bioinnovel Chapter 299 Heavenly Court's Four Emperors, Part 1: Gouchen the Great!
Chapter 299 Heavenly Court's Four Emperors, Part 1: Gouchen the Great!
The three long-term effects of aging result in fly ash, which dissipates into the air.
The entire City of Ten Thousand Swords was deathly silent.
After a long while, a deafening cheer erupted.
"We won!!!"
"Su Fan is awesome!!!"
"The gods of China are awesome!!!"
Jian Wudi stood beside Su Fan, his legs still trembling.
In all his years of life, this was the first time he had ever seen such a scene.
Three hundred and sixty-five righteous gods appeared together, instantly killing a peak-level Hunyuan cultivator in one move.
What does this mean?
"Su Fan, what exactly is the origin of your Investiture of the Gods?"
Su Fan glanced at him.
"I said it, it's from China."
Jian Wudi swallowed hard.
"How many gods of this caliber does your China actually have?"
Su Fan thought for a moment.
"There are 365 people on the Investiture of the Gods list. There are also those who are not on the list, such as Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Tang Sanzang."
Jian Wudi gasped.
"Then wouldn't your China be able to sweep across the outer heavens?"
Su Fan smiled.
"We won't sweep them all away. But anyone who tries to bully us should think twice."
……
In the live stream room, the chat was still flooded with comments.
"That was awesome! That Third Elder's show-off only lasted three seconds!"
"Three hundred and sixty-five righteous gods appeared together—I could brag about this for a year!"
"Our leader is mighty! China is mighty!"
"That so-called sacred land of the demon race, do you still dare to come?"
"Kill one if one comes, kill two if two come!"
Su Fan glanced at the comments section.
"Alright, everyone disperse. Let's go check out the Ten Thousand Demon Cave tomorrow."
He turned off the live stream and went back to his room to rest.
……
Early the next morning.
Su Fan led Zhu Dachang to the Ten Thousand Demon Cave.
Jian Wudi originally wanted to go along, but Wanjian Pavilion had something to deal with and couldn't leave.
Kong Xuan came to greet him personally.
Upon seeing Su Fan, he bowed respectfully.
"Lord of the Cave."
Su Fan waved his hand.
"Don't give me that. Take me to the Cave of Ten Thousand Demons."
Kong Xuan nodded.
"Yes."
The three of them took to the air and flew towards the Cave of Ten Thousand Demons.
……
The Cave of Ten Thousand Demons was built inside a huge volcano.
The surrounding area was filled with lava, and the heat was intense.
But the disciples of the Ten Thousand Demon Cave have been cultivating here for many years and are already used to it.
Su Fan landed at the entrance of the Ten Thousand Demon Cave.
Two rows of disciples stood at the entrance, and they all bowed when they saw him.
"Greetings, Cave Master!"
Su Fan nodded.
Get up.
He followed Kong Xuan into the Ten Thousand Demon Cave.
The Cave of Ten Thousand Demons is very large, with interconnected passages and caves everywhere.
Kongxuan explained as he walked.
"This is the council chamber, where we usually handle official business."
"This is the training room, where the disciples cultivate."
"This is the Sutra Repository, a place where martial arts manuals are kept."
"This is a treasure vault, a place where treasures are stored."
Su Fan listened and suddenly stopped in his tracks.
He looked down into a passageway.
"What's down there?"
Kong Xuan was taken aback.
"Below is the dungeon, where prisoners are held."
Su Fan frowned.
"What's next?"
Kong Xuan thought for a moment.
"Below that... lies the deepest part of the Ten Thousand Demon Cave. It's said that it existed when the cave was built. No one knows what's inside."
Su Fan raised an eyebrow.
"Has no one gone down there?"
Kong Xuan shook his head.
"Everyone who went down there died. Later, a rule was established in the cave that no one was allowed to enter the deepest part."
Su Fan thought for a moment.
"I want to go down and take a look."
Kong Xuan's expression changed.
"Master, it's too dangerous in there..."
Su Fan smiled.
"Danger? I've even killed a peak-stage Hunyuan cultivator, what danger could I possibly be afraid of?"
Kong Xuan remained silent for a moment.
"Then I'll go with you."
Su Fan shook his head.
"No need. You wait here."
He turned and walked towards the passage.
……
The passage was very deep, and it got darker the further down you went.
