and Yao Guang?"

The mastermind behind the scenes finally revealed himself; he was a Half-Saint of Yao Guang, or rather, a Half-Saint of the Heartless One's lineage.

Old Jiang Taixu did not speak, merely striking, displaying earth-shattering combat power that swept across the Shengcheng battlefield.

"You are old and frail; you may not be my match." The Half-Saint of the Heartless One's lineage said coldly: "Retreat and enjoy your twilight years with your descendants."

"Kill!" Old Jiang Taixu stated simply and decisively. The Emperor Emperor Hengyu Furnace, which had originally sealed Shengcheng within the Dragon Transformation Pool, flew out to suppress the Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron.

"I'll fight you to the death!" The Half-Saint of the Heartless One's lineage roared, sacrificing his essence blood, burning his lifespan, and fully reviving the Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron.

Old Jiang Taixu remained unmoved; whether in realm or Imperial weapon, he far surpassed his opponent.

Because he still possessed half an Imperial weapon: the Ancient Devouring Heaven Demon Can atop his head, where Great Dao laws floated and sank, transforming into strands of dark light cascading down.

"Devouring Heaven Demon Can!"

"Two Imperial weapons!"

The Half-Saint of the Heartless One's lineage underwent a drastic Great Change in expression, finally realizing the truth: the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. It seemed he had surrounded the Divine King, but in reality, he had been surrounded by the Divine King.

This scheme was not designed to kill him, but to fish for the Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron.

This was a wager: if the Old Jiang family lost, they would lose the Emperor Emperor Hengyu Furnace; if the Yao Guang Holy Land lost, they would lose the Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron.

Yao Guang's offensive had ended; now it was the Old Jiang family's turn to attack.

"It's a trap!" The Half-Saint of the Heartless One's lineage gritted his teeth: "But do you think you can retain the Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron like this? You are simply too ridiculous."

"The Night Dark Monarch was ignorant, bent solely on seizing the Emperor Emperor Hengyu Furnace, and ultimately failed."

"You are no different; even a Saint cannot block the return of an Imperial Cauldron."

"A Saint cannot stop an Imperial Cauldron, but I can." Lin Xian walked forward slowly, his gaze firm: "You stole the Imperial Cauldron of my Devouring Heaven lineage. Today, I shall set things right. Neither you nor the Cauldron shall leave today."

"What nonsense?!" The Half-Saint of the Heartless One's lineage doubted his own ears had heard correctly.

"Invincible Imperial Ancestor, Supreme Dragon Cauldron, return!!!"

Lin Xian raised his arms and shouted, manifesting the Devouring Heaven Demon Art; he formed seals with both hands, Dao runes weaving above his head, evolving into a large Dao treasure bottle shimmering with dark light, exuding an aura capable of suppressing the Myriad Heavens and Worlds.

The Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron, influenced by the aura of the Devouring Heaven lineage, actually produced a slight deviation.

"Dao Treasure Bottle, who exactly are you?" The Half-Saint of the Heartless One's lineage looked solemn, for the first time realizing matters had exceeded his control.

"I am the Dao Master of the Heartless One's lineage!"

Lin Xian stepped forward, holding the Human Emperor Banner, and declared loudly: "Today I welcome back the Imperial Cauldron, recast the glory of my Devouring Heaven, and rebuild a Holy Land."

The face of the Half-Saint from the Heartless One's lineage turned nearly green; everything Lin Xian said were his own lines!

The Dao treasure bottle, resembling black jade, floated and sank; internally it pulled at the Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron, while externally the Divine King held two Imperial weapons applying pressure. He truly could no longer hold on.

The Imperial Cauldron was on the verge of breaking free from his control. For the deity of an Imperial weapon, a Half-Saint cultivator and a Four Extremities cultivator were no different; they recognized only the Great Emperor's aura.

Clearly, because Lin Xian had spent day and night with Little Nan Nan, the aura of the Heartless One on him far surpassed that of the Heartless Great Emperor's disciples and descendants from countless generations ago.

"The Imperial Cauldron cannot be lost!" The Half-Saint of the Heartless One's lineage roared, charging into the nine heavens with the Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron, flashing with blinding light, like a black true dragon resurrected, buying himself a chance to catch his breath.

Divine King Old Jiang Taixu and Lin Xian exchanged glances; pretending deliberately to be outmatched, they retreated a step, allowing the Half-Saint of the Heartless One's lineage to transmit a message outward, requesting reinforcements.

He attempted to summon stronger forces, using a secret technique to shout: "Saints of Yao Guang, do you intend to sit idly by? This Imperial weapon belongs half to you as well."

The Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron was not crafted solely by the Heartless Great Emperor; the Yao Guang Holy Land devoted the entire sect's strength to cast it. All Saints and disciples united as one, devoutly bowing and refining it, pouring out their hearts and blood over fifty thousand years, spanning twenty-eight generations of Sages.

Finally, on a stormy night filled with lightning and thunder, the Heartless Great Emperor quietly descended, bestowing Imperial Dao laws upon the Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron, allowing it to reach its ultimate sublimation. This was undoubtedly a miracle.

