Novel23 Chapter 560: The Great Emperor Appears
Chapter 560: The Great Emperor Appears
Darkness descended, devouring everything. With Su Han at its center, the black light spread relentlessly, growing from an initial hundred-meter radius to a thousand, then ten thousand, and finally a hundred thousand meters.
The Demonic Emperor Physique above Su Han’s head became ever clearer. At the same time, the eyes on the Ghostly Face Mask seemed to light up, as if the Physique was awakening from its slumber, ready to destroy the world.
Wherever the black light reached, everything was devoured and became part of the Dark World. Whether it was people, objects, or even the power of Divine Sense, nothing could escape. This was a terrifying sight, one that even the most experienced and knowledgeable Saints had never witnessed. After attempting to attack and defend against it, they ultimately chose to retreat, for they realized this was not a force they could possibly withstand.
"What is this? The power of an Evil Demon?" Xiao Tianming stared at the ever-expanding black light, a strong sense of crisis rising within him. Unwilling to be surpassed by Su Han, he desperately wanted to know what this dark energy truly was.
Previously, Su Han had undergone Demonification and taken on the form of an Evil Demon. Everyone knew this, which led them to speculate that this black light was related to his transformation.
"I have no idea. Evil Demons disappeared a million years ago, and now only fragments of information remain in ancient texts. No one truly knows the extent of their power, but this is definitely not something we can withstand," Saint Yu Xiao said, his expression grave. As he maneuvered the warship to retreat, his gaze remained fixed on the black light.
The black light expanded at a steady speed, neither fast nor slow. The crowd, therefore, retreated in an orderly fashion rather than fleeing in a panic, wanting to see what this phenomenon truly was and just how far it would spread.
Yet, the black light continued its relentless expansion, seemingly determined to devour the entire Desolate Heavenly Ancient Realm before it would ever stop.
Panic began to ripple through the crowd.
"Ah, I don’t want to die! Someone save me!"
"What is this cursed thing? My arm is gone, I..."
"Run! Even the Saints can’t do anything about it! If we don’t flee now, are we just going to wait here to die?"
Among the hundred thousand spectators, whose strengths varied, it was inevitable that some fell behind during the mass retreat. They were swallowed by the black light and vanished without a trace. Screams and the sounds of people fleeing filled the air as many used Teleportation to escape the immediate area.
The black light did not pursue those who fled. It seemed to lack a will of its own, merely expanding at a set pace. They might escape Holy Meteor Mountain, this Daozhou, or even the entire Eastern Region, but they could not escape this world. Ultimately, no matter where they fled, it would be futile.
The battle between Yun Chang and the Heavenly Dragon Saint had to cease. At this point, no one could harm Su Han anymore. Their greater concern was how to deal with the eerie black light.
"Sacred Art of Celestial and Terrestrial Deduction!" The Divination Great Saint held his Holy Artifact, a compass, and executed his strongest Divination Technique to discern the black light’s origin.
However, he failed. Not only did he deduce nothing, but he also suffered a severe backlash, coughing up mouthfuls of blood as his very soul sustained heavy damage.
"My Dao Foundation... it’s shattered!" The Divination Great Saint stared at the black light in terror. He had suffered a dark backlash that had shattered his Dao Foundation. While his physical injuries could heal, his Dao Foundation could not be mended. This meant he would never have the chance to reach the Great Emperor Realm in this life—an unbearable fate for any Martial Artist.
Although the Divination Great Saint was not proficient in combat, he was still a mighty expert at the Ninth Layer of the Saint Realm. If even he suffered such a fate, what hope did other Martial Artists have? No one dared to confront the black light anymore. They could only retreat step-by-step, praying it would stop on its own.
Unfortunately, their hopes were destined to be dashed. The black light continued its unhurried expansion, devouring mountains and rivers, plants and animals alike. Nothing could escape this calamity.
By now, the black light had already spread beyond the bounds of Holy Meteor Mountain and into the outside world. The Dark World it contained now spanned a radius of three hundred thousand meters, its only features being absolute darkness and a chilling silence.
"What should we do? Can we only stand by and watch?" Saint You Heng, retreating with Yun Chang, Zhang Xiaowan, and Lan Xi, looked upon the ever-expanding black light, his heart filled with concern for Su Han’s safety.
"There’s nothing to be done. This black light is too strange," Yun Chang said, shaking her head. "I already tried to attack it. My power was simply devoured, like a stone sinking into the sea, without the slightest effect."
If even she was powerless, what hope was there for anyone else? It seemed that only an expert of the Great Emperor Realm would have any chance of stopping it.
However, there were few Great Emperors in the Eastern Region, and each had their own responsibilities. Furthermore, with the restrictions of the Great Emperor’s Covenant, why would any of them possibly come here?
Hearing Yun Chang’s words, Saint You Heng felt a surge of helpless anxiety. He looked up, but he could barely make out Su Han’s figure anymore. No one could have ever expected this life-and-death duel to end up like this.
HUM! Just then, ripples spread through space, and a verdant, vibrant bamboo stalk emerged from the Void. A shimmering green light emanated from it, cleansing the mind and purifying the soul, instantly calming the crowd’s panicked emotions.
"My sister is here!" Yun Chang’s eyes lit up with joy as she looked up. By now, everyone’s gaze was captivated by the newly arrived Purified Emperor Bamboo.
This was no ordinary Purified Holy Bamboo. It was the Purified Emperor Bamboo, the king of all bamboos, and the personal Emperor’s Armament of Empress Duobao.
A graceful figure, shrouded in green light, appeared atop the Purified Emperor Bamboo. Although the light obscured her true face, she exuded the aura of a celestial maiden descended from the Nine Heavens, captivating all who laid eyes on her. Even Ye Lingyin, renowned as the most beautiful woman in the Eastern Region, felt somewhat inadequate in her presence.
This ethereal figure was none other than Empress Duobao—not her true body, but one of her doppelgangers.
"It’s Empress Duobao!" Her name was legendary throughout the Eastern Region, her tales told far and wide. Seeing the Purified Emperor Bamboo and the enchanting, green-shrouded figure, the crowd instantly guessed her identity.
The black light was too bizarre, and even the Saints were helpless against it. Now, the entire crowd pinned their hopes on Empress Duobao.
The moment she arrived, Empress Duobao’s gaze fell upon the black light. Is this pure Magic Power? No, there seems to be something else mixed in. It was similar to the legendary Magic Power, yet subtly different, and for the moment, she could not be certain of its true nature.
SWISH! Empress Duobao made her move. A surge of the Power of Space-Time shot toward the black light. This time, there was no silent absorption; the two energies collided head-on, violently distorting the very space where they met.
"It’s working!" Seeing this, the crowd erupted in relieved joy. It was the first time the black light had been stopped.
However, in stark contrast to the crowd’s delight, Empress Duobao’s heart grew heavy. She realized that while the Power of Space-Time could halt the expansion of the black light, her own strength was nowhere near enough to contain such a vast Dark World.
The situation was spiraling out of control.