The Ancient Saint Emperor of the Heaven-shading

Chapter 198 Farewell, Heading to Battle (Happy Children's Day everyone!)

In the Sea of ​​Reincarnation, someone was observing. Although they had never been born, they noticed the actions of the three strongest physiques in the world deep within the Big Dipper.

The Yin Body, the Yang Body, and the incomplete Chaos Body.

In some ways, it was a feast.

"Hmm, it's wonderful. All three of them have become quasi-emperors, especially the Sun Body. If it goes any further, it will be able to challenge the Great Saint Spirit. It's so tempting. I want all three of them. What should I do?"

"If only they could merge into one, becoming a perfect chaotic entity."

Amidst the silver waves, the voice carried a hint of regret, but the attack was ruthless. Though the true form remained unseen, the vast divine sense transformed into a wave that swept across the land, suppressing heaven and earth, directly impacting the Northern Dipper region.

In this dark and turbulent time, another supreme being has taken ruthless action to seize the fruits of his labor.

In an instant, the three people underground in Zhongzhou sensed it. A huge wave swept over, and the light of the Great Dao covered the sky and the earth. Even those who were about to achieve the Dao would be reduced to ashes under its influence.

"A supreme being has made a move!" "The Sea of ​​Reincarnation?" "He hasn't even been born yet, so why is he targeting us?"

The three people's expressions changed slightly. The supreme power before them pressed down like a vast ocean, abrupt and sharp, full of killing intent.

"Activate the great formation and block this attack first!" Wang Hongwu made a decisive move, joining forces with Wuliang and Chunfeng to harness the power of the immortal formation to launch a counterattack against the divine sense of the Supreme Being of the Samsara Sea.

In an instant, this place was annihilated, black holes appeared everywhere, and then chaos exploded, the aftershocks directly impacting areas billions of light-years away, shattering swathes of celestial bodies.

"Interesting. Three ants actually stole the formation left behind by the Venerable Ones back then." Within the Sea of ​​Reincarnation, the figure glanced at it and attacked again. Its divine sense transformed into huge beams of light that swept across the sea, deafeningly loud. The starry sea seemed as insignificant as dust under the Dao wave.

"This is troublesome. If he keeps bothering us here, all our efforts will be in vain." Daoist Wuliang frowned. The immortal array was indeed very powerful, but they had not yet fully activated it. If they let the people from the Reincarnation Sea continue to harass them like this, all their efforts would be in vain.

"I'll go!" Wang Hongwu stepped forward, and an ancient cauldron made of Primordial Life Stone appeared in his hand. From inside, a formation flag immediately manifested, covered with extreme Dao patterns. It was a true royal formation killing field!
"The ultimate array flag inscribed by the Qilin Emperor? Ha, it can only be used once. He probably intended to take it with him when he ventured into another world, but unfortunately he gave it to you, and now he is trapped in a cage and can hardly protect himself. What a laughable display of tenderness."

Upon seeing this, the being in the Sea of ​​Reincarnation temporarily stopped, unwilling to pay the price to exhaust itself, but its voice was full of mockery and ridicule.

Indeed, the Qilin Emperor is now deeply embroiled in a deadly trap and can hardly protect himself. Even if he returns, it is hard to say whether the Yama Emperor will take the opportunity to retaliate.

At this moment, the supreme beings on the edge of the universe made a move. Their faces were indifferent, but their eyes gleamed with anticipation for the harvest.

Apart from the still somewhat resistant Great Roc Emperor, the Eternal Heavenly Venerable, the Stone Emperor, and the Yama Emperor each chose a direction and set off to different ancient domains to "feed".

"It's over, a dark upheaval is about to descend!"

"If a supreme being were to destroy the world, how many people would survive?"

The entire universe was trembling, all living beings were in fear, and they all felt a sense of impending disaster and the end of the world, and they were all trembling.

With a casual wave of his hand, the Stone Emperor shattered billions of light-years, leaving all star fields empty. Streams of life essence flew in, transforming into a torrent that all flowed into his mouth.

This is terrifying. It's hundreds of billions of lives, all of them died without a sound.

"This is my first birth, and it should be commemorated. It is an honor for you ants to be able to merge with me!" The Stone Emperor wiped his mouth, with a hint of indifference. Strictly speaking, this was the first time he had tasted the deliciousness of all spirits, and it was indeed very good.

