Chapter 1702: Taiwei Holy Emperor Transformation

Sua: . . .

"Sua's nature is to devour mountains and seas. All beings of the mountains and seas, once caught in its snare, cannot escape its net."

"Once caught in the net, one must undergo four stages: sensing, enemy formation, pursuit, and devouring."

"It can absorb the grand dao of the captured land and transform it into monstrous pursuers. These are inexhaustible, with their strength waxing as the target's wanes."

"Unless one can directly tear apart Sua's deployed net with overwhelming force, defeat is inevitable."

During the Three Sages' deductions, a net belonging to Sua suddenly appeared within the Xuanji Ring.

The Sages touched it with their divine senses, and instantly, they all understood its general principle.

"So, the scene of the Primordial Immortal Realm I witnessed was indeed a past landscape of the Mountains and Seas. And those ceaselessly appearing monsters that pursued me originated from the powerful beings previously devoured by Sua?" Fang Cun nodded slightly.

"The trouble is, these fierce creatures, besides their own abilities from life, also possess many shared capabilities. Furthermore, as time passes, they gradually manifest the abilities of the person caught within the net. Just like Daoist Fang Cun here..."

During their discussion, the Sages had already reached a conclusion.

To break Sua's net, one either had to infiltrate the forward Mountains and Seas along its pathways with minimal consumption, starting with nearly the full strength of one's true body. This way, the net could be violently torn apart before its devouring power fully spread.

Alternatively, one could be a peerless genius, repeatedly finding a way out of desperate situations, even growing stronger with each battle. They would transform Sua's endless pursuit into a crucible for self-refinement and a source of opportunity. According to the Three Sages, such powerful individuals did exist in the early days of the Mountains and Seas, gradually achieving enlightenment at its peak through fierce combat. Unfortunately, the current Sages of the Mountains and Seas did not seem to possess such a characteristic.

There was also a third method: a divine intervention, transcending the material world. This involved infiltrating with a power not of the Mountains and Seas, placing oneself beyond Sua's sensing capabilities. For phenomena beyond its comprehension, Sua's enemy-sensing net would be blind and deaf, thus naturally, no corresponding monstrous pursuers would evolve.

"'Transcending the Mountains and Seas...'" Hearing this, all the Sages shook their heads, not believing it to be true. They regarded it merely as a theoretical, vague possibility in their deductions.

Li Fan also adopted the same posture, not betraying the slightest emotion.

He wondered if the Three Sages had mentioned this deliberately as a test, but Li Fan feigned ignorance.

He quietly watched the Sages display their various divine abilities.

For a moment, there seemed to be no good solution to break the deadlock. Saint Taiyi's expression subtly shifted, as if he intended to act personally. Just then, a streak of light traversed the Mountains and Seas and descended upon the Other Shore.

It was Emperor Taiwei.

In this era, due to Li Fan's presence, several resurrections had been exceptionally smooth. Furthermore, with the infusion of true spirits, the Sages' reliance on the Great Fortune Elixir had steadily decreased.

Emperor Taiwei was undoubtedly one of the Sages who had benefited the most.

"Perhaps I can try to break this deadly trap set by Sua," he said.

Upon hearing this, Li Fan was slightly taken aback.

Not only him, but all the Sages of the Other Shore reacted similarly.

From Emperor Taiwei's simple statement, they sensed a subtle, discordant strangeness. Yet, for a moment, they couldn't pinpoint what exactly was amiss.

All eyes converged on Emperor Taiwei. After a long moment, a clear light emanated and surged within the Xuanji Ring.

Everyone was startled, only then realizing what was happening.

"Has Daoist Taiwei made a significant breakthrough?"

Emperor Taiwei nodded in affirmation.

Previously, when Emperor Taiwei faced the Sages of the Other Shore, he referred to himself with 'I' and did not put on imperial airs.

Today, however, he referred to himself as '朕' (zhen - the imperial 'I'). The most crucial point was that at first, the Sages of the Other Shore didn't consciously feel anything was wrong, only an instinctive sense of oddity.

It was as if they had unconsciously acknowledged that he truly deserved the titles of 'Saint Emperor' and '朕'.

Without explaining the breakthrough's catalyst, Emperor Taiwei simply looked towards the Mountains and Seas ahead and solemnly declared, "All of you, witness my methods."

With that, his figure dissolved into myriad specks of light, disappearing into the pathways of the Mountains and Seas and flowing upstream!

"Oh? Taiwei didn't use the connection with the reincarnated lucky ones; instead, his true body directly split its power to infiltrate?" exclaimed Baixiao, surprised.

"When did he gain such profound insights into the Way of the Mountains and Seas' beings?"

The discovery of the Mountains and Seas' life pathways had occurred under the watchful eyes of all the Sages.

Logically, Emperor Taiwei should not have undergone such a change.

After a moment of silence, it was Saint Lianshan who revealed the mystery with a single statement.

"So that's it," he mused. "The citizens of the Holy Dynasty account for a significant portion of the Mountains and Seas' sentient beings. Naturally, descendants of Qiutian Hui are among them."

