Chapter 1370: Deployment

Chapter 1372: Mobilization

Pang Bo's greatest fortune was obtaining the Great Emperor Green's divine treasury in the Eternal Star Domain. Besides a few notebooks, the most astonishing item was a jar of evolution divine liquid, whose grade was difficult to ascertain. Each time he consumed it, he almost certainly triggered a heavenly tribulation. Its powerful effects even made him fearful, so for years he had restrained himself, daring not to consume it excessively.

This was because the Great Emperor Green had left behind writings, solemnly cautioning his descendants not to rely on it excessively. If one wished to consume it, they must solidify their foundational cultivation each time; otherwise, great peril awaited. For this reason, Pang Bo did not achieve instant mastery over the years. His life was harder than that of an ascetic monk; he constantly disciplined and tempered himself, nearly forging a body like that of a god or demon. Although he exercised great restraint, his cultivation level still advanced rapidly compared to ordinary people. He was not far from the Saint King realm and could break through if he wished.

Ye Fan was surprised upon hearing this. He knew that the evolution liquid had nine stages, but the later stages were not supposed to appear. The highest-grade liquid seen in the past fifty or sixty thousand years was only the sixth stage. The divine liquid left by the Great Emperor Green was truly extraordinary, making its grade difficult to assess. However, Ye Fan soon understood, realizing it was left by the only Demon Emperor to achieve enlightenment in the Primordial Era!

"There won't be any side effects, will there?" Ye Fan worried, fearing that Pang Bo might have left some hidden dangers by using the divine liquid to cultivate, thus affecting his future achievements.

"Not really," Pang Bo shook his head. Over the years, he had rigorously trained according to a divine-demon body-tempering technique left by the Great Emperor Green, being extremely harsh on himself. This was a forbidden secret technique, almost masochistic, treating himself like a metal block, undergoing countless refinements in a great furnace, constantly replacing his blood, and purifying his internal organs and bones.

"Over the decades, I've undergone transformation six or seven times, shedding a lot of old skin and bone fragments," Pang Bo said nonchalantly.

Ye Fan, however, was horrified. How brutal was this method? Others progressed gradually, but this ancient method was too fierce and overbearing. Directly shedding skin and expelling bone fragments from within—such a process was too violent and could easily cause severe damage to one's vitality, rendering a person crippled. It was hard to imagine the suffering the easygoing Pang Bo had endured over the years. After venturing into space, his ascetic training consumed all his time; he rarely fought others, but he was constantly battling himself.

"Based on my experience over these years, I can confidently say that this jar of divine liquid is absolutely heaven-defying before reaching the Saint King realm. Whether it will remain effective later is hard to say." Pang Bo stated that he could trigger a heavenly tribulation in a short time, which he and Ye Fan could face together, from inside and out, to forcibly break through the ancient tomb's barrier.

Although separated by the great tomb, Ye Fan could see Pang Bo's form through the crystal wall at the entrance. He was astonishingly tall and robust, like a demon god reborn, with arms thicker than other people's thighs, gleaming with an ancient bronze luster.

"No offense, but if it were a fight at the same level, my physique might not be weaker than a Hegemon's. I might even be able to strangle him to death," Pang Bo said. His black hair cascaded like a waterfall, his eyes glowed like golden lamps, and when he waved his arm, the sheer power of his physical body caused the void to tremble and hum.

"Not bad," Ye Fan nodded, a smile playing on his lips. Back in school, Ye Fan appeared refined and scholarly, but his body was strong and powerful, earning him the nickname "Savage" on the football field. Only Pang Bo was strong enough to clash with him. It was unexpected that he remained just as formidable now, not inferior in the slightest.

Ye Fan told him to adjust his physical condition as soon as possible; it would be ideal if he could undergo the Saint King Tribulation at a critical moment. Pang Bo nodded and said, "I've been restraining myself for the past few years while trapped in this ancient tomb, fearing that undergoing tribulation inside the tomb would cause huge trouble. Now, my foundational cultivation and physical body are solid enough, so it's the perfect time to break through."

