Chapter 221

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Protagonist:

Jiang Xuan

The universe boils!

Although the world knows the Heavenly Emperor Jiang is invincible, and even a Chaos Body is no match for him, no one expected the Heavenly Emperor Jiang would defeat the Chaos Body in this manner!

A single divine ability!

Merely a single divine ability, without even seeing the Heavenly Emperor's true body, it was already defeated at his hands.

Terror! Shock!

The world once again learned of the Heavenly Emperor Jiang's might.

In the Long River of Time, the nine towering sacred mountains of the Ancient Forbidden Land of old have long since collapsed and crumbled, turning into the dust of history.

But as of today, this land remains full of vitality, lush trees blotting out the sky. In its core region, there is a massive abyss so deep its bottom cannot be seen.

For countless millennia, the mortal world has undergone repeated upheavals; those Forbidden Zones that once struck terror at the mere mention of their names have either been utterly leveled or faded into oblivion in the river of time, leaving only this Ancient Forbidden Land remaining in the world.

Over the long years, it has been like an insurmountable moat; no one dares to step into it lightly, its mystery and majesty inspiring awe in the world, daring not the slightest profanation.

At the critical moment of the Dark Turmoil back then, the Female Emperor within the Ancient Forbidden Land awakened, once intervening to suppress a Supreme — this is a great merit.

"Jiang Xuan requests an audience with the Great Emperor!"

Though this voice was not very loud, it seemed to contain a penetrating power, clearly transmitting into the depths of the abyss; in an instant, all of Donghuang trembled.

In an instant, the crowd erupted. The Heavenly Emperor Jiang, the Heavenly Emperor Ye appeared here, and even stepped into this most mysterious and unfathomable Ancient Forbidden Land; everyone was dumbstruck, shocked to the extreme.

Could it be that the three titans will finally meet?

People pondered in their hearts, reckoning that Jiang Xuan and Ye Fan's visit this time was absolutely not to level the Forbidden Zone; after all, the Female Emperor is fundamentally different from other Masters of the Forbidden Zones — she once protected the Human Race, turned the tide during the Dark Turmoil of the past, suppressed Supremes; her prestige and achievements have long been deeply rooted in people's hearts.

Although this region is regarded as a dead land, a desperate situation, as long as one does not actively provoke it, no danger will be encountered. The world fears her, yet in the depths of their souls, boundless reverence also surges.

"This... is truly filled with anticipation!"

The meeting between the Heavenly Emperor Jiang Xuan and the Female Emperor has stirred the hearts of everyone under heaven; all yearn to personally rush to the scene and see the truth. But alas, this is merely a fantasy, ultimately impossible to become reality; people can only silently speculate in their hearts, imagining that historic scene about to unfold.

Time flies; the grass and trees here still grow lush and vigorous, yet the core region of the Forbidden Zone increasingly presents an air of decay and desolation.

Cracks interweave densely; time passes, yet they still maintain their shattered appearance, never having been repaired.

Jiang Xuan's silhouette quietly emerged here; his footsteps halted, advancing no further, and he once again issued the request for an audience.

A Huang Slave appeared. He wore tattered old clothes, his expression dull, his movements sluggish; he gestured to Jiang Xuan and the other two, leading them slowly toward the abyss.

"Big Brother!"

Outside the Ancient Forbidden Land, Xiao Nian Nian widened her eyes, her gaze full of anxiety as she stared at the Forbidden Land's entrance.

For some unknown reason, a strange unease welled up in her heart, her heartbeat accelerating sharply, her heart full of worry.

"Don't be afraid, we'll be fine." Ye Fan comforted gently.

Jiang Xuan pondered silently: "Wonder which life the Ruthless One is on now." The Ruthless One took residence in the Ancient Forbidden Land in this fifth life, and since then has controlled this place, embarking on a long journey of transformation.

Along the way forward, a towering massive stone gate suddenly came into view, the surrounding aura misty and faint.

"Greetings, Great Emperor!"

Jiang Xuan gazed at the Great Emperor before him whose name shakes past and present, and spoke.