All living beings, no matter how weak they may be, possess a great miracle within them, and all have the most precious substance in the world: the essence of life.

The powerful have more of this substance, while the weak have relatively less; it's like precious jewels hidden within the bodies of every living being.

The Supreme Being awoke midway through his journey. In order to survive and prolong his immortality, he stirred up a dark upheaval. His hunting grounds extended beyond the Big Dipper; the entire universe became his hunting ground. Of course, this kind of thing is like an elixir of immortality. Once used, its potency diminishes, and the same amount will be useless. If needed again, it will require ten or a hundred times the amount.

Therefore, each period of darkness and turmoil will be more terrifying than the last.

However, none of that matters to people in despair.

Because they are all going to die.

"The path to immortality has always been bloody, as it has always been." The Celestial Venerable of Immortality strode calmly, his gaze cold and unfathomable. He had reaped countless lives, yet he remained indifferent, showing no concern for what was happening before him.

His robes fluttered, and he exuded an air of otherworldly grace, yet wherever he went, mountains of corpses and seas of blood littered the ground. Many young, strong, and vibrant individuals fell into pools of blood, their most primal essence rising from their bodies.

A mother reduced to bones, an infant long since lost, lovers holding hands tightly before their deaths, a grandfather and grandson torn apart... This is a scene of hell on earth, far too tragic.

When he arrived at his former homeland, the ancient star field called Changsheng, this Celestial Venerable showed no concern whatsoever, simply saying indifferently, "Hmph, I've come first, lest those fellows devour it."

At this moment, his concern for his homeland was limited to not having it 'taken away' by others.

Because this is his food.

"Since you gave me life and raised me, then raise me to the very end. Pass down the Dao of Longevity and cultivate the secret techniques of life in this star field, all for the sake of a fragrant medicinal garden." The Celestial Venerable of Longevity smiled and opened his mouth towards his homeland.

The next moment, a deafening roar shook the entire star field, and ninety percent of all living beings perished, their essence coalescing into an incomparably pure life force that soared into the air, far purer and more potent than what other supreme beings preyed upon.

After all, this was the medicinal herb garden he had painstakingly cultivated.

Nourished by these essences, the Celestial Venerable of Longevity's expression softened considerably. But at that moment, he sensed another aura approaching and couldn't help but frown. "You blind fool, disturbing my grand feast!"

"Beast!" In the next moment, a figure descended from the sky, carrying the Emperor's Seal to suppress all things in the universe and protect all living beings. However, the Celestial Venerable of Longevity was unimpressed. He blocked the attack with an upward slash of his immortal sword and saw that the figure in front of him was none other than the Taiyin Emperor!

"You don't even spare your own homeland, how dare you call yourself a Heavenly Venerable?" The Taiyin Human Emperor roared, his fierce and unyielding spirit overwhelming the world. Now, the laws within his imperial corpse have fully recovered and merged with his own. With the imperial body possessing both laws and divine weapons and the elixir of immortality, he can indeed stop the steps of the self-severing Supreme. However, after the sublimation, it will be a different matter.

"Taiyin Human Emperor, I acknowledge your character, but unfortunately, your strength is insufficient to achieve it." However, the Eternal Life Celestial Venerable is also terrifying, extremely terrifying. He has survived from the mythological era to the present day not only because of the "Zhe" secret, but also because his achievements are comparable to those of creation.

Moreover, the power exerted by the living is inevitably greater than that of the dead.

A single sword cleaved through eternity, like a celestial being descending from the heavens. The Longevity Sword was so sharp and dazzling that it blinded people, terrifying to the extreme. It slashed fiercely at the Human Emperor's Seal. As a Heavenly Venerable, his arrogance surpassed all ages. How could he allow a junior Human Emperor to launch a preemptive attack?
He has the upper hand!

In an instant, a great battle erupted in the depths of the universe. The clash between the Taiyin Human Emperor and the Longevity Celestial Venerable of the mythical era had a tremendous impact, causing the entire universe to tremble.

On the other side, Yama, the King of Hell, ruthlessly trampled through the Fulong Ancient Starfield, somewhat dissatisfied, "How can it be so weak? Not even a quasi-emperor, not even enough to fill a gap!"

Below, countless figures ran and cried out, kneeling and praying to heaven, dragging their children and scrambling to escape—this was a human tragedy.

But what good was it? In the eyes of Yama, these were all ants, unable to stir even the slightest ripple in his heart. With a single breath, hundreds of billions of people exploded, and the radiant glow of life entered his mouth and nose, spreading like wisps of white mist.

