Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Celestial Emperor's Divinity

“Nanluo.”

The solemn, sacred voice rang out like divine thunder from the ninth heaven, echoing beside Nanluo’s ear, shaking his very soul. His brows knitted involuntarily, pain flickering across his face as he struggled to withstand the overwhelming might of that holy sound.

“Great Immortal, may I ask what commands you have for me?” Nanluo forced himself to endure the splitting pain in his head, clasped his hands, and answered respectfully despite his pallor.

The Patriarch Hongjun’s gaze was as sharp as lightning, piercing straight into Nanluo’s heart. He spoke with calm authority, “I am missing a certain treasure. Have you seen it?”

Nanluo’s heart thudded, a thousand thoughts racing through his mind, but he replied with a composed face, “May I ask what treasure the Great Immortal refers to? Surely, a divine artifact of such magnitude is not something I would have encountered.”

Hongjun did not respond immediately. He spread his divine consciousness across Nanluo’s entire being, attempting to locate the Creation Jade Butterfly.

But Hongjun was disappointed.

“It’s not here? Could it really not be him?” Hongjun’s face was impassive as he studied Nanluo, inwardly weighing the possibilities.

Suddenly, Hongjun’s divine sense condensed into a violet sword, which shot toward Nanluo’s divine soul, intent on probing his innermost secrets.

At the instant the violet sword flew toward his soul, Nanluo’s spirit trembled violently, his divine core in turmoil. Though he could not see the sword itself, he could feel a deadly intent closing in upon him—a threat he was utterly powerless to resist.

Just as the sword was about to pierce his spirit, an endless sea of golden fortune clouds appeared above Nanluo’s head.

Within this golden sea, an innate supreme twelve-clawed violet dragon, tens of thousands of meters long and exuding an aura of absolute sovereignty, coiled majestically as the very center of heaven and earth.

The twelve-clawed violet dragon suddenly opened its eyes, its purple pupils gazing down imperiously at the approaching violet sword, utterly unemotional—like the heartless will of heaven itself.

With a deafening roar, the dragon’s immense body churned, shaking heaven and earth with its cry. The violet sword, upon hearing the dragon’s roar, disintegrated inch by inch, vanishing from existence.

Hongjun’s face remained unmoved as he looked upon the twelve-clawed violet dragon, his own august aura radiating from on high. Coldly, he pronounced, “Heavenly Emperor’s Dragon Aura.”

The violet dragon, still coiled in the golden clouds, stared down at Hongjun, its presence one of unrivaled supremacy.

It seemed a great battle was about to erupt, but suddenly, Hongjun withdrew his overwhelming presence.

Seeing this, the violet dragon likewise retreated into the golden sea of fortune, curling its massive body within and slowly closing its dragon eyes.

The vast golden sea of fortune gradually faded away.

Having witnessed the confrontation of sacred dragons, Nanluo’s shock ran even deeper than Hongjun’s.

“I never expected to possess the Heavenly Emperor’s rank!” Nanluo’s heart brimmed with mingled joy and disbelief.

The Heavenly Emperor—sovereign of myriad heavens, master of all beings, omnipotent and supremely exalted. With this rank, Nanluo could truly safeguard himself.

In the ancient times of the Great Desolation, the Heavenly Emperor was sheltered by heaven and earth, wielding ultimate authority. The will of heaven in those primordial ages was the mightiest of all existences—no living being could oppose it.

Not even the greatest powers dared defy heaven’s will; minor offenses met with suppression, grave ones with annihilation.

Thus, not a single supreme being was willing to risk destruction by heaven for the sake of murdering the Heavenly Emperor.

The ancient Heavenly Emperor could even command the powers of heaven and earth, suppressing other mighty beings at will.

But in later ages, the will of heaven withdrew, and the Heavenly Dao took its place.

Much of the Heavenly Emperor’s authority was seized by the Heavenly Dao, and the grandeur of antiquity was lost.

The Heavenly Dao, embodied by Patriarch Hongjun, could even decide the rise and fall of the Heavenly Emperor.

