Youthful Heavenly Emperor Dong Jianghe?

Hearing Qi Yuan's scolding, Great Venerable Shenlei lowered his head. He desperately wanted to retort, yet found no words to speak. This plan had clearly taken a page from Origin Celestial Venerable in the first place. "Your plan won't work—it lacks the thoroughness of mine. We'll do it my way." Qi Yuan spoke again, his gaze fixed on the distant Northern Lands. Pillars of light surged straight into the clouds as countless New Gods crammed inside them, fleeing the Mortal Heart Realm. Such a sight deeply moved the Ancient Gods present. Even Great Venerable Lishan had never imagined he would live to see this day. Great Venerable Huanghun's eyes brimmed with mixed emotions. "So it turns out... we have actually become this strong." Strong enough that before a single battle had even concluded, the rest of their enemies were already scattering in panic. "It is not that we are too strong, but that Celestial Venerable is too terrifying!" Ancient God Wangsong spoke up aptly, looking at Qi Yuan with utter reverence. The other Ancient Gods turned toward Qi Yuan as well. Indeed, Ancient God Wangsong was right. If not for Origin Celestial Venerable, they would likely still be languishing in a muddle-headed daze, trembling with fear and despairing over the Mortal Heart Realm's future. Never mind scaring off the evil gods; even launching a counteroffensive would have been beyond them. The transformation Origin Celestial Venerable had brought to this world was simply too immense. "Not at all, not at all. Honestly, I'm just a humble Origin Core cultivator. Please, everyone, don't flatter me so much—it's rather embarrassing." Qi Yuan felt he was actually quite bashful. These people kept painting him as an all-powerful big shot. He was just a gamer, not a big shot. The real big shots were the Three Pure Ones. The other Ancient Gods on the field were struck speechless. Great Venerable Shenlei in particular wanted nothing more than to say to Qi Yuan: *Drop the modesty and bring out the smug arrogance you had when you flaunted that Stellar Golden Core!* Back then, that spectacle had truly scared Shenlei out of his wits. Looking at the pillars of light, Qi Yuan felt a swirl of frustration. "These evil gods running away has disrupted my plans!" Originally, his plan had accounted for all those evil gods. With them fleeing, his plan could no longer be fully realized. "Still, it's not all bad. Most of the ones escaping are from their headquarters and military encampments. There are still plenty of evil gods garrisoning the cities who haven't had time to run yet." A glint of killing intent flashed through Qi Yuan's eyes. "We shall set out immediately to sweep the Northern Lands clean of their gods!" Ancient God Wangsong hurried to volunteer. Qi Yuan nodded. "Thank you for your hard work, everyone. No banquet for now—back to overtime for all of you. "To think that one day, I'd take on the shape of a capitalist." Seeing this, the remaining Ancient Gods promptly accepted their orders. Surging with battle lust, none of them felt the earlier battle had fully sated their thirst for vengeance. With Qi Yuan's command, the Ancient Gods transformed into streaks of light and departed, setting off to hunt down every last evil god remaining in the Mortal Heart Realm. *** Huaye City. Ever since the evil god military encampment was bombed a few days ago, several evil gods had arrived in Huaye City to investigate. The once-chaotic city had grown even more fraught with tension and paranoia. Inside Red Leaf Tower, Xiao Xing stood clad in a yellow dress, her eyes fixed on the sky. The firmament now appeared azure faintly tinted with crimson, looking rather bizarre. Xiao Xing's gaze was somewhat dazed; she had yet to recover from the scenes she had just witnessed. Aunt Liu stood beside Xiao Xing. Patting her shoulder, she took a deep breath. "Everything just now... was it real?" Jolted back to her senses, Xiao Xing nodded vigorously, her expression torn between hesitation and excitement. "It's real!" Too much had happened in the span of a single day. First came the falling sun, followed by an inverted sea of thunder and the Nine Luminaries dominating the skies. A clash of such magnitude had far exceeded what Purple Mansion cultivators like them could comprehend. Finally, several terrifying pillars of light had shot straight into the clouds. They could not understand what had transpired, but it was unquestionably something horrifying. After all, the evil gods investigating Huaye City had fled madly the moment they saw those pillars of light, muttering, "Wait for me!" Having put down roots in the occupied zone for centuries to transmit intelligence for the Ancient Gods, Red Leaf Tower vaguely grasped what this signified. A haze of disbelief settled over all the Ancient God sympathizers. Just then, a clear voice drifted in from outside the house. "I left too quickly last time without paying. "How about this—I'll treat you all to a banquet." Outside the two women's room, Qi Yuan stood with a bright smile, speaking casually. Last time, after bombing the evil god encampment with Zhu Zhuangshi, he had dined-and-dashed at Red Leaf Tower before running off. It had weighed on Qi Yuan's conscience ever since. Remembering his past promise to treat everyone in Huaye City to a feast, he had decided to drop by. Red Leaf Tower also happened to stand on the former homeland of the Holy Mother of Inedia. Inside, hearing the familiar voice, Xiao Xing and Aunt Liu felt their hearts leap. "My Lord!" Both hurried to open the door, looking at Qi Yuan with