1588 G.o.d“s Relic
It was the 350th year of the Donghuang Calendar.
It had been 350 years since Donghuang the Great and Emperor Ye Qing unified the whole world.
Ye Futian was moved when he heard what the elder said. It all seemed so far away from him, but he still felt that it was connected to him.
He was 50 years old this year.
He had been born 300 years after Donghuang the Great and Emperor Ye Qing had unified the Divine Prefecture.
And it seemed that there had been nothing ordinary about his birth.
Thus, it seemed that Tianhe City was not just lively because of the New Year, but also because this year had special meaning. It was also a nice round number year for the Divine Prefecture. His own age was also at a nice round number. This clearly meant something.
100 years marked an era in the Divine Prefecture. 50 years would then be half an era.
“Does anyone actually use the phrase ‘Donghuang Calendar’?” asked Ye Futian.
“Some do,” said the Sky River Great Elder with a nod. “When Donghuang the Great unified the world and the many realms of the Divine Prefecture became one, he and Emperor Ye Qing naturally had the right to make a new calendar. But they did not. Even so, many people still count time by the Donghuang Calendar. But since he didn’t change it, people still mainly use the Divine Prefecture Calendar.”
“Where is that bell coming from?” asked Ye Futian. The ringing sound was coming from the sky and sounding throughout Tianhe City.
The elder looked up into the sky and said softly, “Every 50 years, a bell rings out from the Empty Imperial Palace in the Imperial Realm, meaning that the prophecy is coming into the world. If I’m not wrong, divine messengers should be coming out of the Empty Imperial Palace right now.”
“The Imperial Realm.” Ye Futian’s heart trembled. Was this ringing coming from the impossibly distant Imperial Realm?
Naturally, he knew of the Imperial Realm—the greatest of the Nine Supreme Realms of the 3,000 Realms of the Great Path.
The Imperial Realm was also known as the Central Emperor Realm, and it was the head of the 3,000 Realms of the Great Path. The other eight Supreme Realms surrounded it, and the other realms of the 3,000 Realms of the Great Path surrounded them.
How could this ringing sound cross through so many realms?
“There’s nothing strange about this. The bell ringing in the Empty Imperial Palace announces the prophecy, and it rings at the Great Emperor’s command. Its ringing goes out to the Nine Supreme Realms, and from there to all of the other realms. The Tianhe Realm is within this area, and that is why we are able to hear it,” explained the elder.
“What is the Empty Imperial Palace? And what is the prophecy?” asked Ye Futian. There were too many things that he did not understand.
A single bell could be heard throughout countless realms. What kind of power would allow it to be heard throughout the Nine Supreme Realms?
“The Empty Imperial Palace is the emblem of the Imperial Realm. It is the Great Emperor’s home among the 3,000 Reams of the Divine Path. If there is nothing special about this prophecy, it will be the same as always. It will speak of G.o.d’s Relic,” explained the Sky River Great Elder. “This is why I wanted you to temporarily delay becoming a Renhuang. I wanted you to go there.”
“G.o.d’s Relic,” whispered Ye Futian. He understood. This relic of “G.o.d” would be different than the ones he had encountered before. The fact that it invoked the name “G.o.d” showed how extraordinary it was.
The so-called “G.o.d’s” Relic was very likely real.
“Why is it the ‘Empty Imperial Palace,’ and not just the ‘Empty Palace’?” asked Ye Futian softly. “Where is Renhuang the Great if not in the Imperial Realm?”
“He is there, and yet he is not there,” answered the Sky River Great Elder. “This world is not the true world.”
“Then what about the true world? Is it the same there?” asked Ye Futian.
The Sky River Great Elder looked at him and said, “If you are successful in the G.o.d’s trials, you will have a chance to find this out for yourself.”
“When will I go?” asked Ye Futian.
“The prophecy is coming, and soon all the Nine Supreme Realms will receive it. At that time, they will all send out their disciples. Then, the G.o.d’s Relic will be open for a period of time. However, we can go early. The prophecy will not come to the Tianhe Realm. Thus we need to find a power that will receive it and go with them,” said the Sky River Great Elder.
“Can all of the Nine Supreme Realms take part in this?” asked Ye Futian. “Who is going to receive the prophecy?”
“Technically, anyone in the 3,000 Realms of the Great Path can take part. However, only those powers that receive the prophecy will be able to bring them there. Thus, if one wants to go to the G.o.d’s Relic, they must first receive the approval of one of the powers that received the prophecy. As for who will get the prophecy, the Empty Imperial Palace have their own plans for that. If there are no mishaps, it will be the greatest forces in the Nine Supreme Reals,” answered the Sky River Great Elder.
“In that case, Taixuan Mountain will receive it as well,” whispered Ye Futian. If that was so, he could naturally go with them. If not, then the Divine Elephants from the Heavenly Mandate Realm would work as well.
If he wanted to take part, they would definitely let him.
“How strong are the people below the Renhuang level at Taixuan Mountain?” asked the Sky River Great Elder.
“They are not that strong,” said Ye Futian. There was a great gap between the disciples of Taixuan Mountain and those of the Divine Capital of Xiling. The only ones who could truly count were the four great disciples of Lord Taixuan. The younger generation was not as good. When compared to the people from the vastness of the Nine Supreme Realms, they would be at a severe disadvantage, and would not be able to put up a fight.
