Chapter 3025: The Last Words

Boom! Bang!

Ye Chen and Nü Di collided, shattering two mountain peaks before landing. Scattered rocks were stained with their fresh blood.

Pfft! Pfft!

They struggled to their feet, but before they could steady themselves, they coughed up blood again.

"Zhǔn Huāng Dì."

Nü Di seemed breathless, her stance unstable, her aura fluctuating wildly. Her face was pale as she stared towards the eastern sky.

Ye Chen swayed unsteadily, saying nothing, his face alarmingly white. After enduring countless hardships to open and reconnect the Taigu Road, he had barely caught his breath before being struck down by a single blow.

It was indeed a Zhǔn Huāng Dì, the highest-level foreign supreme being they had encountered on their journey, and far from an ordinary one.

"Truly prioritizing the heavens, stationing a Zhǔn Huāng Dì at the Taigu Road."

The other emperors arrived one after another, staggering forward, their bodies drenched in blood and bone. Each step left bloody footprints. The most severely injured was Jian Fei Dao, whose physical form had reduced to just a head, the rest a faint, illusory yuan Shen.

"Zhǔn Huāng Dì."

In the western sky of the Taigu Road, Di Huang murmured to himself.

Accompanying him were Jian Zun and Mo Zun.

Earlier, when foreign supremes had infiltrated the Taigu Road, they had withdrawn to fend off the enemy. Little did they expect such turmoil at the road's end. A wave of destructive aura had first flipped Ye Chen twice, then sent the emperors flying, and even they three had narrowly escaped total destruction by that aura of annihilation.

Now, the Taigu Road was reconnected, but Ye Chen and Nü Di were even more gravely wounded. It was a genuine Zhǔn Huāng Dì!

"This..."

The foreign Tian Di and foreign Da Di fighting them were stunned. They had assumed the Taigu Road held only Di Huang, Jian Zun, and Mo Zun. They never imagined it also harbored the Heavenly Court Nü Di, the Tian Di Sheng Ti, and numerous other Da Di from the heavens. This lineup was terrifying.

After the shock came excitement. Though they didn't know what catastrophe had occurred or where that destructive aura came from, they knew their foreign lands now had a Zhǔn Huāng Dì on their side.

"It's like a leaky roof during a storm."

Ren Wang muttered a curse under his breath.

No one in the cauldron challenged his words.

The emperors had already exhausted their divine power opening and reconnecting the Taigu Road, and that meteorite had nearly crippled them all. Though the road was restored, it had drawn a far more fearsome foe.

Worse, all the emperors were in a state of extreme weakness.

And at this critical moment, a foreign Zhǔn Huāng Dì had arrived. If things went as expected, they would be wiped out.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

As the gods cursed, the rhythmic banging sounds echoed. It was the foreign Zhǔn Huāng Dì's footsteps, each one so heavy it seemed to tread on the very fabric of the universe, making the river of time tremble.

Then came rolling demonic malice, sweeping across the sky and earth like a dark curtain, blotting out the remaining light. The already dim world plunged into instant darkness.

Within the demonic aura, a shadowy human form emerged, towering like a mountain, as if standing at the end of ages—visible but unreachable. Visions manifested around it: stars exploding, suns collapsing, bathed in apocalyptic glory, pushing destruction to its limits.

"Don't tell me you're well."

The voice came first, booming from the demonic aura, carrying supreme demonic power. Not just the gods, but even the emperors struggled to resist it, nearly losing their minds in an instant.

This was addressed to Nü Di.

Nü Di remained silent. From her expression, she recognized this Zhǔn Huāng Dì. In the great war of the previous epoch at the Ancient Heavenly Court, he had been a dominant force from the foreign lands. Across the entire Ancient Heavenly Court back then, aside from the true empress, fewer than five could have matched him. He had slain countless lives, leaving mountains of corpses.

Beside her, Ye Chen waved his hand, swiftly gathering the emperors into his great cauldron, including the newly arrived Di Huang and his companions. This was a Zhǔn Huāng Dì—they were far from qualified to fight. Even he could only barely hold his own.

Suddenly, a strand of divine sense entered his sea of consciousness.

It was from Nü Di. Once inside, it transformed into a hazy vision.

It was the route of the Taigu Road.

Beyond that, it included the method to enter the Taigu Honghuang. After the Taigu Road's collapse, only Nü Di knew how to access it.

Ye Chen frowned, instinctively glancing at Nü Di. He felt as if she were arranging her final affairs.

He was right—Nü Di was arranging her final affairs.

In this battle, she and Ye Chen might lose one of them, but it wouldn't be Ye Chen.

Or perhaps, she had already resolved herself to this.

From the moment in the past when she had designated Ye Chen as the contender, she had become a pawn.

She would always remember: before the great decisive battle, anyone could die, but Ye Chen could not.

If necessary, all the pawns, including herself, were willing to shatter for the contender.