"The thoughts, intentions, and even the very bodies and spirits of the Holy Dynasty's people are all within Taiwei's grasp."

"Previously, we were unaware of the existence of connections among the Mountains and Seas' beings. Thus, we overlooked them."

"Now that we have revealed these connections..."

"Among the Holy Dynasty's citizens, there are no fewer than ten thousand descendants of Qiutian Hui. All of them are like Taiwei's avatars, and their efficiency in comprehending is hundreds of times higher than ours."

"With such a change, it's no wonder."

Baixiao sighed with emotion, muttering softly, "We're so used to thinking of Taiwei as merely an alchemist that we've forgotten his original identity as a Saint Emperor."

Seeing the Sages' somewhat strange expressions, Saint Guihai naturally understood what was on their minds. He chuckled softly, "Emperor Taiwei's ability to forge a vast, prosperous Holy Dynasty from nothing, his talent and dedication, are far beyond what ordinary people can compare to. However, previously, he was burdened by our need for the Great Fortune Elixir. With the help of Daoist Zhouhui, he no longer needs to expend so much elixir, allowing him to focus more energy on his cultivation."

"Perhaps this is his rightful Dao fruit."

Saint Lianshan spoke calmly, "Taiwei never speaks idly. Since he has stated it, it means he must have full confidence. Let us observe how he breaks the situation."

As Saint Lianshan finished speaking, a beam of light shone forth from the Holy Dynasty of Mountains and Seas, reaching directly to the Other Shore.

It was Emperor Taiwei's true body, sharing the vision he was experiencing.

After a period of flowing upstream, Taiwei had successfully entered the forward Mountains and Seas and was captured by Sua's net.

Perhaps it was precisely because of the insights into the Way of the Mountains and Seas' beings, gained from over ten thousand lucky individuals, that Emperor Taiwei's consumption while traveling through the Mountains and Seas' pathways was almost negligible.

This was in stark contrast to the difficult progress made earlier by Qieji, Baixiao, and Fang Cun.

Seeing such a beginning, all the Sages were deeply moved.

They looked on intently.

The first thing Emperor Taiwei did, upon entering the forward Mountains and Seas with nearly his full strength, greatly surprised everyone.

Facing the first wave of fierce creatures that charged aggressively upon his arrival, Emperor Taiwei actually voluntarily dispersed all of his cultivation!

The sudden drop in the target's power caused the originally ferocious monsters to all pause.

Because the disparity in strength was too great, an easy kill did not align with the rules followed by Sua's Devouring Net. So, after a brief halt, the first wave of manifested monsters gradually dispersed like wisps of smoke.

They then either re-evaluated Emperor Taiwei's strength or fell into a brief silence.

"Daoist Taiwei's move is brilliant!" they exclaimed. "To solve this predicament, one cannot be led by the nose. This preemptive first step subtly disrupted Sua's net's devouring rules."

"But we wonder, with all his cultivation gone, how will Taiwei survive in such a dangerous world?"

"Daoist Taiwei must have a brilliant plan; we just need to watch patiently."

Emperor Taiwei's voluntary dispersion of his cultivation was, of course, premeditated.

It was both a retreat and an advance.

It wasn't a wasted effort; on the contrary, it was an active offensive.

Taking advantage of the interval while Sua's net reconfigured itself, Emperor Taiwei used his dispersed cultivation to enlighten several surrounding creatures. There were pure martial artists radiating ferocity, and strategists with sharp intelligence glinting in their eyes.

There were also large numbers of ignorant, fearless soldiers.

In just a moment, a small-scale "Holy Dynasty" suddenly took shape.

With the Saint Emperor's countless years of control over the Holy Dynasty of Mountains and Seas, manipulating this group of subordinates was as easy as turning his palm.

They protected the cultivation-less, helpless Saint Emperor in their center and began to fight the first wave of charging fierce creatures.

Though called fierce creatures, that was only from the perspective of ordinary mortals.

Before the army enlightened by Emperor Taiwei, they were not even a match for a single encounter.

Like slaughtering chickens and dogs, they instantly shattered the enemies.

Of Sua's first wave of fierce creatures, one-third were killed in battle, one-third were absorbed by the Holy Dynasty's soldiers and transformed into their own power.

And one-third were enlightened and incorporated, joining the ranks of the Holy Dynasty's army.

Seemingly having anticipated this, the Saint Emperor remained calmly seated among his troops, his expression serene.

He awaited the arrival of the next wave of enemies.

Meanwhile, most of the Sages observing from the Other Shore were filled with astonishment.

"It... can be done this way?"

"Sua's net's devouring rules dictate that the evolving fierce creatures are based on the target's cultivation level, always just slightly stronger to thoroughly drain their potential through struggle. But now Daoist Taiwei is merely at a mortal level, yet he's surrounded by a group of fiercely powerful soldiers... Isn't this an unassailable position?"

"It's not that simple. Sua's net will certainly adapt quickly. Even if Taiwei's true body is weak, the soldiers he controls are considered part of his strength."