The Ruthless Emperor's eyes opened slightly, her gaze clear; at this moment her mind was lucid, her spiritual perception keen.

"Heavenly Emperor."

The Ruthless Emperor gave Jiang Xuan a slight nod; with a light wave of her jade hand, two Dao meditation cushions quietly emerged beside Jiang Xuan and Ye Fan.

The two sat facing the Ruthless Emperor on the ground.

This meeting can be called earth-shaking through the ages; the two Great Emperors of immense prestige in the current era facing an Ancient Great Emperor who never self-severed.

"The Great Emperor's natural talent is outstanding, her genius extraordinary; in this troubled mundane world she has undergone the tempering of reincarnation life after life, and is not far from becoming a Red Dust Immortal — truly worthy of admiration."

Jiang Xuan sighed with emotion.

The Ruthless Emperor fully deserves this praise of his.

This Great Emperor truly rose from the most ordinary, trivial realm, battling through blood all the way, slaying all enemies, finally standing proudly above the nine heavens, looking down on all living beings.

If one speaks of the difficulty and peril of the path of rise, scanning the vast ancient history that covers the sky, the Ruthless Emperor's experience is enough to rank among the foremost; by comparison, Jiang Xuan feels he falls far short.

Though he lacks a Special Constitution, he possesses the supreme treasure Hongmeng Treasure Mirror, surpassing all opportunities.

The Ruthless Emperor remained silent, her gaze falling on Jiang Xuan; after a moment, she gently shook her head.

"I have come to exchange insights on the principles of longevity with the Great Emperor; the Great Emperor's talent is unmatched throughout history, and will surely provide me inspiration in this regard." Jiang Xuan said.

The Ruthless Emperor's expression was serene, as if transcendent of the mortal world, her whole body emanating a detached, far-reaching aura.

"Is the Great Emperor willing to discuss the matter of longevity with me?" Jiang Xuan asked again. He knew well the Ruthless Emperor's proud and solitary nature; if he did not take the initiative, the two might just sit facing each other in silence for years or even decades — after all, the Ruthless Emperor has always lived in deep seclusion.

"How does the Heavenly Emperor view the path to immortality?"

After Jiang Xuan's words fell, the Ruthless Emperor finally broke the silence; her voice was like celestial music, melodious and pleasing to the ear; even the immortal mist swirling around seemed to become clearer and brighter because of it.

The Great Emperor's willingness to speak meant this trip would not be in vain.

"When I achieve immortality, the path I walk will be the path to immortality!"

Jiang Xuan's words were resounding, his face shining with light, his confidence extraordinary.

Ye Fan at the side, hearing this, couldn't help but look deeply at this old classmate of his.

"As for the saying that one can only achieve immortality by entering the Immortal Domain..."

Jiang Xuan paused slightly, then suddenly raised his eyes to look at the Ruthless Emperor, "In the Mythological Era there were the Tribulation-Crossing Heavenly Venerate and the Di Zun; in the Ancient Times there were the Undying Heavenly Emperor and the Divine Emperor; in this current era there are the Great Emperor, myself, and Ye Fan — the existence of these powerhouses is my view on the path to immortality!"

Jiang Xuan had no intention of concealment, laying out these hidden matters completely.

Not to mention anything else, just that Undying Heavenly Emperor — her repeated interventions, her many deeds — wanting to conceal her tracks is almost impossible; the Ruthless Emperor has most likely long since perceived her whereabouts.

A brilliant radiance suddenly burst forth from the Ruthless Emperor's eyes, instantly illuminating the entire grand hall until it was bright and transparent.

Ye Fan at the side revealed a look of shock and alarm, his face full of incredulity; he couldn't help but ask: "This Tribulation-Crossing Heavenly Venerate, Di Zun, Undying Heavenly Emperor, Divine Emperor — none of them have fallen? They didn't rely on Self Severing to prolong their vitality?"

Jiang Xuan nodded in reply: "Indeed they have not died; across the ten thousand ages, there will always emerge one or two peerless geniuses who can break their shackles, become transcendent sages, and advance toward the Fairyland." He then spoke with a determined expression: "Self Severing, hiding in the Forbidden Zone — then there is no longer any possibility of Featherization and ascending to immortality!"

