Evil Venerable of the Sword Dao Chapter 1534 - 58: Emperor and Pan Emperor

The silhouette of Xumi Immortal Mountain soon completely faded away, leaving behind only a void of shattered walls and desolate ruins, an atmosphere thick with loneliness and bleakness.

The Human Emperor and Bai Ying did not tarry any longer. They commenced their journey through the boundless singularity, directing their path towards a different facet of the Heavenly Road Land within the Holy Spirit Land, proceeding towards the Borderland of the Holy Spirit.

The Borderland of the Holy Spirit stands as an area of exceptional stability, safeguarded by the Holy Spirit Land, and is regarded as the sole remaining sanctuary of peace and beauty.

Regardless of the world's decay, this place possesses an inherent capacity for independent existence.

As long as the Holy Spirit Land endures, the Borderland of the Holy Spirit will never vanish, succumb to collapse, or face destruction.

Bai Ying had visited this place before, yet each return brought her a profound sense of solace and tranquility.

Within the embrace of this environment's beauty, the anxieties in her heart gradually dissipated, and Bai Ying's mind became as serene as still water.

Beside Bai Ying, the Human Emperor had already taken flight. With a slight bow towards an unseen point in the void, he spoke, "Pan Emperor."

"No need for such formalities, Human Emperor. It is indeed a rare sight to see you willing to journey here; a task that is quite difficult."

A man, his upper body bare, exuding an aura of muscular power and bearing an immense axe as tall as himself, descended serenely from the void.

This individual was Pangu.

He is recognized as one of the progenitor figures from innumerable mythological accounts.

However, in this context, he appeared merely as a potent Holy Spirit, without projecting any extraordinary distinctiveness.

"Pan Emperor, this time, I had no alternative but to come. You must surely be aware that Sumeru Mountain has met its collapse."

The Human Emperor responded with a faint, bitter smile.

With an indifferent chuckle, the Pan Emperor declared, "If Sumeru Mountain were not to collapse now, it would have eventually. Following the Extinction of the Ten Thousand Immortals and Buddhas, all Ancestor Lands are in a state of collapse. Be it Heavenly Pool Thunder Marsh, the Thirty-Three Heavens, or Yuanjue Cave – which of these is not a singular ancient land upon the Heavenly Road? Yet, all have disintegrated, leaving naught but ruins."

"Therefore, let it collapse. Had it not, you would still have been unwilling to come here and participate in this collaborative endeavor."

The Pan Emperor’s words were delivered with remarkable boldness.

His speech carried an air of unrestrained magnanimity.

Upon hearing this, the Human Emperor offered another bitter smile and nodded, offering no further objection.

Pangu’s gaze first swept over the Human Emperor, then shifted to Bai Ying. He remarked, "So, this is the Jade Fox Heavenly Girl, Bai Ying. Indeed, captivating enough to enthrall all beings. Although Nuwa is already aware of your arrival, despite past grievances, in the current circumstances, you may set them aside. Proceed to meet her. After all, you share a certain closeness in origin."

Pangu uttered these words.

His statement carried a significant tone of reassurance.

"Since I am already here, naturally, I will act accordingly, so have no concerns, Pan Emperor,"

Bai Ying stated, inclining her head slightly, her voice even and calm.

Pangu’s expression brightened slightly upon hearing this. "That is good."

The Pan Emperor voiced this, observing the somewhat wry smile on the Human Emperor Fuxi’s countenance. He furrowed his brow and inquired, "Why, are you still lacking confidence? Keep in mind, this plan was conceived through the divination using the shell of the Xuanwu Dragon Turtle."

"Having come this far, my decision is made. However, as the originator of the Eight Diagrams Monarch Seal, in terms of derivation, I possess an acuity superior to that of the Xuanwu Dragon Turtle. Thus... do you believe my apprehensions are without basis?"

"What reason is there for doubt? Action is invariably preferable to inaction. Furthermore, with Lee Ran’s involvement, my assurance is significantly bolstered,"

Pangu stated with gravity.

The Human Emperor shook his head. "I shall not elaborate further, but I will cooperate with you. There is one condition: you must secure Lee Ran's agreement with me."

"I have not encountered Lee Ran; he has been absent for quite some time."

"He has always favored such reclusiveness. My apprehension precisely stems from the possibility of him being suppressed or transforming into the Evil Spirit Master. If such a scenario were to occur... it would represent the most dire outcome."

The Human Emperor voiced his disquiet.

"No, he will not!"

Pangu retorted with unshakeable certainty.

"On what grounds can you be so assured?"

"He will not, simply because he is incapable of doing so! For he perpetually carries a scarlet coffin upon his back, and its origin, you ought to be aware!"

"Moreover, the twelve forms derived from his Monarch Seal, when combined with his true essence, are equivalent to thirteen Monarch Seals and Eternal Holy Spirits. Any form that falls under the influence of malevolent spirits can be immediately discarded, rendering it exceedingly difficult to subjugate him with the Soul-Slaying King Seal."

"Has he truly attained such formidable power now?"