"However, having seized two preemptive advantages in a row, Daoist Taiwei's endeavor holds promise for breaking the situation!"

The Sages grew increasingly expectant, their gaze remaining fixed on the scene.

As the Sages had anticipated, Sua's net, after a temporary halt in its assault, quickly changed again.

The strength of the second wave of enemy-seeking fierce creatures was significantly greater than the first.

They were almost on par with the Holy Dynasty's soldiers. A bloody battle ensued, ultimately ending in a pyrrhic victory for the Holy Dynasty.

The army that Emperor Taiwei had just managed to assemble with great difficulty was already reduced to less than a fifth of its original size.

The speed of Sua's net's adjustments was truly beyond expectations. And its guiding principle still remained to keep the enemy within the net in a state of near-death struggle.

Though seemingly a setback, Emperor Taiwei looked up at the sky, a faint, inexplicable smile gracing his face.

Sua's net did not offer much respite.

The Holy Dynasty's soldiers had barely rested for a moment when the third wave of enemies arrived.

However, the situation on the field suddenly grew somewhat strange.

Even though the third wave of enemies was clearly stronger than the second,

the Holy Dynasty's soldiers found it less strenuous to deal with them.

If the previous battle was a deathmatch between evenly matched foes, then this battle was even a slight advantage for them!

"How can this be?" the Sages exclaimed, astonished.

But upon closer observation, they instantly discovered the hidden mechanism.

It turned out that at the very beginning of this battle, Emperor Taiwei had personally appeared on the front lines.

Wherever the Imperial Presence went, everything erupted in a frenzy.

The soldiers were already fearless, and at this moment, they fought with bloodshot eyes.

Their morale soared like a rainbow. Led by the Saint Emperor, they resembled a long dragon, easily piercing through the enemy formation.

The previously deadlocked situation underwent a tremendous transformation because the Saint Emperor, who should have been seated at the rear, actively appeared on the battlefield.

It became an overwhelming rout!

This great victory compensated for the previous losses.

The army quickly reorganized and replenished its strength.

After his customary commendation, Emperor Taiwei returned to the rear once more.

Emperor Taiwei still took nothing from the spoils of this battle, distributing everything among his soldiers.

As a mere mortal, he commanded an endless array of fierce creatures.

Emperor Taiwei was still at ease.

He gazed into the distance, calmly awaiting the arrival of the next wave of enemies.

"Another step won!"

"Daoist Taiwei is truly remarkable!"

"It seems we truly underestimated Daoist Taiwei in the past. Only now, with the battlefield as his chessboard and Sua as his opponent, has his true strength been revealed," Baixiao exclaimed in admiration.

Li Fan, too, had once been an emperor.

Naturally, he discerned the subtle genius of Taiwei's strategy.

"Sua's net, when evolving fierce creatures, must follow rules."

"However, the power of the Holy Dynasty's soldiers, commanded by Taiwei, is an existence difficult to precisely estimate or calculate. Its greatest variable is Emperor Taiwei himself."

"When the Saint Emperor personally appears, the overall morale and combat power of the Holy Dynasty's soldiers more than doubles!"

"An estimation like Sua's net's previous one would greatly underestimate their combat power. Yet, whether the Saint Emperor personally appears on the front lines or not is entirely up to his whim. I believe even the Three Sages cannot predict this..."

"Sua is the same."

"And if Sua were to set the strength of the attacking fierce creatures based on the Holy Dynasty soldiers' peak morale..."

"I fear it would play right into Emperor Taiwei's hands!"

A thought stirred in Li Fan's mind.

And what happened next on the field precisely matched his thoughts.

This time, the attacking enemies were formulated based on the Holy Dynasty soldiers' morale at its absolute peak, inspired by the Saint Emperor.

With Emperor Taiwei not making an appearance, the Holy Dynasty's soldiers fought an extremely difficult battle.

Their recently recovered strength was almost entirely lost.

Of their elite soldiers, scarcely one in a hundred survived.

Though they ultimately won, it was a brutal, truly tragic victory.

"Why didn't Daoist Taiwei appear on the front lines? If he had used his old trick again, this battle would certainly not have been so difficult."

"The casualties are too heavy. The advantages accumulated previously have been lost in a single day!"

While the Sages were discussing, Qieji suddenly spoke out.

"Brilliant! Simply brilliant! If Sua's net makes no further changes, I believe this situation is broken!"

The Sages were astonished and all asked for the reason.

Qieji excitedly explained, "Unlike ordinary cultivators' duels, those who survive such brutal wars are truly one-in-ten-thousand elites!"

"With equivalent strength, in life-and-death desperate situations, one can unleash several, even dozens of times their power. Daoist Taiwei's battle may seem to have resulted in heavy losses, but in reality, it's like sifting sand for gold, refining pure essence!"

"This is only a few battles. If this situation can be maintained after a hundred battles..."

"Then one person fighting ten, or even a hundred, would be effortless!"

"And if you add the variable of Taiwei himself appearing on the front lines..."

"If Sua's net doesn't change its rules, it will surely be broken!"