Chapter 1386 (Raw 1377):
As the scarlet light descended, it covered the sky and sun.
At this moment, it drowned out Di Wuque's Emperor's Door, which should be bursting with light and enjoying everyone's attention. His figure could not be seen clearly; even the location of his Emperor's Door was unknown.
"What's going on? Did Big Brother Xiao Chen come back to life?"
Mo Chen, whose eyes were red from crying, was somewhat excited and somewhat expectant, hence the quiver in her voice.
"A dead person coming back to life? That is impossible, right?"
"It is absolutely impossible. This should be a mutation of that strange Emperor's Road. He already died and turned to ashes. How could he come back to life? It's impossible."
The cultivators on Supreme Sky Sect's side all showed excited expressions. They pushed aside the Deity Dao Union cultivators and quickly headed towards the bloody Emperor's Road to take a look.
Everyone saw countless scarlet flower petals drifting about on both sides of the ten thousand steps of the Emperor's Road that ascended into the sky. The petals emanated a holy aura. Vague chanting of Buddhist scripture even accompanied the floating petals.
"The Udumbara Flower?" the Heaven Abandoning Deity Sovereign said doubtfully with a frown.
Due to the scarlet light, the East Mountain Ghost Monarch and the Saber Sword Two Sovereigns stopped fighting. The East Mountain Ghost Monarch landed beside the Heaven Abandoning Deity Sovereign and nodded. "Those are indeed the petals of the Udumbara Flower. However, based on the records, the color of this kind of Buddhist flower should be white. This is rather strange.
"The Buddhist sects have three major holy flowers. A lotus was good for cultivation, and a bodhi was good for comprehension and wisdom. When a fig flower appeared, a Holy King would appear. Can this Udumbara really result in rebirth after it blooms, bathing one in nirvanic flames?"
Despite the surprise, the Heaven Abandoning Deity Sovereign's emotions were not overly affected.
"The Buddhist scriptures say that those who find the Udumbara are blessed with great fortune. It appears once every ten thousand years and signifies the rebirth of a Holy King. The Buddhists value virtue and kindness. This flower blooms for great virtue. Could Xiao Chen be one?"
As the Heaven Abandoning Deity Sovereign muttered, it was like he was speaking to himself, and at the same time, it was like he was speaking to the East Mountain Ghost Monarch.
At this moment, his emotions were very complicated. Xiao Chen gave him simply too many surprises. Saying that he was numb to it would not be wrong. After so much effort, he finally killed this person.
However, who could have expected that one of the three Buddhist holy flowers, the Udumbara Flower, would be on Xiao Chen? Furthermore, it seemed like it would bloom for him.
The East Mountain Ghost Monarch remained silent. At this moment, he also felt somewhat tired.
He originally thought that conquering the Supreme Sky Sect would be a minor matter. He had never expected that this event would cause such great waves. In the end, the situation had gone completely out of control, attracting the attention of the entire Kunlun Realm.
Fighting with the Saber Sword Two Sovereigns fatigued him even more, greatly exhausting his mind.
Facing two peak Sovereign Martial Emperors who wielded Transcendent Divine Weapons and did not fear death was excessively wearying. Even a Prime would feel the drain.
"Qitian, how about we just watch his Emperor's Road, get the Deity Dao Union's people to withdraw? Too many people have died already," the East Mountain Ghost Monarch suggested.
Many experts of the various races died in the chaotic battle. The entire Meteor Trail City was covered in a sea of blood—the fresh, thick blood of Martial Emperors.
The Heaven Abandoning Deity Sovereign remained silent for a long time, his eyes betraying hesitation.
"Let's withdraw, then."
This powerful expert, the strongest after the Thunder Sovereign, finally wavered in his determination. Furthermore, Di Wuque already advanced to Martial Emperor, and Xiao Chen's status was uncertain; it was not even known whether he was alive or dead. The Deity Dao Union should not suffer any more casualties.
With this command from the Heaven Abandoning Deity Sovereign, all the cultivators of the Deity Dao Union released their bated breath.
Like the receding tide, everyone quickly withdrew. In a few breaths, they all retreated very far and fast. This looked very strange but clearly showed how much pressure this group of people was under.
This turn of events surpassed all the ones before it, stupefying those who were left behind. Even the Primes and Sovereign Martial Emperors felt a buzzing in their minds.
