Chapter 853: Human Emperor Scripture

Yan Buji stared at the floating scroll of the Human Emperor Scripture, and the Human Emperor cultivation method inside him suddenly began to circulate on its own. The distorted Dao Mark in his left eye warmed slightly, and countless tiny golden runes appeared before his eyes, echoing the characters on the bamboo slip.

"I see…" Yan Buji suddenly understood, "The Qi Tian Martial Secret guided me here because the complete transmission of the Human Emperor Scripture is hidden here."

He took a slow step forward, but halted suddenly ten zhang from the battle banner. The blood‑red soil on the ground surged, and twelve bronze skeletons lifted their heads together, their hollow eye sockets igniting with a pale blue flame.

"Trespasser, die!" A hoarse voice rang from all directions, perfectly separating Yan Buji from the others.

Yan Buji sneered, and Primordial Qi gathered in his palm.

Just as he was about to strike, he sensed something and projected a star map with his flowing Magical Cultivation. The star map aligned perfectly with the position of the battle banner on the ground; twelve shafts of golden light shot from the top of the flagpole, intertwining in the air to form a humanoid illusion.

The illusion wore an imperial crown and a starry robe, exactly the visage of the Human Emperor.

"Having obtained the Qi Tian Decree and mastered the Human Emperor method, you may be tested," the Human Emperor illusion boomed like a great bell. "If you pass, you will receive my true transmission."

The familiar scene made Yan Buji squint, "What test?"

"Trial of the Heart." The Human Emperor illusion raised a finger, a golden ray pierced Yan Buji's brow, "Answer three questions."

The scene before Yan Buji shifted abruptly; he found himself standing in a void, surrounded by countless images: his tragic childhood, his indifferent moment of killing his wife and selling his daughter, and even a scene of him conversing with the Emperor of the Underworld in Youming Jie.

The first question floated in the emptiness:

"Why do you seek the Dao?"

Yan Buji answered without hesitation, "For carefree freedom, unbound."

The second question followed swiftly:

"If you obtain the Human Emperor Scripture, what will you do?"

"Why do I need this Human Emperor Scripture?" Yan Buji retorted.

I don't even know what this Human Emperor Scripture is for, and besides, I'm here to investigate the connection between the Qi Tian Martial Secret and the Human Emperor cultivation method; even if I get the Scripture, I might be hunted by the so‑called Human Emperor descendants of the three families!

The third question did not appear for a long time; the surrounding images suddenly shattered and reassembled into a brand‑new scene: Yan Buji saw himself standing atop a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, the Sea Kun hammer in his hand dripping meat and blood, countless bodies beneath his feet, and behind him, a multitude of ordinary mortals?!

"If you accept this vision, you may attain the supreme Dao. Do you wish it?"

Yan Buji laughed up at the sky, "What a joke, treating me like a fresh youngster just out of the cultivation world?" He thrust a fierce fist forward, and Primordial martial Qi roared, shattering the illusion.

"Enough of these empties!"

A single scroll of scripture truly capable of elevating one to the supreme Dao cannot possibly be possessed by just a few people.

As the illusion shattered, Yan Buji said lightly, "I once said: better to plot my own humble path than to become a Human Emperor."

The Human Emperor illusion let out a satisfied laugh, "Good! Not blindly following, not yielding, that is the true intent of the Human Emperor."

The twelve battle banners ignited simultaneously, turning into golden streams of light that merged into Yan Buji's body.

The bamboo slip of the Human Emperor Scripture slowly unfurled, and countless golden characters flowed into his sea of consciousness.

When the final character was absorbed, Peach Blossom Valley shuddered violently. Yan Buji felt the Human Emperor cultivation method within him undergoing a qualitative change; the golden vortex expanded continuously, eventually forming a small golden sun in his dantian.

"So this is the complete Human Emperor cultivation method..." Yan Buji felt the subtle Dao‑flow power within, and suddenly sensed something, looking up toward some point in the void.

"Indeed, everything was arranged." Yan Buji felt something, clenched his fist, a hint of complexity flashing in his eyes.

Yet soon his expression returned to its usual cold indifference, "But this power is indeed solid."

Everything began to close the loop, meaning he too would step onto the stage?

Yan Buji did not understand, yet he had no right to refuse.

"Human Emperor Secret Technique: Fiery Oil Cooking?"

A peculiar Dao‑flow secret technique emanated from the Human Emperor Scripture, as if the Scripture and his Human Emperor cultivation method had become one; the bamboo slip opened within a golden vortex, and the technique poured into his mind.

Yan Buji naturally activated the Golden Foil Pattern and instantly comprehended the technique!

"Consume Dao‑flow power to foresee danger? Or is it passive?!" Yan Buji's complexion changed.

This Fiery Oil Cooking is a passive trigger technique; simply put, any danger encountered will first consume Dao‑flow power as a warning, the greater the danger, the more consumption.

Yan Buji's expression turned odd; he currently lacks some Dao‑flow secret art, otherwise he would have to modify this Fiery Oil Cooking!

Having just learned it, Yan Buji suddenly felt a repulsion and, in an instant, was expelled from the secret realm.

After a moment's thought, Yan Buji descended the valley; the seven‑star alignment over Star‑Falling Valley had already dissipated.

The night wind carried a scent of blood; at the valley entrance lay more than ten bodies, sprawled haphazardly—those Nascent Soul Cultivators who had been guarding the valley earlier!

Huh?

Yan Buji's eyes flickered; could there be others who dared to strike the three families' Human Emperor descendants? They must have a considerable background.

Each corpse bore a golden sword scar on its brow, and the wound retained a scent familiar to him.

"Seems to be Ji Mingyue's handiwork..." Yan Buji crouched, his fingertips brushing the scar. The newly acquired Human Emperor Scripture within the vortex suddenly flipped!!

Yan Buji jerked his head upward; the ground trembled, and three shafts of golden light raced down from the sky.

The leading elder had white hair and beard, a golden vertical stripe between his brows like a third eye, revealing the true face of the black‑robed elder from the great hall.

At this moment he shed his disguise; his purple‑gold python robe was embroidered with nine blazing suns, and the cloud pattern on his cuffs concealed the characters "Xuanyuan".

"Old fool!" the elder thundered, shaking the valley so that stones rolled down, "Hand over the Human Emperor Scripture, and I'll leave you a corpse!"

Yan Buji sneered without reply, the golden vortex inside him rotating slowly. As the Human Emperor Scripture operated, he suddenly saw through the elder's illusion!

Though it seemed like a Foundation Establishment pressure, it actually harbored a rotting aura, clearly propped up by some secret technique.

The golden‑armored commander on the right lifted his helm, revealing a face three‑quarters similar to Ji Mingyue's: "The rebellious Ji family's stolen inheritance returns to its rightful owner today." He pointed his long spear, whose tip blossomed nine golden lotuses, each lotus housing a tiny virtual figure.

The gray‑robed figure on the far left remained silent; Yan Buji had never seen him in the Qi Tian Realm before.

Yet the distorted Dao Mark in his left eye suddenly tinged with pain; this man was surrounded by sword aura resembling the slashing sword of the Underworld Emperor, yet exuded a vile foul smell.

"You want the scripture?" Yan Buji suddenly grinned, "I'll trade my life for it!"

Before he finished speaking, the blood‑red soil beneath his feet exploded with a thunderous boom.