Jiang Xuan's words seemed to traverse the ten thousand ages of time, striking straight at the depths of Ye Fan's soul.

Ye Fan's heart surged with waves, unable to calm for a long time; having learned such a heaven-shaking secret of the past ages, no one could remain composed and unruffled.

"However, since there are those who can keep surviving in the world, what are those Supremes who fled into the Forbidden Zone? Nothing but wretched creatures clinging to a miserable existence, pitiful and lamentable!" Ye Fan suddenly laughed aloud, his laughter full of mockery.

He was certain in his heart that Jiang Xuan could not possibly lie before the Ruthless Emperor; after all, deceiving him might be easy, but deceiving the Ruthless Emperor was absolutely impossible.

However, Ye Fan glanced at the Ruthless Emperor, then at Jiang Xuan, and a strange feeling rose in his heart. The Great Emperor has already experienced several lifetimes of years, while this old classmate is only in his first lifetime, yet he is so full of confidence…

Jiang Xuan didn't care what Ye Fan thought in his heart; he simply looked at the Ruthless Emperor.

In reality, were these two questions really asked because the Ruthless Emperor didn't know the answers and came to ask Jiang Xuan?

Of course not; the Ruthless Emperor, having lived to her fifth lifetime, certainly already had the answers in her heart.

A person who single-mindedly pins her hopes on the Xianlu, who expects to enter the Xian Yu to achieve immortality — how could she possibly defy heaven and survive for so many years in this rolling red dust?

These two questions were more like asking Jiang Xuan, probing the Dao that Jiang Xuan walks!

The Ruthless Emperor gazed straight at Jiang Xuan and said: "You don't need my Longevity Method; you have already stepped onto this road, and your strength is in no way inferior to mine."

"The Dao is vast and endless; gaining a like-minded companion makes the road ahead that much faster."

Jiang Xuan's words were full of confidence; after he entered the Ancient Forbidden Land, he had hoped to exchange insights on the Dao with the Ruthless Emperor, and from beginning to end he placed them on an equal footing. After all, how could one truly discuss the Dao with the weak?

Ye Fan was shocked once again; he felt that he, an existence capable of fighting a Great Emperor, today before these two seemed to possess nothing but a heart full of shock…

"Has Jiang Xuan also stepped onto the Xianlu?"

Ye Fan's heart was full of doubt; Jiang Xuan has clearly only experienced one lifetime, became an Emperor only a few hundred years ago — how could he be mentioned in the same breath as a Great Emperor who has experienced several lifetimes? Although he possesses such shocking combat power just a few hundred years after becoming Emperor, great combat power doesn't mean a long lifespan, does it?

Suddenly, Ye Fan seemed to think of something, and asked Jiang Xuan: "Jiang Xuan, are you going to transform into a War Immortal?"

It is heard that in the late Ancient Times the Dou Zhan Sheng Huang once attempted to become a War Immortal but failed at the last moment; could this era truly be about to give birth to a War Immortal?

Jiang Xuan shook his head, denying Ye Fan's guess. Just as he was about to explain, Jiang Xuan looked at the Ruthless Emperor and smiled: "Does the Great Emperor have any insights?"

The Ruthless Emperor, hearing Jiang Xuan's question, pondered briefly, and did not fall silent again.

"The laws and Dao that transcend this system!"

The Ruthless Emperor uttered a few short words. Regarding Jiang Xuan's transformation, though she could not fully glimpse the whole picture, she had discerned a few clues, and those few clues were already enough to shock.

Ye Fan didn't quite understand the deep meaning behind these few sparse words, but he knew clearly that even an incomplete War Immortal had already become a transcendent sage!

Jiang Xuan merely smiled faintly, not intending to elaborate too much on the profound mysteries of his own path.

"Does the Great Emperor have anything to teach me?" Jiang Xuan asked.

The Ruthless Emperor shook her head and said: "It cannot be called teaching; however, we can mutually exchange and discuss."

