area51novel Chapter 69 Undercurrents 1
Chapter 69 Undercurrents 1
"Murong Huan!"
A furious roar caused the divine runes of the Temple of Time to tremble slightly. Xun Yangzi's body surged with divine light as he used his primordial divine power to forcibly mend his shattered divine body. The crisp sound of bones breaking and the clear sound of laws being reforged intertwined. He stared intently at the proud figure standing in the temple, his eyes almost spitting fire.
However, the divine array's binding power within the Temple of Time pressed down on him like a divine prison, fixing every inch of his divine body in place. Xun Yangzi dared not move an inch, and could only grit his teeth, burying his humiliation and resentment deep in his heart.
Murong Huan stood with his hands behind his back at the core of the Temple of Time, surrounded by time runes like a galaxy. He looked down at Xun Yangzi's disheveled appearance, a hint of undisguised disdain curling at the corner of his mouth.
Within the Temple of Time, he, who wields the power to invoke the mysteries of time, is the absolute ruler, comparable even to the Undying and Boundless. Xun Yangzi, with his mere Great Freedom and Boundless cultivation, is merely courting death, a futile attempt to stop a chariot.
Yu Dongxuan, standing to the side, had a livid face, his body radiating divine light, and he was furious and extremely embarrassed.
He had originally convened the gathering to unite various forces and discuss strategies to deal with Mingde, but he hadn't expected Murong Huan to be so unpredictable. He was now incredibly volatile, even attacking Xun Yangzi in public, showing no regard for the Temple of Light and treating him, the Temple Master and a giant of the Heavenly Realm, as nothing. Hatred surged within him, but due to Murong Huan's seniority and the Temple of Time's resources, he dared not directly retaliate.
"Palace Master Murong, Xun Yangzi is an assistant I personally invited to help me, and he is also an important ally of my Heavenly Realm. How dare you disregard the overall situation and make such a reckless move? Where is my face? Where is Palace Master Ke's face? I respect you as a senior and will not argue with you, but Palace Master Ke, let's see how you explain yourself."
Upon hearing this, Murong Huan remained expressionless, clearly not taking Yu Dongxuan's words to heart. Seeing this, Yu Dongxuan angrily said, "I think there's no need to continue this gathering today!"
Yu Dongxuan's voice boomed like a great bell, his divine power surging throughout his body, his solemn face filled with anger. Although Murong Huan was of a higher generation, Xun Yangzi was the ruler of a realm, holding the destiny of the Heavenly Power Great World in his hands. He was not someone who could be humiliated at will. He had to stand up and appease Xun Yangzi, otherwise the prestige of the Heavenly Realm would be completely destroyed.
"Then let's rely on our own abilities, Palace Master Yu."
Murong Huan spoke indifferently, not even lifting his eyelids. He had already figured it out in his heart. Although he also had connections with the Liang organization, Xun Yangzi, Yu Dongxuan and the like were nothing more than petty scoundrels, whom he didn't think much of. He already had better allies in mind. Associating with Yu Dongxuan and the like would not bring him any substantial benefits, but rather great danger. He had already made up his mind.
Furthermore, Yu Dongxuan, merely a palace master of the Temple of Light, was not qualified to point fingers at him. Even if the Heavenly Realm's Merchant Ancestor, Koro, were to come in person, he would have to treat him as an equal. He had his own plans for dealing with Mingde, and the strength of his secret ally was far beyond that of Yu Dongxuan and his group of good-for-nothings. "Hmph! Since Palace Master Murong is so determined, then he'd better watch himself!"
Yu Dongxuan trembled with rage, unwilling to linger any longer. His radiant light surged, transforming into a streak of light that vanished from the temple. Seeing their leader depart, the other deities affiliated with the Heavenly Realm also hastily activated their divine power, hastily withdrawing from the Temple of Time, fearing being drawn into the conflict. Before leaving, Xun Yangzi's venomous gaze remained fixed on the temple, as if he wanted to devour Murong Huan alive; his hatred pierced through time and space.
Inside the Temple of Time, the clamor subsided, leaving only a deathly silence. Murong Huan watched the departing figures of the crowd, his eyes growing increasingly gloomy, the time runes around his body subtly stirring. Just then, from the void deep within the temple, a blurry black shadow suddenly appeared, its form ethereal, untouched by any temporal or spatial trajectory, as if it had never existed.
"Yu Dongxuan and the others are still the same as they were 50,000 years ago—utterly hopeless. Palace Master Murong, cooperating with this bunch of good-for-nothings will only drag you down and ruin everything."
