Chapter 953: Seeking Death, Then Come

The scene unfolding in the sky immediately confirmed Xu Qing's earlier assessment: the mysterious cultivator who had intercepted the grand hand from the starry sky during the critical moment of the Three Gods' promotion was indeed the Human Emperor.

"No wonder Yan Yue's withdrawal at that time felt too smooth, as if my appearance merely provided a plausible reason for it," Xu Qing murmured to himself. "Looking back now, Supreme Star Flame's earlier appearance in the Human Imperial Capital... it's likely there was already a transaction between him and the Human Emperor back then."

Witnessing this magnificent spectacle before him, Xu Qing felt a surge of admiration for the Empress. He hoped that today would be a success.

Xu Qing found no reason not to offer his blessings, especially after the drumming experience. He looked towards the Empress.

The Empress, in his eyes, was confident and composed, carrying herself with imperial grace. All changes seemed to cause no ripples before her, and all difficulties appeared surmountable; her expression remained constant from beginning to end. If it were Xu Qing before he entered the Seven Blood Eyes, before his horizons, perceptions, and experiences were fully opened, he might have interpreted the Empress's serenity differently. But now, with his broadened experience, he naturally discerned her status and elevated position, which prevented her from easily revealing her emotions. At this moment, all of humanity gazed upon the Empress. She was the wellspring of inner strength for humanity in the contemporary era of Wanggu. If the Empress were startled, humanity would be startled; if she panicked, humanity would panic. Similarly, at this moment, countless great clans and powerful individuals from Wanggu, as well as innumerable deities, were closely observing this grand Human Sacrifice in their own ways. Therefore, it was imaginable that every expression, every word, every action of the Empress would be infinitely magnified and deeply scrutinized by all parties. Once fully perceived, even greater dangers would arise. This was truly like walking on thin ice. Thus, the Empress could only remain calm.

As Xu Qing pondered, the sounds from the sky grew more intense, a palpable sense of fracturing evident as the earth vibrated in resonance. At this moment, the world seemed to transform into a raging sea, with humanity as a solitary boat amidst towering waves, violently rising and falling with the tempest, constantly facing the risk of capsizing. As for the heavens, the roar from the sea of fire was deafening.

Moonlight spilled within, forming waves of divine authority. The aura from Moon Flame, the supreme god, swept through with domineering and chilling power. A battle of deities, especially at the level of Moon Flame and Burning Fire, was no longer something ordinary beings could witness with their eyes. Even perception would become abstract. Thus, the fiery sky and moonlight intertwined, creating an abstract painting. In this painting, moonlight vaguely spread, and fire rolled back. The disparity between a Flawless being and a Calamity Fire deity was clearly demonstrated in this scene. In fact, if Moon Flame wished, suppressing a Calamity Fire deity would be as easy as flipping his hand. But clearly, he was unwilling. The same was true for the Mud Fox nearby; he calmly walked through the night, as Mud Kings descended from the sky and mud rose from the earth. Everything in his path seemed destined to become a colossal mud sculpture, including the countless retreating corpses before him. It was clear that the deities gathered by these two were significant in their minds.

Their task of protecting the path simply required them to obstruct and lightly skirmish; that would be enough. To truly slay two Calamity Fire deities for humanity was not impossible, but at present, humanity seemingly could not afford the price. This also exceeded the scope of their transaction.

All of this, from the arrival of the Burning Fire God of the Red Land Daluo Clan to the appearance of the deity from the Underworld Abyssal Bone Clan, was actually within the Empress's expectations. The initial promotion of the Three Gods had, to some extent, served as a rehearsal for the difficulties the Empress would later face. Therefore, the Empress had chosen to cooperate with the Three Gods back then. At their most crucial moment, she took enormous risks to resist the grand hand from the starry sky on behalf of the Three Gods. This exchange secured the arrival of the Three Gods of Yan Yue today. Even if the Three Gods were not giving their full strength, their stance was clear, and the Empress knew well that this was merely a transaction. Although the Yan Yue Xuantian Clan had been an enemy since ancient times, for the future of humanity, enemies were not precluded from becoming allies. After all, compared to other deities of Wanggu, the origins of the Three Gods of Yan Yue were more suitable. Of course, the prerequisite was still to possess the qualifications to trade with them.