This was exactly the sentence Jiang Xuan had been waiting for; before him was a peerless powerhouse continuously transforming toward a Red Dust Immortal; her Dao and laws held inestimable value and benefit for Jiang Xuan.

Clear and tranquil, heaven and earth are inconstant; true constancy is profound and illusory, continuous without gap; the Dao follows nature, its merit partakes of creation…

The two immersed themselves in discussing the profound Dao; the topic extended from the Hongmeng beginning of the initial opening of chaos, the evolution and transformation of the Qian Kun universe, all the way to the secrets of longevity and the essentials of becoming a transcendent sage, and all manner of hidden mysteries.

The earth surged with golden spirit springs, Dao sounds lingered like celestial music, golden lotuses blazed like stars; all manner of marvelous Great Dao visions arrived in succession, dazzling the eyes and bewildering the senses.

At first Ye Fan could still barely listen to the two's Dao-discourse words; before long he felt as if fallen into a bewildering maze, his heart shocked beyond measure. He understood clearly that these two's Dao attainments had already become transcendent sages, surpassing ancient and modern; perhaps only those few powerhouses mentioned earlier could discuss the Dao shoulder to shoulder with them, contending on equal terms.

"This world actually has such shocking people, approaching the realm of immortality in the rolling red dust, and as many as six…"

Ye Fan's heart was full of bitterness.

He too was high-spirited and vigorous; speaking of current achievements, he admitted he only lost to Jiang Xuan.

Even the Golden Crow Great Emperor was not his opponent, yet now compared to these two he appeared tiny and dim, unworthy of the Dao.

"Only I alone am immortal!"

Jiang Xuan abruptly let out a thunderous shout containing supreme Dao rhyme; the sound waves surged, striking straight into the depths of Ye Fan's soul.

Ye Fan's body shook violently, divine light shot from his eyes; that former heroic and majestic aura once again filled his whole being.

Ye Fan rose, solemnly bowed to Jiang Xuan, grateful for Jiang Xuan's awakening blow that roused him from confusion and chaos.

Jiang Xuan waved his hand; in truth, anyone who heard these heaven-shaking secrets of the past ages and endured the impact of the Heavenly Pressure released by two near-immortal powerhouses would inevitably have inner turmoil and an unsteady Dao heart — a perfectly normal situation.

Ye Fan's potential is limitless; even without Jiang Xuan, he could self-regulate.

The spiritual sounds dissipated, the golden springs withdrew, the Dao lotuses turned to light and scattered; that divine scene of Dao discussion receded like a tide, and everything returned to silence.

Jiang Xuan lowered his eyelids, the corner of his mouth curved slightly, a smile brimming.

This Dao discussion was like a timely rain, letting him reap a full harvest. Regarding the orthodox Red Dust Immortal path, he now counts as having cleared the clouds to see the sun, gaining a few parts of clarity.

Having realization in his heart was like finding a thread of dawn in darkness, taking a solid great step toward the next breakthrough and transformation.

Jiang Xuan's heart also understood the Ruthless Emperor's true Dao meaning.

He himself relied on repeated tempering and sublimation of flesh, Primordial Spirit, essence, and Dao, forcibly carving out a road of soaring combat power, breaking shackles with a fierce and powerful posture.

That Undying Heavenly Emperor relied on her race's Transcendent Divine Ability to work out a Longevity Method; only this method requires continuously devouring the essence of one Supreme powerhouse after another to fill the energy needed for Nirvana.

And the Ruthless Emperor's Red Dust Immortal Dao — the most important part is that Divine Embryo; from a rotten, decayed old body she undergoes Shed Mortal Body Exchange Bones, endures countless hardships, achieves Jiu Shu Gui Yi, and finally treads a path to immortality in this rolling red dust; that obsession buried deep in her heart is the fundamental pillar of her journey, the essence of her Dao.

"Many thanks, Great Emperor!"

Jiang Xuan raised his eyes to the Ruthless Emperor, cupped his fists in salute, and sincerely expressed his gratitude.

The Ruthless Emperor shook her head slightly; this Dao discussion, she too reaped much. (Chapter End)