Chapter 2894: Single Combat Against Nine Emperors (Part 1)

Boom!

A golden beam of light shot from Ye Chen's Tianling Gai, piercing the starry sky with a thunderous roar, tearing open a massive hole. Dark clouds gathered, lightning flashed, and thunder rumbled.

He had achieved Dacheng, standing at the pinnacle of the ethereal realm, like the most dazzling sun in the world.

His eyes were filled with tears.

His face was streaked with blood and tears, and no matter how many fell, they could not extinguish the heart-wrenching pain.

The glory of Dacheng was so brilliant, yet it was stained with blood, dyed by the blood of his child.

He had never imagined that his Dacheng would come at such a tragic cost.

"If killing Ye Fan could save all living beings, what would you do?"

Ren Wang's words from years ago echoed in his ears once more.

The trial of refining the heart from back then had only reached its conclusion today.

Perhaps Fu Xi had foreseen it all along.

Perhaps it was predestined from the start.

He did not know if killing Ye Fan could truly save all living beings; he only knew that he would never raise his sword against his own child.

"Ye Chen, I'm sorry."

A hoarse voice rang out in Da Chu.

It was Ren Wang, collapsed in a pool of blood, his hair white and his body riddled with wounds. The flame of his Yuan Shen had faded, and in his final moments of fading light, he spoke these words of apology to Ye Chen.

Killing one's child to prove the Dao was no mere legend.

It was Ren Wang who had told Ye Fan about it.

It was also Ren Wang who had sent Ye Fan to Tianhuang, forcing that child to push his father and mother to the brink, compelling them to undergo rebirth through desperation.

From that moment, he had known Ye Fan would die, and that Ye Chen would achieve Dacheng.

There was a feeling, perhaps more accurate than any divination.

That child had succeeded.

And while Ren Wang's actions might have served the myriad realms and all living beings, they had betrayed that family of three.

"I'm sorry."

Once again, these three words escaped his lips. He closed his weary eyes, having lived through countless eras of change. For the first time, he spoke so earnestly, and for the last time, so solemnly, carrying his guilt and his sins as he stepped onto the road to Huangquan.

He would go to atone to Ye Fan, to confess his regrets to that pitiful child.

"Fan Er."

Ji Ningshuang's cry was heart-wrenching.

That child was hers.

"Mother, it hurts."

In her memories, these were the words Ye Fan had said most often. From birth, he had been plagued by calamity, tormented by heavenly punishment, enduring daily the agony that tore at his body.

Ye Chen had let Ye Fan down, and so had she.

It was because they had been afflicted by heavenly punishment that they had created that pitiful child, forcing him to bear the pain that should have been theirs.

Ah!

Another scream erupted from her soul. She charged into the emperor's Dao thunder, defying the heavens.

This battle was not for all living beings—it was only for her child.

Her form began to change. Her bloodstained hair turned strand by strand into red, her tear-filled eyes became two black voids, every drop of blood flowing in her body turned black, and even the immortal light surrounding her transformed into demonic aura, rolling like a tidal wave.

That was Xue Ji Xian Jie.

She had activated Xue Ji Xian Jie, entering an immortal state for the first time under her own will.

The once elegant and peerless woman had become a demon god, a maddened female demon god.

The sight was shocking, making the Heavenly Emperor and Underworld Emperor tremble with fear.

Activating Xue Ji Xian Jie was already a taboo.

Doing so under the emperor's tribulation was a taboo among taboos.

Throughout the entire history of the Zhutian, there was no precedent.

"The predetermined fate without the Emperor Vision means she will surely die."

The words the two emperors had spoken earlier were shaken by her Xue Ji Xian Jie.

Even under the emperor's tribulation, she could force open Xue Ji Xian Jie—who could guarantee that without the Emperor Vision, she could not still achieve the Dao?

In this era of imperial anomalies, anything was possible.

She might truly become an emperor.

"Xue Ji Xian Jie, activate."

This roar shook the four seas and eight wastelands.

It was Ye Chen.

He had also activated Xue Ji Xian Jie.

He had become a maddened demon god, his aura of destruction sweeping across the heavens and earth, the rolling emperor's demonic aura flooding the universe.

This battle was not for all living beings—it was only for his child.

Two activations of Xue Ji Xian Jie.

Even the two emperors were moved, sensing the pain of Ye Chen and Ji Ningshuang. A glimmer of hope might ignite because of them, and the fortunes of the Zhutian still endured.

If Ye Fan were alive to see this, he would surely feel gratified.

His death had indeed been worthwhile, pushing his father and mother to the edge, forcing them to rebirth through desperation and to activate Xue Ji Xian Jie against the heavens.

That might be a tragedy, or perhaps an honor.

For his parents had placed him above all living beings.

"Rest assured and transcend your tribulation."

Amid thousands of regrets, only these four pale words remained.

Ye Chen left, heading straight for the far side of the starry sky. He forcefully suppressed his Dacheng tribulation; he could not transcend it now, for if he did, he would be unable to protect Ji Ningshuang's Dao.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The starry sky shook violently, with bangs echoing relentlessly—slow and rhythmic. One came from Tianhuang in the universe, the other from the edge of the universe. It was the footsteps of the nine emperors, eerily synchronized; each step shattered the heavens and earth. It was also the footsteps of the Shengti, as heavy as mountains; each step caused star domains to collapse and the immortal sky to explode.

"The emperors have come."

The Tianmo and Emo laughed wildly and without restraint, their ferocious faces even more savage. Nine emperors—nine peak great emperors—could sweep across the entire Zhutian.

"The Shengti has achieved Dacheng."

