Chapter 1082: No regrets, no guilt, no remorse

For many, the length of life is unpredictable. Especially in this cruel world, it might be cut short by an accident or a killing. Even mighty gods can fall, and even the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor will eventually meet his end.

But... when judging whether a life is splendid, its length is never the most important criterion. Just as heaven and earth are temporary lodgings for all beings, time is a fleeting passerby throughout history. What truly matters has always been the breadth of experiences a life encompasses. It is how one chooses to walk their own path in life. This is the only freedom that all beings can truly grasp.

Like the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor, who guarded humanity for tens of thousands of years, even if his current fate cannot be changed, the breadth of his life has stretched into the memories of every human. This is true vastness. This is true greatness.

And today, in the final flicker of his life's flame, he finally let go of everything, feeling a long-lost lightness and a sense of unrestrained freedom, as if reborn. The sparks of life, colliding within his journey, shone even brighter. Before his eyes, scenes from many years ago seemed to appear, moments when he was full of youthful vigor.

"Xia'er, Xu Qing, I, this old man, don't ask what your future lives should be like..."

"But based on my experiences as someone who has lived, I want to share a realization with you."

Outside the Demonic Feather Holy Land, between heaven and earth on the Continent of Wanggu, the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor walked ahead, speaking to the Empress and Xu Qing behind him, his voice full of emotion.

"No regrets, no shame, no remorse." The Sword-Wielding Great Emperor spoke softly. "All experiences in this life, because I have given my all, then no matter the outcome, letting go of attachment can be called having no regrets."

"For all matters encountered in life, because I have been true to my heart, then no matter how the path proceeds, with light within myself, this life also exists in light, which can be called having no shame."

"If you can achieve these two points, then the people you meet and the choices you make can truly be called having no remorse."

"If you achieve these six words, this life will be clear and fulfilling, not in vain having come to this world."

The Sword-Wielding Great Emperor's voice echoed between heaven and earth. It settled in the hearts of the Empress and Xu Qing, forming ripples that lingered for a long time. The Great Emperor had indeed lived up to those six words he spoke. Having guarded humanity for tens of thousands of years, he had given his all, so whatever the future held, he had no regrets. For everything he encountered in this life, he had been true to his heart, and the light in his heart had never been stained; it shone on his path forward, becoming brilliance, so he had no shame towards anyone. As for this choice of life, he had also conveyed it through his words and actions to the Empress and Xu Qing. He had no remorse.

At this moment, laughter echoed between heaven and earth. It also reached above the Blazing Moon Profound Sky Tribe, into the three Holy Lands currently battling the tribe's three deities.

A total of sixteen Profound-grade Holy Lands had descended upon Wanggu, with four in each of Wanggu's east, west, south, and north. In the eastern part of Wanggu, one of these four Profound-grade Holy Lands rested above humanity, while the other three... were all above the Blazing Moon Profound Sky Tribe.

Now, these three Holy Lands trembled simultaneously. The three Blazing Moon Deities were each moved, and without hesitation, immediately led their tribe backward, clearing a path to these three Holy Lands. Within the three Holy Lands, their respective Great Emperors felt a roar in their hearts at this moment, their expressions unprecedentedly solemn, and their gazes instinctively turned to look...

They saw the Empress, they saw Xu Qing, and even more, they saw the figure before them, holding a long sword, dressed in a loose, long robe, walking forward, aged but incredibly straight and tall. In their eyes, the death qi on this old man was incredibly dense, but the light radiating from his soul could not be drowned out by the death qi; it shone on him, rose throughout Wanggu, illuminating the sky.

"Xia Xian!!"

The Great Emperors of these three Holy Lands each felt an earth-shattering roar in their hearts, their faces instantly turning utterly pale. Not only were they horrified, but their respective Holy Lands also trembled, as countless cultivators from the Holy Lands felt thunder explode in their minds. The Sword-Wielding Great Emperor then raised the sword in his hand and casually swung it forward.

When he was young, his dream of wielding a sword was to roam the world freely, slaying evil and eliminating wickedness. After becoming Great Emperor, the youthful him traveled the world with his sword, slaying deities and annihilating malevolent beings, one man, one sword, leaving his mark on heaven and earth. In his later years, whenever he recalled his life, what he remembered most was still that period.

Until this moment, his casual swing seemed to overlap with his past self, as if the scenes from his memories merged with the present reality. Thus, this sword strike, he swung it with artistic flair, with exhilaration, and with uninhibited freedom. And with this sword strike, the sword light replaced the heavens' light in this sky, the sword qi became the void of this world, and the sword intent transformed into the will of heaven. With an overwhelmingly domineering aura, it could shatter the sky, collapse the earth, and rout all enemies!

It landed on the Holy Land closest to him. This Holy Land resembled a star. At this moment, a thunderous roar erupted from it, as if swept by an irresistible storm, under the gaze of the three deities, amidst the shock of the Blazing Moon Profound Sky Tribe, and beneath the steady gaze of Xu Qing and the Empress... The foremost star-shaped Holy Land reverberated with a colossal sound, a massive gully appearing on its surface, which then continued to sink, and within a few breaths' time, the entire star-shaped Holy Land was pierced by this gully. It instantly collapsed, splitting into two from the middle! The lives within were extinguished by the sword light, and all things within were destroyed by the sword qi! A Holy Land, falling with a thunderous roar!

