Chapter 1687: Gideon Expert

A deep roar echoed, as if a primeval beast, sealed until now, was letting out a terrifying bellow. It was so powerful it felt as though people's souls would be ripped from their bodies, their entire beings about to shatter.

The sound, like muffled thunder, made everyone's ears ring, their blood surge so violently it felt ready to burst from their veins, and their entire bodies hum with power.

What kind of mighty being was this? Even before appearing, merely its low growl possessed such penetrating power that it threatened to shatter one's primordial spirit. Truly terrifying.

All the Saints retreated, not daring to observe the battle from close proximity.

The Yin soldiers and generals followed suit, receding like a tide and clearing a vast open space.

Beneath the starry sky stood a chariot, bearing a cage that was entirely blood-red, as if forged from Phoenix Blood Scarlet Gold, for blood-colored phoenixes seemed to emerge and coil around it.

However, a closer look revealed it was made of a fearsome type of wood, which some recognized as a divine timber controlled by the Underworld.

"Nether Phoenix Bloodwood."

Everyone's hearts trembled. This divine wood was a supreme shackle for Yin spirits; anyone trapped within it would find escape virtually impossible.

Legend had it that this miraculous wood was formed from the seeds of death that condensed after an immortal died and transformed into a nether demon, then nourished by phoenix blood. It was said to specifically counter Yin gods.

It possessed an extraordinary origin; only one such tree existed in the world, each one as unique as an immortal medicine.

This Nether Phoenix Bloodwood was rumored to have once circulated in the world, capable of being refined into various terrifying evil artifacts that inflicted indelible pain upon the gods of old.

Inside the cage, iron chains clinked, striking the Nether Phoenix Bloodwood and sending out showers of sparks, demonstrating its immense durability. Even divine weapons would struggle to inflict the slightest damage.

Within it was an old man with disheveled white hair. Heavy shackles bound his hands and feet, connected to the Nether Phoenix Bloodwood cage, and his body was pierced by numerous divine needles.

These divine needles were not ordinary objects; they were crafted from Nether Phoenix Bloodwood, each more than half a foot long. They were deeply embedded in the man's body, serving as a restriction to ensure he could neither break free nor launch an attack.

Who was this man? Everyone speculated that a prisoner important enough for the Underworld to dispatch such a vast army to escort must possess an extraordinary background.

Furthermore, given the Underworld's declaration that they would use this individual to eliminate Ye Tong and others, they must be highly confident in their success.

It was widely known that the Underworld collected the most powerful corpses from throughout history. This man, treated in such a manner, likely possessed an exceptionally defying identity, perhaps a legendary figure renowned throughout cultivation history.

"Battle slave, kill him!" the Ghost Commander bellowed. In his hand, a glittering artifact resembling a compass spun gently. As he turned it, all the divine needles embedded in the white-haired man inside the cage sprang out and vanished into the compass.

*CRACK!*

Some of the iron chains on the battle slave's body instantly snapped. A formidable aura, like a boiling sea of stars, erupted outwards, shaking the starry sky and causing everyone present to tremble.

No one had anticipated such power. With just a partial unsealing, he emitted an overwhelming aura. This was not a fluctuation of laws, but rather the release of the body's fundamental raw power.

It was overwhelming, like a terrifying tidal wave, pushing even the distant Sages flying backward, preventing anyone from approaching. This was immense might.

*CLANG!*

His hands and feet still bore shackles, not yet fully opened, and they were incredibly heavy. However, the parts connecting him to the cage had already snapped.

The man rose to his feet, revealing an astonishingly tall stature. He stepped out of the cage, his white hair flowing freely, and stood in the starry sky like an unyielding monument, exuding an aura of immortality.

"Awoooh..."

Suddenly, he let out a long howl directed at the sky, his white hair wildly disarrayed, revealing his true face. During this process, an unknown number of Sages coughed up mouthfuls of blood, their bodies trembling violently.

They had already retreated a considerable distance, yet they were still affected. Everyone was astonished, realizing that this individual's origin and power might be far more terrifying than they had imagined.

His face, framed by disheveled white hair, was covered in wrinkles, yet one could still discern the contours of his former self: resolute, indifferent, arrogant, and extraordinary!

