The Great Ruler: Starting from the Dark Ages

Chapter 97 Three Lifetimes (Two-in-One 4K)

"Someone has really become an emperor..." An old sage watched this scene with excitement.

"Am I a cultivator from the demon race? Or a cultivator from the human race?" A great saint from the demon race couldn't hide his excitement; he was eager to know the answer.

The Heavenly Emperor is a human cultivator. Although he promotes a policy of equality and universal love, he is still human after all. He can treat everyone equally, but can other human and even demon cultivators really accept this with a calm mind?

Every person, or even a demon, has their own little secrets.

Moreover, the Heavenly Emperor lived for nearly 90,000 years in total across his two reigns. During those 90,000 years, the human race was at its peak. For these demon cultivators, wasn't that a blow?
Now they finally have an opportunity, and they are eager to know the result.

Unfortunately, the lightning tribulation was too immense, and those who had reached this level of cultivation had almost all transformed into human form.

It would be really difficult for a group of Great Sages and Quasi-Emperors to identify that person's true form.

In fact, none of the group of cultivators had ever seen this new emperor.

Contrary to the expectations of the demon cultivators, some human cultivators' spirits dimmed, their eyes losing their former brilliance, and they spoke in a hollow and numb voice: "Is it a sage from the past, or a hero of the future?"

For those vying for the Imperial Path, their fate was sealed.

Even if they are exceptionally talented or have a brilliant and unparalleled career, now that someone has attained enlightenment, they will only ever be stepping stones for others to talk about during their leisure time.

Now, almost everyone wants to know whether the enlightened ones of this generation will be the sages of the past who continue to lead the way, or whether the later ones will surpass them and take the lead.

Inside the restricted area, more than one supreme being awoke.

Each strike of that monstrous lightning was a catastrophe for humanity. They were all too familiar with it. Some of them had an indescribable look in their eyes, their fingers clenching and unclenching, as if they wanted to make a move.

Whether it's stopping a newly born emperor or gambling for a chance to possess another's body, it's all worthwhile for them.

But just as a supreme being was about to be born, the great cauldron guarding the Big Dipper flew over and hung high above the super forbidden zone.

The blood of God still remains.

The Supreme Beings looked grim and somewhat dazed, for they still remembered the master of their God's blood.

That supreme being once boasted: "A mere deity with a secret artifact dares to challenge the world! Let the Holy Body come!"

And then... the Holy Body really did come.

They already had some doubts, but now that they saw this huge cauldron, they were even more terrified.

Fearing that the miracle of that day would be repeated, everyone was enduring it.

The fact that the cauldron activated on its own might be seen by them as a sign that the Holy Body still exists.

Because they still remember that the suppression of the Holy Body's Great Dao had indeed dissipated, but there was no lamentation in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. In the past, when a Supreme Being passed away, the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth would lament, but the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth did not bid farewell to the Holy Body.

All of this is too bizarre.

They all looked towards the Ziwei Starfield, somewhat worried about seeing a familiar figure, but in the end they could only see the figure of a peak-level Quasi-Emperor.

The quasi-emperor at the peak of his realm was observing, or rather, he was manipulating the great cauldron to help the new emperor achieve enlightenment.

Ultimately, the Supreme Beings did not appear in the world, fearing it was merely a smokescreen.

Thunder rumbled and all directions roared, the whole world was shocked by this massive tribulation, and countless people exclaimed in surprise. As time passed, under the watchful eyes of everyone, a new emperor was truly born.

Even now, some cultivators who firmly believed that the Heavenly Emperor had not died have finally given up hope.

It is a pity that the Heavenly Emperor failed to become an immortal.

But this grief did not last long, and everyone's attention turned to the new emperor.

This emperor was extremely mysterious. Even after his true appearance was revealed to the world, no one knew his name or race.

This emperor was also extremely low-key, and did not ostentatiously pave a golden road like Xu He did, nor did he go to the forbidden area to attract hatred.

He merely surveyed his homeland with his footsteps, without exerting any of the aura or pressure typical of cultivators.

He walked step by step through the mountains and forests, through the mud, his white long shirt was covered in dust, and mud was stuck in the seams of his shoes, but he didn't care at all.

Perhaps he simply saw it as his homeland's longing for him.

He traveled through all the joys and sorrows of his life, disappeared from everyone's sight, and when he reappeared, he was dressed in a different outfit, appearing before the Heavenly Court with extreme majesty and caution.

Countless people stared wide-eyed, afraid of missing this moment.

"What will the new emperor do? Will he rise to the top with overwhelming force? Will he declare his supreme existence to the heavens and the earth?" someone speculated.

In their view, the emperor is supreme, and this is an indisputable fact.

The former emperor, also known as the Heavenly Emperor, was so renowned that he could hardly bear to accept another emperor.

Such a thought is an enormous provocation to a new emperor.

The best way to establish authority is to forcefully destroy the Heavenly Court.

