Chapter 685: Meeting the Wind Emperor Again, Accepting the Source Qi
"Yun Lan Sect... It's been so long since I've been here," Mu Yu murmured as he floated in midair, his gaze sweeping over the now deserted sect in the distance. Ever since he and Xiao Yan had destroyed the Yun Lan Sect together, the once lively Yun Lan Mountain had fallen silent. The grand sect was now devoid of any people. The once bustling squares were in ruins, with debris scattered by the wind, creating a desolate scene.
Shaking his head, Mu Yu set aside any lingering thoughts. With time pressing, he quickly flew deeper into the mountains of the former Yun Lan Sect.
In just a few seconds, with his current speed, Mu Yu arrived at the ruins of the sect. Guided by his memory, he walked purposefully into the spacious main hall of the Yun Lan Sect.
As he entered, the hall remained dark, filled only with a faint green glow that gave it an eerie atmosphere. Just as it had been when Mu Yu last visited, the hall was bathed in the light of palm-sized whirlwinds, and the air was thick with pure and wild wind elemental energy.
Mu Yu walked toward the deepest part of the hall, and as he drew closer, the sound of spinning wind intensified, and the wind energy in the air became purer and more ferocious. However, with his current strength, what had once been a troubling force for him now posed no threat. The wild wind energy couldn't even harm a hair on him.
"Gate of Life and Death, reveal yourself," Mu Yu said softly, his eyes locked on the space ahead.
Boom!
As soon as Mu Yu finished speaking, a loud explosion erupted from the far end of the hall. A massive spatial rift, stretching several dozen meters, tore open in the wall.
In the center of this rift, a glowing green light appeared, gradually forming into a towering gate, about ten meters high. The powerful wind attribute aura emanated from it.
"Still the same as ever..." Mu Yu murmured as he looked at the glowing green gate. After the Yun Lan Sect's destruction, he had stumbled upon the secret of the Gate of Life and Death and made a pact with the Wind Emperor, the second-to-last Dou Emperor of the Dou Qi Continent. Now, with the Soul Heavenly Emperor just a step away from breaking through to the Dou Emperor realm, it was time to fulfill the promise he made.
As Mu Yu stood reminiscing, the green Gate of Life and Death suddenly began to tremble violently. The two massive doors creaked open, and a powerful ancient wind attribute energy began to seep out from within.
"It's open," Mu Yu whispered before stepping into the gate without hesitation.
The moment Mu Yu entered the gate, it began to shimmer and slowly disappear.
Whoosh!
The quiet ground rippled as the space twisted. A slender figure slowly emerged from the distortion—Mu Yu. Despite the many years since he last entered the Gate of Life and Death, the realm within felt familiar to him.
Around him, the vast land was filled with howling winds and glowing green light. The entire world seemed shrouded in a lifeless stillness, devoid of any trace of vitality.
Mu Yu continued walking through the sea of wind. As he moved, the wild gusts of wind circled around him, as if welcoming his presence instead of repelling it.
"Mu Yu, my young friend, you've arrived..." A warm, ancient voice echoed through the wind as Mu Yu walked forward.
Mu Yu wasn't surprised by the sudden voice. He lifted his head slowly, gazing at a distant part of the wind sea. There, the wind condensed into a massive tornado, which gradually dispersed, revealing an elderly figure dressed in green robes standing before him.
The old man's appearance was ordinary, and if not for the small whirlwinds swirling around him, he would have looked no different from a typical elder. The man's weathered face held a sense of nostalgia as he gazed at Mu Yu.
This figure was none other than the Wind Emperor, the second-to-last Dou Emperor of the Dou Qi Continent.
"Ah, Wind Emperor, it's been a long time," Mu Yu said with a smile, offering a respectful bow.
The Wind Emperor's aged eyes scanned Mu Yu up and down before he said, "Eight-Star Dou Saint, late stage... To think, in less than twenty years, you've gone from a Dou King to the late stage of an Eight-Star Dou Saint. You truly live up to your reputation as a reincarnated Earth Supreme."
The Wind Emperor was filled with admiration. Back when he had first agreed to work with Mu Yu, it was because of his faith in Mu Yu's previous life as an Earth Supreme from another realm. Even so, he had harbored some doubt, considering Mu Yu's strength had been only at the Dou King level back then. But now, Mu Yu had surpassed expectations, reaching a height that left even ancient beings like the Wind Emperor in awe.
Mu Yu nodded slightly at the praise. His previous life's cultivation had taken place in a realm of higher standing than the Dou Qi Continent, similar to Lin Dong's world—the Tianxuan Continent, where Earth Supremes resided. In comparison, the Dou Qi Continent's strongest beings, the Dou Emperors, were akin to Supreme beings in the grander cosmos.
