When the smiling figure in white walked out of the black hole, the entire world seemed to begin crumbling in its presence. Countless cracks spread throughout the void and the buildings beneath collapsed into dust. Worldly natural energy howled before surrendering meekly beneath the white-robed figure's feet.
Meanwhile, the Duke Bergfrieds belonging to Diwu Mingxuan and the rest immediately dimmed and let out terrified squeaks, turning into streams of light and merging back into their owners.
Everyone was shocked to discover that all of the resonant power within their bodies had been sealed, completely unable to circulate.
They had all turned into ordinary passersby in the presence of this figure.
Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e's expressions turned ugly. The pressure emanating from the white-robed figure had surpassed even that of Wang Xuanjin. This opponent had undoubtedly surpassed the King Stage and had attained power at the peak of this world.
A Heavenly Emperor! Furthermore, this was the Origin Reversion Institute's Heavenly Emperor!
They had not expected that Shen Jinxiao would sacrifice himself to summon such a frightening existence.
"Haha... Shen Jinxiao, you've done well."
Amidst the trembling and the fearful wails of the heavens and the earth, the white-robed individual let out a light laugh. Its expression was elegant and gentle and it resembled a scholar, giving off a gentlemanly aura. This was the Origin Reversion Institute's Emptiness Heavenly Emperor. The Emptiness Heavenly Emperor stretched its hand out and gently clenched it, causing grayish-black ashes to gather on its palm. After putting it away casually, it raised its head and looked at the world of the Celestial Mirror Pagoda's thirty-fourth layer.
"Indeed, this is the place."
Its gaze then turned towards Jiang Qing'e and Li Luo. The two then felt a suffocating sense of pressure, but neither showed any fear. There was a spot of light flashing rapidly between one's eyebrows while the other could feel the Absolute Resonance Halo turning with much difficulty. Resonant power coursed from their bodies yet again.
Although the resonant power they emitted was weak, the Emptiness Heavenly Emperor smiled and praised them.
"Being able to circulate your resonant power before me truly shows that the two of you are peerless prodigies. The Genesis Seed and the Absolute Resonance Seed truly live up to their reputations."
Li Luo felt as though he had been struck by a bolt of lightning and a feeling of horror arose within him. The Emptiness Heavenly Emperor discovering that Jiang Qing'e was the Genesis Seed was no surprise, but how did it know about his Absolute Resonance Seed?
This was his greatest secret.
It seemed as though they had underestimated a Heavenly Emperor's power yet again.
"The two of you are worthy of being dealt with by me personally." The Emptiness Heavenly Emperor stretched its hand out yet again; however, it expanded to cover the skies this time, making it impossible to dodge. They could only stand there powerlessly and await capture.
However, just as they were on the cusp of being caught, the void in front of them shattered and three people with crowns appeared before them. Wang Xuanjin, Bai Yu, and Jin Xi had descended to help. Boundless amounts of source origin poured out of their crowns like a tide.
Wang Xuanjin's three-layered crown produced a nine-layered lotus that burned with a golden flame. Each petal of the lotus was engraved with hundreds of millions of tiny ancient runes, each possessing enough power to terrify a Duke.
Elder Jin Xi blew out a gust of azure wind that contained countless grains of stardust. Although the stardust was tiny at first, each grain quickly expanded into the size of an actual star, shooting out across the skies like a meteor shower.
Meanwhile, Elder Bai Yu exhaled roiling plumes of toxic emerald smoke. Wherever the smoke passed through, everything, including worldly natural energy, would be dissolved into nothingness.
The three Kings from the Academic Federation, one of which was a Triple Crowned King and the other two Dual Crowned Kings, didn't dare to hold back in the slightest. They displayed the full array of their abilities to resist the gigantic hand descending upon them. In the moment of collision, the entire world shook violently.
The shooting stars were instantly blasted into oblivion upon contact with the giant hand, only leaving behind several small indentations on it.
