I was the Heavenly Emperor in ancient times

Chapter 35 The Demon of Mountains and Seas
The Hanhuang clan occupied the southern foothills of the Kunlun Mountains, dividing the entire Kunlun Mountains with the Ximu clan, which could be described as a power struggle.

Southern foot of Kunlun Hill.

Snowflakes drifted across the plateau, and white mist rose from the mountain path. The shaman of the Hanhuang clan followed the path and entered another space.

The dead of winter instantly transformed into early spring, only to find the surroundings completely silent except for the sound of falling petals.

Amidst the clouds and mist, the outline of a divine tree gradually emerged. The shaman saw the light high above and then prostrated himself on the ground.

"emperor!"

The shaman of the Hanhuang clan has been traveling around for the past two years and has rarely stayed in the tribe.

There was only one goal: to discover traces of demons in the surrounding area and to gather information about demons from afar.

“A thousand miles to the east, I heard that a huge mountain has appeared, almost overnight.”

"In the south, something seems to have appeared in the world, leaving a trail of barren land in its wake, but no one has ever truly seen its true form."

"On a mountain hundreds of miles to the southeast, I saw with my own eyes a black monster with two heads."

“I once spoke with a tribal chief who came from the east. He said he had seen the shadow of a dragon in the east. The dragon had wings on its back and was golden all over.”

"..."

As Li Jun listened, he also looked at the divine stone that sealed him.

"No wonder the divine stone melted away so quickly."

The birth of so many demons seems to be drawing power from this divine stone.

Through the words of the Witch of the Cold Wasteland, Li Jun seemed to see the mythical world of mountains and seas. The changes brought about by the appearance of these demons were not just terrifying power; almost every one of them would cause huge changes to a place.

High mountains rise from flat land, leaving a trail of barren land for thousands of miles.

Snowflakes blanketed the land for miles, freezing it solid, and suddenly swamps and lakes sprang up on the plains.

To these demons, these are merely unusual phenomena that they were born with, like the first cry of a newborn infant, signifying their existence.

The Witch of the Frosty Wasteland would come almost every year to explain the changes in the outside world to him. Li Jun hadn't changed at all, but every time he saw the witch, he noticed that she had aged a bit.

That day, Li Jun suddenly asked her.

"How many years have passed?"

The witch of the desolate wilderness didn't keep track of the days, yet it was as if she remembered them every single day.

"Ten years have passed since I first went into space."

Li Jun: "This is the last time."

The witch did not know when she would die, but the emperor said this was the last time, so she would definitely die before the next sacrifice.

However, she was a peach witch, and when the time came, she could not die like an ordinary person. Instead, she returned to the heavens and became a peach tree on the summit of Kunlun.

Li Jun: "Back then, I sent you to Zhangwei Mountain, and you've been working tirelessly for me all these years. What do you want?"

The witch thought for a moment and said, "I want to become a ghost."

The concept of ghosts is different now than in later generations. In other words, she hopes the Emperor will help her become a ghost god, just like the priestess before her.

Li Jun: "Do you know what a ghost is?"

Witch: "I know."

Li Jun: "Knowing this, do you still want to become it?"

The shaman said, "I hope that even after I die, people will remember me, and that even a hundred or a thousand years from now, people will still worship and offer sacrifices to me."

Li Jun said, "You might not become a ghost, but simply vanish into thin air. You are the lich, barely able to summon spirits to possess you, how could you possibly become a peach ghost?"

Over the past two or three decades, the terminology used to refer to shamans has undergone some subtle changes. Those who were parasitized by the power of demons through sacrifices and became shamans in the first stage were called spirit shamans by the world.

They are able to use some rudimentary supernatural abilities or powers, and some of their body organs undergo mutations.

Of course, one must go through a specific ritual to become a shaman; those who are directly corrupted by demonic power will soon lose their minds and become monsters.

Although, most witches met similar ends.

The second stage, the alienation stage, also has a specific name. Because the power they possess or the ghosts and gods they summon are called the corpses of a certain ghost or god, they are also called corpse witches.

The strong can directly borrow the power of demons, just like Shao Li of the Xi Mu clan, who was known as the Corpse of the Bluebird and the strongest Emperor Witch.

