Chapter 334: Black Prelude

As time progressed to the present day, astute observers began to notice a consistent pattern: in both the Ancient Desolate World and the Potion World, every era featured an invincible monarch and emperor. This single individual would far surpass other brilliant emperors of their time, dominating an entire generation and reigning supreme throughout the land.

While body cultivators broke through with brute force, the Ancient Desolate World emphasized the dao heart, and the Potion World focused on truth. All these paths were intrinsically linked to one's state of mind.

Among geniuses of the same realm within an era, a decisive battle always occurred. Even with identical talent, the outcome of these contests would gradually create a widening gap. Victors, having overcome their rivals, would build confidence and surge forward, while the defeated would harbor inner shadows, causing the disparity to grow ever larger.

A prime example was Medusa and Lilith. Once rivals with identical aptitudes, a single victory for one led Lilith to succumb to demonic influence, becoming stagnant in her cultivation, eventually dying of sorrow, and vanishing from history. Medusa, however, thrived and endured to this day.

It seemed to be a predetermined fate: every era was destined to have a great emperor who would suppress all others. But what about the current era?

"The great emperors who dominated ancient eras, symbols of invincibility in their time, many of whom fell into slumber at their peak, have now awakened to contend in this age, which holds the promise of becoming gods."

The realm beyond emperor is that of a deity, or, as it's known in the Eastern Ancient Desolate World, a Saint. Transcending one's own era had become the eternal pursuit of all great emperors.

Little did these great emperors know that they were merely tiny figures trapped in bottles within someone's rural orchard.

"This is a magnificent age, unprecedented in antiquity, where countless millennia of history converge today!""Not only our Potion World, but it's said that their Ancient Desolate World has also summoned powerful beings from the river of time. We have all entered an era of great prosperity!""Their emperor of this era is the mortal Emperor Liu Wenjian, who has reportedly been in recuperation. His current combat power is infinitely close to the Heavenly Dao, suppressing all contemporary existences."

Many knew that those summoned from the river of time were not their true forms, and their combat power was not as exaggerated as imagined. If the legendary Emperor Qi, Dao Changsheng, and Medusa were to face these summoned beings in the same realm, the summoned ones would likely not stand a chance against these ancient existences.

As for Liu Wenjian of the Ancient Desolate World, after cultivating the Nine Revolutions Profound Art within a longsword, her combat power indeed reached an extreme level, overwhelming figures like the Battle God. She became the invincible Heavenly Emperor of her time, suppressing an entire generation. However, she was gradually aging, and while her power was immense, her limitations grew significant.

"Since the invincible great emperor of their Ancient Desolate World, the Sect Master of Shushan, has appeared, what about our Potion era?""With invincible emperors from various eras converging, who will truly suppress this age?""Will it be the Half-Orc Brom? The Blood Emperor? Or the Progenitor of Vampires? Who will be the foremost among all who have ever lived?"

Days passed, and news continuously flowed from the Blood Realm.

Monarchs and great emperors battled, and every few months, a historical great emperor from an ancient era would fall.

These were individuals who had once dominated their respective eras, invincible throughout their lives. Now, to hear of their defeat and demise brought an unsettling sense of unreality. It was almost unimaginable, especially for those who had grown up listening to their legends.

People debated, unaware that a crisis had quietly descended. This unprecedented age of prosperity would also prove to be a catastrophe unlike anything seen before.

Within the Blood Realm, a vast and magnificent crimson mountain stood tall. Ancient beings rested there, their terrifying and surging auras causing dread. Yet, secretly, a group of Epic Emperors had begun to communicate amongst themselves:

"The prolonged assault has resulted in too many casualties.""Although we've slain some of their Heavenly Emperors and plundered energy from their remains, it's less than anticipated.""Given this stalemate, perhaps we should...""Indeed, mortals ought to contribute to this era! After all, we're fighting on the front lines while they enjoy themselves in the rear...""They are merely like weeds; if we harvest a patch, the whole land will be overgrown again in less than two or three hundred years."

On the war's front line, great monarch-emperors moved back and forth discreetly.

At the outer edge of the Blood Realm, a vast, dark crimson mountain range stretched. Under the dark sky, a sharp, tower-like structure rose from the ground, its apex shooting a pure white beam of light directly into the sky, like a lighthouse.

It was a watchtower. After all, some Heaven's Cavern experts from the Ancient Desolate World would attempt to secretly bypass the front lines and infiltrate the rear. These days, they had intercepted quite a few legendary-level powerhouses.

Swish!

