He gazed at something resembling a stone table not far from there. It had damage in all four corners and looked rather coarse. One half was protruding upward, making it look like an open book. The side surfaces also had numerous layers just like a stack of pages.

It seemed to be naturally formed because the workmanship was too shoddy. If someone had carved it, they would need to quit their job right away.

Most would not take a second look at it. Those who took their time for some reason would also dismiss it as a regular table that was badly constructed.

However, powerful existences or gifted individuals would spot peculiar details about the table, aware that it was special.

After taking their time, they would be able to sense how thick it was, seemingly consisting of countless rock layers. Each layer was a record of an entire era; their weight and significance couldn’t be overstated.

For apex existences, they would note that this was not a dead entity. The “pages” were deriving supreme grand dao and exuded an invisible light.

Being able to see through this table was a privilege for the supreme existences. Weaker beings would only be able to sense the peculiarity, unable to study it.

Li Qiye walked over with Cloud Soaring Venerable right behind him.

“This table was here already before my arrival. I knew that it was profound right away.” He said: “Alas, I could only touch the bare surface. After swallowing the sword, my cultivation soared, so did my dao comprehension. Once I tried again, I knew that this thing contains a supreme sword dao. I spent days researching it only to fail again.”

“It’s not that easy for most.” Li Qiye smiled.

“Right, a regular demon like me got nothing from it. Back then, this one brat came and observed it. He couldn’t understand anything within but managed to come up with his own dao, such a peerless talent.” The man said.

He was referring to Starshooter Dao Lord, the only person that had left this sinkhole alive.

“Someone was here, flipping the pages.” Li Qiye gently patted the surface of the table.

“Not any of us.” Cloud Soaring Venerable said. Whether it be him or Starshooter Dao Lord or anyone else, none was strong enough to do so: “It must have been before my arrival.”

“Sword Burial Zone.” Li Qiye didn’t need to trace back to the past and knew after one touch.

“No wonder.” The venerable responded: “The existences in these zones are just too strong, capable of suppressing us all.”

He was a terrifying cultivator at this point - virtually invincible in the eyes of cultivators. Alas, he was still afraid of these existences, aware that he would be killed once targeted.

“Great Emperor, what is this thing?” He stared at the table and asked.

He has been in this area for millions of years but couldn’t come up with an answer. He only knew that it was magnificent.

“I’ve lost a few things back then.” Li Qiye answered vaguely.

The venerable didn’t pry any further. An invincible existence like Li Qiye should have plenty of artifacts. If some were missing, Li Qiye wouldn’t bother to care or search for them.

However, this seemed to be different since he made the effort of coming here.

“It’s back again.” Li Qiye sentimentally said as he touched the table: “A conclusion is necessary.”

The venerable watched with bated breath, wanting to know more about this ultimate artifact.

“Buzz.” The table became radiant and numerous runes emerged. They were numerous and inscrutable.

Someone as strong as the venerable couldn’t decipher them without needing more time.

The stone layers seemed to be coming back to life and started flipping just like pages in a book. Each flip ignited a corresponding rune. It didn’t take long before the runes danced, seemingly becoming one with the rhythm of heaven and earth.

“Boom!” A dao beam shot to the sky then the rest of the runes floated upward, creating a mystical ocean.

“Rumble!” Suddenly, loud detonations came from above. A supreme heavenly tribulation suddenly gathered, ready to kill everything beneath.

Meanwhile, the runes didn’t stop their process. One rune possessed a magnificent divinity, capable of slaying the eternal firmaments. Another heralded billowing primordial chaos…

These dao runes had a creation power - gestating new worlds and new grand dao…

“This is a heavenly tribulation…?” As for the venerable, he was gasping due to the emergence of the heavenly tribulation. Even historically mighty cultivators were afraid of heavenly tribulations. This fear was more pronounced in a centipede demon like him.

“Gather!” Li Qiye roared and combined all the runes.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!” The lightning bolts in the tribulation shot downward at the same time.

However, he waved his hand and captured both the lightning bolts and the dao runes. These destructive forces were powerless under his grasp, unable to escape.

The venerable took a deep breath after seeing this. He needed to run against the frightening lightning bolts while Li Qiye caught it with his bare hand and even gathered them next to his chest.

‘Prime, the greatest of all emperors, he is this strong? Who the hell can match him?’ The venerable thought.

Eventually, things started calming down due to Li Qiye’s suppression. Once the light dispersed, a supreme scripture appeared in Li Qiye’s hand.

“Can it be…” The venerable had a good idea of what it was.

“One of the Nine Heavenly Scriptures, Finality.” Li Qiye answered: “It was known as the Physique Scripture in the previous epoch.”

“I see…” The venerable became emotional.