"Oh? You've arrived. I've been waiting for you for a long time. It's a pity that Ziwei disappeared too early, otherwise, we could have played some interesting games around it." At this moment, he was facing away from the universe, but he clearly sensed the arrival of another person and revealed a cold smile.

"A battle is destined between us, continuing the past. My successor annihilated your successor and lineage. Now, I want to try and see if I can take you with me." Another person arrived, dressed in green with white hair, and a flame composed of immortal talismans danced before him, mysterious and profound.

"You are no longer the true Sun Emperor. You cannot stop my advance. In the end, only you will die." Yama King calmly turned around and looked at his former nemesis. He saw the immortal fire suddenly surge and merge into the old man in green, causing his aura to rise continuously and reach its ultimate sublimation.

"I am no longer the Holy Emperor, but you are no longer the emperor of yesteryear." The Sun Holy Emperor and the Immortal Fire merged completely, restoring him to his peak years. His majestic appearance was awe-inspiring, and he transformed into the Dao Prover of yesteryear, possessing unparalleled divine power. Holding the Emperor Tower, he once again reigned supreme over the world.

It was not to show off his power, nor to enjoy the worship of the masses, but to quell the chaos. In an instant, the stone tower glowed, and countless strands of immortal light danced, illuminating eternity. He directly launched a fierce attack, trying to stop Yama.

Sun Emperor versus Yama Emperor!
In an instant, in the same universe, on different battlefields, two generations of human emperors emerged, giving their last ounce of strength.

"The Sun Emperor, he really is the Holy Emperor of my human race!"

"The Human Emperor, it's him! He has truly returned!"

All living beings wept bitterly. Throughout the long ages, only the Ancient Emperor of the Sun and the Ancient Emperor of the Moon have been revered as human emperors. Their achievements have shaken the ages, they ruled the world, and they were deeply loved by the people.

In this most perilous moment, prayers to the heavens were useless, kowtows to the earth were fruitless, and calls to all the gods and demons went unanswered. Only the two emperors deepest in people's hearts returned.

This brought tears to many eyes, and they shouted and cried out, hoping that the two emperors could stabilize the heavens, quell the turmoil, and restore peace to the land.

However, while Yama and Changsheng Tianzun were blocked, Shi Huang hunted recklessly. He glanced back at the motionless Dapeng Huang and suddenly laughed, "Fellow Daoist, what are you being so high and mighty about!"
If you truly had that kind of spirit, you wouldn't have cut yourself off.

Since you've already committed suicide, you might as well see yourself clearly. What's the point of consuming these things? Survival is what matters. Who cares how many ants you've crushed? If you don't eat them, other supreme beings will soon. You're going to die anyway, so what's the difference?

These words kept echoing in the ears of the Great Roc Emperor. His expression grew increasingly grim, and his heart truly wavered. Because he was not in good condition, he still harbored ambitions and wanted to try again to conquer the strange world and even the path to immortality.

Therefore, it is essential to survive.

"In the face of immortality, aloofness is meaningless." In the end, the Great Roc Emperor also made his move, washing away all the stars and myriad realms in blood. He became yet another source of dark turmoil, washing away all living beings in order to obtain the life substance to stop his aging.

This is equivalent to adding one more spot to the Dark Lord's position, a change that is suffocating and despairing.

How can ants comprehend the heavens? If we were in each other's shoes, what would you do?
The entire world is ruled by darkness, just like me!

The Great Roc Emperor spoke coldly, his expression indescribably cruel, as if he had trampled everything under his feet.

The world is bleak and desolate.

"Who can save us?"

"Waaaaah, I really don't want to die! Why us of all people? Why does it have to be us?!"

"Darkness will destroy the world, haha, who can stop the Supreme One? They will all die, they will all die."

There was wailing everywhere, and people were praying everywhere.

In this moment of despair, they hoped that an unprecedented being would come to save them and turn the tide. The collective will of all beings converged at this moment, traversing endless star fields, sweeping across countless lives, and rushing towards a certain place, towards the last hope.

Deep within the starry sky, everyone gazed from the Purple Star Heavenly Court. They could feel the terror of this calamity, and even occasionally, the gazes of supreme beings swept across this place, eager to come in and hunt. However, the revived incomplete immortal array and the ninefold battle array temporarily suppressed their thoughts.

