Shrouding the Heavens: Starting by joining the Holy Land of Yao Guang

Chapter 123 Prodigies of the Five Regions
Nanling, the Demon Emperor's Palace.

The Demon Emperor's Palace is an extremely ancient place, its existence difficult to verify. All that is known is that it has endured an incredibly long period of time and remains immortal.

Deep within the Demon Emperor's Palace, an ancient path leads to the depths, where demonic energy soars to the heavens and boundless divine light pierces the sky. A figure, reaching the ninth heaven, with black hair like a waterfall and eyes that hold the illusion of countless stars, is as profound as a demon god descending.

"The Northern Emperor and the Eastern Yao Guang, interesting. There are such geniuses in the Five Great Domains. It's a pity that I'm at a critical moment in my cultivation and can't go."

The Southern Demon Qi Lin was tall and imposing, with thick black hair and piercing eyes. Beside him stood a bright and beautiful young girl.

The girl was not old, about fifteen or sixteen years old. Her eyes were bright and sparkling, full of beauty and charm. Her skin was fair and smooth, her lips and teeth were crystal clear, and her hair was black and flowing like water. She wore a golden hairpin that swayed and trembled with each swing. The pearls and jade were intertwined with gold and light, and the long tassels swayed. She was an extremely beautiful woman, deserving of the title of a woman who could bring ruin to a country.

“Dong Yaoguang, the Northern Emperor, his name is indeed very prestigious, but he is definitely not as good as my brother.” The girl frowned, her red lips parted slightly, and her eyes were full of admiration for her brother.

Nan Yao smiled slightly, clearly pleased, but she saw through her sister's thoughts: "If you want to go, then go. This is a battle between two top geniuses. It would be good to go and see, as it can broaden your horizons. However, you must obey the instructions of the powerful figures in the hall and not run around aimlessly."

The girl's beautiful face, capable of captivating the world, broke into a smile, as if a myriad of celestial flowers were blooming: "I know, brother, don't worry, I will definitely listen to you."

Before Nan Yao could speak, the girl had already gotten up and ran towards the Demon Emperor's Palace.

In the Western Desert, inside a magnificent Buddhist temple, surrounded by a halo of Buddhist light, a beautiful and ethereal woman sat cross-legged on a lotus platform. Her beauty was extraordinary, her countenance solemn and dignified, like a Bodhisattva bathed in pure, radiant light.

"A great era is about to begin. Such figures have appeared in both the Eastern Wilderness and the Northern Plains. It seems that the struggle for the imperial path has already begun." The girl's voice was like the chanting of a Bodhisattva, its melodious sound resonating.

Zhongzhou, Qishi Prefecture.

At this moment, the Qishi Mansion has not yet opened its mountain gate, and everything is very peaceful. Deep within the Qishi Mansion, on an ancient mountain, an old man with a gaunt face gazes towards the Eastern Wilderness.

"Both of these top young powerhouses are potential Emperors. Is it too early for them to compete for supremacy now?"

As the premier academy in the five domains of the Big Dipper, Qishi Academy is currently the only one that knows exactly which geniuses are in the five domains and has been paying close attention to them, preparing for its opening ten years from now.

Dong Yaoguang and Beidi are both the focus of attention. These two have long been chosen by the Qishi Mansion, and they will be personally invited to the mansion in the future.

As the premier academy in the Big Dipper, Qishi Academy is not a place for just anyone. Only those geniuses with the potential to become emperors can enjoy such treatment.

The old man was somewhat helpless. These two prodigies shouldn't have clashed so early, since neither of them had achieved great success in their cultivation and hadn't yet embarked on their own paths.

A war now is far too early.

But now that a decisive battle is inevitable, the Qishi Mansion cannot interfere and can only try its best to mediate and see if it can save the lives of the losing side.

“The Eastern Yao Guang, the Northern Emperor, the Southern Demon, and the Western Bodhisattva—all the major regions have produced unparalleled geniuses. Now, we are only missing the Central Continent. Perhaps the Central Emperor will be born before the Qishi Mansion opens. At that time, the true golden age will begin.”

The old man was somewhat pleased. He had a premonition that the battle for the throne in this lifetime, with the Big Dipper burying the Emperor Star, would amaze the entire starry sky.

The five major domains were shaken. The duel between the number one young talent of the Eastern Wilderness and the number one young talent of the Northern Plains made the entire Beidou region restless.

All cultivators from all the major domains who were capable of crossing them were rushing to the Eastern Wilderness. The domain gates opened by the major powers were packed with people, and there was no rest at all throughout the day.

The Eastern Wilderness became incredibly lively. Everything was going exactly as the Wang family patriarch had wished. The biggest stage had been set up, and the victor of this battle might not just be famous in the two domains, but would become famous throughout the entire Beidou region.

