Chapter 1468: The Reign

The White Crow was furious, a surge of anger building up inside it. These two peculiar beings were practically driving it insane.

In particular, it stared at the man in the dark light, wanting to exclaim, "I can't even look at you? That's too overbearing! Besides, you two really are… very similar!"

The man in the dark light grew angry. "You're looking at me again. What do you mean by that?" He sensed the White Crow's malicious intent and could fully grasp the meaning behind its gaze.

No matter what, he was quite dashing and spirited, wasn't he? But that dead duck's gaze was simply… suicidal!

As his posture and aura became apparent, it was immediately the Black Dog's turn to be displeased. At their level, their spiritual perception was unimaginably powerful, allowing them to sense things instantly.

Sure enough, the White Crow said nothing, but the Black Dog spoke first, directing its words at the formidable man in the dark light.

"Blackie, what's with that attitude?!" it demanded with dissatisfaction.

The epithet "Blackie" left even the White Crow speechless. Most importantly, it hadn't cursed *it* again!

At this moment, the man in the dark light truly had a dark expression. "How am I 'black'?" he thought. "My face is as fair as jade, not black at all!"

The Black Dog looked at him, still displeased. "You're reluctant to admit a blood connection with this Emperor?!"

It didn't say it aloud, but how could the powerful White Crow and the man in the dark light, with their acute perceptions, not know what it meant?

The Black Dog stared at him silently.

The man in the dark light also remained silent, but returned the Black Dog's gaze, his facial muscles twitching slightly.

He felt speechless. How could it extort him like this? "I am grand and heroic," he thought, "while your dog face is so dark it's practically dripping water. What's there to compare? There's no blood relation whatsoever."

"This Emperor indeed left behind descendants, many of whom were astonishingly talented and heroic, beings who shook heaven and earth, outstanding figures of every era!"

The Black Dog finally spoke, immediately boasting about its extraordinary lineage.

The man in the dark light ignored it. He didn't know its true background; where would it have any descendants?

"Blackie," the Black Dog began, "I actually find you quite pleasing to the eye. Because I see many rare and valuable qualities in you, as well as extraordinary and unworldly methods."

The White Crow was utterly astonished. This dog could actually say nice things about people? As far as it knew, it never had!

The man in the dark light remained unmoved, knowing that, according to legend, this mythical Black Dog often spewed "fragrances" that ordinary people couldn't tolerate.

Sure enough, the Black Dog spoke again: "So, I think you and I are very much alike!"

Was that its reason for praising someone? It was just self-praise!

The man in the dark light said nothing.

The Black Dog sighed, looking up at the sky. "To quote someone, we might be two similar flowers. If I wither today, you will be another me, reborn from the ashes."

The man in the dark light's forehead twitched with a visible vein.

"Who the hell is a similar flower to you?" he thought. "Even if we're on the same side, and I admire your great ancient achievements, and while your virtue may not be high, your reputation is significant, how are we alike?!"

Suddenly, the Black Dog roared, "Dead duck! This Emperor has arrived! Get over here now, or I'll cut you down!"

Its aura surged. Its earlier dawdling was merely due to lingering unease; it had actually been secretly probing the Soul River. Now, with a clear understanding, the Dog Emperor immediately launched a fierce attack.

Boom!

In the distance, the White Crow's true form was almost crushed, as the Black Dog used a forbidden technique combined with domain runes, nearly obliterating it instantly.

The White Crow's body exploded, its soul-light breaking free and rapidly reconstructing itself in the distance. It finally stood on a blighted land, staring intently at the Black Dog.

That dog was not only alive, but still so ferocious! Deep in the White Crow's eyes was an endless, chilling coldness.

However, upon seeing the Emperor's corpse on the Black Dog's back, it felt another chill of dread, an boundless apprehension in its heart. It was indeed terrified and afraid.

It knew deeply how unfathomable beings of that level were. Although there was evidence that the supreme Heavenly Emperor had been ambushed and fallen after countless battles, it still feared unforeseen circumstances.

