Chapter 1481: Supreme Arrival

The Emperor's corpse moved, suddenly sitting upright without warning. Everyone was shaken, and even the Canine Emperor was stunned, crying out aloud. It wasn't out of fear; rather, its body trembled and its eyes welled up with tears. The Canine Emperor was overcome with heartfelt joy, unable to stop its tears.

“Great Emperor!”

This was the most affectionate name it had for him. In those days, when it was still very young, it had followed the Emperor. He had led it through bloody eras and across brilliant epochs. Yet, in the end, it remained alive, while the one who had mastered creation and long become the Heavenly Emperor lay lifeless on the shattered Imperial Bell. How could it not grieve, how could it not weep?

During that ambush, the Heavenly Emperor had resolutely stayed behind to cover their retreat, battling supreme powerhouses from the Soul River, the Heavenly Emperor's Burial Pit, and the Ancient Underworld. Even the Canine Emperor had managed to escape, but this revered Emperor himself had fallen like a brilliant star, dimming the entire starry sky as he perished. Though the broken bell had carried his body out, what good was it? An Emperor of that era was ultimately lost. Three Heavenly Emperors had battled the ominous, confronting the source of strangeness in a decisive battle that ended in sorrow.

“Great Emperor, you're alive…” The Canine Emperor's lips trembled. Covered in enemy blood, its body shook as it stumbled and swayed, rushing forward.

Everyone was utterly shocked and subdued. Had the Emperor who died so long ago truly been resurrected today?

“You… you've returned?!” The bald man's mouth was dry, his heart surging with excitement and profound shock. He almost wanted to roar aloud. Even the Martial Maniac and Taiyi were stunned. Despite their extreme arrogance, even being dubbed lunatics across the entire starry sky, they now stood agape, like mortals confronting a myth. This individual possessed an extraordinary lineage. Merely witnessing his corpse today was already inconceivable. Who could have imagined they were now to witness his resurrection?

The owner of the Black Blood Institute, a seasoned figure, now felt as if he had returned to his youth, his blood coursing, his excitement uncontrollable. He knelt instantly, prostrating himself in reverence. He wasn't the only one; the others present were similarly overwhelmed.

However, regaining some composure, people also observed an anomaly. Though the Emperor's corpse had abruptly sat up, why were its eyes so terrifying? Neither the whites of the eyes nor the pupils held any luster; they were entirely dark, like a desolate abyss.

“Do not approach!” Chu Feng called out. The stone jar within him vibrated faintly, and golden patterns interwoven beneath his feet. He instantly perceived that this was not a genuine resurrection of the Emperor.

Though the Canine Emperor was emotional, it had not lost its composure. Having endured for so many years, constantly by the Emperor's corpse, no one understood its condition better. It stopped there, deeply saddened.

“Something's amiss, something serious has happened!” the Rotten Corpse declared. He was a professional, having spent years exploring underground, excavating various prehistoric crypts and grand tombs. He had experienced too many ominous occurrences and was most sensitive to corpses suddenly animating and sitting upright.

Suddenly, wisps of black energy emanated from the Emperor's corpse, steaming upwards and causing the void to rupture. Indeed, something was changing! Nearby, the mountain walls, from which soul substance flowed, began to crack, and various stone grottoes abruptly burst apart. The scene was terrifying, as if the world were on the brink of annihilation, with pervasive dark energy covering everything! The black mist was too terrifying and irresistible, seemingly poised to make all heavens crumble and corrode all realms! In an instant, an unknown number of heavenly domains dimmed, as if a dense, dark mist was descending from beyond, enveloping heaven and earth. The immediate vicinity was even more horrifying.

Had it not been for the shattered Imperial Bell's resounding roar, which blocked this black mist and prevented the Emperor's corpse from emitting wisps of energy, most of those present would likely have perished. This was originally the Emperor's weapon, yet now it stood in opposition to him! The Dao runes vibrating from the broken bell formed a protective barrier of light.

Chu Feng stepped forward, positioning himself at the very front. The black mist was halted by the golden patterns beneath his feet. After all, this was not a living Heavenly Emperor; the emitted energy was merely wisps of residual power. Even so, it was still breathtaking. How could the former Emperor emit such strange and terrifying black mist? Had his Heavenly Emperor's origin been contaminated and eroded?

