Chapter 145: The White Emperor and the Black Sovereign, Nine Ten Thousand Years in the World (4k)

Chapter 145: The White Emperor and the Black Sovereign, Nine Ten Thousand Years in the World (4k)

Shao Hua had consecutively refined eight artifacts.

Apart from the Worldly Sword, which had accompanied her since her early years and was long ago refined into an immortal artifact by melting nine great metals, the Ascension Banner had also transformed into a true immortal artifact after being refined with the remnants and spirits of various supreme beings, as well as fragments of the Heavenly Nether Treasure. However, it carried a slight ominous aura.

As for the divine essence of the Primordial Yin Sovereign within the banner, she had made proper arrangements, re-refining it into a new vessel for its spirit.

However, the backup she had left behind was now useless, as all the Life Forbidden Zones had been pacified, and there was no need for the remnants of the Sovereigns to emerge and engage in battle.

After all, Shao Hua hadn't known if she could reach the end, so she had prepared multiple contingencies, thinking it was better to be safe than sorry. Most of these preparations were now of little use.

Thus, for the Ascension Banner, she prepared a Dao Lantern, first using the Immortal Heaven Sovereign as the offering, and then absorbing immortal flames. After tens of thousands of years, it would transform into an immortal artifact on its own.

In her vision of the supreme immortal artifacts, the sword and the banner were the most important components.

The other artifacts served as supplements, enhancing her power and striving for even greater heights.

The Celestial Veil Bracelet accompanied Shao Hua closely, engraved with Heavenly Earth Ripples and continuously inscribed with Dao Traces. While not an immortal artifact, it was evolving into a powerful array.

The Immortal Metal Holy Embryo, which had been nurtured by myriad Dao to produce Chaos Blood, had lost its significance to her. Therefore, the Wanderer's Ark was reborn by reversing the creation of the immortal metal.

After being re-refined, the ark now floated in her Bitter Sea, heading toward the Fated Land, ready to carry her magic and Dao Fruit.

The Vitality Furnace, naturally, was a cauldron. It was currently on the Ancient Star of Divine Soldiers, nurturing the remaining spirit and Dao Light of the Lingbao Sovereign, serving as the final verification and an essential part of the future integration of all her artifacts.

As for the Eastern Sovereign Bell and the Great Unity Ring, they were not of the same lineage as the Worldly Sword, Wanderer's Ark, Vitality Furnace, Ascension Banner, Celestial Veil Bracelet, and Dao Lantern.

They were considered practice works, but they were still cast from nine-colored divine metals, far surpassing ordinary imperial weapons and could be considered half-immortal artifacts.

She would never admit that she actually found the Immortal Bell very handy and felt a bit reluctant to give it to Wushi, so she refined another one as a replacement.

Cough, it was called a stroke of luck, a wonderful connection!

Although the bell had little practical use at the moment and was more symbolic, she often used it to play with her cat and call her chicken. However, it might prove useful in the future.

The Great Unity Ring paired well with the Celestial Veil Bracelet, one on each wrist, making a bold statement with imperial weapons as accessories.

However, given her strength and status, it seemed fitting?

Time flowed, and in the blink of an eye, nearly fifty thousand years had passed since Wushi defied heaven's Dao.

Shao Hua remained seated beneath the ancient enlightenment tea tree, using a Chaos Stone as her Dao platform. The tea table, made from a single piece of Primordial Fate Stone, and the cups, crafted from the Nine Heavens Divine Jade King, were all part of her environment.

She had pushed her Dao and methods to a new pinnacle, integrating myriad Dao and paths into herself, giving birth to Chaos Vital Essence, and transforming into a Chaos Body.

This was a deliberate choice, made before her life span was exhausted, to initiate her eighth life.

"It is both the seventh and the eighth life. Transforming into a Chaos Body is not the goal but a means and an experience, to feel the resonance and harmony of myriad Dao."

Shao Hua muttered to herself, her clear voice tinged with a slight hoarseness, adding a magnetic quality that was almost enchanting.

Unfortunately, her celestial voice went unheard.

Her current state was one of eternal youth, untouched by time, and she was considered to have achieved immortality in the mundane world.

However, Shao Hua felt that her journey was far from over and that she had not yet reached her true limits.