During the trip to the Divine Palace, the disciples of Taixuan Mountain had all been clearly inferior, save for him.
This time, it would not only be the top forces of the Higher Heavens Realm but all the forces of the Nine Supreme Realms.
And in reality, that meant the top forces of the 3,000 Realms of the Great Path. All of them would likely be there.
The G.o.d’s Relic opened once every 50 years. It was the training that Donghuang the Great had prepared for them. Thus, it was obvious how prestigious this event was. It would naturally shake the Nine Supreme Realms, and even the entire world.
The bell that was ringing throughout the Nine Supreme Realms was just the start.
“In that case, you need some allies. I will consider for a while, then send you to a force that will take you to the Imperial Realm and grant you success at G.o.d’s Relic,” said the Sky River Great Elder. Ye Futian saw that he had fallen into deep thought and did not disturb him.
In reality, given his current level, even though the cultivators from the Nine Supreme Realms would gather like clouds, there were few who would be a match for him.
Now, people like Li Daozi and Yi Tianyu were no longer a match for him. Only people like Huang Zhong of the Divine Temple would be able to challenge him, or people who were even stronger.
Although Huang Zhong was said to be the most powerful person in the Higher Heavens Realm below the Renhuang plane, there would certainly be other people in the Nine Supreme Realms who were stronger.
The Nine Supreme Realms were so vast, and the Imperial Realm was at their center. There would certainly be many heroic figures.
Empty Emperor Palace was at the center of the Imperial Realm. The Sky River Great Elder had known to tell him not to break through to the next level for the time being. Would the top figures of the Central Emperor Realm know to do that as well? Certainly, some of them would suppress their level for this.
This time, the cultivators would certainly gather like clouds.
He did not say anything. His Master was clearly thinking about things for him. As long as he could find him an ally, he didn’t mind.
“What time should I leave?” asked Ye Futian.
“How has your cultivation been going?” replied the Sky River Great Elder.
“There have been no problems,” said Ye Futian. The Sky River Great Elder looked at him. In reality, he could already sense this. He nodded slightly, then turned to look at the woman cultivating in the distance.
“Ping’an,” he called. “Keep cultivating on the mountain. Do not go down. Ye Futian and I are leaving for a while.”
Ping’an looked back at him. “Alright,” she answered.
“Let’s go,” said the Sky River Great Elder to Ye Futian. There was no need for him to stay in the Tianhe Realm, so why not bring Ye Futian to the Central Emperor Realm a little early?
Ye Futian nodded. “Alright.” A burst of powerful will covered him, then the two of them shot up into the air.
This was the second time that Ye Futian had been transported across realms. The first time was when Lord Taixuan had brought him to the Tianhe Realm.
This time, he was going from the Tianhe Realm to the center of the Nine Supreme Realms. Indeed, it was the center of the 3,000 Realms of the Great Path: The Imperial Realm.
…
The Central Emperor Realm, the largest of the 3,000 Realms of the Great Path, had many powerful forces within it, and endless cultivators.
In this realm, when cultivators went outside, they did not dare be too arrogant. There were simply too many of them.
Among those forces that stood at the top of the Central Emperor Realm, any one of their names was enough to make it so that a common cultivator would find it hard to breathe. There were many ancient clans that had pa.s.sed down their techniques since ancient times, as well as families that had weathered generations of hards.h.i.+ps. All of them were powerful and had depths beyond measure.
The most powerful forces of the 3,000 Realms of the Great Path were gathered here, as well as the most powerful figures.
The greatest heroes of the 3,000 Realms of the Great Path were finally gathered together in one place.
A member of the Shen clan walked out towards a magnificent palace. “What is it?” came a voice from within.
“The Sky River Great Elder has left the Tianhe Realm. He is likely already on the way to the Imperial Realm. It is probably because of the bell,” the man answered with a bow.
“I understand,” came the voice from within the palace.
“Should we do anything about it?” asked the man.
“He is focused on the person who is going to inherit his mantle. For the time being, we don’t need to do anything,” answered the man within the palace. “Did we find out anything from Qi Xuangang?”
“Not yet.” The man lowered his head.
“Heal him. Help him recover his divine spirit and his memory,” said the man within the palace. They had Qi Xuangang in their hands, and so there was no more information that the Sky River Great Elder could provide them. Now, all they could do was work hard to help Qi Xuangang recover. Even if he only regained a little bit of his memory, it would be good.
“Yes, sir.” The man bowed, then turned to leave.
While this was going on, the Shen clan was very busy. Many of them were preparing for the G.o.d’s Relic.
And it was not only the Shen clan; the Nine Realms had all heard the prophecy, and so they were all preparing for this. Other realms were even busier as they prepared for this magnificent time.
When the bell rang, the Nine Realms were thrown into turmoil.
In a foggy place within the Imperial Realm, there was a magnificent divine mansion that reached into the clouds.
Below it stretched many tall mountain peaks. They were like pillars that held up the mansion.
In front of the mansion, there was a sky stairwell that went down from the sky, connecting it to a faraway place. As it went on, the sky stairwell reached the mansion, which was extremely spectacular.
This was an extremely prestigious place within the Imperial Realm: the Sky Reaching Peaks.
At that moment, two figures appeared before the sky stairwell. One was young, and one was old. The old man was very n.o.ble, and the young man had white hair. The two of them had powerful auras.
It was the Sky River Great Elder and Ye Futian!