Su Fan took out his phone and turned on the flashlight.
The live stream chat was flooded with comments.
"Where is the boss going?"
"The deepest part of the Demon Cave? Sounds exciting!"
"Be careful, boss!"
Su Fan ignored the comments and continued scrolling down.
After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a stone gate appeared ahead.
The stone gate was engraved with complex runes and emitted a faint blood-red glow.
Su Fan raised his hand and pressed it against the door.
Golden light surged in from the Investiture of the Gods.
The runes flickered violently, and then, with a crack, they split open.
The stone gate slowly opened.
Behind the door was a huge stone chamber.
In the center of the stone chamber stands a statue.
The statue is three zhang tall and depicts a man dressed in imperial robes.
The man wore an imperial crown, had a majestic face, held a long sword, and stood on a five-clawed golden dragon.
Although the statue was covered in dust, it still emitted a faint golden light.
Su Fan was stunned.
He recognized the statue.
Emperor Gouchen.
One of the Four Emperors in Chinese mythology, below the Great Emperor Ziwei of the North Pole and above the Great Emperor Taiji of the West.
Emperor Gouchen governs the three realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man, commands all demons, and controls all thunderbolts.
In Chinese mythology, he holds an extremely high position, second only to the Three Pure Ones and the Jade Emperor.
Su Fan walked quickly over and stood in front of the statue.
The live stream chat was flooded with comments.
"Boss, what kind of statue is this?"
"He looks so imposing!"
"Are they deities of the Chinese people?"
Su Fan took a deep breath.
"This is Emperor Gouchen."
"One of the Four Emperors in Chinese mythology, who governs the three realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man, commands all demons, and controls all thunder."
"In mythology, his status is extremely high, second only to the Three Pure Ones and the Jade Emperor."
The live stream chat exploded with comments.
"Holy crap! One of the Four Emperors?!"
"How could such a powerful god be in the Cave of Ten Thousand Demons?"
"It was stolen, wasn't it? Just like the Five Sacred Mountains Emperors before!"
"Definitely! Those bastards from the Ten Thousand Demon Cave, how many statues of gods did they steal from China?!"
Su Fan stared at the statue with a cold gaze.
He raised his hand, and the golden light of the Investiture of the Gods shone on the statue.
The statue trembled slightly, and dust fell from its surface.
The faint golden light grew brighter and brighter.
But the statue did not react.
Su Fan frowned.
He thought for a moment and then took back the Investiture of the Gods.
Then, he took a deep breath and began to read:
"The Taiji is divided into high and thick, light and pure, which belong to the heavens."
"If a person can cultivate to the highest level of Tao, he/she will become a true immortal."
"The number of days passed by was over three thousand, and the time was forty thousand years."
"The precious scriptures are opened at the altar, and the golden words will be passed down forever."
After the reading was finished, the statue still did not react.
Su Fan thought for a moment, then read aloud:
"Gouchen Shanggong, the Heavenly Emperor."
"Lord of all thunderbolts, commander of all demons."
"Heaven, Earth, and Man—the three realms—all belong to his control."
"The sun, moon, and stars are all within his sight."
The statue remained unresponsive.
In the live stream chat, the viewers expressed their confusion.
"Boss, why isn't there any response?"
"Is the spell wrong?"
"Will there be any special ceremony required?"
Su Fan didn't speak.
He stared at the statue and remained silent for a long time.
Then, he remembered something.
In mythology, Emperor Gouchen was reincarnated once.
After his reincarnation, his name was—
Li Jing.
It's not Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King.
Instead, he was a different Li Jing.
Li Jing, a legendary figure from the Sui and Tang Dynasties, was a military genius of the Tang Dynasty, known for his invincibility.
It is said that he was the reincarnation of Emperor Gouchen.
Su Fan took a deep breath and began to read:
"His given name was Jing, and his courtesy name was Yaoshi."
Born in a chaotic era, raised in the military.
"Pacify Wu and Hui in the south, clear the desert in the north, and pacify Murong in the west."
"He rose to the ranks of general and prime minister, his achievements surpassing all others."
"After death, he ascended to heaven and returned to his position as Gouchen."
"Your Majesty, please accept a bow from a mortal."
The statue shook violently as soon as the words were spoken.
A burst of golden light illuminated the entire stone chamber.
A figure emerged from the statue.
