Chapter 359: The Second-to-Last Dou Emperor of the Continent: Wind Emperor
When Mo Yu heard the title "Earth Supreme," his heart tightened, and his expression became darker than ever.
On the Dou Qi Continent, even the leaders of the Soul Clan or the Gu Clan might be puzzled by such a term. Only Mo Yu understood the true meaning behind it.
Earth Supreme—this was a rank from the Great Thousand World.
"Hehe, I knew I wasn't mistaken. You are indeed extraordinary," the ancient, weathered voice rang out again, as if sensing Mo Yu's internal shift.
Hearing the voice again, Mo Yu forced himself to calm down. While his mind raced to formulate a plan, his silver eyes scanned his surroundings, but he still found nothing.
"Don't bother looking for me, I am right here."
Just as Mo Yu looked around, a brilliant blue light burst from the ground, catching him by surprise and causing him to retreat in haste. However, the moment he stepped back, he realized, to his shock, that an immense force had quietly frozen him in place.
His body immobilized, Mo Yu's expression changed rapidly. Just as he was considering escape routes, the blue light slowly shifted, eventually forming the ghostly figure of an old man.
The phantom was clothed in a flowing blue robe, with hair and beard white as snow. His face was lined with age, and his calm eyes shimmered faintly with wisdom. The moment the phantom appeared, Mo Yu felt a deep, oppressive force rising from within himself, as if the figure touched the core of his very being.
"Hmm, what an interesting state you're in," the elder remarked, his voice carrying a trace of surprise as he gazed at Mo Yu. "You clearly have the aura of an Earth Supreme, yet your strength is only at the Dou Emperor level. Could it be that something happened to you, and you're rebuilding your strength from scratch?"
Mo Yu's heart trembled upon hearing this. He had already figured out that this elder was a soul remnant, but he hadn't expected the elder to discern his current state so easily. Thankfully, it seemed the elder hadn't detected the truth about his reincarnation—after all, such phenomena were nearly impossible to grasp, even in the Great Thousand World.
"I didn't realize there was a senior here. I apologize for intruding and hope you'll forgive me," Mo Yu said politely, his thoughts racing.
Although the old man was merely a soul remnant, the terrifying aura he emitted was something Mo Yu had never felt before, not even from Lei Ying. Moreover, the elder's mention of the Earth Supreme realm led Mo Yu to believe that this man might have been a figure of supreme power in his prime, someone who once stood at the pinnacle of the lower planes.
Realizing this, Mo Yu couldn't help but tense up. He had suspected there were deep secrets within the Yun Lan Sect, but discovering a person of such immense power hidden here was truly unexpected.
The phantom paid no attention to Mo Yu's polite words and simply stared at him for a moment. Then, raising his hand, the elder summoned the pure, blue energy of the surrounding space, pulling it toward himself.
As the elder continued, the energy, visible to the naked eye, began converging, turning from gaseous to a thick, liquid-like form. Gradually, the concentrated energy became solid, condensing into a smooth, head-sized blue sphere.
With all the energy gathered, the bright, blue energy orb floated in the old man's palm. Mo Yu's eyes lit up with interest—this energy was ten times stronger than the thunder energy he had absorbed from the Xuan Yin Venomous Thunder. If he could absorb this Wind Spirit Orb, his power would undoubtedly soar several stars.
"You seem interested in this," the old man said, noticing Mo Yu's intense gaze. "If you were in your peak state, this orb would be as insignificant as weeds under your feet. But in your current condition, I imagine it would help you greatly. Since fate has brought us together, how about I gift you this Wind Spirit Orb?"
Hearing this, Mo Yu's silver eyes narrowed. While the Wind Spirit Orb was indeed tempting, he had learned long ago that when someone offers unsolicited favors, they often have ulterior motives. Mo Yu had seen too much of the world to be easily fooled.
