Chapter 245

Ancestral Dragon Village!

With the utter destruction of the alien realm, the entire Nine Provinces underwent earth-shaking changes, developing rapidly, completely unlike the previous civilized era.

But this small village situated by the Yellow River still stands tranquil here, as if independent of time, bearing an immortal Dao rhythm, unmoving despite the passage of ages.

Outside Ancestral Dragon Village, Xiao Chen gazed at the village where he had grown up, his heart stirred with an indescribable palpitation.

Clearly the village lay before his eyes, yet he felt a hazy separation as if across infinite spacetime, as though they existed in entirely different dimensions.

It was like a pale, hazy landscape painting that seemed near yet was separated by an endless, distant expanse.

Moreover, over these years as his cultivation steadily rose, this feeling grew ever stronger.

Indeed, one could say that as his cultivation increased, Xiao Chen ever more keenly sensed the unfathomable and extraordinary nature of Ancestral Dragon Village.

Before this small village, it seemed as if all the myriad heavens and worlds were illusory, while only it was real and the sole existent thing.

'Primeval Ancient Village.'

The name spoken by Fuxi, the human ancestor, surfaced in his mind, and Xiao Chen's eyes involuntarily showed a trace of emotion as he muttered: 'It comes from the legendary sole true realm, and is it the holy land of that sole true realm? No wonder Brother Feng has stayed here all this time; if I reckon it, stepping out from here I can truly say my origins are extraordinary.'

Speaking of this, Xiao Chen recalled the joke Fuxi, the human ancestor, had made back then, and he couldn't help but chuckle self‑deprecatingly, saying: 'No wonder Brother Feng once said I am this era's great calamity's child!'

Even Xiao Chen of the past had almost believed that teasing remark of Fuxi, the human ancestor, always thinking his future self would be like the protagonist of a story—born to cultivate the Dao, destined to face the calamity, rising in the Nine Provinces' time of peril, helping to sweep away the alien realms and becoming a tide‑rider of the age.

Alas, the ideal was plump, the reality skeletal!

Before he could even grow up, the powerful foes of the alien realm were crushed by Fuxi, the human ancestor, with an unstoppable, withering force; the entire alien realm was swept clean, and the Nine Provinces instantly became the strongest force in all the heavens, without equal.

And he, whom Fuxi, the human ancestor, called the 'great calamity's child,' was then merely a minor half‑ancestor, lacking any qualification to intervene, able only to stand aside as a quiet onlooker, watching the forefather display unparalleled divine might.

His thoughts turned, and after a good while Xiao Chen came back to himself, involuntarily sighing in his heart: 'Ah, the forefather is still the forefather!'

The moment his thought settled, he suppressed his distracting thoughts and stepped toward Ancestral Dragon Village.

The familiar village, the rustic scent—everything felt so warm and intimate.

Although over these years, as his cultivation rose, Xiao Chen had visited many worlds—even traversing the Primordial Heavenly Realm and the World of Death—only in this small village did he feel an unprecedented tranquility.

Although Ancestral Dragon Village had an extraordinary origin, it was not large; shortly, Xiao Chen arrived outside the small courtyard of Fuxi, the human ancestor.

The courtyard looked quite ordinary, as if it had remained unchanged all these years.

Gazing at this familiar little courtyard, Xiao Chen's expression momentarily grew dazed, his thoughts wandering, as if he had returned to tens of thousands of years ago, the moment Brother Feng first came to Ancestral Dragon Village.

Back then he did not yet know that Brother Feng was the legendary Fuxi, the human ancestor, and he himself was merely an ordinary country youth born in this village.

Although much time had passed, Xiao Chen now felt as if everything were just yesterday.

Just then, a gentle, familiar voice rang out: 'Brother Xiao Chen, come in!'

Though the voice was not loud, it instantly pulled Xiao Chen's thoughts back, bringing him to his senses.

He slightly shook his head, dispelling the distracting thoughts in his heart, gently pushed open the courtyard gate, and stepped inside.