The eyes of cultivators across the Zhutian were wet with tears.

The Zhutian was not without people; they were not without hope. Though the hope was faint, they all believed that person could create a myth, fighting for that thread of the brightest light in this dark sky.

Under the gaze of the Heavenly Emperor and Underworld Emperor, history repeated itself.

In ancient times, they had watched Dacheng Shengti Di Huang leave Tianhuang Starry Sky, also to protect his wife and battle the supreme beings.

The difference was, Di Huang had faced five emperors.

Ye Chen was about to face nine—nine peak emperors.

Could he win in a solo battle against nine?

The answer was no.

Ye Chen knew it, and so did the Heavenly Emperor and Underworld Emperor.

He had achieved Dacheng, but without transcending the tribulation, the before and after were like heaven and earth. Even with Xue Ji Xian Jie activated, he was no match for nine peak emperors.

Emperors had strengths and weaknesses.

Even among peak emperors, there were levels of power.

At the same rank, it did not mean equal combat ability.

Those nine emperors were not ordinary peak emperors; each had touched the barrier to advancing to Heavenly Emperor, each supported by demonic pillars, each with infinite origins. Every one far surpassed the Judgment Demon Emperor that Di Huang had slain in the past. With nine against one, not even Dacheng Shengti Di Huang would necessarily prevail.

Thus, the Tianmo Domain's resolve was immense—they had sent nine peak emperors, all extraordinary peaks, with no intention of giving the Zhutian any chance to turn the tide.

"Old Seven, you have to win, dammit."

The young Ape Emperor howled, tossing out his Wujin Iron Rod.

In that instant, Kui Niu threw his emperor artifact battle axe, Long Jie threw his ultimate Dao immortal sword, Nan Di threw his emperor weapon divine blade... One revered artifact after another flew from various parts of the starry sky. Each carried the ultimate Dao emperor might: the Sky-Opening Axe, Phoenix Zither, Kunlun Mirror, Immortal King Tower, Jade Ruyi... Excluding the forbidden zones and Honghuang, nearly all the ultimate Dao emperor weapons of the Zhutian had arrived, as if awakened by some ancient intelligence, rushing to aid Ye Chen in battle.

Clang! Clang!

The sound of metal colliding rang out repeatedly.

The various ultimate Dao emperor weapons had transformed, centering on Ye Chen, arranging and combining into a suit of armor—a set of emperor Dao armor that protected his Shengti body and Yuan Shen.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The footsteps of the Dacheng Shengti grew even heavier. A Chaos Cauldron hung above his head, he held the Xuanyuan Sword, wore the emperor weapon armor on his shoulders, and trod upon the Golden Immortal River.

"How interesting."

"Just a moment ago, he was only half a step from Dacheng, and now he's achieved it."

"He's even activated Xue Ji Xian Jie."

"It seems this journey won't be as dull as we thought."

The nine peak emperors chuckled eerily, gazing with interest at their opponent. Though separated by countless star domains, they could clearly sense him and knew he was approaching them.

It looked like he intended to take on all nine.

"Hongjun, you don't truly believe he can hold us back, do you?"

The first peak emperor smirked, casually glancing toward the Heavenly Realm.

"If you want to fight, come to the Zhutian."

The second peak emperor's eyes were full of disdain, glancing toward the Underworld, as if he could pierce through the barrier between realms and detect the killing intent of the Underworld Emperor.

Daozu remained silent, and so did the Underworld Emperor. They wanted to go to the human realm to help.

But they could not.

Their ancient mission was to guard the Heavenly and Underworld realms.

If they moved, they would face not just nine peak emperors, but the entire Tianmo Domain.

This was precisely why, in the great calamity of the Zhutian, emperors like them could only be spectators—it was not due to a lack of emotion or ruthlessness, but the demands of their duty.

"A desperate beast's struggle—what's the point?"

The third peak emperor laughed mockingly.

The nine peak great emperors seemed utterly at ease, neither hurried nor anxious, strolling leisurely as if enjoying a outing, occasionally glancing toward Da Chu and Xuanhuang, as if aware of what was hidden there.

But they did not care.

In the end, it was meaningless.

In their eyes, and in the eyes of nine peak emperors, the balance of yin and yang in the universe was all illusion.

No rush—they would deal with them one by one.

First, eliminate the young Shengti, then the one transcending the tribulation.

What followed would be the true feast.

This was the pleasure of emperors.

Bang!

Accompanied by a tremor in the starry sky, Ye Chen arrived, his step collapsing a star domain. Across a blood-red star river, he stood in opposition to the nine peak great emperors.

The nine peak emperors halted in unison, lining up neatly like nine mountains, suppressing the river of time, each with a sinister smile as they looked at Ye Chen.

Boom! Rumble!

One Dacheng Shengti and nine peak great emperors faced off across the star river. Though the battle had not begun, the heavens and earth were already fracturing. The entire starry sky seemed unable to bear the pressure, on the verge of collapse—stars were destroyed, the blazing sun was extinguished, and countless apocalyptic visions intertwined.

Compared to the Tianmo, the Shengti's figure appeared somewhat frail—that was nine peak great emperors, after all!

Yet, he would stand his ground.

Behind him were the forbidden zones he had set as supreme; as long as he was there, no one could pass.

"Bow your head and submit."

"Then you may live, she may live, and all of the Zhutian may live."

"This chance, only once."

The sixth peak emperor chuckled darkly, savoring the scent of blood, his laughter sinister and terrifying.

Ye Chen said nothing, standing silently.

His silence hid his hatred.

"If you want to die so badly, we'll grant it."

The seventh peak emperor sneered, striking with a palm.