Chapter 1385: Special Calamity

Ye Fan was stunned. He had never imagined facing the Demon Emperor at such close quarters, let alone being in the same celestial palace. It was truly unbelievable!

The man in the great hall had thick black hair, which cascaded over his chest and back. His white robes fluttered, immaculate and unstained. His expression was serene and peaceful, and his eyes were as deep as the starry sky.

Ye Fan's body felt like cracking jade. Confronting the aura of an ancient Great Emperor, his golden blood thundered and surged violently, feeling as if it would ignite. His bones were on the verge of exploding.

The two halves of the Immortal Ruler in his Sea of Wheels emitted a green glow, transforming into two blazing orbs like miniature suns. They shot out, filled with hope and anxiety, displaying immense urgency.

Ye Fan's body trembled, and he involuntarily recoiled. The man before him possessed an incredibly vigorous life force, emanating powerful vital energy that made it impossible for Ye Fan to approach, as if he were facing the brilliant furnace of the Immortal Realm.

Xue Yueqing was ethereal and transcendent, on the verge of ascending to immortality. There was a spiritual liveliness about him that did not belong to this mortal world, as if he were a banished immortal descended from the heavens.

The two segments of the Immortal Ruler gleamed radiantly, their azure-gold surface shimmering with an ethereal rain of light. They circled around him like lost children finding their dearest kin.

This was the Demon Emperor's weaponized ruler. Although it was broken and the divine spirit within it had perished on the Immortal Path, it still retained an instinctive affinity for the Demon Emperor.

In times past, countless prodigies had turned to dust...

The man in white extended a hand and gently caressed the two broken weapon fragments. His detached and otherworldly demeanor concealed an inherent dominance, and in the depths of his profound eyes lay a piercing sharpness, as if he reigned over the cosmos, looking down upon all living beings.

This was the aura of the Demon Emperor, his majesty that struck the Nine Heavens and suppressed the Underworld. Though he appeared peaceful and composed, he was not to be profaned, commanding reverence from all.

He did not put away the Immortal Rulers; instead, he allowed them to flicker and dance before him like mischievous children, while he stood there quietly.

Ye Fan's eyes stung, and tears of blood flowed. Not for any other reason, but because he had witnessed the fundamental cause of the Demon Emperor's life force manifestation.

"So that's it. The ancient Great Emperors ultimately passed away one after another; they couldn't live until now..." After understanding the reason, he felt a slight relief, but also a sense of loss, realizing that even the most astonishing individuals could not truly achieve immortality.

There were a few drops of blood, coiling around the humanoid lightning manifestation of the Demon Emperor. They exuded immortal divine might, like a reborn Great Emperor standing firm between heaven and earth, appearing within the chaotic sea of thunder.

"True Imperial Blood!"

Ye Fan's eyes ached. Those few drops of blood transformed into a thin mist, emitting a bloody glow, like immortal needles that could blind one's eyes, making them impossible to directly gaze upon.

It was precisely these drops that released an unparalleled Imperial aura, as if the Demon Emperor had truly reappeared in the world, startling the Great Saints outside to the point where they almost knelt.

Although he now understood the reason for the Demon Emperor's life fluctuations, Ye Fan's questions only multiplied. It was clearly a heavenly tribulation, so how could it attract these few drops of blood and merge them with the Demon Emperor's imprint? It was utterly inconceivable.

"The only special thing is that this area of the starry sky is very close to the Demon Emperor's tomb. Could it be that his Imperial blood was stirred up and drawn here?!"

Ye Fan muttered to himself, his scalp tingling as he considered this possibility. Drawing a few drops of blood was one thing, but if the true Imperial corpse were summoned... that would be unimaginable!

Not to mention him, even if all the cultivators in the entire universe came, it probably wouldn't be enough to kill it; everyone would face tragedy.

The imprint merging with the corpse seemed equivalent to a true Great Emperor's resurrection. It would certainly not be limited to the current Saint King realm; it would be capable of trampling the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth underfoot.

"Boom!"

In the distance, the ancient Great Emperor's mausoleum trembled violently. The magnificent Yellow Springs boiled, and a strange aura permeated the air. Several Yin Gods roared lowly, while numerous Yin spirits and ghostly creatures trembled fearfully.