Hum

Upon entering the courtyard, Xiao Chen's mind and spirit trembled slightly; his vision instantly shifted, his perception filled with the endless rhythm of the Great Dao, as if he had stepped into a vast, boundless cosmos.

Instinctively gazing into the distance, he saw boundless void, with eight resplendent light‑wheels hanging high in the infinite heights, slowly turning and emitting an utterly profound power of the great spacetime cycle.

And at the very core of the universe lay an indescribable Yi Dao Taiji, seemingly the beginning of all things, the source of the Great Dao, encompassing all the Great Dao's laws of this world.

The Yi Dao Taiji slowly turned, containing yin and yang, harboring positive and negative, together with the eight radiant light‑wheels in the infinite heights forming a perfect cycle—like an utterly harmonious innate yin‑yang bagua diagram, and also seeming to construct a Dao system so profound that Xiao Chen's present realm could not comprehend it, yet he could faintly sense its profundity reaching the extreme.

'This is the Nine‑Great Spacetime Cycle System!'

This thought arose instinctively in his mind; in an instant Xiao Chen felt the entire universe suddenly transform, as if it became a beginning‑less and end‑less river of fate, with start and finish ever present, past and future forming their own cycle, as if completely detached from the constraints of all heavens and wholly self‑sufficient.

In a dazed moment, Xiao Chen seemed to behold the past and future of all the myriad heavens and worlds, from the very beginning to endless oblivion, everything appearing to be embraced by that river.

Before he could react, the whole river of fate continually contracted toward a singularity, returning to the original Yi Dao Taiji.

Watching the transformation of this Dao phenomenon, Xiao Chen seemed to perceive a Dao evolution utterly transcending his own realm; countless insights rose in his mind‑spirit, instantly plunging him into a state of epiphany, his comprehension of the supreme ancestral god's realm swiftly climbing, and his vital energy rapidly shifting.

After an unknown span, Xiao Chen's vital energy shifted, and his mind‑spirit instantly returned.

Only then did he realize he was still in the courtyard, as if everything just now had been an illusion.

Yet the tremendous change in his vital energy within, and the many Dao insights settled in his heart, made Xiao Chen understand that what had just occurred was not an illusion.

Instinctively looking ahead, he saw Fuxi, the human ancestor, gazing at him with tranquil eyes, revealing little aura, like an ordinary person without cultivation, yet upon close observation there was also a profound, unfathomable loftiness.

And beside him, a snow‑white little beast was snoring loudly—it was the little beast Keke.

Xiao Chen knew the curse on Keke's body had long been lifted; it simply preferred to keep this snow‑white form, hence it remained so.

His thoughts turning, Xiao Chen hastily bowed before Fuxi, the human ancestor, and said: 'Thank you, Brother Feng!'

He understood in his heart that his ability to perceive those Dao phenomena just now was entirely due to the intentional arrangement of the Fuxi, the human ancestor before him.

Otherwise, with his present cultivation, how could he possibly peer into the ancestor's Dao?

'No need for many thanks.'

Feng Yi's face showed a faint smile as he softly said: 'This is all your opportunity!'

After finishing his salute, Xiao Chen produced an ancient‑looking yet heavy stone tablet and said: 'Brother Feng, this is the heavenly stele you spoke of from the depths of the World of Death; I have brought it here.'

'A heavenly stele?'

Feng Yi reached out, and the heavenly stele in Xiao Chen's hand instantly fell into his palm.

After rubbing it for a moment, Feng Yi's heart stirred; the heavenly stele vanished instantly, appearing in his ancient‑city universe, standing alongside the other several heavenly steles.

Having done all that, Feng Yi looked at Xiao Chen, smiling, and asked: 'How is it? Nothing untoward happened, right?'

Feng Yi naturally knew long ago that the eighth heavenly stele lay in the deepest part of the World of Death, and that a sovereign was hidden there, using the stele to suppress himself.

That is why he had Xiao Chen fetch the stele—to see whether that sovereign would make a move, and if convenient, to suppress him in passing.

