Chapter 872: Conquering the Forbidden Zone of Life

The Seven Great Forbidden Zones of Life are each a deadly abyss, traditionally allowing entry but no exit, with very few ever returning alive. The Primeval Abyss, in particular, ages the body, inherently opposing immortality. Instead of granting longevity, it causes rapid aging and death, a phenomenon that has inspired fear and awe since ancient times.

Yet, at this very moment, an astonishing battle is raging above it. Divine chains of order, like vibrant phoenix feathers, pierce the heavens and penetrate all directions, their power affecting the outside world and causing the earth to tremble and the sky to crack.

"Who could that be?" Ye Fan and the others were profoundly shaken, running swiftly through the primitive mountain range, circling the Forbidden Zone of Life to observe. They found an advantageous vantage point, bypassing the obstruction of the nine sacred mountain peaks. Soaring high into the sky, they gazed forward and immediately felt an overwhelming and terrifying aura.

"Such terrifying power! Above that abyss, all divine laws and dao powers can be annihilated. Yet, now such intense fluctuations are emanating from it. What kind of powerful entity is this?" Even the Black Sovereign was struck with awe.

"Someone is battling the Desolate Servants!" Ye Fan stated gravely. They all almost held their breath, contemplating the immense cultivation and audacity required to wage such a fierce battle on the nine sacred mountains.

A nimble figure, clad in battle armor with its head obscured, moved with astonishing speed, like a gust of wind or divine lightning. It would sink into the Primeval Abyss one moment and reappear on the cliffs of the sacred mountains the next. What incredible swiftness!

The Monkey immediately broke out in a cold sweat, feeling an intense surge of pressure. Even from such a distance, he experienced a heart-pounding sensation, despite having long ago reached the Immortal Three Dao-Severing realm!

Who was that person? Everyone was awestruck and stood frozen in amazement; even several Desolate Servants attacking together couldn't overcome them.

"Can the power of the Desolate not suppress that person's Dao principles? How can they battle within the Primeval Forbidden Zone without being reduced to a mere mortal body?"

"Did you see? Each of those Desolate Servants possesses immense magical power, like divine phoenixes reborn from fire. Their aura doesn't resemble that of puppets at all; they possess their own consciousness!"

"That person's power has been infinitely weakened; otherwise, they would be many times stronger than they are now. It's truly incredible that they haven't been destroyed by the Desolate."

Ye Fan, Pang Bo, Ji Ziyue, and the Black Sovereign were all utterly astonished, whispering to each other. This was an unprecedented event. How could one person be so powerful as to battle above the Primeval Forbidden Zone? They must be a Great Sage or even a Quasi-Emperor; otherwise, they would have no chance whatsoever!

Even the Monkey was wide-eyed and dumbfounded, sensing that supreme, terrifying aura. Someone battling here was akin to invading the Archaic Ancient Mine, as both were Forbidden Zones. The Monkey knew little about the Primeval Forbidden Zone but held immense reverence for the Archaic Ancient Mine. Even in primordial times, it was a secret realm; who would dare to attack it?

"Have heaven and earth truly changed? What kind of terrifying figure has appeared? Do they truly belong to this world, or could they be from beyond its confines?" Pang Bo was the first to consider this possibility. Back when they arrived aboard the Nine Dragons Coffin, appearing above the abyss, he wondered if someone else, like them, had traversed the star fields to enter this world.

Everyone found this plausible and highly likely, as a five-colored altar lay beneath the abyss, connected to regions beyond, forming an ancient starry path.

"The times have changed. How could such a supreme figure appear? Who will be able to achieve Dao after they've arrived in this world?" the Black Sovereign grumbled.

Ye Fan and the others moved swiftly, constantly repositioning themselves to prevent their view from being obstructed by the sacred mountains, particularly when the figure plunged into the abyss and became impossible to see.

"This is bad! The Desolate's aura is growing increasingly strong, already overflowing beyond the Forbidden Zone!" They quickly retreated, personally sensing a terrifying aura. Many animals in the mountains cried out in alarm; some jackals and wolves instantly aged and died, while fierce beasts with cultivation were struck with fear and immediately fled through the air.

"That person is being affected; they're not as strong as before and are about to be suppressed!" the Monkey said.