After some time, Ye Fan left, and the ancient continent returned to tranquility. Now, many cultivators were startled by the Yellow Spring, and few came to this continent. However, half a day later, several figures flew in, gazing from afar, observing the mountain ranges, and surveying the continent floating in the cosmos. If Ye Fan had been there, he would have recognized the two leading figures as the Qilin Saint Envoy and the Vermillion Bird Saint Envoy. They were highly targeted, aiming to discover Ye Fan's whereabouts.

"Anyone who wishes to kill the Sacred Body will surely come here. Perhaps waiting by the tree is the best option."

"Our master has not yet stated whether to kill the Sacred Body from Burial Emperor Star. We turned back this time because the ancient Great Emperor's mausoleum has cracked open, and immortal treasures are about to emerge."

"No need to be deliberate. When he appears to rescue Pang Bo, we just need to strike at the crucial moment, and it might cast him into eternal damnation."

Soon after, they departed. However, not long after, more people arrived, even more discreetly, their cold eyes glinting with ominous light as they explored the area. The mountains were silent, and all beasts lay dormant. This ancient continent felt somewhat oppressive. In the following days, mysterious powerhouses intermittently descended, watching from the shadows. Even inside the tomb, Pang Bo sensed something amiss, realizing someone was investigating the area. Even without Ye Fan's prior warning, he could deduce from these signs that the situation was not optimistic.

"Could it be that young supreme beings like the Great Demon God, Di Tian, Fairy Qingshi, the Goddess, and the Human King, who are in the deepest parts of the ancient road, have all arrived? That seems unlikely. I sensed a trace of a Saint Spirit's aura, and also some aging human powerhouses." Pang Bo's heart sank. He had heard Ye Fan briefly recount his experiences, including his bloody fight with the Stone People, incurring their deep enmity. Were they all coming for him now?

During this time, Ye Fan also visited, learning about the situation from Pang Bo, and a cold smile appeared on his lips. "No rush. Adjust your state and adapt to whatever comes. I learned from Dragon Horse that they are about to breach the Great Emperor's main burial chamber. That secret realm has captivated many."

Two days later, Ruin City was abuzz. Great Saint-level figures were mobilizing to break open the void from which the Yellow Spring descended, to advance into the secret realm left by the ancient Great Emperor and behold his corpse. Not just Ruin City, but the entire ancient road was shaken. Many powerful individuals rushed there, and numerous envoys from various cities set out, as did many sages. Team after team of people entered the Star Ruins. Battle chariots rumbled, great banners fluttered, savage beasts roared, crushing the long sky.

A great yellow river flowed across the cold starry sky, descending from a void, emitting an aura of death that made everyone who approached it tremble with fear. On this day, armies from various factions arrived, reaching the opposite bank of the Yellow Spring, their formations clearly delineated.

A group of soldiers covered in black armor was particularly eye-catching. While thirty to fifty people wouldn't raise suspicion, this formation of several hundred people exuded an intense death aura, which was puzzling. They moved in perfect unison, devoid of vitality. In their center lay a bronze coffin, appearing as if it hadn't been opened for hundreds of thousands, or even millions of years, its surface covered in mottled rust, emitting a chilling pulsation.

"The legendary lineage... they still exist! After countless eons of disappearance, they have formally appeared today!" A few elder figures were shocked upon deducing the truth.

"Could it be that the Underworld truly exists, and it's the destination of all saints after death?!" another old man stammered.

The appearance of this mysterious group caused a huge stir. Though only a few hundred people, each one was like a death god, devoid of life force, making it impossible not to be alarmed. No one knew who controlled them. In the mythical era, most strong individuals, before their demise, would choose to dissolve into the Dao, a serious consideration to avoid falling into the Underworld. The Underworld, an extremely ancient organization, is largely disbelieved by people in the current era. Yet, it was once glorious during the reign of the Ancient Heavenly Court. Even before advancing into the ancient Great Emperor's mausoleum, the area was already in an uproar. The emergence of the Underworld made everyone feel as if they were in a mythical age, finding it incredible.

