Chapter 530: The Life Shenwang! A Hundred Years Later (6K)

Chapter 530: The Life Shenwang! A Hundred Years Later (6K)



"I dare not compare myself to Pang Ming."

"Along the way, Yan Chongxu and Qinghong have spoken of Pang Ming's deeds. They hold him in high regard, and I am also impressed. Hundreds of years ago, you fought against dozens of Tianxian in the Weiwei Life Spring Realm and protected the numerous treasures of the Life Spring Realm." Li Yuan laughed, "That battle became famous throughout the entire universe."

Pang Ming's smile grew wider.

That battle was indeed his glorious fight.

He had already held Li Yuan in high esteem, and now he viewed Li Yuan even more favorably.

"Haha, with Seven Stars' talent, I believe his future achievements will surpass mine." Pang Ming said, "Was the journey dangerous?"

"There was danger, but no harm." Li Yuan laughed, "This time, we were able to safely arrive at the Ten Thousand Springs Void thanks to Yan Chongxu's guidance."

"Yan Chongxu?" Pang Ming looked at Yan Chongxu, "You've worked hard these years, and bringing back Seven Stars is a great accomplishment. The Temple has recorded it, and I will inform Zuo Hong. I remember it, and I will explain it to him."

"Thank you, Pang Ming." Yan Chongxu quickly nodded, expressing gratitude as he glanced at Li Yuan.

Qinghong and the others also looked at Li Yuan.

They all remembered that on the warship, they had mentioned Pang Ming's deeds, but Li Yuan didn't care.

As for safely returning? It was all thanks to Li Yuan... and with the strength Li Yuan displayed, there was no need to deliberately curry favor with Pang Ming.

Obviously, Li Yuan's words were actually helping them.

"Okay."

"Yan Chongxu, I'll take Seven Stars with me." Pang Ming said, "We'll meet again when we have time."

In reality.

Pang Ming could see that Li Yuan was deliberately helping Yan Chongxu and the others... but this made him view Li Yuan more favorably.

Treating a group of newly acquainted Divine Beings with such assistance was enough to reveal Li Yuan's character.

"Escorting Pang Ming." Yan Chongxu and the others all bowed respectfully.

"Yan Chongxu, Feng Chen, we'll meet again when we have time." Li Yuan smiled.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Li Yuan retrieved the Void Flying Boat and Pang Ming transformed into a stream of light, flying towards the distant world.

Leaving Yan Chongxu and the others behind.

"Seven Stars is indeed a good person." Fu Kang nodded, "I initially misunderstood him, thinking he was a spy... But he doesn't seem to care at all."

"Such a broad-minded and decisive person with such strength." Feng Chen Tianxian spoke softly, "It's the fortune of our Temple. Who knows, he might even become another Fifth Chamber Lord."

"Seven Stars." Qinghong's eyes flashed, and she stared curiously at Li Yuan as he left.

...

Li Yuan and Pang Ming flew through the Youyan Life Spring Realm, a bustling world with numerous cultivators in various large cultivation sites.

At first glance,

Li Yuan felt as if he had returned to some super-large planet in the Divine Realm, with hardly any difference.

"Pang Ming, why are all the major worlds in the Ten Thousand Springs Void called 'Life Spring Realms'?" Li Yuan asked curiously.

"You're from the Nine Thousand Realms, so it's normal for you not to know this." Pang Ming's face revealed a mysterious smile, "You'll understand soon enough."

Li Yuan's curiosity grew.

Soon after, the two arrived at the core of the Youyan Life Spring Realm, where a gigantic lake shimmered. The lake was crystal clear, like green waves.

Floating palaces hovered above the lake, and occasionally, figures would fly out, all of them Divine Beings.

These palaces were all residences of the Divine Beings.

Without a doubt, this was the gathering place of the strong in the Youyan Life Spring Realm.

"What's that?" Li Yuan's eyes widened in 'shock', and in the center of the vast lake stood a towering tree, its branches and leaves flourishing.

This tree soared into the sky, its entire body golden, like a towering pagoda. Its height was probably over ten thousand kilometers, and each leaf shone brilliantly, emitting a dense life force.

