Ch. 1305 - I Will Fight You, Desolate Emperor

“These next few days, I’ll first finish cultivating the general framework of the consciousness body, and then input my own memories into it.”

“Since this involves divine sense, you can ask me if anything is unclear,” Xu Zimo said.

He himself had also cultivated this kind of avatar technique, though his was different from Wu Zhaodi’s.

She cultivated a pure consciousness projection, while he cultivated a complete incarnation, an external body that could act independently.

As for the choice of body, he had prepared it long ago.

When he had gone to the Eternal Lands, he once borrowed a vessel, which was now stored within the God World.

It was finally time to put it to use.

The defenses of Celestial Luan God Realm were not particularly strict. After passing through the main gate, the two encountered surprisingly few disciples.

Perhaps it was because the God Realm was located atop the treacherous Cloud God Mountain, where snow lay thick year-round, and few mortals could climb it. Or perhaps most disciples were away watching the sect’s grand competition. Either way, their path was unobstructed.

“I need to find someone,” Wu Zhaodi said halfway up the mountain.

She took out a boneless golden fish from her storage ring and crushed it.

“Grandpa Wang was a fish spirit who cultivated into human form. He left this fishbone with me. As long as I crush it, he can sense it no matter where I am,” she explained. “When my mother was killed and I was forced into exile, Grandpa Wang was the only one who protected me.”

No sooner had she spoken than a shadow streaked toward them like a surge of wind and waves.

In the blink of an eye, a powerful old man landed before them, his aura imposing.

“Are you insane? How dare you come back to Celestial Luan God Realm?” he exclaimed in horror. “I’ll send you away at once.”

“Grandpa Wang, don’t panic,” Wu Zhaodi said with a small smile. “If I dared to come, then I’m not afraid of them.”

Grandpa Wang scrutinized her carefully to make sure she hadn’t been possessed or controlled, then turned his gaze to Xu Zimo.

“The boy who drifted here across the Boundless Sea?”

Back when Xu Zimo floated into the coastal village on a leaf, Wang and Wu Zhaodi had been together, so he recognized him immediately.

“Tell me your plan,” the old man said, leading them into a secluded area.

“We’re here to destroy the Celestial Luan God Realm,” Xu Zimo said with a grin. “Or at least, to let her take over as its new Realm Lord.”

Grandpa Wang looked at Xu Zimo as though he were an idiot.

“We’ve allied with the Vast Heaven God Realm,” Wu Zhaodi quickly explained.

“They owe us a favor and agreed to help,” Xu Zimo added.

“Truly?” the old man asked, still doubtful.

“Grandpa Wang, when have I ever lied to you? You’ll see soon enough,” she said.

“I hear the sect’s disciples are competing today. I’d like to see Desolate Emperor for myself.”

“I’ll take you. The competition’s being held at the Celestial Altar,” the old man said.

Under his lead, the three made their way there unhindered.

“Since Desolate Emperor took over, he’s purged nearly everyone who disagreed with him,” Grandpa Wang explained. “Some he’s even imprisoned. He’s still new to the position, otherwise those people would already be dead.”

“I see. Eliminating dissent,” Wu Zhaodi nodded.

They passed through an immortal gate, and the sound of a cheering crowd filled their ears.

“Senior Brother Lu, go! Win glory for the Skylight Hall!”

“Senior Brother Cha, hit him with your Sixfold Primal Slash!”

A sea of disciples surrounded a floating, circular altar shrouded in immortal mist, the Celestial Altar. Two figures were dueling fiercely upon it while the spectators shouted themselves hoarse.

Above them, the high-ranking elders and masters sat upon floating seats bathed in divine radiance, appearing majestic and godlike.

“They’re imitating the Heavenly Court,” Grandpa Wang said softly.

“The Heavenly Court?” Xu Zimo frowned.

The name itself disgusted him; the Heavenly Court had long been his hidden adversary.

“Yes,” Wu Zhaodi said. “I heard the founder of the God Realm was once summoned by the Holy Progenitor and visited the Heavenly Court. When he returned, he was awestruck and founded this place to imitate it. But imitation rarely equals the real thing.”

Xu Zimo said nothing. His eyes flicked across the figures sitting above before settling once more on the stage below.

One of the two combatants had just been defeated, the victorious man, surnamed Lu, stood tall and radiant with pride.

“Senior Brother Lu Zhi’an will surely be first again this year,” someone said enviously.

“Why ‘again’? He was only second last year,” another corrected.

“Quiet! The top-ranked ‘traitor’ Wu Zhaodi was expelled last year, so naturally, Senior Brother Lu is first now,” a follower of Lu retorted.

“Well, he is the Realm Lord’s personal disciple.”

“Does anyone else dare challenge me?” Lu Zhi’an asked arrogantly, scanning the crowd.

No one answered.

“I’ll fight you,” a woman’s voice rang out.

Lu Zhi’an frowned, the voice oddly familiar. Then his eyes widened in disbelief.

The crowd parted, and Wu Zhaodi stepped forward, lightly pressing her foot against the ground before leaping gracefully onto the stage.

“Will this cause trouble?” Grandpa Wang asked nervously.

“Consider it a warm-up,” Xu Zimo said with a faint smile.

“It’s Senior Sister Wu!”

“She dares return?”

“This is going to be good. I heard that in all of Lu Zhi’an’s matches, he’s never beaten her.”

The onlookers erupted in whispers of excitement.

Meanwhile, above them sat a man with blood-red hair, his features delicate, almost feminine, and his long crimson locks drifted with the wind. He wore a white robe of cosmic silk, a faint halo shining behind him.

“How dare she return,” Desolate Emperor said coldly, his hand gripping the armrest. “Throwing herself into the snare.”

He didn’t believe Wu Zhaodi was foolish enough to come here without a reason.

“Realm Lord, shall we seize her?” a nearby elder asked.

“No rush,” Desolate Emperor replied. “She’s inside the Celestial Luan God Realm, capturing her will be easy. For now, I want to see what she’s after.”

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