Follow the path of Dao from infancy Chapter 1878 Chapter 502: The Decline of the Eastern Domain (Part 3)
Previously on Follow the path of Dao from infancy...
...
Western Realm, Heavenly Battle Clan.
The Heavenly Battle Clan sits within the Battle Heaven domain of the Western Realm, where a hidden Cave Heaven Blessed Land exists.
"Has Wudao climbed to sixth place? Remarkable achievement. This young one has trained in secret to reach such heights."
Inside the clan, Zhan Qinghuang, clad in a red skirt, couldn't hide her delight after receiving the clan's latest reports.
Right now, the inheritor from the Heavenly Battle Clan is none other than Zhan Wudao, her own little brother.
Being a Quasi-Emperor herself, she had no chance to join the Abyss contest; instead, she faced off in duels against the Ancient Demon Clan's Quasi-Emperors. On top of that, the Heavenly Battle Clan held the tenth spot among the Ten Clans, scraping the bottom.
Still, her brother Zhan Wudao had surged ahead to sixth, meaning he'd outdone the inheritors from at least the four clans ahead of them.
"Wudao truly shows great potential."
A clan elder rubbed his beard with a grin.
"Qinghuang, has your master headed to the Eastern Domain to challenge them? Did his true body make the journey? That Ancient Demon Clan managed to tie down the Dao Origin Immortal Emperor for so long; they're no ordinary foes."
Another elder inquired with keen interest.
A flash of concern crossed Zhan Qinghuang's eyes, but she masked it swiftly and replied with some annoyance, "Stop prying into my master's affairs. Even though I hail from the Heavenly Battle Clan, I'm his disciple too. I won't share any details without his say-so, but he did mention going there in person. Do you really believe the master could battle three Ancient Demon Emperors using merely an avatar?"
"You're right about that."
The elder gave a small nod. While the Dao Origin Immortal Emperor was famous and a fearsome presence among Immortal Emperors, clashing with three Ancient Demon Emperors via an avatar for centuries would be far too much.
"I've heard the youngest direct disciple under your master carries the air of an Emperor. Is there truth to those tales?"
The earlier elder probed with curiosity.
Zhan Qinghuang paused briefly, then chuckled, affirming with a nod, "My junior brother exceeds even the whispers going around. If I hadn't witnessed it myself, I wouldn't have trusted it either."
"I understand he's also cultivating in the Abyss. For this True King selection, why not have Wudao pick him as his second-in-command? Could he handle the position?"
An elder's gaze sharpened as the idea formed in his mind.
Zhan Qinghuang caught on to the elder's plan right away, yet she held no grudge, knowing it served the clan's interests. Building ties with Li Hao now, and reaping benefits when he ascended to Emperor later, would prove valuable for everyone.
"If we've considered it, my second senior brother has likely done the same. I bet the Emperor Clan will extend an invitation too."
Zhan Qinghuang remarked.
"The Emperor Clan as well?"
The elder showed surprise, clearly unprepared for the young man to attract such widespread attention.
...
As all the clans in the True Realm watched closely, the Ancestor Dragon Court in the Eastern Domain finally fell under Ancient Demon control.
The famous Ancestor Dragon Emperor Array met its end in destruction, and the statues of numerous Ancestor Dragons—each holding the divine souls of past Ancestor Dragon Clan members—crumbled to dust once the array shattered, draping the Ancestor Dragon Court in grief and signaling the downfall of the Eastern Domain's ruler.
War's blaze engulfed the whole Eastern Domain.
In the emptiness beyond the Eastern Domain, seven or eight Quasi-Emperor forms darted through the sky at high speed.
"Hurry, you all go ahead; I'll cover the back."
Trailing them, over a dozen Ancient Demon Clan Quasi-Emperors chased without mercy.
A Quasi-Emperor from the Ancestor Dragon Clan bellowed, his form erupting in divine soul energy like a blazing golden sun. He parted his jaws to release the sealed Eastern Domain fire seeds from his realm, declaring, "Take these and leave!"
With those words, he readied himself to spin around and meet his end while guarding the retreat.
When the Eastern Domain crumbled, they had already set their backup strategy in motion; should they fail, the fire seeds of the Eastern Domain would be protected and carried to safety. With those fire seeds preserved, the Eastern Domain could one day revive and reclaim its past splendor.
The encased fire seeds resembled small orbs, wrapped in a fragile shield, their inner eyes brimming with tears.
"Old Geng..."
An aged Ancestor Dragon looked on with deep sadness, but he swiftly drew the sealed fire seeds into his own realm, stating gravely, "Wipe out every one of those fiends!"
"Don't worry; even in death, I'll pull at least one along!"
The Quasi-Emperor Ancestor Dragon thundered, pressing them, "Get moving now."
Despite their sorrow, the rest refrained from argument; without halting the followers, more would have to sacrifice themselves if the chase persisted.
Right as they prepared to escape deeper, a sudden twist in the void rippled, bearing immense Emperor pressure and a steady voice:
"The Eastern Domain has collapsed, calamity strikes—head to the Original for shelter."
Hearing that steady, commanding tone, the eight jolted in shock before joy surged through them.
"It's the Chaos Immortal Emperor!"
"Immortal Emperor, save our Eastern Domain, we beg you!"
Emotion overwhelmed them as they called out to the swirling vortex.
"This disaster runs deep, entangled beyond my power to end alone. Enter now."
The Chaos Immortal Emperor's words echoed forth.
The eight's expressions shifted to unease, a mix of feelings, yet they grasped the reality. This disaster marked just the beginning for the Eastern Domain; the True Realm's Ten Thousand Races were already dispatching endless aids. Expecting every Immortal Emperor to rush in was folly, and such an event would only pull in more Ancient Demon Clans.
Crucially, even with the Ten Thousand Clans and Great Emperors lending full support, the Eastern Domain would shatter under the strain, reduced to wreckage.
Thus, the Eastern Domain's fall was inevitable, something the Dragon Ancestor had long anticipated; but with the fire seeds secured, those carried from the Eastern Domain featured elite talents from diverse clans or vital bloodline heirs. In time, after crushing the Ancient Demons, rebuilding the Eastern Domain remained possible.
"You won't get away!"
From afar, more than ten Quasi-Emperor presences closed in rapidly.
The eight's faces paled instantly, and they dashed toward the vortex.
"Hmph!"
A disdainful huff rang out, sending waves through the void that swelled from tiny to massive, making the whole fabric of space-time quiver like surging tides, echoing far and wide.
The chasing dozen Quasi-Emperors halted in alarm, resisting fiercely yet getting repelled together.
While Quasi-Emperors could readily overpower Immortal Kings, they were still mere Quasi-Emperors, a world apart from true Emperors.