C2 Above the Nine Heavens

The memories Chu Tianyu held did not align with the reality before him. He was certain that a skyscraper could be reduced to cement blocks or scrap metal, but it couldn't possibly transform into the heap of rubble that surrounded him. Moreover, there wasn't a soul in sight. How could this be? Were it not for the sharp pain coursing through his body, he might have believed he was trapped in a dream.

The cataclysmic changes of the world did not pause for Chu Tianyu's bewilderment; they only grew more severe, as if the heavens were collapsing and the earth was on the brink of annihilation.

"Boom!" The tumult in the skies grew fiercer, the earth undulating like tumultuous waves. Lost in his confusion, Chu Tianyu fell helplessly onto the stones, the harsh impact snapping him back to the harsh reality.

"Ouch, my hand is really hurting!" His hand had scraped against the jagged edge of a rock as he fell, leaving a deep gash from which bright red blood spurted, staining his pale arm.

Chu Tianyu quickly wrapped his hand with his clothing, pressing down firmly. The fabric, soft and delicate, seemed impervious to the blood and astonishingly effective at stemming the flow. In no time at all, the bleeding had stopped.

"This cloth has an incredible ability to stop bleeding!" he murmured. It was perhaps the only silver lining he'd encountered that day, offering a small measure of solace to his wounded spirit.

Something caught his attention, and Chu Tianyu examined his attire more closely, his confusion deepening. "Huh, what is this garment made of? It's not my suit. Could someone have changed my clothes while I was unconscious?" But he quickly dismissed the thought. With an earthquake happening, who would bother changing someone's clothes instead of rescuing them? And why only change the clothes and not offer help?

Chu Tianyu took a closer look at himself and realized that the clothes he now wore were not his original attire. He was dressed in a robe reminiscent of ancient times. Despite a bit of grime, it was clearly silvery-white and felt incredibly soft and comfortable. It was luxurious, majestic, and opulent—qualities that a mere suit could never match.

"Ah, how could my hands have changed like this!" Chu Tianyu, well into his twenties, was accustomed to the paleness of his hands from constantly sitting in an office, but the hands before him were beyond comparison. His fingers were delicate and graceful, seemingly boneless, and his skin was so pure and unblemished it was as if carved from the finest white jade. They were the kind of hands that would incite envy and jealousy in even the most celebrated female stars.

Taking in his entire appearance, Chu Tianyu was bewildered. Was this really him? His height had shrunk from over 1.7 meters to around 1.6 meters, losing more than a dozen centimeters. His arms had slimmed down, his waist had narrowed, and his legs had thinned out, leaving him looking frail and vulnerable, more like an undernourished child than a grown man.

Suddenly, Chu Tianyu's mind was flooded with a barrage of foreign thoughts!

"Ah!" He was gripped by a pain far more severe than any he had previously experienced, as if his brain was being forcibly crammed with countless pieces of information, inflicting a soul-deep agony far more intense than any physical pain.

"Ah, father, mother, the Qin Empire..." Scenes flickered rapidly before him as strange words spilled from Chu Tianyu's lips.

High above, in the biting winds of the ninth heaven, stood four men adorned in robes of blue, silver-white, gray, and snow-white. They were positioned at the cardinal points, encircling a majestic golden dragon.

The presence of each man and the dragon was overwhelmingly powerful. The fierce winds, capable of reducing steel to dust, couldn't even flutter the hem of their garments. The space around them rippled, unable to contain the sheer force of their auras, which threatened to shatter at any moment.

"Great Sage Ao Xingyun, I suggest you hand over the token willingly. It would be in everyone's best interest," the man in the blue robe said, his voice cool and detached. His face was obscured as if veiled by a mist.

Witnessing this, the golden dragon's eyes narrowed, replaced by a surge of towering rage. "Yugong, I considered you a brother and confided in you about the ruins. To think you would betray our trust!" The dragon's bellow, laden with fury, surged towards the man named Yugong, only to be deflected by the invisible ripples surrounding him.

After speaking, the golden-eyed dragon fixed its gaze on the man in the blue robe, seemingly awaiting an explanation.

The blue-robed man remained silent, guilt apparently weighing on his conscience. The surrounding clouds thickened, nearly obscuring his form.