In the past few days, the martial arts fortunes of the Eastern Wilderness have been astonishing. The young geniuses from various regions met for the first time and naturally had to discuss the Dao. Even though everyone held back, the battle situation was still incredibly terrifying.

During this period, some extraordinary individuals emerged, which deeply shocked people.

People witnessed what extraordinary talent and unparalleled skill in their generation truly meant, leaving even the older generation in awe.

"Following the Golden-Winged Roc King, Xia Mingxiao has once again defeated a powerful prodigy, suppressing the leader of a major sect in Zhongzhou with a single palm strike." Many people were shocked, feeling that Xia Mingxiao was indeed very powerful, but he was just unlucky and encountered the freak Dong Yaoguang.

"The Ji family's divine physique is extraordinary. They fought a great battle with the Central Plains royal physique. The two fought for a day and a night, and in the end, neither side could gain the upper hand." Soon, another piece of news spread, causing everyone to marvel.

Every ten thousand years is a cycle, and everyone knows that this is a golden age. Following the Eastern Wilderness Divine Body, the Central Continent Royal Body has also appeared.

"A prodigy from the Southern Ridge went to the Jiang family to provoke them, challenging the strongest member of the Jiang family in the world. However, it was not the Jiang family's divine body that appeared, but Jiang Yifei. That prodigy from the Southern Ridge was extraordinary, already at the first stage of the Dragon Transformation realm, yet he was defeated by Jiang Yifei of the Jiang family in just a few moves."

Everyone was in an uproar, unable to believe it. The Divine Body was not the strongest in the Jiang family this generation, but Jiang Yifei, who usually kept a low profile!

"The invincible divine body only existed in ordinary times. This era is a golden age, with many outstanding individuals emerging who are comparable to or even surpass the divine body. The era of the invincible divine body is over."

"That Jiang Yifei of the Jiang family looks very similar to the Jiang family's ancestor, Emperor Hengyu. He is probably a bloodline reversion to his ancestor. No wonder he is so powerful."

The usually low-profile Jiang Yifei has attracted a lot of attention this time, and naturally, the fact that he looks very similar to Emperor Hengyu has also been noticed by some old-timers.

"With the bloodline of the Great Emperor returning to its ancestral form, this person is likely to be a contender against Dong Yaoguang!"

Everyone thought so, but they had no basis for it; they were simply superstitious about the ancient emperors, believing that their bloodline had returned to its ancestral form and that they were destined to be invincible.

"The Holy Son of the Purple Mansion has been defeated; he has been defeated by the prince of the Central Divine Dynasty."

On the fifth day, the first defeat of the native prodigies of the Eastern Wilderness occurred. The Holy Son of the Purple Mansion Holy Land, the most outstanding figure of the younger generation in the Eastern Wilderness, was defeated!
This was not the first case. Soon, the Holy Son of the Myriad Beginnings Holy Land followed in the footsteps of the Holy Son of the Purple Mansion. The two were in the same boat and both lost to the geniuses from the outer realms.

Moreover, this was not the end, but the beginning. On the sixth day, Xiang Yifei, the Holy Son of Dayan, was also defeated.

As geniuses from other great regions flocked to the Eastern Wilderness, some prodigies also began to show their brilliance, setting their sights on the holy sons of various holy lands. Among them, some were defeated, while others were victorious.

Li Yao was unaware of all this. After confirming the date and location of the great battle, he resumed his seclusion to temper his human dragon.

Although he did not think Wang Teng would be his opponent, he strategically despised the enemy but tactically took him very seriously.

The Northern Emperor Teng is an absolute prodigy. His first defeat to Ye Fan was not due to a lack of strength.

They didn't even look at Ye Fan's configuration at the time: the mysterious origin of the Three-Life Copper Coffin, which grew stronger with each encounter, later contended with the Void Mirror without being at a disadvantage, the ninth layer of the Fire Domain Immortal Fire, which was enough to burn the Nine-Colored Divine Flame of a king, and the battle-damaged version of the ancient imperial weapon, the Black Gourd.

Any one of these things would be astonishing if brought out, and it would be strange if Wang Teng hadn't lost after withstanding the barrage of these three things in such a short time.

In terms of actual combat strength, Ye Fan at that time was still far behind Wang Teng.

As for his second defeat, it was because Wang Teng had gone down the wrong path and suffered from serious mental problems, so his defeat was quite normal.

Li Yao is now facing Wang Teng, who has never been defeated and whose mental state and combat strength are both at the peak of his current level. Wang Teng is undoubtedly one of the strongest prodigies in Beidou.

Even though he had absolute confidence in himself, he still seized the time to become stronger, not allowing himself even the slightest possibility of failure.

In the blink of an eye, ten days have passed.

