Chapter 197: The Approaching Calamity

Emperor Duantian calmly settled his mind and looked at Dao Changsheng. "So, you are a pawn of the ancient primordial gods from the old era, like Green Lotus, Jianmu, and the Ancestral Witches?"

If Dao Changsheng was not one of the eleven post-primordial Ancestral Witches, he could only be a remnant of those ancient primordial gods.

"Whose pawn are you, then?"

Dao Changsheng, being honest, didn't even attempt to deny it when exposed. Instead, he spoke directly, "Your combat power... is truly exaggerated. I don't believe you cultivated it yourself. You're incredibly strong. Right now, I can only defeat two of you. But if you understood my calculations and used them to evolve and communicate with heaven and earth, I'd only be able to defeat one and a half of you."

Emperor Duantian stared at Dao Changsheng for a few seconds, dumbfounded.

He was instantly speechless.

Arrogance...Self-importance.These were the common flaws of a genius.

Dao Changsheng had never encountered truly terrifying beings or experienced despair, so it was natural for him to be arrogant. After all, his physical strength was indeed immense now, enough to defeat two of Duantian.

However, since he wasn't created by the eleven Ancestral Witches, he might not be an enemy. As this thought crossed his mind, the two continued their furious exchange, but Emperor Duantian's voice calmly explained:

"My master is a very ancient Ancestral Witch. I don't even know his true identity. He feared his own potential downfall, so he descended years ago to teach me. If the twelve Ancestral Witches of the Heavenly Court were to fall, he hoped someone would be able to eliminate them, just as they eliminated the ancient primordial gods in their time."

Dao Changsheng trembled, never having imagined Emperor Duantian's origins to be like this.

Emperor Duantian looked at Dao Changsheng and suddenly spoke calmly, "Do you know why Emperor Chengshan died?"

Dao Changsheng's heart jolted. "Didn't that Emperor die of old age?"

"How could he die of old age so quickly?" Emperor Duantian slowly shook his head, moving with effortless grace even amidst their combat, his techniques naturally perfected, beams of light shimmering around him. "You underestimate them too much... Each of them is an ancient, unparalleled existence, incredibly mysterious, with countless contingencies. They could at least forcefully extend their lifespan for a significant period... When I inherited Emperor Chengshan's Golden Crow Primordial Spirit, I discovered that he seemed to have been ambushed and severely wounded during his life. And it wasn't just one attacker; there were many powerful dao injuries with different auras. Several of these auras were so formidable that they sent shivers down my spine."

Dao Changsheng's expression tightened.

"Do you know the origin of the Great Luo Heaven?"

Emperor Duantian advanced step by step, gently guiding and persuading him, "The inner world of the living cannot accommodate powerful lives. Our inner worlds can only house weaker beings and mortals. Therefore, no living Emperor's inner world can contain beings as supremely powerful as them! No living being's body can withstand their immense power; only the dead can..."

A great terror dawned on Dao Changsheng, and horrifying thoughts flooded his mind:So, many ancient beings acted simultaneously to assassinate Emperor Chengshan!And it was all to transform his inner world into the "Great Luo Heaven," to escape the world and prolong their own lives?

A shiver ran down his spine instantly!The fact that all eleven Ancestral Witches entered to escape the world—what did that indicate?It indicated that they were likely all executioners in the murder of Emperor Chengshan. Even if they didn't deliver the killing blow directly, they probably stood by indifferently, complicit in the act, or else they wouldn't have entered one by one to enjoy the spoils of victory.Any intelligent person, from the death of Emperor Chengshan, could infer a terrifying truth: all eleven Ancestral Witches had already corrupted!

They feared death!These ancient beings of old chose to cling to the mortal world.They killed Emperor Chengshan, transforming him into the Great Luo Heaven atop the Jianmu tree, sucking all the energy from the deaths of beings in heaven and earth, constantly increasing the energy concentration of the Great Luo Heaven to prolong their lives.

But this was merely a way to extend their lives; it wasn't a fundamental solution.

