Chapter 1470: Landing to Become Emperor

The black dog was utterly bewildered. Who was this little old man? His eyes, glowing green, were fixated on it—was something wrong with him?

Highly displeased, it bared its broken fangs and glared back fiercely, completely oblivious that it had just absconded with someone's master.

The Martial Emperor was incandescent with rage. "You raided my training ground, carried off... abducted my master, and now you have the audacity to act so brazenly!"

"Look at that dog face, droopy and disdainful! What kind of person, what kind of dog is this? Utterly hateful!" The Martial Emperor longed to strike it dead on the spot.

The other side was equally tumultuous.

Li earnestly continued to explain.

"Though myriad thoughts weighed upon me, I was truly dead!"

"Li 'Darkie', shut up!" The others refused to listen.

"You old schemer, how dare you even bring that up?"

"Besides, that's not even the point anymore; stop changing the subject!"

At this moment, the few old Ultimates just wanted to know: "Why did you go into our backyard?!"

Their gazes were like purgatory, chilling and terrifying.

Li, with a serious expression, declared, "Actually, I'm doing this for your own good!"

Hearing this, the old Ultimates' blood instantly boiled with rage, their fury reaching immense heights. They had no words; all they wanted was to kill him!

Li waved a hand, looking at them, and stated with solemn righteousness, "Everything is to save you!"

"Try saying that again, I dare you?!" The others closed in, ready to strike.

Li explained, "I merely wanted to check if there was anything ominous or strange in your backyard, fearing you might be harmed!"

With a solemn expression, he continued, "You see how dangerous the Soul Light Cavern is, actually connected to the Soul River. The true master of the cavern must have been killed and replaced."

"Killed by whom? The master of the Soul Light Cavern originated from the Soul River!" The others' faces darkened. "How could you even utter such an excuse?"

Li, still earnest, insisted, "This danger is very serious; don't disregard it. It's extremely severe and brooks no refutation!"

"So now you're in the right, forbidding us to speak, brooking no refutation? You outrageous Li 'Darkie', why don't you just die!"

"What exactly did you take from our abode?" someone asked eerily.

"I took nothing. Your meager savings aren't even worth my glance. Have you seen my coffin in the Great Underworld? It's far grander than yours; I don't need your paltry belongings!"

The others couldn't bear to listen anymore. This shameless old schemer, as unscrupulous as he was in prehistoric times, deserved to be directly dealt with, killed off!

Patches of mushroom clouds erupted as the old Ultimates struck with deep-seated hatred.

Suddenly, a squawk echoed from a distance. The white crow shrieked in fury, wailing as its feathers exploded, leaving it completely bald. It trembled with anger, utterly humiliated and enraged.

It had been secretly relishing the spectacle of their internal conflict, only to inexplicably become the target of a sudden attack itself.

Naturally, this was Li's doing; he had been entirely on guard against the irascible old Ultimates.

Moments ago, his body had glowed like a smooth, unblemished mirror, reflecting all incoming attack spells onto the white crow.

This was a lost, wondrous technique, incredibly difficult to master.

Li, his face stern, said, "Everyone, this is the Soul River; don't act like this. Otherwise, you'll only cause grief to your loved ones and joy to your enemies. Look how happily and joyfully that bald creature is laughing!"

The white crow heard this and thought, "Who is he talking about?"

Seeing Li 'Darkie' point at it, the white crow immediately flew into a furious rage. "You're the bald one! Your whole family are bald!"

However, being entirely white and without a single feather, it was indeed quite conspicuous.

Filled with intense resentment, its body surged with white light, and fluffy feathers rapidly grew, covering its entire form.

"What an uproar! With a great enemy before us, we should naturally unite against them," said the merged form of Number Nine, walking over, leaning on a rusty, tattered long spear.

Inexplicably, that spear exuded an utterly terrifying aura, making even soul light tremble uncontrollably.

The old Ultimates quieted down. Indeed, facing the Soul River, it was not the time for internal conflict; this much they agreed on.

Of course, a sense of indignation still simmered within them. "This cursed Li 'Darkie'! Weren't you taken by the heavens? How wonderful if you had just vanished forever! You truly should not have revived!"

"Masters, your disciple extends his greetings!" Li saluted respectfully.

The merged form of Number Nine sighed with emotion, saying, "It's been difficult for you. After all these years, to remain as kind as ever, with light perpetually in your heart—it's truly remarkable."