In subsequent eras, the Jade Emperor was merely a minor attendant beside Hongjun.

Yet, as the Jade Emperor possessed no true authority, he could not wield the powers of the Heavenly Emperor and was forced to endure the manipulation of the Six Sages—a truly pitiable fate.

Thus, the rank of Heavenly Emperor, once equal to the sages, fell beneath their status.

Nanluo recalled how he had just proposed the founding of the Divine Clan, and then had seen a vision of himself seated on the imperial throne of the twelve-clawed violet dragon, holding the sun and moon in his palms, worshipped by all beings.

“Could it be that everything is predestined, arranged ahead of time?” The thought sprang unbidden to his mind, and he could not help but think of that mysterious manipulator behind the scenes.

Immersed in his mingled astonishment and delight, Nanluo was awestruck, while Hongjun felt only bewilderment, without the least trace of joy.

“Heavenly Emperor’s rank? Wasn’t there no Heavenly Emperor in ancient times? The Heavenly Emperor should have appeared in the primeval era!” Hongjun’s heart was filled with doubt as he gazed at Nanluo in silence.

“What’s more, the first Heavenly Emperor did not belong to the Divine Clan, but to the Demon Clan!” This realization only deepened Hongjun’s confusion, and his brows drew together imperceptibly.

As a supreme being, Hongjun could penetrate the past, perceive the present, foresee the future, and manipulate fate—naturally, he was well aware of the changes regarding the Heavenly Emperor.

Precisely because he understood these changes, Hongjun was both astonished and uncertain about the sudden emergence of the Heavenly Emperor’s rank.

At last, he could only sigh inwardly, “It seems the one behind Nanluo is truly formidable—he even managed to bestow the Heavenly Emperor’s rank upon him.”

Hongjun’s eyes flickered as he looked at Nanluo, then his tone softened as he asked, “Nanluo, would you be willing to take me as your master?”

The vast sacred voice snapped Nanluo out of his reverie.

He looked at Hongjun in disbelief, his mind racing as he rapidly weighed the pros and cons of taking Hongjun as his master.

To become Hongjun’s disciple would, of course, bring boundless benefits.

First, Nanluo would no longer need to fear Hongjun’s scrutiny—his life would be safe.

Second, with Hongjun’s backing, Nanluo could swiftly grow in power, roam the Great Desolation unhindered, and perhaps even secure a sage’s position in the future.

...

But there were also countless disadvantages.

First, the mysterious manipulator behind Nanluo would never allow it. That hidden hand had invested so much in Nanluo—even bestowing upon him the rank of the ancient Heavenly Emperor. Should Nanluo dare betray him, he would surely be destroyed at once.

Second, Nanluo’s path was the Divine Way, while Hongjun’s was the Immortal Way—they were fundamentally at odds. For Nanluo, the Divine Way’s control over all was far preferable to the carefree detachment of the Immortal Way.

If Nanluo became Hongjun’s disciple, he would have to abandon the Divine Way for the Immortal Way. Otherwise, Hongjun would never tolerate a disciple who walked the Divine Way.

Third, Nanluo’s Heavenly Emperor rank was dependent upon the fortune of the Divine Clan. Hongjun’s interest in him was only for this rank. If Nanluo abandoned the Divine Way and his clan, could he still keep his rank? And what would Hongjun then think of him?

Fourth, Nanluo could pursue enlightenment on his own and had no need to become Hongjun’s disciple. After merging with the Heavenly Dao, Hongjun had only seven sage positions to bestow; Nanluo was by no means certain to receive one. Yet, by founding the Divine Clan and pacifying the Great Desolation, he could ascend by the fortune of his clan, even becoming the unique Divine Emperor and Heavenly Sovereign—why seek distant gains and abandon what was close at hand?

Thus, Nanluo’s mind was made up.

Having thought it all through, he bowed respectfully and said, “Your favor is too great, Great Immortal, but I am too dull of talent to trouble you with my unworthiness.”

Hongjun’s face remained expressionless as he replied, “If that is your will, you may go.”