The Empress shifted her gaze from the sky to the five swirling vortexes surrounding the Ancient Imperial Star. The remains of the Eastern Victory Human Emperor held the secret of the Three Gods of Yan Yue's origins, which was precisely the reason the Sacred Land had ordered the Eastern Victory Human Emperor to initiate war to seek them out. This secret, while ultimately reported to the Sacred Land, was also imparted by the Eastern Victory Human Emperor to his descendants. The Empress withdrew her gaze, turning to the divine flame on the horizon, which had now reached its critical burning point. There was one more item in this transaction.

The moment she looked, from the edge of the sky, an earth-shattering drumbeat resounded! As soon as this sound began, it continued to reverberate, shaking the hearts of all beings. The sky lost its color, the earth seemed on the verge of turning into nothingness, and the entire world trembled violently in that instant. The heavens, the earth, the mountains and rivers, all living things – all were affected. It was as if something utterly terrifying was walking into the human realm amidst this sound. Soon, a gigantic rift tore through the void, piercing between heaven and earth, seemingly extending infinitely upwards, its end imperceptible to the eye. From within this rift, a great wind from the north blew forth. This wind was icy, extinguishing all life, growing stronger and stronger, eventually forming a wailing sound and transforming into a storm capable of suppressing space and time. It was a shocking sight.

Both the Burning Fire God and the Night God trembled, gazing at the storm in the distance. In their sight, two figures emerged from the rift, stepping through the storm. One figure was large, the other small. The larger one was a thousand zhang tall, enveloped entirely in golden bone armor that seemed inseparable from its flesh. A sacred aura was exceptionally prominent on it. Its head was also armored, but its face was uncovered, though it was strangely black, like a black hole, devoid of features. Behind it trailed ribbons formed by countless golden lightning bolts, stretching ten thousand zhang, vast and astonishing, forming a pair of immense wings. Terrifying might and aura descended upon the world with its arrival. Accompanying it, like a servant, was a figure in a long gray robe, emanating gray mist, with a roaring sound echoing within its body – it was a supreme deity! Although not a Calamity Fire, it was at the level of Karma Fire. That such a being was merely a divine servant indicated the incredibly high status of this golden bone-armored deity emerging from the rift and walking through the storm.

"The Northern Fate Royal Clan," the Empress said slowly, her voice low. Among the countless clans on the Wanggu Continent, the Northern Fate Royal Clan ranked second. Though slightly behind the strongest clan, their power far surpassed that of the Yan Yue Xuantian Clan of old. Looking across all of Wanggu, they were considered a supreme clan. The one who had arrived was the God of Fate, one of their many deities, a peak Flawless being. As he approached, Burning Fire lowered his head, Night God reined in his aura, and Star Flame and Moon Flame also showed solemnity. Though all were Flawless, this one was clearly closer to the Divine Dais than they were.

"Wanggu cultivators, it is not impossible to transform into gods!" However, Northern Fate has an urgent matter. Human Emperor, your deification ceremony shall be postponed for three thousand years. Only then may you proceed!" The God of Fate spoke calmly amidst the storm. His voice resonated throughout Wanggu, spreading like thunder.

Seeing this, the God of Fate of the Northern Fate Clan emotionlessly raised his hand! Instantly, the storm around him churned violently with earth-shattering roars, poised to sweep towards the Empress and the Ancient Imperial Star. But at that moment, a great sun materialized out of thin air between the Empress and the God of Fate, shining with brilliant light that illuminated all directions. Wherever its light touched, the storm paused.

At this moment, a figure emerged. Its physique appeared female, yet its face bore masculine features. Behind it, endless sunlight radiated, and beneath its feet, countless wailing clans and evil spirits materialized. It was precisely Supreme Star Flame, the strongest of the Three Gods of Yan Yue! The moment he appeared, while intercepting the God of Fate of the Northern Fate Royal Clan, he raised his right hand and, with a sweep, sent a seven-colored divine talisman flying towards the Empress. "We, the Three Gods of Yan Yue, value our promises above all. Although we do not act beyond the scope of our transaction, we will certainly adhere to what is agreed within it! The agreement that day was: if you fully assisted the Grand Overseer, this item would be yours. Now, it belongs to you! Human Empress, we hope you will similarly honor future agreements!"

After the Sun God spoke slowly, he took a step towards the God of Fate of the Northern Fate Royal Clan. "Northern Fate Royal Clan, this is the eastern part of Wanggu, not your northern domain. Your reach extends too far!" Having said this, the sunlight behind the Sun God shone even more brilliantly, forming a dazzling glare that enveloped the frowning God of Fate.

