Chapter 1351: The Eldritch Court's Response (1)

In the Ancient Megaverse, a towering figure emerged from a temple. Great Emperor Yan Tuo's gaze swept across the boundless heaven and earth as countless voices chanted his name in reverence. This was a realm under his absolute control.

Hou Tu... has truly fallen?

He mused, a flicker of surprise crossing his features.

Intelligence from both Wan Yu Tower and the Immortal Court had already reached him. Though his divination abilities couldn't match those of Dao Zenithel Wan Yu, it wasn't difficult to piece together what had happened. After careful consideration, he confirmed that Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu had indeed fallen, or at least vanished without a trace from the present world.

Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu has never fallen since the Primordium.

He reflected.

The spacetime imprints she left in the cosmic sea run incredibly deep. Even in death, she should theoretically resurrect with ease.

His brow furrowed.

How was the Heavenly Imperator able to kill her?

The message from the Immortal Court claimed the Heavenly Imperator had defeated three powerhouses in the Realm of Destruction, killing Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu and gravely wounding both Saint Yuan and Dao Zenithel Ming Jian. The very thought of it seemed unbelievable.

When did the Heavenly Imperator become so terrifying?

Yan Tuo wondered.

Has he become a Grand Supreme?

In his estimation, such a feat would be impossible unless the Heavenly Imperator had broken through. If the intelligence was accurate, the power he had unleashed in the Realm of Destruction must have approached the Grand Supreme stage.

After a moment of contemplation, he made his decision.

I should meet with Di Jiang first. The last time he came to the Ancient Megaverse, we agreed to join forces.

His frown deepened.

In hindsight, that decision was somewhat rash. I need to reconsider my stance.

Saint Yuan's survival abilities rivaled his own, yet even allied with Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu, they had suffered a crushing defeat. While the Immortal Court might have exaggerated things, the Eldritch Court's silence spoke volumes. The truth likely matched 80% or 90% of the reports.

How then, could he hope to defeat the Heavenly Imperator by allying with the Eldritch Court's Dao Zenithels? It seemed nearly impossible, and might even bring about disaster for him.

Wait!

He realized.

No matter what happens, I can't leave my universe for now.

As long as he remained within his universe, the Heavenly Imperator couldn't truly harm him unless he had genuinely broken through. Once he left, everything became dangerously unpredictable.

...

Days passed, and the news spread like wildfire. Within a short time, it reached not only the Dao Zenithels of the infinite cosmic sea but also circulated among the True Saint community. The fall of Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu carried massive implications that would ripple across the entire cosmic sea.

Had she fallen in some dangerous exploration site and awaited revival, the impact might not have been this immense. But public intelligence stated clearly: the Heavenly Imperator had killed her. So what if she eventually returned? If he could kill her once, he could kill her again. The balance of the cosmic sea had shattered.

"The Eldritch Court still hasn't responded.”

"It's confirmed that Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu has fallen! There's no more dispute."

"It seems the Heavenly Imperator had indeed killed her." Dao Zenithels from various factions discussed, shock rippling through their hearts.

In the past, no matter how strong the Heavenly Imperator was, he could at most suppress other Full Dao Zenithel powerhouses who possessed Xuanhuang Dao Treasures. Now, with Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu dead, who could stand against him? This battle had elevated the Heavenly Imperator. already hailed as the strongest in the cosmic sea, to an unprecedented level.

He was now a well and truly invincible existence.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Meanwhile, powerhouses like Great Emperor Yan Tuo, Dao Zenithel Wan Yu, the Blood Emperor, the Dream Emperor, and countless other experts probed the Eldritch Court and Immortal Court, seeking specific details about the battle. Yet they remained silent, withholding all information.

...

Within the Eldritch Court Voidrealm, a special temple housed four black metallic thrones and over twenty stone thrones. One by one, the avatars of various Dao Zenithels materialized, their expressions solemn as they gazed toward the three figures seated upon the highest black thrones.

Eldritch Progenitor Di Jiang, Saint Yuan, and Dao Zenithel Fu You occupied three of the four seats. The central black throne, Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu's seat, stood empty.

