The Great Dao Imperial Authority was the Mandate of Heaven of the Desolate Ancient Era, and also the most noble and exalted Mandate of Heaven throughout the ages across the Myriad Heavens. It was said that once one ascended to the Imperial Mandate of Heaven, they could dominate the Great Dao, becoming its master, holding the power of life and death, and even bestowing Great Dao edicts.
Yaohuang was one of the few Immortal Emperors in the Nine Heavens, possessing immense prestige there. Many powerful figures, including some Great Emperors, Throne holders, and even major Desolate Era giants and blessed lands, followed his lead.
Although Changfeng Great Emperor resided in the Nine Heavens, he rarely participated in their factional disputes. In the current era, since Yaohuang awakened from his slumber, Changfeng had only seen him once.
To be precise, that was the only time he had ever seen him.
Throughout the entire ancient era, Yaohuang had been in deep slumber, occasionally appearing, and even then mostly through avatars.
Changfeng didn't know much about Yaohuang, only that he possessed a glorious past. It was said that during the great Immortal-Demon War, he transformed into a Tyrannical Sun, illuminating the Nine Abysses, and was exceptionally formidable. Rumor had it that the demonic path was forced to submit to the immortal path back then precisely because of Yaohuang's overwhelming power. Some said that the immortal path's dominance over heaven and earth in the current era owed a great deal to Yaohuang.
The only puzzling thing was that ever since the end of the Desolate Ancient Era, Yaohuang had fallen into slumber—a sleep that lasted an incredibly long time, from the Primordial Era, through the Ancient Era, until the current era when he finally awakened.
It was said that Yaohuang was injured during the Immortal-Demon War and had no choice but to enter slumber.
Whether that was true or not, no one knew for sure.
As for how powerful Yaohuang's cultivation and strength were, Changfeng Great Emperor truly didn't know. However, during that one meeting, his intuition told him that Yaohuang was a terrifying individual.
One must understand that Changfeng Great Emperor was a renowned figure across the Myriad Heavens. His emotional intelligence might not be high, but his courage was absolutely sufficient. For someone to make him feel fearful without even taking action, merely from a single meeting—such individuals were probably few and far between in all of heaven and earth.
One could imagine just how terrifying Yaohuang's existence was.
"So many experts have come from the Nine Heavens alone. Do you know how many have come from the Nine Abysses?
Weiyang Demon Emperor, Senluo Demon Emperor, Beiming Demon Emperor, Blood Wolf Demon Emperor, Black Fiend Ghost Emperor...
Three-Eyed Demon Lord..." Hearing the titles Qianye Immortal King listed, Changfeng Great Emperor felt a chill run down his spine and quickly interrupted, "Are you saying all these people have really come?"
"Do you doubt me?"
"I don't doubt you, I just..." Changfeng hadn't encountered any of the people Qianye mentioned within the Desolate Ancient ruins, but he knew that if Qianye Immortal King said they had come, then nine times out of ten, they really had.
Qianye Immortal King was a disciple of the Mysterious Profound Mountain, particularly skilled in the arts of divination and deduction. Without even leaving her abode, she could deduce major events under heaven.
Moreover, having been dao companions with Qianye Immortal King for so long, Changfeng Great Emperor had rarely seen her make mistakes. Whatever Qianye Immortal King deduced basically always came to pass.
"These are just the experts from the Nine Heavens and Nine Abysses. Those from the blessed lands, including sacred grounds and forbidden zones...
Many experts from the Guixu Desolation and other ruins have also come...
And..." Ever since learning that the Nether Emperor was also in the Desolate Ancient ruins, Qianye Immortal King's expression had remained extremely grave. She lifted her head, gazing at the massive vortex slowly rotating in the sky, and said, "There are also some existences within the Desolate Ancient Black Hole that we simply cannot imagine."
"Existences we cannot imagine?"
Changfeng Great Emperor asked in surprise and doubt, "What kind of existences are those?"
Qianye Immortal King shook her head slightly, not answering the question. Her expression only grew more solemn, as if she knew something terrible was about to happen.
"Ye'er!
Can you perform a divination for the Nether Emperor? See if he will live or die this time?"
Qianye Immortal King stared at him without speaking.
"I don't mean anything else, I just want you to perform a divination."
Qianye Immortal King shook her head. "I cannot do it."
"What do you mean you cannot do it? Ye'er, just help me out, what's the big deal? At most, I promise you I won't go see the Nether Emperor."
"It's not that I don't want to perform the divination, but...
I simply cannot divine anything related to the Nether Emperor. Have you forgotten that he is not only a Child of Original Sin, but also a variable, and possibly the greatest variable in all of heaven and earth!"
Qianye Immortal King said helplessly, "Even the Heavenly Secrets Matriarch cannot divine anything about the Nether Emperor. How could I possibly divine his affairs?"
"That's true."
Changfeng Great Emperor patted his head. "I was too anxious for a moment and actually forgot about that."
"However..." Qianye Immortal King seemed to remember something, opening her mouth but then hesitating.
Changfeng Great Emperor asked curiously, "What is it?"
"I..." Qianye Immortal King bit her lip slightly, appearing as if she was struggling with something.
"Just say it! What exactly is it?"
"Forget it, forget it. It's fine to tell you."
Qianye Immortal King said, "When my master came to visit me last time..."
"Wait, when did your master visit you?
How come I didn't know?"
"It was a long time ago, nearly a thousand years. You were in seclusion at the time, so you didn't know. Afterwards, I forgot to tell you."
"Alright!
Did your master say something to you?"
Qianye Immortal King's master was the Ancestor of the Mysterious Profound Mountain, an old woman who even made Changfeng Great Emperor somewhat apprehensive. It wasn't because the old woman was overwhelmingly powerful, but because her eyes seemed capable of seeing through all things. Every time Changfeng met Qianye's master, he felt his hair stand on end, always feeling as if he had no secrets before her gaze.
"My master said, 'If the Desolate Ancient appears, Original Sin is sure to change.'"
Changfeng Great Emperor repeated the phrase, pondering for a moment but unable to make sense of it. He asked, "What does that mean?"
"It means that if the Desolate Ancient Era appears, Original Sin is certain to undergo a change."
"Nonsense!"
Changfeng Great Emperor couldn't help but exclaim. "My brain might not be the sharpest, but I'm not an idiot. Of course I know the literal meaning of that sentence. I'm asking you what your master meant by saying that."
Qianye Immortal King rolled her eyes, her expression seeming to say, 'You're the stupid one, and you're blaming me?'
Changfeng Great Emperor urged, "Hurry up and tell me!"
"What are you yelling for!
Didn't I just tell you?"
"How is that telling me?
You didn't say anything."
"My master's meaning is that if the Desolate Ancient Era appears, Original Sin is sure to change."
"That's it?
Nothing else?"
"Nothing else."
"The problem is, if Original Sin changes, how exactly will it change? Didn't your master say?"
"No."
"This..." Changfeng Great Emperor and Qianye Immortal King had been dao companions for many years and knew each other intimately. He understood clearly that if there was no further information, Qianye Immortal King definitely wouldn't bring it up. In other words, even if her master really hadn't said how Original Sin would change back then, Qianye Immortal King had probably deduced the answer by now.