Chapter 196 - 177: Who Is the Strongest in the World? His Name Is Chen Sha!

Chapter 196: Chapter 177: Who Is the Strongest in the World? His Name Is Chen Sha!

The person inside the temple that fell from the sky had come to life!

Inside the South Study of Yuan Country, Emperor Yuan Gu Xuanong’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing the news. "Come to life?" he asked in disbelief. "What do you mean by ’come to life’?" For a moment, he couldn’t comprehend what that meant.

The little eunuch hastily replied in a trembling voice, "It means... the clay covering the body in the temple is cracking bit by bit, and there is the breath of a living person coming from his nostrils... Even his heartbeat can be heard."

Gu Xuanong’s expression grew extremely solemn. In an instant, countless thoughts raced through his mind in the South Study. After a moment, he said, "Summon the Divine Strategy King to the Imperial Palace. He will accompany me to take a look."

The Divine Strategy King, Gu Xuanhong, was his most trusted confidant. As his younger brother and a pillar of Yuan Country at the Great Innate Level, his profound power made him the strongest among the three Great Innate experts in Yuan Country.

A short while later, the Divine Strategy King swiftly entered the palace and paid his respects to Emperor Yuan. Escorted by a group of eunuchs and guards, the two proceeded directly to the Imperial Garden.

Looking from afar, the area was already tightly cordoned off by a large contingent of palace personnel. In the center of the garden’s myriad blooming flowers sat an Earth God Temple cast from yellow clay. No more than ten feet wide and ten feet tall, it had materialized completely and settled firmly on the ground.

CRASH.

At the same time, chunks of clay were flaking off the standing statue enshrined in the center of the temple.

THUMP!

THUMP!

THUMP!

A powerful heartbeat, resounding like a heavy drum, emanated from the clay statue. It carried a terrifying sense of oppression, making Gu Xuanong feel as though his own heart was forced to beat in sync with that rhythm. Within moments, he felt exceptionally strained, as if an invisible hand were tightly squeezing his heart.

It was precisely because of this forceful heartbeat that the palace soldiers surrounding the area were completely unable to approach within sixty feet of the Earth God Temple.

Seeing Emperor Yuan’s pale complexion, the Divine Strategy King hurriedly advised, "Emperor, you must not step any closer."

Gu Xuanong’s face was slightly pale. He quickly regulated his power to resist the sound of the heartbeat and said, "What a terrifying heart. Judging solely by the sound... the person inside this clay shell is an incredibly formidable existence. We..."

He vaguely sensed that this mysterious clay figure descending into the rear garden could either bring a horrific disaster to Yuan Country or present a serendipitous opportunity. He immediately shot a glance at the Divine Strategy King.

Gu Xuanhong understood Emperor Yuan’s silent cue and intentions. "Your Majesty, please step back. Let your younger brother go over and take a look." After saying so, he walked straight toward the Earth God Temple.

As he approached step by step, even a Great Innate expert like the Divine Strategy King felt his heart being faintly shaken by the heartbeat of the clay figure inside the temple, bearing immense pressure. Nevertheless, he withstood the strain and stopped right in front of the clay figure.

Now no more than three feet away, he carefully observed the clay figure. As chunks of earth continuously fell from its body, the clothing hidden beneath the dirt was revealed. The attire was remarkably archaic, completely unlike the fashion of the Divine Land World. When the cracked clay fell away from its face, a portion of the person’s features was finally exposed. It was a middle-aged man with loose, disheveled hair, clad in an ancient black robe, wearing a deeply stern and cold expression.

The more the Divine Strategy King observed, the more shocked he became. Sensing the aura of the black-robed man within the clay, he felt as if he were gazing up at a colossal dragon or a massive elephant, inexplicably developing the illusion of his own absolute insignificance.

"Just what kind of Cultivation does this person in the clay possess?" he wondered in deep fear and wariness. "With such a terrifyingly powerful body, it wouldn’t bode well for our Yuan Royal Family if he were allowed to awaken inside the Imperial Palace. It would be best to relocate him."

