“Uncle Duan De, waaah—” Little bald-head wept bitterly.

No one had expected Duan De to die — the moment he set foot in the life forbidden zone, his body had exploded, so sudden and so shocking that everyone was left stunned, unable to accept it.

The primordial ancient mine had existed since time immemorial, revered by all under heaven — ancient, vast, and its mercilessness and terror were there for all to see.

“The Tribulation-Transcending Heavenly Art — this ancient method has always been incomplete. Without the true scripture ever having emerged into the world, how could he possibly have obtained it?”

From deep within the forbidden zone, the cold and impassive voice rang out, seeming puzzled, unable to comprehend.

The Black Emperor froze, its expression shifting in shock. It said: “If what Duan De cultivated was a flawless Tribulation-Transcending Heavenly Art, there is a good chance he still has hope of survival.”

“Uncle Black Emperor, what are you saying?” Hua Hua was crying so hard his face looked like a spotted kitten.

Ye Fan, Dongfang Ye, and the others also found it difficult to believe. That was the supreme being of the primordial ancient mine — they had personally struck. How could anyone possibly survive?

“The Tribulation-Transcending Heavenly Art—” The Shencan Princess’s expression changed. She had clearly heard of it before.

This was a heavenly art that had existed since even before the primordial age!

The human race had two great mother scriptures — one called the Supreme Yin, one called the Supreme Yang. Their origins were ancient beyond reckoning, their influence on later generations profound and far-reaching. Even the great emperors of antiquity had drawn inspiration from them.

It was not necessarily the case that the most ancient things were the most powerful — but the significance of the mother scriptures was absolutely extraordinary. Revered by all people, they had driven the advancement of the human race.

And in that primordial age, other heavenly arts had also circulated. These were not necessarily later in origin than those two mother scriptures — yet because they had been lost, they had never been passed down, and so were neither known nor respected.

In the primordial age, the star regions had been vast beyond imagining, and the supremely powerful had soared through the nine heavens above, reaching many mysterious ancient lands. The ancient scriptures brought over from other star regions were more than just one or two.

When one thought about it, it was perfectly understandable. The human race’s lineage stretched back immeasurable ages — who could possibly know where it had truly begun? Before the primordial age, how could there have been only the two ancient methods of the Supreme Yin and Supreme Yang? Naturally there would have been other classics as well.

It was simply that in the long sweep of ages, the great texts that had genuinely been passed down were primarily those two. And because the Supreme Yin Scripture and the Supreme Yang Scripture approached the most fundamental pair of mother forces, expounding the ultimate truth of yin and yang, they had secured their status as the mother scriptures.

According to legend, the Tribulation-Transcending Heavenly Art was created by a supreme heavenly venerable of the Daoist tradition — a being who spent an entire lifetime enduring one great tribulation after another, until at last attaining the fruit of the Dao.

The great emperors of antiquity had pored over the Supreme Yin, studied the Supreme Yang, read ten thousand primordial ancient methods, absorbed their essence, endured all manner of hardships, attained enlightenment on the ultimate truths of heaven and earth, hacked their way forward on the path of cultivation, and seen through the road of emperors — only then could they create their own methods and establish their own Dao.

The Great Black Dog had followed Wushi for ten thousand years, and had naturally heard speak of the Tribulation-Transcending Heavenly Art. This was one of the lost ancient scriptures — one that could seize the fortune-making force of the heavens and cosmos, with all manner of supremely wondrous applications.

In the ancient past, several great emperors had contemplated this method. But of course, none of them had ever obtained a complete version — only fragments, and an incomplete method was most afraid of heavenly tribulation.

There was an ancient piece of hidden knowledge that said the Ruthless One had not sought immortality, but after attaining the Dao, had searched everywhere for ancient methods, wanting to reverse yin and yang and restore her elder brother to life.

Some speculated that the Ruthless One had gathered the most ancient methods of all, and may have assembled the most complete version of the Tribulation-Transcending Heavenly Art — yet she had never cultivated it, for it could not reverse the cycle of reincarnation, and was thus of no great use to her.

Duan De had once obtained the Ruthless One’s Heaven-Devouring Demon Cap, which had been forged from her skull. Though it had been cast into an extreme Dao weapon, some believed it might have retained partial remnant imprints of her consciousness.

And because of this, some speculated that the Heaven-Devouring Demon Cap was of incalculable worth — for those who obtained it might, through it, come to understand parts of her ancient and profound methods.

Duan De had held the Demon Cap, and perhaps he had not obtained the Heaven-Devouring Demonic Art or its like — but if through it he had gained partial access to the Tribulation-Transcending Heavenly Art, that would be no miracle at all. No one could know what remnants a consciousness might leave behind.