Inside the cave, Li Yao opened his eyes, and a mighty dragon aura flowed from his body. Although he was in human form at this moment, his aura was nothing like that of a human. He was a true dragon in human skin.

At this moment, his spine emitted a dazzling light that shone through his body. It was the vast imperial dragon energy, like a celestial dragon lying dormant there, roaring fiercely.

In the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm, he had truly reached the pinnacle. This was an unprecedented realm, unmatched throughout history. No one had ever reached his level in the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm, not even Wu Shi, Di Zun, or Ye Fan.

The human dragon seemed to have truly transformed into a celestial dragon, its terrifying dragon aura constantly cleansing his body. The potential it released was unimaginably powerful, causing his very essence to undergo a transformation.

"At the pinnacle of the Eight Forbidden Domains, I truly fear no one anymore. Even Wu Shi and Qing Di, at the ninth transformation of the Dragon Transformation, are at most on par with me." Li Yao's heart surged as he felt the powerful potential contained within his body. Now, he could casually raise his hand or foot without using any sacred techniques, and it possessed the power of the Eight Forbidden Domains.

If he uses techniques such as the Douzi Secret Technique and the Holy Light Technique, he will stand at the pinnacle of the Eight Forbidden Realms, with no one able to challenge him.

Li Yao stood up and walked out of the cave. With each step he took, the dragon's might on his body diminished. When he finally left the cave, he returned to simplicity and returned to his true nature.

...In many different places, people reacted differently, all paying attention. The Holy City was incredibly crowded. As the tenth day arrived, it was packed with people, each one a big shot. Some rogue cultivators didn't even have the qualifications to step into the Holy City today.

"The strongest young talents from the two major domains are finally about to clash."

"This is an unprecedented era. Both Dong Yaoguang and Beidi are incredibly powerful. Nowadays, even many of the Supreme Elders of the Holy Lands are probably no match for them."

"The victor of this battle will be imbued with invincible momentum and will charge towards the strongest of the younger generation in the five major domains, perhaps even reaching the pinnacle of the world."

Many people have been discussing it quietly. After ten days of uproar, the curtain is finally about to be raised. This is the biggest stage, and the winner will be the center of attention.

"Hmph, why should the winner among them be able to claim the title of number one in the five domains? My brother is the strongest." In a palace in the Holy City, the beautiful and troublesome young girl was indignant, feeling that those people's words were really too much.

The powerful figure from the Demon Emperor Palace shook his head and chuckled, looking at the girl with doting eyes, and said, "It is undeniable that, based on the information I have gathered in the past few days, both Dong Yaoguang and the Northern Emperor are indeed no less capable than your brother. The winner among them is indeed likely to become the number one in the Five Domains."

"Great-grandfather," the girl said coquettishly, her stunningly beautiful face puffed up with anger.

The old man laughed and quickly reassured him, saying that this little darling was definitely the most precious pearl in the Demon Emperor's Palace, and everyone cherished him.

The Holy City has eight famous restaurants, all suspended in mid-air. At this moment, all eight restaurants are bustling with activity and packed to capacity. Among them, the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, one of the eight restaurants, is a gathering place for many young prodigies.

This is a magnificent palace, where every brick and tile is carved from jade, beautiful and splendid, like a dream.

Enveloped in white mist, this palace sits atop the clouds, its carved beams and painted rafters gleaming with gold and jade, as if one had stepped into an ancient celestial court.

"Who do you think will win, Dong Yaoguang or Beidi?"

They drank and chatted merrily, and finally the question came up—a question everyone wanted to know.

“It’s unpredictable. Many people here have witnessed Dong Yaoguang’s strength, but the Northern Emperor… his reputation is well-deserved. As the number one young talent in the Northern Plains, his strength is definitely not to be underestimated,” said Xia Yiming, the prince of the Great Xia Dynasty.

"In this palace, there are the prodigies of the Northern Plains. Could you tell us just how powerful the Northern Emperor is?" The Holy Maiden of Yaochi was pure and ethereal, like a fairy in the moon palace, her voice as beautiful as heavenly music.

"The Northern Emperor Teng, just as rumored, is like an ancient emperor reincarnated, incredibly powerful and unfathomable." A deep voice echoed from another palace.

These palaces were all open to the public, allowing dignitaries to enjoy the snow and plum blossoms, and to converse with each other.

“Friend from Beiyuan, why don’t you come over and have a drink with us?” Jiang Yifei invited.

Yao Yuekong, Ji Haoyue, Xia Mingxiao, and others also extended an invitation, and the young man nodded and stepped over.

"It's him, the one who defeated the Holy Son of Ten Thousand Beginnings, an absolute prodigy! He actually comes from the Northern Plains!" As the young man appeared, someone recognized him and couldn't help but transmit his thoughts.

