Chapter 977: An Ancient Seed

"We don't know if those who crossed the Sea of Chaos into the Underworld have found anything. Time is truly running out, and we must be prepared for a desperate, make-or-break attempt. We need to send more people over there, starting now!"

In Hongcheng, divine mountains are encircled within the city. Amidst the peaks, pavilions, terraces, and towers stand beside cascading waterfalls and gushing springs, with mist rising like clouds, creating a beautiful and ethereal landscape. Deities are stationed here.

They were discussing strategies, as the forces sent to the Underworld had not yet sent back any good news. Their last contact had been disappointing, showing no significant progress.

Now, the forces from several orthodox traditions were restless. They had to take a gamble and make a final effort before leaving; otherwise, no one would be able to bear the Heavenly Venerate's wrath.

"The atmosphere is quite tense right now, and it's not good. Even some ancient aristocratic families from the Yang Realm have sent envoys to participate, fearing they might quietly achieve their goal."

"Impossible, they don't have any better methods!"

On a beautiful mountain peak, where a golden waterfall cascaded, several deities stood side-by-side, gazing into the distance. They were under immense pressure; orders from above dictated that if they failed to achieve results, they would not be allowed to return to the Yang Realm.

"Finally, the Underworld seeds we selected proved to be excellent, yielding positive results. Some, nourished by Yang energy, have shown astonishing growth rates. The initial experiments are satisfactory, and even the Divine King overseeing the operation displayed a long-awaited smile."

The individuals were discussing and also contacting deities on other planets. They were preparing for further action in the Underworld, with some of them intending to go personally for the final search.

"Recently, the situation has become increasingly delicate, with even mighty beings getting involved. They are ordering their disciples to search for a specific seed—not an 'Underworld Seed' or referring to any geniuses, but a true seed, rumored to have been lost in an incredibly ancient era. If acquired, it could even help beings who are almost at the end of their evolutionary path."

"Hmm, I've also heard the Divine King mention this. The pressure on him from above suddenly doubled. This so-called Yang Realm seed, just one, is said to be worth more than all other fortunes combined. Mighty beings are tempted and eager to act immediately, but they can't even describe what the seed looks like, which is a real headache."

Their faces showed bitterness. They hadn't even found a trace of the two ultimate treasures of the Yang Realm yet, not a single one, and now they had to search for a Yang Realm seed, which only added to their worries.

"Hmm, the Divine King has sent a message!"

Suddenly, a deity with long blue hair reacted, becoming serious. He appeared to be around thirty years old, but had actually lived for many long years. He held a special communicator, which displayed information.

The Divine King's voice rang out: "This is the seed I spoke to you about. The information was just sent by a lord from the Yang Realm. Study it carefully. If you can find it, you can ascend to heaven in a single step; in one night, it will elevate you all to Divine Kings!"

Such words moved the deities. Their hearts pounded with excitement, but they also knew that such a task would likely be difficult to complete. Nevertheless, they quickly declared their commitment to search for it with all their might.

The seed shown in the information had a wrinkled surface. It was round but somewhat withered and yellowish, with no luster, appearing to have lost all vitality—seemingly a dead seed.

The deities were astonished. This was the seed that even mighty beings from the Yang Realm were tempted by?

It appeared to be nothing extraordinary; in fact, it was quite ordinary, no different from a common seed found in the wilderness.

Then, one of them read the information aloud.

"Recorded in the sole surviving ancient manuscript..."

This captured their attention, and all showed strange expressions. This was top-secret information, involving an extremely high level. They felt that even if they knew it now, their memories would be erased upon returning to the Yang Realm, as some secrets were not meant for individuals at their level to access.

The master of a certain Heavenly Venerate once visited a friend and unexpectedly discovered a terrifying forbidden zone, suspected to be the slumbering place of a Grand Universe-level entity. However, upon closer inspection, he found that the creature had long since passed away, having been dead for many years.

There, he found an extremely ancient manuscript left by the Grand Universe-level entity. It astonishingly mentioned a seed, stating that if found, it might temporarily halt the decline of the Grand Universe-level entity, possibly preventing its ultimate death.

The manuscript also mentioned that this Grand Universe-level entity once released a small dragon, specifically sent into the Underworld to search for this seed. However, it never returned, and by calculation, over a hundred million years must have passed since then.

"Its origin is too grand!" the deities exclaimed in awe.

"Is there only one seed?" one deity asked, eyes gleaming.

In the distance, Chu Feng strolled through the city, but a wisp of his soul light entered the beautiful mountain peaks in the central area. There, he secretly observed the deities and overheard their conversation.

Hearing the words "the seed," his heart trembled!

"Over a hundred million years have passed; even divine seeds or heavenly seeds should have rotted by now. What could possibly be left? Keep in mind, Yang Realm seeds, when long exposed to Yin energy, rot even more easily."

"Not necessarily. Mighty beings are currently coveting it, and Heavenly Venerates are pressuring us, all desiring to obtain it. That alone proves its extraordinary nature; it absolutely won't rot."

"These documents contain speculations from mighty beings. The seed described in the manuscript from over a hundred million years ago, its origin era is completely unknown. Perhaps it's even related to a certain branching point in evolutionary history."

The deities were discussing, standing on the spiritual mountain wreathed in clouds and mist, where a golden spring gurgled and flowed. They had no idea that someone was watching them coldly.

Still within the city, Chu Feng was far away, dressed as a scholar. He clearly sensed everything happening there and heard their conversation.

Finally, after discussion, the five deities decided to send more personnel into the Underworld. At the same time, they contacted the higher deities on other life planets to negotiate, preparing to set off in three days.

Chu Feng's expression was calm, but killing intent swirled within him. He also prepared to depart. If he followed them into the chaos, it would be an excellent opportunity to act. If he eliminated them there, the Divine King of the dilapidated universe would not detect it.

After eliminating enough deities, he would then quietly attempt to break through the barrier, blending in with a group of geniuses and secretly entering the Yang Realm. This might be the best option.

Otherwise, if he truly forced his way into the Yang Realm, he could be eliminated in minutes.

One deity spoke: "After more than a year of recovery, Divine Master Huang has fully recuperated, and another old Divine Master is also unharmed. They will join us on our journey. Hopefully, this time they can deduce everything and leave Chu Feng with nowhere to hide."

Chu Feng knew that the Divine Master Huang mentioned by this deity was definitely that old weasel, who had astonishing attainments in divination and was known as a Divine Master.

Chu Feng remained calm, staying on this planet and keeping a low profile.

Three days later, the deities indeed moved, preparing to embark together. Time was short, as the passage connecting the Yang Realm to this universe was rapidly closing. If they didn't achieve any results soon, they would truly run out of time.

Chu Feng arrived at the edge of the dilapidated universe and hid in the chaos.

He saw the large ship approaching, with several deities on board, along with many Saints and Reflection-level cultivators.