Follow the path of Dao from infancy Chapter 1877 Chapter 502: Decline of the Eastern Domain (Part 2)
Previously on Follow the path of Dao from infancy...
Over thirty years, the pathway Li Hao had grasped was built according to his vision, yet the outcome left him utterly dissatisfied.
Although the merging pace with the Realm Heart had decelerated, it merely slowed down rather than stopping entirely, far from achieving a lasting harmony.
"Kite shape, overlapping layers, steady seven-pointed star... nothing succeeds."
Li Hao truly grasped the sensation of "racking one's brains". He drained every idea in his mind without discovering the correct solution, tempted to quit more than a hundred times. Failure still meant gaining the King's Domain, which wouldn't count as a defeat.
Yet... reluctance burned within him.
He realized that conceding defeat would leave him, upon the calamity's arrival, relying solely on the King's Domain—could that truly safeguard Feng and his companions?
Such a choice wouldn't just mean yielding the quest for the Emperor Dao; it would also betray Feng and the rest.
"Two hundred years have passed; I have to finish it before the conflict erupts..."
Li Hao's brows knitted tightly; comprehending the Emperor Dao might demand a millennium, even amid a flash of insight. His greater fear was getting stuck on this route as the disaster struck, unable to forge ahead, then confined inside the Heaven Tower.
"Coexist... coexist..."
Li Hao kept delving into deep thought.
...
Eastern Domain.
Flames of war blazed across the land, as the primary wave of magic tides breached the third defensive barrier, assaulting the various clan bastions in the Eastern Domain.
Some of the frailer races had already been eradicated by the Ancient Demons, reducing areas to ruins; without their people scattered far and wide, total annihilation might have struck.
"Up ahead lies the Ancestor Dragon Court..."
The magic tides surged forward, arriving at the core of the Eastern Domain—its central hub, the most splendid and opulent spot. A grand dragon palace rose imposingly, its radiant golden light radiating regal presence that bathed the whole area in brilliant yellow hues.
Enormous Ancestor Dragon statues loomed beyond the Ancestor Dragon Court. Each served as a base for the array, linked together to create an Emperor-grade Array.
"This appears to be the Eastern Domain's last bastion."
From the back of the magic tides, the Yama Emperor Venerable eyed the Ancestor Dragon Court in front and swiftly recognized the immense, hill-sized Ancestor Dragon statues as remarkably potent, brimming with powerful aura and Divine Soul Power, anchored firmly like stakes into the ground, gathering Immortal Vein energy from nearby regions, intertwining and locking the surrounding world's Ten Thousand Dao Laws into a fearsome setup.
This formation by itself rivaled an Emperor Venerable, unbreakable by any lesser power.
Should he act personally, it would still demand a substantial amount of time.
Nevertheless, they had finally penetrated the Eastern Domain's vital center.
Seizing the Ancestor Dragon Court before them would mean dominating the entire Eastern Domain. Victory here would rally the observing clans to join as planned, reigniting the previous upheavals across the True Realm. Now better equipped, their shown might was merely a fraction of their real power.
"I'll shatter this array."
The Emperor Venerable from the Poison Corrosion Clan declared with composure.
A dreadful Emperor's Might poured from his form as he advanced toward the Ancestor Dragon Court.
Confronting the colossal, mountain-resembling statues guarding the Ancestor Dragon Court, alongside the countless alert Immortal Kings inside, the Emperor Venerable remained utterly serene, like a lone figure charging into a massive host—though his bearing implied he had the host surrounded.
...
Western Regions, Saint Clans.
The Western Regions hosted myriad Immortal Dynasties, differing from the Southern Domain led by the Heavenly Palace Venerable, the Eastern Domain centered on the Ancestor Dragon Court, or the Northern Domain commanded by the Emperor Star's major clans. Numerous Immortal Dynasties thrived side by side in the Western Regions, a mix of true powers and hidden threats. Endless battles flared here constantly, with Immortal Dynasties clashing nonstop, forging the Western Regions' ruthless clan spirit.
Of the Four Domains, the Western Regions' Immortal Divine Beings stood out as the boldest and most warlike.
The Saint Clan placed fourth among the Ten Thousand Clans, following only the Heavenly Emperor Clan, Dao Clan, and Taichu Clan. As a premier force in the Western Regions, it still couldn't claim total loyalty or fully consolidate the area.
"The Eastern Domain is doomed. The primary battleground this time will center there. What's the status of the True King prepared by us All Clans? Will our Saint Heir claim the role of First True King Commander?"
In the Saint Clan, an old man inquired gradually.
A Quasi-Emperor Realm presence radiated from him; he served as a Supreme Elder of the Saint Clan.
"A preliminary contest happened two hundred years back. Our Saint Heir holds seventh place now; Di Mingyuan of the Heavenly Emperor Clan leads. That veteran has trained for ages, able to advance to Quasi-Emperor long ago, but he's held back. Rumors say he aims to jump straight from Immortal King to Emperor, bypassing Quasi-Emperor!"
Another elder huffed disdainfully, adding, "To me, there's an eighty percent likelihood the Emperor Clan anticipated this far ahead and schemed accordingly, holding him back deliberately for exactly this moment."
"Not entirely accurate."
A noblewoman of refined and stately poise replied steadily, "This concerns the True Realm's Ten Thousand Clans overall. Had they predicted the Ancient Demon disaster, word would have circulated sooner. Though the Heavenly Emperor Clan boasts numerous Immortal Emperors, not all in the True Realm belong to them for uncovering such mysteries."
"The top Commander spot is impossible. Word is, a reincarnated Great Emperor joins this Abyss contest too. Once they regain peak Immortal King Realm strength, dominating peers in the realm won't be hard."
A nearby youth voiced this; though his features looked strikingly young, his gaze held the wisdom of vast experience, marking him as another Quasi-Emperor Elder in the Saint Clan.
"Then the Emperor Clan won't snag it either."
The prior noblewoman chuckled softly. Tensions had long simmered between the Emperor Clan and theirs, with occasional clashes through the years. Their rivals taking the lead Commander would surely harm the Saint Clan's interests.
"Instruct the Saint Heir: he mustn't yield at any cost, ensuring at minimum a True King position."
The authoritative elder overhead stated gravely.