Evil Venerable of the Sword Dao Chapter 1533 - 57: The Collapse of Sumeru Mountain

With the foundational rules of the Cold Ice Power cultivation established, Zhou Yan’s progression shifted from instability to a steady, gradual improvement.

His foundation, a reflection of the King’s Mark, experienced increasingly potent transformation effects.

Harnessing the power of this Heaven and Earth, Zhou Yan began the intricate process of condensing the Cold Ice Origin Element into the King’s Mark, working to integrate it with the Thunder Flame Seal.

This endeavor proved exceptionally challenging; despite subtle transformations occurring within each billionth of a breath, the speed at which the Cold Ice Imprint condensed slowed considerably. The initial phase of rapid change gave way to a more arduous condensation, a significant shift in the process.

Zhou Yan keenly felt this transformation.

The path of cultivation is rarely a smooth one. Furthermore, operating under the guise of a Fake Saint Spirit, the goal of transforming and enhancing the King’s Mark is a pursuit typically undertaken only by true Saint Spirits.

Gazing into the distance, Zhou Yan observed Mu Qingyan diligently cultivating, focusing on condensing the rules of Cold Ice Origin. He pondered, isn't this process essentially the condensation of the King’s Mark?

"Is Mu Qingyan condensing her King’s Mark, evolving it into a more powerful state? Do more condensed King Marks lead to greater difficulty in innovation for their attributes in later stages?"

"If that’s the case, when I first condensed the rules of the Thunder Flame Seal in the Holy Spirit Heavenly Fire Land, and didn’t encounter much difficulty, was it because my Original Mark is the Thunder Flame Seal—or perhaps because the seal was already condensed by the Thunder Flame Monarch to over ninety percent completion? Therefore, on that level, I felt no difficulty?"

"And Yanyan, was she also condensing the King’s Mark within a world like this?"

"During the process of condensation, would my own state be projected into the Void of other Saint Spirits, just as Mu Qingyan’s state appears before my eyes now? And would my state become a mere panorama in the view of other Saint Spirits? Was I then devoid of emotion, or did I feel deeply? Was I as ferocious and terrifying as Mu Qingyan appears at this moment?"

"The Holy Spirit Land is truly an extraordinary place!"

After much contemplation and deduction, Zhou Yan whispered to himself, profoundly moved.

While condensing the Cold Ice Rules themselves was not exceptionally difficult, the true challenge lay in deriving the Cold Ice Origin Rules to further transform and imprint them onto the King’s Mark.

Only through this arduous process, within this particular Heaven and Earth, could Zhou Yan truly perceive the potent effects of transformation.

Zhou Yan recognized this as a fleeting, opportunistic moment; such chances were exceedingly rare. The Holy Spirit Land presented an opportunity, possibly the final one. If he didn't seize it now, there might never be another chance to grasp it.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, Zhou Yan silently calmed his mind before diving back into rigorous cultivation.

...

Sumeru Immortal Mountain.

Sumeru Immortal Mountain teetered on the brink of annihilation, its existence threatened by the turbulent Void, making independent survival a near impossibility.

Yet, certain humble cottages perched on the mountain peaks, along with the thousands of surrounding peaks, stood defiant, resisting the relentless onslaught of the unknown Power of Destruction.

The Emperor stood before an ancient wooden hut, his eyes clouded with an unidentifiable worry.

Beside him, Bai Ying's countenance mirrored his anxiety.

"Emperor Fu Xi, Zhou Yan has been within the Holy Spirit Land for ten days now. Ten days is not an extended period, but isn't it said that a Fake Saint Spirit is only permitted a maximum stay of nine days in the Holy Spirit Land? Why... has Zhou Yan not yet emerged?"

Bai Ying’s question prompted a thoughtful expression from the Emperor.

"That is generally understood to be the case. However, even Pangu might not possess a complete understanding of the Holy Spirit Land. Therefore, in this matter, we can only await the outcome. Before that, join me at the periphery of the Holy Spirit Land, where Pangu and the others are waiting."

"Why must I go?"

"Various combinations of Tao origins are required here, and within this, more intricate issues are involved, guiding our development towards the formation of an entirely new structure. Our respective Tao act as the sediment, the very foundation of this nascent structure."

"Within this framework, the innate charming abilities of the Jade Fox Clan indeed hold significant importance."

The Emperor remarked.

"Research? Is Lee Ran overseeing it? What exactly does he intend to accomplish?"

Bai Ying’s brow furrowed slightly, voicing his discontent.

"If we knew his intentions, he wouldn't truly be Lee Ran. Here, he maintains a composure that surpasses even Zhou Yan's, yet I find myself preferring to engage with Zhou Yan."

The Emperor offered a faint smile.

"Zhou Yan is driven by emotion and sincerity, whereas Lee Ran remains an enigma."

Bai Ying nodded in agreement.

"Very well. With Zhou Yan absent, I shall accompany you to the Sacred Spirit Border. It will be beneficial to meet Pan Emperor and the others. After all these years, certain matters must inevitably be addressed, and ultimately, there is no escaping them."