He was a middle-aged man dressed in imperial robes, with a dignified face and deep-set eyes.
He looked at Su Fan, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
"Mortal, how do you know the name of my reincarnation?"
Su Fan bowed respectfully.
"I am Su Fan, a Chinese, and I have read history books."
Emperor Gouchen raised an eyebrow.
"China? History books?"
Su Fan nodded.
"Yes. You were reincarnated as Li Jing, the military god of the Tang Dynasty, who was invincible and whose achievements were unparalleled. These things are recorded in the history books."
Emperor Gouchen was silent for a moment.
Then he smiled.
"Excellent. What a fine history book."
He looked at Su Fan.
"You possess the aura of the Investiture of the Gods, Lei Zhenzi's Thunder Hammer, and Kong Xuan's Five-Colored Divine Light Seed. Have you formed contracts with numerous Chinese deities?"
Su Fan nodded.
"Yes."
Emperor Gouchen nodded in satisfaction.
"Indeed. Since you were able to awaken me, it means you are destined to be with me."
"My divine shadow is willing to form a contract with you."
Su Fan was taken aback.
"Senior, are you willing?"
Emperor Gouchen laughed.
"Why wouldn't I? I've been trapped in this dark and sunless place for countless years. Now that you've come, I naturally want to go with you."
He raised his hand, and a beam of golden light shot towards Su Fan.
As the golden light entered his body, Su Fan shuddered.
He could feel a tremendous power within him.
He's even stronger than Sun Wukong.
Peak of Hunyuan.
The divine shadow of Emperor Gouchen was actually at the peak of the Hunyuan realm.
The chat room was buzzing with excitement.
"Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!!!"
"The boss has contracted another powerful being!"
"Emperor Gouchen! One of the Four Emperors!"
"Peak of the Primordial Chaos Realm! Even stronger than Sun Wukong!"
"Boss is awesome!!!"
Su Fan took a deep breath and bowed.
"Thank you, senior."
Emperor Gouchen waved his hand.
"No need for formalities. I will follow you from now on."
He looked around and frowned.
"Where is this place? Why is it so eerie?"
Su Fan explained.
"This is the Outer Heavens, the deepest part of the Ten Thousand Demon Cave. Your statue must have been stolen by the people of the Ten Thousand Demon Cave."
Emperor Gouchen's eyes turned cold.
"Stealing my statue?"
Su Fan nodded.
"Yes. The statues of the Five Sacred Mountains Emperors were also stolen before. But I managed to get them back."
Emperor Gouchen was silent for a moment.
"It seems that the people from the outer heavens are not very friendly to the Chinese gods."
Su Fan smiled.
"It's okay. I'll hit anyone who's unfriendly."
Emperor Gouchen also laughed.
"Good. I like this kind of temperament."
……
Su Fan led Emperor Gouchen out of the stone chamber.
Outside the passage, Kong Xuan waited anxiously.
He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Su Fan come out.
"Lord of the Cave, are you alright?"
Then, he saw the Great Emperor Gouchen behind Su Fan.
Kong Xuan was stunned.
"Who, this person is...?"
Su Fan explained.
"Emperor Gouchen, a deity of China. He will now also be a member of the Ten Thousand Demon Cave."
Kong Xuan's eyes widened.
"Chinese deities? You summoned them from the deepest recesses of your being?"
Su Fan nodded.
"right."
Kong Xuan took a deep breath.
He looked at Emperor Gouchen and felt the terrifying aura emanating from him; his legs went weak.
Peak of Hunyuan.
Another peak-level Hunyuan cultivator.
Moreover, this person's aura is even stronger than that of the Third Elder of the Demon Clan's Holy Land.
Kong Xuan quickly bowed in greeting.
"Junior Kongxuan greets Senior."
Emperor Gouchen glanced at him.
Get up.
Kong Xuan stood up, sweat beading on his forehead.
He looked at Su Fan with a complicated expression.
Just how many cards does this new cave owner still have up his sleeve?
……
The Great Hall of the Ten Thousand Demon Cave.
Su Fan sat in the main seat, with Emperor Gouchen sitting beside him.
Standing below were Kong Xuan and a group of elders.
Everyone was secretly observing Emperor Gouchen.
This suddenly appearing Chinese deity has an aura that is terrifying.
He was stronger than any strong person they had ever seen.