But alas, from beginning to end, that sovereign never showed himself.

Hearing Feng Yi's words, Xiao Chen shook his head.

Seeing this, Feng Yi also paid it no further mind, since in the end they would all be settled together, and he didn't care about one or two sovereigns.

After chatting a while longer, Feng Yi then began to guide Xiao Chen's cultivation.

Facing the guidance of Fuxi, the Human Ancestor, who can be called the strongest existence in all heavens nowadays, Xiao Chen naturally did not dare to be negligent, listening attentively and occasionally voicing his doubts.

The entire courtyard instantly transformed into a Dao domain, endless marvelous principles of the Great Dao flowing between heaven and earth, brilliant light myriad, auspicious colors thousands of strands.

Not knowing how long had passed, sensing that Xiao Chen had reached his limit, Feng Yi stopped his guidance, then smiled and said: 'Perfect, the Little Stone Emperor's Tomb in the Primordial Heavenly Realm is about to emerge; the last heavenly stele lies within—go retrieve it. This also counts as your tempering, helping you digest this Great Dao insight.'

'Little Stone Emperor's Tomb. Last heavenly stele.'

A hint of realization flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes; he bowed again and said, 'Yes!'

'Hmm.'

Feng Yi nodded, pointed a finger, and in soundless silence a divine light merged into Xiao Chen's body.

Xiao Chen, unaware of this, left the courtyard after completing his salute.

Watching Xiao Chen's figure leave the courtyard, Feng Yi's gaze grew deep, and he softly said: 'Now it seems the residual survival instinct of the Fu Emperor can hardly hold out much longer; it's time to return to those heavens, but before that, we must thoroughly deal with the Emperor of this realm to add a measure of assurance for myself.'

As his voice fell, Feng Yi's cultivation began to surge continuously, a vast qi faintly visible, on the verge of surpassing the limit of the Immortal King realm to reach a new level.

The phenomenon Xiao Chen had just witnessed was precisely Feng Yi's cultivation reaching completion, his future path thoroughly perfected, forming his Emperor Dao's primordial order, and initially constructing the external manifestation of the Great Dao at the time of his Nine Grand Spacetime Cycles.

For him now, the realms of Dao Ancestor and Emperor are within easy reach.

Hum.

As the courtyard door closed completely, Feng Yi once again shut his eyes, entered the state of contemplating the Dao, and unhurriedly honed his cultivation, perfecting his path.

The courtyard underwent another change, transforming into a vast, boundless cosmos, forming a system of Nine Grand Spacetime Cycles.

Meanwhile, as the Dao of Change and the Supreme Ultimate turned, taking the Dao of Change as a singularity, it seemed to construct two completely opposite Nine Grand Spacetime Cycles, mutually forming the yin and yang of the Great Dao, positive and negative without limit, forming a more profound Great Dao system.

In this process, Feng Yi's aura underwent a slow yet steadfast sublimation and transformation.

The Primordial Heavenly Realm, now the center of all heavens and myriad worlds.

In these heavens, if the Sole True Realm is said to be the origin of all things, the beginning of the Great Dao, then the Primordial Heavenly Realm and the Death World are like the yin and yang poles of the Great Dao, their status slightly higher than the rest of the heavens and myriad worlds.

In the ancient primordial era's Emperor wars, the Death World was utterly destroyed, its source greatly damaged, almost a broken realm; while the Sole True Realm stands independent of the mortal world, undiscoverable, the Primordial Heavenly Realm thus became the gathering place of powerhouses from all heavens and myriad worlds, becoming the center of the myriad worlds.

As a powerhouse of the Supreme Ancestor God realm, Xiao Chen had previously trained his cultivation, broadened his horizons, and also traveled through the Primordial Heavenly Realm, gaining some understanding of the world's situation.

This time, after arriving at the Primordial Heavenly Realm again as per Fuxi, the Human Ancestor's orders, without much inquiry he received the news that the Little Stone Emperor's Tomb was about to emerge, prompting him to marvel at Fuxi's deductive ability—truly, without leaving home he could know all under heaven!

