Chapter 3195: Becoming the Heavenly Dao

Vast and illusory, shrouded in endless darkness.

That small universe, not particularly large, was like a radiant pearl embedded in the void.

Ye Chen was still nowhere to be seen.

Transforming decay into wonder, he had buried himself, merging with the universe and becoming one with it.

At some unknown time, two tiny specks of light appeared in the vast expanse.

Though they seemed insignificant, they were like living entities, gradually gathering bit by bit with the passage of time.

It took a full hundred years.

These specks seemed to mature, evolving from their original tiny forms into a blazing sun and a luminous moon. The dazzling sunlight and the pure moonlight illuminated the world, casting a dreamlike glow amid the brilliance.

Then came the stars.

In the vast night sky, stars dotted the darkness, each one shimmering with eternal light.

From that day on, the small universe had day and night.

Day and night alternated, the sun and moon cycled, and the laws of time were etched into the fabric of existence.

Time remained as long and drawn out as ever.

Until the great transformation of heaven and earth, until a new day arrived, more sprouts emerged, and even the withered tree branches grew leaves at a visible rate. At a glance, everything burst with vibrant life.

Spring had come, bringing renewal to all things.

Time pressed on, the cosmos continued to change, and the scorching summer followed, taking the stage in this new history.

The fierce sun blazed overhead, cracking the earth.

In the blink of an eye, three months passed, and a gentle breeze brought some relief, but the sky was filled with drifting leaves, signaling the desolation of autumn.

Flowers and leaves withered, and winter's white cloak was more ethereal than imagined.

The vitality of spring, the heat of summer, the bleakness of autumn, the stillness of winter—each season had its own unique charm.

In the quiet night, dark clouds gathered in the vast sky, and lightning tore through them.

Rain fell, a torrential downpour accompanied by howling winds, drenching the heavens and earth.

This rain lasted a hundred years.

The rainwater converged into the source of life, gathering in gullies to form streams, and in riverbeds to become mighty rivers, winding across the vast land.

Wind, rain, thunder, and lightning—all were now present.

Yet, the cosmos was undergoing nirvana, its rules transforming, and the entire universe was evolving toward eternity.

The light of dawn was warm and harmonious.

Standing at the mountaintop, gazing out over the four seas and eight wildernesses, it was a magnificent sight. Mountains rose in majestic peaks, forests were dense with vegetation, mighty rivers surged, and gentle streams babbled. Everywhere teemed with life, tinged with eternity, shrouded in swirling mists that created a hazy, otherworldly fairyland.

Looking closely, the shadow of Ye Chen could be seen in all things.

Indeed, by turning decay into wonder, the seed of eternity had given rise to the great realm of all things. Each element could be called Ye Chen—he was eternity itself, as well as all creation, the creator god of this small universe.

He still had not revealed himself.

The transformation was not yet complete; his body had fused with the universe, and the miracle was approaching its final step.

Winter arrived again, with snowflakes drifting down.

The cold world was draped in a layer of pristine white, untainted by any impurity.

The primordial era had passed through countless days, unknown how many.

The emperors all sat in meditation, guarding their positions in the formation, while also seeking enlightenment. Even those like Xuan Di, Gui Di, and Ming Di, who were not as reliable, had become more restrained. Though none were quasi-huang emperors, they still sought breakthroughs. Every bit of strength the holy body gained meant the heavenly dao weakened by that much, and the same went for all living beings—as they grew stronger, the heavenly dao grew weaker.

At one moment, all the emperors opened their eyes together, turning their gaze toward the end of the primordial era.

The Nü Di had returned, her body covered in blood. As she reached the end, she stumbled and nearly fell, exhausted. Yet, amid her weariness, there was a smile, suggesting she had revived many supreme beings.

Under the watchful eyes of all, she gently waved her sleeve, and numerous figures materialized.

In that instant, including Shen Zun, they all rose unconsciously, staring in astonishment. These were once supreme beings of the Ancient Heavenly Court—some at the quasi-huang peak, others at the great emperor's initial stage. There were old friends from the past and mentors from eons ago, each more powerful and intimidating than the last.

"One era has passed."

Too many supreme beings shed tears of old age, having fought against heaven together in ancient times. In the blink of an eye, it had become a full cycle of ages.

There was no time for reminiscing.

The Nü Di, sustained by her eternal will, sacrificed one enlightened Dun Jia Tian Zi after another, each merging with a supreme being. She was responsible for fusing the supreme beings with the heavenly characters, ensuring their true revival at the root level.

"What an unknown, what a heavenly character."

Zi Zai Tian murmured softly. The enlightenment of the Dun Jia, the revival of supreme beings, and the rooting of heavenly characters—she had witnessed it all, marveling at its wonder. Such events could never happen in their universe.

She had glimpsed a corner of the heavens beyond.

Precisely because of this, she yearned even more for the Eternal Immortal Realm. The heavenly characters, the unknown, and the little child were all so mysterious—what must the true Eternal Immortal Realm be like? If the day ever came when the gates of eternity opened wide, she would step through without hesitation, even if it meant perishing like a moth to a flame, without regret, just to catch a glimpse of eternity.

Thud!

As her mind wandered, the Nü Di spat out blood. She had been terribly wounded in the unknown realm, nearly perishing, and her foundation was severely damaged. Now, forcing the fusion with the heavenly characters injured her roots even further.

Ah!

Zi Zai Tian sighed and stepped out of the Nü Di's small world, taking some of the heavenly characters. She scattered them with a wave, and the sleeping supreme beings in the air each merged with one, refining it with their own dao.

