## Section 59: High Level Emperor
**Author:** Gu Zhenren
**Date:** 2014-06-18
Having spent a long time in the Sea Eye Abyss, Chu Yun had repeatedly heard about the existence of “Inherited Secret Realms.” These ancient Saint’s inheritance grounds were divided into six hundred and sixty-six levels, inhabited by tens of thousands of Innate Divine Demons. Unlike their wild counterparts, these Innate Divine Demons possessed divine treasures within their bodies, greatly benefiting Beast Masters upon their demise.
In addition to these divine treasures, Inherited Secret Realms could also be found within certain levels. These secret realms were essentially Immortal Pouch Worlds, teeming with a large population of acquired demonic creatures. They were analogous to places like Dragon Gate World and Freedom Mountain in Xingzhou, formed when an Upper grade Immortal Pouch was fully opened and merged into Xingzhou, creating pockets of unique environments. However, the Inherited Secret Realms were attached to the Sea Eye Abyss, often highly developed and densely populated with thriving demonic creatures.
Inherited Secret Realms were far rarer than Innate Divine Demons. Any Emperor who encountered one reaped immense benefits, leading to a leap in the development of their Immortal Pouch World. One of the matters to which Dawn Emperor requested Chu Yun’s assistance was the discovery of an Inherited Secret Realm; she wished to explore it collaboratively with Chu Yun’s help.
Inherited Secret Realms housed numerous demonic creatures and were protected by the Net of Law from the ancient Saint era, which actively repelled outsiders. A single Emperor-level expert would be insufficient to conquer such a realm; at least five would be needed.
These Inherited Secret Realms were highly sought after, having been discovered serendipitously by Dawn Emperor and Incense Emperor. While overjoyed, their insufficient strength compelled them to seek external aid. The external help could not be too powerful, as they would then claim the largest share of resources, infringing upon the interests of Dawn and Incense Emperors. Conversely, the help could not be too weak, as the fluctuations from opening the Inherited Secret Realm could not be entirely concealed, and they would need the strength to defend their interests against other Emperor-level experts drawn to the commotion.
Initially, Dawn Emperor believed Chu Yun, as a newly ascended Great Emperor, would not be excessively powerful. However, his reputation for trading his second spirit pill and Chaos Demonic Crystals was well-known. Inviting him to participate would alleviate concerns about him seizing too many resources. Moreover, if other Emperors arrived, Chu Yun’s trade network could be utilized for negotiations and compromises. This was Dawn Emperor’s original plan.
Later, witnessing Chu Yun’s entire confrontation with Thunder Emperor, Dawn Emperor realized this Spirit Emperor’s strength had surpassed her own. paradoxically, this only strengthened her resolve to invite him to explore the Inherited Secret Realm together. How many years had it only been since Chu Yun’s promotion? He was already at the Mid Level Emperor stage and had defeated Thunder Emperor head-on. Although Thunder Emperor’s arrogance and rashness played a part, Chu Yun’s talent was undeniable. Dawn Emperor’s initial intention was to utilize Chu Yun; now, she sought to win him over, making an emotional investment in this promising rising star.
Therefore, when Plague Emperor showed Chu Yun disdain, Dawn Emperor immediately transmitted a message, soothing Chu Yun’s emotions: “This Plague Emperor, relying on his father, Toxic Emperor, for backing, is somewhat arrogant. Spirit Emperor, please don’t stoop to his level.” Chu Yun chuckled, responding internally, “Not at all, Dawn Emperor, there’s no need to worry.” He understood Dawn Emperor’s intentions and was also familiar with Plague Emperor. Plague Emperor’s animosity towards Chu Yun stemmed partly from jealousy, resentment, and apprehension regarding Chu Yun’s potential. On the other hand, Chu Yun’s emergence had challenged his status, and his formidable strength threatened his future earnings, thus motivating him to suppress Chu Yun’s ambition preemptively.
“Spirit Emperor, you truly possess great magnanimity. It’s a pleasure to have a friend like you,” Dawn Emperor transmitted again. Chu Yun smiled, appearing harmless. Although they had met infrequently, Dawn Emperor’s swift elevation of their relationship to “friendship” clearly indicated her overtures of goodwill. He was not overly flattered; he had anticipated such a situation when he challenged Thunder Emperor. He genuinely did not care about Plague Emperor’s attitude. However, if Plague Emperor were to threaten his interests, Chu Yun would not hesitate to employ ruthlessly decisive measures. What did having an Emperor-level father matter? Chu Yun had never feared anyone!
Inherited Secret Realms could not be entered directly. Emperor-level Beast Masters were so powerful that they endangered the entire realm’s ecological balance, causing the realm’s Net of Law to be highly resistant. While forced entry was possible, it would lead to the collapse of the secret realm’s Net of Law, the destruction of heaven and earth, and the devastation of its inhabitants, severely harming the explorers’ interests. The true entrants to the secret realm were not Beast Masters but the Immortal Pouch Worlds themselves.
Immediately, Chu Yun and the other four stood in place, simultaneously unfurling their Immortal Pouches to connect with the realm’s fabric. “Hmm, this secret realm is quite good. Its space is vast, nearly half the size of my Immortal Pouch World. We’ll divide the secret realm equally, one-fifth of the territory each. No one is allowed to overstep their bounds!” Plague Emperor exclaimed, pleased at the sight of the realm. The larger the secret realm’s space, the more extensive the Net of Law’s rules, and consequently, the greater the potential gains. However, his proposal for an equal division, though seemingly fair, was disadvantageous to Chu Yun.
