Chapter 960: Former Emperor's Old Path

Chapter 960: The Ancient Path of the Heavenly Emperor

The Stone Fox, silent for a century, suddenly let out a cry, causing Chu Feng to stumble, dropping it onto the ground with a thud, and immediately backing away.

Now startled, it shrieked, flapping its fiery red wings, tumbling away to stop a distance off, looking timid and fearful, clearly shaken.

“You little brat, are you trying to kill me by dropping me?!” The Stone Fox was furious, having sensed that Chu Feng had picked it up, as if he truly intended to throw it into the depths of the forbidden zone.

What was most infuriating was that he had simply dropped it onto the ground in the end.

With a serious expression, Chu Feng said, “Senior, do you realize I’ve saved you again? You owe me an immense karmic debt!”

This was a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black, combined with desperately trying to claim credit.

Chu Feng told the Limping Heavenly Venerate that if he hadn’t woken it, the Stone Fox would have remained dormant for the rest of its life, never waking up again, effectively being as good as dead.

If the Stone Fox weren't a statue, it would have given him a side-eye, then a fox-paw slap to show him a thing or two.

Little Vermilion Bird, with tears in her big eyes, both cried and laughed, saying, “Senior, thankfully Chu Feng woke you up. You’ve been dormant for a century; we all thought you had passed away.”

If the Stone Fox had flesh and blood, its face would surely twitch. ‘Thankfully that kid?’ It was completely infuriated awake by him!

It wanted to say that it wasn't dead at all; it had been alive all along, merely choosing to ignore Chu Feng and conserve its energy by hibernating.

“I never thought, you little rascal, with your dark heart and ruthless methods, you’d actually try to harm me and throw me into the deepest part of the forbidden zone!” it scolded Chu Feng.

Chu Feng immediately smiled. He had always suspected the old fellow wasn't dead; after all, as a Heavenly Venerate from the Yang Realm, how could it perish so easily?

Moreover, even if it were to die, it would likely cause a huge commotion.

Given the Stone Fox’s personality, it likely wouldn’t die in a pathetic manner. Judging by its usual demeanor, it had always been unwilling, so how could it just pass away quietly on its own?

Overall, the Limping Heavenly Venerate seemed decent enough, but it surely harbored a lot of mischievousness deep down that hadn't yet surfaced.

“Senior, lend a hand, please! Go into that forbidden zone and help us retrieve some good fortunes!” Chu Feng spoke, asking for its assistance.

“If I could act, would I still be crippled and petrified? Who would want to stay in this hopeless world?” The Limping Heavenly Venerate shook its head and sighed, implying in a single sentence that it couldn't help.

“You don’t need to act directly. I’ve thoroughly researched domain theory, and I’m now at the peak of the Saint Master level, almost touching the Divine Master realm. After a century of lonely contemplation, I’ve finally devised a method, but it requires cooperation. It seems your immortal Heavenly Venerate body is most suitable for blocking a crucial node in the forbidden zone, helping us deflect fatal calamities…”

“Stop talking!” The Stone Fox’s face darkened. Was he treating it like a sandbag, to plug a breach in an energy dam and withstand the impact of overwhelming torrents of order?

“So, you agree?” Chu Feng asked, putting on an ingratiating expression.

“Get lost, you’re just too cunning!” The Limping Heavenly Venerate refused outright, vehemently disagreeing. It immediately recounted some terrifying events, stating that Heavenly Venerates had indeed perished in the forbidden zones of the Yang Realm, and it had witnessed it firsthand.

“With your immense power, it would be enough for you to serve as a shield for a dozen or so fatal calamities; I guarantee your safety!”

Although the Limping Heavenly Venerate was petrified, it was clear its face darkened. Not just once, but a dozen times? It wanted to spit golden lotus phlegm all over Chu Feng’s face.

Seeing its darkened face, Chu Feng pressed on with his persuasion, saying, “I’ve conducted experiments. I once found a half-broken divine short sword and made forty to fifty cuts on you, but you didn’t react, didn’t even wake up, and there wasn’t even a scratch on your body.”

