I was the Heavenly Emperor in ancient times

Chapter 25 The entrance to the underworld
After visiting the Temple of Longevity.

Zhou Shentong's expression was very unpleasant, not only because of Li Jun's appearance, but also because of some other reasons.

"Cough cough cough cough!"

He coughed violently, but the sound didn't travel. Only after he calmed down and spoke again did his voice somehow reach Li Jun.

"Now that you know what it is, you should leave."

Zhou Shentong seemed very proud of his ability to borrow the power of Shen Tu and Yu Lei. He was a proud and crazy person who always wanted to present himself as a god in front of others.

In his view, his own Shen Tu and Yu Lei should be the most powerful Peach Demons. Since Li Jun recognized them, he should know better than to leave and not be so shameless.

Li Jun, however, did not seem to be buying it. He looked at the ancient stone gate in Zhangwei Mountain and spoke up, his voice carrying through the peach tree to the Changsheng Temple.

Their conversation was less like a dialogue between people and more like a dialogue between peach trees.

What's behind that door?

Zhou Shentong finally lost his temper: "This is not something you should touch. My patience with you has its limits."

Li Jun asked again, "Is it related to Zhulong?"

Zhou Shentong finally couldn't hold back and made a move. In his eyes, Li Jun still seemed to be the same Li Jun lying on the hospital bed, a double-pupiled person he had created.

However, he absolutely could not tolerate the other party taking things from him, especially after he "released" the Candle Dragon, Zhou Shentong's mentality underwent another change.

Zhou Shentong raised his whisk and pointed it at Li Jun's location.

"Li Jun!"

"die!"

The peach trees on both sides of Changsheng Temple began to sway, and the two large demons stood up at the same time.

Now, Li Jun could see their faces more clearly, and the others could see them as well.

The two demons were exceptionally tall, their bodies covered in witchcraft markings, indicating that they were once witches themselves.

Those two giant demons can immobilize you just by looking at you, and once they know your name, you will surely die.

Everyone stared at the giant ghost, instinctively feeling extreme fear, especially when it called out names. It was as if some unbearable, terrifying memory from the depths of their souls surged up, making them tremble all over.

Those are the most ancient ghosts and gods, the ancient deities who command all ghosts. How could one not be afraid when two beings from ancient mythology have their eyes on you and want you dead?

At this moment, the two large demons not only glared fiercely at Li Jun, but also simultaneously uttered Li Jun's name and swung the reed ropes in their hands.

The reed rope, glowing with golden light, traversed the void and descended directly upon Li Jun, regardless of distance. Looking up, it was as if two giants had thrown down chains from above, apprehending a sinner from the mortal realm. Its power was even more terrifying than the Black and White Impermanence of the underworld.

“Li Jun…Li Jun…”

"die!"

However, as the golden reed rope fell, the peach tree behind Li Jun shook and snapped it in two.

Not only that, the force surged back, directly knocking the large ghosts on the peach trees on both sides of Changsheng Temple off their feet, almost causing them to fall from the trees.

The power of Shen Tu and Yu Lei was completely ineffective against Li Jun. He sat cross-legged under the tree, seemingly impervious to all magic.

Zhou Shentong was also in a flurry of activity when he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, and medical personnel appeared behind him.

However, Zhou Shentong waved his hand, sending them all away. He stared intently at Li Jun on the other side and loudly questioned him.

"How come your Peach Demon is so powerful?"

"Who is he?"

"Which one from ancient times was it?"

Zhou Shentong couldn't understand what peach demon could be more powerful than Shen Tu and Yu Lei. This was not only an ancient peach demon, but two of them together.

He also fully realized the threat posed by Li Jun, and at this moment, Zhou Shentong truly harbored murderous intent.

Ignoring his own problems, he took out a candle and pointed it at Li Jun, preparing to do something else.

"Please..."

But as Zhou Shentong's murderous intent arose, Li Jun raised his head, as if he had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

"Got you."

He had been waiting for Zhou Shentong to make his move, and as soon as Zhou Shentong unleashed his killing move, he would be able to find the opponent's weakness.

The bigger his moves, the more ruthless his trump cards become, and the bigger the flaws he exposes, giving Li Junyue more opportunities.

"Chirp!"

Beneath the tree, Li Jun's double pupils opened up. He didn't know where the bluebird was, but he vaguely saw it circling beside him and landing at his feet.

Then, Li Jun made his move.

Even faster than Zhou Shentong.

The peach tree behind Li Jun disappeared, and golden wisps of light pierced through the void, transforming into a "golden bridge" that connected to the Changsheng Temple.

Zhou Shentong had not yet locked onto Li Jun; his next target was Zhou Shentong, and he was preparing to open up the battlefield to Changsheng Temple.

