Everyone found themselves in a decaying world with an archaic atmosphere. It was as if they were back in the past - an era older beyond imagination.
Most buildings have collapsed but they could still see the faint outlines and initial appearances. They definitely didn’t belong to their era or even epoch. Nothing modern came remotely close.
“Wh-where is this place?” Many looked around and panicked.
“I feel like there is something underground.” A big shot told his group of peers.
“Yes, this is bad news.” An ancestor felt a chill coursing down his spine.
“Look ahead!” Another powerful friend used his heavenly gaze and saw a mountain range deeper in the darkness, seemingly separating time and space.
It was impossible to cross; its immensity could crush any living being. People felt as if there was a slumbering devil king residing there. However, the slumber was near over, spelling bad news for everyone present.
“Vastsea Venerable, what the hell did you summon?” An ancient ancestor knew that this was due to the old shell.
“Can’t be a ghost realm, right?” Someone else shuddered.
“No, this place looks a bit familiar.” A highly-respected individual from a prestigious clan noticed a gate and recognized the characters: “Hmm, these characters are rather familiar. Revival… Revival something…”
“It’s Revival Emperor City!” An old lord recalled a particular place.
“That city? We’re there right now…” The big shots nearby became frightened.
“We need to leave right now!” A lord turned pale and shouted.
“There’s no path, how do we get out?” The high elders scanned the area but only saw darkness in all four directions.
“Why is everyone so afraid of this city?” A junior noticed the fear in the seniors and asked for elaboration.
“It’s haunted, there’s no leaving once entered.” One senior begrudgingly explained.
“Really? We’re afraid of this city but not Sword Burial?” Someone nearby interjected.
“It’s not the same thing, there are fortunes and people do leave that place alive.” An ancestor explained: “Revival is different. Rumor has it that when this city closes, even an immortal will die here.”
“There are so many of us, we can’t be afraid of this place.” A hot-headed youth was fearless.
“Quantity doesn’t matter. In the past, Nine-wheel Dao Lord tried to purify this place and failed. What are we, compared to the dao lord?” His senior shook her head.
This revelation frightened the crowd.
“Even the dao lord failed? What is this city then?” An expert asked.
Nine-wheel Dao Lord was absolutely brilliant, the first dao lord of their race after Azure Ancestor and the owner of three wheels from a heavenly scripture.
“All I know is there might be a mysterious emperor in this city.” A timeworn character stared towards the darkness and said.
“An emperor? Like the great emperors in the past?” Someone else asked.
Great emperors were titles in the distant past. Now, dao lords have taken over.
“Impossible. Even ancient emperors can’t live that long. Plus, dao lords don’t linger around in Eight Desolaces, why would the emperors?” An erudite youth disagreed.
“There is an emperor indeed, but if it’s one from the past? That’s uncertain. My ancestor had mentioned this before.” Another old lord said with a serious expression.
“What kind of being? Looks to be of the dark affinity.” Others exchanged glances and started discussing.
“Then we’ll be too unlucky. Nothing like this has happened since the Chaotic Era. A dark emperor here?” One more added.
“Rumble!” Sudden explosions from the mountain range interrupted them.
They felt as if the darkness was oozing out and becoming denser. The ground shook violently and made it hard for people to stand still.
“Shit, something’s awakening!” Even a fool could sense that something was wrong.
“Yes, it’s coming out.” Everyone became tense and on guard.
“Did Vastsea Venerable really summon a dark emperor? It would herald a disaster to the land.” One cultivator murmured.
They turned towards the venerable and only saw an old man hellbent on vengeance.
“Boom!” More darkness erupted like thousands of volcanoes.
The star rays could no longer be seen despite activated heavenly gazes. The quaking intensified then came a dominant aura. The suppression forced cultivators down on their knees.
“It might really be a dark emperor…” Numerous cultivators felt as if they were being stomped by a giant. They couldn’t move an inch, let alone get back up.
“This is the power of an ancient emperor?” Even the ancestors couldn’t believe it.