"Everyone's here."

"The three leaders have arrived."

"How exactly did Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu fall? Was it truly the Heavenly Imperator who killed her? Saint Yuan hasn't explained anything either." The Eldritch Court Dao Zenithels discussed via transmission, their anxiety evident.

For three full days, the Eldritch Court had released no information. Even these Dao Zenithels remained in the dark until Eldritch Progenitor Di Jiang summoned them.

Many wished to understand what had happened, but Wu Yuan kept his head lowered, eyes closed, giving no response. More significantly, Eldritch Progenitor Di Jiang silenced any who attempted to inquire with a glance.

Di Jiang, the most ancient powerhouse and leader of the Eldritch Court, commanded enormous respect. Even with Hou Tu's fall, his authority maintained the Eldritch Court's stability, a fact Wu Yuan recognized well. Though possibly stronger than Di Jiang, his relatively brief cultivation history granted him less prestige among the Eldritch Court Dao Zenithels.

When the final Dao Zenithel arrived, Di Jiang finally began. His voice was deep and resonant, devoid of sorrow but filled with gravity: "Good. All the Dao Zenithels of our Eldritch Court are present. I know you harbor many speculations, and you've all heard the news spread by Wan Yu Tower and the Immortal Court.

"That's right! I can tell you now, Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu has indeed fallen," Di Jiang confirmed, his voice low.

A wave of suppressed emotion swept through the chamber. Though they had heard the rumors, many had clung to hope. Now, their minds truly shook.

"Moreover, while the information from the Immortal Court and Wan Yu Tower isn't entirely accurate, it's fundamentally true," Di Jiang continued. "As for the specific circumstances, you'll understand once you see the battle footage.

"Keep in mind, this battle footage must never be shared with others."

The Dao Zenithels nodded in unison.

With a wave of his hand, Di Jiang conjured a light screen in the void. It began replaying the battle between Wu Yuan and Imperial Majesty Nan Guang.

"Nan Guang?"

"Saint Yuan?" The Dao Zenithels exchanged puzzled looks before understanding dawned.

"This must be a fight over an ultimate treasure."

"Saint Yuan's strength has increased dramatically."

"And Dao Zenithel Ming Jian killed Dao Zenithel Biao Huo and the others with a single strike? No wonder we heard news of their deaths. It was a contest for treasure." The images flickered rapidly, but the Dao Zenithels' swift thought processes captured every detail.

"A Xuanhuang Dao Treasure?"

"A saber!"

"Saint Yuan actually obtained another Xuanhuang Dao Treasure?" The Eldritch Court Dao Zenithels gasped in shock. Even Dao Zenithel Fu You's eyes flashed with an unreadable expression.

Their confusion deepened. The strength Saint Yuan displayed already rivaled Great Emperor Yan Tuo's. With another Xuanhuang Dao Treasure, his power would only have grown further. How, then, had the Heavenly Imperator prevailed?

As the projection continued, it revealed Wu Yuan's battle with the Thunder Dragon King, the Heavenly Imperator's appearance, and the fierce confrontation that followed.

"Saint Yuan's strength..."

"He actually blocked the Heavenly Imperator's nine sword strikes, and even withstood the Imperator Mountain?"

"Saint Yuan's power might rival Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu's now." The Dao Zenithels' perception of Wu Yuan transformed completely.

Though Hou Tu had fallen, the Eldritch Court still possessed a comparable powerhouse. Yet their perplexity grew. Thus far, only Saint Yuan was battling the Heavenly Imperator. Hou Tu hadn't appeared at all. So why had she ultimately died?

The scenes that followed left all the Dao Zenithels speechless.

"The Original Sword?"

"The Heavenly Imperator activated the Supreme Divine Object, the Original Sword? This...!" Understanding finally dawned.

The footage continued: Wu Yuan desperately fleeing, defending again and again until pushed to the brink of death...Then Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu's appearance, her sacrificial trap for the Heavenly Imperator, and Dao Zenithel Ming Jian's desperate attack, allowing Wu Yuan to escape with his life.