That was her unwavering mission.

As for the rest of the path, it would be up to Ye Chen to continue.

"The heavens... haven't lost yet."

Ye Chen closed his eyes, purging the destruction within his body. Eternal light bloomed as he forcefully reshaped his imperial form, sacrificing his innate lifespan to boost his combat power. What followed would be a life-or-death battle against a Zhǔn Huāng Dì.

Indeed, the heavens hadn't lost yet.

Nü Di understood Ye Chen's plan—he would seize the chance to escape into the void. That was a way to preserve his life.

However, a Zhǔn Huāng Dì was no ordinary Tian Di or Sheng Mo.

A supreme being of Zhǔn Huāng Dì level possessed divine power that Tian Di and Sheng Mo could never match.

If she entered the void, it would become her grave. If possible, she would drag the Zhǔn Huāng Dì down with her in mutual destruction.

"Is it as desperate as back then?"

The Zhǔn Huāng Dì finally appeared, from the Tian Mo Domain. His blood-red hair was like it had been washed in fresh blood, crimson beyond compare. He stood like a demonic god, overlooking the world with utter disdain, his demonic eyes embodying pure destruction.

"The fate of all living beings endures eternally."

Nü Di parted her lips slightly, neither defending nor retorting. She had experienced despair before. Compared to the previous epoch, the current scene was insignificant. If they had survived back then to reach this epoch, they could do so again.

With a gentle breeze, an ancient immortal mark etched itself on her forehead—a forbidden technique requiring an immense, tragic price. Her entire body radiated eternal light, even more brilliant than Ye Chen's, truly undying.

Yet, no matter how much she and Ye Chen boosted their power, they couldn't hide their weakened state. Ye Chen, in particular, was severely injured; his exterior shone with eternal brilliance, but inside, he was decaying, barely holding on.

"You're far inferior to her."

The Zhǔn Huāng Tian Mo said indifferently, his words shattering the universe.

As he spoke, he unleashed a palm strike covering a million li of sky. The massive hand, fingers etched with dark demonic patterns, carried world-ending might, capable of obliterating all existence.

Boom!

Ye Chen stepped forward, instantly manifesting his Ba Ti outer form, raising his hands to the sky as eternal glory transformed into immortal divine power.

Crack! Pfft!

In an instant, his Ba Ti outer form shattered.

Ye Chen vomited blood wildly, his legs bending under the pressure, his imperial bones fracturing beyond count. Even at his peak, he couldn't truly withstand a Zhǔn Huāng Dì's palm—it was a vast difference.

"How interesting."

The Zhǔn Huāng Tian Mo chuckled eerily, underestimating the young Sheng Ti. In his half-dead state, he had actually withstood one palm.

"The Sheng Ti Zhǔn, the contender?"

The Zhǔn Huāng Tian Mo's gaze deepened, as if glimpsing some hidden truth. In the shadows, a certain fate that should have been on Nü Di now rested on this young Sheng Ti.

This proved one thing: the original contender, Nü Di, had stepped back as a pawn, passing the contender's role to the supreme being of the Huang Gu Sheng Ti lineage.

"The commander of all beings from the last epoch, in this one, willingly serves as his vanguard. Oh, emperors of the Ancient Heavenly Court! You've truly surprised me."

The Zhǔn Huāng Dì chuckled again, speaking to Nü Di.

Zing!

In response, Nü Di struck with a heaven-defying sword, carving out an eternal immortal river that cleaved through the sky-covering palm.

With the palm broken, Ye Chen's pressure lifted. In a flash, he entered a dream state and reappeared before the Zhǔn Huāng Tian Mo, thrusting a divine sword with devastating force.

"Such a trivial dream path, daring to show off before me."

The Zhǔn Huāng Tian Mo showed utter contempt, not even glancing over. He merely lifted his hand, extending two fingers that precisely clamped Ye Chen's eternal sword. No matter how Ye Chen exerted force or unleashed his divine abilities, the sword couldn't advance an inch, its power instantly dispelled by the fingers.

Bang!

With a light flick of his finger, the Zhǔn Huāng Tian Mo sent Ye Chen flying.

Pfft!

Ye Chen spat blood as his eternal sword exploded and his arm disintegrated into ash. Only upon facing a Zhǔn Huāng Dì did he realize how terrifying such a supreme being was—far beyond an initial-level Tian Di.

His defeat made the emperors and gods tremble in their souls. Ye Chen, who had slain Tian Di and Sheng Mo, seemed so feeble before the Zhǔn Huāng Dì. Even not at his peak, his loss was too swift.

In contrast, the surviving foreign supremes were exhilarated. A Zhǔn Huāng Dì-level Tian Mo was too formidable; even the Tian Di Sheng Ti had fallen without question.

Pfft!

As Ye Chen fell, Nü Di was utterly defeated. Her heaven-piercing sword only left a shallow gash on the Zhǔn Huāng Tian Mo, while she nearly disintegrated under his palm.

