Chapter 192. A Great Boon, Heaven-Flipping Seal, A Trial?

Indeed, the character written in blood represented the word "Immortal."

All the overwhelming pressure Lu Yuan was subjected to upon entering the hall originated from it alone.

Lu Yuan stood rooted in place, eyes gleaming with faint astonishment. However, the character wasn't the only thing that shocked him. Upon closer inspection, he realized that he was mistaken. What looked like dried blood wasn't dry at all.

Instead, it was fresh blood that looked as though it had just flowed out of a living person. In fact, it even gave off a soft sheen that was simply impossible to ignore, as it tugged at one's mind. Moreover, the blood emanated an incomparably vigorous life force that seemed capable of enduring for countless eons—immortal.

"Legend says Immortals can sit on the clouds for tens of millions of years, ignoring the passage of time, as they are undying and eternal. Am I really staring at some blood from an Immortal?" Lu Yuan murmured, feeling genuinely shaken.

Whatever existence had left behind this character was no ordinary being. Upon learning of what the character meant, he couldn't help but think of an Immortal, beings far stronger than Sages.

Moreover, this place was deeply tied to Immortal Guang Chengzi.

The more he thought about it, the more plausible it became. After all, even the mere bloodstains were already so terrifying.

Lu Yuan took a deep breath to compose himself before circulating the Primordial Dragon Breathing Technique. His organs thrummed as golden vital qi erupted from him, wrapping around him.

With that, the overbearing pressure slightly eased.

He tore his gaze away from the character and turned around to examine the rest of the hall. He finally realized that there were bloodstains scattered throughout the hall, accompanied by countless other traces of what had happened here.

Activating his Martial Dao Heavenly Eyes, wisps of indescribable auras flooded his perception. Then, he was struck by a vision as scenes of a battle that had once erupted within this hall ages ago flashed through his mind.

It was an unimaginably brutal battle. Countless were killed, and not even their corpses remained. All that remained were bloodstains, and the majority of them had long since dried up thanks to the passage of time.

"A battle. There are always traces of a great battle. The Eastern Sea Dragon Palace was like this, and it seems Guang Chengzi's Dao ground is no different..." Lu Yuan withdrew his gaze, a strange emotion flickering in his eyes.

The secret realms and folded spaces he had entered so far all had one thing in common—traces of a great battle long ago.

The ruins on Jade Emperor Peak suspected to be the ruins of the Celestial Court in ancient times were marred with such traces as well. Now that he thought about it, could it be that a great battle had occurred there, too?

What exactly had happened back then?

Lu Yuan's doubts only deepened.

He suddenly felt that perhaps the true crisis had yet to arrive. After all, even the Dao ground of Immortal Guang Chengzi had been through such a devastating battle. There was also that warning from Shennong...

Everything was hinting at some unforeseeable calamity, and this feeling grew even more pronounced than ever as soon as Lu Yuan stepped into this great hall.

Lu Yuan continued to observe in silence, his gaze sweeping across every corner in search of more secrets. However, he found nothing. The hall contained no spiritual fruits or exotic herbs. It was completely empty, unlike the Dragon Palace of the Eastern Sea, which was filled with many different resources and powerful divine weapons.

Lu Yuan turned his attention to the very center of the hall. There, he saw a Dao diagram depicting a swirling yin and yang.

The diagram was different than usual, as the black and white twin fish depicting the yin yang wasn't being surrounded by the

bagua

. The sight made Lu Yuan think that perhaps Immortal Guang Chengzi hadn't left anything behind.

However, he was already here, so he could not possibly leave empty-handed. He believed there was no way this secret realm was entirely devoid of any boons.

Lu Yuan pressed forward, enduring the pressure emanating from that character. He advanced step by step until he reached the very center of the yin-yang twin fish diagram.

Buzz...

Just then, he noticed black and white lights surging beneath his feet. They posed no danger, and they intertwined with each other before rotating like the yin-yang twin fish themselves.

Lu Yuan realized that his arrival had triggered some kind of array, activating the Dao diagram. As for what would appear in the end, he had no way of knowing that.

As time went on, the lights grew brighter, and eventually, they transformed into characters that fell before him like raindrops. The characters then arranged themselves in an orderly fashion, creating what seemed like sentences.

Lu Yuan carefully observed them and soon grasped what they were trying to say.

I, Guang Chengzi, have sought the Dao for over ten thousand years, cultivating my mind, my body, and my connection to the heavens and the earth. At last, I was graced by destiny and achieved a modicum of success.

Upon sensing the approaching upheaval, I felt it was my duty to join forces with my fellow Daoists to resist the Great Calamity. Yet in the end, I was powerless. I was left with naught but a broken remnant of my body.

I left behind two items within my Dao ground at the Kongtong Mountains. Your successful entry means you're fated; you may choose one. However, if you can take both of them away, then great! It proves the breadth of your fortune and strength.

Just three paragraphs; they were just three paragraphs, but they contained a wealth of information. The most important piece of information was the mention of the so-called "Great Calamity," and the fact that they all failed in the end.

Moreover, Guang Chengzi had not faced it alone. He had joined forces with many others.

It had to be known that Guang Chengzi was an Immortal beyond the Sage Realm, which meant the so-called "fellow Daoists" had to be beings on the same level of strength as him.

