Chapter 958: Cause and Effect已断

The sky was calm.The world was tranquil.

The wind had risen moments ago, only to dissipate this very instant.

It was as if it had never existed, yet the brilliant, silent vortices formed by star clusters painting the firmament remained, silently rotating, having replaced the sky itself.

They would persist for a time, serving as a testament to that world-shattering battle.

At this moment, the Holy Land departed.

Outside the Ancient Emperor Star, the three deities from the Underworld Source Bone Clan, the Northern Fate Royal Clan, and the Scarlet Earth Grand Luo Clan also understood that the Empress's ascension to godhood was now irreversible. Consequently, they chose to retreat, gazing warily and with complex emotions at the Emperor's figure in the firmament.

However, other thoughts still lingered in their minds, though whether these thoughts could materialize depended on the opportunity.

As for the Sun, Moon, and Stars, they too had completed their transaction, and now gazed at the sky, at the human Emperor. Unusually, their expressions showed signs of reminiscence and turmoil.

Their reminiscence might not be for the Emperor before them, and the turmoil might not be for the manifestation of the Ancient Realm. Perhaps it was the Northern Emperor, or the Northern Immortal Realm. They remembered that person.

Silence reigned in all directions.

All eyes, whether from the Empress, the deities, the court officials, the imperial capital's populace, or the divine thoughts hidden in the void, at this moment, were fixed on the figure in mid-air who had unleashed the final sword strike, a strike that astonished the Ancient Realm and surpassed all beings.

Amidst this silence, under the gaze of countless eyes, the Emperor slowly turned.

His ancient, time-worn eyes looked upon humanity, upon the mortal world.

Accompanied by a soft sigh, his body, formed by destiny, gradually dissipated, becoming hazy until only an outline remained, revealing Xu Qing's physical body within. This body fell towards the earth, eventually resting upon the human war drum.

During this process, a blurry soul-silhouette emerged from Xu Qing's body, floating in mid-air. That was the Emperor's soul.

It was dissipating irreversibly.

He had guarded the human world for tens of thousands of years, fought countless battles in this life, and slain many deities. And today... he was tired. A weariness from his soul, at this moment, spread and ascended.

In fact, his life force had been extinguished years ago; only his clone had persisted until today, reaching the end of its life.

His fatigue had already emerged in the span of many years, accumulating until now.

He could have possessed endless lifespan, supreme glory, and could have avoided such weariness. All he had to do was, at an earlier point, choose himself over his clan.

Yet, he chose his clan. Sometimes, a choice made at a crucial moment in life becomes a road of no return; once on it, whether right or wrong, there's no turning back.

"Do you regret it?"

The Emperor smiled. It had been a very long time since he had last smiled.

"No regrets," the Emperor murmured inwardly.

Traversing the human world's mountains and rivers for many years, navigating the cosmic tides throughout eternity; in this life, drawing his sword to slay deities, living and resting while guarding his clan. Such a life was naturally far better than cowering outside the heavens, lingering on in ignominy.

As he thought this, the Emperor's gaze swept across the human world, looking at the imperial capital, at the great domains, at the mountains and rivers, finally settling on two individuals.

One was Xu Qing, his designated Sword-Bearer, who would carry his sword and continue the path. He would not restrict how or where the other person walked; that was their freedom. As for how the sword was wielded or how it struck, that too was freedom. This child carried immense karma; his past and future might be even more exhausting than mine.

The second person was the Empress. This woman, who wept when consumed by the Profound War, this gifted woman who had similarly dedicated all her talent for humanity, had stirred a ripple in his heart back then. He thought of his own daughter, who had been devoured by a deity. So, he saved the Empress. Not all human emperors are good, but at least this one, at the time of my departure, is good. Gazing at the Empress, whose entire body was fiercely ablaze with divine fire, the Emperor's eyes held anticipation. He wanted to see what kind of breakthrough a cultivator, supported by the destiny of an entire clan, who had surpassed half a step to become a peak master and was now cultivating the divine path, would achieve. Would it be a Flawless Peak, or a direct step to the Divine Platform?

As for the ancestral command from the Holy Land, that humans must not become gods, he had abided by it. Therefore, in this life, he would not choose to become a god.

But what would become of his clan after his departure? After he was gone, who would continue to guard humanity? Between the ancestral command and the countless beings of his clan, the Emperor no longer wished to ponder. He only wished, in these final moments, to take one more look at this human world he had always guarded. And, by the way, to fish one more time.

Thus, in the next breath, at the moment his soul-silhouette blurred, as the Empress's expression drastically changed, and as Xu Qing slowly opened his eyes, a figure appeared like lightning from the void behind the Emperor, raising a hand to fiercely strike the Emperor's soul-silhouette. "Sword-Bearer, I, your true self, shall see you off for the last time." The one who appeared was none other than Yu Liuchen.

He had not departed, but had remained hidden, seeking an opportunity. Now, he had finally found it, and had transformed "observing the final journey" into "sending off."