In his youth, he must have been a dashing, tall man, and even in old age, his heroic bearing remained undiminished.

"An ancient corpse that hasn't fully awakened, yet his vitality hasn't decayed. How strange! How was he preserved?" The crowd was astonished.

The tall old man's gaze was clouded with a blood mist and haze, not very clear; it was more like blood-colored lightning intertwining within, chaotic and frantic, carrying an aura of world destruction.

The compass in the Ghost Commander's hand emitted a scorching light. He shouted, "Eliminate him!" Then, he vanished from his spot.

Everyone was deeply moved. No one could precisely determine how powerful this ancient white-haired man was; he was utterly unfathomable!

There were no fluctuations of magical power, only the most fundamental physical vital force, just like Ye Fan in his prime. Relying solely on this raw instinct, he could contend with the heroes of this era.

He stepped forward, and the cosmos itself seemed to crack under his feet, while the stars in all ten directions trembled. He stared intently at Xiao Song and continued his advance.

"Young man, run quickly! This person is clearly much stronger than you in cultivation. He's most likely from a former supreme bloodline, long since reached his peak, and ascended to the very apex!" someone from behind shouted.

Many felt an affection for this shy, timid youth and couldn't bear for him to come to harm, so they spoke out to warn him.

Xiao Song did not retreat. A brilliant light erupted from his brow, where a dazzling treasure wheel appeared, emitting an astonishing radiance. He softly called out, "Uncle, what's wrong? Please wake up."

Many showed expressions of doubt. It seemed like a special secret technique capable of stirring one's soul, causing many to feel as though their spirits were about to depart their bodies.

The Underworld figures all froze in astonishment, then revealed expressions of shock. This youth was truly extraordinary; what kind of scriptures and secret techniques had he mastered?

Everyone instinctively gazed at his Daoist pagoda. Its fifth layer was particularly radiant, flowing with immortal light and emitting auspicious colors. Within it, a figure sat cross-legged, chanting scriptures. This blessing transferred to Xiao Song, making the treasure wheel at his brow even more brilliant and causing it to emit periodic dragon roars.

"This is... Emperor Fuxi's Dragon Chant Daoist Roar!"

The Ghost Commander was stunned, barely able to believe what he was seeing, his face pale. This had an immense impact on the ancient corpse, especially for a battle slave on the verge of awakening yet still in a state of confusion; it was like a guiding beacon.

Everyone was filled with awe and shock.

Some powerful cultivators gazed at the Divine Mark Purple-Gold Pagoda, their eyes burning with fervor. This truly was a heaven-defying artifact, containing far more than just a single volume of incomplete scriptures.

The fifth layer of the pagoda glowed, its scriptures shimmering and densely arrayed in the void. Similarly, illusory figures sat cross-legged on the other eight layers, suggesting they too contained incomplete scriptures.

Where did this young lad come from, and which ancient ruins had he visited, to have acquired so many scriptures by relying on this psychic, immortal-connecting Daoist pagoda? It was truly astonishing.

The white-haired old man charged forward. With every step he took, the sky collapsed and tore open into endless chasms, as if a god had descended. Nothing in this world could impede him.

"Uncle, please wake up," Xiao Song's tender voice echoed, and the treasure wheel at his brow shone even more brightly. Furthermore, the fifth layer of the Purple-Gold Daoist Pagoda was connected to him, its descending beams of light transforming into a flowing radiance that made his brow even more dazzling.

The blood-colored lightning in the old man's eyes receded somewhat, his steps slowed, and a trace of bewilderment and doubt flickered across his face. Then, he once again let out an uncontrollable roar towards the sky.

The pagoda seemed to react, its nine layers simultaneously igniting with purple qi swirling upwards. It trembled, wailed, and called out, exhibiting an inexplicable connection with the old man before them.

"My pagoda!"

Suddenly, the old man surprisingly uttered those three words. Though his speech was unclear, they were still distinctly heard by all.

Everyone felt an uncontrollable shiver of horror, and even the Yin soldiers and generals sensed a grave turn of events, retreating like a tide. Who exactly was this man?

Xiao Song chanted scriptures, his voice blending the Dragon Chant Daoist Roar with Buddhist chants. Several layers of the ancient pagoda glowed simultaneously as he employed various astounding divine abilities to awaken the old man.