"Rest assured, I have no ill intentions toward you. To be precise, I am already long dead," the old man said calmly, seemingly reading Mo Yu's mind. "What you see before you is merely the remnant of my soul, slowly withering away over the years. I can't harm you, even if I wanted to."
Mo Yu wasn't surprised that the old man could read his thoughts so easily. With a smile, Mo Yu replied, "After talking for so long, I still don't know your name, senior."
The elder let out a faint smile, one that carried the pride of someone who had once been peerless. "I am Qing Lingsu, but many called me the Wind Emperor."
"The Wind Emperor?"
Mo Yu's expression shifted upon hearing the title. He knew exactly what that name signified.
Clearly, this mysterious elder, hidden within the Gate of Life and Death, had once been a Dou Emperor who shook the world!
No wonder he was so familiar with the ranks of the Great Thousand World. He had broken through the shackles of the lower planes and reached the Great Thousand World, just like a Dou Emperor!
However, Mo Yu didn't know when this "Wind Emperor" had ascended to the Great Thousand World or why he had left a soul remnant in the Dou Qi Continent.
"So, you're the Wind Emperor... You must have shattered the void and ascended to the Great Thousand World, but why do you have a remnant soul here?" Mo Yu asked curiously, sensing that the elder bore him no ill will.
"Forget calling me 'senior.' You and I were once equals. You can just call me by name," the old man said, dismissing the formal title.
Mo Yu thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll call you Senior Qing."
Although they might have been equals at their peaks, the Wind Emperor was clearly from tens of thousands of years ago, while Mo Yu had only been in his early thirties when he ascended. Calling him senior didn't feel inappropriate.
The phantom elder didn't argue with Mo Yu's decision. He had noticed that Mo Yu's soul was still remarkably young. While appearances could be deceiving, the state of one's soul was immutable—bodies could be replaced, but the soul was the essence of life.
This discovery intrigued the elder, as even in the talent-filled Great Thousand World, it was rare to find someone as young as Mo Yu who had reached the Earth Supreme level.
After some thought, the phantom elder smiled and said, "Indeed, I shattered the void and entered the Great Thousand World. If you must know, I was the second-to-last person on this continent to break through to Dou Emperor. The last one, of course, was none other than the legendary Tuoshe Ancient Emperor, the number one on the Heavenly Flame Ranking."
"The second-to-last?"
Mo Yu was taken aback. He hadn't expected the Wind Emperor to be the penultimate person to become a Dou Emperor.
It made sense, though. People always remembered the first and the last, while the second-place finisher was often forgotten.
For tens of thousands of years, people had obsessed over the last Dou Emperor, Tuoshe Ancient Emperor, but no one cared about the second-to-last Dou Emperor.
After revealing his past, the Wind Emperor continued, "When I entered the Great Thousand World, the energy and resources there were far more abundant than those on the Dou Qi Continent. My cultivation, which had stagnated for some time, began to rise once more. But…"
A bitter smile crept onto the phantom's face. "But the Great Thousand World is teeming with strong individuals. Even a Dou Emperor is merely considered an Earth Supreme there. Although I had some influence, I was far from the top. During a battle over an ancient ruin, I was betrayed by two of my enemies, both Earth Supremes, and ended up gravely injured and killed."
"What about now, Senior Qing?" Mo Yu raised an eyebrow.
"I already told you, I'm long dead. What remains of me is just a fragment of my soul," the elder said with a shake of his head. "I was only able to retain this piece of my soul thanks to the Gate of Life and Death. While the gate cannot reverse death, it can preserve a remnant of my soul. That is why you're able to see me."
Hearing this, Mo Yu finally started to believe the elder's story and nodded slightly. Although he had never been to the Great Thousand World, he could easily imagine how fierce the competition there must be. On the Dou Qi Continent, a Dou Emperor was practically invincible, but in the Great Thousand World, they were far from supreme.
"And your connection to the Yun Lan Sect?" Mo Yu asked, still harboring one final question.
