Chapter 1137: Opening of the Ancestral Court
The Ancestral Court.
Vast and boundless, ancient sacred mountains stood everywhere, treasures scattered across the land—any single one of them would be enough to make the outside world fight tooth and nail. Yet this place was incomparably desolate, with only colossal void beasts lurking within this ancient, primitive world, dwelling, breeding, slaughtering, and devouring everything they laid eyes upon.
On this very day, all the void beasts suddenly felt a stirring in their hearts. They raised their heads to look at the sky, where a crack had suddenly appeared.
At the same time, the Void Mother Beast dwelling in the Nineteenth Void opened its eyes, gazing at that crack in the sky.
Beside it lay countless void beast eggs, densely packed, numbering in the millions, tens of millions, covering the entire Nineteenth Void of the Ancestral Court.
"Rustle, rustle, rustle—"
The Void Mother Beast's membrane vibrated, and countless void beasts grew agitated, leaping into the air one after another, charging toward the crack in the sky.
The crack grew larger and larger, but after splitting to a certain extent, it stopped expanding. From the Ancestral Court's side, one could see the brilliant starry sky and the bustling world outside.
Dense swarms of void giants flew toward the crack like locusts, letting out soul-shaking roars. The first void beast to reach the crack charged into it, trying to fly out of the Ancestral Court—but the moment it entered the fissure, its physical body exploded, flesh and blood dissolving.
More and more void giants madly threw themselves into the crack, turning into blooming blossoms of blood within that enormous fissure, extraordinarily dazzling.
In just a short moment, tens of thousands of void beasts died within the crack, their blood staining it a vivid crimson.
From the outside looking into the Ancestral Court, it seemed like a bloody, gaping wound in the universe.
Suddenly, from the depths of the void, the Void Mother Beast let out a muffled, shocking roar. The other void giants did not continue charging into the crack. Instead, they clung to its edges like bats, straining with their sinews, claws, and fangs, trying to tear the crack even wider!
However, this was a seal imposed during the ancient era, when all the ancient gods gathered every ounce of their power and forcibly applied it using the reverse sides of various worlds. It was absolutely not something they could break through!
In the Heavenly Court, Heavenly Venerable Xiao's face was as heavy as water.
The Heavenly Court was a crucial seal upon the Ancestral Court. Alone, he could not repair this seal. Now that many ancient gods had died, Heaven Duke and Earth Count could not possibly work in unison with him either.
Once the seal of the Ancestral Court loosened, there was no possibility of repairing it.
All he could do now was prevent the seal from expanding further.
But with the Ancestral Court's seal cracked, the world would inevitably discover the Ancestral Court's location, allowing this buried history to gradually surface before the eyes of the world.
"Apart from that history, there is also immense terror, power capable of destroying the world—all of it will likely leak out from the Ancestral Court..." he murmured to himself.
At almost the same moment, the Heavenly Court's divine demon army in the Great Void also sensed that peculiar tremor. The divine demon soldiers who were marching, preparing to attack the Great Void, turned their heads one after another to look in the direction of the Heavenly Court.
From within the Great Void, they could not see the Heavenly Court, but they could sense it.
Heavenly Venerable Hong's heart stirred slightly, a smile spreading across his face. He said in a deep voice: "The Heavenly Court is in turmoil. Gentlemen, this must be the traitor Kai Huang launching a sneak attack on the Heavenly Court—we cannot afford to be careless! I shall return to take a look!"
Lang Xuan Divine Emperor, Ancestral God King, and the others could not help but be surprised. Among the Heavenly Venerables, the most enthusiastic about attacking the Great Void, besides Heavenly Venerable Huo, was Heavenly Venerable Hong. Yet now that they had already reached the Great Void, why was Hong in such a hurry to go back?
Heavenly Venerable Gong said calmly: "I shall return as well. Fellow Daoist Hong, let us go together."
Heavenly Venerable Hong's expression shifted slightly. He was somewhat unwilling to travel with her, forcing a dry laugh before suddenly transforming into a streak of light and vanishing into the distance.
Heavenly Venerable Gong's form turned into a long rainbow, following closely behind.
Lang Xuan Divine Emperor, Ancestral God King, Heavenly Venerable Xu, and Heavenly Venerable Huo exchanged glances. Lang Xuan Divine Emperor coughed lightly and chuckled: "Fellow Daoist Hong and Fellow Daoist Gong have never gotten along. When I first met them, it was Fellow Daoist Gong beating Fellow Daoist Hong—beating him quite badly. With them traveling together, trouble is bound to arise on the road. I'll follow along to mediate." With that, he too leaped away.
Ancestral God King hastily followed, shouting: "When they fight, they don't recognize friend or family! Lang Xuan can't hold them off alone—I'm going to help!"