"These eleven ancient Emperors sustained such severe injuries in their youth that they were already nearing death by the time they were only five or six hundred years old... Are they prolonging their lives now to find a way to continue cultivating and break through to the Half-Saint realm?" Dao Changsheng's hair stood on end. "And once they achieve Half-Saint, they can then pursue the Dao to become a Primordial Saint? Their bodies would become primordial spirits, their will their true form, and a single Dao Fruit would reside in the ethereal heavens. They'll probably have to slaughter vast numbers of living beings across the world to gather energy and condense a Dao Fruit..."

Dao Changsheng was horrified.

The Great Luo Heaven was only their first step; their true goal was to become Primordial Saints!A terrifying conspiracy was slowly unveiling itself, revealing a world-shattering trap. This tranquil era of prosperity was, in fact, about to face its next great cataclysm: the Ancestral Witch Calamity was already quietly approaching!

Yet, this world continued to sing praises of peace, unaware of the impending disaster!

"They are too old, their bodies decaying. They wish to transcend death, but to transcend death, they must first bring about death..."

Dao Changsheng's voice trembled.The era of the Twelve Ancestral Witches had not truly passed; it had merely ended on the surface. Heaven and earth still lived under their rule. No wonder Emperor Duantian chose the name: Duan (meaning "sever" or "break").

But why...Why must it be this way!

He was almost speechless.All his life, he had been proud of the myths and legends of the Twelve Ancestral Witches—twelve post-primordial, powerful beings who overthrew the rule of the ancient gods. He never imagined that the eleven heroes he revered would one day become corrupt...

At this moment, he finally understood why his masters had taught him the way they did: from childhood, enduring beatings, cultivating, studying intensely, barely knowing anyone, and undergoing arduous training—it was all for the heavy mission he carried.

Dao Changsheng trembled violently, growling, "Then the master who taught you back then was Emperor Chengshan!? This Emperor Chengshan, preferring death over submission, was killed by eleven ancient beings..."

"I also wish he were. I desperately wish my master were Emperor Chengshan, preferring death over submission, fighting to his last breath with unwavering pride, standing tall and unyielding..." Emperor Duantian's voice was hoarse as he gazed at the sky, as if looking through the distant years of a century past. "However, when he was buried that year, I examined Emperor Chengshan's remains, carefully observing his aura and Dao methods, and discovered that he was not my master..."

Dao Changsheng's body trembled violently. He slowly closed his eyes, but tears shimmered within them.Drip... drop!Crystalline tears fell, like precious jewels.The tears struck the ground with force, piercing through the soil and sinking deep into the earth.

In that instant, all of Dao Changsheng's beliefs crumbled. Even a hero like Emperor Chengshan would become a martyr? Only treacherous evil gods, those who colluded, could live long?

"Yes, my master also became one of the corrupted." Emperor Duantian's face was cold, radiating an unspeakable cruelty, as he cast a deep gaze at the trembling, very naive Dao Changsheng. "Presumably, he also participated in the plan to assassinate Emperor Chengshan."

Dao Changsheng was utterly stunned and numb.He was disheartened, like a walking corpse, having lost his faith and ideals.

If Emperor Duantian had seized this opportunity to attack him, Dao Changsheng would undoubtedly have been defeated instantly. But Emperor Duantian did not; he possessed his own pride and integrity. The Emperor stood with his hands behind his back, quietly observing the young man who was almost succumbing to despair.

Emperor Duantian's heart was complex, and he sighed with emotion:"Such an innocent heart, pure and unblemished. It's no wonder he could reach this stage... This young man, not even fifty years old, has already stepped into the realm of a Void-Piercing Emperor. However, precisely because of his youth, there are many areas where he falls short... His entire fifty years of life have been spent cultivating; he's probably spent less than a year conversing and speaking with others."

But the boy's fear and the collapse of his beliefs reminded him of his own terror and despair when he first learned the truth.

In the distance, the Thunder Hammer's voice was worried, "Even experts who cultivate the primordial spirit and Dao heart might not have their Dao heart remain intact after hearing such a terrifying truth. He cultivates the body but not the mind; his spirit is weak. Such a sudden blow is difficult to handle... As a body cultivator, an unstable mind won't cause him to lose his realm, but if he loses his spirit, his combat power will be completely crippled. Our efforts, I'm afraid..."

