Chapter 1797: Ziwei Emperor

The palace was tall and massive, intimidating and awe-inspiring. It was built using an unknown black stone that shimmered coldly in the light. It looked like a giant beast lying in wait on the surface of this desolate star.

The palace’s outline appeared blurry under the dim sky. One could only vaguely see some broken walls, tattered ruins, and collapsed pillars. Even so, there was enough to leave an impression of its former glory.

The front entrance of the palace was a massive archway. A signboard was hanging on top of the archway. Four old and powerful words were written on the signboard: Purple Star Imperial Palace.

The words were written with great force and curvature like a dragon looking down on the mundane. It was clearly visible even after ten thousand years. It seemed to speak of the unparalleled dignity and glory of its former master.

“White Robe Demon Master is probably inside the Purple Star Imperial Palace.”

The closer they got to the Purple Star Imperial Palace, the clearer Ye Qing’s connection with White Robe Demon Master became.

“Be on your guard,” Feng Qingyou warned before the trio stepped into the archway, and the scenery before their eyes abruptly changed.

As it turned out, the interior of the Purple Star Imperial Palace was completely different from its cold and desolate exterior. Boundless and infinite, a profound and fantastical world appeared before them. Nine massive stars were hanging in the void while following some sort of profound orbits. They formed a dreamlike and fantastical scene of space.

Each star was emitting a different light: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and indigo. The seven colors mingled together harmoniously and painted the surroundings into a dreamlike fantasy. The starlight was warm and gentle. Forget dazzling the eyes, they gave off a soothing and calming sensation.

Something was wrong, however. The nine stars were beautiful, but they also appeared to be empty and desolate. Utterly lifeless, they looked just like nine floating rocks. They were beautiful rocks, but that was it. There was no substance in them whatsoever.

Even stranger, some of the stars had people inside them. Prisoners.

Bound by unknown shackles, these prisoners were suspended at the center of the stars. They were so still they resembled lifeless statues. They looked haggard and gaunt, and they exuded the smell of decay. Listless and lethargic, they looked like dying old people with one foot in the grave.

“White Robe Demon Master... White Bodhisattva...”

Ye Qing instantly recognized two of the prisoners.

“Sea Herder, Cloud Arhat, Night King, Divine Dragon Old Man...”

Feng Qingyou swept her gaze across the rest of the prisoners while speaking their names. Every time she said a name, her tone would grow a tad graver.

They were all world famous names. They all belonged to titans who dominated a corner of the

jianghu

.

The Sea Herder was the vice sect master of the Whale Rider Sect.

The Cloud Arhat was the abbot of the White Cloud Buddhist Monastery.

The Night King was the head of the Thirteen Brigands of Southern Sea.

The Divine Dragon Old Man was the island lord of Divine Dragon Island.

However, these titans were all imprisoned in this place. Inside the stars.

Ye Qing and Feng Qingyou exchanged stunned glances with each other. They could hardly believe what they were seeing.

Who was the one who entrapped all these champions? And how powerful must they be?

Could it be... the fabled Ziwei Emperor?

“Watch out!”

It was at this moment the deeper part of the Purple Star Imperial Palace suddenly underwent a transformation.

The ruins disappeared and were replaced by a set of grand and intact red palace steps.

The red palace steps were built from stardust. Each speck of stardust glittered like stars. Together, they looked like a frozen river of stars.

At the center of the river of stars was a throne built from countless stars. Its dazzling starlight illuminated all directions.

Seated on the throne was a regal figure. He wore an imperial robe and a star crown. His face was hidden behind a curtain of beads.

The imperial robe was weaved from starlight. Profound patterns flowed throughout the fabric, and it seemed to contain the secrets of the stars.

Nine dazzling pearls were embedded at the top of the star crown. They emitted a rainbow glow that illuminated the heavens.

𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

The figure was sitting motionlessly. He looked like an ancient, eternal statue that had become one with the galaxy itself.

Then, without any warning whatsoever, a boundless and grand, supreme and unparalleled presence washed out of the still motionless figure. It caused Ye Qing to shudder involuntarily and suffocated him a little.

The presence was old, vast, noble and grand. It felt like every positive adjective in the world combined still wasn’t enough to describe even one ten-thousandth of the presence. It was a terrible pressure that naturally existed above all living creatures and oversaw all realms. It was as if the figure was an avatar of the Heavenly Way itself; ruling over anything and everything.

“Ziwei Emperor...”

There was a clear tremor in Elder Furnace’s voice as he said the figure’s name with uncontrollable shock and fear. He even backed a few steps as if he could not believe what he was seeing. “It’s Ziwei Emperor’s corpse!”

“But how can this be? How can Ziwei Emperor be dead? This just can’t be! Just can’t be!”

Ye Qing and Feng Qingyou were holding their breaths as well. They were both staring at the figure on the throne with shock and trepidation.

Suddenly, the corpse’s eyelashes fluttered. Then, it slowly opened its eyes.

As soon as a gap appeared, a pair of purple beams shone out from between the corpse’s eyelids and pierced through the void.

The purple beams were such that the space they passed through groaned and twisted as if under an ungodly amount of pressure.

The next moment, a destructive aura that felt like a volcanic eruption washed out of the corpse and filled up the entire imperial palace instantly.

The palace shook, the rivers of stars flowed back in reverse, and the nine stars quaked as if it was the apocalypse.

Thump!

It was at this moment a muffled thump echoed throughout the cosmos.

The figure on the throne had fully opened his eyes as well.

At that moment, the rivers of stars reversed, and all light went out.

What kind of eyes was it?

They were cold, indifferent, dignified, and mobile. Paradoxically, they seemed to contain no emotion and all emotions in the world at once.

The pupils were as deep as the galaxy, boundless and all-encompassing. One look was all it took for one to plummet into a bottomless abyss, never to resurface.

Just his gaze alone made Ye Qing feel like his mind was struck by lightning, shaking. His body was stiff and frozen, and the feeling of suffocation became so much worse than before.

“Interesting. How interesting.”

Ziwei Emperor spoke in a low, dignified voice. Every word he spoke shook the void as if they carried the very power of the stars. “It has been over ten thousand years since I fell into my long slumber. I did not expect to meet such interesting juniors as soon as I woke up.”

Ziwei Emperor’s voice wasn’t loud, but it naturally carried an undeniable presence that shook the void itself.

Ye Qing forced down his shock and clasped his hands before himself. “Junior Ye Qing greets you, Ziwei Emperor.”

Feng Qingyou bowed just enough to show etiquette as well.