Those who possess the body of spirits or deities can indirectly borrow the power of demons.

The weak one is now the Frosty Witch. She actually became a witch by using the peach branch of the female spirit. After entering the second stage of alienation, she should logically be called the corpse of the female spirit.

However, Nüshu never became a ghost or deity, so she had no way to wield that power.

Of course, lich priests can also borrow the power of other ghosts, gods, or even demons through certain rituals, but they do not have the power to mutate, and the price they pay is much higher.

The shaman pleaded again, "I want to try."

The peach tree swayed, and a speck of golden dust fell from the cracked sacred stone, carrying layers of rosy light as it landed on the altar on the ground.

In the desolate, cold winter.

Below Kunlun Hill.

The elderly Peach Shaman, surrounded by hundreds and thousands of people, walked toward the altar, where the ancient ancestors bowed and worshipped towards Kunlun Hill, shouting in unison.

"The desolate wasteland... the desolate wasteland...!"

"The corpse of the nun".

"corpse……"

The words "desolate wilderness" and "corpse" appeared repeatedly, and the voices of these people were filled with pride and fanaticism.

Under the worship of hundreds or even thousands of ancient ancestors, the shaman gradually walked towards the strange mountain in the distance, singing ancient songs as he went.

Sing of the Hanhuang clan's journey from the wilderness, sing of the stories of the female priest and the nun, sing of the great sun and the emperor who descended from the sky.

On the way, the witch gradually began to show abnormalities.

Her arms gradually turned to wood, revealing wood grain patterns. Peach blossoms bloomed on her body, and she was slowly transforming from a human into a peach tree.

Then, accompanied by a cloud of mist, the shaman disappeared into the fog.

She pierced through layers of clouds and mist, feeling as if she were ascending to heaven, and finally arrived at the Jade Peak, a celestial mountain in the sky.

The witch looked up and saw the emperor's shadow.

A speck of golden dust fell from the sky and entered her body.

At this moment, she had transformed into a peach tree, but then layers of light emanated from her body, and the peach tree grew larger and larger.

One zhang, ten zhang.

However, she gradually became unable to contain this power, and strange noises accompanied the growth of the peach tree.

"Kakaka~"

Finally, at a certain moment, the peach tree split open, then withered abruptly, and finally turned into dust and dissipated.

The dust spread down the peach grove and eventually blended into the soil.

The other party disappeared as gently as if they were nothing, without leaving a single word.

They didn't even have time to finish singing that final eulogy.

High up on the sacred tree.

The bluebird watched the vanished witch silently and let out a cry.

It's as if mocking those ignorant mortals who dare to dream of having their names remembered by time.

But to Li Jun's surprise, its power did not disappear.

Finally, the energy converged and flowed towards another tree on the mountain path, the tree that Nuwa transformed into after her death, the so-called source of the power of Nuwa's corpse.

Suddenly, someone started singing a ballad in the peach grove, then began singing the myth of the emperor, and then the song of the desolate wilderness.

It was as if it were telling the emperor high above.

Even if the last person to sing this blessing dies, the next one will soon appear. People die, but their attachments and desires never disappear, continuing endlessly generation after generation.

Then an invisible shadow emerged from the forest, replacing the previous Frosty Witch, and slowly walked uphill.

She arrived at the altar and looked up at the high place.

But as the hymn of blessing played, she slowly stretched out her hand, and golden light shone from her palm.

It's as if it's saying, "You won't give it to me, but look, I still managed to touch a part of you."

She started singing again, and her voice seemed to become even more cheerful, swirling around the Emperor without stopping.

It seemed to be telling him: "Even if you don't let me become the Emperor Shaman, we still want to worship you. Our desires and obsessions will not change because of your will."

Even across time and space, even for thousands of years.

In the song of celebration.

Li Jun learned of Nuwa's power, witnessed her rituals, and sensed her obsession. Gradually, Li Jun felt his visions overlap again; his eyes slowly closed, while another pair of eyes slowly opened.

"How long will this take?"

"It's thirty years."

Li Jun left the ancient wilderness amidst the blessing song of the Peach Demoness. As he departed, he looked at the divine stone that was constantly cracking and dissolving.

Next time, he should be able to walk out of this divine stone.
-
Nangang City.

