Chapter 1018: Heavenly Fetus

This place is known as Huaguo Mountain. Lush trees abound, bathed in verdant light. The mountain produces numerous rare fruits, and pollen constantly permeates the air, a phenomenon renowned in the vicinity for promoting biological evolution.

It borders the sea, offering views of the undulating silver ocean, where colossal, mountain-like beasts occasionally emerge from the depths.

Near Huaguo Mountain, spiritual energy surges, and radiant streams flow like tides, brimming with vibrant vitality. Streaks of crimson light and swirling purple mists are common, and the abundant Yang energy, in particular, nourishes all living things.

This area features vermilion cliffs and strange rock formations, with sheer precipices and unique peaks. Spirit mushrooms and ginseng are rooted between the stone peaks, enveloped in a swirling essence that emits a rich, fragrant aroma.

Within the mountains dwell long-lived deer and golden foxes, whose fur glows, indicating their profound cultivation. Perched on the trees are spiritual birds and dark cranes with vibrant, splendid wings. Their evolutionary stages are remarkably high, and auspicious beasts and sacred birds are not uncommon.

The terrain here conceals profound cosmic mysteries, protected by spiritual formations laid down by the disciples of Great Powers, and guarded by Dao children left by Heavenly Venerables.

All the creatures in the mountain have become sentient, closely watching the mountain peak, awaiting the emergence of a sacred spirit.

"Hmm, our sect's founder once said that the Heavenly Embryo requires only one more opportune moment to emerge. When heaven and earth align, and a wisp of creation energy from the primordial era descends, this embryo will finally hatch."

An old fox, its fur gleaming with golden light, spoke. This was a sacred fox.

In the nearby area, many other sentient creatures stood guard, serving as the eyes and ears for certain Heavenly Venerables and Great Powers, and not lacking in divine birds and auspicious beasts.

On this day, a streak of light appeared in the sky, swiftly plummeting downwards, causing a violent tremor in heaven and earth and a roar of the Great Dao, thereby shattering the tranquility of the place.

No one could clearly see what it was; shrouded in chaos, it descended as a blurry, indistinct mass.

Without a doubt, the super formation guarding Huaguo Mountain was activated and triggered, causing the area to be turned upside down. Runes interwove across the sky, and purple energy surged for thirty thousand miles.

This was the mountain-protecting formation laid down by the disciples of a Great Power!

In a fierce collision, the streak of light retreated, while a wisp of creation energy descended into the mountain.

When everything calmed down, it was as if nothing had happened; the scene remained as peaceful as before.

Time flowed on.

Amidst Huaguo Mountain, ancient trees were lush green, medicinal herbs covered the ground, and radiant light shimmered everywhere.

The mountain body was majestic, grand, and towering.

The cliff walls were translucent, like jade, and also bore ancient stone tablet engravings that emanated a primordial aura.

At the very center of the mountain peak lay a peculiar stone, naturally formed with nine orifices and eight openings. It absorbed the essence of the sun and moon, gathering the spiritual beauty of heaven and earth, and hundreds of auspicious rays of light shot forth from it day and night.

Nearby, both the rocks and the soil were crystalline and lustrous, imbued with rich essence from heaven and earth, overflowing with vibrant life energy.

"Hmm, the Heavenly Venerables have sensed that this place has been touched by creation, and the creature being nurtured here is about to be born!"

New guardians, with very high evolutionary stages, appeared here from various places. They included Dao children of Heavenly Venerables and fierce beasts raised by Great Powers.

These individuals had serious expressions, all eyeing the stone egg, waiting for its emergence, and eager to claim it as their disciple.

The peculiar stone was nourished by heavenly essence and nurtured by the essence of the earth's veins, gradually becoming sentient over the ages, and forming a Heavenly Embryo within.

Amidst the surge of spiritual energy, the peculiar stone seemed to breathe, its nine orifices and eight openings fully open, absorbing the world's essence and creation matter.

Nearby, creatures such as the Suanni with glowing golden fur and dark sparrows with vibrant red wings were all guarding, closely watching the changes in the peculiar stone on the mountain peak.

It should be known that Heavenly Venerables rarely appear in the mortal realm, perhaps once in countless years. Yet now, some have awakened and are observing this place from distant lands.

As for Great Powers, they are even more legendary in the history of evolution. Even after countless ancient and splendid golden eras have passed, their traces are hard to find; they very rarely appear.

In fact, in the present age, some even doubt whether the Great Powers of history truly existed.

However, this place had the eyes and ears of three or four Great Powers, who had arranged their subordinates in advance to contend for the Heavenly Embryo, intending to take it as their personal disciple.

Therefore, recently, the atmosphere in Dongsheng Divine Continent was tense and peculiar. The Great Powers were all alarmed, vying for a disciple, which caused immense commotion.

On this day, the scorching sun hung high, the Golden Crow cried out, and dazzling light spilled down, enveloping Huaguo Mountain. The Yang energy was intensely concentrated.