"The apex of immortality?"

She couldn't help but think of this phrase, then shook her head.

No, she hadn't even completed her path as a Mundane Immortal. In her previous lives, she had moved too quickly, missing out on much of the journey. Indeed, her name, Shao Hua, meant "youthful bloom", and it seemed to reflect the fleeting nature of her existence.

In just over two hundred thousand years, she had "died" multiple times, with each life averaging about twenty thousand years. Within her, only a few Karmic Cycle Seals had formed.

To be honest, she had not achieved Dao in her first life, had been revived by the Immortal Medicine in her third life, and had barely survived her sixth life by severing her innate Sage Body Dao Embryo. These were clear shortcomings, and moving too quickly was not always the best approach. Sometimes, steady and gradual progress could lead to greater achievements.

Now, to achieve true perfection and reach the apex of immortality, she needed to pay the price for her past actions.

"Who says that nine lives are the fixed number for immortality? Nine is the ultimate number, but it is not my limit!"

"If eight or nine lives are not enough, then I will strive for ten, twelve, or even fifteen lives!"

"Nine is the ultimate number, ten is transcendence, and twelve is the great number of heaven. Perhaps this is the true great perfection, or perhaps the concept of nine yin and six yang applies", Shao Hua's eyes gleamed.

The past cannot be changed, but the future can. Having shortcomings is normal; no one can be perfect. The key is to identify and address these issues in a timely manner.

If she looked back from a high vantage point, she would see that there were always areas where she had not reached her full potential.

Just as the concept of "the apex of immortality" seemed unattainable, who would have thought that there was a higher level beyond becoming a Mundane Immortal?

If one were to extrapolate, there might be even higher levels beyond the apex, an endless cycle.

It was important not to get bogged down in such thoughts, but to strive to reach the limits of one's abilities.

Shao Hua understood this and had made her decision.

For her, the next step was to continue reversing her existence, address her past shortcomings, achieve the perfection of the Mundane Immortal Dao Fruit, and reach the apex of immortality.

She also needed to blaze her own path and pursue even higher realms.

In the same year, Wushi, nearing the end of his second life, brought back a small, pitch-black puppy from somewhere.

"Woof~"

In the early morning light, a thin mist enveloped the mountains, and a lively bark echoed through the air.

Shao Hua stood up for the first time in tens of thousands of years, marveling that Wushi had finally met his destined dog.

As expected, this puppy was the Black Sovereign.

"Look, Sister, what do you think?" Wushi, youthful in spirit despite his age, held out the palm-sized puppy for Shao Hua to see.

Shao Hua rolled her eyes and extended her long, fair hand, grabbing the puppy by the scruff of its neck.

"A bit small, not enough to eat", she said in the most matter-of-fact tone, which was terrifying for both the puppy and Wushi.

"Whimper?!" The puppy was shocked, trying to struggle but unable to escape her grip.

"!!!" Wushi was also shocked.

Sister, have you been practicing the Heartless Way for the past few ten thousand years? Please give me back my kind and gentle sister.

"Whoever you are, leave my sister's body!" Wushi sternly pointed at her.

"Rebellion, you dare to defy the heavens!" Shao Hua reached out and suppressed both the puppy and Wushi.

The siblings teased each other, then shared a smile and sat down under the ancient enlightenment tea tree. Shao Hua personally picked and brewed tea, serving it to Wushi.

There were only a few people in the world who could receive such treatment from her, a few close friends and family.

"I am in my twilight years and plan to take one last walk in the world, to see the myriad phenomena of the mundane world", Wushi said, his white hair flowing, his figure somewhat gaunt but still bearing the majestic aura of his younger years.

He chuckled, "I unexpectedly encountered this dying stray puppy, felt a connection, and decided to save it with ancient techniques. I thought it might be a good companion for you."

Shao Hua's expression was a bit odd. She hadn't expected Wushi to bring the puppy for her. She reached out and summoned a white kitten from somewhere.

"You keep the puppy. I already have a cat, and a bird."

The white kitten was also palm-sized, small and adorable, with a pair of lively, heterochromatic eyes.

Meanwhile, on a branch of the ancient enlightenment tea tree, an ashen sparrow poked its head out and chirped, its eyes somewhat dull.