If the Emperor's corpse showed any abnormality, or if it reanimated here, it could lead to unimaginably terrifying consequences. The White Crow was fearful and anxious; the Soul River's ultimate destination could not be disturbed at this critical moment. No disruption was permissible.

The man in the dark light secretly transmitted a message, also signaling the Black Dog not to fight to the death just yet. He suggested pressuring and intimidating the White Crow to gain significant advantages first.

"This Emperor naturally knows," the Black Dog calmly responded in secret. "I'm not trying to completely overturn the table. This is maximum pressure, aimed at securing more and greater benefits."

In a sense, they indeed shared similar styles in certain aspects: both immediately resorted to extortion, demanding sufficient benefits before proceeding.

Regardless of whether they would engage in a bloody battle with the Soul River next, they wouldn't suffer a loss.

The Black Dog had now confirmed that something was wrong at the end of the Soul River. The supreme terror of that ultimate place had indeed been crippled back then, perhaps even dead.

Therefore, it became even more composed, not rushing into a bloody fight.

It mused that if the great terror at the end of the Soul River was half-dead, it might be able to use its trump card today: unleash the item left by the Heavenly Emperor to finish it off completely, eliminating future troubles forever!

The Black Dog's expression gradually softened, but its heart was filled with surging murderous intent. It planned a grand move today: to overturn the Soul River and eradicate one of the sources of strangeness!

Its only concern was whether the ancient Underworld, the Heavenly Emperor's burial pit, and similar places would sense it and unleash unspeakable beings.

While its inner murderous intent soared to the heavens, its large black face became increasingly gentle. It aimed to stabilize all parties and secretly resume probing various locations.

At this moment, the Black Dog looked very benevolent as it turned to the man in the dark light. "Blackie," it said, "speaking of which, you and I are quite fated. We once had a passionate bond."

The man in the dark light really wanted to say, "Passionate bond, my foot! Back then, I was drenched head-to-toe in black dog blood, had the worst luck, was thrown into a desperate situation, nearly sacrificed alive by enemies, wandered between life and death for ages, and barely managed to return to the living!"

He didn't want to engage with the dog. The best way to deal with it was not to follow its line of conversation, otherwise, it would unleash an endless stream of "fragrances."

At this point, the Black Dog had secretly probed all directions and finally had a general understanding of the situation.

It sneered. "Dead duck, you were just a little whelp back then. Now you dare to put on airs when you see me? Who are you putting on a cold face for? Oh, and is your father still alive? Back then, I roasted half his body and ate it, and it was so toxic that black mist came out of my face for three months. Truly not a pleasant memory."

The White Crow was enraged. This dog was too hateful; was it trying to rub salt in its wounds? Its father had been severely wounded back then and entered the ultimate blighted land for Nirvana, never emerging since.

It sounded ridiculous, but upon closer thought, one could imagine how brutal the bloody battles of yesteryear were. This dog had a certain fastidiousness, yet back then it had cast all caution aside, eating toxic crows at the end of the Soul River to replenish its energy.

The Black Dog said, "Dead duck, they say you surpass your predecessor, but you don't look like much to me; you're pitifully weak. Why don't you stew yourself and offer yourself as a sacrifice? Let this Emperor have a little snack!"

"Don't be arrogant; this is the Soul River, not the Heavenly Emperor's Palace, which was reduced to ruins!" the White Crow said coldly. After a slight pause, it continued, "I am not in my complete form, and I don't wish to fight a decisive battle with you all today. However, if you force me, then come on; who's afraid of whom? At the same time, I must warn you: if a grand decisive battle breaks out, the Lord of the Soul River will definitely bathe all heavens and myriad worlds in blood this time!"

"Look at that, even a little crow dares to threaten me. Alas."

The Black Dog sighed deeply, looking up at the sky. "Time is a butcher's knife," it said, "it has grayed the hero's hair and bent this Emperor's back. I'm a bit old now, how merciless!"

