Heaven's Devourer

The moonlight filtered down like silver snow, bathing the palace. The glass tiles beneath his feet shimmered in responsive splendor. As the light hit the tiles, each tile reflected many spirit designs. A mere tile here would be an elite immortal treasure back in the Dong Sheng Divine Continent.

But these spirit designs were specifically for durability, making it so that even if elite experts fought within the palace, the tiles would not easily break. The palaces at the Immortal's Capital were historic, and even the simplest glass tile had hundreds of thousands of years of history.

On this hectic evening, Wu Yu sat at the top of the palace, a mirror in hand. He was inspecting the ancient "Yu" character on his brow. He had not made any move to dodge, but his body was already completely bound.

On his left, at the edge of Wu Yu's vision, "Sun Wudao" shook his head. "This is the visage that you have the best feeling for, but it's not how I actually look. We still have a long time together. I had best revert to my original form."

Saying thus, his form changed before Wu Yu's eyes, turning into a black-haired, middle-aged man with a long beard. He looked like a martial cultivator of 300 years, and fairly young.

To look like this at his age was as outstanding as Wu Yu had ever seen. Looks aside, his aura and presence were unrivaled by mortals, something that Wu Yu felt keenly. One of the immortal's eyes blazed like a small sun, while the other shone like a blue moon. Blue energy was even streaming out from the moon.

This was his true appearance.

Wu Yu could only say that they did look very similar. Others might even immediately recognize them as father and son.

He was used to seeing the "Le" character on Prince Le.

There was not much difference between them, and Wu Yu himself did not know how the word had appeared.

"It's been hiding for many years. Reasonable that you're not used to it resurfacing now."

As Wu Yu resurfaced from his thoughts, a familiar voice was speaking to him. Wu Yu turned his head slightly to a wizened elder beside him. His hair was dry and patchy and his stature was stooped. His eyes were rheumy yellow and he looked wracked with age. Wu Yu had not seen him for a long while now. He was Wu Yu's greatest regret, and he sat by Wu Yu now, making him feel like he had returned to the Heavenly Sword Sect in a dream.

He was Sun Wudao.

This semblance was even closer to Wu Yu's heart than the Dong Yue Wu emperor or Feng Xueya.

But Wu Yu knew that he was the Ancient Emperor. Wu Yu had been awaiting his appearance, and he was prepared. He did not know how he had done it, but it all spoke of him as far beyond Wu Yu's ken.

The difference between him and the Yan Huang Ancient Emperor was just like the difference between him and Heavenly Immortal Hao Tian back then. Wu Yu now knew how great the disparity was. Ordinary people and martial cultivators, martial cultivators and immortals—the difference was immense.

However, Wu Yu's own aura was fierce and overbearing. In comparison, the Ancient Emperor was reserved and dignified, but hiding an inner fire behind his composure.

This was not the appearance of the Dong Yue Wu emperor, Feng Xueya, or Sun Wudao.

Wu Yu did not speak. Luo Pin had asked him to make his decision quickly, and he had been racking his brains to think of a method. But he knew that he could not probe too obviously. The Ancient Emperor would have to reveal it himself. And he had come here today for a reason.

The two were in the wind, above the lively night.

"Let me tell you about the matter from start to finish." The Ancient Emperor had a small smile on his face. He was in no hurry to gain Wu Yu's approval.

Wu Yu nodded in response.

The Ancient Emperor clearly knew that Wu Yu was doubtful. That was why he was going to gain Wu Yu's trust here.

"It was quite a number of years ago. I was deep in the ocean, and found something buried there, perhaps for all of eternity before I found it. It was the Milky Way Suppressing Godly Metal Treasure. For someone of my cultivation level, it was a godly treasure. I spent a long time studying it and training. It had some connection with the Ruyi Jingu Bang as well, but in the end, I was unable to conquer it. I came to a conclusion: what it needed was not me, but a ‘blank’ inheritor. I was immeasurably disappointed that I could not possess it."

As he said this, he reached out with a hand. He did not touch Wu Yu, but crooked his finger. Wu Yu felt the invisible Ruyi Jingu Bang within him suddenly appear, as though awakened by the Ancient Emperor.

It continued to whirl wildly within Wu Yu's body, as though slightly excited.