The legendary flower appeared in reality. The scarlet light that it brought actually eclipsed the light of the nine-colored Emperor's Gate.
It was easy to imagine how depressed Di Wuque was after being ignored.
However, that did not matter. At this moment, everyone's attention was focused on the bloody Emperor's Road. No one remembered that there was someone currently opening their Emperor's Door.
Suddenly, something strange happened.
All the drifting flower petals on the bloody Emperor's Road quickly gathered around the Heavenly Snow Divine Flame. Then, they merged into a huge flower bud.
An ancient Buddhist image appeared in the sky, forming hand seals with one hand. Then, Buddhist lights landed on the flower bud.
Suddenly, resonant Buddhist chanting resounded, echoing in the surroundings.
"Thus, with such wondrous Buddhist teachings, the many Buddhist followers came. As said in the past, with the birth of a Holy King, there would be the birth of an Udumbara Flower."
When the chanting started, the flower bud silently bloomed.
There were no words in the mundane world that could describe the beauty of this flower. The instant the flower bloomed, it wilted. However, the pure, holy, and beautiful appearance of the flower was imprinted in everyone's minds.
When a fig flower appeared, there would be instant youth. The fleeting, beautiful scene made everyone sigh. Beauty passed in a flash; time passed without one realizing it.
The things of beauty were always short-lived. One instant was really only one instant.
However, the instant this flower bloomed, another scene occurred, which immediately made up for the disappointment that everyone felt from the Udumbara Flower's wilting.
There was a Buddhist light where the Udumbara Flower was. Amid this Buddhist light was a human figure seated cross-legged, wearing the Azure Dragon Battle Armor.
The delicate facial appearance, the peaceful expression, and calm eyes, if this was not Xiao Chen, who else could this be?
Xiao Chen opened his hand, and there was a seed in his palm. This was the seed left behind after the Udumbara Flower wilted. His eyes focused on this seed.
Xiao Chen, who came back to life, felt moved as he looked at the seed of this flower. He himself had not expected that the Udumbara Flower would bloom for him.
This Buddhist holy flower would bloom only for those Buddhists with great virtue. He was very clear that he was not a Buddhist.
The blooming of this flower had to have had something to do with the Maheśvara Buddha. Being the reincarnation of the Sky Dome Immortal Lord, Xiao Chen definitely had some karma with the Maheśvara Buddha.
However, now was not the time to think about this. Finishing this Emperor's Road was his top priority now.
Xiao Chen drew his Lunar Shadow Saber and picked up the three rings on the Emperor's Road. Grasping them tightly in his hand, he raised his head to look forward. The instant he raised his head, the scarlet light filling the sky withdrew and coalesced into a piercing, dazzling, bloody light that encased him.
"Whoosh!"
When the bloody light disappeared, everyone finally clearly saw Di Wuque, who had finished walking the Emperor's Road.
Four rings of light glowed vaguely behind Di Wuque. He exuded sharpness, and his piercing gaze was like a sharp sword; no one dared to meet it.
Di Wuque stood in the sky, looking like a divine being, showing extraordinary might and an overwhelming aura.
"Fourth Heaven Martial Emperor!"
"He really is a Fourth Heaven Martial Emperor. Di Wuque actually took on three Lightning Tribulations in one go after pushing open the Emperor's Door, becoming a Greater Heavenly Martial Emperor."
"What a horrifying aura and Emperor's Might! If you told me that he could contest with Sovereign Martial Emperors, I would believe it."
Cries of shock rang out continuously. Everyone was amazed by the strength that Di Wuque revealed after he pushed open the Emperor's Door.
However, Di Wuque, who should be delighted, had a sullen expression. The rage he suppressed in his chest was like a volcano ready to erupt at any moment.
Indeed, rage. How could he not rage?!
After walking this nine-colored Emperor's Road, he should have been the top person in the Kunlun Realm since the Ancient Era. This was supposed to be the peak of his glory, his most eye-catching moment.
However, the scarlet light filling the sky obscured him. All the glory and attention were gone. No one could understand such depression.
Furthermore, there was the death of the Divine Daughter and many more events. Everything was due to that man on the bloody Emperor's Road.
Why?! Why is it that I, Di Wuque, who experienced many difficulties and finished walking this nine-colored Emperor's Road, am still incomparable to him?!
"Even in your death, are you going to trample on me, Di Wuque?" Di Wuque said through gritted teeth, his eyes gleaming with murderous intent.