The Canine Emperor was anxious, privy to the underlying truth. For years, it had been keenly aware of the dark and ominous energy within the Emperor's corpse, yet it was powerless to purify it or effect any change. But today, this black mist was unprecedentedly dense. Was the Emperor's corpse on the verge of complete corruption? It was immensely worried and afraid.

“Did something from the abyss follow us?!” the Rotten Corpse asked, his voice grave. As an expert in his field, his greatest concern was that the supreme beings from the Soul River's ultimate domain had emerged and were using the corpse to cast spells—that would be the most terrifying outcome. The Soul River and the Ancient Underworld were the most dreadful, representing the source of all strangeness and the ancestral land of the ominous. If a supreme being from such a place were to emerge and inhabit the Emperor's corpse, it would be unimaginable. Perhaps, the Heavenly Emperor's remains would then become the most terrifying monster in the world!

Jiu Dao Yi stood as if facing a formidable enemy, his war spear illuminating the area like a beacon in the darkness, suppressing evil. Chu Feng's heart also sank. Ever since returning from the abyss, he had felt an unsettling sensation, as if something had followed him, sending chills down his spine. He stepped forward, nearing the Emperor's corpse. Regardless, with the immense power now bolstering him, he was certainly far stronger than anyone else, positioning himself at the forefront. He sensed the phantom behind him was agitated, an invisible aura expanding to resist the black mist emanating from the Emperor's corpse.

In the distance, the Soul River beings trembled. Many had evidently perished earlier, disintegrating across large areas along with the mountain wall. With Chu Feng now at the forefront, the situation benefited both his own side and their adversaries. The scene was finally brought under control. Though the Emperor's corpse had sat up, it became still and made no further movements.

“Is there something lingering nearby, attempting to enter his body?” the Rotten Corpse inquired.

Chu Feng shook his head, sensing nothing at the moment. As long as he could remain standing there, he would not permit any strange entity to approach the Emperor's corpse. Furthermore, he felt some suspicion: who exactly was the phantom behind him? At this juncture, a bold thought suddenly struck him: could it be connected to this Heavenly Emperor's corpse?! Because the shadow behind him was not currently attacking the Emperor's corpse. He hadn't forgotten that earlier, when the Nine-Colored Soul Lord confronted him, a pair of immense hands had directly emerged from behind him, launching a powerful assault. Of course, this was merely speculation, not necessarily reliable. Perhaps this shadow aligned with his stance; since he harbored no killing intent, the figure behind him naturally wouldn't initiate an attack.

At this moment, he found himself somewhat distracted. The astonishing nature of his conjecture sent a shiver down his spine. Beyond that, when Chu Feng considered the origin of the entity behind him, he identified another highly suspicious candidate. That candidate was—the seed! He now wondered if it was caused by the resurrection of the second seed. Ever since arriving, as the stone jar absorbed the essence of soul substance, the seed had gained vitality and was clearly undergoing a revival. Concurrently, the shadow behind him was gradually solidifying; first, large hands emerged, followed by the imminent manifestation of feet and other features.

In a flash, many thoughts raced through Chu Feng's mind, leaving him somewhat disquieted. He quickly composed himself. There was no time for excessive thought; he could not afford to be distracted.

“Hmm?!” The Canine Emperor suddenly widened its eyes, staring intently at the Emperor's corpse, sensing with its heart, and displaying a look of astonishment. It had followed the Emperor for countless years, long imbued with his aura and even possessing primal energy he had bestowed. Otherwise, how could it have constantly remained by the Emperor's corpse? It was naturally close to the Emperor's corpse and could clearly perceive its every subtle change.

“I feel that the Great Emperor… seems to have improved slightly, and the strangeness within his body has diminished a little. Could it be that his scattered imprints here have coalesced?” This was the Canine Emperor's speculation. It trembled with excitement and joy, wishing it could howl to the heavens.

“Hmm?!”

Chu Feng was surprised. Earlier, upon returning from the abyss, he had felt as if something had followed him. Could it be the Emperor's surviving imprints? However, he frowned again. Down below, the instant the stone jar violently vibrated, space and time froze, and his mind had gone momentarily blank. That sensation was deeply unsettling! Even a momentary blankness of mind, if an unimaginable powerhouse was lurking in the shadows, would be enough for them to accomplish much! Chu Feng suspected that in that instant, he had narrowly avoided disaster. He speculated: had he truly drawn back some of the Emperor's re-coalesced imprints? When his mind went blank, was it because the Emperor's consciousness attempted to enter him but was repelled? Another possibility was that he had been attacked, and a supreme being from the Soul River had finally made its move! In that moment, the stone jar violently vibrated, repelling a fatal assault.