"The Sacred Body is undergoing tribulation, but why is the Demon Emperor's tomb acting strangely? What's going on?!"

The Great Saints were filled with shock and doubt, their souls trembling. The Imperial aura affected them, causing everyone's face to turn pale and their hearts to be filled with fear.

Inside the great hall, Ye Fan encountered immense trouble. The Demon Emperor had attacked, possessing world-shaking divine might, creating a hole in the cracked cauldron with a mere flick of his finger.

Although the Demon Emperor was only in the Saint King realm during the heavenly tribulation, with those few drops of Imperial blood uniformly distributed over his body, he was absolutely more terrifying than a Great Saint, imbued with the majesty he once held when he ruled the universe.

This opponent was unbeatable!

Ye Fan rushed towards the hall's exit. Otherwise, he might truly fail his tribulation and die tragically here, slain by the blood-stained Demon Emperor. It would feel like such an injustice.

"Boom!"

However, how mighty was the Demon Emperor? This white-robed man, who surpassed even deities, took a single step, and the world transformed, blocking the hall entrance and cutting off Ye Fan's path.

Ye Fan was exasperated. In a fight at the Saint King realm, he could contend, but those few drops of Imperial blood were too terrifying, capable of penetrating any defense; he couldn't block them.

At this point, he couldn't care about anything else. He took out the Green Bronze Cauldron, not minding even if it attracted the heavenly tribulation.

As soon as the Green Bronze Cauldron appeared, it seemed to sense danger, immediately dispersing the surrounding chaotic lightning and confronting the white-robed Demon Emperor before them.

It emitted a vibrant green glow, with thousands of auspicious rays, dazzling and resplendent. Yet, it did not attract the heavenly tribulation, remaining ancient and majestic, confronting the Imperial blood as it floated up and down.

With a *shhh* sound, crimson light soared into the sky. All the Imperial blood merged together, like a brilliant crimson gemstone, emitting world-shaking demonic might.

This was the Demon Emperor's essence blood, containing his Great Dao, the life characteristics of a Great Emperor's body, and fragments of inherited lore within his bloodline. Once activated, its power was unfathomable.

Undoubtedly, the Imperial blood had revived, now possessing a powerful life fluctuation, as if intending to regenerate and construct a flawless Imperial corpse through it.

Ye Fan extended his divine sense and captured some incomplete images, his heart shaking. These were fragments of the Demon Emperor's life experiences, contained within his blood.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, a colossal boom echoed, shaking the starry sky. The Great Saints in the distance were all flung away by a powerful wave, their expressions changing drastically.

From the depths of the starry sky, demonic energy surged skyward. A burly man, noticeably taller than an ordinary person, emerged from the vast sea of lightning. Stained with blood, his bronzed physique gleamed with a precious radiance.

His hair was exceptionally thick, and his eyes were as sharp as blades. Pang Bo had successfully overcome his tribulation, becoming a powerful Saint King.

People were astonished. Even though they had been drawn by Ye Fan's heavenly tribulation, they hadn't forgotten that another person was undergoing tribulation, as it was equally terrifying, and that person had been submerged in a sea of lightning.

However, it was ultimately not as captivating as the Nine Emperors, which was why the various powerful cultivators hadn't consistently focused on it. Yet, no one underestimated Pang Bo; even figures like Emperor Tian, Great Demonic God, and Human King had always regarded him as a supremely terrifying potential rival.

"Finally, I've successfully passed my tribulation. From now on, I, Pang, can also rule a domain," Pang Bo muttered to himself. He stood two or three heads taller than ordinary people, his bronzed body's muscles bulging and coiling like powerful dragons.

"You all fought against the ancient Great Emperors. How was it?" Pang Bo asked Emperor Tian, Great Demonic God, Human King, and others, truly hitting a raw nerve.

These individuals naturally had grim expressions, having experienced an unspeakable bitterness during the Sacred Body's heavenly tribulation today.

"Alas, you all fought against Great Emperors in their youth, at the same cultivation level. I truly regret missing out; I, Pang, also want to give it a try. Ye Zi, are there any more Great Emperors to fight? Let me in, I also want to find someone to test myself against," Pang Bo said nonchalantly.