If the Wind Emperor had close ties to the sect, Mo Yu would need to be cautious. After all, he had forcibly disbanded the Yun Lan Sect, and it wouldn't be surprising if the Wind Emperor had laid a trap for him.
Sensing the tension in the air, the Wind Emperor chuckled and waved his hand dismissively. "I understand your concerns. But you needn't worry. I have no deep ties to the Yun Lan Sect, even if it was you who caused its disbandment."
Noticing Mo Yu's lingering skepticism, the phantom elder explained further. "After returning to the Dou Qi Continent, thanks to the Gate of Life and Death, I had no real strength left. If it weren't for the gate's protection, even a Dou Emperor could have killed me. During this time, I encountered a wind-attribute expert named Yun Jingtian and helped him establish the Yun Lan Sect in Zhongzhou. Due to the vast wind-attribute energy stored within the Gate of Life and Death, each sect master would undergo a trial inside the gate, which would enhance their strength significantly. This helped the sect gain a foothold in Zhongzhou."
The elder paused and then continued, "However, besides Yun Jingtian, the first sect master, none of the later leaders knew of my existence. I simply stayed within the gate, observing each successor, hoping to find one with the potential to break through to Dou Emperor."
"But after a catastrophe a few hundred years ago, the Yun Lan Sect was driven out of Zhongzhou. Since then, the sect's power has weakened, and the talent of its successors has also declined. The girl from three years ago, Nalan Yanran, was the most promising talent in nearly a hundred years," the elder sighed.
Upon hearing this, Mo Yu finally relaxed. The Wind Emperor had only a superficial connection to the Yun Lan Sect, and except for the first sect master, no one knew of his existence.
Suddenly, Mo Yu realized something and asked, "Senior Qing, do you plan to cultivate a new Dou Emperor?"
"Hehe, you've guessed it," the Wind Emperor smiled, then sighed. "Though I died, there's still a chance for me to return. During the battle in the Great Thousand World, I may have been defeated, but my physical body survived. Before I died, I sealed it in a hidden place within the Great Thousand World. If I can return there, I can use a secret technique to revive myself, though it would come at great cost to my strength. Still, it would allow me to live again."
The elder's eyes gleamed as he continued, "But in my current state, returning to the Great Thousand World is impossible. That's why I sought to train a new Dou Emperor. However, producing a Dou Emperor is no easy task. Even in the Great Thousand World, cultivating an Earth Supreme is incredibly difficult. So, over the centuries, I've done little besides slowly draining the energy within the Gate of Life and Death."
The Wind Emperor glanced at Mo Yu with a hopeful look, which made Mo Yu pause. "Senior Qing, do you intend to place your hopes on me?"
"Hehe, you catch on quickly," the elder chuckled. "Since cultivating a new Dou Emperor is akin to reaching for the stars, why not pin my hopes on someone who's already an Earth Supreme? Although I don't know why you've fallen from the higher planes and why your strength has dropped to the Dou Emperor level, I trust you have a way to regain your peak."
Mo Yu didn't confirm or deny this. "At the moment, I'm only at the Dou Emperor level, so it's too early to talk about such things."
The Wind Emperor had mistaken Mo Yu for someone from the higher planes, and Mo Yu saw no reason to correct him. After all, Mo Yu had nearly broken through to the Great Thousand World himself.
Seeing Mo Yu's caution, the elder didn't press the matter. His eyes flashed as he shifted the topic.
"As a former Earth Supreme, I'm sure you've realized the secret of why the Dou Qi Continent can no longer produce Dou Emperors, haven't you?"
Mo Yu's expression changed instantly, his silver eyes narrowing as he focused on the elder. "What do you mean by that, Senior Qing?"
"Hehe, if you agree to cooperate with me, I'll reveal the secret as part of our deal."
The Wind Emperor smiled confidently, and with a flick of his finger, the endless stormy world around them began to swirl. A tornado formed in the air, condensing into a small, radiant seed, from which countless wind swirls rose.
"The Source of the Emperor!"
(End of the Chapter)
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