Chapter 113: A Single Word, and the Ancient Emperor Fights for Her (4k)

Chapter 113: A Single Word, and the Ancient Emperor Fights for Her (4k)

Shao Hua tread the Immortal Path but did not enter, her gaze piercing through the strange world, forcefully repelling the supreme beings on the other side across the vast universe.

That was also someone treading the Mortal-World Immortal Path, but his combat power was relatively ordinary, even weaker than Shao Hua’s current state.

Having lived through countless ages, his transformation was not as thorough or significant, likely because he had taken shortcuts along the way, using undying substances to prolong his life, ultimately grinding out Heavenly Emperor-level combat power.

The Celestial Gate was wide open, Immortal Qi pouring out, immensely peaceful. Even for the Supreme Sovereigns, it was immensely beneficial, nourishing both their Primordial Spirits and physical forms. Just a single breath of the air made one feel refreshed and invigorated.

The strange world contained substances that could grant eternal life. Staying in such an environment, it was only a matter of time before one could recover to their peak state.

Thinking of this, everyone felt immense gratitude, bowing deeply to Donghuang, their eyes filled with nostalgia as they looked back at the original universe.

They never expected to suddenly leave this universe to seek immortality in another world.

"Come!" Someone used great power to summon several Divine Essence Stones from certain ancient lands. These were the most important loved ones sealed away long ago, now being taken along to achieve immortality.

Immortality was for eternal existence. With the hope of immortality within reach, even if they hadn’t yet ascended to immortality, it wasn’t much different.

"Ha ha, I will take you all to immortality, and then we will ascend to immortality together!"

The Kirin Ancient Emperor stood tall and mighty, extending his hand to summon a Kirin staff made of Eternal Blue Gold, carrying two Divine Essence Stones through the void to his side.

These were his children, and he naturally had to take them along on this journey.

In truth, he had briefly hesitated, considering leaving his children behind to endure trials in this world, hoping they would surpass his achievements.

Because staying together for too long, father and son, would inevitably lead to his Dao influencing and suppressing them. Not everyone could break through the suppression of the Great Dao like Donghuang, but in the end, he abandoned this harsh thought.

Even the ancient emperors, with their steadfast Dao hearts, could not remain unmoved when they saw their children after a million years apart.

How could they bear to part again after such a reunion?

The others also brought along their weapons and most important loved ones.

Stepping into another world would certainly involve numerous trials, a new journey.

As they saw, after Donghuang opened the Celestial Gate with her sword, she still had to face a terrifying existence on the other side.

The other side only possessed undying and immortal substances, an environment nearly as divine as the immortal realm, but even there, death was still possible.

Especially as outsiders, they would inevitably face hostility. The road ahead would not be easy, and there might even be a threat to their lives.

Of course, some had already lost all their loved ones, such as the Ling Emperor and the Human Emperor, who set out alone.

"I have no descendants left; I must leave a legacy." Tian Xuan cast his Imperial Artifact, the Tao Raids Gold Ring, into the starry void, carrying his legacy with him as he tore through the sky.

Some were even more independent. A certain Hengyu Emperor, for instance, was incredibly carefree and unbound, bringing no loved ones and even returning his Imperial Artifact.

Bringing one’s son meant wanting to bring one’s grandson, and bringing one’s grandson meant wanting to bring one’s great-grandson, and so on, ad infinitum. He didn’t even know how many descendants he had, and it was impossible to take them all.

Rather than that, he decided to take none. Let his children and grandchildren have their own blessings; why should he worry about it?

Immortality wasn’t necessarily as wonderful as it seemed. For most, life remained repetitive and dull, and the longer one lived, the more weary one’s heart became.

The value of life couldn’t be measured by its length alone. Living a life of freedom and integrity, with no regrets, was equally valuable.

Moreover, even if one ascended to immortality, would there truly be no more worries?

Hengyu didn’t think so. His intuition told him that if one could truly ascend to immortality, it would only be a new beginning, and the future path would be even more tortuous and challenging.

"Let’s go, let’s go, let’s set out together!" He extended his hand, forcibly pulling the somewhat bewildered Lin Dong along.

What was there for a young man to be bewildered about? He had no one to leave behind, and venturing into the new world was the right path, continuing to fight there.

"By the way, isn’t Ning Fei not coming with us?" Hengyu suddenly remembered someone in the Ancient Forbidden Land.

"Master Ning is waiting for someone", Xiao Yan said.

Hengyu, Xiao Yan, and Lin Dong set out together. They had paid a great price to stop the chaos, expecting to fight to the death, but they never imagined it would end this way.

But since Donghuang had done this, there must have been a deeper meaning. They all agreed to follow her arrangements, venturing into the strange world to blaze a trail.