But in the end, no one knows what will happen.

Meanwhile, underground in Zhongzhou, Wang Hongwu, Wuliang Daoren, and Ye Chunfeng all fell silent.

They finally revived the immortal array, but the dark turmoil had reached its most devastating moment.

Wang Hongwu closed his eyes and stood there. He could sense the desperate screams and roars from the depths of the universe, a bloody battle that was shattering the heavens and the earth. Countless stars exploded into fragments, life was completely dimmed, and blood was splattering everywhere, a gruesome sight.

Blood and chaos, sorrow and grief, all transformed into boundless spiritual power at this moment.

The power of sentient beings' thoughts is a wondrous thing, allowing even some of the most powerful people in the world to sense their fear and despair, and as if they were witnessing everything here.

All spirits bowed down, worshipped and prayed incessantly, their boundless spiritual power continuing to bless and attach itself to those beings who had the power to stop it.

It was as if they had been chosen by divine will or by the will of all living beings.

At that moment, the three of them felt that power of will, that call.

That kind of choice!

All beings call upon them, all beings need them; at this moment, they are all that remains.

"Perhaps there is another way." Unable to bear it any longer, the Boundless Daoist finally spoke up.

Wang Hongwu and Ye Chunfeng both looked over, their expressions calm. "You speak."

"Yin and Yang unite, and chaos is reborn! The three of us join forces to merge with the remains of the chaotic body from the mythical era, enter into it, and with the help of the revived immortal array, we can be considered as combat power in that field, only our primordial spirit is weak and insufficient."

But the price is high, it crosses the line between life and death, and perhaps there will be no return.

Finally, Wuliang revealed his final method. Originally, he planned to do all this himself, sacrificing himself would be enough.

Unfortunately, it's not enough, because it's incomplete and not a true chaotic entity.

A hair's breadth of difference, and it's no good.

Upon hearing this, Ye Chunfeng recalled the divination he had performed before coming here: the gate of life was here, and the gate of death was also here; his time was running out.

"If necessary, then at least it proves that this era needs me, Ye Chunfeng, and not others. As for myself, I have also realized my ideal. What is there to hesitate about?" he muttered to himself, but felt a little bitter.

He spent his entire life searching for himself.

He breaks free from the shackles left by the Mingzun and becomes Ye Chunfeng. But after finally finding himself and embarking on his own journey, he is faced with a battle of life and death.

This feeling is really unbearable; who could bear to part with someone like that?

“Brother Wang, you… sigh, you should return to the Ziwei Heavenly Court first. You bear too much and are involved in too many things. The entire Sun Clan could be sacrificed, along with your own blood essence, to replace it. There’s really no need to risk your life.” Wuliang Tianzun looked at Wang Hongwu, sighed, patted his shoulder, and then said seriously, “I’m not talking nonsense. Because you have the strongest combat power and the highest realm, your chances of survival are the greatest!”
Of the three of us, you are the most important, do you understand?

As he spoke, he activated the immortal array, releasing a burst of power that formed a teleportation portal, pushing Wang Hongwu, who was standing there blankly, into it.

Inside the Ziwei Heavenly Court, the crowd that had been eagerly waiting immediately saw this scene and gathered around, asking all sorts of questions, showing great excitement and concern.

The Empress also stepped forward and carefully examined Wang Hongwu. Only after finding that he had no injuries did she breathe a sigh of relief.

When Wuliang Daoren and Wang Hongwu revealed their plans and intentions, the once bustling and lively Ziwei Heavenly Court suddenly fell silent.

Silence fell.

It's hard for them to imagine.

They find it hard to accept.

After the calm, there was an explosive uproar and opposition.

"How can you do this! Master, there are plenty of opportunities and possibilities in the future, why dwell on the present?"

"That's right. It's nothing for our entire clan to offer sacrifices. As long as it allows you to concentrate on your cultivation for a period of time, break through, and then prove your Dao, it's all worth it."

"Master, please reconsider! This battle is truly a matter of life and death. If anything goes wrong, we may not be able to return. Why should we go to such lengths?"

The followers were very excited and did not want Wang Hongwu to participate in this battle.

That's too dangerous, there's no need for that.

“Hongwu, you don’t need to do this, do you?”
"Does the strong have an obligation to protect all living beings? Don't you think that's unreasonable?" The Empress sighed. How could someone at this level not understand the gap between themselves and a master of the Imperial Path?