The man in the dark light remained silent. He knew this dog was definitely brewing a big move. He had a strong feeling that the dog might go on a rampage today, turning the Soul River into chaos with blood!

The current calm was likely the last tranquility before a storm.

Therefore, he remained silent, prepared for a bloody battle.

The White Crow was speechless, but soon it felt a chilling coldness pierce to its bones. It had a strange feeling about today; the dog's current behavior was too "benevolent."

It was a little worried, having already sensed something. Would the Dog Emperor erupt today, becoming hysterical and going for a fight to the death, causing a massive incident?!

The White Crow probed, beginning to show signs of compromise, hinting that everything could be discussed.

"Everything in this world has its own trajectory, which is hard to change. Even you are powerless to stop it, and you cannot eliminate what you call 'strangeness,' otherwise, big problems will arise," the White Crow advised.

"The world always perishes at the end of each epoch for a reason. Even if the Heavenly Emperor revives and campaigns against the Soul River again one day, it won't change anything, even if it truly succeeds..." The White Crow shook its head.

"Why are you shaking your head?" the man in the dark light said coldly.

"Stepping back, even if you truly eliminate us, and eliminate what you call the source of strangeness, what then? It will trigger even more terrifying events, and all heavens and myriad worlds will cease to exist, *heheh*!" the White Crow said chillingly.

Of course, its coldness and indifference faltered when facing the Black Dog, and especially when it saw the Emperor's corpse on its back. It trembled again.

Each time it saw that lifeless body, it was struck with extreme fear, losing its confidence.

The White Crow forced itself to rally its spirits. "In fact," it said, "it's not certain who the source of contamination is, or who represents orthodoxy!"

At this moment, the depths of the Black Dog's eyes held boundless desolation and coldness, gradually differing from before. In this area, it silently carved many runes, directly manipulating the Soul River.

Back then, its research into domains was… quite unconventional, with few able to match it.

Generally speaking, it was hit-or-miss.

Now, with its serious demeanor, there was no doubt it would work!

"Calm down first," the man in the dark light secretly transmitted.

"I know what I'm doing," the Black Dog said calmly. "At worst, I'll bid farewell to this world and depart. I'm tired after enduring so many years, and my time is short. This is the last chance."

Of course, before its final departure, it would unleash the item left by the Heavenly Emperor!

"What are you doing?!" the White Crow exclaimed in horror.

"Be quiet, little duck! I'll give you a chance: go to the blighted land at the end and retrieve that herb for me. I smell it. Don't tell me it's not there, otherwise, you'll face the consequences. This Emperor has arrived here and will surely bathe the Soul River in blood!" the Black Dog delivered its final ultimatum.

In front of the Soul-Light Cavern, a group of people stood in silence.

Especially the master of the Soul-Light Cavern, who had sworn he had no connection to the Soul River, was now dumbfounded upon returning home: an ancient path led directly to the Soul River!

Could he still claim it had nothing to do with him?!

Most critically, who opened it? Even ultimate beings should have found this secret path difficult to discover.

"Heheh, what else is there to say?" the merged form of Number Nine spoke.

"Let's act. Eliminate him!" Tai Yi said grimly, and was the first to move.

The other few did not hesitate either. In the face of such a critical matter, no one could hold back, or they would find themselves on the opposing side with dire consequences.

Several mighty experts attacked with lethal intent simultaneously. Blazing light covered the front, making it impossible for even the powerful master of the Soul-Light Cavern to break free; after all, he was not Li!

Moreover, he had already been severely wounded, almost killed, by Nine-Six-Three earlier. He was only kept alive to bring them here to find evidence.

The master of the Soul-Light Cavern exploded, his form disintegrating and his soul burning.

However, the few of them acted with restraint, extracting a wisp of his true spirit, wanting to understand all the truths of this place.

Moments later, their expressions turned grim.

This Soul-Light Cavern, acting as a window, had existed for too long. To only discover it now meant its influence was severely detrimental.

