Darkness has always inspired fear.
Since time immemorial, it has been so.
For no one knows what mysteries, what unknowns, truly lie within the darkness.
At this very moment.
The void of the Kan Palace was shrouded in darkness.
And this darkness was boundless, endless, and seemed to flow ceaselessly. The Great Dao experts hidden within the ancient ruins all felt as if they were being devoured by this infinite darkness, as if life and death were now governed by it, causing their minds to tense, their spirits to grow anxious, not daring to relax in the slightest.
Demon Emperor Blood River stood tall in the void.
His upright figure was clad in black robes, the sleeves fluttering sharply in the darkness.
His stern face was expressionless, his eyes deep, cold, and still, his long hair flying wildly in the dark.
Cold and ruthless, resolute and awe-inspiring.
He was like the absolute overlord of this darkness, or as if he coexisted with the darkness, or even more so—he was the darkness, and the darkness was him, indistinguishable from one another.
Within the darkness.
It seemed there was also a flame burning.
Although this flame appeared incredibly weak against the boundless darkness, it was indeed burning, and burning more and more fiercely, spreading with lightning speed, as if igniting the darkness here, a single spark starting a prairie fire that burned wildly.
This flame was particularly sinister, and it emitted billowing black smoke.
It contained darkness, and it also contained Original Sin.
It looked rather familiar.
Wait!
Wasn't this the Dark Original Sin Flame belonging to the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor?
Both of the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor's External Incarnations had already been utterly annihilated by Demon Emperor Blood River, so why was his Dark Original Sin Flame still burning, and burning even more fiercely?
What was going on?
Could it be that the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor was not completely dead?
Just as everyone was shocked and suspicious, a sinister voice suddenly echoed through the void.
"Hehehe!
Blood River!
Do you truly believe you can erase this Emperor?
How presumptuous, hehehe!
This Emperor possesses the Dark Bloodline, has cultivated the Original Sin Dharma Body, and is the Earth Phoenix Absolute Body that is indestructible and reborn from the flames! How dare you dream of erasing this Emperor?
Hehehe!
Wishful thinking!
Let me tell you!
This Emperor is the indestructible Lord of Darkness!"
As the words fell.
The wildly burning dark flame suddenly transformed into a dark, evil phoenix that shot straight into the sky, emitting sharp, piercing phoenix cries.
This scene left the Great Dao experts hidden in the ancient ruins utterly astonished.
No one had expected the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor to possess such great ability, to be reborn from the flames even after being utterly annihilated?
And to speak of being indestructible?
Was the so-called Earth Phoenix Absolute Body truly that bizarre?
Unknown.
Since ancient times, while various precious physiques have been countless, as for legendary physiques like the Earth Phoenix Absolute Body, to this day, only the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor possessed it.
Everyone had also heard the legend of the phoenix rising from its ashes, reborn from the flames.
The Earth Phoenix Absolute Body could be reborn from desire-fire. Although somewhat hard to believe, it wasn't entirely impossible.
But this was merely one of the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor's External Incarnations.
Even if his true body was the Earth Phoenix Absolute Body, could it be that this External Incarnation of his was also the Earth Phoenix Absolute Body?
What mystery lay within this?
No one understood.
In the distant void.
Miao Rulai sat cross-legged on the palm of the Sacred Great Buddha, one hand held vertically before him, the other turning prayer beads. His eyes, which seemed to hold both Buddha and Demon, yin and yang, watched the scene within. A faint smile played on his features, as if he was not at all surprised by the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor's rebirth from desire-fire.
Miao Rulai was like this, and Warrior Emperor Wuzang was even less likely to be surprised.
He and the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor were the Dual Polarity Yin-Yang Taiji Boundless. Not only did they share life and death, their hearts and minds were connected, and their souls and consciousness were intimately linked. Naturally, he knew the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor would not die so easily, not even an External Incarnation. Otherwise, he wouldn't be here quietly observing, waiting for an opportunity.
However.
He could also sense that the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor, after being reborn from desire-fire, was particularly weak and no longer as fearless and unflinching as before.
He glanced at Demon Emperor Blood River, deeply aware that if Demon Emperor Blood River was determined to erase the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor today, the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor would certainly not survive.
What worried him most now was not this, but the concern that Demon Emperor Blood River's true goal was not merely to erase this incarnation of the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor.
"Heh!"
A laugh came.
It was Miao Rulai laughing. Immediately after, his ethereal voice, seeming to come from heaven and earth, all directions, echoed forth.
"What an ignorant fool who doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth. You underestimate Blood River too much. If he truly wished to erase this incarnation of yours, a single move would suffice. No matter how many times this incarnation is reborn from desire-fire, it would be useless. Yet he deliberately hasn't done so. Why do you think that is?
Hehehe..." Miao Rulai's voice came, causing everyone's hearts to tremble.
Bei Changqing asked, "Can Demon Emperor Blood River truly erase this incarnation of the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor with a single move?"
Elder Lin beside him responded gravely, "Since these words come from Miao Rulai, it is most likely true."
"But why hasn't Demon Emperor Blood River done so?"
"In this old woman's opinion, if it were merely to erase this incarnation of the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor, it would probably hold no meaning whatsoever for Demon Emperor Blood River. He likely wishes to draw out the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor's true body. Even if he cannot draw out the true body, with Demon Emperor Blood River's methods, he should be able to detect the location of the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor's true body. Once Demon Emperor Blood River finds it, then..." Elder Lin sighed with emotion. "Miao Rulai was like this before, and now Demon Emperor Blood River is the same. The External Incarnations of others are like ants to them. They can't even be bothered to lift a hand."
"No!"
Elder Qi suddenly spoke up again. "It's absolutely not just that!"
"What else could it be?"
"Demon Emperor Blood River holds a deep-seated grudge against Profound Mystery Grotto. In the Primordial Era, it was Profound Mystery Grotto that led the charge in forcing the death of Langya's master, Cang Yan. Later, it was also Profound Mystery Grotto that led the joint effort to seal off Taixu Grotto."
Elder Qi said, "Although rumors say the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor left Profound Mystery Grotto long ago, what the truth is, no one knows. It's possible that the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor is a puppet of those old seniors from Profound Mystery Grotto. It might even be that this attempt by the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor to erase Elder Tongbei of Taixu Grotto was also instigated by those elders from Profound Mystery Grotto."
"This...
That's not very likely, is it?"
"Nothing is impossible. When you get down to it, the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor and Warrior Emperor Wuzang are the Dual Polarity Yin-Yang Taiji Boundless, sharing life and death, where injury to one harms the other. If Warrior Emperor Wuzang is a chess piece of Profound Mystery Grotto guarding the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, then the Heavenly Dragon True Emperor must be a chess piece of Profound Mystery Grotto scheming for the Original Sin True Lord!"
"This old man can think of this, and Demon Emperor Blood River must know it perfectly clearly."
Elder Qi drew a deep breath and continued, "Whether Demon Emperor Blood River entered the Primordial Nine Palaces to guard the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth or to scheme for the Original Sin True Lord, this old man may not know. But there is one thing this old man is very clear about."
"When Demon Emperor Blood River does not act, all is well. But once he acts, rivers of blood will surely flow. If it were not so, he would not be called Demon Emperor Blood River!"