High Martial Arts: Liver Becomes the Master of the Universe

Chapter 398 The Emperor's Resurrection! On the Battlefield of the Chosen Ones, He Takes the Lead!
Holy Terra, the highest council hall of the human race.

When Qin Feng's identity as a "legendary elder" was confirmed, and when he sat calmly at the round table as a cosmic venerable, the air in the entire council hall seemed to solidify. His mentor, the Devouring Heaven Saint, had slightly red eyes, and his former comrades-in-arms, Ba Dao and Yun Fu, were now gazing at that young figure with almost reverent eyes.

However, this atmosphere of "reunion" and "shock" was shattered in the next second.

There was no warning, nor any violent outburst of energy.

A shiver, originating from the depths of their souls, instantly pierced the spines of every powerful individual present. This was not fear, but an instinctive feeling rooted deep within their genetic sequence, a connection to some supreme being.

"clang--"

A bell tolled.

This sound did not travel through the air, but exploded directly in the mental palace of everyone. It was vast and expansive, as if it had traversed billions of years of time, carrying the dust and blood of the ancient era, and knocking on the door of the present world at this moment.

Qin Feng, who had been lounging lazily against the back of his chair, suddenly sat up straight.

As a cosmic sovereign, as an existence who has mastered "concept erasure" and "underlying rules," his perception far surpasses that of most of the saints present. Just a moment ago, his "Ultimate Sacred Path," which originally covered his entire body and was a self-contained entity, actually felt an irresistible "gentle compression."

That is the will of a higher dimension.

"This is..." Qin Feng's pupils contracted slightly. His eyes, now fused with the Eye of Return to Nothingness, were unable to decipher the source of this power. It did not exist in the physical universe; it came from subspace, from the Golden Throne, which was empowered by billions of human thoughts.

The lighting inside the council chamber began to change.

The soft, biomimetic natural light quickly faded, replaced by a faint, yet ubiquitous, golden glow. This golden glow was not dazzling, nor did it generate heat, but when it fell, the material structure within the space seemed to become more stable.

"quiet."

An ancient being seated at the head of the table slowly rose to his feet. He was one of the three remaining universe lords of the human race. Normally, he was like a withered statue, but at this moment, the hands of this old man who had lived through countless eras were trembling slightly.

He straightened his robe, a symbol of supreme power, with meticulous movements, like a young apprentice about to meet a deity.

"Welcome...the Emperor."

The moment those two words were uttered, the entire council chamber fell into a deathly silence.

No further explanation is needed. Within the human realm, the title of "Emperor" will forever belong to only one person.

The man who led humanity to rise in the dark ages, the man who suppressed the four evil gods of chaos for countless eras, the man who imprisoned himself on the golden throne for ten thousand years to ensure the continuation of his race and remained immortal.

Human Emperor.

Qin Feng slowly stood up. As he did so, the Devouring Saint, the Overlord Blade, the Cloud Bat beside him, and the hundreds of Saints and Venerables around the round table—all of whom could cause the collapse of galaxies with a single stomp of their feet in this universe—all stood up in unison.

No one spoke, and no one even dared to breathe loudly.

The golden light began to converge in the center of the council hall. The space there did not shatter, but rather rippled outwards like water, and a sacred pressure began to rise exponentially.

This kind of pressure is different from Qin Feng's domineering "all things return to nothingness" and also different from the evil god's "fallen chaos" madness.

It is order.

It is an ironclad rule.

It is absolute protection.

Qin Feng stared intently at the ball of light. In his "Eye of the Ruins," he saw not just energy, but the convergence of countless causal lines. Each causal line connected to the soul of a human being, from a newborn infant to a dying old man, from a beggar in the slums to a governor who possessed a galaxy.

The faith, expectations, suffering, and hopes of trillions of humanity all converge at that point.

"This is... an emperor?" Qin Feng murmured to himself. He had never seen such a form of existence before. This had transcended the realm of mere cultivation; it was a "conceptual god" who embodied the power of the entire clan.

As the light faded, a figure slowly emerged.

It was not a physical entity, but a phantom projected onto this space. But even as a phantom, its sheer mass was enough to crush the physical laws of the real dimension.

He was very tall, clad in elaborate yet ancient golden armor. Every scratch and dent on that armor seemed to record an epic battle. It was a mark left from fighting against chaotic demons, a medal left from suppressing alien civilizations. The seams of the armor flowed with a light that was not psychic energy, but pure human destiny.

Behind him floated a massive golden halo. The halo rotated slowly, emitting streams of particles that drifted like stardust, each particle seemingly containing a fragment of human civilization—the campfire of the agricultural era, the warship engine of the interstellar era, the cry of a newborn, the roar of a warrior before his death.

Emperor.

There he is.

