Living in the deep palace

[Celestial Realm: Shadow Dimension, Central Core]

Rumble——! ! !
It sounded like the first thunderclap at the beginning of time, or like the last gasp of some ancient beast before it died.

The entire Shadow Plane, this vast world that has existed for countless epochs as the "dumping ground" and "back" of the Heavenly Court, is now facing an unprecedented collapse.

The black celestial river that had traversed the entire plane had completely dried up. Countless twisted monsters living at the bottom of the river, before they even had a chance to wail, turned to ashes as the river disappeared.

The upside-down sky began to crack, and huge fragments of the black firmament fell like meteorites, crashing onto the earth and stirring up clouds of dust.

The source of all this destruction was that tiny figure clinging to the [Jianmu Shadow Root], frantically sucking at it like a greedy leech—Su Chen.

"Awesome! So awesome!!"

Su Chen's eyes were tightly closed, his pores were open, and every cell in his body was cheering with joy.

If the Heavenly River Water he had previously consumed was a beverage and the Quasi-Emperor Corpse Demon was his staple food, then the [Jianmu Origin] that was now surging into his body was the most top-tier "genetic supplement"!
This is the core mystery of the Fifth Realm (Creation/Eternity Realm)! It is the fundamental law that underpins the existence of this universe!

With the infusion of massive amounts of primordial energy, the Longevity Tree within Su Chen's body is undergoing an incredible qualitative change.

The trunk, originally bronze in color and radiating a metallic sheen, has now begun to soften, transforming into a bizarre material resembling a mixture of "flesh" and "wood." Countless faces have emerged on the surface of the bark—gods, demons, humans, and ghosts—as if this tree is nurturing the myriad forms of life from all corners of the universe.

Especially that newly sprouted "origin branch".

It's growing like crazy!

The twelfth leaf... the thirteenth leaf... until the thirty-sixth leaf sprouts!

Each leaf is crystal clear, with golden elixir flowing through its veins, reflecting the birth and death of countless miniature worlds.

Surrounded by thirty-six leaves, a fruit, no bigger than a fist but exuding a primordial aura, quietly emerged.

[Origin of the Dao Fruit (Prototype)]!
This fruit contains no specific laws, for it contains the origin of all laws. It is the seed of the world; given enough nourishment and time, it can grow into a new universe!
"Not enough... This amount of energy isn't enough for it to mature!"

Su Chen felt the hunger emanating from the fruit within him, and the greed in his eyes grew even stronger.

He gripped the scales of the Jianmu Shadow Root tightly with both hands, opening his [Gluttonous Mouth] to its maximum, even transforming his own soul into tentacles that burrowed into the Shadow Root's interior.

"Suck! Suck it dry!!"

Click!Click!
The massive black pillar, millions of miles in diameter and seemingly indestructible, began to wither and shrivel at a visible rate under Su Chen's frenzied plundering!
The once plump black scales lost their luster, turned grayish-white and brittle, and finally turned into dust that scattered everywhere.

The umbilical cord connecting the Heavenly Court and the Shadow Dimension is about to break!
……

[Celestial Realm, Lingxiao Palace]

"presumptuous!!!"

A furious roar instantly shattered the thirty-three layers of clouds outside the Lingxiao Palace.

The Heavenly Emperor, seated on his throne, suddenly opened his eyes. Those green eyes, which had previously been indifferent to all living beings and as calm as an ancient well, now burned with a tangible rage.

pain!
Excruciating pain!

The feeling was as if someone had taken a red-hot iron pipe and stabbed it hard into the sole of his foot, not only drawing his blood but also his bone marrow!

"How can it be?!"

The Heavenly Emperor suddenly stood up, his countless roots swirling wildly behind him, shattering the surrounding space.

"The Shadow Dimension... that's where I used to excrete filth, guarded by the 'Myriad Evil Poison Dragon,' and isolated by a spacetime barrier... how did that weed get in there?!"

"and……"

The Heavenly Emperor lowered his head and looked at his feet, which had turned into tree roots.

The once vibrant root system, brimming with the elixir of creation, had now been partially transformed into a deathly gray. That withered power was spreading along the roots towards his body!

"Not only did he steal the food, but he also wants to turn against his own body?!"

"Excellent! Excellent is the Longevity Dao Ancestor! Excellent is Su Chen!!"

The Heavenly Emperor, enraged, laughed instead.

He has lived through countless eras and devoured countless worlds. He has always been the one eating others. When did it become the other way around to eat him?
This is the greatest humiliation for him as a "cosmic gardener"!

"Since you have such good teeth, let's see if you can digest this!!"

The Heavenly Emperor raised his right hand and made a grabbing motion in the air.

hum!
A black rune, radiating an aura of utter stillness, coalesced in his palm.