Countless life forces, swept up by the sword intent from the falling Holy Land, rushed straight towards the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor, surging into his body... not to suppress the death qi, but to become nourishment to boost his combat power. Without the Star Ring's shackles, the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor at this moment not only recovered to the peak of his combat power but also gained the ability to unleash an even higher level of power. Even if this burst of power was fleeting. But... to understand the truth in the morning and die in the evening, what more could one ask?

Gasps rose from all directions, and the echoes between heaven and earth lingered. The three Great Emperors at this moment were utterly pale; they did not hesitate for a moment, retreating sharply, abandoning everything, intent on fleeing. Though Great Emperors, facing such might of Xia Xian, they were utterly incapable of resisting.

As for these three, the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor did not even glance at them, but spoke calmly. "Xia'er, Xu Qing, as my successors, I have only given you cultivation and the Emperor's Sword, but have yet to impart divine sword techniques. Today, I shall impart my teachings to you. My path throughout life has been the sword. Over different periods of my life, I created sword techniques, totaling five forms. The first form is named... Earth Treasury."

As the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor spoke, he raised his right hand and lightly pressed towards the two remaining Holy Lands ahead. Instantly, the two Holy Lands rumbled, shaking violently. The sky changed color, and the earth seemed to be stirred, emitting a muffled roar. This roar was soul-shattering. Yet, the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor's voice, amidst the earth's rumbling, still echoed.

"This 'Earth Treasury' is a sword technique I created back then to slay a fierce butcher skilled in earth arts. This sword technique primarily involves activating earth qi, replacing earth intent with sword intent, and transforming earth qi into sword qi."

"After gathering, it condenses into an Earth Sword!"

As he explained, Xu Qing and the Empress saw with their own eyes that as the two Holy Lands continued to tremble, wisps of misty qi rose; this misty qi was the 'earth qi' the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor spoke of. More and more appeared, and in an instant, the ground of these two Holy Lands cracked, as if all nourishment had been drawn out, turning into countless wisps of misty qi, which churned in the high sky and rapidly converged... forming a colossal sword that shook the heavens!

The moment this sword appeared, not only did the Holy Lands tremble, but even the ground of the Blazing Moon Profound Sky Tribe below rippled like an ocean. As if pulled. And then... this great sword formed of earth qi abruptly descended! With overwhelming force!

Those two Holy Lands, before everyone's eyes, directly collapsed, the ground turning to dust, and all living beings and things within the Holy Lands could neither escape nor be stopped. Instantly, their forms and spirits were annihilated. Until the Holy Lands themselves were reduced to nothingness under the sword's destructive power.

Countless life forces were swept up, surging into the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor's body, and his aura surged once again. With a raised finger, the Earth Treasury sword instantly dispersed at this moment, transforming into countless sharp sword qi, carrying the aura of the earth, and rushed straight towards the three Great Emperors fleeing in the distance. No matter how the three Great Emperors struggled, it was all in vain. The absolute disparity in power made death inevitable. As the sword qi passed, the three Emperors fell! Everything belonging to them also became nourishment for the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor, and after integrating into his body, his combat power erupted with a roar.

Wind and clouds surged, as if he had reached the absolute peak. The Blazing Moon remained silent, and even its three deities all bowed their heads. The figure of the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor also stirred their memories. In the early days, when the Remnant Face descended and Profound Nether departed, that was the bloodiest, cruelest, and darkest period for the entire Continent of Wanggu. Deities were everywhere, and enslavement and slaughter were the norm. Any tribe either bowed its head or was annihilated.

And the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor of humanity was the only Great Emperor at that time, and humanity remained the foremost tribe. Thus, many deities were attracted. Therefore, during that period, the scenes of the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor battling all deities who sought to enslave humanity were the focal point of all tribes. Until the battle in the central part of Wanggu became a legendary event. His main body fell, and only a clone remained. But these battles, time and again, finally dispelled the idea of enslaving humanity in the central region, and forced many deities to suppress their greed. It seemed as long as the Great Emperor existed for one day, this idea would never resurface. Only then did humanity survive the initial darkness.

And when the three deities took control of the Blazing Moon Profound Sky Tribe, it was after this event. At that time, the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor's main body had already fallen, with only a clone guarding the Human Emperor's Capital, threatening all deities with the power of a single sword. Thus, the subsequent events unfolded. Now, looking at the figure of the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor, complex thoughts couldn't help but rise in the hearts of the three deities.

And similar thoughts were not only emerging in the hearts of the three deities; at this moment, the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor's actions, just like in those darkest years, attracted the steady gaze of all tribes and deities across Wanggu. Especially in the central part of Wanggu, the only place where no Holy Land had descended, a gaze at this moment looked towards the east.

Meanwhile, on the outer sea, Yu Liuchen sat in a solitary boat, gazing at the distant void, his expression full of emotion. "Others don't know, but according to my story, when this guy chose to stay in Wanggu back then, it was likely because he had an ambition to be incredibly impressive since childhood."

"So, this damn guy is just a show-off!"

"It was like this back then, and now on his deathbed, he clearly feels he hasn't shown off enough in this life, so he wants to make one grand display!"

Yu Liuchen muttered, a hint of envy in his indignation, and then... he let out a soft sigh.