Suddenly, strange birds with raised crimson patterns on their foreheads flew across the land, appearing ominous and eerie.

"What is that?"Around the pointed watchtower, numerous houses of varying heights were scattered. Legendary powerhouses, guarding the front line, abruptly looked up at the sky, quickly becoming alert.

"It's nothing, those are the beasts of Emperor Black Prison Berkley from four hundred years ago, a monarch and emperor who was invincible in his era."Someone recognized them, exhaling in relief.

They constituted the second line of defense on the front, and their work was perilous. If an enemy monarch or emperor secretly broke through, none of them would survive.

"Wait, it's one thing for Emperor Black Prison to return to the rear, but why would he bring his beasts when there are no enemies...?"Someone's expression slowly changed, sensing something was amiss.

Swish—

The dark, crimson-browed birds, like a silent tide, slowly and steadily blotted out the sky, advancing to unleash endless death.

"Ah!!"Someone began to scream, their face filled with disbelief.

"Great Emperor, why would you..."The body of a Quasi-Emperor collapsed with a thud. He lay on the ground, his gaze still fixed blankly on the sky.

His eyes were full of incredulity. He had long prepared for death, even for dying at an enemy's hands and arranging his affairs, but he never imagined he would perish at the hands of his own people.

"Because you are weak, you cannot fulfill your ideals."A dignified middle-aged man, with a strange bird perched on his shoulder, his body shrouded in black, stepped forward. Wherever he went, the entire land began to bleed, life was extinguished, and corpses piled up into rivers.

Not far away, within the Blood Realm, great monarch-emperors had already noticed something amiss, yet they seemed to turn a blind eye, continuing to prepare for the front-line war.

What did the masses behind them matter to them?

Long ages had already dulled their hearts.

Perhaps they had been fervent in their youth, but as the years passed, the cries of an era gradually ceased to concern them.

They had grown indifferent.

Much like the twelve Ancestral Witches of the Great Luo Heaven, they aged amidst their fervor, then succumbed to decay.

To them, if Emperor Black Prison massacred a multitude and returned with energy, it would at least be shared among them. They could even let Emperor Black Prison bear the infamy of slaughtering the masses, then kill him and seize the energy he had collected.

Everyone lacked energy, and the accumulation required to become a god was immense. If one could obtain the power of mass extinction and then slay some Heavenly Emperors, there would be a high chance of becoming a god.

Once one achieved godhood, they would be the victor of the two-world war.

Ah!!

In the mountains, a powerful Quasi-Emperor, wielding a long spear and emitting a faint blue glow, was fleeing. His face was splattered with blood, his expression terrified.

"Why, why is this happening!!" he shrieked desperately. "In the war between two worlds, we should have united! We've been fighting, bathed in blood, for our families, for our nation, risking our lives, but who would have thought that the ancient emperors would actually..."

The other legendary and quasi-emperor powerhouses at the front-line outpost behind him had died, sacrificing themselves to cover his escape. He had to deliver this message to the entire land:

The monarch-emperors who were supposed to protect them and defend them against the other world had betrayed them!

He ran with all his might.

He had to escape! He had to ensure that as many of the nation's powerhouses and citizens as possible could flee!

A horrifying catastrophe had descended; all living beings faced death. He could barely imagine how many would survive.

"It's useless."The fleeing Quasi-Emperor's body suddenly exploded, turning into a bloody mist, transforming into incredibly pure energy.

"Such pitiful mortals...""Even those who reach the legendary realm are merely slightly stronger mortals in our eyes. Instead of letting you slowly grow old, marry, have children, live ordinary lives, and then vanish into the annals of history with no meaning to your existence...""As common mortal beings, it's better for you to provide power to us, the former supreme existences, to help us pry open the door to godhood."

Emperor Black Prison's face remained calm as he calculated, "The initial harvest is good. The more powerful a life form, the greater the energy it possesses. These border-guarding Quasi-Emperors and legends are excellent gains.""Our world differs from the Ancient Desolate World. Their system is powerful but difficult to cultivate. However, we have far more strong individuals. Over the centuries, countless Quasi-Emperors and legends have emerged. Under comparable systems, the benefits we reap are infinitely greater than theirs!"

He strode forward.

"This era is too foreign to me. My former nation has perished... I have no family, no close friends, nothing left to protect, so there's no burden in slaughtering."

Half a day later.

Yuk returned from the Ancient Desolate World, covered in blood.

It was a mutually destructive outcome. He had fought fiercely in the Nanzhao Kingdom of the Ancient Desolate World. For his world and his family, his fellow Quasi-Emperor comrades and disciples from the bar had died without hesitation.

