Translator: CinderTL
Apart from Dao Pills directly refined by Dao Venerables, they could only be obtained by refining the Dao Rhythm manifested within the Great Dao River.
These manifested Dao Rhythms were carried by a substance known as the Great Dao Divine Stone.
Cultivators skilled in Pill Refinement used the Great Dao Divine Stone as the primary ingredient, supplemented by Heavenly Treasures, to refine them into Dao Pills for consumption and use.
When a cultivator refined a Dao Pill, they would enter a state of "sudden enlightenment" regarding the corresponding Great Dao. This deepened their comprehension of the Great Dao Laws, allowing them to rapidly accumulate Dao cultivation and Qi.
However, just as prolonged study diminishes learning efficiency, refining Dao Pills and comprehending the Dao Laws followed a similar pattern.
Yet Li Chunjun possessed the Void Dao Body and Destruction Dao Body, making his refinement of these two types of Dao Pills akin to having an innate "genius Sacred Body." Not only did the refinement process yield significantly greater improvements, but his efficiency far surpassed that of ordinary cultivators.
This was why he was confident that, within a year, using Dao Pills worth hundreds of billions, he could advance his Dao cultivation and Qi by ten thousand years.
As Li Chunjun entered seclusion to make a final push during his remaining year, changes were also stirring within the Heavenly Palace.
The Demon-Quelling Great Emperor, who had been in seclusion and completely indifferent to the affairs of the Branch Sect, was forced to emerge.
He wasn't roused by the commotion Li Chunjun had caused, but by Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord, an ancient supreme sage nearing the end of his lifespan.
The Immortal God Race's Heavenly Court had adopted the Heavenly Palace's hierarchical system, with only minor variations.
Within the Heavenly Palace, supreme sages were divided into three tiers:
* Heavenly Emperors with combat power exceeding 500,000, possessing Quasi-Tenth-Tier combat power. Imperial Lords with combat power below 325,000. Great Emperors with combat power between 325,000 and 500,000.
Despite having lived for over 120,000 years and with only a few thousand years of lifespan remaining, Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord had yet to fully refine his Qi. Moreover, having only cultivated an ordinary Dharma Manifestation, his combat power hovered around 230,000.
The reason he could awaken the Demon-Quelling Great Emperor, who belonged to the realm of Great Emperors, was because of his other identity: he was the Demon-Quelling Great Emperor's Master.
Two Supreme Sages from a single lineage!
Moreover, the disciple had surpassed the master!
This was a legendary tale within the Heavenly Palace, a testament to the master's exceptional guidance.
However, the Demon-Quelling Great Emperor held little regard for his Master.
Especially in recent years, as his Master approached the end of his lifespan and his actions grew increasingly erratic, the Emperor became even more reluctant to engage with him.
His transfer to the Profound Yellow Great World, far from the Heavenly Palace's Great Camp, was partly an attempt to avoid his Master.
After all, in a few thousand years, his Master would be dead. He could then hold a grand funeral and avoid any accusations of filial impiety.
Yet, despite his efforts to distance himself, the old ghost had still managed to track him down.
In the reception hall, Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord's expression was cold and harsh, his face betraying a difficult and unforgiving nature. His words dripped with sarcasm: "What's this? Does my word as your master no longer carry weight? I've contacted you countless times, yet you haven't responded even once. Now that you've become a powerful regional governor, do you think you can disregard this old man?"
"Master, you misunderstand," Demon-Quelling Great Emperor replied in a measured tone. "I've been deeply immersed in cultivating a dao technique, secluded in retreat. I simply haven't had time to check external messages, which is why I couldn't respond immediately."
After a pause, he finally asked, "So, Master, what brings you all the way to the Profound Yellow Great World?"
"Hmph!" Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord knew his disciple harbored resentment toward him. But he had invested so much in teaching Demon-Quelling Great Emperor in the past. Now that he had so few years left to live, the least his disciple could do was show some consideration.