The supreme beings within the forbidden zone were all eagerly anticipating how the Heavenly Court would respond, given that it contained several quasi-emperors at their peak and other extraordinary Dao-attaining experts.

They were also looking forward to seeing this.

Ideally, one should be able to ascertain the true nature of the Holy Body.

The Heavenly Court's actions were in line with everyone's expectations. The emergence of several peak Quasi-Emperors, while perhaps not enough in the eyes of the Supreme Being, was enough to shake the hearts and minds of the world.

To everyone's great surprise, the new emperor was not rude at all; on the contrary, he was extremely friendly to the people of Heaven.

After expressing his gratitude to the quasi-emperor who had activated the Big Dipper Cauldron, he entered the Heavenly Court.

Inside the Heavenly Emperor's Palace, the new emperor saw the Heavenly Emperor.

Although he was greatly shocked, he wasn't too surprised. He just felt a sense of awe that an era of multiple emperors coexisting had arrived.

Xu He opened his eyes. For a long time, the Heavenly Emperor's Palace had no guests, but now it was welcoming distinguished guests.

"I never expected that you would become the emperor."

A flicker of emotion crossed the new emperor's ancient eyes as he asked, "Does the Heavenly Emperor know my name?"

“Di Que,” Xu He said calmly.

He already knew this when Di Que was undergoing his tribulation; he sensed everything at that time.

For tens of thousands of years, Xu He has been trying to suppress the Great Dao so as not to affect the attainment of the Dao by future generations.

When Di Que was undergoing his tribulation, the Heavenly Heart Imprint within Xu He's body was struggling, and he almost had to suppress it along with Di Que himself.

Ultimately, he joined forces with the Phoenix Blood Crimson Gold Sword, restrained his own Great Dao, and appeased the Heavenly Heart Mark, which allowed Di Que to successfully attain the Dao.

When Xu He called out his name, Di Que finally let out a long sigh.

He already knew that the Heavenly Emperor knew the secrets of the past and present, but when he actually stood in front of the Heavenly Emperor, he truly realized how terrifying it was.

Di Que sighed deeply and finally proposed the idea of ​​discussing the Dao.

As a figure of emperor-level stature, he naturally possessed an indomitable spirit.

No one knew when this duel would begin, nor what form it would take, because the world remained peaceful, and no one even knew who would win.

All that everyone knows is that after the new emperor entered the Heavenly Court, he left with a face full of regret in a very short time.

Some speculate that perhaps he failed to meet the Heavenly Emperor, but only Di Que knows the true story.

When the new emperor emerges, re-establishes the Daoist lineage, and leaves behind his legacy,
Only then did people learn the name of this new emperor: Di Que, a divine being who once vied with the Fighting Saint Emperor for the throne.

In the past, even the Fighting Saint Emperor fought against him and barely escaped with his life, only managing to win after sustaining numerous injuries.

Such a person actually attained enlightenment in this lifetime.

Time flows like water, never to return. This name has been absent from the heavens and earth for far too long, and countless people have long forgotten it.

But when his name was revealed to the world, it truly caused a huge stir.

The fact that such a person became emperor reminded countless people of Gu Xin'ao and Gai Jiuyou.

Gu Xin'ao was once famous throughout the world and made a name for himself. Although he had been to Baekje, it was not shameful, because that person was none other than the Azure Emperor.

An unparalleled demon emperor, a great emperor who emerged from the elixir of immortality and forcefully ascended to the top.

Gu Xin Ao was indeed extremely strong, with few rivals below the level of an emperor.

A figure as unparalleled as the Azure Emperor would sweep away any enemy he encountered, even a Holy Spirit, with his immense power.

Only his solitary pride stands as the sole obstacle in his path.

Even if Gu Xin'ao returned defeated, he would still be proud enough.

Now that someone has attained enlightenment after the Heavenly Emperor, countless people have also thought of Gai Jiuyou.

He was a truly regrettable and outstanding person, who almost achieved enlightenment. If he had been willing to seal himself within the divine source, perhaps he would be the Great Emperor today.

Some people retorted with a touch of emotion, arguing that if Gai Jiuyou sealed himself off, then he would no longer be Gai Jiuyou.

All of this was heard by Gai Jiuyou inside the altar.

He was just somewhat moved, knowing that he would not close himself off, nor would he retreat during times of darkness and turmoil.

He is content with everything he has now.

Whether it was a winding road or a glorious one, everything has already turned the page. There was no era that belonged to him before, and perhaps there never will be one in the future.

……

Inside the Heavenly Court, Xu He's lifespan finally came to an end.

The Second Emperor ended his reign after 52,000 years.

His body began to decay, accelerating its march towards rot.

Her once smooth skin has become dull and lifeless, and her once lustrous hair has become dry and brittle.

Like a candle in the wind or a lamp in the rain, life is precarious, and one could be gone at any moment.

Xu He knew that if he didn't make changes, he would truly perish.

He sank into a sea of ​​bitterness in a place that did not belong to this starry sky. Before long, the humanoid elixir of immortality walked over with light and brisk steps.