Su Fan spoke.
"This is Emperor Gouchen, who will also be a member of the Ten Thousand Demon Cave in the future. You should pay your respects when you see him."
All the elders bowed in unison.
"Greetings to Emperor Gouchen."
Emperor Gouchen nodded.
Get up.
Su Fan looked at Kong Xuan.
"Has anything happened at the Ten Thousand Demon Cave lately?"
Kong Xuan thought for a moment.
"Reporting to the Cave Master, there are two matters."
"First, the Demon Clan's Holy Land is facing a dead Third Elder, so they definitely won't let this go easily. I estimate they'll send someone even more powerful in a few days."
"Secondly, there hasn't been much activity from the Ten Thousand Buddhas Sect and the Ten Thousand Demons Alliance lately. However, the Supreme Elder of the Ten Thousand Demons Alliance sent word that they would like to invite you to the Ten Thousand Demons Alliance for a visit, as there are important matters to discuss."
Su Fan raised an eyebrow.
"The Demon Alliance invited me?"
Kong Xuan nodded.
"Yes. They said it was something important."
Su Fan smiled.
"What important business could they possibly have? They're just seeing the situation is turning against them and want to seek peace."
Kong Xuan nodded.
"The cave master is wise."
Su Fan thought for a moment.
"Then let's go. Perfect timing, I have some scores to settle with them."
……
three days later.
The Alliance of Ten Thousand Demons.
Su Fan, accompanied by Emperor Gouchen and Zhu Dachang, arrived at the gate of the City of Ten Thousand Demons.
The city gate was already crowded with people.
The middle-aged man in blue and the elderly man with white hair stood at the front, their attitudes respectful.
Upon seeing Su Fan, the two bowed in unison.
"I am deeply sorry for not welcoming Master Su properly with his presence."
Su Fan waved his hand.
"Don't give me that. What do you want from me?"
The middle-aged man in blue took a deep breath.
"Master Su, please come in. Let's go inside and talk."
Su Fan nodded and followed them into the City of Ten Thousand Demons.
……
The Great Hall of the Ten Thousand Demon Alliance.
Su Fan sat in the main seat, with Emperor Gouchen sitting beside him.
The middle-aged man in blue and the elderly man with white hair stood below, their attitude respectful to the point of being somewhat humble.
The middle-aged man in blue spoke.
"Master Su, we invited you here today to discuss peace."
Su Fan looked at him.
"Peace talks?"
The middle-aged man in blue nodded.
"Yes. What happened before was the fault of our Ten Thousand Demons Alliance. We are willing to compensate you, we only beg you to be lenient and let us off the hook."
Su Fan smiled.
"Compensation? What will you use to compensate us?"
The middle-aged man in blue gritted his teeth.
"Take whatever you like from my Demon Alliance's treasure trove. Take as much as you like."
Su Fan raised an eyebrow.
"Pick whatever you like?"
The middle-aged man in blue nodded.
"Pick whatever you like."
Su Fan thought for a moment.
"Okay. Let's go again then."
……
The Treasure Vault of the Myriad Demons Alliance
Su Fan came in for the second time.
This time, there are no restrictions.
He looked through each layer and collected everything that caught his eye.
There were also all sorts of other rare and precious materials, magical artifacts, and elixirs; I collected a whole bunch of them.
The middle-aged man in blue stood to the side, his face pale, but he dared not utter a sound.
After half an hour, Su Fan finally stopped.
He looked at the middle-aged man in blue.
"Alright, that's enough."
The middle-aged man in blue breathed a sigh of relief.
Su Fan continued.
"From now on, the Myriad Demon Alliance will contribute 10% of its revenue to the Myriad Swords Pavilion annually. Any problems?"
The middle-aged man in blue robes' expression changed.
"One, one percent?"
Su Fan looked at him.
"What, you think it's not enough?"
The middle-aged man in blue quickly shook his head.
"No, it's not..."
Su Fan smiled.
"Then it's settled."
He turned and left.
The middle-aged man in blue stood there, wanting to cry but unable to.
……
Outside the City of Ten Thousand Demons.
Jian Wudi was already waiting outside with his men.
He approached Su Fan as soon as he saw him come out.
"What good stuff did you get?"
Su Fan took the item out and shook it.
Jian Wudi's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Holy crap! So many?!"
Su Fan smiled.
"good."