The corrosive emerald smoke barely managed to leave behind a few specks on the hand before dissipating completely.
Only the nine-layered lotus that was wreathed in golden flames was capable of blocking the hand for ten or so breaths worth of time.
However, as each moment passed, more and more cracks appeared on the lotus.
Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e were both shocked. The three Kings whom all the Dukes admired were essentially harmless when compared to the white-robed scholar. Was this the invincible power of a Heavenly Emperor?
"Ah, Wang Xuanjin, you do have some ability. I'm afraid that out of all the Triple Crowned Kings of the Academic Federation, only Qi Huang might be able to beat you." The Emptiness Heavenly Emperor laughed as it praised him. "However, if you think that the three of you can stop me, you should stop dreaming right now."
He slowly clenched his slender, pale hand.
Bang!
The nine-layered lotus that was condensed from source origin energy immediately burst apart, the golden flames scattering into the air and extinguishing in the skies.
Even Wang Xuanjin, a peak Triple Crowned King, could barely resist the man for a few moments. The all-encompassing hand began to descend yet again.
Wang Xuanjin look up at the looming appendage, but he didn't reveal any trace of worry. Instead, he said, "I naturally understand how mighty a Heavenly Emperor is. The only reason why we took action was to buy us some time."
The Emptiness Heavenly Emperor's hand paused in mid-air, then it grabbed yet again, this time as though he had realized that something was going to happen.
However, clouds suddenly spawned between the heavens and the earth and the sounds of chanting could be heard. These chants not only resounded within the Celestial Mirror Pagoda, but also throughout the Celestial Mirror Continent! Clouds and mist filled the world at this instant.
In the end, the clouds condensed into the shape of a cauldron that enveloped Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e.
The giant hand then struck the cloud cauldron head-on.
Bang!
The ruined continent on the Celestial Mirror Pagoda's thirty-fourth layer crumbled apart with a bang. The void shattered to the point that the outside world could be seen through the resulting spatial rifts.
Everything was annihilated, leaving only Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e standing there in shock, holding hands. Even those who were Transcendent Dukes, much less those who were still on the Path of Ascension, would find it difficult to resist a Heavenly Emperor. However, just what was that cloud cauldron? It was actually capable of blocking the Emptiness Heavenly Emperor's attack.
Wang Xuanjin and the other two heaved sighs of relief. The Academic Federation's Heavenly Emperor had arrived. The Emptiness Heavenly Emperor paused and looked at the endless clouds, sighing helplessly.
"It looks like the Origin Reversion Institute's attempt to intercept them has failed. As expected of the omnipresent Cloud Heavenly Emperor."
Chapter 1530: Cloud Heavenly Emperor
As the Emptiness Heavenly Emperor's voice resounded through the heavens and the earth, the plentiful clouds and mist began to condense and then dissipate, revealing a new figure before the group. Everyone turned their eyes over.
This person was standing atop the clouds, as straight as a pine tree. He was garbed in a white moon robe that fluttered gently in the wind. His clothes were embroidered with the pattern of flowing clouds and a sea of clouds wafted around his body. He had an extraordinarily handsome face and his eyes seemed to contain an endless world filled with clouds, giving off a mysterious appearance. The corners of his lips were lifted in a faint smile. His long, black hair was hanging casually, dotted with a few silver strands. He was the embodiment of a handsome man with exceptional bearing and elegance.
Wang Xuanjin, Bai Yu, and Jin Xi immediately clasped their hands respectfully upon seeing him. "Greeting, Cloud Heavenly Emperor!"
From afar, Diwu Mingxuan, Sheng Qiao'er, and the rest of the mentors hurriedly paid their respects as well, their gazes filled with immense reverence and emotion. Even they rarely had the opportunity to set their eyes on the Academic Federation's Heavenly Emperors, despite their position as elite mentors.
Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e similarly acted the same away, but their gazes were filled with curiosity as they snuck glances at the extraordinary man.