Even if what Wuliang Daoren said is true, that the three of them can enter the Chaos Immortal Array Body and stop the Supreme's steps, what can they do in the end?
Life and death are uncertain, and there is no good outcome.

“Brother Hongwu, Father is right. This is not your responsibility. You don’t need to bear it or fight this battle. We belong to the future. Everything will be alright. Please don’t go.”
"Aren't there other ways to replace it? Why you of all people?" Huo Lin'er cried as she held Wang Hongwu's hand. Her heart ached. On this day, her father was in grave danger, and the man she loved was going to die. How could she accept it?

She couldn't accept losing the two most important people in one day. She kept sobbing and wanted to stop the man from leaving, even if it was just for her sake, she was willing to be selfish just this once.

Even just once.

“Sun, we owe nothing to all living beings. We have done what we should do. The two human emperors have already gone into battle. We have no need to fight a battle we cannot win, nor do we have an obligation to face an enemy we cannot defeat. You should understand, right?” The Golden Goddess also tried to persuade her. With her pride, she would never have said these things.

But at this moment, she became selfish, not wanting her lover to take risks and fight for his life.

Looking at them, Wang Hongwu took a deep breath and forced a smile, saying, "Can't win at all? I don't understand."

No one is obligated to do these things, and no one is born a savior, but someone has to do them.

Now, I can, I am capable, and I do not wish for the Sun Clan to be sacrificed for this. So please forgive me, forgive my selfishness this time, my willfulness this time.

He slowly withdrew his arm, stroked Huo Lin'er's hair, and escorted her and the Golden Celestial Maiden to the Empress's side, saying, "Take good care of them. Now you are the strongest."

"I'd rather not have this strongest!" The Empress bit her lip, blood trickling from it. She desperately wanted to stop him, but alas, she couldn't.

"Promise me you'll come back." The Dragon Girl stepped forward, offering no words of dissuasion, but gazing deeply into Wang Hongwu's eyes, hoping he would keep his promise.

Wang Hongwu remained silent. This was the only time he could not even bring himself to say it: this departure would truly mean the end of their lives.

"You will come back, won't you? We still have so many things to do. We haven't led Wanlongchao to prosperity yet, we haven't raised our children yet, we haven't watched the winter plum blossoms bloom together, we haven't seen the sunsets of all the heavens. You can't break your promise." The Dragon Girl's eyes were filled with tears. She had already sensed something. Her voice trembled slightly, and she gripped Wang Hongwu's hand tightly, as if she would lose it at any moment.

Wang Hongwu's lips trembled slightly. He had so much to say, but he couldn't get the words out. His heart trembled. He looked at the Dragon Girl and for a moment really wanted to stay, but he couldn't. If he did, he wouldn't be Wang Hongwu, he wouldn't be the successor of the sun, and he wouldn't be the future human emperor.

There are always things that come above others. He is not a saint, but he has his own principles. He will not refrain from doing what he can do, and he will do his best in everything he should do.

"Hongwu." The Dragon Girl knew, she had always known, that she was the one who had been with Wang Hongwu the longest and understood him the most. She understood his feelings, so what could she say at this moment? Only a heart-wrenching call could be uttered.

"I love you."

Finally, he turned away, leaving only these three words.

Something felt stuck in his throat. He wasn't good at expressing his emotions, and he had never uttered those three words before, but he managed to squeeze them out with difficulty at this moment.

This will be a separation of life and death, meaning that the two will be separated forever, and perhaps they will never see each other again.

At that moment, he made up his mind, took on a heavy responsibility, and was completely different, now possessing the true 'qualifications of an emperor'.

The Imperial Way will elevate those who possess it, symbolizing status and power. But its true meaning is: when disaster strikes, I will shield you from everything and forever let you see only the golden hope of the sun.

The second generation of the Sun Emperor.

The third emperor.

At this moment, it was finally born.

“Hongwu, go do what you think is right; I’ve been very content with the years we’ve spent together. I’ll wait for you, wait for you to come back, wait for you to come home.” The Dragon Girl’s eyes were already blurred with tears. She was filled with helplessness and sadness, but she forced a smile, withdrew her arm, and pushed Wang Hongwu forward.

He was brought to the attention of all living beings.

Behind the gate of light, gazing at his retreating figure, the Dragon Girl clasped her hands together in prayer.

As always, I pray.

I pray that you are well.

I pray for your success.

I pray for your return.

(End of this chapter)