As the projection ended, profound silence filled the temple.

"That is the situation," Di Jiang finally spoke. "But the battle footage doesn't reveal the complete truth. Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu's choice wasn't merely to save Saint Yuan, but her deliberate decision. The crucial reason was that she wanted to advance further.

"The cycle of life and death, the six paths never ending! Without experiencing life and death, how can one break through? This was Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu's choice," he declared firmly.

Many Dao Zenithels nodded in agreement. All knew Hou Tu's power and naturally accepted this explanation. How else could someone of her might fall so suddenly?

"Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu has indeed fallen, but she will revive and return soon, by the next samsara cycle of heaven and earth at the latest, and she will emerge even more powerful. She will have a genuine chance of taking that final step," Di Jiang assured them gravely. "You need not worry excessively.

"As for the Heavenly Imperator? I understand your concerns, but as the footage shows, he hasn't truly mastered the Original Sword. He can only wield part of its power within the Realm of Destruction. Once he leaves that realm, he cannot take the Original Sword with him.

"So his strength is only marginally greater than before. And you should have also seen that Saint Yuan now possesses two Xuanhuang Dao Treasures. Outside the Realm of Destruction, he can hold off the Heavenly Imperator," Di Jiang stated solemnly.

"Once Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu revives and the two of them join forces, we may even suppress the Immortal Court." Di Jiang looked at each Dao Zenithel. "Do you all understand?"

"We understand."

"Then things haven’t changed much."

"Since the Heavenly Imperator is that strong in the Realm of Destruction, we simply won't go there."

"The Original Sword is indeed heaven-defying; even Saint Yuan couldn't withstand it. But as long as it's not perfectly controlled, it should remain confined to the Realm of Destruction." The Dao Zenithels spoke one after another, relief evident in their voices.

Their greatest fear had been that the Heavenly Imperator had easily slain Hou Tu and defeated both Saint Yuan and Ming Jian—a truly catastrophic scenario. Now the situation seemed less dire. Though Hou Tu had fallen, Saint Yuan appeared capable of resisting the Heavenly Imperator.

The situation has stabilized for now.

Di Jiang sighed inwardly.

These explanations resulted from careful deliberations between himself, Wu Yuan, Eldritch Progenitor Xuan Ming, Eldritch Progenitor Zhu Rong, and others. Concealment was impossible; even if they withheld the footage, the Immortal Court would eventually release it, causing greater anxiety among the Eldritch Court's highest echelons.

Better to disclose it themselves.

However, certain explanations, such as Hou Tu choosing death for the sake of a breakthrough, her imminent revival, and the Original Sword unable to leave the Realm of Destruction, were merely conjectures by Di Jiang and Wu Yuan.

Especially the last point. Whether the Heavenly Imperator could wield the Original Sword outside the Realm of Destruction remained unconfirmed.

As for the three-day delay? They had been observing the Heavenly Imperator's condition. Though Wu Yuan's body refiner self had fled frantically, his mana body's escape was merely an illusion. Shortly after departing, it had hidden in the nearby void, concealed from Imperial Majesty Nan Guang's perception while silently monitoring the Heavenly Imperator.

Over those three days, despite Nan Guang standing guard within the Realm of Destruction, the Heavenly Imperator's vital aura had steadily weakened, with no signs of awakening. Meanwhile, Wu Yuan's body refiner self had escaped to safety.

Thus, Di Jiang convened the Eldritch Court Dao Zenithels to stabilize morale. Yet while his explanations temporarily quelled fears, they didn't eliminate all doubts.

"Elder Brother Di Jiang," one Standard Dao Zenithel ventured. "Though the Heavenly Imperator is temporarily trapped, and he hasn't perfectly controlled the Original Sword yet, might he fully master it in the future?

"If that happens, and he leads the other Dao Zenithels of the Immortal Court against our Eternal Realms one by one...Even if Eldritch Progenitor Hou Tu revives, could our Eldritch Court withstand such an assault?"