At this moment, Emperor Wu finally sensed something again, hearing his disciples crying and praying distinctly: "Grandmaster has been carried off by a dog!"

"What was that?" Emperor Wu was stunned. He was certain it was real this time, he hadn't misheard. Understanding the cause and effect, his face instantly flushed purple.

Just then, someone in the Soul-Light Cavern spoke with a perplexed expression: "Who went in through this path?"

"Though concealed, it's... a familiar aura, an old friend," Nine-Six-Three sighed lightly, his expression incredibly solemn. He began calling out to the First Mountain, urging several old brothers to awaken. They all had to come!

At this moment, the First Mountain trembled. Grave mounds cracked open, and human skin drifted out.

In the past, some individuals, from Number One to Number Nine, had been buried in graves and presumed dead. But today, they burst forth from their tombs!

Number Nine's expression was grave. He knew something major was about to happen at the end of the Soul River. This time, he had not only brought a certain ancient devastating weapon but also intended to gather all his old brothers to unite!

With a violent tremor, a flash of white light erupted from the depths of the Soul-Light Cavern. A fierce bird was struck out, exploding into a bloody mist and soul-light remnants that burned, transforming into a fiery streak that tore through space and shot into the distance.

"A battle has begun?!" exclaimed the master of the Black Blood Institute.

"Go, quickly, enter the cavern!" Number Nine yelled. He knew the battle had started!

Emperor Wu no longer bothered searching for the Black Dog. He, Tai Yi, the merged form of Number Nine, and others rushed inside together.

The world behind the gate, at the end of the Soul River.

The man in the dark light was speechless. He looked at the Black Dog, thinking, "Are you that impatient? You went straight for the kill against the White Crow? What about the intimidation and extortion you talked about? You were supposed to get benefits first!"

"It's fine," the Black Dog said calmly. "It's not completely dead yet. It will be back soon; there's still a wisp of its lingering soul."

"Someone has come in," said the man in the dark light.

"No matter," the Black Dog said indifferently, showing no concern. However, its expression soon changed. It spun around sharply, its gaze piercing through space and time to look outside.

Its gaze followed the fiery trajectory left by the burning remnants of the White Crow's soul-light after it exploded.

Then, it was speechless.

Outside, Chu Feng had arrived.

Why was he here? After emerging from the scripture cocoon, he had been waiting in the northern lands for the dark light to go and plunder the empty nest of the old ultimate being, Emperor Wu.

He also wanted to watch the show, eagerly anticipating the Mad Martial Artist's lair being raided. He wondered if the strong individuals in the dark light would react negatively upon discovering that someone had already plundered Emperor Wu's stronghold before them.

In short, he was waiting in the northern lands for the spectacle, but no one came no matter how long he waited.

Finally, he realized that a major event was likely occurring at the Soul-Light Cavern, as it involved the Soul River!

So, Chu Feng rushed over, wanting to witness the unfolding of an ancient grand event!

Of course, he hid far enough away, with no intention of approaching. He stood on a high peak, a good half-province away, looking into the distance and sensing the fluctuations.

Not long after he appeared, a blazing fire, transforming into a beam of light, flew towards him, scorching the sky.

His expression immediately changed. What was that thing?

"A secret treasure! A windfall from heaven!" cried Zi Luan. She had been released and, seeing it from afar and feeling the intense energy fluctuations, became excited.

Eventually, the fiery light gradually extinguished, becoming dimmer and dimmer, its energy decaying to a less astonishing level.

Chu Feng felt he could handle it.

However, when he opened his Super Fiery Golden Eyes, his face turned a little green. This was… a white crow? *The* White Crow!

A living creature!

He immediately felt a sense of foreboding. Earlier, this creature had exhibited incredibly strong energy fluctuations. Even now, though seemingly in trouble and decaying, it would likely be difficult to provoke.

He turned to leave, but the object was hurtling towards him at extreme speed; there was no time.

The only thing that reassured him, however, was that the White Crow exploded once more, shattering as it approached.

But in an instant, the White Crow reassembled itself again, its flesh regenerating.

