Chapter 806: Strong to the End

Shrouding the Heavens, Chapter 808: Relentless to the End

The Monkey was full of murderous intent and exuded boundless dominance. His heavy black-gold iron rod pointed forward, as if it could smash down an empire spanning tens of thousands of miles!

A being with nine beautiful female heads and a phoenix body spoke, "The Myriad Races Grand Assembly is about to begin. All killing is now forbidden; peace is paramount."

However, the Monkey had already swung his great rod, slashing forward, causing sand and stones to fly everywhere. Even nearby small mountains were being uprooted and threatened to collapse. He had already made his move, intending to kill the Heavenly Sovereign's Son. He was incredibly forceful and overbearing, completely ignoring any advice.

The Mountain Lord of Blood Phoenix Seventeen Peaks, the Cave Master of Fire Kylin Thirteen Caves, and others—these were transcendent beings. Great clans that had produced Ancient Sovereigns held unparalleled, exalted status, and all other clans would show them reverence. Who else would dare disrespect them? However, facing them now were the Heavenly Sovereign's Son and the Saint Sovereign's Son, both with astonishing backgrounds, which put these elders in a difficult position. Since neither side heeded their advice and the conflict did not cease, but escalated to a life-and-death struggle, their hearts pounded. If these were ordinary individuals, they would have already struck them down for ignoring their counsel.

"Clang!" Sparks shot out in rapid succession, like meteors piercing the sky, drawing dazzling light outside the Jade Lake. Several old servants stepped forward together, straining to block this earth-shattering blow. They all stumbled back, large steps at a time, blood spilling from the corners of their mouths. The Monkey was unparalleled in divine bravery. His great rod was heavy and powerful, with surging qi. Several small mountains nearby were uprooted by the force of his swing, rumbling and collapsing, creating a terrifying scene. Representatives from many great clans were shaken to their cores. This was the true son of the Battling Saint Sovereign; he possessed such battle prowess immediately after his initial path-severing. Who among the younger generation could contend with him?

"Both Imperial Sons, please calm your anger. Whatever grievances you have can be discussed and reasoned out inside the Jade Lake. Do not engage in a large conflict here," an ancient being of great age spoke. At this point, even the imperial families of Divine Silkworm Ridge and Primeval Lake found it difficult to intervene in the conflict between the two Imperial Sons, as neither was an ordinary individual.

The Heavenly Sovereign's Son's identity was self-evident: he was the sole bloodline of a divine being, revered by all clans. Moreover, many guardians of the nine great dragon veins outside the Ancient Sovereign Mountain had survived and were not annihilated by Wu Shi, so he now had a considerably powerful force behind him.

As for the Monkey, he was no easy target either. Especially recently, he had become a figure of apprehension, one whom people dared not provoke or offend. This was because Buddhist chants came from the Western Desert, indicating that the Victorious Fighting Buddha on Mount Sumeru was still alive and was very likely the Monkey's biological uncle. This placed a heavy stone, a weighty pressure, on the hearts of all major imperial families. The Battling Saint Sovereign's younger brother had avoided his elder brother's era and lived into the current age, possibly able to attain enlightenment in the future, which was a huge deterrent. Previously, hearing that the Monkey had been targeted by some auspicious clans did not seem like a big deal, but now it was completely different. Who would dare try petty tricks?

No one dared to make things difficult for him anymore. If anyone else had caused trouble before the assembly began, they would have been instantly eliminated. But these two were more formidable than the other, and even the major imperial clans dared not make a move. Ultimately, two great clans that had produced Ancient Sovereigns stepped forward and stood between them, finally halting the conflict. People from Blood Phoenix Mountain and Fire Kylin Cave stepped out to block them, preventing the two sides from approaching each other. This served as an explanation to those behind the two Imperial Sons, ensuring they would not fight to the death.

The Monkey was unyielding, completely unwilling to stop. In front of everyone, he openly cursed the Heavenly Sovereign's Son, stating that this matter, regarding the previous alliance of masters who pursued and tried to kill him, was far from over.

