After listening to your description, Zhu Huowang's expression stiffened, and he wore an incredulous look on his face. He couldn't believe it. How could they, two insignificant individuals, survive in a place where even Transcendents and quasi-emperors might perish?
For a moment, Zhu Huowang felt quite frustrated, thinking that your teleportation ability was more of a curse than a blessing. He even thought it might be better for some Emperor to capture him instead.
However, Zhu Huowang quickly regained his composure. He suggested that they might not have been transported to the exact location you mentioned and that some of the rumors might be exaggerated or untrue.
Seeing Zhu Huowang's hopeful expression, you sighed, not wanting to shatter his hope. Instead, you pondered on what to do next. Staying put was not an option. If you could find a place similar to where you picked the Sacred Medicine before, there might still be a chance for survival.
This place wasn't necessarily a death trap; it just had hidden dangers, and you didn't know where the safe spots were or whether any of them were truly secure. As you contemplated, Zhu Huowang looked at you with hopeful eyes, suggesting that you could use your teleportation ability again to escape with them.
You glanced at Zhu Huowang and explained that your teleportation ability could only be used once a year, and it wasn't available in this location. Hearing this, Zhu Huowang's expression once again became tense, and he looked at you with some resentment.
"Escaping to this cursed place again... It seems like our journey in this simulated life ends here. I wonder if we'll be able to discover the secrets of this place," you mumbled as you read the text simulation.
Though your simulation character still had the presence of the Divine Emperor Taiyu, a safeguard activated in dire situations, you were aware that even the Divine Emperor was not invincible. In the vast expanse of the upper realms, there were peculiar forbidden areas, ten in total, known as the Ten Forbidden Territories or the Ten Dreadful Lands.
Attempting to enter these places, even for Emperors, posed a risk of falling. You had read about these forbidden areas in the records of the Taiyi Emperor's Palace. These areas had some mysterious origins, possibly tied to the heavens, and they existed to be left alone. As long as you didn't provoke them, they wouldn't harm the upper realms.
However, if a cultivator ventured into these places, the forbidden areas would reveal their true, terrifying nature. These forbidden lands were dangerous, but some lucky few emerged with extraordinary gains. They went from ordinary cultivators or talented youths to quasi-emperors or even surpassed many geniuses in their time, ultimately achieving Emperorhood.
In the upper realms, some peculiar customs had arisen as a result of these forbidden areas. Some beings on the brink of death would choose one of these forbidden territories as a last-ditch effort to seek opportunities that might prolong their lives or even help them reach Emperorhood.
Unfortunately, out of the countless beings who entered these forbidden areas, only a tiny fraction returned with incredible gains. According to the records in the Taiyi Emperor's Palace, there were less than a hundred such individuals throughout the entire history of the upper realms. Considering the millions of beings who entered these areas, the odds were incredibly slim, which was a chilling thought.
The text continued with your thoughts, wondering whether the place you were currently in was an undiscovered or unrecorded dangerous location, possibly on par with the Ten Forbidden Territories, or if the Divine Emperors knew about it but chose not to disclose its existence.
If it was the latter, it would be even more terrifying. In the midst of your contemplation, the text simulation carried on.
After hearing your words, Zhu Huowang's expression became tense, and he couldn't believe that you had just used a random method to decide which direction to go. He couldn't help but think that it was too reckless, considering the danger they were in.
He felt that you should reconsider and choose a different direction, as going west seemed ominous. However, you patted Zhu Huowang on the shoulder and reassured him not to be superstitious, but rather trust in luck. Zhu Huowang was left speechless by your response.
Originally, Zhu Huowang had a high opinion of you, seeing you as the top talent among the young generation in the upper realms. He believed that even the top-ranked individual on the Divine Saint List, Gu Xuan from the Longevity Gu Family, might not be able to match your abilities. He respected you and thought of you as a righteous and admirable person.
But now, he could only see you as a chaotic and scheming man who brought misfortune wherever he went. He couldn't help but think that going on an adventure or completing a simulation with you was equivalent to risking one's life ten times over.