This was the Academic Federation's Heavenly Emperor?
Their horizons has been broadened today, having witnessed the true bodies of two Heavenly Emperors. This was something they had never experienced before.
However, the Heavenly Emperor's descent signalled that they no longer had any right to participate in the upcoming battle.
Meanwhile, the white-robed man smiled and said warmly, "It's been tough on the group of you."
His tone was friendly and refreshing.
After which, the Cloud Heavenly Emperor turned towards Jiang Qing'e with a smile. "After so many years, the Genesis Seed has finally reappeared. This is a great blessing for the Academic Federation. Is your name Jiang Qing'e?"
Jiang Qing'e nodded and clasped her fist, responding, "Jiang Qing'e greets the Cloud Heavenly Emperor."
"There is no need to stand on ceremony. Is your teacher that little girl Zhen Mingyu?" The Cloud Heavenly Emperor smirked. That was the Hallowed Coruscation Ancient College's Third School Master, but to the Cloud Heavenly Emperor, she was no different from a little girl. However, considering his strength, he did have the right to speak this way.
Jiang Qing'e nodded.
"If we have to go by seniority, then I can be considered your master's uncle. After all, Zhen Mingyu was my student many years ago within the Hallowed Coruscation Ancient College." The Cloud Heavenly Emperor beamed, his words genial and light like a pack of clouds.
Jiang Qing'e and Li Luo were a little taken aback by this casual reply as they had not expected them to be related this way.
Jiang Qing'e didn't know what the other party was trying to imply by saying those words, but it seemed a little disrespectful if she didn't agree with him. Thus, she only hesitated briefly before changing the way she addressed him.
"Uncle Master Cloud."
The Cloud Heavenly Emperor smiled warmly before nodding in approval. "Haha, the Academic Federation doesn't follow such titles, so you don't have to worry about it."
"'Uncle Master Cloud' does have a nice ring to it. This is the first time I've had someone address me this way."
It truly did look as though he liked the way he was addressed...
Meanwhile, Wang Xuanjin, Elder Bai Yu, and Elder Jin Xi were quietly pouting. There were innumerable juniors who were willing to address him this way, but he had never acknowledged them... However, they understood the Cloud Heavenly Emperor's intentions. After all, she was the Genesis Seed and was also someone who belonged to the Academic Federation. Thus, he would naturally hope to win her over.
Jiang Qing'e could also vaguely sense why the other party treated her so specially and thus, she immediately pulled Li Luo's hand and said, "Uncle Master Cloud, this is my husband, Li Luo."
The Cloud Heavenly Emperor then turned to Li Luo and gave a surprised smile. "My own horizons have been broadened. Not only did I get to witness the presence of the Genesis Seed, but also the long lost Absolute Resonance Seed. Legend has it that it is the Sacred Void Resonance Sect Master's legacy, and only the Sect Master and his successors could cultivate it. It looks like when your parents entered the Sacred Void Resonance Sect's ruins all those years ago, they stumbled upon the legacy of the Absolute Resonance Seed."
Deep in Li Luo's heart, he felt a sense of shock. It was essentially impossible to keep any secrets when standing before a Heavenly Emperor. He must have sensed the Absolute Resonance Halo within the depths of his body. Kings were unable to detect the unique fluctuations of the Absolute Resonance Halo, but Heavenly Emperors were instantly able to identify how special it was. The secrets he had kept hidden for years were immediately spotted by these Heavenly Emperors. Furthermore, based on the Cloud Heavenly Emperor's words, he clearly had a good understanding of the Sacred Void Resonance Sect. Perhaps that wasn't surprising as the Academic Federation had lasted for such a long time and thus the information they had access to far surpassed an ordinary Heavenly Emperor power.
"I'm quite well acquainted with Heavenly Emperor Li. We even joined hands to fight the Other Heavenly Emperors within the Nobles' Battlefield. If he were to learn that his descendant has obtained the Absolute Resonance Seed, he would definitely be ecstatic," the Cloud Heavenly Emperor warmly said.