The Tribulation-Transcending Heavenly Art was about enduring tribulation after tribulation — and the greatest tribulation it demanded one survive was beyond all doubt the “death tribulation.” Yet even the heavenly venerable who had created this art was said to have never passed through it — even after attaining the Dao.

For if one truly transcended the death tribulation, that would mean eternal life — one would have become an immortal!

“Let me see it again!”

A crack split open between the Black Emperor’s brows, and from it peered a peculiar vertical eye. It replayed the moment when Duan De had been shattered to pieces and dissolved into a mist of blood.

“Cleansing and tempering — he is cleansing and tempering himself. This too is a form of tribulation-transcendence.” The Great Black Dog said in astonishment.

Wushi the Great Emperor had once said that the Tribulation-Transcending Heavenly Art was extraordinarily difficult to practice. The core difficulty of this path was that its requirements were far too numerous and exacting. The human body contains both life energy and death energy, and it was nearly impossible to purge oneself entirely of the death energy — unless a great emperor offered assistance, transforming the body into a state of pure yang life energy. Only then could one practicing this art make any decisive breakthrough!

Yet if one spent a lifetime alongside a great emperor, one’s own path to the Dao would be suppressed no matter how great one’s breakthroughs — and even if one received the baptism of a great emperor’s aura, in the later stages one would still be held back by the emperor’s Dao.

“Unless it is a flawless Tribulation-Transcending Heavenly Art — otherwise, doing this is suicide. But how could he possibly have obtained the complete ancient scripture?” The Black Emperor could make no sense of it, no matter how hard it pondered.

Wushi the Great Emperor had once let fall certain words, saying that the heavenly venerable of the Daoist tradition seemed to have never passed a complete transmission of the method down in this star region at all.

“I understand now — could he have dug up the corpse of that heavenly venerable? I once heard a rumor that in the end, that one may have been buried in the Beidou, having come here for the sake of the path to immortality.”

Many ancient teachings had records stating that, with the exception of two or three, the great emperors of antiquity had not been born in the Beidou — they had come from other ancient star regions, much like the ancient emperors of the primordial age, descending upon this star in pursuit of the opportunity to attain immortality.

Sadly, in the primordial age, every clan had made errors in their predictions. The opening of the path to immortality was still far in the future — it was meant to come in this very generation — and in that earlier era, all of them could be described with a single word: too early.

Everyone fell into a daze. Could Duan De really have dug up the corpse of that heavenly venerable? No wonder he spent his days wandering through tombs.

Duan De, clutching that bronze tablet, intended to use the supreme being within the primordial ancient mine to cleanse and temper his body? In this age, when no one had attained the Dao and become an emperor, it was an opportunity for him — for in the future, he would not be suppressed.

“The primordial ancient mine is stirring!” Ye Tong said.

The jade-green divine pool was limpid and clear, reflecting a vivid image of the terrain below. Everyone held their breath and looked back, staring intently.

Immortal mist rose in coils from the primordial ancient mine, swallowing the ancient cave entirely beneath it. A voice utterly devoid of feeling rang out — a voice that seemed capable of cleaving down the thirty-three layers of heaven.

“Twenty-odd myriad years ago, when ‘that one’ was establishing their cultivation ground, an inexplicable strand of energy appeared. Could it be that an ancient heavenly venerable was buried on this ancient star — and has now been discovered?”

When Ye Fan, the Black Emperor, and the others heard these words — though they were separated by an immeasurable distance and perceived them only through this divine pool — they each gave an involuntary shudder.

This was not a secret they should have heard!

Fortunately, the being within the primordial ancient mine said no more, cutting off that thread of conversation. Two beams of cold light shot forth and circled once around the Victorious Fighting Buddha.

The old sage ape had seen life and death aplenty, and his golden eyes could see the truth of things — surely he could perceive what was happening far more clearly than the Black Emperor and the others. Yet at Duan De’s seeming demise, not a flicker of emotion crossed his face.

Step by step, he walked deeper into the life forbidden zone. With each step, traces of the Dao spread in all directions, and his footprints sank deep and heavy into the earth — he moved with great effort.

The closer he came to the ancient mine, the more this intensified. He moved as though bearing the weight of the nine heavens and ten earths upon his back, crushed beneath an immense pressure.

“Why? The Victorious Fighting Sage King bears an ancient emperor’s token — yet the being within the mine remains this indifferent toward him?” The Shencan Princess’s expression shifted.

This place was among the most ancient of all life forbidden zones in the world — perhaps the most ancient of all. Even when the ancient clans had ruled the earth, no one could have approached this place. It brooked no trespass.