Heavenly Venerable Xu frowned, looking at Heavenly Venerable Huo, and said: "Heavenly Venerable Hong and Heavenly Venerable Gong have mysterious origins, while Lang Xuan and Ancestral God King have ancient lineages, having existed since the primordial era. The reason these four left is because they know many secrets. On the Heavenly Court's side, it must be more than just Heavenly Venerable Qin attacking the Heavenly Court. Heavenly Venerable Huo, why aren't you going back?"
Heavenly Venerable Huo said softly: "If you don't leave, how could I bear to go?"
Heavenly Venerable Xu said coldly: "I have no interest in you whatsoever."
Heavenly Venerable Huo walked alongside her, smiling: "Among the Ten Heavenly Venerables of the Heavenly Court, the only truly pure ones are you and me. The Great Emperor and the Heavenly Emperor are hidden among them, ancient creatures stir restlessly, and it's hard to tell who is loyal and who is treacherous. If you and I were to unite, we could advance and retreat together, gaining a greater chance of victory."
Heavenly Venerable Xu stopped in her tracks, smiling enigmatically: "Heavenly Venerable Huo, aren't you always a member of Heavenly Venerable Hao's faction? Saying these things to me—aren't you afraid Heavenly Venerable Hao will find out?"
Heavenly Venerable Huo said solemnly: "My heart yearns for you. If we could be together, Heavenly Venerable Hao would only value me more. You are a half-god, but also half-human."
Heavenly Venerable Xu let out a scornful laugh and continued walking, saying: "I am a half-god. What I find hard to understand is that you are clearly a human Heavenly Venerable, yet when it comes to exterminating human forces, no one is more zealous than you. When we surrounded Heavenly Venerable Yun back then, you were there. When Ming Huang was destroyed, you sent your armies. When killing Heavenly Venerable Yue and Heavenly Venerable Ling, and suppressing the Shang Huang, you were also at the forefront. You are far too harsh on your own race."
Heavenly Venerable Huo's expression turned grave, and he said in a deep voice: "For the sake of humanity's future and lives, I had no choice but to act. They simply cannot contend against the Heavenly Court, against the gods, against the great Dao of heaven and earth. They stubbornly fight for humanity's survival, yet they fail to recognize one reality—that humanity cannot possibly win, and must rely on powerful authority to survive."
His gaze grew deep, looking into the distance: "For their own selfish desires, they would gamble away the lives of all my people. I have asked the people in my domain—everyone lives well, and no one wants to rebel! Those with different paths cannot walk together. Even if they were once my closest friends, I will never show mercy and allow them to trample my people!"
Heavenly Venerable Xu glanced at him and said: "So that's why you were also the most enthusiastic about this journey to the Great Void, the first to come here to kill Heavenly Venerable Qin and destroy the Land of No Worries."
Flames blazed behind Heavenly Venerable Huo's head, forming a rotating halo: "He seeks fame and reputation. I cannot allow him to drag my people into an abyss of utter ruin! His alliance with the ancient gods is destined to be a road of no return—he will only become a dog raised by the ancient gods! If he succeeds, humanity will become dogs to the ancient gods just like him, and would never have the life we have now! I have advised him, but he insists on going his own way. Since that is the case, let me end his sinful life, lest he commit even more mistakes!"
Heavenly Venerable Xu could not help but ask: "Then what about Heavenly Venerable Mu?"
Heavenly Venerable Huo was puzzled.
"Back when Heavenly Venerable Mu ascended to the Heavenly Court, at the Jade Pool, three Heavenly Venerables secretly protected him. Were you among them?"
Heavenly Venerable Xu sneered: "You are nothing but two-faced—saying one thing to someone's face and another behind their back."
Heavenly Venerable Huo shook his head: "Then you are mistaken. Among the Ten Heavenly Venerables, the one I could tolerate the least was him. My eyes cannot abide even a speck of sand!"
He clasped his hands behind his back: "Heavenly Venerable Mu is a greater scourge than Qin Ye. His words and deeds are far more seductive. If he rises to power, my people would suffer more than utter ruin! For the future of humanity, I would naturally be the first to kill him. Furthermore, Hao and I are sworn friends—how could I betray Hao to save him? Among the three Heavenly Venerables who saved him that day, I was not one of them."
He shook his head: "If humanity wishes to survive, we must eradicate these traitors, leaving not a single one! Whenever I see those people of Yan Kang being seduced by these traitors, rebelling alongside them, my heart aches as if twisted. Isn't it good to simply live? Unfortunately, back in the Great Void I once had a chance to kill him, but I lost my senses for a moment because he had saved me—he helped me escape from the Supreme Divine Sense Domain two hundred years earlier—so I did not make my move."
He said calmly: "However, at the South Pole Heaven, he also lost his senses and cut off our friendship. The next time I kill him, I will have no such reservations."
"You are loyal, but far too harsh on your own people." Heavenly Venerable Xu chuckled.
Suddenly, her expression shifted. She raised her hand to halt the Heavenly Court army, sneering: "Someone has actually built a Netherworld here! How audacious—a mere child dares to play Earth Count here! What place does that leave for me? Come out!"