"Saint Sovereign's Son, what do you intend to do?" an ancient, elderly being asked. The Monkey insisted on killing the Heavenly Sovereign's Son and refused to back down. The Battling Saint Ape clan was extremely powerful, and having been relentlessly pursued for half a year, he was seething with rage.

"This is indeed a serious issue. As the son of the Battling Saint Sovereign, to be pursued and hunted by mere servants is a blasphemy against an Ancient Sovereign." Someone from the Divine Silkworm Ridge lineage, who had remained silent until then, stepped forward and uttered these words. Their status was esteemed, and they held significant influence among the myriad races.

Not far away, the Heavenly Sovereign's Son's expression immediately changed, but he said nothing. A major clan had sided with the Monkey, which was not a good sign. "Indeed, without an explanation, this is quite unreasonable," another member of an ancient royal family nodded in agreement. Those inclined to the Heavenly Sovereign's Son's side had a bad premonition. If the situation escalated, would they really let the two Imperial Sons fight to the death?

"It was all our fault. We should not have acted on our own initiative, nor should we have harbored hostility towards the Saint Sovereign's Son, let alone led a pursuit. We, the old servants, are willing to atone with our deaths," several old servants from behind the Heavenly Sovereign's Son stepped forward.

"Indeed, for mere servants to dare try to kill the only son of the Battling Saint Sovereign, that truly went too far. They should be punished," the person from Divine Silkworm Ridge nodded and said. Many people's expressions changed; it was clear they were siding with the Monkey. However, they did not press too hard; they only demanded the execution of these few old servants, without truly targeting the Heavenly Sovereign's Son himself.

"We beg the Saint Sovereign's Son for forgiveness with our deaths!" These three old servants were indeed decisive and direct. They instantly shattered their own primordial spirits, their foreheads cracking open, choosing to die on the spot.

The Heavenly Sovereign's Son's eyes were incredibly sinister, and his face turned ashen. Two terrifying beams of light shot from his eyes. "If you're not convinced, then step forward and fight me yourself!" The Monkey remained strong, pressing his black-gold great rod forward.

"Enough, let's stop here. Those who groundlessly attempted to kill the Saint Sovereign's Son certainly deserve execution, but there's no need to escalate the situation further." The person from Fire Kylin Cave spoke, and some other great clans assented.

At this moment, many ancient beings were silent with fear. This was truly a fight between divine beings; they dared not get involved. The waters were too deep, possibly involving the opposition and alliances of several major clans.

As soon as the Monkey arrived, he personally bludgeoned two people to death and then forced three more to die. All five guardians by the Heavenly Sovereign's Son were dead, chilling many and making them feel his overwhelming power. This was undoubtedly a slap in the face for the Heavenly Sovereign's Son. Especially with the latter three being publicly forced to their deaths, his knuckles turned pale. People dared not discuss it, and many felt a chill in their hearts. Although today was a confrontation between the Saint Sovereign's Son and the Heavenly Sovereign's Son, it also revealed some issues within the imperial families.

The Monkey was not relentless; he knew when to stop. The commotion today had reached a sufficient point; going further would not be ideal. The incident thus passed. Many cultivators walked into the Jade Lake, and people dared not approach either of the two Imperial Sons too closely, fearing hostility from the other side.

The Human Sacred Body walked alongside the Monkey, drawing much attention, though no one dared to say much. Having previously dared to openly call the Heavenly Sovereign's Son an 'egg' and Yuan Gu a 'watermelon', their gathering now was perfectly normal, both being equally lawless.

"Everyone says the Heavenly Sovereign's Son has the greatest talent of all time, with one year of his cultivation equaling a hundred years for others. Once he successfully completes his path-severing, he will surely go mad seeking revenge."

"The Battling Saint Ape clan is as rare as phoenix feathers or qilin horns. Even during the peak of the Ancient Era, there were only three to five of them, yet each was heaven-defying. With such a small population, they ranked among the imperial families and ruled the world. Do you think the sole bloodline of the Saint Sovereign would have poor talent?"