His face was shrouded in a hazy divine radiance, obscuring his features. Or rather, his features were no longer important, for in the eyes of everyone who gazed upon him, they saw the image they most revered and admired.

Some saw a stern father, some saw a benevolent prophet, and some saw an iron-fisted commander.

But in Qin Feng's eyes, he saw a tired yet resolute face. That face was expressionless, yet it was filled with the heaviest responsibility in the world.

An indescribable sense of divine majesty filled the entire hall.

This majesty wasn't a condescending gaze, but rather a weighty, mountain-like support. He stood there like a spine holding up the collapsing sky.

"..."

silence.

Utter silence.

The three cosmic lords present lowered their noble heads, not daring to look directly at the golden figure. Below them, the saints who usually ruled over their respective star regions stood stiff, their eyes filled with unprecedented reverence and awe.

Apart from the three cosmic lords, no one present had ever truly seen the Emperor.

For the Devouring Saint, for the Cloud Bat, and for 99% of the people present, the Emperor is a myth, a legend, a cold and great symbol in history books, an object of their childhood stories and contemplation in martial arts enlightenment classes.

Even if they have lived for millions or tens of millions of years, they are still children in the presence of an emperor.

It is an indelible mark etched deep into the soul.

Qin Feng sensed a strange emotion spreading in the air.

It wasn't fear, it wasn't fanaticism, but rather... a sense of grievance.

Yes, aggrieved.

Like children who have been away from home for many years, enduring countless hardships and tribulations, bearing the burdens of life alone, desperately trying to survive. In this dark, cold, and malicious universe, humanity struggles to move forward. They face the butcher's knife of alien races, the corruption of evil gods, and the unknown of the endless sea.

They gritted their teeth, bled, and generation after generation died on the battlefield, burning their lives to defend their territory.

They thought they were fighting alone.

At this moment, the "father" in the house woke up.

This emotion was like a tsunami, instantly shattering the seemingly impenetrable defenses of these saints and venerable ones.

The emperor's phantom did not speak.

He simply stood there quietly, his gaze sweeping over everyone around the round table.

There was no particular favoritism directed at any one individual in that gaze.

When his gaze swept over the Devouring Heaven Saint, Devouring Heaven did not feel any special attention; when his gaze swept over Qin Feng, the newly promoted peerless genius, Qin Feng did not feel any extra praise.

Equal.

That is absolute equality.

In the eyes of the emperor, whether they are saints or ordinary soldiers, they are all part of the whole of "humanity".

He doesn't love any particular person.

He didn't admire Qin Feng's extraordinary talent, nor the Devouring Heaven Saint's loyalty and honesty, nor the great achievements of those universe lords. To an emperor, the individual was insignificant, a bargaining chip that could be sacrificed for the greater good.

But he loved the entire human race.

This love is so grand it's almost cold, yet so intense it could burn down the stars.

This is an extreme love that is willing to sacrifice everything—including himself—for the continuation of the race.

This feeling reached everyone's hearts, but instead of making them feel cold, they felt an unprecedented warmth. Because they knew that as long as they belonged to the concept of "humanity," then this supreme being before them was their strongest support.

He is the father of all mankind, but not the father of any one person.

"Om-"

The golden halo trembled slightly, and a wave of mental energy gently swept across the entire area.

It wasn't language, yet it struck the heart more deeply than any other language. It was a sigh, a sigh that contained apology, comfort, and encouragement.

It was as if they were saying, "You've worked hard, my children."

At this moment, the defense line completely collapsed.

"Woo..."

A suppressed sob rang out in the silent hall.

Qin Feng turned his head and saw his teacher, the Devouring Saint. This rugged man, known for devouring all things and tearing enemies to shreds on the battlefield, now looked like a child who had made a mistake and was seeing his parents, his full beard face already covered with tears.

The Devouring Saint gritted his teeth, trying not to lose his composure, but tears streamed down his cheeks uncontrollably, dripping onto his battle robe, which was stained with the blood of countless alien races.

It's not just him.

Qin Feng saw Ba Dao. That cold and ruthless man, whose blade was unyielding, was now gripping his sword hilt tightly, his knuckles white, his eyes red-rimmed, and tears streaming silently down his face.

He saw the cloud bat. This powerful man, known for his wisdom and strategy, took off his monocle, kept wiping the corner of his eye with the back of his hand, and his shoulders shrugged slightly.

Even the three supreme rulers of the universe closed their eyes at this moment, two lines of clear tears sliding down their aged faces.

There was no wailing, no heart-wrenching grief.

Only silent tears fall silently.

This is an outpouring of emotions that has spanned millions of years.

Before this supreme leader of humanity, they shed all pretense, all strength, all scheming and calculation. They were no longer saints, no longer revered figures, no longer ancestors worshipped by millions.

They are just human beings.

