Chapter 189: Four Clans Compete for the Throne

Dao Changsheng was a prodigy.

He started elementary school at the age of three, and had been studying and writing ever since. By the time he was eight, he was already an outstanding university student, possessing considerable knowledge.

Meanwhile, Xin Niang, being an ordinary person with a lifespan of only thirty to forty years, had grown frail and passed away on her sickbed.

Before she died, Xin Niang kept whispering, "Don't look for your parents; live a normal life."

"Okay," the child nodded and buried Xin Niang.

However, before her grave, he declared, "I trained so diligently precisely to find my parents."

At eight years old, armed with college-level mathematical knowledge, he finally began his formal cultivation as a Wu Clan member, starting from the Third Divine Treasure realm. He practiced the Dantian method, embarking on the path of the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art.

"On the path of cultivation, one must perceive all things in heaven and earth, absorb the spiritual energy emanating from all beings, from mountains and rivers to plants and trees, and even the sun in the sky. Your reach is as far as your thoughts can extend...."

At ten years old, he began to locate his first 'aperture' (qiaoxue), entering the Fourth Realm of Purple Mansion and reaching the same realm his mother had achieved years ago.

His mother was twenty-eight when he was born, and reaching the Fourth Realm of Purple Mansion at that age was considered a rare feat of genius.

Yet, he was only ten years old!

However, at this time, the genius competition outside had entered its final stages, with rumors swirling wildly and the entire world in an uproar.

Only four individuals remained, all of whom had reached the peak of the Sixth Realm, Dongtian (Cavern Heaven), becoming among the most powerful experts in this world, locked in fierce combat.

Xu Wei of the Human Clan.Duan Shanyi of the Ancient Clan.Fenteng of the Demon Clan.Zhang Wuwei of the Wu Clan.

These four quasi-emperors were exceptionally brilliant, their lifespans barely exceeding two hundred years.

Cultivating the Inner World (Nei Tiandi) required sensing and drawing upon the aura and emotions emanating from powerful cultivators and mighty beings.

The clans backing these four individuals then began their final contest.

Unlike Xu Younian in the past, who directly absorbed cultivation and damaged his foundation, they each absorbed the aura of their entire clan across the land, sensing the heavens and earth, mountains, and rivers...

They also perceived the joys and sorrows, happiness and grief, and the overall emotions of countless tribes, peoples, and entire cities.

This deepened their understanding of Dao (the Way) techniques immensely, leading to terrifying qualitative changes and improvements in their application of various Dao techniques.

That year, the four gathered the great fortunes of their respective clans, and began their covert struggle.

The Green Vine Earth Mother calmly said, "Focus on your studies. They began their struggle even before you were born, even before your parents' generation. They are the protagonists of this era; it has nothing to do with you."

Dao Changsheng nodded in agreement.

Another year passed, and Dao Changsheng turned eleven.

News arrived that Fenteng of the Demon Clan had been defeated by Xu Wei of the Human Clan atop Cloud Mountain.

The entire world was shaken.

When the news broke, the Green Vine Earth Mother was lecturing, while Dao Changsheng sat nearby, reading.

Dao Changsheng innocently asked, "Teacher, the Demon Clan lost. Did the Demon Ancestor not react?"

The Green Vine Earth Mother shook her head. "Among the four clans, the Demon Clan's system is the weakest and most rudimentary; its various cultivation realms are incomplete. After all, the Demon Clan has only the Azure Emperor, who has been suppressed all this time. Their defeat was inevitable."

Another year passed, and Dao Changsheng turned twelve.

In mid-May, news again arrived that Zhang Wuwei of the Wu Clan had been defeated by Duan Shanyi of the Ancient Clan above the Sea of Clouds.

The entire world was astonished.

This was the Wu Clan's Heavenly Court era, with the Wu Clan as the protagonists of heaven and earth, at their most prosperous. How could they be defeated so quickly?

The entire city belonging to the Wu Clan, Jianmu Southern Heaven City, descended into wails of sorrow. That May, whenever Dao Changsheng went out, he would see weeping and wailing crowds in every street and alley.

The Green Vine Earth Mother continued calmly, "Don't be surprised. The Wu Clan's system is inherently a crooked path. What if they have twelve Great Emperors? It's still a crooked path!

"Has no one noticed? The Wu Clan, with their powerful and immortal bodies, cultivating the Human Clan's Inner World (Nei Tiandi) Dao techniques and following the Dao path, is simply counterproductive."

Cold sweat drenched Dao Changsheng's body.

*Our Wu Clan's path is wrong?*

*Even the twelve Heavenly Emperors, all of them are wrong?*

Such words were utterly absurd; if the Heavenly Court knew, she would be sent to the God-Slaying Platform.