Upon hearing this, the old Ultimates' faces twitched, all of them thoroughly exasperated.

They almost spat in his face. "Can you even speak properly?"

"This disciple of yours, and you dare call him kind and bright? In prehistoric times, wasn't he known as the 'Grand Schemer'?"

Li, with immense seriousness, declared, "Your disciple respectfully follows your teachings. Though the path is arduous and I endure hardships, I shall press forward unyieldingly, ever steadfast!"

"You speak with such righteous indignation, don't you feel a prick of conscience? Doesn't your face burn with shame?" the old Ultimates grumbled resentfully.

"What 'resolute Dao heart' and 'unwavering consistency'? You, 'Darkie,' are determined to walk a dark path to its bitter end!"

Their gazes were exceedingly hostile.

The merged form of Number Nine nodded earnestly, revealing a benevolent and deeply contented smile. This expression nearly made the old Ultimates spontaneously combust with irritation.

Then, with a serious expression, the merged form of Number Nine stated, "Gentlemen, do not dismiss this. You will understand later that my disciple is truly kind, with light residing in his heart, and it is indeed not easy for him to walk alone in the boundless black mist."

"Have you two, master and disciple, fed your consciences to the dogs? Enough!" the owner of the Black Blood Research Institute finally burst out.

"Woof, what did you just say?!" Not far away, the big black dog became displeased, fixing him with an exceedingly hostile stare.

The owner of the Black Blood Research Institute immediately fell silent, as if he hadn't spoken at all.

At this point, the Dog Emperor's dominance over the Martial Emperor was absolute.

"This Emperor never lies. Would I even bother with your paltry possessions? A single hair I pluck is thicker than you! You, a mere stripling, dare to call yourself Martial Emperor? Are you trying to claim equality with this Emperor?"

The Martial Emperor's eyes were a miserable, sickly green. He longed to retort, "I haven't even opened my mouth, and you, this vile dog, are already spewing insults at me! Dammit, where's the sense in that?!"

And what had this dog called him? A stripling!

As the black dog's spittle flew, another paw lashed out, its target not the Martial Maniac, but the distant white crow.

Again, crow feathers scattered everywhere!

The white crow erupted in fury. "Are you all insane? You're fighting amongst yourselves, so why don't you kill each other first? Why, whenever you're annoyed, do you always target me?!"

It was utterly livid!

"Let's fight to the death! I've had enough!" the white crow shrieked in grief and indignation. It didn't care what happened; even if its father blamed it or the rules of the ultimate land punished it, it had to vent its frustration.

Otherwise, what pleasure would remain in its crow life? It was too infuriating; it had truly had enough.

"Come, let's fight!" the black dog roared. Then, it turned and bellowed at everyone, "I don't care what immense grievances you hold against each other—even if it's vengeance for a murdered father or hatred for a stolen wife—do not engage in internal strife here! Don't hold this Emperor back! The time has come to drench the Soul River in blood; prepare for a great slaughter!"

A complete silence fell over the area, and the terrifying atmosphere became utterly chilling.

"Very well, as you wish. Let us prematurely commence the bloody purge. Fight!" A cold voice resonated from the depths of the Soul River, within the Ultimate Blight.

A white ancient crow, the white crow's father, emerged, appearing and disappearing faintly.

A single white feather flew forth, like a celestial arrow or a pristine long spear, piercing the void. It carried immense energy and an aura that struck terror into all the heavens, its light illuminating the cosmos.

With a thunderous roar, it shattered everything in its path and hurtled towards the black dog.

The black dog let out a low growl, and sound waves from its mouth, like a breaching flood, resisted the white feather arrow, causing it to detonate directly in front of it. This created numerous black holes, an astonishing sight.

"You're old, you're past your prime," the ancient white crow remarked from within the Soul River's ultimate land, its voice utterly indifferent.

"Killing you will be enough."

At this moment, the black dog's body surged with dark light and expanded, overlooking the entire Blighted Land. Its massive paws rapidly grew, its very claws becoming many times larger than stars.

It swiped a paw towards the Soul River's ultimate land, as if wishing to directly tear apart that legendary Blighted Land and utterly obliterate it.

"Squawk!"

From the depths of the Soul River's ultimate land, the white crow's father remained indifferent, extending an equally terrifying, sharp claw. As it reached out, horrifying phenomena manifested: beneath its claw, countless planets shattered and starfields annihilated. This was nothing short of an apocalyptic vision; were these truly the calamities it had wrought in ages past?