They are a group of humans who struggled to survive in the dark universe and finally waited for the dawn.

Qin Feng felt his eyes getting a little wet.

Although he did not experience those desperate and dark times, and although his rise to power lasted only a few hundred thousand years, the genes of the human race flowed in his blood, and the resonance of the human race was imprinted in his soul.

He felt that heaviness.

The emperor's illusory figure seemed to sense the emotions of the crowd. A very faint smile appeared on his blurred face. That smile carried boundless compassion and mercy.

He slowly raised the hand covered in golden arm armor and made a pressing motion.

This action seemed to smooth out the wrinkles in the hearts of all beings.

All the sadness, grievances, and exhaustion were washed away in that instant by the warm golden light. In its place was an unprecedented determination.

Now that Father has woken up.

Now that the gods have returned to their rightful place.

Then, it is time for humanity to draw its sword once more.

Qin Feng took a deep breath, his "Primordial Secret Technique" surging within him, transforming his turbulent emotions into pure fighting spirit. He gazed at the golden phantom, his initial scrutiny turning into deep respect. This was the true strength of the human race.

This is why the human race has been able to stand strong to this day, despite being surrounded by the four evil gods.

Because we have emperors.

More importantly, because we all love this race as much as the Emperor loved us.

Golden light flowed through the council hall, and every breath of the Emperor's phantom seemed to pulsate the core of the Holy Terra.

The sorrow and tenderness that permeated the air were replaced by a more solemn and grand will the moment the emperor raised his hand again.

That was the will of the commander.

"Everyone."

The emperor spoke.

The sound no longer resonated directly in the mind, but rather traveled through the spatial medium that vibrated the dimension of reality. The sound was powerful and resonant, like the clanging of metal, carrying an unquestionable and absolute authority.

"The war of the gods has already broken out once in the higher dimensions."

These few words caused the hearts of all the saints and venerable ones present to clench sharply.

Although they stand at the pinnacle of the universe, they still know very little about the power struggles at that level. So, unbeknownst to them, the Emperor had already clashed with the Chaos God?
The Emperor's gaze was profound, as if piercing through the dome of the council chamber and looking into the indescribable depths of the subspace.

"There was no victor in that battle. The four Chaos Gods could not completely devour me, and I could not completely shatter their conceptual authority at this stage. If the war between the gods were to continue forcibly, the universe would completely disintegrate in our collision and return to chaos."

"Therefore, I have reached a 'ceasefire agreement' with the gods."

"We will jointly activate seventy-two cosmic wonders and use them as a base to build a 'Chosen Battlefield'."

The emperor's voice gradually rose, each word striking the hearts of the crowd like a heavy hammer blow.

"Gods are not allowed to enter this battlefield."

"Only beings of the universe and those of lower realms may enter."

"This is a proxy war. The victor will plunder the 'luck' of the loser. It is not only a struggle for resources, but also a gamble on the fate of the people."

"If humanity wins, my power will leap forward through the feedback of the race's fortune, suppressing chaos; if humanity loses, the human destiny will collapse, natural disasters will continue within the territory, newborns' talents will wither, martial arts will be cut off, and you will also be plagued by misfortune, or even—the extinction of your race."

The moment the words were spoken, the temperature in the entire council chamber plummeted to absolute zero, then instantly rebounded to boiling point.

The phrase "extinction of the race" is like a red-hot branding iron, fiercely searing the nerves of everyone.

The silence lasted for less than a ten-thousandth of a second.

Immediately following was a terrifying aura that shot into the sky!
"war!!!"

A saint clad in heavy armor suddenly pounded his chest, and the roar he emitted caused the spatial ripples to tremble violently.

"These damned chaotic scum, since we can't beat those above, then let us kill them!"

"The struggle for the fate of our race is a fight to the death! I, the Saint of the Black Prison, am willing to be the vanguard, to fight my way into the battlefield of the chosen gods, to shed my last drop of blood for the Emperor, for humanity!"

"The Chosen Battlefield? Good! Very good! I've been cooped up on the frontier for 30,000 years, constantly on guard against the petty tricks of those fallen ones. I've been itching for a good, satisfying battle!"

No fear.

There was no backing down.

Every single one of you here who has reached this position today has crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Every single one of you has proven your path by stepping over the bones of countless alien races.

Humans are warlike.

This is not a derogatory term; it is the only rule for survival in this cruel universe.

Even Yunfu, who usually appears refined and gentle, now had a dangerous glint in his eyes, toying with a dark energy dagger in his hand, his whole body exuding a chilling killing intent.

They are not afraid of death.

What they feared was dying without hope, and being wiped away by the gods like ants.

But now, the Emperor tells them that the opportunity is in their hands.

If they win in that so-called "battlefield of the chosen gods," they can help the emperor suppress the evil god and decide the fate of humanity!
For these powerful individuals who value honor more than life itself, this is the highest reward.