"Imperial Dao: Eternal Reincarnation."

Ye Chen ascended to the ninth heaven in a single step, pressing down with a palm that layered eternal laws onto the reversal of reincarnation, forming an immortal principle of destruction and rebirth.

"This strike is barely worth noting."

The Zhǔn Huāng Dì glanced at it and countered with a palm, directly annihilating the reincarnation. Under absolute power suppression, any divine ability or law—reincarnation, eternity—was meaningless. That was the might of a Zhǔn Huāng Dì.

Pfft!

Ye Chen vomited blood again, plummeting like a kite with cut strings, his sacred form stained with blood that pierced the heart.

Buzz!

Before he could stabilize, a black light shot from the Zhǔn Huāng Tian Mo's body—it was a dark war spear, carrying destructive divine might.

Ye Chen abruptly halted, casting a Nian Yong Heng.

But it failed to freeze the spear.

He then activated Fei Lei Shen Jue, fleeing into the sky.

Yet, the spear had locked onto him.

Ye Chen gritted his teeth, deploying multiple secret techniques and bolstering with eternal divine power.

Alas, it was all futile.

It was as if, before the Zhǔn Huāng Dì, all his imperial dao divine abilities and laws were laughable facades.

Pfft!

A beam of imperial blood light flashed as Ye Chen was pierced through, the war spear nailing him to the vast void.

"Damn it."

Ye Chen clenched his jaw, seething with rage. Since arriving on the Taigu Road, he had lost count of how many times he'd been pinned in the void.

He tried to shatter the spear but couldn't. It was inscribed with demonic patterns that both destroyed and sealed, locking his divine power while its destructive force rampaged inside him. In just a few instants, his sacred form began to disintegrate, his yuan Shen crumbling inch by inch.

"Come out!"

Ye Chen snarled, his eyes blood-red, gripping the spear and pulling it out of his body inch by inch.

He forcibly broke the seal.

Then, with eternal immortal force, he eradicated the killing intent within. Only then did his collapsing imperial form and yuan Shen reverse. The blood, flesh, bones, and yuan Shen that had been destroyed were all drawn back.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

Elsewhere, Nü Di and the Zhǔn Huāng Tian Mo were locked in battle, their figures invisible amid the destructive visions. The gods couldn't see it, and even the emperors could barely make it out. Every flying light stung their eyes; every thunderous boom was like an apocalyptic toll, shaking their imperial yuan Shen.

No need to watch to know Nü Di was at a disadvantage—the raining blood was all hers.

In contrast, the Zhǔn Huāng Tian Mo was almost unscathed, any wounds on him trivial.

Fight!

Ye Chen roared in his heart, raising his sword and charging.

"You little Sheng Ti, where do you think you're going?"

The foreign Tian Di who had battled Di Huang earlier suddenly appeared, his roar like thunder. He drove an ancient war chariot, spear in hand, sweeping in with overwhelming demonic malice, exuding immense presence.

He hadn't planned to join the fight.

But seeing Ye Chen in his half-dead state, he was invigorated, intent on slaying him for fortune and opportunity.

If he succeeded, he might even advance to Zhǔn Huāng Dì.

Ultimately, it was desire and greed at play, his guiding principle being that fortune favors the bold.

Not just him—the two foreign Da Di who had fought Jian Zun and Mo Zun also joined the assault, one wielding a demonic sword, the other a demonic blade. With the Zhǔn Huāng Dì's dominance, their confidence soared.

Ye Chen didn't even glance their way. Immortal light shot from his forehead—two yuan Shen swords, one left and one right, slashing toward the foreign Da Di.

"So strong."

The foreign Da Di's expressions turned grave. Before the swords even struck, their imperial forms were split by the killing intent, their yuan Shen true selves cracking as well.

Retreat!

Without a second thought, the two emperors fled, underestimating the Tian Di Sheng Ti. Even in his weakened state, on the brink of death, he was this formidable.

They wanted to escape, but Ye Chen's yuan Shen swords had locked onto them. As soon as they entered the void, one was struck, their physical form exploding, the other's yuan Shen shattering. It was a true kill, not even allowing a scream.

Their deaths were well-deserved—they had overestimated themselves in their arrogance.

Boom!

After them came the foreign Tian Di, charging on his war chariot. Before he could attack, Ye Chen stomped, shattering the chariot and crushing his imperial form into a bloody pulp, leaving only his yuan Shen to flee.

His eyes bulged, pupils contracting in terror as he escaped, his face etched with fear.

A Tian Di-level Sheng Ti was outrageously strong. As a peak Tian Di himself, he had been defeated too quickly.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Ye Chen raised his hand, slamming down a destructive palm.

What a farce—if he couldn't beat the Zhǔn Huāng Dì, he couldn't handle a mere Tian Di? Did they really think the Huang Gu Sheng Ti lineage was made of paper? They were asking for death.