Annoyed by your previous actions, you shrugged it off and mentioned that you might return to your original starting point no matter which direction you chose. However, as you continued, it became apparent that you didn't return to the same place but ended up in an unfamiliar location. This confirmed your suspicion that the directions here were chaotic and unreliable.
You had an inkling that no matter which way you walked, you might inexplicably end up at the dreaded blood-yellow river again. If that were the case, this journey could be doomed. Nevertheless, you considered it an opportunity to gather some information. During your previous encounter, you had been lured into the blood-yellow river without understanding its nature. This time, you could experiment and learn more about it.
In the end, you warned Zhu Huowang about the danger of the surroundings and advised him to close his senses and keep his eyes closed, following your lead. Although Zhu Huowang was hesitant, he ultimately chose to trust you, remaining vigilant and ready to flee or use his Divine Emperor's Artifact, the Devouring Essence Bead, at any moment.
As you continued on your path, marking your way as you went, you realized that you didn't return to your original location but arrived at an unfamiliar place. This further confirmed your suspicion that the directions in this area were chaotic and unreliable. About half an hour later, you spotted a blood-yellow river in the distance, making you shiver with fear. You quickly averted your gaze.
[For you, it was the worst-case scenario coming true. Your speculations have all proven to be correct. In this eerie place, no matter which direction you go, you will eventually end up at the location of the blood-yellow river. Perhaps that's why the river is filled with so many dried bones, where even Supreme and quasi-Emperors have perished.]
[A chill ran through you, and Zhu Huowang opened his eyes in response. Soon, he saw the blood-yellow river ahead, becoming entranced and feeling the growing coldness inside him. He asked, his voice trembling, if this was the eerie river where even quasi-Emperors would meet their demise, as you had described.]
[You nodded in response. However, you suddenly realized something and warned Zhu Huowang not to stare at the blood-yellow river for too long.]
[Your warning came too late, as Zhu Huowang, who was somewhat inattentive, had already been mesmerized by the blood-yellow river. He walked toward it, his eyes devoid of life.]
[This left you panicked. You attempted to use your time-space abilities to stop Zhu Huowang, but to your horror, your time-space powers were rendered useless and couldn't halt his progress.]
[This situation left you even more terrified, and you had no choice but to physically restrain Zhu Huowang, desperately trying to prevent him from entering the blood-yellow river. However, all your efforts were in vain, as an invisible force seemed to be controlling everything, making it impossible to stop him.]
[In the end, Zhu Huowang stepped into the blood-yellow river. As he did, his lower body's flesh, bones, and tendons instantly vanished. Despite this, he showed no signs of pain.]
[As for Zhu Huowang's innate Emperor artifact, the Devouring Essence Bead, it was clearly activated and unleashed a terrifying power in an attempt to protect him and carry him back to the shore.]
[However, it was all in vain. Even the mighty Emperor artifact couldn't consume the river's blood-red waters; its unleashed power was corroded instead.]
[Witnessing this, the Devouring Essence Bead had no choice but to abandon Zhu Huowang as its recognized host and fled from his body, heading towards the distance.]
[However, a horrifying scene unfolded. It seemed that even Emperor artifacts were within the hunting range of this blood-yellow river. Countless black mists emerged, like wandering spirits, and pounced on the fleeing Devouring Essence Bead, capturing it and dragging it back into the blood-yellow river.]
[As the Devouring Essence Bead was captured and submerged into the river, Zhu Huowang had already turned into one of the skeletal remains within the river. And though the Emperor artifact wasn't entirely corroded, it continued to struggle fiercely, but it was ultimately futile. It would soon be reduced to nothing.]
[It appeared that any sentient being with life and consciousness in this blood-yellow river would meet only one end: death.]
[Seeing this, you felt a shiver down your spine and instinctively wanted to distance yourself from this place.]
王平 (Wáng Píng) gazed at the simulated text with a changing expression.
"This is outrageous. This blood-yellow river is far beyond belief. Even an Emperor artifact can't escape its life-draining power."
"I wonder if the Emperor of the Tianyu Sect can escape with Simulated Wang Ping. The odds are slim. But with the presence of the Emperor's incarnation, they should have some insight into the secrets of this blood-yellow river."