Despite that, they still failed to withstand the so-called "Great Calamity."

Furthermore, it seemed Guang Chengzi himself had lived for at least ten thousand years.

Lu Yuan's mind raced with many thoughts. Back then, Shennong had left behind similar words on that stone stele.

"What exactly was it?" he murmured. The fog of mystery only seemed to thicken the more he knew. What secrets were hidden in the ancient era? And Guang Chengzi... was he dead, or alive?

Buzz!

While Lu Yuan was in deep contemplation, the words before him began to dissipate. Then, two objects slowly emerged from within the eyes of the yin-yang twin fish and hovered before Lu Yuan.

A pure white jade slip and a cyan seal.

The cracks across the surface of the seal told Lu Yuan that it was damaged, and to make matters worse, a small piece of it appeared to be missing. Despite that, Lu Yuan could feel a boundless power inside it.

If that power were to erupt, even he would be crushed to pieces.

"Could this be the legendary Heaven-Flipping Seal?" His eyes widened in shock. It couldn't be helped. After all, the Heaven-Flipping Seal was one of the most powerful treasures in Guang Chengzi's possession. Legends had it that even an Immortal could die upon taking a single hit from this seal.

Lu Yuan had heard of those stories, which was why he was dumbfounded to see it here.

The artifact's origins were remarkable, and it was even recorded in modern stories of mythology. Today, he seemed to be staring at the Heaven-Flipping Seal in the flesh.

He reached out, intending to examine it, but then he remembered something and stopped. Guang Chengzi had stated that only one item could be chosen.

Lu Yuan's face revealed helplessness. He shifted his gaze to the jade slip. The jade slip appeared entirely ordinary, far less eye-catching than the Heaven-Flipping Seal, so he had no idea what it contained.

However, he roughly guessed that it was likely some form of visualization method or breathing technique. After all, the Primordial Dragon Breathing Technique at Mount Li was inscribed on something similar.

"An Immortal's legacy on one hand, while an Immortal's supreme treasure on the other..." Lu Yuan found himself feeling torn.

Guang Chengzi had stated that both could be taken away, but doing so would be extraordinarily difficult. An Immortal of Guang Chengzi's caliber—one who had faced the Great Calamity in humanity's darkest hour—would not do something as petty as killing a junior.

Therefore, he believed a trial of some kind would be involved. If he wanted to claim both items, he had to pass that trial.

"A trial it is, then. There's no harm in trying."

Lu Yuan made his decision. He extended both hands. One grabbed the jade slip, while the other reached out for the Heaven-Flipping Seal.

Buzz!

The instant his palms made contact with both treasures, the iron wall at the far end of the hall reacted. The character for "Immortal" suddenly blazed with a blazing light.

Then, a majestic and overwhelming power materialized throughout the hall, crushing down on Lu Yuan without mercy. It was extremely powerful, but it made sense. After all, the character was written from the blood of an Immortal.

Rumble!

The hall trembled as thunderous rumbling noises echoed throughout. Lu Yuan instantly felt himself being subjected to a terrifying and formidable pressure. He had never experienced anything like this since he fused those two divine artifacts.

It was a truly horrifying experience, and his breathing became ragged pants as he tried his best to withstand the pressure.

Just some bloodstains an Immortal had left behind were already so formidable, but Guang Chengzi actually described his feats as a result of a mere "modicum of success"?

Lu Yuan felt rather helpless, yet he refused to give up. He wanted to see just how far he could push himself. Of course, if it was truly impossible, he'd give up. There was no need to risk his life, and he simply wished to know his limits.

Rumble!

The light emanating from the character "Immortal" grew even more intense, and the pressure became even more excruciating as well.

Just then, Lu Yuan could feel himself rapidly approaching his absolute limits. If he were to continue, he'd risk severe injuries.

Should I stop?

Lu Yuan thought and frowned deeply.

Edict!

A majestic voice suddenly boomed in his mind. It came from the Celestial Emperor's Ancient Token. It resonated with his Innate Spirit, casting streams of purple light toward it.

Boom!

A majestic and supreme power erupted from him, sweeping across all cardinal directions.

Crackle!

The sound of ripping thunder followed suit. The display of uncompressed fury made it seem as though the Celestial Emperor himself was provoked and had responded with anger.

At the far end of the hall, the character "Immortal" recoiled under the overwhelming might and withered. The faintly gleaming blood seemed to have become dull.

The entire hall jolted, and violent tremors ran across it.

As for Lu Yuan, he no longer felt pressured. The jade slip and the seal now rested firmly in his grasp as well.

Outside the hall, the three Rankers opened their eyes in unison. The hall before them was trembling, and a bizarre, but overwhelmingly powerful aura had just erupted from within the hall.

"W-what's happening?" The Three-Headed Ghost Ranker rose to his feet, his expression one of shock. That aura had been incredibly powerful. It had lasted only an instant, but it made his very soul tremble.

The Primeval Daemon Ranker felt the same. He stared at the shaking hall with his fists clenched tight.

"It's that human, Lu Yuan!" Lei Xuan said, his fierce gaze brimmed with envy. "It must be him. He's inside, and he has somehow obtained the fortune and legacy of Immortal Guang Chengzi!"