Upon hearing this, all the Saints were dumbfounded. This man was too bold! Fighting a young Great Emperor meant instant death. Had he not seen the Great Demonic God, Human King, and Emperor Tian? They had almost perished right there.

"Pang Bo, come up," Ye Fan transmitted telepathically.

Everyone was startled. What exactly was in that topmost heavenly tribulation that the Sacred Body would call his old friend to go there? Could there be another great opportunity?

Many were tempted, but not a single person dared to step forward. Who could withstand such a tribulation? If nine more Great Emperors appeared, Emperor Tian, Human King, and the others would all turn to ashes.

"Alright!" Pang Bo shot into the sky, plunging into the sea of lightning.

Immediately, Ye Fan activated the Heaven-Deceiving Array Patterns of Great Emperor Wu Shi, isolating Pang Bo to prevent him from undergoing tribulation again, and guided him into the Demon Emperor's Hall.

"Who is this?" Pang Bo asked in surprise, looking at the figure and then fixing his gaze on the cluster of Imperial blood confronting the Green Bronze block.

Normally, Imperial blood couldn't harm the Green Bronze, but at this moment, the Demon Emperor's blood had revived, unlike its usual state. It flowed with fragments of the Great Dao, causing the Green Bronze block itself to emit immortal radiance.

Ye Fan's battle with the Demon Emperor had ended. He exited the hall, leaving the Green Bronze block to confront the Imperial blood. His expression solemn, he told Pang Bo, "This is the Demon Emperor. There might be an Immortal Scripture within that Imperial blood. Cultivate here; you might gain an immense harvest."

Then, he further instructed Pang Bo to find a way to retrieve the two halves of the Immortal Ruler, as these weapons were originally intended for Pang Bo's acquisition and must not be lost here.

"Demon Emperor, I've long admired you!" Pang Bo's eyes gleamed with divine light, feeling an inexpressible excitement and exhilaration. He recited the Demon Emperor's Heart Sutra and advanced, attempting to communicate.

Ye Fan turned and departed, carrying the even more damaged Myriad Things Mother Qi Cauldron, which now had an additional Immortal Ruler-shaped hole in it.

"If this continues, my cauldron will be completely shattered..." He had encountered several individuals, all of whom had attacked his cauldron. Sooner or later, it would be pulverized.

As Ye Fan entered the next great hall, a strange sound reverberated, causing his vital energy and blood to surge. He abruptly looked up and gazed forward.

There was an old monk striking a wooden fish drum, producing a terrifying rhythm that made one's heart resonate and beat in sync, threatening to burst at any moment.

"Amitabha!"

Ye Fan was greatly astonished. Although the figure was as indistinct as other ancient Great Emperors, he could guess that this person must be the founder of Buddhism.

In the world, only one old monk had achieved the Dao: Great Emperor Amitabha!

The old monk had a solemn and dignified appearance, exuding compassion. As he struck the wooden fish drum, each sound resonated deep within people's hearts, causing their souls to pulse and vibrate in resonance.

This was absolutely terrifying. Simply striking the wooden fish drum was enough to control a person's life and death; the old monk's power was astonishing.

Ye Fan opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of golden blood, then raised his fist to strike. He had to break this rhythm, otherwise, he would inevitably be led astray by the old monk.

"Boom!"

Great Emperor Amitabha rose to his full height, discarding the wooden fish drum. He wielded a purple-gold demon-subduing staff and struck, devoid of Buddhist compassion. At this moment, his divine might was world-shaking, like the most terrifying Battle Saint!

"Are you even still a monk...?" Ye Fan muttered internally, using his cauldron to resist. He engaged in a fierce battle with this mysterious Great Emperor, who had forged a unique path on the road to immortality.

Ultimately, Ye Fan, disheveled and covered in blood, burst out of the Great Thunder Sound Temple. He muttered curses incessantly, for his Myriad Things Mother Qi Cauldron was nearly shattered, now bearing another hole shaped like a demon-subduing staff.

At this moment, Ye Fan keenly realized a crucial commonality among all the Great Emperors he had encountered in these ancient celestial palaces, causing his heart to pound fiercely!

If he could deduce based on this, he would surely encounter Emperor Zun, Undying Heavenly Sovereign, and Ruthless Emperor!