"You've never seen this before, have you?" Pang Ming sighed, "That's the 'Life Tree'. This lake is the 'Spring of Life', nurtured by the Life Tree. Because of the Life Tree and the Spring of Life, this world is so vibrant."

"Otherwise, how could such a stable life world exist in the harsh environment of the Ten Thousand Springs Void?"

"Only then can it be called a Life Spring Realm."

"Every Life Spring Realm has a Life Tree like this." Pang Ming spoke solemnly, "Therefore, the countless strong beings in our Temple are also called 'Mother Trees'."

Li Yuan understood and nodded in awe, "Amazing! The Life Tree, rooted in this world, allows for the birth of so many lives. Truly incredible!"

Li Yuan's expression showed both 'awe' and 'reverence'.

But in reality, Li Yuan's heart was stirred with questions and doubts.

The Life Tree? Li Yuan had never seen a Life Tree before, but what kind of existence was it? In the database of Yuanhuo Star, there were records of the Life Tree.

It was a 'God-level' existence, but it hadn't truly awakened its spiritual intelligence. In a sense, it was like an alternative derivation of the world's origin.

The Life Tree, with its normal growth, possesses such immense power that even its fruits and core contain wondrous abilities.

It is a true rarity.

Even the Gods, by planting the Life Tree within their realms, can solidify and strengthen their domains, transforming their divine bodies. One can only imagine the value of such a treasure.

In Li Yuan's homeland, the Divine Realm, the birth of each Life Tree attracts countless Gods.

Unfortunately, over the long years, Li Yuan's homeland, the Divine Realm, has not produced many Life Trees.

"The Ten Thousand Springs Void."

"Indeed! Every Life Spring Realm has a Life Tree, how is this possible? Isn't this Divine Realm almost destroyed by war?" Li Yuan was astounded.

"And how are so many Life Trees concentrated here?"

Li Yuan's mind was filled with questions.

"Could it be...?"

"Does this realm hide some grand secret?" Li Yuan's heart stirred.

This was almost an instinctive thought.

For the scene before him defied all logic.

...

"Lord Pang Ming." Li Yuan's face showed curiosity as he spoke, "I heard from Yan Chongxu that the creation of the Ten Thousand Springs Void is related to the last batch of Gods and Divine Kings in our realm."

"Why is it this Life Tree?"

"Yan Chongxu is right." Lord Pang Ming's face flashed with a complex expression, "This is not a secret; all Lords know this... These Life Trees are not the true Life Trees."

Li Yuan's face grew more puzzled, but his heart eased.

This made sense.

Yet, Li Yuan became even more curious. Not the true Life Tree? But as Li Yuan observed, he felt that this massive 'Life Tree' was identical to the Tree of Life he knew.

"We're approaching the spatial passage."

"Lord Si Wu just sent a message urging me to hurry." Lord Pang Ming's voice was deep, "When you become a Lord, Lord Si Wu will tell you everything. Let's go meet him now."

The two soon arrived at the base of the massive Life Tree.

Here, there was a spatial passage.

"In the Ten Thousand Springs Void, every Life Spring Realm is connected to a Life Tree by a fixed spatial passage, similar to a transportation array." Lord Pang Ming explained, "Through these passages, the Gods of our Pantheon can swiftly provide support... Only Divine Beings can enter these passages."

"That's why, over the long years, although many Life Spring Realms have decayed due to the Life Trees' decline, not a single Realm has been completely destroyed by the Dao Court." Lord Pang Ming stated, "The Dao Court's army, even with the upper hand, would at most slaughter some life forms and destroy parts of the Life Spring Realm before quickly withdrawing."

Li Yuan realized, and his mind stirred again.

So many Life Spring Realms due to the Life Trees' decay?

"Could it be that the Ten Thousand Springs Void once had tens of thousands of Life Spring Realms?" Li Yuan guessed.

...

Through the spatial passage beneath the Life Tree, the two soon arrived in another vast world.

Here, it was still a spring of life, with a Life Tree standing tall.

But as he flew out, Li Yuan sensed the full extent of this Life Tree, and he was stunned.

It was enormous!

The Life Tree in the Youyan Life Spring Realm was impressive at a height of several million kilometers... But this Life Tree before them was absolutely colossal, surpassing a million kilometers in height.

A height difference of over ten times, and a volume difference of a thousand times.