This is the opposite of the Great Dao of Wood, which he comprehended after years of studying the Fifth Realm—the [Five Signs of Decay of Heaven and Man: The Great Withering and Flourishing Technique]!
"go with!"

The Heavenly Emperor slapped his own thigh (the main trunk of the Jianmu tree).

boom!
The black rune instantly merged into the tree trunk, transforming into a devastating black torrent that surged down along the "shadow root" parasitized by Su Chen, transmitting rules at a speed exceeding the speed of light!

Wherever this power passes, everything withers and the laws of nature crumble.

It is a highly toxic substance specifically targeting plant life!

……

[Shadow Dimension, Central Black Pillar]

Su Chen, who was enjoying his meal, suddenly felt a chilling sensation coming from above his head.

"Ok?"

He looked up.

Suddenly, an even darker and purer power surged from the pipe that had been flowing with black waste liquid.

That's not ordinary energy, that's... a high-dimensional rule-based attack!
"The Law of Withering? The Five Signs of Decay of the Celestial Being?"

Su Chen's pupils suddenly contracted.

"The old man reacted pretty quickly, calling over via the internet so fast?"

"but……"

Su Chen neither dodged nor severed the connection.

Instead, the smile on his face became even more maniacal.

"Have you forgotten what my true form is called?"

"The Tree of Immortality! Immortality!!"

"Playing the game of life and death in front of me? You're lecturing the founding fathers!!"

Om-! ! !
Within Su Chen's body, the newly refined [Heavenly Emperor's Fingernail] (containing vitality) and the [Law of Withering and Flourishing] that he had previously comprehended from Meng Po erupted simultaneously!

"Longevity - Fourth Branch - Transformation of Life and Death!"

"Eternal Life - Ninth Branch - Origin Reversal!"

Su Chen formed hand seals, and the Longevity Tree within his body instantly transformed into a bizarre shape, half black and half white.

"bring it on!!"

Boom! ! !

The Heavenly Emperor's black torrent crashed violently into Su Chen's body.

puff!
Su Chen suddenly spat out a mouthful of black blood, his skin instantly withered and his hair turned white, as if he had aged ten thousand years in an instant. The Longevity Tree within his body also shed its leaves with a rustling sound, and countless roots died.

This is suppression based on realm; the rule-based attack of the fifth realm is indeed terrifying.

but!

The light in Su Chen's eyes did not dim in the slightest.

"Cough cough... That's powerful!!"

"Send this to me!!!"

Su Chen gritted his teeth and forcibly channeled the rampant, withering power within his body into the reincarnation millstone formed by the [Withered and Flourishing Branch].

Click, click, click!
The millstone spun wildly, emitting a piercing grinding sound.

The ultimate death is life!
After that extreme withering, strands of the purest [Primordial Life Force], even more advanced than the previous Jianmu Origin, flowed out from the center of the millstone!

"Thanks to my bro, Heavenly Emperor, for the assist!!"

Su Chen laughed loudly, greedily absorbing the transformed life force.

His previously withered skin instantly swelled up, his white hair turned black, and the Longevity Tree within his body underwent another transformation between withering and flourishing!
boom!
The [Origin Dao Fruit] on the ninth branch, nourished by this vitality, has finally... ripened!
The fruit peel split open.

A miniature universe, no bigger than a fingernail yet complete with all its vital organs and perfect laws, was born in the fruit pit!
[Ding! The Origin World has been successfully created!]

[Host gains new attribute: Lord of the World!]

[Current Realm: Half-step into the Fifth Realm (Pseudo-Creation Realm)!]

Although it's "fake" because this world is still very small, it means that Su Chen has truly crossed that threshold and has the qualifications to have a direct dialogue with the Heavenly Emperor!
"Now... I'm full." Su Chen clenched his fist, feeling the vast, ever-flowing power of the world within his body.

"Now that we've eaten our fill, it's time to get back to work."

Su Chen glanced at the Jianmu shadow root that had been sucked down to just a layer of skin.

This pipe is ruined, and the shadow plane is about to collapse.

"Hun Tian! Meng Po! Ju Ling!"

"I'm here!!"

Millions of demons responded in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.

"The road is now open."

Su Chen pointed to the massive black pillar that was about to collapse, and then to the passage that connected to "above".

"The Heavenly Court is up there."

"There are magnificent palaces and pavilions, peaches of immortality and elixirs, and countless self-righteous immortals."

"Tell me, do you want to... take away their livelihood?!"

"think!!!"

"Slay to the heavens! Crush the celestial realm!!"

The demon army was in an uproar.

The resentment and greed that had been building up for countless years finally erupted at this moment.

"it is good."

Su Chen flashed, transforming into a streak of light, and directly entered the withered pipe.

"Army attack!"

"Follow me... upstream!!"

"Today, I'm going to... shit on the Heavenly Emperor's dinner table!!"