Seeing Yugong's silence, the other three grew anxious, fearing he might renege and jeopardize their plans. After all, his bond with Ao Xingyun was that of brotherhood, whereas his alliance with them was merely temporary.

Lei Chongshan, the man in the silver-white robe, spoke up with impatience, "Fellow Daoist Yugong, it's said that those not of our kind have different hearts. Do you truly believe he considers you a brother? If so, why would he withhold the secrets of the ruins from you?"

The man in the gray robe chimed in, "Daoist Yugong, as a Quasi Sovereign, these ruins could be the key to your ascension to a true Immortal Sovereign. If Ao Xingyun truly regarded you as a brother, he'd want the best for you!"

Clearly, the man in gray understood Yugong's inner turmoil. The allure of immortality was irresistible to any Saint, and they would gamble their lives on even the faintest glimmer of hope.

Yugong shuddered. Though his face was hidden, everyone could sense the profound impact of the words on him, unsettling even his Quasi Sovereign composure.

Ao Xingyun felt urgency creeping in, aware that Yugong held the key to their predicament. His destiny was almost literally in Yugong's hands. With a great mission yet to fulfill, how could he allow himself to fall in this forsaken place, to be bested by lesser beings?

Among them, Ao Xingyun's cultivation was the least, merely a peak sage, while the others were Quasi Sovereigns. Yet, his strength surpassed them all. As the Five-clawed Golden Holy Dragon of the Dragon Clan, his formidable lineage granted him a might that could contend with any of the four.

But his wisdom prevailed over arrogance. He was confident in his ability to best any one of them in single combat, to remain undefeated against two, and to retreat unscathed from three. But against all four, his fate was uncertain, especially since they had undoubtedly come prepared.

"Yugong, if this were just any ordinary Immortal Ruins, I would certainly let you have it. You're aware that the human race's inheritance means nothing to me. However, this situation is different. This is the burial ground of my ancestors, and I absolutely will not allow anyone to disturb their peace, or I will fight to the death!"

Dragons are known for their pride, and Ao Xingyun, being a king among them, had already made a considerable concession with his words.

"You just can't bear to let go of these ruins. Are you sure you're not just making up stories about your ancestors?" the man in the gray robe scoffed.

"Feng Wuya, you contemptible scoundrel, it must be you who's been stirring up trouble between Yugong and me. Yugong would never act this way otherwise." Ao Xingyun's massive dragon eyes bore into Feng Wuya with such fury that he looked ready to devour him whole.

"Regardless of whether this is the Dragon Clan's inheritance, acquiring it will surely benefit us. Moreover, having already offended Ao Xingyun today, we're bound to face his wrath eventually. Do you really think you can escape his vengeance on your own?"

Xue Wuheng, the man in the snow-white robe who had been silent until now, spoke up with a voice as cold and piercing as eternal ice, sending shivers down their spines.

His words struck a chord with them. Individually, they were no match for Ao Xingyun, and given the Dragon Clan's protective nature, the news of this incident would surely bring retribution upon them. Their only option was to band together to eliminate Ao Xingyun and then eradicate all life in the region, leaving no trace behind.

To them, the countless lives in this region were mere ants, insignificant and easily extinguished, provided the incident remained a secret. This was precisely why they had chosen the remote Vast Continent for their ambush—a desolate place, bereft of powerful beings, where no one of importance would bother with such a forsaken land.

Lei Chongshan and Feng Wuya's expressions shifted, settling into a look of resolute determination. Yugong, who had been undecided, finally made his choice: "Ao Xingyun, this is the last time I will address you as Brother Ao. You know I've been at the Quasi Sovereign level for over a thousand years. Without a stroke of luck, I might never have the chance to advance further in my lifetime. I'm left with no choice but to take this risk. I hope you won't hold it against me in the afterlife."

"Fine, fine, fine," Ao Xingyun said with a laugh that was more of a snarl. He had always known that his end might come, but never had he imagined it would be at the hands of his own friend—his only friend, at that.

"Come on then, show me what you've got. If you're too weak, maybe one or two of you will join me in my downfall. I wouldn't mind the company!" Ao Xingyun, having released all restraints, was brimming with unbridled spirit. Each word he spoke seemed to stir the heavens and earth, as he gazed defiantly upon the gathered Sovereigns.