As long, leisurely years passed, the Imperial Cauldron remained immortal and undecayed; some of the old Sages who had refined it were still alive, sealed within divine sources.

These old Sages had personally cast the Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron and shared a profound connection with the Dragon Cauldron, possessing certain authorities.

This was also the reason why the Heartless One's lineage merely parasitized the Yao Guang Holy Land rather than seizing control of it entirely.

The Yao Guang Saints possessed certain authorities over the Imperial weapon, capable of reviving its deity and standing on equal footing with the Heartless One's lineage.

The Heartless One's lineage was extremely wary; they had been waiting, awaiting the day all twenty-eight of these old Sages withered away, so they could fully control the Imperial Cauldron, thereby usurping the nest and changing the Yao Guang Holy Land into the Devouring Heaven Holy Land.

Just like an old tree, waiting until the last root withers, so a new seed can use it as nourishment to grow robustly.

"A Saint wants to seize the Imperial weapon... Even a Perfected Saint Spirit would not dare entertain such an idea."

"Truly a ridiculous lie."

The Yao Guang Holy Land was extraordinary; mountain ranges converged, their ridges resembling a dragon's back, as if ready to leap at any moment and soar into the nine heavens, forming a shocking earthly formation.

Suddenly, the earth exploded open; a divine source buried in the deepest depths flew out. An old man within suddenly opened his eyes, causing the void to shine, and snorted coldly: "What does your lineage intend to do again, using outsiders' hands to eliminate us? Do not think only you are the orthodox line."

"You are not the Great Emperor's bloodline; you are merely of the same clan, village, and surname. Speaking of origins, you are inferior to our branch, the Tomb Guardians."

The truth was revealed: the Heartless One's lineage had not chosen the Yao Guang Holy Land for parasitism without reason, but after careful consideration, as Yao Guang also shared origins with the Heartless Great Emperor.

The Heartless One did not end with a single lifetime but experienced four lives, naturally resulting in different lineages and different followers.

The Yao Guang Ancestor was no minor figure; he originated as a guardian of one of the Heartless Great Emperor's imperial tombs from a certain lifetime. Later, he rose to ascend the heavens, proved his Dao as a Quasi-Emperor, and founded the Yao Guang Holy Land.

"This is no deception; there is truly a great disaster." The Half-Saint of the Heartless One's lineage roared: "A Saint is holding two Imperial weapons; they intend to exterminate us completely."

"What?!"

The Yao Guang Old Saint broke out of the divine source, striking with full force, summoning the Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron and exercising his authority. In an instant, the Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron radiated hundreds of millions of strands of rosy light and thousands of layers of Dao brilliance.

When a Sage strikes, it is extraordinary; the Imperial Cauldron emitted sounds of lightning and thunder, entangled by chaotic immortal qi, instantly stabilizing the situation.

The Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron ceased deviating and instead flew toward the direction of the Yao Guang Old Saint.

"Finally took the bait."

Lin Xian watched this scene, smiling faintly. With the Dao treasure bottle above his head, he approached unhurriedly: "Fellow Daoist, today I set things right and wish to become the Dao Master of the Heartless One. What say you?"

"Devouring Heaven Demon Can, Dao Treasure Bottle." The Yao Guang Old Saint's eyes grew solemn, and he said in a deep voice: "You are from the First Lineage. When the Devouring Heaven Holy Land was destroyed back then, I did not expect anyone to have escaped."

"The first lineage?" Lin Xian asked with slight surprise, pointing at the Half-Saint hovering in the void: "Which lineage is he from, and which lineage are you from?"

"He is from the second lineage, a descendant of the Great Emperor's fellow villagers," the Old Saint of Yaoguang said indifferently. "We are the tomb guardians of the third lineage."

"I see," Lin Xian said thoughtfully. "Then the Devouring Heaven Sacred Land must have been established by followers of the Ferocious Great Emperor. Adding my own lineage, that makes four lineages in total."

"Very well then. I intend to become the common master of all four lineages. What is your opinion, fellow Daoist?"

"On what grounds!" The Old Saint of Yaoguang sneered coldly. Old Jiang Taixu was a Sage, and he too was a Sage; even if he could not defeat his opponent, with an Emperor Weapon in hand, he could still protect himself.

"How many fingers am I holding up, fellow Daoist?" Lin Xian extended five fingers and asked.

"Playing tricks with ghosts and gods!" The Old Saint of Yaoguang snorted coldly, brimming with confidence. Even if he needed to confront a Divine King, with one hand supporting the Dragon-Patterned Black Gold Cauldron, he remained invincible across the vast lands of the Desolate East.

"It is five!"

Lin Xian shook his head and let out a long sigh: "I never expected that the dignified Sage of Yaoguang would not know how to count!"

"You are looking for trouble..." The Old Saint of Yaoguang flew into a rage and was just about to make a move when suddenly, waves of trembling aura erupted vigorously—five distinct presences in total!

(End of Chapter)