With that thought, he cut straight to the point: "I've heard that a prodigy has emerged among the Void Refining cultivators in the Profound Yellow Great World. They reached Void Refining in just over thirty years and have already attained the Dharma Manifestation stage? Rumor has it they're a Special Life form. What kind of Special Life bloodline could possibly grant such extraordinary power?"
"Heard?"
The Demon-Quelling Great Emperor frowned. "Heard from whom? Thirty-odd years to reach Void Refining? And even a Dharma Manifestation? Master, do you really believe such nonsense? It's clear someone is plotting behind the scenes, trying to deceive you. As your disciple, I must investigate this thoroughly..."
"Who told me is irrelevant," the Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord retorted. "Besides, I've already come to the Profound Yellow Great World. I naturally verified this information before arriving. How could it be false?"
The Demon-Quelling Great Emperor didn't reply, but he quickly contacted Venerable Xuan Yue, the disciple he had brought with him.
Soon, Venerable Xuan Yue sent back a report.
As the Demon-Quelling Great Emperor read the message, his expression turned cold, yet a hint of surprise flickered across his face.
"So... it's true."
The information was indeed accurate.
Wait a minute!
The Council of Elders had reported this matter to him, mentioning the deaths of dozens of Void Refining Elders. But at the time, he had viewed this trip to the Profound Yellow Great World as a retreat for peace and quiet, paying little attention and delegating the entire matter to the Council of Elders. And now...
Had they created such a massive mess?
"Have you seen enough?" the Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord asked.
"This person..."
The Demon-Quelling Great Emperor was about to speak when the Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord's expression turned fierce. "Since you've seen the truth, what are you waiting for?! This man brutally slaughtered forty-three Void Refining Elders of our Heavenly Palace! In the tens of thousands of years our Heavenly Palace has been expanding into the surrounding Great Worlds, we've never suffered such a devastating loss! If we don't retaliate fiercely, how can you escape responsibility for this?!"
The Demon-Quelling Great Emperor replayed the latter half of the report in his mind, sensing something amiss, but he remained reluctant to meddle too deeply in the affairs of the Profound Yellow Great World.
Finally, he spoke: "Under pressure from the Council of Elders, they've already sent that newcomer, Li Chunjun, with the Dharma Manifestation, into the dark horned prison... No matter how prodigious his talent, entering that prison means certain death. That should suffice as blood for blood."
"Blood for blood? Is that what you call blood for blood?! Cowardly!" the Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord roared. "The Heavenly Palace lost forty-three Void Refining Elders, and even the Sect Master of the Wu Ji Sect personally intervened, yet you, the Great Emperor overseeing this realm, have shown no response whatsoever! From now on, who will take our Heavenly Palace seriously? How can you possibly safeguard our interests?"
The Demon-Quelling Great Emperor grew increasingly irritated. He had come here seeking peace and quiet, not to be burdened with such troubles.
"Then tell me, what do you propose we do?!"
"What should we do? Let's rally the Wu Ji Sect and storm the Profound Yellow Sect! Force them to hand over Li Chunjun! If they refuse, we'll annihilate their entire sect!" Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord declared forcefully.
"Li Chunjun is the personally taught disciple of the Profound Yellow Supreme Sovereign. Although the Supreme Sovereign hasn't been active in the world for tens of thousands of years, he left behind a spirit-type life form named Liu Yu—a Quasi-Tenth-Tier powerhouse! Who will withstand the wrath of this Quasi-Tenth-Tier being if we try to kill Li Chunjun? Master, with your vast mystical powers, could you handle it?"
"Supreme Sovereign's personal disciple? Quasi-Tenth-Tier life form?" Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord's arrogant demeanor faltered slightly.
"Otherwise, why do you think the Sect Master of the Wu Ji Sect would humbly accept Li Chunjun's challenge to a death match in the dark horned prison, despite his personal presence?" Demon-Quelling Great Emperor scoffed.
Inwardly, he seethed with anger.