These thoughts flashed through Wang Ping's mind as he continued to stare at the screen.
[It was at this moment that you felt a calling. Your eyes also lost their vitality as you started walking towards the blood-yellow river, eventually stepping into it.]
[As you entered, the power of death washed over you, activating your quasi-Emperor artifact in an attempt to protect you. However, it quickly succumbed to decay. Then, the incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor was also awakened.]
[A terrifying imperial aura erupted, causing the previously calm blood-yellow river to churn with terrifying waves. The incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor successfully saved your life.]
[However, the expression on the incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor turned extremely grave. He couldn't believe you had come to such a place.]
[Next, the incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor infused you with a surge of power, snapping you out of your strange state.]
[After awakening, you were filled with fear. While you had anticipated that you couldn't escape, being struck down silently like this was still unexpected.]
[You then looked at the incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor with a worried expression, asking if your mentor could help you escape from this place.]
[Hearing your question, the incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor remained silent, shaking his head. Even he, once submerged in this river, couldn't escape. Perhaps only his true self coming would offer a glimmer of hope for finding a way out.]
[Hearing the incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor's response, you couldn't help but gasp. This place was truly mysterious; even with the presence of a mighty Emperor like the Tianyu Emperor, there was only a slight hope of finding an escape route. Keep in mind, this is your mentor, the Tianyu Emperor, who is considered extremely powerful among Emperors.]
[When you processed this information, the incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor knocked on your head, expressing his helplessness. He asked if your teleport
ation secret technique was unable to control your direction.]
[You felt embarrassed and didn't know how to respond. The Golden Talent, Teleportation, was indeed peculiar. It seemed to be able to bypass any restrictions and enter places that couldn't be reached through spatial movement. However, once it teleported in, it couldn't teleport out.]
[The incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor sighed, indicating that he couldn't last much longer and could only try his best to help you resist the power of the blood-yellow river. Whether you could find a way to survive depended entirely on you.]
[You felt a bitter smile inside, knowing that the chances of survival were slim. Therefore, you had no immediate plans to escape but took the opportunity to inquire about what the blood-yellow river was and where this place was.]
[After a moment of silence, the incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor finally spoke a sentence that sent shivers down your spine.]
[The words were, "The realm of life and death, the River of Forgetfulness, and the Bridge of Helplessness. It is both the end and the beginning of all life."]
[Your heart was filled with shock upon hearing this. You never expected this world to also have a River of Forgetfulness and a Bridge of Helplessness. Could it be that this world also had its own underworld and heavenly realm?]
[As you were stunned by this revelation, the incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor continued to explain. The realm of life and death was the boundary between life and death. Once you stepped into the realm of death, you would be enveloped by the power of death and would soon meet your demise. However, powerful cultivators could resist the power of death with their formidable cultivation and survive.]
[However, the realm of death was only the beginning. Regardless of the level of cultivation, once you entered the realm of death, it would be extremely difficult to leave, and you might end up by the River of Forgetfulness due to the chaotic spatial distortions.]
[Once you reached this point, even Supreme and quasi-Emperors would lose consciousness and become skeletal spirits floating in the river. The only way to avoid falling into the River of Forgetfulness was to find the legendary Bridge of Helplessness.]
[Only by finding the fabled Bridge of Helplessness could one escape the cycle of reincarnation. However, once you set foot on the Bridge of Helplessness, you would gradually lose your memories and undergo reincarnation.]
[Listening to the incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor's words, you were shocked and asked whether this place was a natural formation or created by someone. The incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor remained silent, indicating that no one knew how this place came into existence. However, he didn't believe that it was created by cultivators from the upper realms.]
[A place as strange as this couldn't have been created even by an Emperor, let alone legendary immortals. Perhaps only those transcendent beings from the various heavens, who surpassed even immortals, could have created such a bizarre place.]
[You furrowed your brow, your mind racing with countless thoughts, unable to stay calm.]