Bai Ying sighed, concluding his statement.

"What happened in the past is the past; the chaos caused by the Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox is not your fault."

The Emperor uttered this with a soft sigh.

Bai Ying gave a sneer, but she offered no rebuttal.

After a moment of silence, Bai Ying turned her gaze back to the Emperor, her eyes holding a flicker of hope.

The Emperor sighed once more. "I shall examine it for you. While my Gua Image divination is quite potent, confronting the Holy Spirit Land often results in a significant backlash."

As he spoke, the Emperor unfurled the King's Eight Trigram symbol. He channeled a unique strength to commune with the heavens and earth, conjuring a mystical Void.

Within this Void, a manifestation of Cold Ice Power took shape, transforming into innumerable Cold Ice King's Marks that then merged into an indistinct, dark vortex.

The dark vortex lacked a defined form, yet it bore a resemblance to Zhou Yan's Thunder Flame Seal.

"Is this... the condensation of a King's Mark? The Cold Ice Mark? Has Zhou Yan unlocked the attributes of a King's Mark? Is he already capable of condensing a King's Mark?"

The Emperor was taken aback, a sense of bewilderment washing over him.

However, just as this spectacle unfolded, an intensely powerful Cold Ice Space materialized in the distance. Within it, Zhou Yan was deeply engrossed in meditation, as if he were comprehending an ancient, supreme Dao.

The aura and power emanating from Zhou Yan's being far surpassed that of a mere king. Even a sliver of his presence was enough to startle the Emperor, who held kingly status himself.

"This is..."

The Emperor narrowed his eyes. At that precise moment, Zhou Yan, seated cross-legged in the frigid Void, suddenly opened his eyes, his icy gaze sweeping over the Emperor!

A single glance sent a jolt through the Emperor, making him feel as though he were being scrutinized by a peerless, ferocious beast. His body shook uncontrollably, the visual manifestation he had conjured shattered completely, and the King's Holy Spirit was shockingly expelled from his being.

After the Emperor retreated, he abruptly regained his footing. Blood trickled from his seven facial orifices, while the expelled King's Holy Spirit naturally reintegrated with his soul body.

Subsequently, the Emperor's expression turned exceptionally grave as he steadied his somewhat trembling soul body.

"This situation is highly unusual. What kind of power is this? It indeed feels like Evil Spirit Power, yet it is far more terrifying than any we have previously encountered!"

The Emperor declared with solemnity.

Bai Ying, on the other hand, gazed at the now-vanished scene, lost in a reverie, as if a realization had dawned upon her.

"True Void."

"That is the power of the True Void."

"It is comparable to the True Void power wielded by the Lord of Sin. However, it is unclear who unleashed it, or whether it is genuine. If Zhou Yan were to fall into it, it would indeed spell grave trouble."

Bai Ying stated abruptly.

Her words were imbued with profound concern.

This was not a reflection of doubt in Zhou Yan's capabilities; rather, it stemmed from the realization that even entering the Holy Spirit Land offered no recourse or confidence in their ability to influence events.

Such a place was intrinsically fraught with unknown variables.

"Let us depart. Even with this knowledge, we lack the power to alter the outcome. Everything within our capacity has already been done to the utmost. Furthermore, you have already sacrificed your ultimate Charming Power and your emotions for this endeavor; that is sufficient."

"Should this ultimately end in failure, we can take solace in the fact that we tried, and regret will not be a burden."

"Having made our attempt, if annihilation and destruction are our fate, we can meet it with peace."

The Emperor sighed, his voice heavy with a sense of weariness.

Bai Ying also let out a light sigh. "I understand. It is just that if this is truly the outcome, perhaps it would have been better not to have experienced that dreamlike encounter... Perhaps, I am indeed slightly discontented."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor merely shook his head, remaining silent.

Bai Ying had genuinely severed some emotional attachments, her connection with Zhou Yan having deepened to a profound level. A sudden separation at this juncture naturally left her heart heavy with unease.

This anxiety was something that even a king could not entirely evade, for the Seven Emotions and Six Desires are inherently the innate characteristics of a supreme ruler.

A king devoid of these traits would be akin to an evil spirit, an incomplete and obsessive entity.

Therefore, Bai Ying's reaction was quite understandable.

...

After concluding her conversation with the Emperor, Bai Ying stepped out of the Sumeru Immortal Mountain.

Shortly after the Emperor and Bai Ying departed from the Sumeru Immortal Mountain, the mountain itself began to disintegrate, succumbing to a encroaching, dark brown energy of destruction and corrosion.

Like a shoreline battered by colossal waves, the Sumeru Immortal Mountain vanished once the relentless corrosive energy swept over it.

The very space where it once stood became barren, as if immaculately cleansed.

Bai Ying and the Emperor stood in the depths of the Singularity, observing the obliterated Sumeru Immortal Mountain, their gazes filled with sorrowful sighs and a sense of poignant loss.

"Sumeru Immortal Mountain, the former Sumeru Mountain, gone just like that. Places of Eternal Life and Immortality are arenas of calamity, not bastions of indestructibility."