Sage Monarch (Sage Emperor)

The asura used the moment that the spell formation began to activate to go all out against Yang Qi.

He forced the blood out of his own body and sent it into the Grand Emperor's Pagoda, hoping to use it to kill Yang Qi.

No longer was the asura resorting to trickery and deception. He was directly attacking, holding nothing back in his attempt to seize Yang Qi’s body and soul. After all of the observation, he was confident that he knew exactly how strong Yang Qi was, and how to deal with him.

“I know you inside and out, brat. You might have some strange energy arts, but you’re not really very strong. In fact, you’re sadly weak. At first, I assumed that treacherous chancellor of yours must have sent you here with some sort of secret item or technique. But it seems that’s not the case. If he had, I would have noticed it already. So, brat, the time has come for you to die!”

Masses of blood formed together into a clone of the asura, who stood menacingly above Yang Qi in the Grand Emperor's Pagoda.

The only thing Yang Qi had that could fight back was the Strength of the Hell-Crushing Godmammoth.

Of course, the asura wasn’t able to fight with all of his power. His true body was still locked up in steel chains, bound by magical law, making it possible for him to only use about one percent of his actual strength.

If he were able to use all of his power, Yang Qi would have had no choice but to just accept death. In fact, even that one percent of power was enough to make Yang Qi feel like all of Mount Tai was weighing down onto him, threatening to crush him to death.

Therefore, all he could do was wait until the spell formation fully activated.

Meanwhile, outside….

In the Heavendawn Quarry, the hordes of demon-devils had caused the region of the mine to be filled with masses of demon and devil energy. The sun, moon, and stars were obscured, making the sky pitch black.

The Crown Prince was in the middle of it all, fighting fiercely with Young Master Shroud-Heaven. The surrounding mountains cracked and crumbled as the demon-devils operated the spell formation, and streams of empyrean-baleful energy became monsters that shot toward the Crown Prince in deadly attacks.

However, there was something about the Crown Prince that made him seem almost like an emperor. In fact, the image of a shadowy emperor could be seen behind him, something powerful enough to cause the universe to tremble.

Any demon or devil energy that got close to him was instantly vanquished. That shadowy emperor almost seemed to have stepped out of the ancient past, and was an entity who was completely at one with the Rich-Lush Continent.

“Grand Emperor Rich-Lush!” Young Master Shroud-Heaven said, his face falling. “I can’t believe that you acquired the legacy of the first emperor of these lands, Grand Emperor Rich-Lush!”

“That’s exactly right!” the Crown Prince said, brandishing his halberd, causing stars, suns, moons, mountains, and rivers to swirl around him. “I did acquire his legacy! And let me tell you something else. He was the ultimate monarch of the Rich-Lush Continent. After all, the continent still bears his name. The essence power of these lands come from him, and with that on my side, not even a Great Sage could kill me! When I reach the Great Sage level, everyone will have to bow to my wishes, even the four institutes. You might have set up your Nine-Heavens Ten-Earths Demon-Devil-Horde World-Ending Grand Spell Formation down in the Heavendawn Quarry, but I don't care. I’m going to show you what it truly means to be the ruler of this continent! It means shaping the place to your wishes!”

RUMBLE!

The aura of a grand emperor grew stronger on the Crown Prince, until the essence power of the lands began to tremble. It was as if he were the true sovereign lord of the continent, and that all of the vital energy of heaven and earth was willing to bow to him in allegiance.

According to the rumors, the first sovereign lord of the continent was Grand Emperor Rich-Lush. After the Yore-Wilds Continent was destroyed, he was the emperor who united the lands.

Back at that time, the place didn't even have a proper name.

But after Grand Emperor Rich-Lush rose to power, it came to be called the Rich-Lush Continent. Eventually, he left to parts unknown, and the dynasty he had founded fell into decline. Other dynasties rose and fell, until modern times when the Sage Ancestor Dynasty held sway.

However, there was no denying that only under the rulership of Grand Emperor Rich-Lush had the continent been truly united. Back then, his words had been law, and he had controlled everything from the founding of sects to the shape of the land itself. Back in his days, the four institutes had been places of learning operated by the Confucian scholars and intellectuals attached to the imperial court. They had been tasked with finding talented individuals to serve the government.

It was nothing like the modern state of affairs. Nowadays, the imperial dynasty could hardly stand up to the four institutes and the other powerful organizations. Imperial orders were hardly effective outside of Capital City, and many people throughout the lands were declaring themselves kings and founding nations.

WHIZZZ!