Li Luo immediately cupped his hand respectfully as well. After briefly exchanging pleasantries with the two, the Cloud Heavenly Emperor then turned his gaze towards the Void Heavenly Emperor with a smile. "Emptiness Heavenly Emperor, don't you think that the Origin Reversion Institute has overstretched their claws by setting foot here?"
The Emptiness Heavenly Emperor retorted, "Cloud Heavenly Emperor, does the Academic Federation truly believe that the Celestial Mirror Pagoda belongs to them?"
"The Celestial Mirror Pagoda is a relic from the Sacred Void Resonance Sect. The Academic Federation is following in their aspirations and beliefs, using this location to nurture excellent sprouts to resist the Others and protect the billions of lives that live here," the Cloud Heavenly Emperor responded.
"Regardless of how strong the Sacred Void Resonance Sect was, they failed to put an end to the Others. How can the Academic Federation speak so arrogantly in that case? It's clear that your path is misguided," the Emptiness Heavenly Emperor replied.
This was met with the Cloud Heavenly Emperor's cordial response. "Then do you believe that releasing the Others into the world is the right decision? It will only lead to the extinguishing of lives. Perhaps not even one in ten would survive."
"However, whoever remains will be the bearers of hope," the Void Heavenly Emperor calmly said.
The Cloud Heavenly Emperor shook his head, no longer deigning to argue with the other side on their choices. If words could have resolved their differences, they would not have struggled against each other for such a long time.
"You should leave, Emptiness Heavenly Emperor."
The Emptiness Heavenly Emperor shook its head and smiled. "How can I leave when what I want is right in front of me? Are you the only one who can take action on the Academic Federation's side?"
The Cloud Heavenly Emperor frowned. "What are you planning? Is there anything in the Celestial Mirror Pagoda that can catch your fancy? Could it be the Heavenly Emperor remains? Or are you saying you have other intentions?"
As the Cloud Heavenly Emperor's gaze flickered whilst observing the area around the Celestial Mirror Pagoda, his eyes gradually turned white, capable of seeing through anything and everything. He was now using his full power to inspect the deepest parts of the Celestial Mirror Pagoda.
When the Cloud Heavenly Emperor's eyes turned white, the void suddenly shattered. Li Luo, Jiang Qing'e, and the rest could see a gigantic corpse quietly lying in the extreme ends of the void.
The corpse was covered in numerous ancient runic patterns, and just looking at it caused a sharp pain to lance through their eyeballs and blood to streak from the corners of their eyes. A terrifying pressure radiated from the giant corpse.
Crystals were constantly flying out of the corpse's body and disintegrating into motes of glowing dust, dispersing across the entirety of the Celestial Mirror Pagoda.
These grains of dust were not foreign to the group—they were none other than Celestial Mirror Sand, which they had fought over during the Domain Traversal Battles! Clearly, this mysterious corpse lay at the core of the Celestial Mirror Pagoda.
A Heavenly Emperor's remains.
Chapter 1531: Divine Fruit Born From a Supreme Ninth-grade Resonance
The Cloud Heavenly Emperor's white eyes were focused on the Heavenly Emperor's remains. Normally speaking, the corpse was considered the most valuable object in the entirety of the Celestial Mirror Pagoda. Even a Heavenly Emperor would be moved by it. However, he had a feeling that this wasn't what the Emptiness Heavenly Emperor was looking for. This meant that there was something else that the Emptiness Heavenly Emperor wanted.
It had to be something that the Academic Federation had yet to discover despite being in control of the Celestial Mirror Pagoda for so many years.
Just the thought of it was ludicrous. All of the Academic Federation's Heavenly Emperors had taken turns to inspect the Celestial Mirror Pagoda, and this wasn't the first time he had done so personally. Yet he had never discovered anything out of the ordinary.