(Note: Su Chen's original words were "flip the table," but to the Demon Army, this metaphor was more impactful.)
……

[The Celestial Realm, the Thirty-Three Heavens, the Peach Garden]

This is a forbidden area of ​​the Heavenly Court, and also the place with the most abundant spiritual energy in the entire Heavenly Realm.

Three thousand six hundred peach trees are arranged according to the principles of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams. It is currently the season when the peaches are ripe, and the garden is full of large fruits, some as red as fire and some as white as jade, emitting an enticing fragrance.

A peach from here can grant immortality to mortals who eat it, and extend the lifespan of immortals for ten thousand years.

Seven fairies dressed in colorful clothes are carrying flower baskets and laughing as they pick flowers in the garden, preparing for the upcoming "Peach Banquet".

"That's a nine-thousand-year-old peach prepared for His Majesty. Be careful not to knock off the leaves."

The leading fairy in red gave her instructions.

"Don't worry, sister, the peaches are growing exceptionally well this year," a fairy in green replied with a smile.

at this time.

Click!

A discordant, sharp sound came from underground in the Peach Garden.

The fairies were taken aback and stopped what they were doing.

"what sound?"

"It looks like... the ground has cracked?"

Rumble——! ! !
Before he finished speaking, the ground in the entire Peach Garden suddenly began to shake violently.

Those ancient peach trees, planted for countless millennia and deeply rooted, were now shaking wildly like startled horses, their leaves falling in a rustling sound.

"What's going on?! The earth dragon has turned over?!"

"Run!"

The fairies panicked and dropped their flower baskets, trying to escape on a cloud.

But it's too late.

boom! boom! boom!
Countless thick, jet-black tree roots with barbs, like evil dragons emerging from the sea, instantly pierced through the hard sacred soil of the Peach Garden!
These black roots didn't attack the fairy; instead, they immediately wrapped themselves around those... peach trees!

"What...what the hell is that?!"

Under the horrified gazes of the fairies.

Those black roots, like robbers, tightly strangled the trunk of the peach tree, and then countless tiny tendrils pierced through it.

sizzle-

Visibly, the once vibrant peach trees, laden with fruit, began to wither and turn yellow in an instant. The peaches on the trees seemed to have been drained of moisture, turning into shriveled walnuts in the blink of an eye!
"No!! My peach!!"

The fairy in red screamed, nearly fainting from heartache. This was the very lifeblood of Heaven!
boom!
Just then, the ground in the very center of the Peach Garden exploded completely.

A giant black hole appeared out of nowhere.

Immediately afterwards, a figure dressed in a black and gold imperial robe with long, wildly flowing hair shot into the sky from the black hole!

He exuded a terrifying aura even deeper than the Abyss of Demons, with a phantom of a chaotic demonic tree that blotted out the sky floating behind him.

Su Chen!

He actually followed the roots of the Jianmu tree upstream, dug directly through the floor of the Heavenly Court, and appeared in this most core area!
"Suck--"

Su Chen took a deep breath, a look of rapture on his face.

"It smells good."

"Is this the legendary Peach Garden?"

With a casual grab, a giant, nine-thousand-year-old peach that hadn't completely withered flew into his hand.

Click!

One bite and the juice overflows.

"Mmm...sweet, crisp, and full of life."

"It tastes much better than the rotten ghost flesh in the Abyss."

Su Chen finished the peach in a few bites and casually spat the pit at the fairy in red.

Snapped!
The peach pit hit the fairy squarely on the forehead, making her see stars.

"Go back and tell the Heavenly Emperor."

Su Chen stood above the Peach Garden, looking at the withered branches and fallen leaves, and revealed a devilish smile.

"I'll taste this 'Peach Feast' for him first!"

"You're welcome!!"

"You audacious fiend! How dare you destroy my Peach Garden!!"

Just then, three streaks of light shot rapidly from the horizon.

These are the three Heavenly Kings who remained in the Heavenly Court—the Eastern Heavenly King, the Western Heavenly King, and the Southern Heavenly King!

They were kneeling in the Lingxiao Palace to beg for forgiveness when they suddenly sensed something was wrong in the Peach Garden. They were so frightened that they rushed over like madmen.

When they saw the withered peach trees in the garden and the figure standing on the ruins eating a peach, their eyes instantly turned bloodshot.

"Su Chen!!!"

The Southern Heavenly King let out a roar as furious as a cuckoo's cry of blood.

"How could you possibly be here?! Weren't you banished to the Abyss?!"

"You choose the path to hell when there's a way to heaven!"

"His Majesty has emerged from seclusion today; you are courting death!!"

The Eastern Heavenly King and the Western Heavenly King were also filled with murderous intent, and directly unleashed their respective natal magic weapons.

"Four Symbols Heaven-Locking Formation! Traps him! Await His Majesty's judgment!"

Three beams of divine light shot into the sky, transforming into a cage to trap Su Chen. (End of Chapter)