"Thank you, Wind Emperor. It was mostly due to luck that I've reached this point," Mu Yu said humbly before getting straight to the point. "Time is of the essence, so I won't waste any more with pleasantries. I've come today because something major has happened on the Dou Qi Continent, and I need to break through to the Dou Emperor realm as soon as possible."
A heavy look crossed Mu Yu's face as he spoke.
"Oh? What's happened on the Dou Qi Continent to make you look so grave?" the Wind Emperor asked, curious. After all, the Dou Emperor level had not been seen in thousands of years. With Mu Yu already an Eight-Star Dou Saint, what could be pressing enough to force him into such urgency?
Mu Yu didn't hold back and quickly explained how the Soul Heavenly Emperor had entered the Tou She Ancient Emperor's tomb and acquired the embryonic Emperor Pill, intending to break through to the Dou Emperor level.
"Ah, the Soul Clan... To think that clan, which I barely paid any attention to in my time, could produce someone capable of becoming a Dou Emperor," the Wind Emperor said, clearly surprised by Mu Yu's account.
"Yes, the Soul Heavenly Emperor's ambitions know no bounds. He's already unleashed the deadly Soul-Devouring Life-Extinguishing Array, draining the life energy from the entire continent in an attempt to refine the Emperor Pill into a complete one and break through to the Dou Emperor level," Mu Yu said with a serious tone.
"The Soul-Devouring Life-Extinguishing Array… I remember destroying that sinister array long ago because of its cruelty. I never expected the Soul Clan would still have the means to use it again. I must have missed something..." The Wind Emperor's expression darkened.
The Wind Emperor then looked back at Mu Yu. "The Emperor Pill does contain a trace of Source Qi. If the Soul Heavenly Emperor can complete the pill, it's possible for him to break through to the Dou Emperor level. I take it you've come for Source Qi?"
"Yes," Mu Yu replied firmly. "I need to protect my family and people. I must break through to the Dou Emperor realm before the Soul Heavenly Emperor."
Hearing this, the Wind Emperor fell silent for a moment before letting out a soft sigh. "If you had reached the late stage of the Nine-Star Dou Saint realm, absorbing the Source Qi would almost guarantee your breakthrough. But you're still at the Eight-Star level, which brings a significant risk of failure."
The Wind Emperor knew that the Source Qi was crucial, and while Mu Yu had grown immensely, his chances of success were not certain at this stage. Still, with the threat of the Soul Heavenly Emperor looming, delaying was no longer an option.
"I understand the risks, but time is running out," Mu Yu said, his resolve clear. "I can't hide in this place while my loved ones are out there in danger."
The Wind Emperor sighed again. "Very well. The Source Qi is vital. Every world is born with a limited amount of it, and once it's used up, no more can be created. Without Source Qi, no more Dou Emperors can be born, and that's why none have appeared for so long on the Dou Qi Continent."
Mu Yu nodded. The depletion of Source Qi had left the Dou Qi Continent without a Dou Emperor for millennia, and this scarcity had caused problems for future generations.
"Source Qi is the key to breaking through the barrier to becoming a Dou Emperor," the Wind Emperor continued. "If you want to face the Soul Heavenly Emperor, then I can't stand in your way. But know this—if you fail, this Source Qi will be wasted, and your future will be lost."
Mu Yu's expression was firm as he said, "I won't fail. My family and allies depend on me."
Seeing Mu Yu's determination, the Wind Emperor nodded. "Very well. I'll give you the Source Qi. I hope you succeed and remember the promise you made to me."
"I won't forget," Mu Yu said earnestly. "Once I reach the Great Thousand World, I'll find a way to revive you, Wind Emperor."
The Wind Emperor waved his hand, and the boundless sea of wind swirled violently before condensing into a small, fist-sized green orb. Tiny whirlwinds danced around its surface.
"This is the Emperor's Source Qi. Whether you can reach the Dou Emperor level will depend on your fate," the Wind Emperor said as the green orb floated toward Mu Yu.
Even as calm as he usually was, Mu Yu couldn't suppress the excitement in his silver eyes. This was the key to reaching the Dou Emperor level, something that could change the fate of the entire continent.
"Succeed, Mu Yu. My hopes rest with you!" the Wind Emperor said solemnly, his aged face filled with hope as the green orb slowly descended toward Mu Yu's head.
Taking a deep breath, Mu Yu cleared his mind of all distractions.
Buzz!
The green orb emitted a faint glow as it descended, passing through Mu Yu's scalp and settling inside his body.
From this moment, Mu Yu's transformation into a Dou Emperor had begun. (End of Chapter)
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