Without much hesitation, Xiao Chen also entered the Little Stone Emperor's Tomb together with many powerhouses of the heavenly realm.

Rumble rumble rumble.

As if deep within the graveyard of a great world, booming sounds echoed continuously, figures constantly collided, emitting energy fluctuations capable of destroying heaven and earth.

In a hidden spot of the tomb's great world, Xiao Chen watched the battling stone kings, unable to keep from showing a hint of helplessness on his face.

As a powerhouse of the Supreme Ancestor God realm, and having come far within it, Xiao Chen now counts as one of the rare powerhouses under heaven.

But unfortunately, the many powerhouses engaged in battle are true stone kings, which he cannot presently match.

Gazing at the figures of those heavenly realm titans, Xiao Chen couldn't help but lament that the Little Stone Emperor truly deserves to be one of those once closest to the Emperor, his tomb actually drawing so many stone kings.

This made Xiao Chen somewhat doubtful about whether he could fulfill Fuxi, the Human Ancestor's command and obtain the last heavenly stele.

'With Elder Brother Feng's deductive ability, since he let me come, there shouldn't be a mistake, right!'

As thoughts turned in his mind, Xiao Chen withdrew his gaze from the battling kings and looked toward the tomb's deepest part.

There stood seven enormous tombs like ancient divine mountains, mutually appearing to form some mysterious grand formation.

This left Xiao Chen feeling somewhat puzzled: why does the Little Stone Emperor's tomb have seven graves?

Hum.

Just as Xiao Chen carefully examined those seven tombs, a tremendous vibration sounded; the seven great graves deep in the tomb world suddenly shook violently, instantly awakening the many combatants, causing them to temporarily cease fighting.

'This'

Xiao Chen stared blankly at the seven great tombs, seeing a figure suddenly appear.

It was a tall figure wearing a dragon robe and a crown, immensely majestic, walking with dragon's stride and tiger's step, possessing an awe-inspiring aura that seemed to swallow mountains and rivers.

Even the many stone kings had not given Xiao Chen such a feeling.

'Little Stone Emperor!'

A name rose in Xiao Chen's heart, making his pupils contract slightly as he considered various possibilities.

'Is this the Little Stone Emperor? Could it be that the Little Stone Emperor hasn't fallen? Or perhaps this is his corpse feigning death?'

Boom.

At that moment, various powerhouses appeared not far away, gazing at the figure in the dragon robe, each showing different expressions.

After a while, a powerhouse stepped forward, sneering: 'Little Stone Emperor, you're dead—dead. Yet you still play mysterious, leaving this indelible mark—what? Do you still want to be resurrected?'

Unexpectedly, the Little Stone Emperor paid no heed to that powerhouse, nor even to the surrounding many powerhouses, but walked aloofly toward a certain direction, exuding an air of supreme dominance.

In a hidden corner of the tomb, Xiao Chen's heart trembled, even his scalp felt a bit numb.

Because the Little Stone Emperor was walking precisely toward this spot, as he approached, Xiao Chen even felt as if the Little Stone Emperor had been staring at him all along.

Before Xiao Chen could think of how to respond, the Little Stone Emperor suddenly halted his steps and said, 'Fellow Daoist, please reveal yourself and meet!'

'Huh?'

Xiao Chen startled; although the Little Stone Emperor was looking in his direction, he had an inexplicable premonition that the other wasn't speaking to him.

Hum.

At that moment, a divine light rose from Xiao Chen's body, carrying a transcendent, exalted qi, landing not far away and transforming into a tall figure clad in dark robes.

'Elder Brother Feng!'

Seeing that familiar figure, Xiao Chen instantly understood something, and his heart involuntarily relaxed.

So that's it!

With Elder Brother Feng here, it's settled!

'Xi Emperor!'

Meanwhile, the many powerhouses in the tomb seeing that suddenly appearing familiar figure felt their hearts jolt, couldn't help but draw a cold breath, instantly restrained their qi, trying to minimize their presence as much as possible.

(End of chapter)