Its lush branches and leaves seemed to encompass everything, perhaps even larger than a sun...

Numerous palaces were built upon the trunk of this colossal Life Tree... A small branch on its massive trunk resembled a continuous mountain range.

"This?" Li Yuan held his breath, for even the records of his homeland's Divine Realm did not mention such a massive Life Tree.

"This is the 'Life Divine Realm'," Lord Pang Ming spoke solemnly, "With thousands of Life Spring Realms, it is the most vast world."

"The main Life Tree here is the most colossal and majestic Life Tree, known as the World Tree or the Life Divine Tree." Lord Pang Ming's voice was deep, "It is not rooted in the world; it is a world in itself, capable of housing countless lives within."

The World Tree? Li Yuan marveled internally.

There might be similar treasures in his homeland's Divine Realm... But at least, Li Yuan was unaware of them.

"Indeed, one must not underestimate any realm." Li Yuan thought to himself, "This realm may seem decayed, with most areas becoming desolate, but it still holds unimaginable depths."

"Seven-star, the Lord is waiting for you in the 'Life Divine Palace'. Let's go." Lord Pang Ming said.

The two transformed into streams of light and flew upwards.

Along the way, numerous Divine Beings saw them and respectfully saluted, also curious about Li Yuan.

"Is he the Seven-star?"

"Seems so."

"I heard he recently defeated three Heaven Immortals from the Dao Court."

"Impressive!"

"Three Heaven Immortals? I thought I heard he killed six Heaven Immortals?"

"Not just that, I heard he killed over a thousand True Gods! Truly formidable."

"The Void Deities were whispering among themselves, seemingly proud of their achievements."

As if Li Yuan's slaying of the Heaven Immortal was their own doing.

"The strong ones in the Pantheon of Gods are extremely united and admire heroes." Pavilion Master Pang Ming smiled, "Your dazzling accomplishments as a Void Deity are admired by all the other Void Deities."

Li Yuan nodded, having already sensed two things from Yan Chongxu and the others.

Unity!

And a fearless courage to face death!

After a short while, the two flew over tens of thousands of kilometers and arrived at the upper levels of the Life Sacred Tree. The palace built here was even more colossal, indicating that the cultivators living here were of an even higher caliber... Finally, they reached a majestic palace towering over a thousand kilometers, emanating an overwhelming pressure.

"What is this?" Li Yuan was shocked, "Could it be a Divine King's artifact? And it seems to have recognized its master? How is that possible!"

It wasn't surprising that the Pantheon of Gods had Divine King artifacts, as they had once given birth to a Divine King.

But!!

Divine King-level artifacts, under normal circumstances, could only be refined and used by Heaven Deities.

And not even the weakest of Heaven Deities.

Even a True Deity, even a Ten-star True Deity, would struggle to activate a Divine King's artifact if their Law Enlightenment wasn't high enough.

"Could it be that the so-called Fifth Chamber Lord is a Ten-star True Deity? Or a Heaven Deity?" Li Yuan had many doubts in his mind.

Boom! Boom!

The two landed in front of the massive palace, where many True Deities had gathered, all looking at Li Yuan with curiosity.

"Seven-star brother!"

"Welcome!"

"Haha, Seven-star brother is probably going to be bestowed the title of 'Pavilion Master'. It's rare for a Void Deity to receive the title of Pavilion Master, there have been only a few such cases since ancient times." The True Deities were all very enthusiastic.

Their smiles seemed genuine.

"Don't scare Seven-star brother." Pavilion Master Pang Ming smiled, "I'll take him to meet the Fifth Chamber Lord first."

"Go ahead."

"Haha, when Seven-star brother comes out, we'll have a good drink with him." The True Deities all laughed.

Li Yuan felt the warmth in their smiles.

He had to admit.

Perhaps it was the constant threat of annihilation, or perhaps it was the noble ideal of destroying the False Heavenly Dao, but the atmosphere among the higher-level cultivators in the Pantheon of Gods was indeed good, making one unconsciously want to join them.

Huff! Huff!

Li Yuan and Pavilion Master Pang Ming finally entered the depths of the majestic palace's main hall.

The main hall was spacious, devoid of any decorative items.

"I pay my respects to the Fifth Chamber Lord." Pavilion Master Pang Ming spoke with reverence, his eyes filled with deep respect.