The assembly was still several days away, and various clans were discussing privately, but no one dared to rashly choose a side. This was a grand era. All ancient imperial bloodlines were like slumbering divine lions, all having arrived in the same epoch, and they would all awaken. Not just these two, but also Huang Xudao, Huo Qilin, and others. It was difficult to say who was weaker or stronger.

Snow orchids diffused their fragrance, their branches swaying as countless petals, white as snow, drifted down. This was an ancient forest, entirely composed of sturdy snow orchid trees, exuding a rich fragrance. Among their green leaves hung snow-white jade-like flowers, refreshing the heart and mind.

Ye Fan, the Monkey, and Duan De sat around a stone table under an auspicious tree, drinking heartily and feeling very relaxed. Soon after, Li Tian and Li Heishui found their way there and joined them.

"Brother Monkey is mighty!""Brother Monkey is domineering!"

All of them felt very satisfied, especially Li Heishui, who utterly detested the Heavenly Sovereign's Son. He had once been hunted to a point where he wished for death, and if not for the Monkey's rescue years ago, he would have long been dead.

"Your Highness, your clan had fewer than ten members even at its peak. How did it manage to reproduce?" Li Tian was most concerned about such vital matters of life and was constantly researching them.

The Monkey was rather speechless but eventually admitted that their bloodline was very dominant; they could intermarry with other clans, and any offspring born would undoubtedly be a Saint Ape.

Duan De also smiled and said, "Your Highness, where is your clan's sacred mountain? When can you take us for a visit? I have immense reverence for the Battling Saint Sovereign."

The Monkey was a man of passion. Hearing this, he patted Duan De's shoulder and said, "There will be a chance; I'll take you someday."

"Duan the Fatso, aren't you shameless? I bet you're eyeing the Battling Saint Ape clan's burial grounds, aren't you?" Ye Fan hastily interjected, stopping the Monkey and urging him to keep his mouth shut.

"How can you question my character? I merely wish to verify the supreme majesty of the Battling Saint Sovereign!" Duan De declared with an honest expression.

Hearing this, the Monkey's expression turned grim, but ultimately he poured Duan De a cup of wine and said, "Later, I'll take you into the Primeval Ancient Mine. Help me bring something out."

"Don't be so ruthless," Duan De quickly shook his head, flatly refusing, "Forgive me... I'm powerless to help."

For several days, many individuals from various clans arrived. Each day, divine bells rang, signifying the arrival of eminent beings worthy of a public welcome. However, the human race remained in an awkward position; apart from a single Barbarian King, no one capable of commanding the situation had appeared.

On this day, there was another commotion outside the Jade Lake. Yuan Gu, from a demonic mountain within Primeval Lake, appeared—another ancient imperial bloodline. As expected, Yuan Gu walked together with the Heavenly Sovereign's Son. After entering the Jade Lake, they walked side by side, facing Ye Fan and the Monkey from a distance.

"So that's Yuan Gu!" Ye Fan watched him indifferently.

He was a tall, robust young man with waist-length black hair and bronze skin. Bands of demonic mist swirled around him, exuding a strong sense of oppression. His eyes were very peculiar: his left eye contained a black sun, and his right eye held a blood moon, appearing incredibly eerie. Ordinary people dared not meet his gaze, which could affect one's primordial spirit. He stood silently, like a black demonic mountain. His physical body seemed capable of crushing this world, filling people with fear and trembling.

As soon as he appeared, he confronted Ye Fan and the Monkey, immediately causing a commotion. Many cultivators rushed to watch from a distance. "How ridiculous," Yuan Gu sneered, his face filled with cold indifference. "The Myriad Races Grand Assembly is about to begin, and the human race has only brought a single Barbarian King. There are barely any presentable figures." He continued, "When the assembly officially starts, Ancestral Kings will be personally attending. I wonder who from the human race will appear to sit as their equals. Most likely, there won't be anyone worthy of sitting at the same table!"

Many human cultivators present were indignant but dared not speak. This was indeed a fact: relatively speaking, the human race truly lacked masters capable of deterring other factions.

---Chen Dong recently wrote a short story titled "Biographies of Swordsmen," which is a small tale of over ten thousand characters. Interested friends can look it up by searching for Chen Dong's Weibo on Tencent.