“I’ll swat you dead!” The Stone Fox shook violently, almost leaping up to slap him. This bastard actually used a knife on it?

“I meant no harm, I was just testing how hard your Heavenly Venerate body truly is. The facts prove that even twenty-eight chops to your face caused no damage, demonstrating your unparalleled physique. You can definitely handle it and help us block a few fatal calamities in the forbidden zone.”

Chu Feng droned on, telling the Stone Fox that he had calculated with domain techniques that by blocking those few calamities, they would obtain great fortunes and valuable items from the forbidden zone.

“I’ll destroy you, old man!” With a clang, the Stone Fox emitted a faint light around its body, tumbling over and crashing towards Chu Feng.

At the same time, its face was covered in black stone patterns, as it said, “You want to use me as a meat shield, and then you say my skin is thick. Are you mocking me, a Heavenly Venerate?!”

Ultimately, Chu Feng failed to recruit it. Despite his repeated clarifications, the Stone Fox indifferently gave him some advice, suggesting that there was still hope if he could reach the Divine Realm, otherwise, he shouldn’t even think about entering the Nine Heavens of the forbidden zone.

Chu Feng sighed, quietly turning to cultivate. There were only eight months left until the century mark, and time truly was running out. The most effective shortcut to becoming a god was to obtain a divine core from the forbidden zone!

Unfortunately, this path was impassable, and he would have to rely on himself.

He had been stuck at the peak of the Illumination Realm for some years, just like when he rushed into the Saint-level Grand Completion. He was one step away from breaking through, but he simply couldn’t make it.

Over the years, he had killed quite a few Illumination-level creatures in the forbidden zone, absorbing more than enough divine particles.

“You are too eager for success; haste makes waste. The more you desire to break through, the more the subtle order of the cosmos will suppress you, preventing you from moving forward and comprehending the final step to becoming a god,” the Stone Fox advised.

This time, Chu Feng was quiet, listening attentively, appearing to humbly seek guidance.

Then… there was no ‘then.’ The Stone Fox didn’t elaborate on the method to become a god; it had no desire to preach at all.

“Senior, you’re just toying with me,” Chu Feng said, looking disdainful.

The Stone Fox said seriously, “Throughout history, from ancient Heavenly Venerates to mighty beings from primordial times, none have ever been known to require guidance when breaking through realms. They would rather remain stuck at a certain level for a long time than abandon the opportunity for their own enlightenment. That is destiny, a struggle against heaven to seize fragments of creation from the cosmos. Are you willing to give that up?”

Chu Feng sighed. He merely wanted to become a god right now. He had accumulated a significant amount of gray mist within his body, and he came from an unconventional background. He had no intention of using his current state to dominate the world; perfection was not necessary at this stage.

“I just want to become a god to enhance my combat power; time is truly running short.”

“Such a desperate pursuit of quick success is not good. Don’t let hatred blind your eyes and ruin your future,” the Limping Heavenly Venerate solemnly advised.

Chu Feng sighed softly, saying, “I am seeking revenge, but I am also cultivating. I’ve prepared a fallback plan for myself, having found a method recorded in the handbook you gave me, which discusses how to cultivate the strongest geniuses.”

The Stone Fox pondered, then was moved, saying, “Are you talking about the Path of Ruin, where one withers each year and then flourishes, ultimately moving from decline to prosperity?!”

It was truly astonished, naturally understanding how arduous this path was—it was practically a dead end, incredibly difficult and rugged.

“It’s not easy to reach this point, but I ultimately missed the Golden Evolution Path, a stage I’ve already lost. Furthermore, I have strange substances within me. No matter what, to become the strongest, I have too many flaws at this stage. Only the Path of Ruin can allow me to rise.”

This path was specifically for beings who had regrets in their early stages or had missed the golden evolution period. It allowed them to reshape their true selves amidst ruin and forge a new life.