[As you were deep in thought, the River of Forgetfulness erupted once again. The blood-yellow river surged with terrifying waves, rushing toward you, while countless malevolent spirits closed in from all directions.]
[In response, the Tianyu Emperor's expression changed, and he unleashed a terrifying power to block the oncoming threats while trying to send you away from this place.]
[Then, at that moment, you suddenly noticed something amidst the tumultuous waves of the River of Forgetfulness—a fragment. It was a piece of the puzzle, a fragment that had been swept up by the waves. Strangely, it resonated with your own fragment.]
[This discovery left you both shocked and ecstatic. You hadn't expected to find another fragment here. Undoubtedly, this was the second fragment that marked the location of the Dark Era Emperor's legacy.]
[With this second fragment, all you needed was to find the third, and you would know the location of the Dark Era Emperor's legacy! At that point, your strength would surge once more. Even if Gu Xuan, of the Longevity Gu Family, had cultivated the Immortal Scriptures as you suspected, reaching an unparalleled level of power, you would no longer fear him.]
[As he read the simulated text, Wang Ping felt thrilled. However, as a mere observer, he didn't feel the same sense of urgency, only a bit of frustration.]
["Damn! So, there was a fragment in the River of Forgetfulness. This was likely brought in by some unfortunate cultivator who ventured into this death realm. Otherwise, how could a fragment end up in a place like this?"]
["It means that if I hadn't returned to this place through my Golden Talent - Teleportation and happened to arrive at the edge of the River of Forgetfulness where the fragment was, I might have never found this second fragment, and obtaining the Dark Era Emperor's Scripture would have been impossible."]
["No, in such a scenario, even if I knew the location of the second fragment, I wouldn't dare to come here willingly to deliver myself to death. It's almost impossible to cultivate the Dark Era Emperor's Scripture without a Life Simulator."]
[Wang Ping couldn't help but rant silently in his mind, filled with mixed emotions.]
[However, he knew he had a Life Simulator. He could have the incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor retrieve the fragment from the River of Forgetfulness and memorize its contents, or he could even acquire it through rewards. With the second fragment in hand, he believed he could quickly find the third fragment.]
[Having two fragments would make it much easier for a talented diviner like him to determine the location. And an accomplished diviner like him, who had become an important figure in the Immortal Mansion, couldn't possibly be a slacker.]
["Even though I'm undoubtedly in deep trouble this time, in the next simulation, the Dark Era Emperor's Scripture will be mine."]
[Wang Ping's eyes lit up with anticipation.]
[As he thought about this, the simulation continued without much suspense.]
[Next, you urgently asked the incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor to retrieve the fragment from the Bridge of Helplessness, which held the records of the Dark Era Emperor's legacy.]
[Hearing your request, the incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor noticed the fragment that contained the records of the Dark Era Emperor's legacy and was quite surprised. At the same time, he couldn't help but feel somewhat exasperated. At a time like this, when your life was hanging by a thread, you were still concerned about the fragment. Your audacity was truly something, as if you valued the opportunity more than your life.]
[However, the incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor didn't say much and chose to retrieve the fragment that contained the records of the Dark Era Emperor's legacy, tossing it to you.]
[Then, the incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor waved his hand again, hurling you out of the River of Forgetfulness, sending you hurtling into the distance.]
[You were enveloped in a shimmering membrane, and due to the incredible speed, even with your current dynamic vision, you couldn't make out the scenery outside. However, you paid no attention to it and took out the fragment, scanning its contents feverishly, intent on memorizing them.]
[After all, you weren't sure if you would receive this reward once the simulation ended. If it couldn't be refreshed, then it would indeed be a dire situation. Trying to come back here and retrieve the fragment next time would be extremely challenging.]
[Soon, you had completely memorized the contents of the fragment and stored it away. At this moment, the shimmering membrane disappeared, and you found yourself in a graveyard once again.]
[This place didn't seem significantly different from where you had been before, but it was a different location. You weren't sure how long the incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor could hold on, so you chose to flee in the direction of the distance, hoping to avoid being dragged back into the River of Forgetfulness by malevolent spirits.]