Yet, it abruptly recoiled, its feathers bristling, feeling a profound unease.

"I... I actually overlooked it. Why was I as if blind just now, my spiritual senses askew, failing to notice the Emperor Corpse? It felt as though some karmic force was pulling me, urging me to grasp it..."

The white crow's father genuinely had all its feathers standing on end. Only in that final moment did it seem to remember that the black dog had arrived bearing the Emperor Corpse, and that some inexplicable karmic force was drawing it to touch the corpse—this was utterly terrifying.

It couldn't help but shiver, rapidly retracting its claw and pulling back.

The gigantic dog paw, vast enough to cover the sky, slammed down onto the Blighted Land, threatening to punch straight through it!

However, without a sound, a layer of light emerged, and mist billowed. All sorts of indescribable scenes appeared: the decay of all heavens, supreme beings rotting away, and various unspeakable sights manifesting simultaneously, resisting the dog paw and attempting to corrode it.

The black dog decisively withdrew its paw, then produced the Emperor Bell, preparing to smash it forward.

"Dog, you're exhausted. Step aside for now; let me handle this."

At this moment, the merged form of Number Nine stepped forward, holding a rusty, tattered spear. It appeared unassuming, yet the contained sharpness was truly intimidating.

"You're the one who's exhausted!" the black dog panted. Its own vital energy was depleted, and it was truly exerting itself. It genuinely wanted to blast open the ultimate land with a single paw, but that was unrealistic.

So, it could only advance, clutching the Emperor Bell.

"Dog, it's been a long time. I can't believe even a stripling like you has grown so old. Alas, time is a butcher's knife for dogs, and the mortal world is but a series of tragedies."

The merged form of Number Nine spoke, filled with profound emotion, a touch of melancholy and sadness in its voice.

For the first time, the black dog felt utterly repulsed. Among this group, the only monster older than it was this mere human skin, constantly acting insufferably arrogant about its age—it was truly nauseating.

"You're down to just a few layers of skin, how are you still not dead?!" the black dog grumbled irritably, clutching the Emperor Bell, its resentment clear.

It was only then that the Martial Emperor, the owner of the Black Blood Research Institute, and the other old Ultimates seemed to notice that the dog was carrying a corpse. All of them were instantly terrified.

Why had they not sensed it earlier?

What kind of power was this, that it could be so utterly overlooked, making the corpse almost imperceptible?

For a moment, all of them were deeply shaken and fell into profound silence.

The merged form of Number Nine spoke, "I can't die; the earth itself struggles to bury me. So I came to the Soul River, to see if the monsters here would finally accept me and let me decay. I've truly lived long enough."

Everyone was speechless; his words were truly cringeworthy.

"You're probably done for," the black dog remarked. "You'll die here today."

"Then let's wait and see. I'm just afraid I'll end up piercing a few big ones. I didn't come here to be lenient; today I'll devour everything: flesh, spirit, weapons, soul light! I want it all!"

As he spoke, a few more human skins drifted gently through the air, rapidly merging with Number Nine, making him appear fuller, increasingly resembling a normal human.

At that moment, the old Ultimates were awestruck. The First Mountain was indeed uncanny; this old entity was far too mysterious. All nine human skins were, in fact, from the same individual!

It had only been speculation before, but now confirmed, it was terrifying—many times more formidable than Number Nine alone!

"Your flesh and blood are gone, so how have you not decayed? You're incredibly resilient," the black dog grumbled resentfully. The old entity's cultivation method was far too peculiar, his path incredibly strange, making it impossible to emulate.

"Call me Nine Daoyi," the merged form of Number Nine stated.

He then continued, "My flesh and blood are still out there; they're probably lost. I keep these human skins as a memento, and I reckon he'll find his way home someday and return for a reunion. And my bones, I don't know where they've run off to either, but I hope they're well. I wish them peace and will wait for them at home."

Everyone felt dizzy and utterly speechless. What kind of monster was this? His skin, flesh, and bones had each established their own domains, separated, some having run off to pursue their own paths? It was too bizarre!

A moment's deeper thought, however, would send shivers down one's spine and raise goosebumps.

"This Emperor doesn't want to talk to you!" The black dog retorted, refusing to engage with him further.

Just then, a disturbance emanated from the depths of the Soul River's ultimate land, followed by an immense oppressive aura that made everyone feel as though they were suffocating, trembling uncontrollably.