The God-Striking Whip's voice was low, "Can he endure this? All these years, we've only taught him to cultivate. He understands nothing of human relationships or worldly affairs; his mind is as simple as a child's. Now, his Dao heart has collapsed..."

"Don't be afraid. He is our disciple, the one we chose," said the God-Slaying Platform. "He will pull through. Although Dao Changsheng has little experience, his spirit will not be weak, because we are the ones who taught him."

Emperor Duantian stood silently amidst the ruins, looking at the young man before him, whose eyes had lost their light, spirit, and who was on the verge of collapsing to his knees.

He understood.In fact, the moment he discovered his own master had corrupted, he had reacted even more poorly than Dao Changsheng.In that moment, he wished that the deceased Emperor Chengshan had been his master, that his master had chosen to fight to the death rather than succumb to corruption. But it was a pity...

It couldn't be denied that these were incredibly powerful and terrifying opponents, so much so that they crushed any thought of resistance. Although he had never slacked in his pursuit over the years, the gap was still too vast.Although Emperor Duantian considered himself astonishingly talented, surpassing some of those ancient beings and reaching the middle tier of their Emperors' combat power by less than three hundred years old, there were... a full eleven of them!!There were likely four or five of them stronger than him, and even the strongest Emperor of all time: Emperor Qi!This supreme man from ancient times to the present, who had suppressed eleven Emperors!It was utterly suffocating, even causing him to feel endless despair. It was natural for this Void-Piercing Emperor, not even fifty years old, to tremble.

"But he cannot fall..." Emperor Duantian stood with his hands behind his back, his face chiseled and resolute, his eyes burning with fierce determination. "I need a Dao friend I can trust my back to, to stand with me against those eleven Emperors in the coming great calamity of heaven and earth. I am all alone, walking this path by myself, with no one to encourage me or lean on! I myself may not be able to endure until that moment."

Emperor Duantian couldn't help but encourage him, bolstering his confidence.Emperor Duantian strode forward, speaking with conviction, "Although there are eleven of them, they are old, their vital energy is decaying, and they are riddled with hidden injuries. I can surpass most of them."

"Even you, can surpass the ancient Emperors?" Dao Changsheng's voice trembled slightly, his face filled with disbelief.

"Yes, our combined combat power is already at the forefront. Although it would still be an immense struggle for us two to contend with eleven ancient beings," Emperor Duantian looked at him, unsure how to describe the current desperate situation in his heart, but still encouraged him, "However, even if both of us die in battle, we must create a chance for survival for the common people and protect all beings."

"Then they are too weak!" Dao Changsheng suddenly interrupted him halfway through, muttering to himself.

Emperor Duantian suddenly froze, his face instantly darkening.

Dao Changsheng seemed completely invigorated by him, his eyes suddenly growing brighter and brighter, gradually regaining their luster. "My master told me to 'eat' you, to make you my 'Sun Furnace,' and then I would be invincible. Now that I've calculated my combat power, if I were like you at that time... I could defeat all eleven of them! I could beat them to death right there!"

Emperor Duantian stared at him, as if utterly astonished!

"I am honest and a scholar, you can tell by my demeanor that I never lie." Dao Changsheng's voice was earnest and rumbling as he stepped forward, "Emperor Duantian, the Ancestral Witches are no longer worthy of my respect. You are now the person I respect the most in this world... I know you have your pride and wouldn't want to enter my body, but for the sake of all living beings, I can only beat you down!!"

"Arrogance." Emperor Duantian's expression became solemn, his aura bursting forth abruptly.

"From my perspective, you're asking for a fist the size of my head!" Dao Changsheng waved his arms, suddenly brimming with confidence. The eight-armed giant rumbled, "And you're asking for eight of them!"

Bang, bang, bang!Terrifying light exploded, illuminating the heavens.

"You're asking for death!" Emperor Duantian roared in fury, unable to resist clashing with Dao Changsheng, unleashing deafening roars as spiritual energy permeated the surroundings, erupting in brilliant light.