The Cloud Heavenly Emperor's eyes emitted an esoteric light, then a tide of ancient talismans were produced out of thin air before being directed towards the heart of the Heavenly Emperor's remains.
After all, the heart of an actual Heavenly Emperor remained there.
Even though it had been lifeless for countless years, the fluctuations emanating from it were still horrifying. Furthermore, the fluctuations were often unstable, and if one were to carelessly come into contact with the heart, it might destroy the entire set of remains. The aftermath would also cause critical damage to the Celestial Mirror Pagoda.
This was the one reason why they never attempted to search the area any further than that.
However, now that the Emptiness Heavenly Emperor had come here, the Cloud Heavenly Emperor had come to the realization that there was only one place that had eluded the senses of the Heavenly Emperors of the Academic Federation. It was none other than the heart itself!
"What you're looking for is hidden in the depths of the Heavenly Emperor's heart," the Cloud Heavenly Emperor deduced.
The Emptiness Heavenly Emperor grinned. "I suppose you understand now."
"What is it?" the Cloud Heavenly Emperor asked.
The Emptiness Heavenly Emperor stretched his hand out, forming a fingerseal. This action made the entire Celestial Mirror Pagoda rumble, causing strange waves to surge outwards like a tide.
When the Cloud Heavenly Emperor saw this, his gaze turned abstruse. "The Celestial Mirror Pagoda's controlling art? How did you know about it?"
The Emptiness Heavenly Emperor sneered and turned its hand, causing an ancient, bluestone seal to appear. "Why would I need such things? In my hand is the Sacred Void Resonance Sect's Sect Master seal. Who would have higher authority within the Celestial Mirror Pagoda? Cloud Heavenly Emperor, do you want to know how I found this? Well, watch closely." When it finished speaking, the bluestone seal began to vibrate and a mysterious wave of energy spread outwards.
Whoosh!
As the waves propagated, everyone could see that rays of mysterious light were shooting out of the Heavenly Emperor's remains' heart, each ray capable of striking fear into the hearts of everyone present. An object slowly floated out of it amidst the light. It looked as though it was made of crystal, and within it was a blurry object that resembled a fruit. Its appearance caused crystals to condense all around it, which then transformed into a crystal mountain range that stretched endlessly.
The crystal seemed to contain the purest form of worldly natural energy, capable of assisting one with their cultivation. If it were placed in the outside world, all the great powers would inevitably war over it.
However, the Cloud Heavenly Emperor looked at it with great astonishment.
"That is... a resonance. A supreme ninth-grade resonance. One that has produced a Divine Fruit!"
Bright light emitted from it, shining across the heavens and the earth as spiritual crystal mountain ranges emerged one after another from the ground, a wondrous sight to behold.
"Cloud Heavenly Emperor... is that a resonance?"
Even Wang Xuanjin, Bai Yu, and Jin Xi were moved by the crystal containing a Divine Fruit. Its appearance had spawned miracles in the world, and it was clear the resonance had reached an incomprehensible level.
Wang Xuanjin's expression was solemn. As someone at the peak of the Triple Crowned King Stage, his resonances were all at the upper ninth-grade. However, when he looked at the crystal resonance that produce a Divine Fruit, he felt an inexplicable sense of suppression.
This meant that it had clearly reached a grade above his.
This resonance in the form of a crystal had definitely reached the supreme ninth-grade. That was the stage the Heavenly Emperors were at.
However, normally speaking, even a Heavenly Emperor's resonance would dissipate when the user died, so how could it have existed for so long?
The Cloud Heavenly Emperor nodded his head. "This is a supreme ninth-grade crystal resonance. It can be considered the absolute emperor and the peak of all crystal resonances."
Li Luo, Jiang Qing'e, and the rest couldn't help but take deep breaths, their curious gazes focused on the crystal containing the Divine Fruit. This was the first time they had heard that a resonance could take such a form. Additionally, the supreme ninth-grade was at such a high level that even the Triple Crowned King Wang Xuanjin was left in a daze, much less them.