If even beings as powerful as them were affected, one could only imagine how utterly terrifying and chilling it truly was.

A stone slowly drifted into view, steadily expanding until it formed a magnificent Dao platform.

Another block then emerged from that ultimate realm.

Dozens, even hundreds, of pieces assembled together, forming a grand platform riddled with cracks and bearing the scars of countless battles—it also bore a resemblance to an altar.

It had once been shattered into pieces, but was reassembled. Dried bloodstains still remained upon its surface.

The platform expanded, quickly becoming boundless, vast as a great world!

"Though the Emperor Battleground of yesteryear was shattered, leaving only a fragmented corner, it is ample enough to support the current scale of battle for our respective factions," the white crow's father said coldly from the depths of the Blighted Land. "Come, let us fight to the death!"

It spoke with a chilling quietness, growing ever more resolute.

The owner of the Black Blood Research Institute and the others were shocked. "Is that Heavenly Emperor's blood?!"

"Is that the blood of the supreme beings from the Soul River's ultimate land?"

The platform was stained with blood, relics of battles long past. However, those dry, cold bloodstains had long since lost all vitality, their spiritual essence having been completely worn away.

"Even if there's blood, it's not necessarily from an Emperor; at the very least, what you're seeing isn't," Nine Daoyi stated.

He observed carefully, concluding there shouldn't be any Emperor's blood. Even if its spiritual essence were destroyed, Emperor's blood was not something ordinary powerful beings could withstand, nor would it be left behind so carelessly.

"Heh, I see a corner of this battlefield once more," the black dog remarked.

Then, it leaped onto the boundless platform, carefully setting down the Emperor Corpse, ready for a fight to the death.

The black dog declared, "My life may be reaching its end, all earthly shackles severed. Here, there is only a fight to the death. Those not afraid to die, come with me! Those who wish to hold back, leave now and quickly!"

"Then let's kill! Today, we'll fight until the sun and moon lose their light and the Soul River grows dim. I, too, shall go wild and see if I can obliterate the crippled Soul River's ultimate land, purging it clean!" Nine Daoyi declared, his disheveled hair fanned out, his eyes like bolts of lightning. In that moment, he was no longer benevolent, his smile gone, appearing instead like a peerless demon lord descended.

The aura he exuded terrified heaven and earth; at that very moment, all realms throughout the heavens sensed it, trembling. In some places, the sky wept, and blood rain poured down.

Furthermore, he was chanting an ancient incantation, attempting to summon his flesh and blood and bones, unaware of where they now wandered, yet hoping they would return to join the battle!

Even though the old Ultimates were exceptionally powerful, their scalps tingled, and they felt as if their very bodies would be torn apart; the aura was simply too astonishing.

A major battle hadn't even erupted yet, but the monster Nine Daoyi already exerted an overwhelming pressure on them; it was utterly chilling.

Tai Yi moved, rushing onto the altar. "I, too, was once young and reckless," he said. "I was once the protagonist of an era, and I was once... a good person."

Looking back, he sighed softly. His path was paved with blood and bones; in pursuit of eternity and greater power, he had lost his former brilliance, his hands stained with bloodshed.

*Swish swish swish!*

The old Ultimates all ascended the platform battlefield.

"That spear of yours... it couldn't possibly be something left by *that* person, could it?" At that moment, the black dog noticed the tattered, rust-covered spear in Nine Daoyi's hand, finding it profoundly unsettling despite its dilapidated appearance.

"Which person?" The old Ultimates present were surprised and doubtful, but they quickly realized it could only be the legendary figure who dared to single-handedly excavate the ancient reincarnation path, seeking the ancient underworld. A weapon left by *him*?!

Everyone was shocked. "Is this even possible?" It was enough to terrify a gathering of old monsters from all the heavens to death.

"You guess!" Nine Daoyi replied calmly, still chanting the ancient incantation, summoning his flesh and blood and bones—those two entities.

"Not going to extort benefits first?" Li secretly transmitted to the black dog.

"Unless we cripple them, unless we kill them, what benefits can we expect?" the Dog Emperor secretly responded. "This is the Soul River, not elsewhere. You haven't truly witnessed the inherent bloodlust and brutality yet."

At that moment, a terrifying aura surged forth, white light tearing through the sky, yet it was unable to inflict even the slightest damage on the altar battlefield. The white crow's father slowly drew closer!