Clearly, she was helping.

Having once been the heavenly dao, she had no desires or hatreds regarding time.

"Thank you."

The Nü Di smiled wearily and stepped back, collapsing weakly onto a rock.

"When the heavenly dao revives, you all will have no chance of winning."

Zi Zai Tian said calmly. Though her divine position had fallen, her insight remained. After staying here so long, she had come to understand this universe's workings. With no supreme god present, if war truly broke out, the heavens would surely be defeated.

"The fate of living beings endures vast and strong."

The Nü Di whispered, glancing sideways at Di Huang and Hong Yan.

The two had mostly recovered and were still undergoing transformation.

This proved that Ye Chen was still alive, surely undergoing nirvana in some corner. He was not only the sword that slayed the upper heaven but also the bearer of living beings' beliefs. Back then, she had defeated the generation of holy demon; now, he would surely slay the heavenly dao.

Zi Zai Tian said no more and continued fusing the heavenly characters.

Once, she had been like the Nü Di, with an unyielding obsession. Now, she was left with only a puppet-like humble desire. Besides the Eternal Immortal Realm, nothing in the world could stir her heart.

This simple exchange left both silent.

That day, they had fought to the death, but now they seemed like close friends, sharing a tacit understanding.

At the end, many more living supreme beings appeared.

The younger great emperors, upon seeing them, bowed from afar. They had only heard legends before—this was their first time encountering the real figures.

These ancient gods had once battled heaven.

Each one exuded a murderous aura forged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood, unmatched by later generations. They were like gods of slaughter emerging from the nine underworlds, each commanding the universe.

"Executor of the upper heaven, I hope you are well."

The newly revived supreme beings of the Heavenly Court gathered at the altar sealing the generation of holy demon.

After one era, their words were surprisingly calm, without earth-shattering roars or soul-piercing howls. Having endured life and death, they had seen through it all. Now, returning was merely to continue their unfinished vows from the past.

"All living beings are mere ants."

The generation of holy demon chuckled eerily.

This line seemed to be his signature, trotted out for everyone.

In his eyes, anyone below the huang emperor level was no different from ants.

The emperors did not argue, nor did they bother. The future held another battle with heaven.

After lingering for a while, the emperors departed.

Many mountaintops now bore their figures, each sitting in meditation, seeking enlightenment and vying for the huang emperor position. In their past lives, victory or defeat was unknown; now, reborn, they were determined to fight for a clear and bright cosmos.

In the small universe,

Snow continued to fall, blanketing the world in white for a thousand years.

Until one day, the falling snowflakes turned into strands of light.

It was eternal light, like immortal rain from the heavens, showering the world and nourishing the universe.

All things returned to spring.

New life was born, and this new life referred not only to all things but also to Ye Chen.

This nirvana had taken several thousand years.

And he had finally completely transformed decay into wonder, forging that legendary myth.

On the vast earth, he reshaped his human form.

Still the ancient holy body, still the eternal true form, now even more indestructible. Radiant light bloomed from him, the aura of all things swirled around him, and the cosmos and rules were all imprinted deeply into his soul—that was also the imprint of this universe.

"Tian Dao."

Ye Chen murmured with closed eyes, leisurely drawing in the essence of heaven and earth, his consciousness drifting as he roamed the great void.

Boom! Rumble!

With every breath he took, lightning flashed and thunder roared in the vast sky, the earth trembled, rivers surged, winds howled, sometimes bringing torrential rain, sometimes causing all things to wither—all manifesting without warning.

In other words, everything in this universe moved because of him.

If he willed it, a single thought could turn seas into fields; another thought could reduce the universe to desolation.

This was the Tian Dao, the upper heaven, the master of all things.

The Tian Dao of the Zhao Yun universe could achieve this too, but it would disrupt the rules and cosmos.

In comparison, the universes of the heavens were exceptions.

There was a Tian Dao within the Tian Dao, with authority divided and weakened, unable to destroy with a single thought. Ultimately, it was because living beings and the upper heaven stood in opposition, tipping the invisible scales.

"What a wonderful feeling."

Ye Chen opened his eyes, his gaze shifting from chaos to eternity. After thousands of years of transformation, eternity was infinitely close to perfection. His body had decayed, but his dao essence had become wondrous. He was the upper heaven, overlooking the world.

Unfortunately, in this world, besides him, there were no living beings.

But one day, they would evolve—perhaps mortals, perhaps immortals. No matter how strong, none could surpass him, this Tian Dao. With that supreme authority, he could annihilate them with a flick of his finger.

"A new civilization."

Ye Chen smiled, stepping lightly into the air, walking and observing along the way—this was his universe.

As he moved, the Dun Jia Tian Zi flew back, circling around him.

For some reason, the heavenly characters felt even closer to him, perhaps because he had merged with the "dao" character, or because he had become the Tian Dao. Either way, it gave them a spirit, like a group of lively children.

After downing a pot of wine, Ye Chen stopped at the mountaintop.

He had established the rules, endured the cosmos, and become the Tian Dao—it was time to return to the heavens.

This time, he had a method.

Still the path of dreams. The thousands of years of nirvana had not only transformed decay into wonder but also brought thousands of years of enlightenment. In this domain, he didn't know if he could catch up to Yao Chi, but his comprehension of dreaming through the ages had undergone a qualitative leap. This was thanks to becoming the Tian Dao, granting him certain privileges.