But just as everyone's expressions changed drastically, at the instant Yu Liuchen's palm was about to descend, the Emperor's expression remained utterly unchanged. He raised his hand and suddenly flicked it behind him. With this flick, boundless power surged from his body. The swirling star cluster vortices in the firmament suddenly accelerated, transforming from calm to violent in an instant. The deafening roar exploded in that moment. It was as if everything before had been a facade, all a waiting game, waiting for the fish to appear. A new, world-shattering storm erupted at this instant, forming an irresistible force that swept towards Yu Liuchen with overwhelming power, smashing into him.

Yu Liuchen's body shuddered. Great mouthfuls of golden blood uncontrollably gushed out. The sword in his chest, moreover, unleashed boundless sword qi, sweeping through Yu Liuchen's body, annihilating countless flesh and blood cells in its path. Yu Liuchen's shrill cry echoed across heaven and earth. "You still have another trick! Why aren't you moving now? When else?!"

Yu Liuchen's expression was contorted, his voice, which caused the firmament to collapse as it resonated, charged back towards the Sword-Wielding Emperor. Almost at the instant Yu Liuchen's words spread, a mighty wind rose again in the sky. This wind was icy, filling everything it passed with white snow and sealing all. Whether it was clouds, mountains, rivers, or all things, even laws and rules, all were to be frozen by this wind. For this was a Flawless Wind, a divine wind. This was the divine power wind from the Northern Fate Royal Clan, from another Flawless Deity. From within the wind, a deity emerged. This deity's form was indistinct, as if it had no fixed shape; it merged into the wind, transforming into a hand made of wind, reaching out to grasp the Emperor. From a distance, at this moment, on either side of the Emperor stood Yu Liuchen on one side, and the God of Cold Wind on the other. These two terrifying deities attacked simultaneously. Furthermore, from all directions, as the void shattered, seven or eight deities abruptly tore through space and arrived. They had been hidden around them all along, waiting for this very moment. What they sought was the light of life, emitted from the body of the last Quasi-Immortal of the Ancient Realm's manifestation, just before his demise.

This scene unfolded before the eyes of humanity. The Empress's body trembled. She wanted to act, but her body was currently immobile. At this moment, as the divine fire was about to fully form, she was at her most vulnerable. As for everyone else, they simply did not possess the qualification to ascend and participate in this battle.

Xu Qing's eyes instantly filled with bloodshot veins. After his revival, he felt some differences in his body, and similarly in his soul. The sense of completeness he had felt while striking the drum reappeared, and it was even more intense. It was as if all his wounds, both external and internal, apparent and hidden, had been meticulously mended by the Emperor. Now, he was completely whole. Not only that, the Emperor's last trace on the Imperial Sword had also been erased. The sword was given to him, perfectly intact, with no hidden dangers. In addition, a legacy had been left in his mind. "Sword-Bearer's Style." That was the name of this legacy. This was the Emperor's most precious unique skill, his mantle, passed down through his lineage. It was also the move that once struck at the Heavenly Blade. Such immense grace was beyond Xu Qing's ability to repay, yet now, seeing the Emperor facing such an encirclement, he possessed no means to help.

Xu Qing suddenly rose. Even if he wasn't qualified, he would still draw his sword.

But just then, a faint voice came from the sky. "Rest easy." This voice was calm, echoing among humanity, bringing reassurance as his guardianship had for countless years. Spreading across the entire heaven and earth at this moment, simultaneously calming the hearts of the Empress and Xu Qing, the Sword-Wielding Emperor in the firmament showed no ripple of emotion. It was as if facing such a concerted attack from numerous deities was nothing more than an ordinary matter to him. He simply raised his right hand and, through the air, seized at the charging Yu Liuchen. With this grasp, Yu Liuchen's entire body trembled violently. The illusory sword in his chest emitted an earth-shattering hum, then shot out. For the first time in tens of thousands of years, this sword was drawn from Yu Liuchen's chest. The moment it appeared, it shone with brilliant sword light, unleashed surging sword qi, and landed in the Emperor's hand. Held by the Emperor, it suddenly slashed towards the hand of the God of Cold Wind, which was approaching from behind. Sword light rose, startling heaven and earth. The divine hand shattered against the wind without any resistance. As countless drops of divine blood scattered, the wind that could freeze everything also disintegrated, collapsing into fragments. The deity from the Northern Fate Royal Clan, within that wind, vanished without the slightest hesitation. As for the lingering power, it swept across all directions at this moment, causing all the hidden deities who had surged from the void to spit out divine blood, each retreating, not daring to approach even slightly closer. The Emperor, astonishingly, still had one more sword. This sword, left in Yu Liuchen's chest tens of thousands of years ago, was drawn today. It shook all directions.

As the multitude of deities retreated, Yu Liuchen did the same, his body rapidly falling back. However, his eyes revealed an unprecedented clarity, and all his previous reactions instantly vanished, becoming utterly calm. The kindness of not being killed back then had been repaid. He came here to witness the final journey, and also to deliver the last sword. Having spoken, with his bodily injuries now free from any impediment to recovery, he turned, took a step, and, enveloped in his scarlet celestial robe, entered the void, vanishing into freedom.

"Karma severed, Sword-Bearer, farewell forever."