Journey of the Fate Destroying Emperor
chapter-1283

Wang Wei nodded. Everything is connected, and in the path of cultivation, the foundation is fundamental. Most cultivators believe that the Dao Foundation stopped mattering after the Emperor Realm. However, that is far from the truth.

According to Wang Wei's calculation, the minimum requirement for someone to become a Paragon is a failed Nine Extremity Foundation. Without it, the chances of surviving the Immeasurable Tribulation have drastically decreased.

Furthermore, Wu Hong told him that the Dao Foundation would become extremely important in the Half-Step Transcendent Realm. It's not just the Dao Foundation, but the cultivator's achievements and so on will also play a role in their strength.

With today's events, he also understood that how a cultivator achieves transcendence will affect their strength and maybe even whether they can achieve a higher level.

'I always thought the Cardinals achieved their strength by making a deal with Grand Dao to work for the latter with their eventual freedom. Maybe, they also cannot reach higher levels due to how they achieved their strength,' Wang Wei thought. He was not sure about this analysis, but if it's true:

'The Fate Cardinal Position is a pit, and under no circumstance should I accept it,' Wang Wei thought. Previously, he might have considered accepting the position if everything else fails. After all, no matter what, it's a way of making high strides toward the path of transcendence.

As a last resort, Wang Wei would not mind spending countless epochs serving as the Fate Cardinal before regaining his freedom and pursuing higher levels. However, if this position cut his path forward, he would rather die than take it.

"By the way, did you memorize all the Dao Rhymes of this technique?" Wang Wei asked. "I've only registered about 65% of it."

"I got everything," Wu Hong nodded. A transcendent technique was precious to even someone in their realm. Although it was not a path to achieve transcendent but an application of transcendent strength, its worth is beyond words — especially for her to complete her 3800 Dao Seals.

"What do you want to do with him?" she asked.

"Can we do anything? Believe it or not, we will all die if we touch him," Wang Wei replied calmly.

"Oh, did you think of something?" Wu Hong asked.

"It's not hard to figure out if you think hard enough. What do people of that level pursue?"

"Higher levels," Wu Hong replied.

"Yes, and no matter how many Paragons they've cultivated, it's meaningless to them."

Wu Hong squinted as she immediately realized what he meant. "They all have his name and are essentially clones of him."

"Exactly, and if he can cultivate them to the Half-Step Transcendent Realm, he could use them to borrow strength or even fuse with them to achieve higher realms," Wang Wei sighed. He figured it out so quickly because that's precisely what he would have done.

"That Old Man Tianji must have been planning this for Heaven knows how long. Who knows how many Half-Step Transcendents he must have cultivated and swallowed? I'm sure this technique has some limits, but even so, I reckon he must have walked very far on the transcendent path."

Boom!

The world trembled slightly, and everything stopped: all cultivators, matter, energy, and even the rules of heaven and earth. Only two people were not affected: Wang Wei and Wu Hong. Then, a pair of eyes appeared above the sky, glancing at them.

"Two little ants figured out my plan?" A deep voice echoed between Heaven and Earth. Wu Hong and Wang Wei immediately felt a few running deep through their souls. This was not because of their character or flaw in their mind, but the instinct reaction of a creature meeting a higher life form.

However, even as lower life forms, these two were extraordinary. They remained calm, controlled their bodies' natural instincts, and calmly looked at that pair of eyes.

"Interesting," said the voice before looking in the distance. Two people who were fighting were now looking at him. One of them was indifferent, but the latter sent a warning. However, he did not care. Although they were in the same realm, these two were too weak, so the eyes focused on the ants.

"I command you to be able to keep calm in the situation," said the pair of eyes. "However, you know too much." A colossal hand descended from the heavens toward these two. He did not want information about his plan to get out. Although a few people on his level suspected his plan, no one knew for sure.

Additionally, he could tell these two were highly talented, with the potential to reach his level—especially that woman. After seeing her, he felt a tiny threat. Although it was nothing to him, what cultivation were they? One was a towering mountain, and the other was an ant, yet the ant could threaten the mountain. Just the fact she was a threat proved her potential.

If any of these two reached his level, they could use this information to scheme against him. Old Man Tianji did not want to leave such a flaw and possible threat behind.

As the hand descended, Wang Wei and Wu Hong were powerless. Their bodies could not move, and their minds worked at turtle-like speed. Wu Hong could not even activate the seals in her Sea of Consciousness, and she panicked a little. She had so much hope and potential, so how could she die here?"

Meanwhile, Wang Wei was calm, so calm that it could be described as carefree. This was not the first time he had met those transcendent big bosses, and he could predict what would happen next. And, as expected, the hand stopped midway.

Old Man Tianji had to stop as he felt two terrifying killing intent locking him. It was so intense that a chill ran from his soul, through his spin, and down into his feet. He quickly scanned the source and discovered they originated from the upper stream of the River of Time. He tried to find who it was but to no avail, but he knew that if he continued his actions, even one of those killing intent was enough to eliminate him.

'So, that's how it is,' he thought, secretly sighing. He understood what was happening and quickly thought through time: "Senior, forgive my ignorance."

"Scram," said a beautiful, almost angelic voice. It was too bad it was extremely cold, so Old Man Tianji did not dare enjoy it.

"Thank you for your generosity," he swiftly said. He took one last glance at the Eternal Ascension World.

'How stupid I was. I know this world was a source of trouble, but I acted so brazenly.' He had heard of the All-Seeing Temple's prophecy and had prepared for the upcoming chaos. However, Old Man Tianji was convinced he could survive this forthcoming catastrophe. Better yet, he might take this opportunity to reach new heights.

However, after today's events, he realized he was too confident. If he's not prepared, even someone like himself might fall into the upcoming disaster.

'No, my preparations are not nearly enough,' Old Man Tianji thought. He decided to accelerate the speed of his actions. Before that, he must summon all the people who bore his name. So, he focused on the one in the Heavenly Beauty Palace and the one in the lower dimension.

'Hmm? He has a karmic relationship with that boy — I mean that senior. Maybe he will become a more valuable pawn by staying here.' After pondering it briefly, he took the one in the palace and left the one in the lower dimension. Old Man Tianji disappeared, and the time of the world started to flow again. No one noticed what had happened beside four people.

"Quite anti-climatic, isn't it?" Wang Wei sighed.

"Was that?" Wu Hong asked, thinking of the unknown origin of that clone that complicated her love life.

"Yeah."

Wu Hong sighed. The last time she felt this powerless was during the Ultimate Taboo. Thinking about how she had to experience such a terrible feeling again because of that bastard, she became angry:

"Why are you always causing trouble? From what I know, you're not born with the fate of a Disaster Star."

"Why are you blaming me?"

"Isn't this your fault? If you so blatantly say his name, do you think he would have noticed little ants like us?"

Wang Wei smiled wryly as she was correct. He was so used to using Maitreya and Supreme Unity names like it was nothing that he had forgotten a fundamental truth: do not say the name of higher beings in vain. Even Great Emperors can sense someone using their name or title, let alone these transcendent species.

"That's indeed my fault, and I apologize," Wang Wei said, and Wu Hong snorted coldly.

"I know it's a terrible feeling realizing how weak and insignificant we are," Wang Wei continued. "However, isn't this the best motivation for us? One day, we will stand at their level and even surpass it."

They had this confidence since there were many signs that they'd succeeded already. Although it was not a hundred percent guaranteed, this fact was enough to give them more confidence than 99% of all sentient beings.