Only Xiao Zicheng resolutely chose to stay behind, as the cultivation methods of the Holy Body lineage needed to be passed down through divine consciousness. He had to leave a legacy for future generations.

"Are you not going with them?" Shao Hua turned her head to look at the unremarkable Ji Xuyan beside her.

"I am the emperor of this era. How can I just leave? This world still needs someone to protect it." Ji Xuyan shook his head and hurriedly absorbed the undying substance seeping through the Celestial Gate.

"An extra person there won’t make much of a difference, but the mortal world will surely miss a Ji Xuyan. That wouldn’t be good. Besides, you’re not going either, are you?"

How could he let Donghuang stand alone in glory?

With Donghuang protecting the mortal world, he, Ji Xuyan, should also have his share of responsibility.

Witnessing the terrifying calamity that erupted in this world, he had already resolved to protect it. Killing the Supreme Sovereigns and pacifying the forbidden zones were his greatest goals in life. Compared to these, eternal life and ascending to immortality were secondary.

So, he had just asked the Hengyu Emperor for that special method of self-sacrifice. If the Supreme Sovereigns remained hidden, he would also follow the example of his predecessors.

"That place is not the Immortal Realm. It’s easy to enter but hard to leave. I wish to ascend to immortality in the mortal world and hope to go further. If you have the same aspiration, you can give it a try." Shao Hua said.

Ji Xuyan was slightly taken aback, a glint of sharp insight flashing in his eyes.

Shao Hua said no more. She took all the scriptures from everyone, closed her eyes slightly, and pondered.

Different races were no obstacle. The unique doctrines and explorations of the path to eternal life were even more delightful.

Sometimes, a little inspiration from another’s wisdom could have an unexpected and significant impact.

After a moment, when the ten people had already entered the strange world, the Wasteland Tower trembled lightly, no longer maintaining the passage between the two worlds. Before leaving, it didn’t forget to absorb some undying substance.

Yinhuo was distant, the Immortal Path gleaming.

The commotion Shao Hua caused here was well-known, at least to certain people who had been paying close attention.

The Supreme Sovereigns hiding in the Primordial Ancient Mine were also running out of time.

Seeing their former "comrades" choose to betray and join that accursed woman’s camp for the sake of eternal life, the envy, jealousy, and hatred were almost palpable.

“I only made small mistakes that all Supreme Sovereigns would make. Those lowly ants being able to prolong their lives is already a privilege. Why should I pay the price for it?”

"You, Donghuang, are so great, so noble, looking down on our survival. You take them to eternal life, but I can’t bear it!" Someone’s resentment had solidified into a tangible force, roaring in the ancient mine.

"Ha, so what if you can’t bear it? If you want to die, go ahead, but don’t drag us down. Regardless of whether that path is real or not, I know for sure that facing her now means certain death", another person sneered, though their words were filled with despair.

"It’s not without a chance. I saw that when she first appeared, her realm wasn’t high. Later, she must have recalled her former Dao fruit. After clashing with the Wasteland Tower, she coughed blood, clearly suffering a backlash and Dao injury."

A Supreme Sovereign from the Undying Mountain spoke, having witnessed the Heavenly Shrouding Bracelet smashing into the Undying Mountain and Shao Hua ascending to the supreme Heavenly Emperor realm in just ten steps.

"Never mind, the Immortal Path is about to close. This is the last chance. Take the risk. Even if we can’t ascend, we can still gain eternal life!"

In the end, some couldn’t resist the temptation of eternal life. Just as the Immortal Path was about to close, the Primordial Ancient Mine reappeared at the edge of the universe, like a black hole, devouring the essence of heaven and earth.

The Celestial Ascension Treasure glowed with dawn light, enhancing a floating island. The island shattered the void, almost transcending time, crossing the vast starry sky in an instant, arriving at Yinhuo and rushing toward the Immortal Path.

"You dare?!" Ji Xuyan and Xiao Zicheng were enraged, never expecting those hiding to actually dare to appear at the last moment.

They wanted to use the path to reach the strange world, truly despicable.

The Supreme Sovereigns of the forbidden zones were prepared, using the Heaven-Burial Isle as a vessel, equipped with a complete Imperial Dao Formation and the power of the Celestial Ascension Treasure.

Ji Xuyan and Xiao Zicheng launched a fierce attack, but it was too late, and they were not strong enough. They could only watch as a few people shouted about eternal life, immortality, and ascension, rushing into the Immortal Path.

Then, the entire Heaven-Burial Isle was grabbed back by a large, pale hand.

"No!!" Two desperate screams echoed from the island.

Their last hope was shattered. They had thought Donghuang wouldn’t care about them and would focus on the re-emerging Primordial Ancient Mine.

But they were wrong.