However, it then burst apart with a "poof" sound, shattering once more.

Chu Feng was surprised but no longer rushed. He could tell the White Crow was on its last legs; its life force was rapidly dwindling and plummeting.

In that instant, the White Crow repeatedly reassembled and exploded dozens more times. Its energy was almost depleted, only a wisp of its soul-light remained, and its flesh barely managed to reconstruct itself again.

Of course, its blood had long since lost its essence.

"This is… a living monster, very powerful! We don't have time to escape!" Zi Luan was almost in tears.

"Escape what? A duck fell from the sky; let's boil it and eat it!" Chu Feng declared fiercely.

He felt the intense murderous intent emanating from the White Crow, as if it wished to annihilate everything, radiating an utterly chilling coldness.

Faced with such coldness and killing intent, he naturally made no attempt to conceal his own intentions. He decided to strike first and kill it!

He believed that the White Crow's current state was no longer even at the Heavenly Venerate level; over ninety-nine percent of its soul-light had been burned away, its physical body continuously exploded, and no vital blood essence remained.

Chu Feng shouted, "I don't care what kind of monster you are, if you dare show killing intent towards me, I'll roast you and eat you!"

He was incredibly bold and genuinely took action.

Although he appeared flippant, Chu Feng went all out when he truly acted. He didn't want to die here for nothing; such a peculiar creature likely had an unimaginably formidable background.

He would use all his strength and strike first!

Of course, if he could capture it alive, that would be even better. Suppressing it might yield endless benefits.

The White Crow's gaze was icy cold. As it fell closer, it directly opened its mouth and used a secret technique to kill the man and woman before it. Even with its power drastically reduced, it remained extremely arrogant and domineering.

However, the next moment, it was terrified, its feathers standing on end. It felt utterly uneasy.

It saw a chopstick-length black spear jabbing towards it.

Chu Feng went all out, burning soul soil madly regardless of the cost. He increasingly realized that the White Crow likely had an incredibly formidable origin, and even with its power drastically reduced, it still gave off a very dangerous aura. He absolutely had to strike first and kill it!

The chopstick-length black spear, empowered by the Reincarnation Soil, tore through the sky with a dark light. It was terrifying, practically annihilating anything in its path!

The White Crow was shocked. How could a young man from the Yang realm possess such a method, wielding such immense destructive power?!

However, that wasn't the only surprise. The next instant, it shrieked in terror.

"You…" When it squarely looked at Chu Feng's face, its complexion turned deathly pale. This appearance… somehow looked terrifying and felt familiar. What the hell!

Involuntarily, it turned to flee, spinning its body and abandoning everything, with only one thought: escape!

Although in the instant of turning, it realized it couldn't be *that* person, because *that* person was still alive and didn't believe much in reincarnation, so they would never reincarnate.

This was tragic. Its earlier wild thoughts, followed by its hesitation and turning, made it absolutely impossible to evade the small black spear.

With a *thwock*, Chu Feng unleashed the small black spear, piercing the White Crow's rear, and a massive burst of energy erupted!

"Aooo… Quack!"

The White Crow was in so much pain that it let out a bestial cry. The energy from the Reincarnation Soil, when unleashed, was incredibly devastating to soul-light, sounding nothing like a bird's call.

This was why the Dog Emperor was stunned in the distance. After witnessing this scene, its face was a mixture of shock and speechlessness.

"This Heavenly Emperor will kill you!" Chu Feng shouted.

When the White Crow heard the words "This Heavenly Emperor," its soul-light trembled. But upon hearing "will kill you," it was certain this was not *that* person.

However, it was too late. Its body was disintegrating, and its weak soul-light was cracking.

At this moment, it truly felt wronged and incredibly stifled. It wanted to scream aloud that it had the worst luck in eight lifetimes today, encountering three peculiar individuals in a row, all shouting about killing it.

It felt a thick maliciousness, as if the entire world were conspiring against it, with all the heavens' ill will directed upon it.