Zhou Shentong was truly shocked. He immediately put down the candle and summoned Shen Tu and Yu Lei again.

Shen Tu and Yu Lei raised their hands high together, blocking Li Jun's "Golden Bridge," but Li Jun did not stop at all. The golden wisps that crossed the void and mist continued to increase, and then transformed into a huge divine peach tree that pressed down on the Changsheng Temple.

Li Jun was prepared to disregard everything and directly press in from the top of the Changsheng Temple. Having finally managed to seize the opponent's position, Li Jun did not want to miss the opportunity.

The exchange between Li Jun and Zhou Shentong, though only a few rounds, left the others present feeling overwhelmed and even dizzy watching their fight.

"What are they doing?"

"What are those things? What are those trees? What are they doing in the sky?"

"There is light everywhere, and the light goes over there."

"That ghost is huge."

Now everyone else knew what it meant for gods to fight.

There was no hand-to-hand combat at all; they only felt that the world seemed to spin with the way the two men waved their hands, and they couldn't understand what the two were fighting at all.

Everything around me seemed to be bathed in light, with shadows swaying back and forth, just as ants couldn't understand the bullets and explosions spewed by the various guns used by humans in battle.

The power Li Jun displayed completely exceeded Zhou Shentong's expectations. Looking at the phantom of the divine peach tree above his head, he shouted.

"impossible."

"how did you do it?"

"How could you possibly do that?"

How did you know I was here? When did you find my location?

Zhou Shentong couldn't understand it either. He didn't know about Li Jun's Azure Bird Divine Power, but he wasn't afraid. Instead, he became even more enraged.

"Come on, come on!"

"Then let's fight face to face and settle things once and for all."

"Let's settle both old and new scores. I am the Abbot of Changsheng Temple. Do you think I'm afraid of you?"

Zhou Shentong clearly had other trump cards up his sleeve, but Li Jun wasn't afraid that Zhou Shentong had many trump cards.

As long as the fight continues, it won't just be a matter of severely injuring Zhou Shentong; he will be able to find opportunities in each attempt to completely eliminate and subdue Zhou Shentong.

The sacred peach tree at Changsheng Temple is almost fully formed, crushing Shen Tu and Yu Lei. The phantom of the sacred peach tree that was originally in place has mostly turned into golden wisps of light and disappeared. Li Jun himself may also be taken to Changsheng Temple.

Zhou Shentong threw away his whisk and, with his hands forming hand seals and holding a candle, was clearly about to do something.

Just as Li Jun and Zhou Shentong were about to fight again to see who would win, Li Jun, who was clearly in the lead, suddenly stopped.

"Ok?"

Li Jun stopped what he was doing and looked behind him.

The tense atmosphere paused for a moment, and everyone followed Li Jun's movements, looking in that direction.

"what happened?"

Even Zhou Shentong stopped what he was doing and looked at Li Jun on the other side with suspicion.

"What is he up to?" In that instant, Li Jun sensed the impending danger of death.

He did not use the Bluebird's supernatural powers, but the Bluebird took the initiative to remind him that he had seen some terrifying scenes.

The crisis did not come from Zhou Shentong, but from the depths of this dark and strange mountain range, from that huge ancient stone gate.

He saw visions of himself severely injuring Zhou Shentong while the others he was protecting would die in another disaster.

Moreover, he himself will be dragged into darkness by a terrifying force, his fate unknown.

Li Jun raised his head and looked at the slits of light in the sky that resembled both the aurora borealis and an eye.

"Candle Dragon!"
-
To others, dots of light appeared in the darkness in the distance, forming a line.

Then, the line began to move along the mountain ridge, gradually approaching their location.

To be precise, they were moving closer to the stone door they were digging.

"What's coming?"

"It looks like a torch?"

"Not quite like it."

On the construction site in the valley, the people sent and hired by Changsheng Temple were discussing the matter, still not understanding what was going on.

Meanwhile, on Lu Gang's side, Zhao Nange suddenly realized what was happening and spoke to the others.

"No, it's a candle."

Zhou Shentong immediately understood what was going on and spoke up.

"They are the people who disappeared before, the ones holding candles."

Those shadows circled around for a long time, and now they finally came back.

As they approached, Lu Gang realized that they were the same shadows who had come in earlier, holding candles and lining up. However, in this world, they were no longer shadows, but real beings with physical presence, and they seemed to have flesh and blood.

At this moment, they marched in a grand procession toward the ancient stone gate, and as they approached, the stone gate began to move.

"Buzz!"

The stone gate trembled, and the earth began to shake.

Not only that, the aurora borealis, which resembled an eye at the edge of the sky, began to slowly close, and complete darkness was about to descend upon this eerie black mountain region.

At this moment, Zhou Shentong understood what was going on and laughed loudly.