Then, a chaotic blue lotus emerged from the sea of ​​bitterness.

Xu He sat down with difficulty. He was now emaciated, his very essence depleted. Taking the elixir of immortality now would prevent him from living another life.

Now, the only option left is to take a risk.

At this moment, the Yin-Yang Life and Death Diagram seemed to sense the changes in the body and started to activate on its own within the Sea of ​​Bitterness. The two great forces of Yin and Yang intertwined continuously, from which the path to immortality could be glimpsed. Although the opportunity was immense, danger was also present.

No one dared to claim they could fully comprehend the changes involved, not even the emperor.

Xu He could only sit cross-legged within it, contemplating the power of life and death.

The humanoid immortality elixir has now been fully restored. Not only has it regained its human form, but even the details of its body are incredibly lifelike. Even its eyes are no longer empty, but instead possess an indescribable radiance.

From a distance, it would appear as a human being with flowing light, but its gender would be unknown, and it would be impossible to distinguish between male and female.

Now, the humanoid elixir of immortality sensed the depletion of lifespan in the human before it, and it knew that it was this person's treatment that had given it a new lease on life, even though it should have died.

Knowing that the immortal elixir could not prolong his life, the humanoid immortal medicine also sat cross-legged in front of Xu He, his eyes seemingly filled with some kind of determination.

Its understanding of the Dao of Life and Death is extremely profound. It is an elixir of immortality, and then it truly experienced a fall and a rebirth.

It sat cross-legged in front of Xu He, silently beginning to evolve the Great Dao of Life and Death, eventually becoming one of the poles of the Yin-Yang Life and Death Diagram.

The Chaos Green Lotus is now fully formed. Over the past 90,000 years, it has gained too many benefits from Xu He's Sea of ​​Bitterness. Now it is time to repay its debt of gratitude, and it is beginning its Nirvana at this moment.

It evolved from a Chaos Green Lotus, gradually transforming into a Chaos Green Lotus Seed, and then began its rebirth from this broken seed.

The boundless energy surged into the sky, transforming into a chaotic blue lotus in an extremely short time.

It goes on and on, in cycles.

Transforming into the other pole of the Yin-Yang Life and Death Diagram, both immortal herbs were like this, enveloping Xu He at the very center within the array.

Ultimately, a tremendous storm brewed within the sea of ​​suffering.
Xu He's vision gradually blurred, and slowly, all that remained were the humanoid elixir of immortality that was constantly evolving the Dao of Life and Death, and the chaotic green lotus that was constantly undergoing nirvana and rebirth.

This change lasted for half a month, and Xu He was still surrounded by an aura of death.

He genuinely attempted to replicate their paths to rebirth, but ultimately failed due to racial issues and a lack of such talent.

It had no choice but to continuously gather its primordial spirit and life essence, and truly transform into an embryo, or rather, a seed.

To truly regard oneself as an immortal elixir for rebirth.

A year has passed, and the immortal seed remains unchanged, only sinking into the sea of ​​suffering. The only thing that tells people that the seed has not perished is that it continues to absorb the essence of life.

Five years have passed, and the seed remains unchanged; the Yin-Yang diagram of life and death within the Sea of ​​Bitterness continues to brew a storm.

By the tenth year, the seed had finally begun to take root.

Then, almost overnight, the seeds that had taken root shot up into the sky, bursting forth with tremendous vitality.

Within the sea of ​​suffering, celestial energy rises and shimmers, truly resembling a celestial realm.

The misty aura, interspersed with shimmering light, seemed to cleanse and purify Xu He's spirit.

Finally, on the first morning after a year of spring rain, golden blood energy broke through the Sea of ​​Bitterness, piercing through the entire Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, startling countless living beings throughout the universe.

Countless people stared wide-eyed. Although generation after generation had passed away, this golden aura of blood was etched into their very bones and could never be forgotten.

The ancient sages of the human race were moved to tears. They would never mistake this golden blood aura; it was the Heavenly Emperor, the immortal myth that had dominated the universe for ninety thousand years.

And today the Emperor will return to continue his myth of dominating the world.

Before this, rumors circulated that the Heavenly Emperor had passed away, and this had even become a consensus and a well-known fact. But at this moment, the overwhelming blood energy chilled the universe, and the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth cheered. Even the peak Quasi-Emperors trembled at this moment.

At this moment, all the rumors and gossip have been disproven.

Countless ancient beings could sense that the Heavenly Emperor had become increasingly powerful, and even wanted to bow down in submission, calling upon his name to save their lives.

In the Purple Star Domain, the blood energy surges to the heavens.

The Heavenly Emperor Xu He once again reigned supreme over the world, slowly emerging from a void, his boundless blood energy spontaneously giving birth to all living beings.

His cascading black hair was tossed about by the aura of blood, his eyes flashed like cold lightning, his sleeves billowed, and he stood atop the ninth heaven, looking down upon the mortal world.

(End of this chapter)