The shadowy figure spoke with a mocking tone, every word striking a chord with Murong Huan. Murong Huan nodded slightly, deeply agreeing. Yu Dongxuan was mediocre and incompetent, and the organization was full of ulterior motives. No wonder the Temple of Light's influence in the Heavenly Court was waning day by day; it was ultimately an incapable ruler.
"Palace Master Murong, what's your decision? If you agree to my conditions, I will help you kill Mingde, and the ten percent of time-related mysteries he possesses will belong entirely to the Temple of Time." The shadowy figure's voice was soft and melodious, yet it carried a captivating allure, like a bewitching whisper, constantly tempting Murong Huan. It was a seduction originating from the depths of the soul, directly targeting the cultivator's core desires.
"With over one-tenth of the profound mysteries of time, plus the reserves accumulated in the Temple of Time, the total is already more than half. At that time, you can seize this opportunity to break through to the Undying Limitless Realm, wield half of the profound mysteries of time, and become the ruler of the universe's time. Even Haotian, you will be qualified to rival him."
These words struck Murong Huan like a thunderbolt, shaking him to his core. Becoming the master of time was the goal he had longed for through millions of years of cultivation, but reason suppressed his fervor like ice. He clearly remembered that this shadowy figure was behind the cataclysmic destruction of the Kunlun Realm fifty thousand years ago. Cooperating with him was tantamount to seeking a tiger's skin; the slightest mistake would turn him into a pawn, leading to his death and the annihilation of his cultivation.
"I am fully aware of your purpose. This matter is of great importance, so please allow me some more time to consider it."
Murong Huan suppressed his emotions, his tone hesitant, his eyes filled with deep apprehension. He could sense the unfathomable power emanating from the shadowy figure, a power he could not easily control.
"Since Palace Master Murong needs to consider this, then I will not disturb you any longer and will await your reply."
The shadowy figure chuckled softly, and before the words were even finished, it completely merged into nothingness, leaving not even a trace of divine thought behind, as if it had never existed. Murong Huan's expression remained calm, but his heart was churning with turmoil. An inexplicable sense of unease lingered in his mind, like dark clouds pressing down, foreshadowing an impending catastrophe.
"The universe is in turmoil, and this is a time of great upheaval. We must prepare contingency plans in advance."
Once he made up his mind, Murong Huan immediately sent a telepathic message to the elders of the Temple of Time, giving them the order to go into seclusion and cultivate diligently. He then turned and stepped into the deepest part of the Temple of Time, hiding in the turbulent flow of time and space to cultivate in seclusion and await the change of events.
Meanwhile, at the border between the Heavenly Realm and the Hell Realm, on an ancient tributary of the River of Three Crossings, an ancient palace, hidden in the chaos, stood majestically. Inside, a chilling wind howled, and death filled the air. The remaining Quantity Envoys and several Quantity Venerables of the Quantity Organization were all gathered, each wearing their own unique mask, their auras completely concealed. They all stood respectfully with their heads bowed, awaiting the arrival of that legendary figure.
Suddenly, a violent, eerie wind swept in from outside the Liang Hall, causing the Sanzu River outside to swell dramatically. The pitch-black water, like an inverted celestial river, directly submerged the foot of the hall, with ghostly green flames dancing in the air. A dark, divine light flashed, and by the time the Liang Organization members came to their senses, atop the four thrones engraved with supreme authority high in the hall, the throne bearing the character "Kui" was occupied by a figure dressed in black robes and wearing a mask with the character "Kui" on its face.
"Greetings, Emperor of Measurement!"
All the esteemed beings and envoys bowed in unison, their voices ringing out in perfect unison, causing the patterns on the hall to tremble. The four great emperors of the Quantity Organization were all supreme beings in the universe, their terrifying status far exceeding their imagination. Faced with such figures, even the esteemed beings of the Boundless Realm were filled with trepidation and dared not show the slightest negligence.
Kui Lianghuang was surrounded by a dark divine light, as if he were in a chaotic void. His figure was ethereal and his aura was unpredictable. No one could see through his true identity, and no one dared to look directly into the eyes behind his mask.
"It is rare for everyone to gather together. The last time you all gathered was, as I recall, during the battle of Kunlun Realm fifty thousand years ago."
Kui Lianghuang's voice was deep and resonant, carrying a weight that transcended millennia, echoing in the deathly silent hall and stirring up long-forgotten memories in everyone.
Liangji slowly stepped out, his clear and melodious voice breaking the silence like a clear spring dripping into a cold pool: "Reporting to Emperor Liang, the last time we gathered was for the war to destroy the Kunlun Realm. At that time, the four Emperors Liang and all the Venerable Liang were present."
Kui Lianghuang nodded slightly, his tone tinged with emotion: "Yes, everyone was here back then, but now, my Liang organization has lost several colleagues, which is truly lamentable."