complex expressions. "My Lord slayed evil gods and saved our Huaye City! How could we possibly ask for a bit of tea money!" Aunt Liu said quickly. Looking at Qi Yuan, she felt a wave of excitement. After all, in their eyes, Qi Yuan was undoubtedly an almighty figure at or above the Great Venerable rank. The thunderous deluge over the evil god encampment back then had likely been connected to today's inverted sea of thunder. How could she not be shaken to her core? "There's actually another reason I came. This Red Leaf Tower... would you be willing to sell it to me?" Qi Yuan asked softly. Since this was the homeland of the Holy Mother of Inedia, why not turn it into a memorial hall? She had, after all, once been the foremost figure of the Mortal Heart Realm. Aunt Liu was taken aback. Looking at Qi Yuan, she made no attempt to conceal anything. "We are devotees of the Holy Mother of Inedia, tasked with gathering information on the evil gods here for the Ancient Gods... If we hand Red Leaf Tower over to you, My Lord, then we..." Both Aunt Liu and Xiao Xing hesitated. They still wanted to do their part for the crisis facing the Mortal Heart Realm and transmit intelligence for the Ancient Gods. Perhaps the information they passed along could not alter the realm's fate, but even the slightest bit of help was worth it. "No need. You won't have to do any of that anymore. You can go live the lives you want," Qi Yuan said gently. "Did you see the pillars of light just now? That was the evil gods trampling over one another to flee the Mortal Heart Realm." Xiao Xing's eyes went wide, and Aunt Liu's body went taut. "Is what My Lord says true?" Tears welled in Xiao Xing's eyes. "Naturally." Smiling, Qi Yuan suddenly soared into the sky. "Origin Celestial Venerable has arrived! People of Huaye City... there's a feast to be had! Today... the banquet begins!" *** Meanwhile, in the Southern Lands. Within the Mountain of Visualization, Dong Jianghe wore an expression of utmost piety and awe. "A Mythological-grade visualization art... I've finally visualized one! "Haha, I don't have to hide my identity as the Child of Destiny anymore! "Who says I, Dong Jianghe, am not a Youthful Heavenly Emperor? When I want a Mythological-grade art, it comes just like that!" Dong Jianghe was ecstatic. He felt he could finally wipe away all past humiliation. Even though he had been continuously suppressed by Origin Celestial Venerable, and everyone in the group kept saying Origin Celestial Venerable was the true Youthful Heavenly Emperor! Still, Dong Jianghe had never accepted that. Now that he had visualized a Mythological-grade God Visualization Art, he could finally sweep away the gloom and thoroughly rub Origin Celestial Venerable's face in the dirt. After all, he still had a boundless future ahead, whereas Origin Celestial Venerable was already old and decrepit. Exiting the Mountain of Visualization, he entered the chat group, brimming with pride. "Huh? Where did everyone go?" "Hey, where are you guys?" "Not ready to welcome your Dong Heavenly Emperor?" "Living up to everyone's expectations, I, Dong Heavenly Emperor, have visualized a Mythological-grade God Visualization Art!" He posted these messages in the group. Yet no one responded to him at all. The group was dead silent, not a soul in sight. Dong Jianghe was a bit dumbfounded. "What on earth is going on? Where is everyone—did they all go take a dump?" He felt confused, and deeply disappointed. He had just visualized a Mythological-grade God Visualization Art; shouldn't the group be lavishing him with wild praise? They should have gasped, *So you were the Child of Destiny all along!* Venerable Shenmiao and Venerable Heilong, who had walked all over him before, would have faced a thorough reckoning. Yet now... with nobody in the group, successfully visualizing a Mythological-grade God Visualization Art felt utterly lackluster. "Fine, ignore me then. Once the old guy finds out I visualized a Mythological-grade God Visualization Art, he'll definitely weep tears of joy, hug my thigh, and call me foster father!" Thinking of his master, Dong Jianghe felt a surge of excitement. That old fellow had always backed the Mythological Plan. Even though he had never constantly pressed Dong Jianghe to produce a Mythological-grade God Visualization Art, how could Dong Jianghe not know what his master was thinking? Deep down, the old guy had always hoped Dong Jianghe would quickly visualize one, but he had refrained from nagging for fear of burdening him with pressure. "Since there's nobody here, I'll go out and show off my Mythological-grade God Visualization Art to blind that old guy's eyes!" Before leaving, however, he left one more message in the group: "Mythological-grade God Visualization Arts are seriously so easy." Having typed that, he immediately logged off. "Master!" Inside the grand hall, Dong Jianghe stood dressed in white robes. An exceptional prodigy of his generation, he possessed sword-sharp brows and starry eyes, exuding an extraordinary demeanor. Yet this time, his call went unanswered. He was somewhat surprised. Every time he finished a visualization session, Master would always be waiting with great anticipation for his results. Those eager, longing eyes had filled him with guilt in the past. This time, guilt would give way to high spirits and triumph. And yet... Master wasn't here! He found it very strange. "Master!" He pushed open the door and stepped outside the immortal cave. Alas, silence reigned outside. Seeing this, he furrowed his brows in utter confusion. "Looks like I'll have to use my trump