Almost as soon as the aura of a grand emperor appeared on the Crown Prince, Yang Qi could sense the Grand Emperor's Pagoda trembling, as if it might fly out into the open at any moment.

“Dammit!” the asura shouted. “How did that Crown Prince get the legacy of Grand Emperor Rich-Lush? The emperor built this pagoda, and now it’s trying to find its rightful owner. No! I can’t let that happen!”

‘What? Grand Emperor Rich-Lush?’ Yang Qi thought, shocked.

He had read his history, and knew that Grand Emperor Rich-Lush was the first ruler of the continent. He was the most preeminent of the ancient Great Sages, and had apparently even broken past that level to whatever mysterious higher level existed beyond.

Right now, Great Sages were the ultimate figures in the Rich-Lush Continent, but there was definitely a higher level. However, other than Grand Emperor Rich-Lush, no one had ever reached it.

The fact that the Grand Emperor's Pagoda had been created by him went to show how mighty it was.

Now Yang Qi realized why the chancellor had intended for the pagoda to go to the Crown Prince. It made perfect sense for him to use an item like that to achieve a breakthrough. It would obviously bring out the best of him in terms of his cultivation.

In fact, it now seemed a foregone conclusion that the Crown Prince would become a Great Sage.

Perhaps he would even become like Grand Emperor Rich-Lush himself, and unite the continent under his rule. Perhaps the Demi-Immortal Institute would come to serve him as a branch of the government, with the other three institutes as subsidiaries.

However, there was no way Yang Qi would just let that happen.

“Hurry!” Young Master Shroud-Heaven shouted. “Nine-Heavens Ten-Earths! Demon-Devil-Horde! World-Ending Grand Spell Formation!”

He quickly pushed the spell formation to greater heights. Instantly, the summoned monsters in the Heavendawn Quarry vanished, replaced by a demon-devil aura from the primeval Yore-Wilds. At the same time, the earth cracked and split, allowing mud to flow up into what at first looked like a mountain. However, when combined with the demonic energy, it took the shape of a gigantic demon-god that stood behind Young Master Shroud-Heaven the same as the shadowy emperor stood behind the Crown Prince.

“The ancient Great Sages of the Demonfolk were the true sovereign lords of the Rich-Lush Continent!” Young Master Shroud-Heaven shouted. “Back in the days of the Yore-Wilds, Grand Emperor Rich-Lush was nothing! Once I kill that asura, I’ll be in the Great Sage level! I trained for months in the Hell of Suras, Crown Prince, and experienced pain you can't even imagine. And all that pain has led to this moment, in which I kill you!”

“Yes, Young Master Shroud-Heaven!”

“Your days are coming to an end, Crown Prince!”

“Kill the Crown Prince!”

The angry shouts of the countless demon-devils became like a massive vortex, filling the area. Meanwhile, flames danced in the depths of the Heavendawn Quarry, in what looked like an eruption of subterranean fire.

The huge subterranean palace collapsed into rubble and a massive axe flew forth, splitting the asura’s head into two, causing white brain matter to splatter about.

Even as the asura screamed, a divine lamp appeared beneath him that sent flames up to burn him alive.

At the same time, masses of divine weapons and magical treasures formed from vital energy appeared in the area, which was none other than the power of the spell formation. The demon-devils above were all working together to exterminate the asura.

Of course, the asura had been fated to die all along, but now it had hope in the form of Yang Qi.

“Sura Rebirth Magic! Sura nirvana, boundless battle spirit! Oh god of suras, mysterious god among gods, ruler of hell, bless me with your power….” The asura was now resorting to a powerful magical enchantment. His body collapsed, and his aura vanished, causing his flesh and blood to rush into the Grand Emperor's Pagoda.

Instead of being absorbed by the pagoda, his flesh and blood began to take the shape of a body again, right in the location where Yang Qi was hiding.

“Scared, brat? It's time to get exterminated! All of your energy arts will soon be mine!”

It was as if the asura had been completely reborn, and now had Yang Qi completely in his control. A wicked smile covered his face as he reached out to grab Yang Qi, easily crushing his defensive true energy.

The power of this asura was not something that Yang Qi qualified to fight against.

However, Yang Qi wasn’t flustered at all. He quickly called upon his God-Devil Seal, converging all of his attention, all of his true energy, all of his blood into his forehead. It was almost as if he were ready to cast aside his fleshly body.

Of course, the asura sensed that.

“That won’t do you any good. No matter where you try to hide, I can get to you!” With that, the power of the asura flowed into Yang Qi’s forehead.