Above the Primeval Abyss, the agile figure narrowly avoided a heavy blow. Their assailants were all peerless masters, clad in incredibly ancient attire. Aside from the Saintess of Tianxuan, it was difficult to ascertain the era from which the others originated. The Saintess of Tianxuan moved like an immortal spirit descending to the mortal world, her white robes fluttering, her every gesture embodying laws as vast as the sea. Six thousand years ago, she was considered the most beautiful woman, captivating countless heroes. Sadly, she was now in a dazed state, and all who once admired her had long since turned to dust.

A wave of fluctuations spread outward. Eight Desolate Servants attacked, suppressing the figure into the depths of the abyss, which was now densely covered in Dao light. Within the Forbidden Zone, these eight were unsuppressed and wielded their greatest power.

Everyone's hearts sank. Yet, at that very moment, a colossal boom erupted, sending a powerful wave of fluctuations outward that threw them all backward.

"An Archaic Sovereign!" The Monkey was the first to cry out in alarm. At that moment, they sensed an ineffable wave of supreme divine laws, as if the heavens and earth were being created, with chaos surging. Everyone almost trembled, rushing swiftly into the distance to evade these ripples, not daring to halt for even a step. It felt akin to the end of the world.

Beside Ji Ziyue, the small golden phoenix chirped timidly and fearfully, burying itself in her embrace. This divine bird possessed the keenest spiritual perception. The figure surged from beneath the Primeval Abyss, radiating nine-colored brilliance that illuminated the heavens. All the Desolate Servants immediately leaped back into the abyss, as if fleeing immortals, none daring to confront it or linger for even a moment.

The aura of an Ancient Great Emperor!

Ye Fan, the Black Sovereign, and Ji Ziyue all paled. Having rushed to a considerable distance, they gazed toward the depths of the Primeval Forbidden Zone, their faces filled with disbelief.

Who is it? Who on earth is this person?!

"It's definitely not a living Great Emperor. Someone must be wielding an ultimate Imperial Weapon!" In that moment, they understood why the figure could wield the power of laws within the Forbidden Zone of Life: they possessed such a heaven-defying weapon.

"Even with an Imperial Weapon, this person must be a Saint, and a top-tier master among them. Otherwise, they would still perish, simply because this is the Primeval Forbidden Zone!" the Black Sovereign stated.

The Monkey's fiery eyes glowed as he stared intently at the abyss, muttering, "That's an Ancient Sovereign Weapon!" The agile figure surged from the abyss, swaying slightly itself, clearly having sustained an impact. The so-called weapon was the battle armor on its body, which emitted nine kinds of dreamlike light.

Everyone was surprised. The weapons of ancient Great Emperors were typically offensive, and none seemed to be battle armor. This person's weapon was vastly different, practically unheard of.

"It's someone from Divine Silkworm Ridge... they want to retrieve the Nine Marvelous Immortal Medicine!" the Monkey said, recognizing the Ancient Sovereign Battle Armor and deducing the person's origin.

In the Archaic era, the Nine Marvelous Divine Medicine vanished, its whereabouts unknown. Eons passed, millions of years drifting by. Now rooted in the Primeval Forbidden Zone, the Divine Silkworm clan naturally desired to reclaim it. In fact, over the years, not only their clan but also other royal and imperial clans had made several attempts to obtain this immortal medicine, but all had ended in failure.

"The Nine Transformations of the Divine Silkworm are invincible throughout heaven and earth. In fact, to become an Archaic Sovereign, one still requires a final, grand sublimation—the ultimate transformation!" the Monkey said. The Ancient Sovereign Weapon of Divine Silkworm Ridge possessed astonishing, unparalleled defensive power. Its forging into battle armor was linked to the growth of their clan, which constantly undergoes transformations, akin to shedding successive layers of divine garments.

"It's... the Divine Silkworm Princess!" Ye Fan recalled the scene at the Jade Lake Grand Gathering. After this unparalleled princess was resurrected, her formidable power was unrivaled; she had killed an Ancestor King with a single touch and once declared her intent to come to the Primeval Forbidden Zone to retrieve her clan's immortal medicine.

"Brother Monkey, that's your prospective aunt!" Li Heishui exclaimed. The Divine Silkworm Princess was able to be resurrected because they had cut her out from a stone gamble, and then the Monkey had tirelessly sought divine medicine. Otherwise, she would still be slumbering beneath the earth.