The Fourth Central Hospital, located in the suburbs, has had its sign changed. Inside and out, it has become a heavily guarded base. All roads leading to it have been blocked off and turned into special passages. Several nearby mountains have also been designated as military and research bases.

As Luo Zhen waited at the base gate to welcome the paratroopers, he saw vehicles constantly arriving outside. In particular, the outlines of missiles covered by tarpaulins on the vehicles passing in front of him made him feel a sudden tightness in his chest.

Not only were a large number of troops stationed outside and in the nearby mountains, but Luo Zhen also knew that there was a fleet specifically patrolling near Nangang for them, and several military airfields near Nangang city were waiting for their orders around the clock.

It's no exaggeration to say that he wouldn't be surprised if a few nuclear bombs exploded at sea or above his head tomorrow.

And all of this.

It's all for that thing at the very bottom of the base, deep underground.

It has no name, only a code name for now.
"Door!"

After receiving the important personnel who had just arrived at the base, Luo Zhen immediately led them to see the "gate".

Dense cables pierced through the spatial gate that spanned the two worlds, and vehicles passed through the illusory halo to reach another void.

They will arrive at the port on Taoshan Island, and from there depart for a deeper part of another dimension.

Or rather, someone has already set off.

Half a day ago, Lu Gang led his team across the Sea of ​​Nothingness in a peach wood boat and reached the depths of Zhangwei Mountain.

The visitor inspected the door and then learned some news.

"The exploration team has already set off. Weren't they supposed to wait for us?"

Luo Zhen immediately replied, "I can't wait any longer. It just so happens that Zhangwei Mountain is a bit closer, and the fog on Taoshan Island has also dissipated somewhat."

"If we drag this out, we're worried about problems arising. After all, we haven't verified whether that ship that can traverse the void is actually capable. The world behind the door is completely different from our world, and it's full of dangers."

Question: "We didn't send both superhumans there, did we?"

Luo Zhen replied, "Lu Gang will still be leading the team this time, but Zhao Nange will still be at the base."

The other party nodded: "We can't put all our eggs in one basket. We need to acquire more extraordinary powers now."

Luo Zhen: "The person in charge of the Wood Lab is already conducting experiments."

The other party said, "Have everyone come to the meeting."

Inside the conference room.

All the core personnel and leaders of all departments at the base gathered together. All of them had been recently transferred here, and many had just gotten off the plane.

Luo Zhen looked at the people present. Each of them was either a renowned academician or an expert in a certain field, or an elite transferred from various industries, as well as the heads of various departments who were parachuted in to take charge of administrative work.

The journey had just begun, but everyone was still completely baffled as to what exactly was inside Zhangwei Mountain. Everyone was studying the data on Taoshan Island, exploring the secrets of Zhangwei Mountain and Zhulong, as well as the mysteries behind the Gate of the Underworld.

"We must figure out what the power of the Candle Dragon is, how long it will take for Zhangwei Mountain to fully enter the mortal world, and what kind of impact it will have."

"And what's behind that newly discovered door? Who's on top of it? What exactly does the Changsheng Temple want to do? What's their next move?"

"According to mythology, it could be Zhulong himself, or one of the following: Da Yi, Xi Wangmu, Hou Tu, Tu Bo, or Taishan Fujun. It could also be none of these. There are just too many possibilities. There are simply too many deities in mythology related to the underworld."

"Da Yi?"

“Before the Qin Dynasty, it was common to carve the image of Yi in tombs.”

"If the underworld is behind the door, won't all the dead things and even ghosts and spirits come out after the door is opened?"

"Who knows what's inside that could help us find a way to stop Zhang Weishan from ascending to the mortal world? But right now, let alone stopping Zhang Weishan and that Zhulong, I feel like no one can stop anything that comes out of here."

Everyone looked up at the screen, gazing at the image of the Gates of the Underworld.

Those beings who use dragons as their mounts and brazenly inscribe their images on the gates of the underworld make one's scalp tingle at the thought of what they represent.

"We can only wait for the exploration team to return and bring back more information."

"This is too passive."

"What can we do to stop this disaster?"