With the youth's identity revealed, everyone's expectations rose even higher. A prodigy from the Northern Plains, possessing formidable combat power capable of defeating the Holy Son of Ten Thousand Beginnings, his assessment of Wang Teng carried considerable weight.

The young talents in the palace all perked up, eager to hear the young man's evaluation of Wang Teng. And it wasn't just them; people in other palaces also pricked up their ears to listen carefully.

After the young man sat down, he began to speak: "I consider myself to be exceptionally talented. Since I began cultivating, my progress has been rapid. None of my fellow disciples have ever been able to withstand ten moves from me. But last year, there was a scene that I can never forget. It haunts me like a nightmare."

Everyone held their breath, knowing that last year, this young man might have encountered the Northern Emperor.

"You may have guessed it too, I once fought against the Northern Emperor..." The young man paused, even though a year had passed, he still felt some pain when he thought of that scene.

The others didn't disturb them. As fellow prodigies, they could imagine how cruel it was to recall the scene of their defeat.

After a moment, the young man sighed softly: "Unbelievable. The first move was just a test. In the second move, he pinned me down in his palm. No matter what I used, I couldn't resist. From beginning to end, I couldn't get up."

Pain was evident in the young man's eyes. It wasn't a major battle; it was a complete crushing defeat, and that was what was most devastating.

Everyone's expression changed. Someone who could defeat the Holy Son of Ten Thousand Beginnings was actually suppressed by a single palm strike.

Putting everything else aside, this record alone is enough to make one uneasy, and it's impossible to fathom just how powerful the Northern Emperor truly is.

"boom!"

At that very moment, the divine city trembled, and a resounding, majestic sound echoed throughout the city.

Everyone was startled and rushed out of the palace to look toward the source of the sound. They saw a huge void rift appear in the sky, from which a massive celestial palace fell!

Suddenly, Jiang Yifei's expression changed, and he said, "The Ancient Battle Arena has been activated."

"Is it about to start?!" The young people present all changed color.

At the same time, the entire holy city was in chaos, and no one could remain calm.

The Holy City has existed for ages, its origins untraceable; it has existed since the earliest records of humankind.

The Eastern Wilderness is home to many powerful forces, and various holy lands and ancient families all want to possess it. However, this is unrealistic, since there is only one divine city.

Ultimately, the major powers held secret talks and jointly exercised power to take control of the city.

This is not just talk; it is a real grasp of the artifacts that the Holy City Emperor possesses. These are nine stone tokens that can control the operation of the Holy City. Currently, these stone tokens are in the hands of various holy lands and aristocratic families.

As for the divine city, outsiders know almost nothing about it; only a few secrets have been made public and exposed to the world.

The Ancient Battle Platform, located in the central celestial palace of the divine city, floats in the air. It is a magnificent platform covered with densely packed Dao patterns.

However, it is not usually visible. It is only when the holy lords holding stone tokens work together that this battle platform can appear.

Without a doubt, this is a terrifying battlefield. Holy Lords have tried to break through it, but all have failed. Even the most powerful Holy Lords could not open this battle platform by brute force.

Later, this place became a martial arts arena, and the battle platform would only be opened for the most outstanding geniuses or important figures to fight.

There are more than one such platform in the Divine City, as well as the Ancient Dao Platform and the Divine City Prison, all of which are known to outsiders.

"The last time the Ancient Battle Arena was opened was during the battle between the Holy Son of Tianxuan Holy Land and the Great Completion Divine King Body. After six or seven thousand years, this battle arena has finally been opened again."

"Only when figures like Dong Yaoguang and Beidi clash will the battle stage be opened; ordinary people are not qualified to do so."

As the center of the Northern Region, the Divine City is a gathering place for the world's heroes, and naturally there are many extraordinary figures, including the imperial uncle of the Great Xia Dynasty in the Central Plains, a powerful figure from the Golden Family of the Northern Region, and a giant from the Southern Ridge. Several of them rushed towards the Heavenly Palace at the same time.

Not to mention, the Holy City is now filled with powerful figures from the five domains, and many important figures who have never appeared in the Holy City before are now soaring into the sky.

Although these young prodigies may not have high cultivation levels, their status is quite high, and they are all qualified to enter the Heavenly Palace.

"Everyone, I'll go first." Jiang Yifei turned around, mounted the golden divine beast, and rode away under the moonlight, his white robes fluttering, making him exceptionally elegant.

"I'll visit Fairy An another day. Goodbye, everyone." The voice came from afar, and the golden beast transformed into a golden light and disappeared on the lake shore.

"Farewell, we must also depart." The princes of Great Xia and Divine Continent hurriedly left to enter the Heavenly Palace.

The other young talents also quickly followed suit.

Thousands of divine lights surged into the heavens at this moment, including geniuses from all five domains, each one a powerful and outstanding figure.

(End of this chapter)