"Please give the order, Your Majesty!"

The three cosmic rulers simultaneously knelt on one knee, their voices booming like thunder.

"Please give the order, Your Majesty!!"

Hundreds of saints and venerables knelt down in unison, and the sound waves converged into a tangible energy storm that swept across the entire Terra.

Amidst this frenzied wave, only one person remained seated in his chair.

It is not disrespectful.

It's because he doesn't need to kneel.

That's Qin Feng.

Qin Feng remained leaning back in his chair, his fingers lightly tapping the surface of the round table.

"Da da da."

The subtle tapping sound, seemingly out of place amidst the frenzied shouts of battle, was clearly audible to everyone.

Gradually, the shouts of battle subsided.

Everyone's gaze began to unconsciously shift.

The initial fervor surrounding the emperor's phantom gradually shifted to the young figure sitting at the end of the round table, yet seemingly occupying the center of the world.

The Devouring Heaven Saint raised his head, looked at his disciple, a look of realization flashed in his eyes, which then turned into wild joy.

Ba Dao gripped the hilt of his sword, looked at Qin Feng, and took a deep breath.

Even the three cosmic lords kneeling on the ground slowly turned their heads, staring intently at Qin Feng.

They realized what was happening.

The Chosen Battlefield is limited to those who are cosmic venerables or below.

In the past, this would have been a brutal meat grinder.

Humanity needs to send in a large number of geniuses and venerables, using sheer numbers, self-destruction, and their own lives to fight against the monsters of the gods, demons, insects, holy light race, crystal race, mechanical race, and the chaos faction.

The outcome is unpredictable, and it is highly likely to be extremely fierce.

Because the Venerable-level monsters of the Chaos faction often possess various bizarre and corrupting abilities.

but now……

Everyone looked at Qin Feng.

Looking at this "ruthless person" who had just returned from the Divine Pass.

Looking at this monster, whose realm is displayed as "mid-stage Cosmic Venerable," but whose combat power is a complete "logical bug."

A thought began to frantically grow in everyone's minds and quickly became the sole truth:
This is hardly a battlefield chosen by the gods.
This is clearly a buffet restaurant prepared by the emperor for Qin Feng!

"Gudu."

Someone swallowed hard.

"If it's Elder Qin Feng going..." a sage muttered softly, "then shouldn't we worry about whether those seventy-two cosmic artifacts are enough for him to dismantle?"

The atmosphere has changed.

The tragic atmosphere of "the wind is howling and the Yi River is cold" vanished instantly, replaced by an excitement called "this is a sure thing" and an anticipation of watching a good show.

This is a major battle that will affect the fate of the entire clan.

Since it concerns the fate of the clan, we cannot treat it lightly; we must choose the strongest!

Who is the strongest?
Under the premise that saints cannot enter the arena (and even if saints could enter), Qin Feng is undoubtedly the number one venerable one in the universe!
He could even be described as the strongest Venerable One in history.

"It seems everyone has someone in mind."

The emperor's phantom spoke again, and surprisingly, there was a hint of... amusement in its voice?
Although their faces were obscured, everyone could sense that the Emperor's gaze was fixed on Qin Feng.

Qin Feng stopped tapping on the table.

He stood up slowly.

As he stood up, the space behind him seemed to distort for a moment, revealing a desolate starry sky and the corpses of countless gods and demons. That was the lingering murderous aura emanating from him, a natural force field formed after slaughtering countless beings.

Qin Feng straightened his collar, looked up and stared directly at the emperor's phantom image, a calm yet extremely confident smile curving his lips.

"A Venerable-level battlefield?"

Qin Feng chuckled lightly, his tone calm, yet utterly arrogant:

"Emperor."

"You want me to win this war."

"You still want me to..."

Qin Feng paused, a flash of black flame appearing in his eyes, and the terrifying aura of the "Concept Eraser" erupted instantly, causing all the saints present to gasp for breath.

"...Exterminate all the other races inside?"

Dead silence.

Then came an explosion of cheers!
"Kill them all! Kill them all!!"

"Let those Chaos bastards know what cruelty is!"

The Devouring Heaven Saint grinned widely, laughing like a 300-pound child: "Good! As expected of my disciple! Not only must we win, but we must also annihilate them to the point of collapse! Annihilate them so that they dare not raise their heads for ten thousand years!"

The illusory image of the emperor nodded slightly, and at that moment, the golden radiance seemed to transform into a crown, hovering above Qin Feng's head.

"Then go ahead."

"Qin Feng."

"Carry the glory of humanity and go tell all the gods and Buddhas in the heavens."

"In this era, who is the master of the universe?"

Qin Feng gave a standard imperial military salute.

"As you wish."

(End of this chapter)