As soon as he finished speaking, Kui Lianghuang swept his gaze across the room and said in a deep voice, "Liang Heng!"
"I am here!"
The Golden Jade God, wearing a mask with horizontal characters below, trembled and immediately prostrated himself before the throne of the Kui Liang Emperor, his body shaking slightly with excitement.
Kui Lianghuang said calmly, "I know that the Liangzun behind you has fallen. From now on, you will be under my command. The Liangzun will contact you regarding the follow-up matters."
Overjoyed, Jin Jue Tian Shen nearly cried out in disbelief. Since the fall of the Ferocious God, he had lost his backer in the Temple of Destiny. Taking advantage of the Death God's seclusion, the Wrathful God had seized control of the Ferocious Palace and appointed a member of the Underworld race, Wu Liang, to succeed him. Jin Jue, a former confidant, had long been marginalized and was constantly at risk of being eliminated by his former enemies. He had attended the Liang Organization gathering to seek another patron, but unexpectedly, he had been personally accepted by the Kui Liang Emperor—a tremendous stroke of luck.
He kowtowed repeatedly, his words of gratitude flowing endlessly, his tone filled with admiration and awe.
The other envoys were all shocked and filled with envy upon seeing this. The King of Quantities was a core figure of the Quantity Organization, with a mysterious identity and unfathomable strength. To become an envoy under him was equivalent to having the most powerful backer in the universe, an opportunity they had always dreamed of.
Kui Lianghuang waved his hand, his tone indifferent: "Enough. I am only doing this out of consideration for your former master. I also bear responsibility for his demise."
Having said that, he changed the subject, revealing the core purpose of the gathering: "The recent battle in the Taiwei Realm's star field has concluded, with both the Heavenly Court and the Underworld suffering losses, making the situation increasingly chaotic. I have summoned you here to instruct you to be doubly cautious in your future actions, and especially to pay close attention to the Bright Virtue God of the Heavenly Court!"
"This person is now the number one enemy of our organization. He has already broken through to the Heavenly Perfection of Spiritual Power. Although he is a newcomer, his true strength is unfathomable, even I cannot see through him. He is currently doing his best to track down the whereabouts of our organization. You must all conceal your identities and not expose yourselves, or you will face annihilation!"
All the envoys bowed in agreement, but Liang Gu, who was standing quietly in the corner, remained motionless, his eyes behind the mask deep, as if he were pondering something, and he did not respond to the instructions of the Kui Liang Emperor.
"Liang Gu, do you have any objections?"
Kui Lianghuang's gaze fell on Liang Gu, his tone carrying a hint of inquiry. He knew Liang Gu's identity; he was a once-renowned genius who shook the universe, whose temperament and wisdom far surpassed ordinary people. He wanted to hear what insights Liang Gu had to offer.
Liang Gu slowly raised his head, his voice calm and unwavering: "Your Majesty Liang, I am well aware of the concerns of all the Liang Emperors and Liang Venerables. But I believe that simply avoiding the issue is not a long-term solution. Only by eliminating Mingde and eradicating future troubles can we solve the problem once and for all and remove the greatest threat to our Liang organization."
Emperor Kuiliang shook his head slightly, his tone solemn: "What you say, how could I not know? But Mingde's strength is far from what you see. Even if I personally take action, I may not be able to do anything to him. If we want to completely kill him, I'm afraid we four Emperors will need to join forces to have any chance of success."
"What? Mingde is this powerful?"
Liang Gu's pupils contracted sharply, and his heart was filled with shock. He knew the terror of the four Great Emperors. Each of them was an unparalleled powerhouse in the Boundless Realm, with brilliant battle records. They had all killed more than one God Venerable or God King in the Boundless Realm. But now, the Great Emperor Kui Liang actually admitted that he could not do anything to Ming De. This overturned his understanding.
The other envoys were terrified. Although they knew Mingde was powerful, they never imagined he could be so terrifying that even the Quantity Emperor was wary of him. In their eyes, the Quantity Emperor was the pinnacle of the universe. Now, even a pinnacle being dared not easily provoke Mingde, which showed just how terrifying his trump cards were.
Kui Lianghuang had his own concerns. On the battlefield of Taiwei Realm, he had secretly planned to ambush Mingde, but as soon as he had the idea to make a move, he felt an extreme threat of death. It was a warning from the source of life that threw him into a state of panic, and he immediately abandoned the idea of ambush.
He would never act rashly before figuring out Mingde's true strength. If Mingde truly possessed a forbidden secret technique or other hidden power inherited from an ancestor, a hasty attack would be suicidal if he were to fall into a trap and expose his identity. Such risks should naturally be left for others to test; he only needed to observe the outcome and wait for the right opportunity.