Chu Feng's gaze was profound as he stood motionless and silent. Today's experience was beyond imagination, terrifying and exceedingly complex. He needed to maintain solemn vigilance, allowing for not the slightest oversight. However revered and mighty the Emperor's corpse had been in life, it was no longer him. Chu Feng could only stand there, silently confronting it.

The Canine Emperor's chest heaved violently. How could such a magnificent Emperor have met such a fate? Recalling those years, he had awed restricted zones, swept through the darkness, suppressed eras, and quelled bloodshed and chaos, sacrificing immensely. A hundred generations had passed, and his name was already forgotten by mortals. Once, he illuminated the ages, surveyed all heavens, and single-mindedly sought to eliminate the source of strangeness. He slew countless ominous beings, yet his own blood was spilled on the battlefield, and he returned to eternal silence. As the old dog reminisced about the past, its cloudy old eyes immediately blurred, and hot tears threatened to spill.

“I will go gather the great medicines to restore your heroic stature and shine upon the world once more, to stand for a thousand ages! How can the final battle proceed without you?!” the Canine Emperor roared. It could not bear to see the Emperor in such a state. He had always been invincible, meant to sweep the world without rival. He should not have died like this.

The Canine Emperor, in a frenzy, rushed towards the immense, boundless cliff cavern. It needed to find that great medicine; it was here, it could smell it.

“You all go gather the medicine,” Chu Feng instructed. He remained rooted, gazing into the abyss. He had to ensure their safety, allowing for no losses. Furthermore, he needed to stand guard, absolutely forbidding any supreme being from the source of strangeness to defile the Emperor's corpse. Though it was not yet definitively confirmed what creature had followed them, at this moment, Chu Feng finally sensed something that sent a chill down his spine. He stared into the abyss, prepared to strike and suppress at any moment.

“Go, let's fight our way through and collect the medicine!” the Rotten Corpse urged.

The bald man roared, “Uncle Master, wait for me! Let us charge together, and let the Emperor's glorious era reappear!”

Now, they were all desperate. With even a faint glimmer of hope, how could they not fight with all their might?

Jiu Dao Yi stepped forward, declaring grimly, “Fight to the death!”

A sigh. Indeed, there was something in the abyss below. No one had precisely sensed it before, but now it silently manifested, appearing! In the darkness, it emitted a faint, blurry light, its entire form indistinct. It seemed to stand in an ancient immortal land, or perhaps at the furthest reaches of the cosmos, alone atop the pinnacle of eternity, gazing down upon countless beings. The instant it emerged, the Imperial Bell roared, enveloping everyone. Otherwise, the Canine Emperor, the bald man, and the others would all have perished. This wasn't deliberate annihilation, but rather the pervasive, sweeping aura of a truly supreme being, which those present could not withstand. During this process, the golden patterns beneath Chu Feng's feet rapidly spread, forming a barrier to protect everyone. Concurrently, the phantom behind him solidified further, also emitting supreme energy. Chu Feng remained vigilant, not only protecting those on his side but also preventing the Emperor's corpse from being corrupted!

“You should not have come, walking right into a trap,” the indistinct figure in the abyss stated. With just that utterance, all heavens and myriad realms roared, threatening to crumble and fall. He said no more, but his meaning was unequivocally clear: no one could save them! This was not feigned arrogance, but a genuine sense of superiority, the confidence of one invincible through the ages.

Suddenly, at that very moment, the Emperor's corpse moved again, standing upright! This shocked everyone, and even Chu Feng's heart pounded. The Emperor's corpse made such an unusual move!

Boom!

With billions of divine lights, the Emperor's corpse stood head held high, dominating through all ages. It struck directly, unleashing a peerless punch that obliterated the abyss and tore through eternity! In the abyss, the creature clearly had not anticipated such a sight. It exploded, vanishing on the spot, shattered by that peerless punch.

“Great Emperor!” The Canine Emperor's eyes welled with tears. This was the master it had followed. Had he truly returned now, or was it merely a lingering thought, delivering a final strike?! It was prepared for the worst, having experienced too many tragedies in its life. True to its fears, after that peerless strike, the corpse silently slumped back down. The once invincible powerhouse, the Heavenly Emperor who surpassed all of ancient and modern times, was ultimately gone.