With that thought in mind, the Divine Strategy King immediately turned his head and spoke to Emperor Yuan in a grave tone, "This person cannot remain in the Imperial Palace. I suggest..."

However, right as he spoke, he noticed that the palace soldiers opposite him, as well as his Imperial Brother Gu Xuanong, were all staring behind him with expressions of sheer terror.

In the next moment, Emperor Yuan Gu Xuanong’s expression drastically changed as he cried out, "Quickly..."

A chill ran down the Divine Strategy King’s spine, and his heart pounded furiously as he realized what was happening. He thought, "Could it be...?"

He immediately prepared to stomp his foot and launch himself backward, intending to flee dozens of feet away without even turning his head.

Unexpectedly...

PAT!

A hand covered in clay suddenly clamped down onto his shoulder. With that touch, dirt cascaded from his arm like fine dust. Then, a voice spoke in a dialect slightly different from the languages of the Divine Land. It sounded somewhat stiff and eccentric, yet just intelligible enough for the Divine Strategy King to understand a bit.

"Where... is this place?"

The Divine Strategy King broke out into a cold sweat all over his body, feeling absolutely horrified. The hand on his shoulder felt as heavy as a mountain. Even though it merely rested there lightly, it completely immobilized his entire body. He couldn’t even turn his head.

He could only watch helplessly as Emperor Yuan shouted from across the garden, "This is the Divine Land, the Yuan Country Imperial Palace! Who are you, sir, and why did you fall from the sky...?"

At this moment, from the perspective of Emperor Yuan and the others, the arm resting on the Divine Strategy King’s shoulder belonged to the clay figure from the Earth God Temple. He had opened his eyes and, with half his body still caked in dirt, was staring at them all.

He was awake!

Yet, his eyes held the deep bewilderment of someone who had just awoken from a long dream. The clay figure listened to Gu Xuanong’s words. "The Divine Land, Yuan Country... Where is that?"

The confusion in his eyes deepened. "Who am I?"

As the figure spoke, the Divine Strategy King suddenly felt the weight on his shoulder lift. Overjoyed, he instantly bolted forward, rushing to a safe distance before turning around to look. He saw the man, whose black clothes and long hair were now half-revealed, staring dazedly at his own hands before gazing up at the sky.

"Who am I? Why am I here?" he asked himself.

Everyone in the entire Imperial Palace reacted as if facing a mortal enemy. The Divine Strategy King, in particular, looked at the revived clay figure with immense dread. If this person harbored any hostility, based solely on the immense strength he had just used to pin down his shoulder, there was likely no one in the world who could be his match.

Seeing the panic and unease on the Divine Strategy King’s face, Emperor Yuan also recognized the man’s terrifying power and danger. He stared with equal wariness as the clay figure plunged into a state of utter confusion.

"Who am I?"

"Who am I?"

The clay figure repeated the question to himself over and over, shaking his head continuously as if desperately searching his mind for memories that had slumbered for far too long. He looked exactly like someone who had slept for days on end and, upon waking suddenly, experienced a temporary loss of self.

But as time slowly ticked by, clarity began to return.

"Who am I? I am... the Demon... Marshal..."

The bewilderment in the man’s eyes was gradually replaced by lucid awareness. Looking at the crowd of palace personnel who were staring at him with absolute terror, he closed his eyes, frowned, and muttered to himself.

"I remember now...

"I am the Demon Marshal, Yang Mogu!

"I achieved the Broken Void and entered the Immortal Realm, falling into a deep slumber there to wait for the appearance of that legendary era..."

He took a step forward.

CRASH.

All the clay on his body crumbled and fell, revealing an incredibly robust physique that stood half a head taller than an ordinary person. His glossy black hair draped loosely over his shoulders, and his entire being exuded a formidable, god-like, and demonic aura.