Meanwhile, the seven-colored divine talisman approached the Empress, who raised her hand and grasped it. Almost no one among humanity recognized this divine talisman, but Xu Qing recognized it at a glance. He and Er Niu had once possessed an identical talisman. This item was precisely what formed after the Grand Overseer, who failed to deify, died within the divine domain that day. It was a manifestation of divine domain authority, gathering the power of the divine domain's ascension. Even after the divine domain disappeared, this item persisted, and its function, due to the astounding power it contained, would be of immense help for deification. After securing it, the Empress's eyes glinted sharply. She meticulously examined it, confirming it was harmless. With a decisive look, she waved it. Immediately, the talisman vanished, reappearing deep within the Ancient Imperial Star. The next instant, as it shattered and became fuel, the entire Ancient Imperial Star roared. The divine flame within it instantly surged more than tenfold! The intensity of the flames similarly multiplied. The process of deification was instantly accelerated, and astonishing vitality rose from the remains of the Human Emperors, including Xuan Zhan. It seemed there were no further obstructions.

However, at that very moment, a gray figure suddenly flew out from the brilliant light of the Sun God! It was the Karma Fire divine servant accompanying the God of Fate! Intercepting this divine servant was certainly possible, but as the Sun God had stated, they only acted within the scope of their transaction. Blocking the Three Gods for the Human Emperor was already the limit of their agreement. How humanity would face what came next was humanity's own affair, and the Three Gods also wished to observe humanity's current foundation and whether they truly possessed the qualifications to conspire in grand matters in the future. Of course, if the Empress spoke, it would be another transaction.

The Empress's expression remained unchanged; she uttered no words. The moment the gray deity arrived, an aged figure, with grim determination, surged forth from beside the Empress. It was the old eunuch who had guarded the Empress from the very beginning. The moment he rushed out, his body rapidly transformed from flesh and blood into a translucent form. Throughout this process, his entire life flashed before his eyes.

He was not human, but a member of the Guishou Clan, a rare race where each member was a unique entity. In his early years, relying on his clan's characteristics, he pursued assassination as a profession, enduring numerous backlashes. In the most severe instance, though he escaped, he fell unconscious, and the Empress, then a young girl, unexpectedly saved him. Over their many years together, watching the Empress grow and ascend to power step by step, an unbreakable bond had unconsciously formed within his heart. Furthermore, after her ascension, the Empress had bestowed upon him boundless fortune and infinite hope, allowing him to utilize humanity's destiny, combined with their heritage and countless precious secret arts, to finally break through his own limits and gradually reach the Ninth Realm of Spirit Incarnation. Although the Ninth Realm was considerably weaker than other self-promoted cultivators and he had lost the possibility of further advancement, becoming a master was never something his bloodline could achieve. Having reached the Ninth Realm of Spirit Incarnation, the pinnacle for cultivators in this world, he had no regrets in this life. Now, seeing the little girl from all those years ago about to reach her zenith, he was willing to burn himself, to use his very life to guard her path one last time.

The next instant, his body ignited, and a purple skull was taken out and held in his hand! The skull was entirely purple, emanating a sky-shattering malevolence and containing endless resentment and unwillingness. It seemed to let out a silent roar, conveying the final sorrow of its life to the heavens and the world. The moment it appeared, heavenly thunder erupted, and countless shadows of the Dao of Heaven spontaneously materialized in the air, silently gazing at the skull with a similar sorrow. They gazed at the skull of that unparalleled individual, once astonishingly brilliant, born into this world carrying the last shred of hope of Wanggu – it was the skull of Prince Ziqing's past life! The power it contained was astonishing, not something ordinary cultivators could activate; even those at the Ninth Realm of Spirit Incarnation were not qualified. Therefore, the old eunuch burned his life force, his clan's innate talent, and all of his cultivation in exchange for a sliver of power to move this skull! In the blink of an eye, his body completely vanished, his soul scattered, his form and spirit annihilated. And the skull shone with a strikingly intense purple light, suddenly erupting in a roar filled with endless madness, seemingly echoing from time itself. It reverberated through the world several eons later, containing malevolence, unwillingness, bitterness, madness, and overwhelming hatred, forming a storm of annihilation that surged directly towards the gray divine servant! The gray divine servant's body stiffened, seemingly sensing extreme danger, and it abruptly retreated! But it was too late! The storm swept over it, rushing upon its body! In a blink, the divine servant's entire body trembled, and an excruciating scream of agony emanated from within, as if in that instant, it too experienced the process of Prince Ziqing's death! Subsequently, it collapsed! The divine will was extinguished!