In the abyss, the indistinct figure reassembled, coalescing in an instant. It sighed, “Very strong, but alas, it is not truly you. You died in battle back then; what has vanished can never return.”

“Who says he won't? He will return!” the Canine Emperor roared.

In the great abyss, the indistinct figure ignored him, instead fixing its gaze on Chu Feng.

“You all leave!” Chu Feng commanded, gesturing for Jiu Dao Yi, the Canine Emperor, and the others to retreat. He alone stood suspended in the air, blocking the entity in the abyss. Earlier, his premonition had been correct; something had indeed followed him out!

“You have finally appeared,” the being in the abyss stated calmly, its gaze fixed on Chu Feng. Who was it addressing? Was it Chu Feng himself? Chu Feng didn't believe so. He thought it was referring either to the stone jar, or the seed, or perhaps the indistinct figure behind him! Had the terrifying being from the abyss followed him out earlier, observing and confirming? Was it making its move now because it had gained sufficient confidence? Chu Feng's heart sank. The adversary had only revealed itself when confident, which implied there was no escape for them. Could even the stone jar not contend with this strange being? He sighed. Though the jar was powerful, it was ultimately not a living supreme entity. Now, with disaster looming, who could possibly defy destiny?

“I'll handle this, you all leave!” Chu Feng declared. What else could be done? He stood blocking at the forefront, allowing everyone else to retreat; only he could still fight.

“No, I will!” The Canine Emperor's eyes were bloodshot. It vowed it was time to unleash their trump card! However, those on their side knew that the trump card might only be effective for a single strike. What if it failed?

Jiu Dao Yi sighed, saying, “Let me handle this.”

The Canine Emperor glared, saying, “What are you talking about? Stand back!”

“Why?” Jiu Dao Yi asked, turning to face it.

“You're unreliable!” the Canine Emperor stated bluntly. The Rotten Corpse nodded, as did the bald man. Both the Martial Maniac and Taiyi also nodded. Even Li was nodding!

“Why do none of you trust me?” Jiu Dao Yi shook his head, resignedly sighing repeatedly. Finally, he spoke with a prolonged voice, “Don't forget, I have lived longer than all of you. Do you know who I once encountered?”

“Are you speaking of that one? He cannot return,” the supreme being in the abyss stated, unhurried and steady as a rock.

Jiu Dao Yi straightened his back, standing tall and proud, and bellowed, “But he left behind this war spear! It was once his spoils of war. Though not his true weapon, he refined it, imbuing it with his very essence!”

“And what of it? It's not him returning,” the supreme being in the abyss stated blandly.

“And what of it? Just watch!” Jiu Dao Yi snapped.

The war spear in his hand ignited, and all the rust on it miraculously peeled away, not as decay, but transforming into a shower of light that filled the heavens and earth, covering the vast sky. At this moment, heaven and earth fell silent. A mysterious and incomparably powerful aura spread, reaching far and wide, pervading all eight directions. Then, footsteps resonated, approaching the Soul River, as if treading directly upon the supreme being's heart.

Everyone was utterly shaken! It was as if a figure was walking from the edge of an endless battlefield, countless corpses beneath his feet, his body stained with blood, returning step by step. The footsteps grew louder, approaching from the distance! The figure seemed to emerge from beyond the world, or coalesce from the ancient void of history! He had traversed countless universes and billions of cosmoses, walked through numerous epochs, alone, arriving in the prehistoric, then the primordial, the ancient, and finally the recent past, drawing ever closer!

Everyone was trembling, completely astonished. Even the supreme being from the source of strangeness in the abyss felt its hair stand on end!

“Who are you… does that one's blood flow within you? Are you his descendant?!” The Canine Emperor was utterly shocked, its voice trembling as it looked at Jiu Dao Yi, who stood silently holding the spear.

***

*Author's Note:*

*Sacred Ruins* is expected to conclude in two months if things proceed quickly, or three months at a slower pace. It was actually meant to be finished in 2019, but that year was fraught with difficulties for me, including various health issues. Otherwise, how could I have written so little? This is unprecedented in my more than ten years of writing.

I've been recuperating, and my recovery has progressed well. 2019 is finally behind us, and I anticipate a vibrant and flourishing 2020. I encourage all readers to make time for exercise on weekdays if possible; good health is the foundation of everything good. Thank you all for your support.