Chapter 949: I Alone Bear It

This event unfolded with astonishing speed and unexpectedness.

Although the cultivators of the human race knew the Empress's next move would undoubtedly stir up a storm, they mostly anticipated it would involve other races. No one could have imagined that this storm would actually be directed at the Holy Land! Instantly, gasps of shock erupted everywhere.

Although the Holy Land was far from Wanggu, its control over Wanggu had persisted for countless years, especially over the human race. After all, the largest domain within the Holy Land, and simultaneously the master of the Holy Land, was Ancient Emperor Xuanyou! Even after countless years, his name, his deeds, and his prestige still loomed over Wanggu!

The more difficulties the human race faced, the more they yearned for their past glory, and the more bitter their struggles, the more they longed to be guided by the Holy Land! For countless years, the Holy Land had become the hope in the hearts of countless humans! Even though their ancestors were abandoned long ago, various justifications still emerged in people's minds. Especially since Emperor Dongsheng, as the heavenly sacrifices continued, a connection was established between the Xuanyou Holy Land and the human race! Whether it was aid in resources or the bestowal of hope, outsiders knew little of it, but the human race's officials and those whose cultivation had reached a certain level were well aware!

Therefore, at this moment, the Empress's actions left them shocked, bewildered, their minds reeling, caught by surprise, then followed by anger and terror. All sorts of emotions erupted within many humans at this instant! But it was all in vain!

In the sky, beyond the rift, the forty-nine Dawn Suns hidden within the Imperial Seal now emitted unprecedented light and heat, exploding forth simultaneously! In an instant, the sky over Wanggu was illuminated with an extreme brilliance for a fleeting moment! Even other major domains could clearly witness this never-before-seen spectacle!

Yet, within this dazzling and resplendent light, amidst the churning, endless heatwaves, these forty-nine specially arranged Dawn Suns did not dissipate their power in the slightest! Instead, they astonishingly formed a grand formation! This formation was called the Dawn Array! The array had two functions: one was convergence, the other was impact.

Thus, in the next instant, the explosive power of the forty-nine Dawn Suns converged instantly, forming an ultimate beam of light and heat! Following the silver light originating from the Holy Land, it thundered towards the Xuanyou Holy Land on the other side with incredible speed. The channel formed by the silver light immediately collapsed, shattering completely! And the light generated by the explosion of these forty-nine Dawn Suns caused the surrounding starry sky to collapse wherever it passed, illuminating the dark universe with trails of light! Like a long spear, carrying the Empress's power and the frenzy of the Dawn Suns, it shot directly towards the Xuanyou Holy Land!

The next moment, an utterly terrifying roar echoed from the depths of the starry sky, as if a colossal beast of the cosmos was raging! Simultaneously, the fragments of the collapsed silver channel inevitably fell, descending through the rifts in the sky into Wanggu, transforming into light that shone upon the human imperial capital! It was a light unlike anything in Wanggu! It was the light of the Holy Land, unknown to Wanggu!

And the Empress's voice, at this very moment, reverberated across the sky, reaching the hearts of all those filled with dread and unable to accept what was unfolding before their eyes! Her voice carried both majesty and a hoarse quality! It was as if it came from the depths of time, recounting stories from ages past!

"My human race's officials, citizens, and all living beings..."

"The ancestral teachings of the human race state: 'The ruler is granted mandate by Heaven! And Heaven is the Holy Land; all originates from the Sacred Ancestor!' The ancestral teaching also states: 'The Emperor of the human race shall not desecrate the Holy Land, nor shall they walk the divine path. The enemy for all ages is the divine spirit!' For generations, my human race has affirmed this teaching, always adhering to it, even through countless hardships and deaths, without regret!"

"However... there are some things you do not know." The Empress paused!

"When the Remnant Face descended, seeking only self-preservation – that was the Holy Land!"

"For tens of thousands of years, accepting my race's sacrifices and offerings, yet disregarding all living beings, standing high above all – that was also the Holy Land!"

"In the 37,938th year of the Dongsheng calendar, historical records state that Emperor Dongsheng, driven by ambition, launched a full-scale war against the Blazeflame Profound-Heaven Clan, resulting in a devastating defeat that squandered tens of thousands of years of human accumulation, leading to the Profound-Heaven Transformation. But the true history is not like that."