This ancient crow was indeed incredibly powerful; even with unhealed wounds, it was now utterly formidable.

Behind and in front of it, creatures thronged everywhere, surrounding it, clustered around its center.

One could say the army was boundless and dense, comprising countless dried corpses, pure spiritual entities, and even monsters entirely covered in red fur.

The black dog grew serious. It understood well that the Soul River was a formidable opponent; back then, its own faction had lost many powerful individuals!

"What a lively scene! This Venerable One has also arrived!" At this crucial moment, another figure appeared, abruptly materializing on the platform.

He was bloated and utterly rotten. He leaped onto the platform with a flourish, yet as soon as he landed on the battlefield, he stumbled, his neck snapped with a loud crack, and his head thudded to the ground.

"Alas, my flesh isn't firm anymore," he mumbled. "Damn it, my head has rebelled and run off on its own!"

*Roll, roll, roll!*

The head rolled away, a truly horrifying sight. Many dried corpses on the opposite side roared in anger, only to explode into fragments with a series of bangs.

At this moment, even the Martial Maniac was momentarily speechless. "Who *is* this fellow?" he wondered, "So utterly brutal!"

*Boom!*

The head rolled, growing larger and larger, surpassing even planets, still transforming as it crushed forward. If this were not the Emperor Battleground, the platform would surely have long since collapsed.

"Enough!"

The white crow's father roared, flapping its wings and striking forward.

"Oh, great duck, thank you for returning your grandpa's head!" the headless decaying corpse exclaimed.

Amidst the swirling white light, the head was sent flying, but it landed securely on the decaying corpse's neck. The corpse then reached up with both hands and, with a *snap*, set its head back in place.

At this moment, even Tai Yi's eyes widened in disbelief, finding this entity utterly bizarre and unbelievably powerful.

"Dog, did you miss me? Did you cry when I passed away?" The decaying corpse looked at the Dog Emperor and laughed heartily. "To my surprise, I'm still alive, even in this rotten state."

The black dog bared its fangs, genuinely wanting to bite him to death!

The bloated decaying corpse patted its rear. "Come on, bite me," it challenged.

"Woof, *ptui*!" The black dog felt revolted. "That rotting flesh is still quivering! Who the hell would dare to bite you? Wouldn't that be self-abuse? I'd just sicken myself!"

"Kill!"

At that moment, the ancient crow on the battlefield spoke, issuing its command.

In an instant, the boundless army's killing intent soared, alarming all the heavens and myriad realms. The Soul River's aura was truly too terrifying; countless creatures charged forward, shaking both heaven and earth!

"Come, come, come! This Emperor has never feared grand spectacles! You think you have strength in numbers? No matter! Behold this Emperor's peerless divine ability—'Upon Landing, Become an Emperor'!"

The black dog shook its body, and instantly, millions of strands of dark light emanated from it.

Though it was bald and almost entirely devoid of fur, if one gathered it, there was still a pile of dog hair—just as a rotten ship still has three thousand nails. As it shook, dog fur flew everywhere, then... "Upon Landing, Become Dogs!"

A pack of black dogs barked and roared, their cries echoing through the thirty-three heavens. They all charged forward, biting and killing, astonishing everyone present.

*This* was the peerless divine ability—"Upon Landing, Become an Emperor"?

The combat power of this pack of black dogs was indeed formidable and utterly terrifying. Moreover, they all wielded various renowned ancient secret treasures, charging forward together in a ferocious onslaught.

Those weapons, the Dog Emperor's collection of many years, instantly struck with such force that the sky exploded and the battlefield violently trembled.

"Squawk! Meow! Meow!"

The white crow shrieked miserably, instantly losing its crow-like appearance. It had been blasted apart multiple times and had even started meowing like a cat!

This was no mere random meowing; from the very beginning, it had been wary of that ferocious, wicked dog. It had preemptively employed a wondrous technique of the Nine Lives Cat clan to ensure its survival.

It was fortunate that it had done so; otherwise, with the black dog specifically targeting it this time, directly unleashing "Upon Landing, Become Dogs... become Emperors," it would likely have been utterly annihilated.

Even so, the white crow had several lives instantly drained from it, having been killed multiple times!

"Father! Meow, squawk, meow, meow!"

The white crow was utterly miserable, its feathers falling, flesh and blood splattering everywhere. In a mere instant, it was nearly devoured alive by one massive black dog after another.

"Upon Landing, Become an Emperor" was truly terrifying.