Li Yuan also bowed respectfully, then raised his head.

In the palace, there stood only a thin, elderly man, his eyes deeply sunken, wearing a loose black robe... but it couldn't hide his skeletal-like figure.

Yet within this aura of age, there was an endless vitality.

This was the Fifth Chamber Lord.

The highest existence in the Pantheon of Gods, and a figure greatly feared by the Six Great Dao Courtyards.

"Pang Ming, let me have a private chat with Seven-star." The Fifth Chamber Lord's voice was hoarse.

"Yes."

Pavilion Master Pang Ming respectfully exited the hall, leaving only the Fifth Chamber Lord and Li Yuan.

"Seven-star, you are exceptional."

"As a Void Deity, you were able to unleash a power almost on par with a mid-stage True Deity, and slay three Heaven Immortals." The Fifth Chamber Lord said with admiration, "In the Pantheon of Gods, it's been a long time since such a monstrous genius has appeared. I wasn't as good as you back then."

"The Fifth Chamber Lord is too kind." Li Yuan replied respectfully.

Li Yuan didn't dare to underestimate his opponent.

Born in this shattered universe, to have reached such a level during the Age of Dao Annihilation, how could he be treated as an ordinary True Deity?

"You come from the Dao Court's territory, do you understand the purpose of the Pantheon of Gods?" The Fifth Chamber Lord asked.

"I do."

"For the eternal existence of the universe, for the future of all living beings, we must destroy the False Heavenly Dao and eliminate the Dao Court." Li Yuan said solemnly.

This was the ideal of the generations of strong cultivators in the Pantheon of Gods.

"In the Pantheon of Gods, we have the position of 'Fifth Chamber Lord', and I have discussed with the other Fifth Chamber Lords, and we all believe that you have immense potential and formidable strength." The Fifth Chamber Lord said, "Therefore, we have decided to bestow upon you the title of 'Pavilion Master' and appoint you as the commander of the 'Ten Thousand God Army', specifically to confront the Dao Court's forces. Are you willing?"

"Yes, I am."

Li Yuan was more clear about his mission on this trip - to perfect the Carnage Crystal.

The position of commander in the Ten Thousand God Army seemed tailor-made for him.

"Good, I hope you live up to expectations and contribute to the future of the universe." The Fifth Chamber Lord said, "This is about the various privileges and rewards of a Pavilion Master."

Huff!

The Fifth Chamber Lord waved his hand, and another stream of soul light flew towards Li Yuan. Li Yuan didn't refuse and received it.

It was a vast amount of information that only a Pavilion Master could know.

It also made Li Yuan more aware of the details of this universe, but it lacked the piece of information that Li Yuan was most curious about.

"Do you have any more doubts?" The Fifth Chamber Lord asked.

"I'm curious, how was this Life Sacred Tree formed?" Li Yuan asked, "And also, how were the Life Trees formed?"

"So, that's it." The Fifth Chamber Lord sighed, "They all come from the most powerful and the last Divine King in the Pantheon of Gods, the 'Life Divine King'."

Life Shenwang? Li Yuan listened intently.

"To comprehend the law of space is to become a Shenwang."

"Indeed, the Shenwangs transcend the heavens and earth, their pursuits are extremely high, and most of them have embarked on their own paths guided by the law of space. The Life Shenwang, in particular, forged an incredibly terrifying path—the 'Life Dao'." The Fifth Chamber Lord sighed, "The Life Shenwang, has ventured so far on this path... Legend has it that his Life Dao is powerful enough to surpass the Shenwang realm."

Li Yuan's heart trembled.

Surpass the Shenwang?

Could this Life Shenwang be similar to the existence of the 'Illusory Heart Shenwang'?

"But in the end!"

"He still failed, whether it was a breakthrough failure or some other reason, the Life Shenwang reached the end of his life. By then, the ancient great war was almost over, we had suffered defeat after defeat, and were in a desperate situation." The Fifth Chamber Lord sighed, "He, as the last Shenwang between heaven and earth, so... in his final moment of life."

"To find a glimmer of hope for heaven and earth."

"The Life Shenwang created the 'Ten Thousand Springs Void', and at the same time, nearly ten thousand Tian Shen willingly sacrificed themselves. They were transformed into the 'Life Tree' by the Life Shenwang's great divine power."