The Green Vine Earth Mother softly said, "The Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art you are learning, which cultivates only the body and not the primordial spirit, is the true orthodoxy of the Wu Clan! In the future, I want you to emerge and set things right!"

*I'll be beaten to death!*

Dao Changsheng trembled slightly all over.

Young and precocious as he was, he knew what terrible repercussions such news would cause if it got out.

The Green Vine Earth Mother said, "Just focus on your studies. If I'm not mistaken, the remaining struggle between the Ancient Clan and the Human Clan will surely see Xu Wei, the Human Clan's genius, emerge victorious. The first Human Clan Female Heavenly Emperor is about to be born."

"Why?" Dao Changsheng couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

"The four clans in the world all cultivate the techniques pioneered by the Human Ancestor. If they cultivate methods not tailored for their own race, they are bound to fail.... Moreover, after winning this final battle, Xu Wei will undoubtedly break through the Sixth Dongtian (Cavern Heaven) Realm and become the Great Emperor of Cavernous Void (Dongxu Dadi)."

"Why?" Dao Changsheng couldn't help but ask again.

"Because at the peak of the Sixth Dongtian (Cavern Heaven) Realm, what obstructs these quasi-emperors is their own Dao Heart, their own truth! They must embody their own philosophies to break through... Thus, they have been accumulating power for a long time, challenging prestigious sects and sacred lands along the way. When they feel invincible and have defeated all geniuses in the world, that is when their momentum peaks, and by becoming the foremost person in the world, they break through to become a Great Emperor.

"When the last two geniuses contend, the victor will inevitably become a Great Emperor.

"This is also why it's difficult for two Great Emperors of Cavernous Void to emerge in one era. The Age of Ancient Gods, which began six hundred years ago, was indeed a terrifyingly prosperous era. It saw the birth of twelve Heavenly Emperors, following the grand trend of heaven and earth, who overthrew the rule of the thirteen Ancient Gods."

Dao Changsheng seemed to understand, yet not quite.

Another year passed, and Dao Changsheng turned thirteen.

This time, the battle actually took place atop the Jianmu (Construct Wood).

Dao Changsheng could no longer suppress the turmoil in his heart, and couldn't help but go out to witness the final contest for the Heavenly Emperor title.

The battle shattered the heavens and rent the earth!

Multicolored rays of light filled the sky, spiritual energy permeated the surroundings, and brilliant radiance erupted.

This battle instantly broadened his horizons!

Ultimately, Xu Wei of the Human Clan was defeated by Duan Shanyi of the Ancient Clan atop the Jianmu.

Leveraging this pressure, Duan Shanyi of the Ancient Clan surprisingly broke through to the Seventh Realm, Dongxu (Cavernous Void), becoming the first Great Emperor of Cavernous Void of this era, exuding a world-shaking oppressive aura that made it difficult for anyone to look directly at him.

Dao Changsheng was greatly surprised.

The Earth Mother Green Vine had been correct again: the victor would undoubtedly break through to become a Heavenly Emperor on the spot.

However, the victor was not Xu Wei of the Human Clan, but Duan Shanyi!

At this moment, the Green Vine Earth Mother also expressed surprise. "Oh? An incredible prodigy has appeared in the Ancient Clan! Duan Shanyi has actually pioneered a rudimentary cultivation method belonging to the Ancient Clan, and I can vaguely see the silhouette of Xu Younian from back then.... It seems this era's Heavenly Emperor position will fall into the hands of the Ancient Clan."

The surroundings were filled with shock.

"The Ancient Clan? How could it be the Ancient Clan?"

"The protagonists of heaven and earth in this era should be our Human Clan!"

There were cries of grief and wails of sorrow, but also shouts of excitement. Everyone was extremely agitated; they were witnessing the birth of a new era, a truly historic moment.

Dao Changsheng, however, remained calm.

He was like a delicate, finely sculpted little page boy on an outing, carrying a small gray satchel on his back. He slowly made his way back to Southern Heaven City along the path on the tree trunk.

The Green Vine Earth Mother said, "What are your thoughts on their battle?"

Dao Changsheng thought for a moment and honestly replied, "They are very crude. They don't understand the art of calculation; they only know how to simply perceive heaven and earth and wield Dao techniques. Furthermore, every one of their realms is unstable, incomplete, and full of flaws. According to my calculations, they are riddled with errors. At the same realm, I could fight four of them at once!"

"Good, forge ahead boldly! To have such spirit at thirteen, you've already understood what I meant by Dao Heart and accumulating power."

"My disciple Changsheng possesses the potential to become a Great Emperor."

As the sun set in the west, the child gradually walked away on the lush green tree trunk, forming a beautiful tableau. A calm voice came from beside him, "Since you're so confident, I want you to ascend to heaven and challenge an Emperor in fifty years!"

Dao Changsheng's face instantly darkened.