Chapter 120: Witness of the Era (17) |
As the myriad respectful farewells echoed across countless star domains, it was as though a Pandora's box had been flung open.
The Great Emperor's power dissolved into countless points of light, scattering to every corner of the cosmos. In those distant domains, the laws of heaven and earth grew more perfect, and vital qi grew denser and richer.
"Hahahaha! That old bastard Divine Evolution has finally died!"
An ancient world manifested. Above an ocean formed from rivers of stars rose an impossibly towering mountain that overshadowed entire domains. From within it stepped a figure. With a casual squeeze of one hand, an entire star domain shattered. Countless living beings perished without even a chance to scream—billions upon trillions swallowed whole in a single gulp.
The Myriad Stars Sea, the Primordial Ancient Mountain!
A former supreme powerhouse had emerged the instant the Divine Evolution Great Emperor perished.
That god-like yet demonic figure arrived at the site of Divine Evolution's nirvana. Facing the many powerful enemies blocking his path, he sneered with contempt. "That old fool Divine Evolution never dared storm my Primordial Ancient Mountain, yet he thought he could simply outlast me. What a foolish, naive delusion."
Five Quasi-Emperors flew out from Divine Evolution's dao field and roared in fury: "Though the Great Emperor has passed, that does not give the likes of you the right to profane his name!"
The starry void trembled. Terrifying fluctuations rippled across light-years. Quasi-Emperors bled. emperor scriptures awakened!
In that moment, the Emperor Palace's old Quasi-Emperor and Li Shenhua set aside their grievances and joined forces against the terrifying revived entities flooding the Heavenly Profound Domain.
Su Chen returned to the Wang family. With the domain in upheaval, as patriarch, he had to oversee the clan's affairs.
The beings emerging from the forbidden zones possessed horrifying abilities. They could erode the minds of outside cultivators, slowly twisting them into the same kind of madmen. This war was fought not only against ancient existences of old, but against unknown forces… and even against former comrades and kin.
One year later, the Divine Evolution Great Emperor's former Dao field could no longer hold. His disciples had nearly all perished. The once-glorious Emperor Dao field lay in ruins.
More and more ancient powerhouses emerged from their respective forbidden zones. Having confirmed the Great Emperor's death, they would not pass up the chance to feast on his remains—or seize the emperor scripture he had left behind. Those were supreme treasures.
Finally, under the assault of three overwhelmingly powerful existences, the emperor scripture was shattered. Only one person remained in the entire Dao field.
Fang Bubai had broken through to Quasi-Emperor, yet before three former supreme Emperors, he appeared utterly powerless.
"Give me another thousand years… just one more thousand years… and the outcome would not be like this!"
Fang Bubai's body was blasted apart again and again. Blood stained the stars. Yet he remained deeply helpless.
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"Stop this… You were once Emperors revered by all living beings. How have you fallen so low?"
A furious shout erupted from one of the great domains. An ancient figure appeared—an aged Quasi-Emperor whose vital blood had long since declined. He wielded a fully awakened Extreme Dao Emperor Scripture and had come to reinforce Divine Evolution's dao field, hoping to preserve at least a shred of dignity for this Great Emperor.
From the direction of the Heavenly Profound Domain, Li Shenhua and the old Quasi-Emperor of the Nine Suns Emperor Palace had joined forces to suppress one of the revived forbidden zones. An ancient Quasi-Emperor creature had been slain.
"Old man, lend me the emperor scripture."
Li Shenhua turned to the old Quasi-Emperor, his tone calm.
The old Quasi-Emperor of the Nine Suns Emperor Palace paused. He stared deeply at Li Shenhua. "That place is not for you. You are still young. My old bones have little time left—let me go instead."
Li Shenhua's face remained expressionless, his voice leaving no room for argument. "You are too weak. That emperor scripture would be wasted in your hands. Let me go. At the very least, I can hold one of them back… or even slay a Supreme."
The old Quasi-Emperor let out a long sigh. He retrieved the emperor scripture of the Nine Suns Emperor Palace and handed it over without hesitation—even though the two had been enemies not long before.
"Let this emperor scripture shine with its final brilliance in this era. Let it live up to the prestige of its former Emperor Lord!"
The old Quasi-Emperor offered no rebuttal. Li Shenhua was far stronger than he was. Wielding the emperor scripture, he might very well fight a Supreme to the death. Such an act would be an immense merit for heaven, earth, and all living beings.
Li Shenhua departed the Heavenly Profound Domain, carrying the emperor scripture of the Nine Suns Emperor Palace as he ventured deep into the cosmos. If those Supremes succeeded in devouring even a portion of a Great Emperor's corpse and regained part of their former might, the consequences would be unthinkable.
At that moment, in the Western Regions, a pale figure, radiant as a divinity, opened its eyes and gazed joyfully toward the depths of the stars.
"The emperor scripture… has vanished! Without the damned interference of the Nine Suns Emperor Palace, who in this era can stop me from ascending to Emperor?"
With each breath, heaven and earth rose and fell, dissolving into primal chaos.
An ancient existence lurked in the shadows, biding its time until the moment it could reign supreme. It did not take long for the universe to tremble once more.
Three additional forbidden-zone Supremes emerged.
Six Supremes in a single era…
All living beings fell into despair. Divine Evolution Great Emperor's Dao field had been shattered. Even though Quasi-Emperors wielded emperor scriptures, under the oppressive might of six Supremes, every effort seemed futile.
The six Supremes stared greedily at the corpse. They calmly discussed how to divide it: the head, the arms, the legs, the torso.
Just as one Supreme raised a hand to strike, the supposedly dead Divine Evolution Great Emperor abruptly opened his eyes. Before the Supreme could react, a single blow exploded its body. As the Supreme attempted to reform, Divine Evolution reached out with one hand, seizing an ancient imprint. Without giving the slightest chance for resistance, he erased every trace of its existence from heaven and earth.
"You… you're not dead?"
The remaining five Supremes stared in utter horror. Deep in the cosmos, that supreme great path blazed once again. An unrivaled aura pierced through the universe, forcing billions upon trillions of living beings to kneel in submission.
Divine Evolution Great Emperor… had returned to life?
"Divine Evolution… what a ruthless heart. You feigned death. You watched with your own eyes as we slaughtered your disciples and grand-disciples to the last, all to lull us into lowering our guard!"
One of the former Supremes cried out, terror gripping both body and soul. Dense scriptures appeared all around them—each character the size of a star, falling like raindrops into the depths of the cosmos, weaving together into an inescapable prison.
Divine Evolution Great Emperor spoke. His aged voice resounded throughout the universe: "For the sake of killing you all, their deaths were deaths well spent."
Seeing their escape routes sealed, the five Supremes felt a wave of bleak despair.
"Divine Evolution… what a Divine Evolution. A lifetime without campaigning against any forbidden zone… so it was all in preparation for this moment. We underestimated you!"
"But if you think you can kill us all alone, you are far too naive."
"Kill him! Devouring a living Great Emperor would more than make up for the vital blood we lost in this battle!"
"…"
The five Supremes unleashed their most terrifying power. The great Dao of old reappeared in this corner of heaven and earth!