"And in the end, the Life Shenwang himself became the Life Sacred Tree."

"They used their lives to prolong the last hope between heaven and earth." The Fifth Chamber Lord spoke in a deep voice.

Li Yuan's heart trembled.

So, the Life Tree and Life Sacred Tree had such an origin... No wonder Pavilion Master Pang Ming said they weren't true 'Life Trees'.

...

After a brief chat with the Fifth Chamber Lord, Li Yuan held the 'Chamber Lord's Order' and flew out of the Life Shenwang Temple.

Inside the massive temple, only the thin and frail Fifth Chamber Lord remained.

Suddenly, a voice called out, "Fifth, why didn't you tell him the truth?"

"He is almost the best candidate. Since ancient times, there has been no one better than him."

"The birth of such an exceptional demon at this time node is like a stroke of luck for us." The aged voice said.

"Where is there so much luck?"

"With the body of a Demigod, a Nine-Star Meridian, a True God-level soul, capable of unleashing True God strength, and his comprehension of the law of space is nearly at the ninth stage..." The Fifth Chamber Lord's voice was extremely calm, revealing many of Li Yuan's secrets, "Not to mention our era."

"Even the era of the Divine Realm."

"With numerous Shenwangs coexisting, how many could have such terrifying talent as him?" The Fifth Chamber Lord coldly said, "An exceptional demon not only requires innate talent but also depends on external circumstances."

"For a Demigod to be born in the Dao Court's territory with such talent is unreasonable, Sacred Tree!"

The aged voice fell silent.

Indeed!

Such an exceptional demon is too rare... Precisely because he is too much of a demon, the Fifth Chamber Lord hesitated.

"And!"

"He doesn't truly trust me, the Pantheon." The Fifth Chamber Lord spoke softly, "He is unwilling to reveal his identity as a Demigod to me."

"But we have no choice. Aside from him, no one else is suitable." The aged voice said.

"I have my doubts."

"He is being cultivated by the Immortal Ancestor with the intention of obtaining the treasures left by the Life Shenwang Ancestor and to completely control the Ten Thousand Springs Void. Sacred Tree, I carry the hopes of generation after generation of ancestors. I must be cautious."

"Better to be destroyed, even if we lose... We cannot let the Immortal Ancestor gain more."

"A draw is better than one side losing." The Fifth Chamber Lord spoke coldly.

The aged voice sighed softly, knowing it was futile to persuade.

He understood that the Fifth Chamber Lord had devoted his life to the Pantheon, never making a mistake in his actions, but he was also extremely cautious.

"If you believe he is a spy, why not kill him directly? Why send him to lead the army?" The aged voice asked.

This time, it was the Fifth Chamber Lord who fell silent.

After a long while, he spoke, "Perhaps, he really isn't a spy?" His voice echoed, "Let time be the judge."

Inside a grand palace atop the Life Sacred Tree.

"Chamber Lord!"

"I never imagined that the Pantheon would trust me so much, granting me the position of Chamber Lord without much scrutiny." Li Yuan wondered to himself, and upon further analysis, he noticed many inconsistencies.

His biggest doubt.

How could he have grown to such a level in the Dao Court's territory? Logically, he should have been eliminated by the Dao Court long ago.

Before coming, Li Yuan had prepared a set of explanations.

Unexpectedly, the Fifth Chamber Lord didn't ask at all.

"The upper echelons of the Pantheon are united."

"But they are not fools." Li Yuan thought, "If they so easily trusted outsiders, they would have been destroyed by the Dao Court long ago."

"While it seems they have granted me the position of Chamber Lord, they are likely observing me in secret, testing whether I am worthy of their trust."

"However, as long as I can lead the army, it's enough." Li Yuan smiled, "With the Pantheon's intelligence, participating in battles, my killing of the Dao Court's strong cultivators will be more efficient and safe."

After spending several days in the Life Shenwang Realm, familiarizing himself with the roles of the Chamber Lord and the Ten Thousand Shenwang's army, Li Yuan left the Life Shenwang Realm and headed towards some 'Life Spring Realms' on the borders of the Pantheon.

In the midst of countless battles, a hundred years passed in the blink of an eye.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end