"We must make breakthroughs in the creation of the Woodman virus and the superhumans, and the use and planning of the door must be fully launched. Time is of the essence and we cannot afford to delay."

"..."

At the meeting, Luo Zhen was assigned and responsible for investigating and doing his best to prevent or delay Zhangwei Mountain's invasion of the mortal world, and investigating the purpose and actions of the Changsheng Temple.

This matter is arguably the most urgent, and a sword hanging over everyone's head.

Luo Zhen had just finished a meeting and returned to his office. Before he could even sit down, he was immediately called back by another message.

As they walked down the corridor, Luo Zhen was accompanied by his assistant.

Luo Zhen: "What happened?"

Assistant: "The spokesperson for the Changsheng Temple has appeared on television to speak."

Luo Zhen thought the other party was doing the same old thing again: "Zhou Shentong is doing live streaming again. Does this guy think he's a celebrity or an internet celebrity?"

The assistant hurriedly said, "No, it's Blackwater's television, Blackwater National Television's international news channel."

Luo Zhen was taken aback: "What's going on?"

The assistant quickly pointed out the problem: "We just received news that a coup has been launched within the Blackwater Kingdom. The former president has announced his resignation, and the new president has announced his joining the so-called Non-Human Union Association of the Longevity Sect."

Luo Zhen hurriedly asked, "Is it related to the Temple of Longevity?"

The assistant nodded: "It's the Changsheng Temple. They practically destroyed all the military defenses of the Blackwater Kingdom's capital."

Luo Zhen asked, "How many people did they send?"

The assistant said, "Just one person."

Luo Zhen's voice also rose: "Zhou Shentong made a move, all by himself?"

The assistant said, "He didn't even show his face."

Before Luo Zhen could ask for details, his assistant had already taken out a tablet and started playing videos in front of him as they walked.

"Boom!"

The video opens with a violent explosion. A row of planes above the airport seem to have been pierced by something and exploded, turning the entire airport into flames.

The second video then showed a shadow flashing across the ground, overturning several armored vehicles and a tank. The shadow, like a giant snake, rose high and opened its mouth, spewing flames and creating a storm. Dozens or even hundreds of soldiers were reduced to ashes in the flames.

Facing a hail of bullets and concentrated fire, the "shadow" showed no fear, charging straight ahead, invincible and unstoppable wherever it went.

The third video opened.

Having endured the previous two trials, the "shadow" in the video seems to have become even more unscrupulous.

He then floated down from a height and landed on a convoy of troops that was clearly providing support, somewhat resembling the moves of Li Jun with double pupils.

"Boom!"

The flames transformed into a fire dragon that swept along the road, leaving behind a one-sided massacre scene that was too painful to watch.

Both Luo Zhen and his assistant felt a chill run through their bodies.

Luo Zhen had witnessed wars between superhumans before, but to be honest, that happened in another world. Moreover, the battles between superhumans only showed the wonder of superhuman power, and the intense fighting and pursuit between them made people feel that superhumans were nothing special.

However, when this superhuman appears in the world and displays an overwhelming attitude towards various technological products, people truly feel the destructive power of this existence on order and civilization.

Luo Zhen even wondered what they could do to stop such a superhuman from attacking the "Gate" base.

All conventional physical attacks were rendered ineffective; the only one capable of confronting him was probably Zhao Nange.

As we walked, my assistant suddenly spoke.

"Team leader, we've arrived."

Luo Zhen was still deep in thought when he glanced at the door in front of him and realized that he had arrived at his destination.

I knocked on the door, and after hearing a response, I opened it.

Behind the door was an office where several people were standing, their eyes fixed on a monitor hanging on the wall.

The sign above was from a television station that Luo Zhen had never seen before, but the speaker was clearly a person from the East.

Luo Zhen finally saw the spokesperson for the so-called Longevity Temple, and he recognized him immediately.

"Zhang You, this guy really isn't dead."

That person was another extraordinary individual who had fought fiercely with Lu Gang and Zhao Nange in Zhangwei Mountain. Later, when Zhulong closed his eyes, everyone withdrew from Zhangwei Mountain, but Zhang You and many other extraordinary individuals from the Changsheng Temple were left inside.

It now appears that those whose power originated from the Zhulong lineage ultimately survived.

(End of this chapter)