The Empress raised her head, looking at the place where the old eunuch had vanished. A hint of sorrow appeared on her usually imperturbable face. She sighed softly. The Empress remembered the question she had once asked Xu Qing in the Imperial Palace: "What are your thoughts on that Grand Overseer of Yan Yue?" Xu Qing's answer at the time was: "If one cannot control their own life, how can they control the destiny of a clan? In the end, it is but a mirage; a single thought brings prosperity, a single thought brings ruin." The sorrow on the Empress's face was replaced by resolute determination, and the divine flame blazed even more fiercely at this moment!

Within the five vortexes, the remains of successive Human Emperors, under the astonishing vitality, sat cross-legged and raised their hands, beginning to form hand seals! These were not cultivator's seals, but the authority of deities! The first to form the embryonic divine authority was the Eastern Victory Human Emperor. As his eyes snapped open, revealing pitch-black irises, an ultimate destructive and powerful might erupted from his body! That was divine authority related to war! Next was the Mirror Cloud Human Emperor; his eyes slowly opened, his expression momentarily appearing bewildered before settling into calm. A protective aura surged from his body, enveloping heaven and earth, encompassing humanity! After that, waves of light shone on the Sacred Heaven Human Emperor; this light was soft and without offensive power, instead nourishing the flesh, soothing the soul, and calming anxieties! That was divine authority containing healing power! The next moment, the Dao World Human Emperor also experienced an eruption of divine authority. This authority was different from the others; the moment it appeared, the vortex where he resided rumbled, and all negative forces—curses, potent poisons, and even plagues—spread from his body, polluting all directions and forming a terrifying aura! Following closely was Xuan Zhan; his divine authority was also astonishing, overlapping with the divine authority of endless death and the underworld; he wielded the authority of the netherworld! The moment the embryonic divine authorities of the five Human Emperors appeared, it signified that this deification ceremony had reached its final critical stage!

The Empress, too, showed fluctuations of divine authority on her body, but at this moment, an obstruction re-emerged! A cold murmur echoed throughout the entire Human Imperial Capital territory! "Sword-Wielding Great Emperor, I, your true self, have come to witness your final journey!" The voice exploded, and red light rose across the lands! Countless mountains collapsed, emitting red mist! Rivers rolled backward, forming red water! All the red water ascended from the Human Imperial Capital territory, gathering together. From a distance, in one direction, this red seemed to form the skirt of a robe! A deity arrived, his red robe capable of supporting the heavens. His hand stretched across the earth, covering the land, like a red sky moving with his advance! In a single step, he crossed the vast territory, appearing at the zenith of the Human Imperial Capital's sky, revealing his figure! He was a handsome middle-aged man with long, flowing hair, each strand shimmering with light. The divine might emanating from his entire being dimmed the sun and moon and caused the hearts of all deities to tremble!

What was even more shocking was that an illusory longsword was impaled in his chest! The sword pierced through him, and blood continuously flowed from the wound, seemingly the reason his long robe had turned crimson. Xu Qing recognized it at a glance: that illusory sword was precisely the Emperor Sword. "Time changes, alas, Sword-Wielding Great Emperor, you are no longer what you once were! In our battle back then, I fell from the Divine Dais, and my injuries have yet to heal. Today, fully aware that your demise is imminent, I have come to witness your final journey and sever our karma." The crimson-clad middle-aged man spoke hoarsely. The next instant, an ancient, weathered voice from within the Imperial Capital erupted with the power to open up all paths in heaven and earth, drawing upon the might of countless eons. It was boundless, transcending heavenly sounds, becoming the sole voice in the world. It spanned past and present, forging an unparalleled sage. At this moment, the Dao of Heaven bowed, and all beings prostrated themselves. "Yu Liuchen, if you seek death, then come!"

As the words were spoken, an earth-shattering aura, suppressing all deities, surged forth from the Sword-Wielding Palace within the Imperial Capital! Even the mighty Three Gods of Yan Yue felt a jolt in their hearts! A long rainbow-like path, composed of countless sword qi, unfolded outwards from the Sword-Wielding Palace, spanning beyond the capital to the horizon, forming a road before the crimson-clad middle-aged man! It seemed he could step onto it with a raised foot. But he fell silent.