The initial step in conquering this secret realm involved World Power. Whoever possessed more World Power could claim more territory. With Chu Yun’s World Power, he could have claimed roughly half. “It doesn’t matter,” Chu Yun shrugged casually, agreeing to the distribution method. Despite possessing abundant World Power, he had yet to fully digest the vast territory he had acquired from Thunder Emperor. Further annexation at this point might lead to his Immortal Pouch World suffering from “indigestion.” Besides this factor, Chu Yun also intended to conceal his true strength.
Chu Yun’s agreement brought a collective sigh of relief from the other four. “It seems Spirit Emperor’s victory over Thunder Emperor wasn’t that effortless. While he could digest the Chaos Demonic Crystals, his World Power must have been significantly depleted after the battle, otherwise, why would he agree to Plague Emperor’s suggestion?” Melon Emperor’s eyes glinted. “However, he did defeat Thunder Emperor, so he shouldn’t be underestimated,” Plague Emperor outwardly dismissed Chu Yun, but he was secretly on guard. Seeing Chu Yun’s response, he also felt a sense of relief.
The Inherited Secret Realm was like a cake, divided into five equal portions. First, five streams of World Power surged forth from different directions, grappling with the secret realm’s existing World Power. Then, the five Great Emperors dispatched their respective large forces of demonic creatures, engaging in a war of attrition. As indigenous demonic creatures were heavily culled, the secret realm’s World Power weakened. The realm’s Net of Law was forced to reveal itself, its Vital Energy erupting and summoning a magnificent heavenly tribulation.
This was the moment the five Emperors awaited. Their individual Nets of Law simultaneously expanded, linking to the secret realm’s Net of Law and beginning to seize the “Dao threads” within it. These Dao threads were laws from the ancient Saint era, rare and immensely valuable. The secret realm’s Net of Law was normally hidden, making it impossible to access. Only when the heavenly tribulation descended and the Net of Law manifested did Chu Yun and the others find an opportunity.
There were over eight thousand such Dao threads, which were divided among the five individuals. Chu Yun secured the largest share, obtaining over two thousand threads himself. This immediately compensated for the expenditure incurred in cultivating his four Battle Skills, bringing his total laws to over seven thousand. In addition, there were over ten thousand demonic beasts and demonic plants. These creatures were products of the ancient Saint era and did not exist in the Nine Provinces. With these creatures, Chu Yun’s Immortal Pouch World became considerably more vibrant. However, due to differing Nets of Law, most of these creatures would perish in the future, with only a small portion adapting to the new environment. This was an unavoidable outcome.
The division of the Inherited Secret Realm by the five individuals lasted for six days and six nights, with each reaping substantial rewards. Notably, on the first day of exploration, Emperor-level experts were drawn by the spatial fluctuations but were dissuaded by the joint negotiation of the five. Dawn Emperor and Incense Emperor had extensive social networks. Melon Emperor had a wide network of trade relations. Plague Emperor had the backing of Toxic Emperor, and Chu Yun, having recently defeated Thunder Emperor, was gaining considerable renown. Facing such a formidable group, even covetous experts harbored second thoughts about their greedy intentions.
“After all, it was a combined effort. If even one or two had been missing, it might have become dangerous,” Dawn Emperor said with a touch of lingering fear, patting her chest with relief after the task was completed. The entire division process was fraught with peril, and the five had encountered Emperor-level experts multiple times.
“Inherited Secret Realms are rare, but they do exist. Although we belong to nine major factions, cooperation is still the norm. The risk of open conflict is high. However, as time progresses, competition will undoubtedly intensify; this is unavoidable,” Melon Emperor stated with a grave expression. Everyone agreed. Currently, the Sea Eye Abyss still harbored a large number of Innate Divine Demons and abundant resources. But as time went on, with the diminishing numbers of Innate Divine Demons and Inherited Secret Realms, competition was inevitable. This scenario was entirely foreseeable.
“I heard that some Emperor-level experts have already explored below the four-hundredth level. Many speculate that the greatest inheritance from the ancient Saints lies at the very bottom of the Sea Eye Abyss.” “Even at the lowest levels, it’s not something we Emperor-level powerhouses can touch. With our cultivation, we can explore up to around the four-hundredth level; anything below is the domain of the Emperor-level experts.” “We should seize this unparalleled opportunity to gain more benefits. We can cooperate again when time permits.” The five conversed for a while longer before parting ways.
Time flew by, and seven months quickly passed. Chu Yun’s cultivation naturally advanced to the High Level Emperor stage, and his Immortal Pouch World expanded nearly twofold. Nearly a thousand types of demonic plants and several hundred types of demonic beasts thrived within his Immortal Pouch, forming a balanced ecological food chain. The sun and moon rotated, the primordial energy of the nine elements flowed peacefully, and demonic creatures populated the skies, oceans, lands, and underground worlds, painting a scene of prosperity.
The Blissful Joy Ship flew through the vast sky, overlooking the boundless earth. The seventy-two Blissful Immortal Consorts were the greatest contributors; their assistance saved Chu Yun a significant amount of time. The Extreme Dao Great Pusher had been completed five months prior, allowing the cultivation of Innate Demonic Creatures like Sky Fox, Drunken Snow Saber, and Ice River Sword to advance to millions of years. Demonic creatures with over a hundred million years of cultivation possessed a qualitative leap in combat power, with a single one capable of hunting Innate Divine Demons from the three-hundredth level upwards. Consequently, Chu Yun’s gains were substantial, placing him among the top Emperor-level experts.
“Now that I’ve reached the High Level Emperor stage, my Immortal Pouch World can fully accommodate human migration. It’s time to bring my father, mother, and the people of the Shu Family over.”
(To be continued)