[However, before you could take a few steps, the tombstones shattered collectively, and numerous skeletons emerged from the ground, their eye sockets glowing with eerie flames as they fixed their gaze upon you.]
[Then, they all launched an attack towards you.]
[This made your expression extremely solemn, and you had no intention of engaging in direct combat with these skeletal creatures. Instead, you used spatial divine abilities to dodge and swiftly escape the area.]
[Although these skeletal monsters were incredibly powerful, even a mighty Saint would perish if they fell into this place. However, you possessed the Space-Devouring Emperor Scripture, and in terms of escaping danger, under the same circumstances, you dared to claim second place, with no one daring to claim first.]
[As a result, you successfully fled from this area. Of course, the danger in this death realm was far less severe than in the River of Forgetfulness. If the withered bones and vengeful spirits that had been dragged back into the River of Forgetfulness were to escape, even quasi-emperors would fall. After all, the Essence-Devouring Bead had been taken back before.]
[You raced away, hoping to find the realm of the living and that sliver of vitality.]
[In the blink of an eye, a quarter of an hour had passed. You noticed that the commotion from the River of Forgetfulness was gradually diminishing, and the dissipating imperial might was rapidly weakening. This made you realize that the incarnation of the Tianyu Emperor might not have escaped the River of Forgetfulness and would eventually disappear completely.]
[This filled you with even greater dread, prompting you to burn your origin energy and accelerate your escape. Although you didn't know what lay ahead or if you might return to the River of Forgetfulness, you had no other choice.]
[It was at this moment, perhaps due to the rare effect of your purple talent, Prosperous Wealth Abounds, that you saw a bright light ahead, a world teeming with life.]
[This delighted you because you were fortunate enough to stumble upon the realm of the living. You accelerated your pace and charged towards it.]
[However, as you rushed forward, countless dark mists surged towards you. This sent shivers down your spine, but you continued to increase your speed.]
[Finally, teetering on the brink of life and death, you seized the opportunity and entered this thriving world. As you rushed in, the dark mists and river waters halted and retreated.]
[Seeing this scene, you finally breathed a sigh of relief, truly appreciating your incredible luck.]
[Next, you discovered something astonishing. You found that your injuries were automatically healing, and your burning origin energy was being restored by a terrifying life force that automatically infused into your body.]
[The realm of the living was a world filled with life force, and you seemed to understand the characteristics of this world. It was the polar opposite of the realm of death, brimming with terrifying life energy.]
[Here, the vitality was much stronger than the places you had previously broken through in your simulations. Perhaps, similar to the varying levels of death energy in different regions of the realm of death, different regions of the realm of the living had varying intensities of life energy.]
[Various thoughts raced through your mind as you gazed around. You witnessed a breathtaking scene: countless sacred herbs in this area, even rare treasures beyond the level of sacred herbs, extraordinary items that would greatly benefit even those at the Supreme Emperor level.]
[This filled you with immense joy. The realm of death was filled with death and despair, while the realm of the living was overflowing with life and hope. Perhaps, the realm of the living was a land of unparalleled treasures, a place teeming with countless extraordinary opportunities.]
[If you were to stay here, perhaps you could directly cultivate and break through to the Supreme Emperor or even quasi-emperor level. Then, you could venture out again and see if you could escape this cycle of life and death.]
[Wang Ping, as he watched the simulated content, was filled with boundless excitement.]
["Wow, this is so awesome! There are even treasures that are useful for Supreme Emperors. If that's the case, then there might be treasures that are useful for quasi-emperors here too."]
["Wait, something's not right. If the realm of the living is so great, why hasn't the Great Emperor come here?"]
[However, Wang Ping quickly calmed down and had a vague feeling of unease.]
[As it turned out, his intuition was correct.]
[While you were rejoicing, you failed to notice that vines were entwining around your body, and your feet had sprouted roots that burrowed into the ground.]
[When you attempted to take a step, you realized that you couldn't move at all, and your origin energy had merged with the land.]
[Rapidly, you transformed into a medicinal herb, your existence now intertwined with the laws of time and space.]
[Because you had entered this strange state, this simulation came to an end.]
[End of this chapter.]