"None of his hidden strategies have ever been seen through by any Holy Spirit. Every time a Holy Spirit thinks they have grasped his methods, things change immediately thereafter."

Pangu said with great seriousness.

"But in this vast world, there must be two Holy Spirits capable of seeing through him."

The Human Emperor stated firmly.

"You are referring to..."

"Indeed, those two. They are truly extraordinary individuals."

"For those two, we will depend on Zhou Yan. Perhaps Hou Chen and Fairy Bi Shui also stand a chance."

"It's uncertain."

"Let it rest. We should proceed with our existing plan."

"That is acceptable."

...

After concluding their discussion on various critical matters, the Human Emperor and Pangu fell into a profound silence.

A considerable amount of time passed, yet neither uttered another word.

Observing their state, Bai Ying's countenance displayed a growing measure of concern.

Meanwhile, in a different location, Zhou Yan was confronting unprecedented challenges.

While engaged in the process of refining the King's Imprint, Zhou Yan detected an unusual sensation of being observed. It felt as though the unknown Void Land was suddenly exerting control over his entire being through a specific point.

This sensation was deeply unsettling, particularly during the refinement of the King's Imprint, creating a disturbance that agitated Zhou Yan's heart.

At that critical juncture, Zhou Yan nearly lost control as an intense, destructive killing intent surged forth.

However, the moment the killing intent manifested, Zhou Yan swiftly regained his composure.

That feeling of being watched vanished the instant the killing intent erupted, yet Zhou Yan contemplated whether his own observations of Mu Qingyan had elicited comparable reactions.

Could it be that certain powerful beings or saints were secretly watching Zhou Yan's struggles, thereby causing effects mirroring those experienced by Mu Qingyan?

Zhou Yan considered this a highly probable outcome.

He desired to project an image of amity, but the source of this surveillance remained elusive and beyond reach.

Zhou Yan was absolutely certain that during the refinement of the King's Imprint, he had not initiated any interference.

If Mu Qingyan had also refrained from interfering, then the shift within the void must be a natural spatial anomaly?

This developing situation was rather convoluted.

Zhou Yan held a strong conviction that if he could unravel the core mystery involved, it might significantly enhance the refinement of the King's Imprint.

Regrettably, Zhou Yan did not encounter any further instances of surveillance, making it impossible for him to focus more intently or make a definitive judgment.

With a sense of deep regret, Zhou Yan noted that the current refinement of the King's Imprint was proceeding at an exceedingly slow and ineffective pace. Furthermore, the refinement of the Cold Ice Origin Rules had not yet reached its zenith.

Concurrently, Zhou Yan's King Immortal Principle, which was aligning with the Second Layer of True Void Rules, had not achieved Great Perfection; it was not even close to Great Success.

This overall endeavor had transformed the King's Frost Seal into the Thunder Flame Sword Shape Seal, bolstering the seal's dominant will. However, its effectiveness was demonstrably inferior compared to its performance in the Land of Heavenly Fire.

Zhou Yan felt a deep sense of helplessness, yet no viable alternative presented itself, as he had already expended all his potential and capabilities in seeking enlightenment, ultimately falling short of his objectives.

If further progress could have been achieved here, mirroring the initial breakthrough, Zhou Yan could have attained another significant leap by breaking through the second layer of the Eternal Nine Rules Realm.

Experiencing a pang of considerable regret, Zhou Yan withdrew from his current location. He then proceeded to refine the King's Will Rule once more, employing his soul body and the Eternal Pseudo Saint Spirit to enter the depths of the Cold Ice Land. He aimed to emulate the experiences and insights gained from the Land of Heavenly Fire to reattempt his refinement.

However, this particular attempt seemed to yield virtually no tangible results.

"Where did things go wrong? The Cold Ice Land must surely hold a method for breaking through the second realm of the Eternal Nine Rules. Even if reaching that specific breakthrough is not attainable, I must at least refine the Cold Ice King Seal to its absolute peak; otherwise, this invaluable opportunity presented here would be utterly squandered!"

Furrowing his brow deeply, Zhou Yan meticulously analyzed and contemplated the situation, yet no clear answers emerged from his efforts.

"Perhaps I am becoming too fixated?"

Zhou Yan mulled over this possibility for an extended period, spending precisely two full days in this isolated location, making absolutely no discernible progress.

Finally relinquishing his intense mental exertion, Zhou Yan abandoned his direct pursuit of Enlightenment. Instead, he adopted a heart seeking the fundamental Tao, sensing the very essence of the Cold Ice Land.

"If I were the Creator, how would I conceptualize and wield the immense power of cold ice?"

"My current comprehension and subsequent transformation within this place mimicked the prior experiences and profound insights gained from the Land of Heavenly Fire. However, the fundamental essence of the Cold Ice Land and the Heavenly Fire Land are distinctly different."

Engaging in deep analysis, Zhou Yan perceived a faint glimmer of the answers he sought, alongside an understanding of the inherent difficulties. He then proceeded to adjust his mental state and overall perspective accordingly.