The peculiar stone's nine orifices and eight openings furiously absorbed vital essence, inhaling and exhaling energy extracts. Enveloped in Yang energy, it was on the verge of emerging.

*Crack!*

The stone body cracked, and then divine light shot into the sky, followed by a violent tremor. The entire mountain range rumbled, erupting with terrifying brilliance, like a volcanic eruption.

With a *boom*, the stone embryo was born, soaring into mid-air.

This was a Heavenly Embryo, naturally endowed with divine abilities, manifesting extraordinary phenomena, and born into the world with innate divine powers.

Otherwise, the patriarchs of various sects would not pay attention, nor would those top-tier great figures rush to take it as a disciple.

This was a stone person, with a nine-orifice body, expanding with the wind. It automatically absorbed Yang energy and condensed energy substances, becoming dazzling all over. Its stone body began to transform into flesh and blood, transitioning into a normal living being.

Moreover, at this moment, its aura soared to the heavens. As it looked up, two golden beams of light pierced through the sky.

It naturally possessed Fiery Golden Eyes, allowing it to gaze through outer domains and survey the primordial land.

Immediately, the patriarchs of some super evolutionary traditions, which had existed for over a hundred million years, were all startled. Any powerful individual observing this place felt a shock to their core.

Fiery Golden Eyes could actually be an innate ability? They were astonished.

Even in the Yang World, on this vast and boundless land, those who possessed Fiery Golden Eyes from ancient times until now were extremely rare, as it was exceedingly difficult to acquire.

Some acquired it by chance, aided by a Great Power, which unlocked a special bloodline, leading to the appearance of these golden eyes.

Other creatures risked their lives entering the Tai Shang's Eight Trigrams Furnace formation, enduring deadly trials, only then burning out a pair of fiery eyes. Of course, under this method, ninety-nine percent of the heaven-defying geniuses were burned to death, failing to succeed.

Therefore, the fact that this Heavenly Embryo was born with Fiery Golden Eyes astonished the Heavenly Venerables and Great Powers observing the area, making them value it even more.

"My disciple!"

A majestic voice descended from beyond the sky, intending to guide the Heavenly Embryo away. Someone had made the first move.

"Stop! Our sect has guarded this stone embryo for unknown ages, long considering it our disciple. You shall not seize it!" roared a fierce bird.

This was a nine-headed bird, its wings spread wide, covering the blue sky like dark clouds, casting a vast shadow on the ground and bringing an endless sense of oppression.

"Hmph, this is the personal disciple chosen by a Great Power! All of you, retreat!" A fierce beast emerged, scolding the others.

"My ancestor is also a Great Power! Who are you telling to retreat?!" An old wolf appeared, entirely white, glaring disdainfully at everyone.

The next moment, they took action, directly confronting each other, each domineeringly attempting to seize the stone embryo. All these traditions wished to take it as their disciple.

For a time, the super formation of this place hummed lightly, emitting crystalline rune light. If not for this, the area would have been shattered immediately, and seawater would have surged in.

At a crucial moment, a colossal black hand stretched down from the sky, reaching towards Huaguo Mountain to seize the stone embryo.

Great Powers could not personally make a move; although they desired to take a disciple, they were not so eager as to intervene themselves. Their disciples were there to guide this stone embryo.

*Boom!*

There were also Heavenly Venerables who personally intervened, full of confidence, daring to contend with Great Powers for a disciple. As long as the Great Powers dormant in renowned mountains did not personally arrive, there was nothing to fear.

This was because this Heavenly Venerable's master was still alive, having been in slumber for countless ages.

In this area, several colossal hands collided above the sky, creating a terrifying sight. It was the intertwining of order, the roaring of the Great Dao of heaven and earth, with each side employing top-tier combat techniques.

"This stone embryo is fated with my master. Everyone, do not contend. We're leaving!"

Someone spoke, descending from above. He conjured a small white jade arch bridge, which spanned between Huaguo Mountain and the edge of the sky, carrying him and the Heavenly Embryo rapidly away.

In the process, others attacked one after another, and even Heavenly Venerables descended, striking fiercely, but they were unable to stop him. Their colossal hands struck the spot, but it was like hitting a mirage, utterly useless.

"This is a true... Cross-realm Bridge, a supreme treasure of the Yang World!" Someone gasped, then sighed softly, filled with loss and regret.

He knew that the Heavenly Embryo he had set his sights on could not be seized; it had already passed him by. He had painfully lost this most ideal disciple, who would most likely become a Great Power in the future!

Heaven and earth returned to tranquility; the dispute over the disciple ended, and the Heavenly Embryo had found its sect and master to learn from.

The events of *Shrouding the Heavens*, the Great Emperor Ruthless, and Chen Dong himself have been condensed into an article and posted on my WeChat. Interested readers can search for the official WeChat account: Chen Dong, and after adding me, send the two characters "异域" (Foreign Land) to view it.