Suddenly, the galaxy trembled, the cosmos twisted, and a figure appeared. Of medium height, he possessed the divine might to swallow the sun and moon, exuding a powerful essence, energy, and spirit! Everyone was stunned. This was an unparalleled powerhouse; without anyone needing to say it, people knew he was extraordinary, having undoubtedly reached the pinnacle, standing at the apex of the Great Saint realm, and perhaps even having taken another half-step forward. He showed no signs of aging; his hair was thick and black, his face ruddy and glowing, his forehead radiant. He appeared to be only in his forties or fifties, exuding a restrained yet immense vital essence.

In the distant sky, Ye Fan's eyes paused. He recognized a familiar mark on the figure's sleeve, a symbol belonging to "God"! In the Eternal Star Domain, he had encountered this terrifying organization, which called itself "God" and specialized in killing powerhouses on the ancient starry road.

"An unparalleled powerhouse from the 'God' organization! Since ancient times, this lineage has been obstructing cultivators on the ancient road, acquiring various secret techniques to strengthen themselves!"

"Decades ago, the Protectors launched a major purge that caused them significant losses. How have they appeared again now?"

People gasped, and many cultivators grew uneasy. This was an organization that dared to run rampant on the ancient road. It wasn't about good or evil; it had existed since ancient times, was absolutely powerful, and had never been extinguished, which was enough to show how terrifying they were.

"This person... is one of their main gods!"

This individual was terrifyingly powerful, his essence, energy, and spirit having reached the apex of the Great Saint realm, perhaps even taking another half-step. He was a supreme main god, making even the Protectors look grim. The void trembled and twisted. Above his head appeared a bronze cauldron, three-legged and two-handled, from which strands of primordial divine essence cascaded, appearing ancient and majestic. Ye Fan was surprised; it was similar to his own weapon, even featuring ancient human, Kunpeng, and true dragon patterns, which were somewhat alike.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, the figure struck. The great cauldron emitted vast fluctuations, shattering the cold starry sky, carrying the will of the great cosmos, its divine might overwhelming as it suppressed forward. Everyone trembled, and even the human race Protectors changed expression! However, to everyone's great surprise, his target was not the cultivators on the human ancient road, but the bronze coffin from the Underworld.

"Clang!"

The green-rust-stained bronze coffin's lid suddenly shuddered, shooting skyward, violently colliding with the bronze cauldron, shattering suns, moons, and galaxies, and erupting with world-ending divine power! Even at a considerable distance, and despite the human Protectors intervening to seal the area, many people were still thrown back, tossed like rag dolls, and left bleeding from the aftershock vibrations. People were horrified, daring not to imagine that if the Protectors hadn't intervened, the assembled powerhouses might have had their physical bodies destroyed by the aftershocks.

The bronze cauldron flew back, hovering above the supreme main god's head. His gaze was profound, and he said nothing. The coffin lid also descended, sealing the bronze coffin tightly without any further disturbance. The Underworld faction showed no additional reaction either. "God" suddenly attacked the Underworld; the conflict ended swiftly, leaving everyone bewildered and perplexed.

The starry sky quieted down as if nothing had happened. People looked at each other in bewilderment, then suddenly noticed that several more major factions had arrived, all of them incomparably powerful. Many had seen the stone chariot, over a meter long, pulled by dragons and tigers, carrying an extremely powerful Stone Spirit, reigning supreme. On the other side, a group of bovine-headed beings appeared, their bodies covered in thick black fur a foot long. Each stood over ten feet tall, and their leader was a Great Saint.

Ye Fan was dumbfounded. This was a group of... Bull Demon Kings! They were from the Great Strength Bull Demon clan, but definitely not visitors from Beidou; rather, they were powerhouses from their ancestral star. What puzzled him most was that the leading Great Saint held a gleaming divine bracer, radiant throughout, with astonishing divine power – it was none other than the Vajra Bracer. Ye Fan was somewhat uncertain and puzzled. Was this Laozi's ox? He had seen the imprint of that ox from over two thousand years ago in the Ziwei Ancient Star Domain; it was very similar.