"I understand, I understand."

"This is Zhangwei Mountain."

“I have Shen Tu and Yu Lei, so that is the gate to the underworld.”

"Hahaha, I understand."

Subsequently, Zhou Shentong immediately withdrew all his power and even pushed the Changsheng Temple away from Zhangwei Mountain.

At the same time, he also spoke to Li Jun.

"No matter whose power you borrow, it can never compare to the power of the real Zhulong. Not to mention that there are countless things and traces left by ancient gods, demons, immortals and Buddhas hidden here. Their power is not something that you and I, who borrow power to show off, can compare to."

"Everything from ancient times will return. What appears now is the peach tree, Zhangwei Mountain, and the gates of the underworld."

"Next, more mythical beings will appear one by one. Do you think you can stop them?"

Looking at the closed "eyes" above his head and the dark, endless mountain range below, Li Jun finally confirmed the name of this place from Zhou Shentong.

"Zhangwei Mountain."

Beyond the Northwest Sea and to the north of Chishui, there is Zhangwei Mountain.

There is a god with a human face and a snake's body, a thousand miles long, with straight eyes and a straight posture. When he closes his eyes, it is dark; when he opens them, it is bright. He neither eats, sleeps, nor rests, and he is summoned by wind and rain. This god is called Zhulong.

At that moment, everyone else in the valley was drawn to the commotion caused by the stone door. Everyone sensed something was wrong and began to flee in panic, trying to escape the stone door.

Amidst the massive earthquake, the stone door opened a crack, and at that moment, the figures holding candles arrived one by one before the stone door.

A powerful suction force came from inside, causing the figures to distort before they were all sucked behind the door.

This scene terrified the people in the valley, who tried to escape the stone gate, but it was too late.

The suction force swept through the valley, pulling everyone else inside in as well.

"what!"

"Save me, save me."

"Immortal Lord, save me!"

These people were so frightened that they soiled themselves, and some even shouted for Zhou Shentong, but their immortal lord had already left.

At this moment, Li Jun also noticed that the "eye" above his head was about to close completely. That would be the real disaster for those who did not belong here.

Li Jun raised his hand and swept Lu Gang and his group away.

"go!"

Faced with the power of the Candle Dragon, both Li Jun and Zhou Shentong had to avoid its sharp edge.

However, after leaving, Li Jun looked closely at the stone gate, especially the figure of thousands of ancestors worshipping it.

He felt a sense of familiarity, unlike the information about Zhulong that he couldn't recall no matter how hard he tried, but this figure seemed to have been seen somewhere before.

No matter how hard Li Jun thought, he couldn't remember who it was. It seemed like anyone could be it, but he wasn't sure.

Finally, golden light pierced through the void, and the divine peach tree and Li Jun beneath it disappeared together.

And the eyes in the sky closed completely, plunging everything into utter darkness.
-
The concept of longevity.

Zhou Shentong finally sent the summoned gods Shen Tu and Yu Lei back, but it was easy to invite gods but difficult to send them away. When Shen Tu and Yu Lei left, they each reached out and took something from Zhou Shentong's body.

Zhou Shentong immediately collapsed to the ground, but a large group of medical staff rushed over and began emergency treatment.

As if they knew what was going to happen all along, they were well-prepared and pushed him into the operating room on one side of the hall.

"Quick, quick."

"This time, it was the liver that was removed."

"And the kidneys."

"Part of their intestines were also removed."

At first glance, Zhou Shentong's stomach was empty, yet he was still alive.

Shen Tu and Yu Lei would randomly draw a portion of him, and once all the portion was drawn, his death would be imminent, and his fate would be even more terrible than death.

The transplant surgery began quickly. Zhou Shentong's vitality was incredibly strong, and he gradually recovered some of his energy.

He got out of bed that same day.

However, some things can be made up for, while others cannot.

He knew that besides his organs, Shen Tu and Yu Lei must have taken something else from him.

But at this moment, Zhou Shentong didn't care about that. He had just finished the surgery and went straight to the Taoist scriptures at Changsheng Temple.

He perused those Taoist scriptures, hoping to find the secrets of ancient times, but the earliest records in these scriptures were only three or four thousand years ago, and anything older than that was just speculation and things whose authenticity was unknown.

But this time, Zhou Shentong had a target. He searched through the entire Daoist canon and finally found a book.

After opening and reading it, he said excitedly.

"It really is the Gate of the Underworld."

"Immortality, indeed immortality. The so-called reincarnation is nothing more than an experiment conducted by ancient gods and demons in their quest for eternal life."

"Behind that door must lie the most ancient and wondrous method of achieving immortality. If I can find it, I can solve all my problems."

Zhou Shentong's eyes were filled with madness, as if he had become even more deeply possessed by demons.

(End of this chapter)