Shao Hua reached out and shattered the Imperial Dao Formation on the Heaven-Burial Isle, erasing the power of the Celestial Ascension Treasure.

At the same time, on the other side of the universe, the moment the Primordial Ancient Mine reappeared, an Immortal Bell and a Wasteland Tower simultaneously appeared in that starry river.

The Immortal Bell halted time, and the Withered Tower smelted an entire galaxy. The two supreme immortal artifacts struck simultaneously, nearly collapsing the Primordial Ancient Mine.

“What a remarkable Heaven-Burial Isle. I remember after I attained the Dao, I visited all the major life-prohibited zones, but yours fled the fastest. I never had the chance to visit the island, and today, I finally get my wish.”

Shao Hua, harboring a slight grudge, stepped onto Heaven-Burial Isle, surveying the magnificent and peculiar island.

It resembled a coffin, connected to nine dragon veins, as if nine dragons were pulling a coffin.

Interestingly, Shao Hua had never seen the Nine-Dragon Coffin Procession in this world, which was a bit of a regret. She could only hope for a chance in the future.

“I have never initiated the Darkness Calamity, please give me a chance, Donghuang!” someone cried out, their sorrow and regret so profound that it could move anyone to tears.

“I have already given you a chance, but you did not seize it,” Shao Hua said coolly.

What good is regret? Once missed, it is missed.

She respected personal choices, but one must pay the price for the path chosen.

Many Supremes, when they first entered the prohibited zones, believed they were different, thinking they could endure without initiating the Darkness Calamity, maintaining their final dignity.

But when unexpected events occurred or they could no longer endure, how many were willing to accept their fate and wither away, only to become what they once despised—the dragon slayers turned into the very dragons they hunted.

Perhaps they also regretted it, but should she give them another chance?

There is no such logic. Even the former Hengyu or the later Xuyan, if they harbored improper thoughts, she would not show mercy.

“Can you not be a little more lenient?” the Great Roc Sovereign’s resentment reached its peak.

“You don’t trust me, and I find it difficult to gain your trust. However, you can choose a more dignified end,” Shao Hua hinted.

The Great Roc Sovereign was taken aback for a moment, then his fighting spirit soared to the heavens.

“Fine, fine, Great Roc Sovereign, let’s join forces. We might stand a chance to wound her. Even if we die, we will die gloriously!” another Supreme roared.

He was willing to risk everything to bring the Heavenly Emperor down from the throne.

Upon closer inspection, he noticed that Donghuang’s complexion was indeed somewhat pale, and her aura was not as terrifying as he had imagined. It seemed she had indeed suffered a Dao injury from her forced action.

The Great Roc Sovereign’s eyes darkened, and in an instant, he made his decision.

He stood tall and proud, his golden hair flying, and with a single step, he unleashed a golden light that stretched for millions of miles. He wielded a golden divine whip, divided into twenty-eight sections and resembling a divine sword, exuding an awe-inspiring aura.

“Buzz!”

But unexpectedly, the Great Roc Sovereign swung the golden divine whip, collapsing the universe with a terrifying howl, and suddenly turned to strike the person beside him.

“Great Roc, what are you doing?” The other Supreme’s half-body exploded, and he was instantly stunned, not understanding the Great Roc Sovereign’s sudden change of heart.

“Damn it, what did that woman promise you? We are comrades, don’t be swayed by her!” he shouted in anger.

The Great Roc Sovereign ignored him, suddenly reaching up to touch his face. There were tears, wet and crystalline, rolling down his cheeks.

He howled to the heavens, memories from eons ago flooding his mind.

In that moment, many past events surfaced in his eyes. The bloody battles on the Imperial Path, a grand song that drew the attention of the masses, revered by all, and finally, attaining the Dao.

Afterward, for a long time, he had also protected all living beings, revered by the world, his radiance illuminating the annals of history.

But then he saw his friends die one by one, and the woman he loved fall to the passage of time. He was filled with sorrow, yearning for eternal life, and ultimately, he severed himself and retreated into the prohibited zone.

He remembered, he had lied to Donghuang.

Perhaps he had forgotten before, but he had not personally initiated the Darkness Calamity; he had ordered others to do it. He had changed, no longer the ancient emperor of old.

“Reclaim the glory of the past, and meet my end in brilliance. Even if I die today, I will still be the Great Roc Sovereign!”

The Great Roc Sovereign laughed to the heavens, exuding a supreme and invincible aura, his fighting spirit shaking the heavens and the earth as he charged at the Supreme.

This was a bloodbath, shaking the nine heavens and ten earths. After this battle, the two Supremes never appeared again.

Shao Hua shook her head. She had only said it casually, but she never expected the two to truly fight.

A single word had made an ancient emperor fight to the death for her.

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(End of Chapter)

Chapter end