Frankly speaking, this was the first time he had personally set his eyes on a supreme ninth-grade resonance.
"Was this the Heavenly Emperor's corpse's resonance?" Wang Xuanjin asked.
The Cloud Heavenly Emperor sighed lightly and shook his head. "No matter how strong the Heavenly Emperor was before he died, his resonance would not have reached this stage. This crystal resonance has produced its own Divine Fruit because it is at the peak of the supreme ninth-grade."
Wang Xuanjin's eyes shrunk. "A Divine Fruit?!"
Li Luo, Jiang Qing'e, and the rest were all baffled by these words. However, it wasn't only them—Elder Jin Xi and Bai Yu were equally lost, so they asked, "What is that?"
The Cloud Heavenly Emperor then explained gently, "The sign of a supreme ninth-grade reaching its absolute peak is when it produces a Divine Fruit. In a sense, it also represents that one has reached the pinnacle of the Heavenly Emperor Stage. Even my own resonance has not produced a Divine Fruit. In today's world, the number of Heavenly Emperors who have reached this point are countable with the fingers on two hands."
Looks of shock emerged on everyone's faces. Even the Cloud Heavenly Emperor had yet to reach this point, yet this mysterious supreme ninth-grade crystal resonance was already there! Just what sort of terrifying individual possessed this resonance?
"Those who have managed to evolve their resonance to this point are few, even in the long history of the Sacred Void Resonance Sect. I suppose its original owner was the legendary Sect Master who elevated the Sacred Void Resonance Sect to its peak?" the Cloud Heavenly Emperor asked.
Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e glanced at each other. This meant that this was the last Sect Master of the Sacred Void Resonance Sect!
"A supreme ninth-grade resonance that has given birth to a Divine Fruit... It isn't surprising why you, the Emptiness Heavenly Emperor of the Origin Reversion Institute, has chosen to personally take action. The Academic Federation has made a mistake. For the purposes of protecting the Celestial Mirror Pagoda and keeping this place stable, we've never dared to investigate the heart thoroughly. Why else would we have left it here until now?" the Cloud Heavenly Emperor said, full of regret.
Such an absolute treasure far surpassed what an ordinary individual could imagine. Even Heavenly Emperors would be moved by it. After all, if one could obtain this, they might take another step forward and produce their own Divine Fruits, becoming a Pinnacle Heavenly Emperor. This sort of strength would be of great help against the Other hordes.
"How did you, Emptiness Heavenly Emperor, come across this secret?" the Cloud Heavenly Emperor asked.
The Emptiness Heavenly Emperor smiled and lifted its hand, showing the bluestone seal that represented the Sect Master of the Sacred Void Resonance Sect. "The Origin Reversion Institute's understanding of the Sacred Void Resonance Sect far surpasses the Academic Federation's. If not for the fact that the Celestial Mirror Pagoda is anchored to the Celestial Mirror Continent, do you think that this treasure would have belonged to the Academic Federation?"
The Cloud Heavenly Emperor shook his head and calmly continued, "Since this is a supreme ninth-grade resonance that has borne a Divine Fruit, I naturally cannot let the Origin Reversion Institute obtain it."
This incredible treasure would greatly bolster the Origin Reversion Institute's power and would bring about more hidden dangers to the world.
After he spoke, endless streams of esoteric energy radiated from above the Cloud Heavenly Emperor. It was capable of illuminating the heavens, and through it, once could see endless clouds and mist while stars moved and moonlight shone, transforming into countless living beings.
This was a power that surpassed source origin energy. Even Wang Xuanjin and the Kings had looks of utmost respect and solemnity upon witnessing it. Clearly, the prospect of obtaining a supreme ninth-grade resonance with a Divine Fruit had caused the Cloud Heavenly Emperor to truly act against the Emptiness Heavenly Emperor.
And thus, a battle between Heavenly Emperors was about to unfold.