card!" He looked up toward the sky. "Master, something terrible has happened! It's an absolute emergency!" he shouted anxiously. Finally, a voice laced with concern echoed from the air: "What is it, Jianghe?" Hearing this, Dong Jianghe felt delighted. "Master, I have good news for you." "Hurry up and say it, I have urgent business to attend to outside!" His master's voice sounded somewhat hurried. The smile in Dong Jianghe's eyes widened. Once he revealed his accomplishment, Master probably wouldn't leave, nor would he be in such a rush. "Today at the Mountain of Visualization, I casually visualized... a Mythological-grade God Visualization Art!" Dong Jianghe declared proudly, filled with boundless anticipation. A Mythological-grade God Visualization Art was a crucial component of the Mythological Plan. Visualizing an art of this tier would vastly elevate the Mortal Heart Realm's combat strength and greatly aid the plan's execution. "Oh? A Mythological-grade art? Not bad, very impressive. There are several bottles of pills in my cave; take them as a reward. Help yourself, I have urgent matters to handle outside." His master's voice was calm and composed, showing hardly any sign of shock or delight. This reaction left Dong Jianghe frozen in place. He couldn't fathom it. He had visualized a Mythological-grade art! Shouldn't Master be thrilled... weeping tears of joy? Why was he still heading out? What urgent business? What urgent business could possibly be more important than him visualizing a Mythological-grade art? "What urgent business do you have, Master?" Dong Jianghe couldn't help asking. "Just moments ago, a massive battle erupted in the Northern Lands. Three evil god army lords are suspected to have fallen. The evil god army at their headquarters has fled the Mortal Heart Realm entirely!" After his master finished speaking, his figure transformed into a streak of light, sending a final voice transmission into Dong Jianghe's mind: "I must convene with the other Ancient Gods. Whatever it is, we'll talk when I return!" Across the vast mountains, Dong Jianghe was left all alone. He stood there dazed, his mind struggling to process what he had heard. "I just went to visualize a god... and the whole world turned upside down?" Dong Jianghe was thoroughly stunned. Was this a joke? Was the world playing with him! And... what Master had said... sounded far too terrifying. The evil god army had been routed and chased off? This was simply too preposterous. Even with his wildest imagination, Dong Jianghe wouldn't have dared dream of anything so gratifying. The most satisfying dream he had ever had was visualizing a Mythological-grade art, receiving wild praise from the group, and thrashing an evil god Great Venerable. And yet... reality was even wilder than his dreams. Who did this? Was someone playing a video game? Could he have a turn to play next? After who knew how long, he logged back into the chat group. This time, quite a few people were online. Dong Jianghe immediately spotted Origin Celestial Venerable. "Dong Jianghe is right. Visualizing a Mythological-grade art really isn't hard; it's quite simple." The one speaking was none other than Origin Celestial Venerable. Below, familiar faces were posting in rapid succession: "Origin Celestial Venerable, the evil gods fleeing the Northern Lands... that wasn't your doing, was it?" "The inverted sea of thunder, the Nine Luminaries dominating the skies... were those all Mythological-grade God Visualization Arts you visualized?" "Origin Celestial Venerable, is it really you..." The group was abuzz with excitement. As for Dong Jianghe's announcement about visualizing a Mythological-grade art, it was completely drowned out. Nobody paid the slightest attention to his message. Dong Jianghe wanted nothing more than to cough up blood. Yet at the same time, immense curiosity burned within him. *What on earth happened!* Without seeing it with his own eyes, it all felt too surreal, like a dream. Inside Red Leaf Tower, Qi Yuan looked at the messages in the group and replied: "I always thought evil gods were formidable, but it turns out they're nothing special. "The one with the inverted sea of thunder was old fogey Shenlei. I gave him a slightly decent visualization art, and he jumped straight from Step Four to Step Seven Sky Treading, slaying two Mythological evil gods single-handedly. "As for the Nine Luminaries dominating the skies, those nine received nine Mythological-grade God Visualization Arts as well, though theirs are much weaker and rather ordinary in power. "Evil god army lords really aren't all that great; I killed two with a single sword strike. "I suspect evil gods are all paper tigers, especially their army lords. "Maybe if any of you had gone up, you could've taken out an army lord with a single sliding tackle too." Qi Yuan typed unhurriedly. The Ancient Gods in the chat were completely dumbfounded. Weren't there only eight Mythological-grade God Visualization Arts in total? Dong Jianghe even knew that those eight arts had been given to eight ordinary mortals. How did Great Venerable Shenlei have one too? And slaying two evil god army lords with a single strike... Origin Celestial Venerable, aren't you exaggerating a bit too much! *It must be fake. It's all fake!* Dong Jianghe refused to accept such a reality. "Origin Celestial Venerable, didn't you only visualize eight Mythological-grade God Visualization Arts?" Venerable Shenmiao asked, his words trembling. "I... visualized them in the past," Qi Yuan answered from inside Red Leaf Tower. He had indeed visualized them in the past.