Wushi ignored the bird and focused on the white kitten in Shao Hua's hands, genuinely surprised. "Is this a White Tiger Spirit Medicine? It has actually developed consciousness and become a true being!"

He had thought that Wan Qing, the Chaos Green Lotus, was a unique miracle, but now he had seen another.

However, this cat... this White Tiger hadn't chosen to take on a form?

"Sort of a stroke of luck", Shao Hua said, letting the kitten go. The cat and the puppy immediately started chasing each other's tails, playing happily at their feet.

"An Immortal Spirit Medicine Manifestation, even if it can't match my brother Wan Qing, should still be quite powerful. Perhaps we can call it the White Emperor", Wushi smiled.

Shao Hua laughed and pointed at the black puppy. "If that's the case, we should call this dog the Black Sovereign, right?"

The siblings shared another smile, and the Immortal Range was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

This also demonstrated their supreme status, as even their pets were given imperial and sovereign titles.

Afterward, Wushi took the black puppy with him, using his Heavenly Emperor's Vital Blood to cleanse and strengthen it. He was in the twilight of his second life but still willing to push himself.

On one hand, he felt a special connection with the puppy, and on the other, he was confident about living another life.

A bit of blood was insignificant, as he would eventually sever it all.

With his sister's experience, Wushi believed he didn't need the Immortal Medicine and could reverse his existence on his own.

In fact, he had done so in his second life.

This was the benefit of standing on the shoulders of giants. Shao Hua had to work hard to address her shortcomings, even with the experience of the ruthless person, advancing step by step.

Nine years later, the Immortal Range was filled with blood energy. If not for the Ascension Banner shielding the sky, the terrifying blood energy would have pierced the heavens and alarmed all living beings in the universe.

Wushi reappeared, slowly standing up from the Primordial Ancient Mine, rising again in a sea of blood energy and powerful vitality.

His black hair flowed over his shoulders, making him look like he was in his early twenties, youthful and vigorous, with a commanding presence.

Wushi gradually reined in his aura, his mouth curving into a wide grin.

After a period of seclusion, he had merged the flawed Immortal Bell with his own imperial bell, creating a powerful immortal artifact.

Meanwhile, Shao Hua had guided the cat and the dog onto the path of cultivation, opening their consciousness, but they found it less entertaining than before.

Wushi then took his puppy and was tossed into the Nine Dragon Coffin by Shao Hua.

Running around outside all the time was no good; it was time to spend some time with people, especially his mother, who had been longing for grandchildren.

Wushi's departure marked the end of the ancient era, and the world entered a new age.

This new era would later be known as the "Post-Ancient Era."

The universe was vast and silent, the essence of the world becoming increasingly thin, the Dao more distant, and Wushi's Dao suppressing all other paths, making it unsuitable for cultivation.

In the fifty thousand years since, no one in the world had broken through to the Quasi-Emperor stage, and the Great Sage was the pinnacle of combat power.

In the North Star, this suppression was even more severe, making it difficult for even saints to emerge, a frustrating situation.

However, starting from that year, the world began to change. The essence gradually increased, and the Dao no longer suppressed, making the celestial realms suitable for cultivation once again.

Everyone was overjoyed and invigorated.

Of course, this was just the beginning of the changes, far from the glory of the ancient era.

Moreover, Wushi's disappearance from the world led to much speculation. People believed he had used his heavenly-defying abilities to revitalize the universe, bringing back its vitality.

Time flew, and another thirty thousand years passed. Wushi the Great Emperor had not been seen in the world, and everyone became increasingly anxious.

Even if he had lived a third life, by all logic, his lifespan was nearing its end.

Furthermore, the Dao of Wushi the Great Emperor was gradually fading from the world.

People were unwilling to believe that this unparalleled human emperor, who had swept across the nine heavens and ten earths and dominated the world for eighty thousand years, would fade away. They believed he could not be measured by ordinary standards.

However, another ten thousand years passed, and Wushi the Great Emperor still did not reappear. This led to a collective sigh, as the glory had finally faded.

Many felt regret at never having seen this supreme emperor.

Of course, many others were relieved, seeing(End of Chapter)

Chapter end