"Old friends. It followed me for about 300 years. We were together day and night, but I could not inherit it." The Ancient Emperor smiled and shook his head.

In Wu Yu's mind, the Ancient Emperor was a high and mighty being, who could slay millions without saying a word. Just like how he had wiped out the Ghostly Yan Tribe.

But now, he seemed like a learned elder, chatting with Wu Yu. It was hard to see him as the only immortal in the whole Jambu Realm.

"He can actually communicate with the Ruyi Jingu Bang!" Ming Long was aghast. Because the Ruyi Jingu Bang had chosen Wu Yu, being able to communicate with it was completely unthinkable. And from her perspective, even more unthinkable!

Wu Yu himself was a little unsettled, because the Ancient Emperor was proving his identity to Wu Yu in his own way.

However, even so, Wu Yu continued to keep his initial guard up. He was swept up in a storm and had to make his choices.

Otherwise, the road ahead would be nothing but uncertainty and fear. There was no life to be found there.

The Ancient Emperor looked up to the vast sky. "Afterwards, I understood that it was impossible for me. But I could not let others have it so easily. So I decided to give it to my child. In the end, my most important child was born. He was unusual, and was worthy of inheriting the Ruyi Jingu Bang and the Great Sage, Heaven's Equal's legacy. But I knew the princes and princesses in the Immortal's Capital. They lacked experience, and so their daos were not the best. They lacked depth and perspective. Therefore, I hatched a bold plan."

The most important child that he spoke of was naturally Wu Yu.

"So you put me in the Dong Sheng Divine Continent, the human world?" Wu Yu finally spoke.

The Ancient Emperor nodded. "Yes. I considered this problem before. From a mortal's perspective, entering the world of cultivation would be something different. Of course, it lived up to my expectations. Growing up in that world nurtured a tenacity and drive that few can compare to."

Wu Yu was silent.

Unruffled, he continued, looking at Wu Yu, "I began to design challenges. First, Feng Xueya, an outcast disciple from the Shushan Immortal Sect. When I saw him, he was already dead at the hands of a little demon. I spoke to his soul and got to know his story. Therefore, I conjured a mystical spirit to possess his body, reanimating him. Of course, this was also part of ‘me.’ Bringing you back to the Heavenly Sword Sect, accepting you as a disciple, and all that you heard from Feng Xueya came from me."

Wu Yu had no way of ascertaining the reliability of this information, but he nodded nevertheless.

The Ancient Emperor's meaning was that the real Feng Xueya had been long dead. Wu Yu's master and savior had been the spirit of the Ancient Emperor in the body of Feng Xueya, essentially a clone of the Ancient Emperor.

The Ancient Emperor continued.

"Back then, I chose the tiny Heavenly Sword Sect as your entry from mortal into cultivation. And then I searched for a place nearby, where you could grow through your childhood years as a mortal. I found the Dong Yue Wu Kingdom nearby. I considered letting you grow up as a farmer, but that felt too low. In the end, I hit upon mortal princes. That could add some steel into your personality, some gumption to cultivate dao. At that time, the Dong Yue Wu emperor had just died to an assassination, and I took his body and created another clone, assuming the role of a distant father to you."

His meaning was that Wu Yu's entire childhood had been under his control. This included Heavenly Immortal Hao Tian, the Dong Yue Wu Emperor, Feng Xueya, and Sun Wudao as well.

Wu Yu was in disbelief. "And all my brothers and sisters. Were they all your children? Wu You included?"

The Ancient Emperor shook his head smilingly. "Not so. Those older than you were all the blood kin of the original Dong Yue Wu emperor. Those younger than you are children of my clone. But back then, I did not make any changes to the Dong Yue Wu emperor's  body. Therefore, they can be considered children of the original Dong Yue Wu emperor, and not blood-related to you.” 

Wu Yu found this hard to accept. This was the Ancient Emperor's version of the truth.

The Ancient Emperor smiled. "I think you might find this an incredible tale. But this is the truth. Otherwise, how could things be so coincidental? You immediately met me, and then the Heavenly Sword Sect, and then Sun Wudao, who coincidentally delivered the Ruyi Jingu Bang into your hands. You might have thought that it was all luck, but it was my treasure, which I delivered personally to your hands without you knowing."