Chapter 24：The Supreme Founders Plight (1/2)
”You gotta be kidding me. When you need support the world ignores you, but when you just wanna die, they send legions to back you up? What nonsense is this?” Harun inwardly scolded all serpents of the Highest Heavens. Unlike the other clans which were scattered across the 33 Heavens, all main branches of the serpent clan lived in seclusion within the Highest Heaven, clouded by an ancient formation even Monarchs couldn't peer through.
According to Jiyan, a Dao Emperor's all-out attack was the minimum requirement to break that formation. A theory no one could prove, because after the Serpent Emperor's defeat and his clan's retreat into the Serpent Domain, from the Heaven Warding Emperor to Agiri, no Dao Emperor ever attempted to breach the Serpent Domain's formation—leaving the remnant rulers of the Immemorial Era in peace.
In the 3.5 million years following their defeat, members of the Devouring Serpents and their subordinate clans rarely left the Serpent Domain. But whenever they did, their deeds shocked the world. Most infamous among them was their contemporary clan master, Lord Silav. Unlike lesser lines, the noble and hegemonic clans didn't have family names. There was only one Golden Crow clan, one Phoenix Clan, one Empyrean clan, and of course, one Devouring Serpent clan.
Born within the second Cosmic Cycle of Agiri's reign, wielding Heterochromatic Double Pupils, Silav reached the Empyrean Monarch Realm in 30,000 years, completed his Internal Heaven in 100,000, and with the cultivation of a peak-level Monarch, defeated the Empyrean clan's elders to challenge Agiri in battle.
Although the clash resulted in Silav's defeat, he managed the unthinkable feat of slicing off Agiri's left arm. And over 3.5 million years following the Serpent Emperor's defeat, the Golden Crow Ancestor aside, Silav remains the only non-Emperor able to fight tooth and nails with a sitting Dao Emperor. And this...was nearly 900,000 years ago!
Dark-green clouds gathered above the imperial palace, blending to form the illusory shape of a monstrous serpent with bulky arms and massive clawed hands. Though that illusory serpent remained 300 meters tall, it gave the misconception that with a thought, it could extend to cover all across the Highest Heaven.
From this domineering image, a middle-aged man dropped, dressed in a black robe embroidered with a coiling serpent and phoenix, bright-red phoenix feathers hovered around him, contrasting with the serpent image above his head. Once he made his entrance, members of the Phoenix clan felt the bitter taste of shame cover their tongues. Their eyes trembled with rage, but they dared not make any rash move.
”The ruling line of the Devouring Serpent clan successfully inherited the blood of the Phoenix Empress and wield two crushing Divine Powers. Giving them a distinct advantage over other hegemonic clans,” Harun recalled. Regardless of parentage, celestials could only wield one Divine Power. The Devouring Serpents were the exception to this rule, and could assimilate one extra Divine Power in their life—or start out with two if their parents came from different clans.
As the Devouring Serpent blood overpowered all others, intermarriage with their subordinate clans enabled the former to assimilate many Divine Powers. Making most of the Devouring Serpent clansmen start out with two. Still, the ruling line's combination remained by far the strongest.
Dropping at Harun's right, Silav ignored all others to focus his orange and green Double Pupils on Harun. For a second, while Silav's eyes observed him with scrutiny, Harun felt an uncomfortable silence settle in. Then the unthinkable occurred. Silav clasped his hands in greetings and kneeled toward Harun.
”No no no no no! Don't you dare!” Harun inwardly screamed, but to no avail. The words he feared still left Silav's lips.