There was not a trace of murderous intent, no hint of aggression. Only the heart of a pure child, brimming with sincerity and an unblemished, spreading purity of mind, like spring rain silently nourishing all things.

Tiny specks of light showered down, entering the old man's head. His irritability and malevolence dissipated, and he gradually regained his calm.

"Fighting alone to the ends of the earth, a heroic life, I have lost..."

His eyes held both confusion and relief, a complex mixture, as he briefly settled into a state of tranquility.

Though his words were few, they were enough to trigger associations. One old Sage exclaimed, "I know who he is! Only he could be this powerful—he is Gu Xin'ao!"

His words caused a sensation.

Many recognized the name. He had once shaken the universe, earning a formidable reputation, and had only suffered one defeat in his entire life, which was by no means a disgrace.

This was because he was reputed to be the only one on the Emperor's Path capable of fiercely contending with Emperor Qing, having carved out the most brilliant mark in the annals of history one to two tens of thousands of years ago.

Emperor Qing was exceptionally formidable, shaking both ancient and modern times, undefeated throughout his life. He had always swept aside any opponent he encountered, and the only true obstacle he faced was Gu Xin'ao, with whom he had fought a great battle.

If Ye Fan were present, he would certainly be familiar with this name; Gu Xin'ao was a legendary figure in the Eternal Star Domain, of whom Ye Fan had heard.

He was once groomed as a battle slave by the Eternal Star Domain, with the intent of extracting his most potent blood. However, Gu Xin'ao fought his way out, inflicting terrible losses upon the Eternal Star Domain, which ultimately had to bow before him.

Some had even suggested that Ye Fan might become a second Gu Xin'ao, and now, a figure from the distant past had reappeared!

"He fought Emperor Qing before the latter achieved Dao, and though he lost, he didn't die. He went into seclusion to cultivate again, reportedly developing a method of transformation using his broken body. However, he never reappeared after his reclusive period," someone sighed softly.

Memories of the past resurfaced in everyone's minds, and all sighed in awe. This was the legendary Gu Xin'ao, a resolute, confident, and invincible figure—an adversary whom even Emperor Qing had to treat with utmost seriousness on the Emperor's Path.

No wonder he was so strong, so terrifying. No wonder the mere release of his physical primordial power caused such dreadful fluctuations that rippled across the galaxy.

"The pagoda... I left it to my descendants." Clearly, the Gu Xin'ao of today was no longer his former self. Emperor Qing was long dead, and Gu Xin'ao himself had passed away many years ago, with only fragmented remnants of his divine consciousness flickering through his blank sea of awareness.

It was precisely these fragmented old memories that made his gaze soften and fill with affection when he looked at Xiao Song.

"Uncle, I found this pagoda; it was left behind by a deceased Quasi-Emperor," Xiao Song gently whispered, not deceiving the old man whose mind was confused and acting mostly on instinct.

Gu Xin'ao had now regained a partial intellect, and was not as incommunicable as outsiders might imagine; he occasionally experienced flashes of insight.

"A childlike mind cannot be shackled by worldly burdens. To be 'close to immortality' means that when the dust settles, light is born."

The old man's gaze grew even softer, but tears also streamed down his face, though it was unclear whether they were for himself or for the fate of his descendants.

Everyone was shaken. This was the Gu Xin'ao who had once contended with Emperor Qing; had he truly recovered his memories? How could he be becoming so much more human and his flashes of insight growing stronger?

"BOOM!"

Suddenly, Gu Xin'ao turned, faced the hundreds of thousands of Yin soldiers and generals, raised his palm, and pressed it forward.

"Battle slave, return to your place!" the Ghost Commander screamed in terror.

Xiao Song sat cross-legged in the void, the treasure wheel on his brow shimmering, emitting the Dragon Chant Daoist Roar, and chanting incantations.

Gu Xin'ao plunged into the Underworld army. The ground beneath them fissured and the sky seemed to collapse as hundreds of thousands of Underworld troops were utterly annihilated, wiped clean!

On this day, the starry sky was greatly shaken!

A simple, pure-hearted youth who would blush when speaking, accompanied by Gu Xin'ao, set off towards the Heavenly Court. News of this spread throughout the cosmos, causing a great sensation and shaking all realms.