Immortal mist suffused the air. From within the ancient mine, a pair of cold eyes peered through the haze and locked upon the Victorious Fighting Buddha, from which an ancient voice issued forth.

“The Victorious Fighting Sage Ape lineage is the most fierce and domineering of all. You appear aged and worn — yet the blood energy within you surges and boils; were it to erupt outward, it could devour heaven and earth. I sense a familiar aura within you. You greatly resemble someone.”

The Victorious Fighting Buddha made no display of arrogance. Whether by seniority or by cultivation, the supreme being of the primordial ancient mine was someone who could receive his bow.

The primordial ancient mine fell silent. Cold and indifferent as everything was, the old sage ape had come bearing an ancient emperor’s token, yet he was accorded no special courtesy. He, too, said nothing more.

“Fierce at heart — very much like that ape of long ago. What relation do you bear to him?” After a long silence, a divine sound rang out from within the mine — one that pressed down upon the ancient blue vault of heaven, causing it to resonate like a great bell, as though it might come crashing down.

“The Victorious Fighting Sage Emperor is my elder brother.” The old sage ape said.

“That monkey who showed no reverence to heaven or to earth—” That was the assessment that came — and the Victorious Fighting Buddha’s brows gave a sharp twitch, as golden light flickered briefly in his eyes.

“The Victorious Fighting Sage Emperor’s power is boundless beyond measure, and he sought to become a Warring Immortal, looking down with contempt upon all under heaven. As his younger brother, why would you need to come to the primordial ancient mine?” The same emotionless voice continued.

The old sage ape’s spine was ramrod straight. He stood there without speaking a single word, his golden fur blazing brilliantly, his eyes equally cold and impassive.

“What have you come to the primordial ancient mine to seek?”

“I seek a piece of the primordial life stone.” The Victorious Fighting Buddha said — neither humble nor arrogant — his gaze fixed upon the swirling mist, making no move to advance. In truth, he was still far from the mine.

“To extend your own life?”

“For my one and only nephew.”

From within the mine came a cold, piercing laugh. “Your elder brother was so arrogant he believed he could transform into a Warring Immortal — could he not look after his own descendants, that you need to come here and beg for a stone?”

“This is bad!” Within Shencan Ridge, the Shencan Princess’s expression filled with alarm. She said: “The Victorious Fighting Sage Emperor — who astonished the divine beings and made the immortals weep, who looked down with contempt upon the whole of the primordial age, who showed no reverence to heaven or earth — he must have offended the being within the primordial ancient mine.”

Ye Fan, Yan Yixi, the Black Emperor, and the others all paled. This might turn into a grave catastrophe. Who in this day and age could stand against a being from within a life forbidden zone? The Victorious Fighting Buddha was likely in grave danger.

The Holy Prince’s brows knitted fiercely, golden light flaring and fading between the opening and closing of his eyes.

From within the mine came a cold, impassive voice: “Were it anyone else, I would have no objection to giving them a piece of the life stone. But the Victorious Fighting Sage Emperor once declared that he needed none of this — that he alone could shatter the heavens with his power!”

“It is I who come to seek a piece of the primordial life stone for my nephew — not my elder brother who makes the request.” The Victorious Fighting Buddha said, standing there like a spear driven into the earth.

“What difference does it make? Brothers, fathers and sons, uncles and nephews — how far apart can they truly be?”

“I come here only to seek a piece of the primordial life stone!” The Victorious Fighting Buddha’s voice rang out, loud and resonant.

“Are you speaking to me in that manner?” The voice shifted abruptly, growing utterly merciless. Killing intent filled ten thousand ages and thundered outward from the primordial ancient mine.

“Wait!” A second voice sounded, and simultaneously a rust-spotted bronze token appeared. This was a different supreme being, who said: “The man whose body just exploded — before it did, he said to give this token to the sage ape. With three ancient emperor’s tokens in hand, all reasonable requests ought to be fulfilled.”

“The Victorious Fighting Sage Emperor wished to shatter the heavens with his own power alone, to look down with contempt upon all ages. Our past dealings are known between us. The primordial life stone should not be given to his younger brother — and moreover, just now this one spoke to me with disrespect. He should be put to death!”

A terrifying murderous intent, like a boundless ocean, came surging outward.

“Roar—”

Suddenly, a staff blazing with brilliant immortal light — black iron shot through with vivid colors — burst out from the crown of the Victorious Fighting Buddha’s head. A golden colossal ape manifested, reaching from the nine heavens above to the nine nethers below, and let out a thunderous roar that reverberated through the entire cosmos, suppressing the nine heavens and pressing down upon the ten earths.

“The Victorious Fighting Sage Emperor!” The Shencan Princess cried out in shock.

“Father!” The Holy Prince roared.