"I understand now! Not only does she want to extract the Nine Marvelous Divine Medicine, but she might also want to force my uncle out!" the Monkey exclaimed, highly agitated. Over the years, he had traveled to the Western Desert several times to seek an audience with the Victorious Fighting Buddha, but all his attempts had failed. That ancient Buddha on Mount Sumeru, who secluded himself year-round to comprehend the mysteries of life and death, had long since issued a decree instructing the old monks that he would not see anyone. The people of Divine Silkworm Ridge must have already sent word to the Great Thunderclap Temple on Mount Sumeru!

"The Victorious Fighting Buddha is coming!?" Pang Bo immediately grew excited, leaning forward and saying, "Brother Monkey, you don't know this, but when I was in my hometown, your clan was the one I admired most." The Monkey found this baffling and ignored him, blinking his fiery golden eyes and staring at the nine sacred mountains, feeling somewhat nervous. After all, it was an ancient death trap; even if the Divine Silkworm Princess was incredibly powerful and protected by the Ancient Sovereign Battle Armor, her strength would eventually wane.

"Clang, clang..." Harsh, clanging sounds of divine chains emanated, sending shivers down everyone's spines. Even from an immense distance, they could hear it clearly, as if a peerless Demonic Emperor, locked away for eons, had been unleashed. The agitation was so intense it threatened to shatter their primordial spirits, forcing them to retreat even further.

"Boom!" A towering black mist surged upward, engulfing the entire Primeval Abyss and obscuring the nine sacred mountains. A chilling aura erupted from the Forbidden Zone of Life, permeating the surrounding lands!

The Divine Silkworm Princess bore the brunt of the impact, sent flying sideways. That was the power of the Desolate, capable of instantly aging a Saint into dust. Even the Great Sage Huntuo would struggle to withstand it for long. Had it not been for the Ancient Sovereign Battle Armor, she would undoubtedly have turned to dust the instant those mists surged upward!

"This is bad! The most terrifying thing has happened. The Divine Silkworm Princess isn't an Ancient Great Emperor, after all; even with the Imperial Armor protecting her, it's not enough. If what's inside bursts out, she will surely perish!" the Black Sovereign exclaimed.

"Clang, clang..." The chilling clanging of iron chains resonated, as if a deity from hell had unlatched its shackles, breaking free and bursting into the mortal world. A blurry black figure slowly emerged from beneath the abyss. It was impossible to tell if it was male or female, or even human or beast. It wielded rough iron chains hundreds to thousands of feet long, radiating a fearsome aura that intimidated the world.

"The Desolate... a being emerged from beneath the abyss, not like those previous Desolate Servants!" The Divine Silkworm Princess, who had fallen some distance away, coughed up large mouthfuls of blood. Before that terrifying supreme being, she found herself unable to contend, continuously spitting blood from the sheer power of its aura.

"It's too terrifying! Without the protection of the Divine Silkworm Clan's supreme Ancient Sovereign Battle Armor, even the Divine Silkworm Princess would have long since been annihilated!" This was the first time they had witnessed someone so powerful, daring to confront an Archaic Sovereign's weapon. It was truly astonishing to the world!

"The Divine Silkworm Princess probably can't even advance to fight anymore. Even if Divine Silkworm Ridge's battle armor is unparalleled, it's not the Ancient Sovereign itself, after all!" the big black dog said.

"Oh no, the Princess is in danger!" the Monkey cried out. Because, within the towering black mist, that blurry figure was slowly emerging from the abyss, pressing forward. How could the Divine Silkworm Princess possibly resist?

"Boom!" Suddenly, a violent tremor erupted from another direction of the Forbidden Zone of Life, unleashing an ultimate Dao power that dominated heaven and earth, as if instantly piercing through past, present, and future.

A massive staff radiated immense sacred light, crushing through eons and striking down towards several sacred mountains. Its brilliance illuminated the heavens, and the Fighting Saint Sovereign's aura swept across the sun, moon, and stars!

"It's—my father's weapon!" the Monkey cried out, immensely excited.

The Fighting Saint Sovereign's weapon slammed down, instantly shaking out several ancient talismans. Golden light, ten thousand feet high, burst forth.