The prerequisite is that you can endure it; this path is too difficult, and one could easily fall into perpetual decline and eternal dormancy.

Even the handbook warned that from ancient times until now, very few have succeeded. Those without great determination should abandon it, or they would be courting death.

The Stone Fox sighed, saying, “This is actually an incomplete method that my master recorded. It’s not whole, though, at your current realm, you can indeed use it, as you’re still far from being a Heavenly Venerate.”

“An incomplete method?” Chu Feng stared blankly.

Recalling it carefully, it did seem like a flawed method, possessing the spirit of rising from ruin, but he vaguely felt that something was missing.

“Have you studied it thoroughly? Have you truly comprehended it?” The Stone Fox looked at him and continued, “This method treats oneself as barren soil, burying a seed within the core of one’s flesh and soul light. Your original self will continuously decay, awaiting the birth of a new self. How cruel a process is that?”

At the same time, it gravely warned him that the schism between the old self and the new self—that opposition, that abandonment and cultivation—was far too contradictory and painful.

The growth of the new self would bring joy, but the passing of the old self would be filled with immense sorrow and despair. It was one’s original soul withering, like barren earth, sacrificing itself alive.

This was a cruel path, by no means smooth sailing. Some would split into two beings, one thought becoming a god, the other a devil, inherently opposed and fighting each other.

Others perished during the splitting process, burned to ashes by the boundless karmic flames unleashed by such a defying act.

Still others saw their “old self” gain the upper hand, slaying the new self, as if to prove the path was wrong. They would die in utter defeat, and eventually, the old self would also waste away, vanishing completely from the world, never to be seen again in the cycle of reincarnation.

“Ultimately, a primal embryo would be cultivated, with both flesh and soul light intact, but it would have struggled out from the withered and decaying old self, watching one’s former self shrivel, die, and turn into old skin and remnants of bone. How incredibly cruel.”

The Limping Heavenly Venerate sighed, feeling that this path was not for ordinary individuals. Throughout history, among so many exceptionally gifted talents, very few had managed to complete this path.

Chu Feng also felt a headache after hearing this. He hadn't learned so much from the handbook of the strongest; now, he truly felt a sense of dread.

“I don’t have many paths to choose from, and initially, I didn’t find this one too terrifying, so it naturally became an important option. Moreover, I saw that this method explicitly states it can purge all strange substances, making one fearless of the gray mist from then on!” Chu Feng said.

The ability to eradicate strange substances was one of the key reasons he chose this path.

Furthermore, if this path succeeded, one would become incredibly powerful. Even from the scattered words in the handbook, it was evident that the Limping Heavenly Venerate’s master—that mighty being—was amazed, speaking highly of that dao fruit, almost wishing they could experience it themselves.

The handbook was written by the Stone Fox’s master and contained methods for cultivating the strongest geniuses, collected by that mighty being from various parts of the Yang Realm.

“You must be cautious!” The Limping Heavenly Venerate repeatedly warned, reminding Chu Feng that this path was too difficult, almost akin to suicide.

At the same time, it mentioned that this method was incomplete, seemingly lacking the corresponding supreme breathing technique. This was because its original creator was too heaven-defying; without their breathing technique, one’s efforts would likely be half-effective at best.

“What kind of Path of Ruin is this, and who was the first to walk it?” Chu Feng asked earnestly.

“It’s suspected to be the ancient path of a Heavenly Emperor,” the Stone Fox said unhurriedly.

“What? Was it created by the one from your Yang Realm’s Heavenly Emperor Era?” Chu Feng was shocked.

“No,” the Stone Fox shook its head. “It’s an incomplete method from prehistoric times. In this world, there were once beings of supreme status. Even though they have vanished and are gone, their remnants still bear witness to their peerless glory and brilliance. We are currently merely observers on the journey, following their paths to seek further roads and deeper truths. We are still not strong enough; we cannot see where some of those ancient paths abruptly ended.”