The black-haired man, who called himself Demon Marshal Yang Mogu, looked at Emperor Yuan, the Divine Strategy King, and the rest of the palace crowd retreating in panic. Sensing the rules of heaven and earth around him, he glanced back at his own temple and murmured, "It seems that the era has finally arrived. I have descended from the Immortal Realm and returned to my former homeland."

With that said, he turned his gaze to Emperor Yuan and the others. Standing with his hands clasped behind his back, he asked, "Are you the Emperor?"

Emperor Yuan’s expression turned stern. "That is correct. I am the Emperor of Yuan Country. Who exactly are you?"

The black-haired man replied calmly, "I... am an Immortal to whom you must bow."

"An Immortal?" Gu Xuanong and the Divine Strategy King’s expressions drastically shifted. "You say you’re an Immortal? And you expect us to kneel?"

Yang Mogu said indifferently, "Indeed. Kneel!"

Those two simple words instantly whipped up a fierce gale within the Imperial Garden. An indescribable mental pressure and atmospheric phenomenon, akin to the collapse of the very heavens, bore down upon the hundreds and thousands of palace personnel present.

THUD THUD THUD THUD!!

In a mere instant, everyone’s bodies lost all control as their knees crashed heavily onto the ground. Their heads were forced down, bowing deeply into the dirt. Even the Divine Strategy King and Emperor Yuan, the two most distinguished figures in Yuan Country, were no exception.

Forced to his knees by the overwhelming pressure, Emperor Yuan’s face flushed crimson, and the veins bulged on his forehead. "I... am the Emperor of a nation!"

"Emperor?" the black-robed man asked softly as his footsteps drew near. "What does an Emperor amount to? Back in my day, when I was in a bad mood, I could casually crush someone like you to death with a wave of my hand."

Stepping in front of Gu Xuanong, he squatted down slightly. Grabbing the Emperor’s hair crown, he forcefully yanked his head back and said, "The only reason I haven’t killed you is because, after a thousand-year dream, I need you to tell me something. What is the current Cultivation System of this world?"

Held up by his head in complete humiliation, Gu Xuanong was forced to grit his teeth and answer. "Cultivation in the current world is centered around martial arts, ranging from the Lower Nine Streams to the Upper Three Grades, totaling Twelve Realms. The Lower Nine Streams train the physique, muscles, bones, and skin. The Upper Three Grades focus on Qi Cultivation, divided into Grandmaster, Great Grandmaster, and the highest Great Innate Level."

"Great Innate?"

The man named Yang Mogu turned to look at the Divine Strategy King, clearly sensing his Cultivation. "Is your Cultivation this so-called Great Innate?"

Oppressed by the invisible weight, the Divine Strategy King couldn’t even lift his head. He could only say hatefully, "Release the Emperor. Take everything out on me instead."

Yang Mogu spread his five fingers, and an invisible force gripped the Great Innate Level Divine Strategy King, dragging him right into his grasp. "Fine, then you answer. Is your Cultivation the Great Innate Level?"

Staring at Yang Mogu, the Divine Strategy King gritted his teeth and declared, "That’s right! My Cultivation represents the strongest First Realm in this world, the Great Innate Level!"

"Ha!" the man sneered in ridicule upon hearing this. "To think that a mere Upper Innate has become the strongest First Realm."

He sensed the rules between heaven and earth and remarked, "So it seems this world is exactly as those people predicted. It had to decline further before it could begin to recover...

"Does that mean before the world’s recent revival, the strongest individuals produced over a very long period were merely at the Upper Innate realm of the past?"

Looking at the Divine Strategy King with apathy, he asked, "Since your ’Great Innate’ is the strongest realm, then who is the strongest person in the current world?"

By asking for the foremost person in the world, he was asking who was number one under heaven.

The Divine Strategy King could feel the disdain in Yang Mogu’s eyes—the amused interest of someone looking at a mere ant. Yet, for the sake of Emperor Yuan’s safety, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and speak.

"The strongest person in the current world is named Chen Sha. He is the Daoist Sect Master of our Divine Land."