He suspected some malicious schemer within the sect had lured Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord to the Profound Yellow Great World, intending to use him as a pawn to eliminate Li Chunjun and drag the Great Emperor into the conflict.
But...
Regardless of who was behind this, they were undoubtedly individuals with a direct conflict of interest with Li Chunjun.
Every last one of them will be thrown into the dark horned prison!
If they die there, so be it. If they somehow survive...
His term still had nine thousand years remaining!
He'd have plenty of time to play with them later!
"That brat Universal Transformation really dropped the ball, giving me a moment of false hope."
The Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord's expression also carried a hint of displeasure.
"Universal Transformation?"
The Demon-Quelling Great Emperor sneered inwardly but quickly changed his tone. "Since you, Master, are so interested in this Li Chunjun, I will naturally do everything in my power to assist you! However, with that Quasi-Tenth-Tier spirit-type life watching, we shouldn't overstep our bounds. Let's proceed according to their rules for now."
He declared solemnly, "The Heavenly Palace has seventy-two Venerables responsible for handling all matters, great and small. Aside from the Dharma Manifestations I must retain for my own duties, I will dispatch all others to the dark horned prison!"
"Excellent. Let's follow the rules. Even if Li Chunjun is a Special Life, he can't possibly withstand such a massive force of Dharma Manifestations from the Heavenly Palace!"
The Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord added, "Ideally, we should capture him alive. I want to understand exactly what makes this Special Life so unique."
"That matter, Master, you should discuss with the others. I'm not in a position to issue such an order."
As the Demon-Quelling Great Emperor spoke, a thought seemed to strike him, and he suggested, "Aren't the Blood Eagle Three Brothers utterly loyal to you, Master? All three possess Top-Tier Dharma Manifestations and have cultivated for over a hundred thousand years, accumulating profound foundations. Sending them to capture and kill Li Chunjun should pose no problem."
"The Blood Eagles..." Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord hesitated.
These three brothers were truly his most completely controlled and manipulated subordinates, willing to risk their lives at his command. Moreover, his network of influence had gradually shifted to them. If something were to happen to them in the dark horned prison...
It would be a great loss.
"Haven't the Blood Eagle Three Brothers always been utterly loyal to you, Master? If Li Chunjun truly possesses something special—perhaps even a top-tier supreme treasure or a dao unification inheritance—having them handle the matter would ensure your peace of mind."
The Demon-Quelling Great Emperor understood perfectly why his master had traveled such a great distance.
He refused to die!
He refused to simply wither away with age.
He was willing to risk everything for one last chance to break through to the Dao Unification Realm.
Therefore...
These words quickly solidified Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord's resolve. "Indeed, you've reminded me. Even if Li Chunjun truly possesses some treasure, others might hesitate to hand it over. Only the Blood Eagle Three Brothers can guarantee absolute certainty!"
He immediately added, "Not just the Blood Eagles. I'll also summon the Six Wind Catchers and the Cloud Mountain Three Venerables to coordinate with the Blood Eagle Three Brothers. We must ensure absolute certainty."
The Demon-Quelling Great Emperor couldn't help but suppress a laugh.
A Supreme Sage who had lived for 120,000 years wielded immense influence and commanded vast networks of connections.
The Demon-Quelling Great Emperor had always avoided a direct confrontation with him precisely because of the catastrophic consequences it would entail.
Now, Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord was willingly sending his own people into the dark horned prison.
While he doubted Li Chunjun could slaughter them all, eliminating some of them would weaken the old fool's influence and prevent him from going completely mad in his final moments, potentially dragging the Great Emperor down with him.
Using a borrowed blade to kill?
Go ahead and borrow it.
Send them all in!
Ideally, the old fool himself would enter and die inside, resolving everything once and for all.
He immediately echoed in agreement, "I will also mobilize the Heavenly Palace Elder Council to fully cooperate and assist Master in capturing Li Chunjun!"
(End of the Chapter)
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