"The truth is, Emperor Dongsheng marched under the Holy Land's command to acquire the Blazeflame Secret for them. After enduring immense hardships to obtain and offer it, the Holy Land betrayed us, leaving my human race to suffer the wrath of Blazeflame, thus leading to our decline!"

"Dongsheng, not wanting to antagonize the Holy Land, bore the burden alone, never offering an explanation, and has been slandered ever since his death. Yet, the one who orchestrated this was also the Holy Land!"

"When Emperor Shengtian ascended the throne, he changed tradition, offering yearly sacrifices to the Holy Land as a sign of sincerity, and yearly entreating the Holy Land, not for expansion, but simply for shelter when my human race was at its weakest, as a Holy Land also of humans!"

"However, the Holy Land sealed its doors, only taking, completely indifferent to the human race's life and death, ignoring our loss of thirty-nine domains, leaving billions of human citizens displaced, becoming slaves to other races, scattered across Wanggu!"

"Then, years later, during the Jingyun era, my human race had an opportunity to rise. The sagacious Emperor Jingyun aroused the Holy Land's apprehension, leading to an invisible descent and suppression of my race!"

"Subsequently, Emperor Daoshi inherited Jingyun's ambition, seeking to sever ties with the Holy Land, but died unexpectedly, becoming an eternal mystery. Who was behind it?"

"If the humans of the Holy Land are truly human, then are we, the humans of Wanggu, not?"

"Holy Land, why do you fear the rise of my Wanggu human race? Is Ancient Emperor Xuanyou still within the Holy Land? Who has been controlling the Holy Land all these years?"

"Today, the Sky-Devouring Clan has sent down an Emperor and four Heavenly Kings. They knew they shouldn't come, yet they came to test us, because someone made them a promise. Who made that promise?"

As the Empress's voice resonated, the human race fell silent. Some officials wanted to speak, but their words caught in their throats, ultimately leaving them speechless! There were things that the common citizens did not know, but as princes and ministers, how could they be ignorant of the various doubts in history? They had simply chosen to deliberately ignore them!

"Today, I shall defy this ancestral teaching, shatter this Holy Land, and walk that divine path!"

"To completely break with the Holy Land."

"Henceforth, I seek not my own eternal existence, but only to forge a glorious future for the human race for ten thousand generations, and to restore the brilliance of Wanggu's great race!"

A sharp light gleamed in the Empress's eyes. At this moment, boundless dominance surged from her, her voice echoing throughout the imperial capital! She raised her hand and gripped, and instantly, the Holy Land light that had fallen upon the imperial capital was drawn from all directions, rushing straight towards the Ancient Emperor Star! The light of the Holy Land seemed to be the key to apotheosis, and as it fell, it seemed to ignite a certain catalyst.

The next moment, the Ancient Emperor Star rumbled, and with it as the center, five colossal whirlpools appeared, encircling the Ancient Emperor Star! Within each whirlpool, a celestial altar strikingly rose! On each celestial altar, a figure in imperial robes sat cross-legged! Those were the remains of successive human emperors, including Xuanzhan! What was in the coffins before was merely a part of them; their true remains were now revealed to the world! Imperial aura surged to the heavens! Each possessed divine flames, burning with the Ancient Emperor Star as their core!

The Empress raised her hands, as if to lift the Ancient Emperor Star, her voice filled with majesty, thundering down to affirm her resolve!

"Today, I do not seek apotheosis for myself alone, but to bring all deceased human emperors to apotheosis with me!"

"Henceforth, these five human emperors shall become Corpse Gods. Though lacking sentience, they shall possess divine might, embody the will of the human race, follow the guidance of human destiny, guard my human race's foundation, and strike fear into foreign races!"

"And I, as a Human God, shall protect my human race, ensuring peace for ten thousand generations."

"Henceforth, for the consequences of my actions, for the cosmic upheaval and the ancient calamities that will arise... I, alone, shall bear them."

"The Holy Land is unrighteous. Only we... can save ourselves."

The Empress suddenly looked up, gazing at the sky of Wanggu, her voice merging with the Heavenly Dao – this was her vow, her oath spoken through the Dao. Instantly, the heavens and earth of Wanggu roared, and the shadows of the Heavenly Dao manifested one after another! Thunder rumbled!