"The Records of the Savage Era state that Emperor Kunpeng controlled eighty-seven Imperial Destinies, severing eternity and venturing to the deepest reaches of the ancient star path, a place even the current Four Great Giants have never touched."
"In the Immortal Ancient Era, Emperor Kunpeng the Holy ruled Imperial Destinies, also eighty-seven, traversing the Immortal Ancient Era with few equals. Further back, Kunpeng the Progenitor, creator of the Chaos Desolate Halberd, Emperor Kunpeng the Ancestor, existed in the Era of Creation, where records are chaotic. However, judging from Emperor Kunpeng the Holy and Emperor Kunpeng the Immortal, the number of Imperial Destinies could only have been higher. The three titans contained the imperial essence of three generations, a testament to their power!" Emperor Shi Yuan's voice was grave, his expression filled with longing for the Chaos Desolate Halberd.
With a cry, a colossal phantom rose from Yang Ying's cultivation ground. Its wings unfurled, lifting Yang Ying's physical body. Danxue Mountain blazed with light, its ancestral dharma body rising in tandem with the phantom surrounding Yang Ying.
"The bloodline reversion to ancestry is complete," Emperor Taixu rejoiced. From this day forward, Danxue Mountain's legacy could continue. Though Kong Xuan and Yu Yi had achieved enlightenment and ascended to the Immortal Emperor realm, they lacked the true phoenix bloodline. Only Princess Yang Ying of the Great Han Han Yue could truly bear Danxue Mountain and perpetuate the foundation of the phoenix clan.
"The Princess has completed her bloodline reversion. Lü Bu must return to Chang'an to meet the Holy Emperor. I bid farewell!" Lü Bu bowed slightly to Emperor Taixu, Emperor Shi Yuan, Kong Xuan, and Yu Yi. Then, he mounted Red Hare. Red Hare's hooves struck out, shattering the void, carrying supreme imperial might as it charged into space and departed Danxue Mountain.
"His enlightenment was strange, with no records, and he bears the aura of Chaos Stone. Lü Bu of the Great Han is likely not as simple as we perceive!" Kong Xuan said grimly, watching the disappearing back.
Yu Yi pondered for a long time and said, "The Great Han's four Quasi-Emperors are capable of suppressing the void and even heavily wounding it. United, we might not be a match for Lü Bu. Such a powerful being holds no noble title in the Great Han Holy Court."
"Without a noble title, he is merely the Third Army Commander of the Vermilion Bird Legion, yet he can make such a formidable being as Lü Bu willingly serve the Great Han Holy Emperor. Father, among the powerful human bloodlines of the Underworld Sea Era, is there any comparable to the current Great Han lineage?"
"Alas!"
Emperor Shi Yuan sighed. The Great Han lineage currently displayed to the world bore no resemblance to the powerful humans of the Underworld Sea Era. Lü Bu, for instance, appeared exceptionally abruptly in the Immortal Realm, as if he had materialized from thin air.
...
In the 355th year of the Great Han, March, an imperial decree arrived in the southern Immortal Realm. The decree streaked across the sky, its imperial might vast and unfathomable.
The supreme titan's decree shook the void, even connecting the ancient star path and the Immortal Realm. A colossal white skeleton rammed out from the ancient star path, causing the immortal energy to vibrate wildly. Half of the massive white skeleton emerged, while the other half remained within the ancient star path.
Under the impetus of the Four Great Giants' powers, Emperor Kunpeng's inheritance was to be opened in half a year. Simultaneously, an unprecedented imperial decree was sent into the Immortal Emperor powers of the northern, southern, eastern, and western Immortal Realms, containing only six characters: "Ordinary Immortal Emperors May Enter!"
Emperor Kunpeng's inheritance stirred immense waves within the Immortal Emperor powers, with many even viewing it as a heavenly opportunity for their own rise. Countless forces moved in secret. Half a year passed in the blink of an eye. The great Immortal Emperor powers across the east, west, north, and south of the Immortal Realm buzzed with activity. Ordinary Immortal Emperors acted, shattering space, establishing connections to the ancient star path, and unhesitatingly charging in, following Kunpeng's aura towards a certain direction on the ancient star path.
Great Han.
Chang'an City.
"Your subject, Lü Bu, requests the Holy Emperor's decree to proceed to the ancient star path and contend for Emperor Kunpeng's inheritance!"
"Granted!"
"Your subject obeys the Holy Emperor's decree!" Lü Bu rose, his presence unrivaled. Behind him, two Imperial Destinies reflected the foundation of the Great Dao. He opened the ancient star path and, amidst boundless imperial might, departed the Great Han, the southern Immortal Realm, and entered the mysterious ancient path where only Immortal Emperors were qualified to enter. This path was also known as the tomb of Immortal Emperors, having submerged countless powerful Immortal Emperors from the Era of Creation to the current Era of Emperors.
"They've all entered?"
In the core region of the Immortal Realm, at the confluence of the territories of the Ancient Emperor Clan, the Nine Nether Peng Clan, the Ancestral Dragon Hall, and the Heavenly Antelope Clan, the Four Great Giants, four figures shrouded in immortal light sat cross-legged, manipulating a celestial board.
"Reporting to the four esteemed lords, ten ordinary Immortal Emperors have all entered the ancient star path. Within three days, they will surely reach the Northern Darkness!" A figure wearing a skull mask and supreme treasure armor spoke in a hoarse voice.
"From the four directions of the Immortal Realm, ten ordinary Immortal Emperors – is that too many?" One figure, holding a lidded box filled with chess pieces, gazed at the chess board suspended deep within the space at the center of the four individuals.
"It is a bit many!" A being reached into the box, took out a white chess piece, and placed it casually into the board.
"It's time to reel in the net. Let's reduce it to five, what do you think?" An elder raised his right eyebrow, took out a black chess piece, and handed it to a being waving a feather fan beside him.
"The number five is good. Let it be five!" Taking the white piece, the being with the feather fan smiled slightly and placed the white piece into the board.
"We obey the four lords' decree!"
The man with the skull mask then spoke and vanished from the location. After leaving the space, the man removed his skull mask. An imperial mark flickered between his brows, and then four powerful imperial auras emanated from the four directions of the space.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
From the depths of space, footsteps could be heard. Four figures appeared before the man holding the skull mask.
"Tian Xing of the Heavenly Antelope Clan, greets my lord!"
"Jiu Yao of the Nine Nether Peng Clan, greets my lord!"
"Longzun of the Ancestral Dragon Hall, greets my lord!"
"Gu Xing of the Ancient Emperor Clan, greets my lord!"
Four figures emerged, kneeling on one knee. Each was a powerful Immortal Emperor who had achieved enlightenment. One of them was Tian Xing, who had patrolled the southern Immortal Realm some days prior, investigating Lü Bu's aura.
"Kunpeng has set a trap to eliminate five emperors!" the skull-masked man said coldly, then vanished from his spot.
"We obey the imperial decree!"
Tian Xing and the other three rose, shattered the heavens, and entered the ancient star path, heading towards the Northern Darkness where Emperor Kunpeng's inheritance was located.
Ancient Star Path.
As ancient as the Immortal Realm, no one knew who created it. Over the vast expanse of time, the Immortal Realm had gone through several eras, yet the ancient star path had always coexisted with it. Filled with powerful Imperial Destinies, it had become a place of adventure for countless Immortal Emperors.
The location of Emperor Kunpeng's inheritance was in the Northern Darkness of the ancient star path, situated on the outer edge. There were no dangerous places here.