He had lost much but had no regrets.

A war always demanded sacrifice, didn't it?

Yet, amidst his near-fatal struggles, he experienced a breakthrough, successfully advancing from Quasi-Emperor to the realm of Epic Emperor.

Nevertheless, he ultimately spared the couple, merely severely wounding them so they could not rejoin the war for a time. He did so at the risk of being accused of treason, for in them, Yuk saw a reflection of himself.

"Perhaps, this time, after returning from the mission, still severely wounded, I'll need to rest and recover for a while, just like before. Maybe I can go back to the bar to hear more history, but Emperor Messiah's story is already finished..." He kept pondering.

Back then, the Quasi-Emperors and legendary powerhouses in the bar were mostly those who had returned from the front lines, recuperating from injuries.

"This is..."As Yuk arrived at the outpost, his face instantly froze. All he saw was the blood of the dead. "These are the traces of Emperor Black Prison Berkley..."He clutched his collar, feeling cold and sweaty all over.

He quickly moved towards the land ahead, his mind a blank, looking into the distance. "That's the direction of the Human Kingdom of Fediki, my academy, Empress Fediki... That's just a small human nation!!!"

The Royal Capital of Fediki.

The sky rapidly turned black, and countless shadows surged in, bubbling like boiling water. Those descending, bubbling shadows were horrifying strange birds.

Yuk finally arrived, silently gazing at the distant city where disaster raged.

His face had grown blank, then numb. He looked up at the dark sky. "This world truly has a dark sky. Having just returned from that other world, I actually miss its vibrant sun."

A hint of tranquility appeared in his eyes.

He suddenly wondered what his initial goal for cultivation had been.

It was to see sunlight.

In the eyes of mortals in that other world, it was unbelievable, but for this land, it was an incredibly difficult feat. Many people lived only about fifty years from birth to death, as most had lifespans of just over thirty.

Born into darkness, he had never seen light. He embarked on the path of cultivation earnestly, simply to witness the daytime scenery, the legendary blazing sun, blue skies, white clouds, and to bask warmly in sunlight.

But then, a woman's figure appeared in his mind.Was he truly striving for sunlight, or for a girl he admired who was like the sun?

"That's why I chose fire, I am Yuk the Fireman. Alas, I've only just broken through; if only I had a little more time..."

Boom!!

The sky rapidly ignited, transforming into layers of magnificent fire-clouds. The pitch-black night sky quickly transitioned from dark to golden-red.

Yuk clenched his hand in the air, and the earth's rocks rapidly melted, coalescing into a colossal lava giant.

Towering flames quickly blazed forth. The gigantic lava golem's body pierced the clouds, its hundreds of meters in height making it resemble a giant from ancient myths.

Emperor Black Prison Berkley stood before the royal palace, smiling. "Kneel, and perhaps I can spare your life."

The calm and elegant Empress Fediki remained utterly still. Holding a golden scepter and wearing a gold crown adorned with sapphires, she sat quietly on her throne, trembling as she slowly closed her eyes. "The Human Kingdom of Fediki shall never perish."

Emperor Black Prison sneered, then abruptly turned his head to look at the distant, dark sky. "This is..."

CRACK!

A torrent of flames surged skyward.

"Emperor Black Prison Berkley, I want you dead!!" Yuk roared.

Yuk roared, as if unleashing all his fury in this manner.

BOOM!

The sky-high flames illuminated the magnificent royal palace in the darkness. Empress Fediki, holding her scepter, gazed out at the night sky, watching the fiery battle between the two sides. She murmured, showing no fear of death, nor did she blame Yuk for his unauthorized return.

With trembling hands, she suddenly pulled out a yellowed piece of paper."Potion Era 971, July 3rd, I once again saw Miss Milli of the Fediki royal family in the slums. She was sponsoring some poor children. Oh my God! She smiled. It was the first time in my life I was captivated by a maiden's smile; she was simply too beautiful! Her smile was like sunlight I had never seen before, like the unparalleled sun, so warm it was intoxicating!"

"Ah," the Empress recited with deep affection, like a bard singing a poem, though she didn't notice her face was gradually streaked with tears."Miss Milli, beautiful as sunlight! I, Yuk, am the flame that guards the sun! I, Yuk, am your destined prince! I, Yuk, will surely protect you as you build your ideal kingdom!"

City of Holy Light, Dandis, at the edge of the Tower of Dawn.

Mother Earth Green Vine, who was examining Hermes, suddenly trembled. She looked up slightly at the night sky, seemingly hearing the faint cries of living beings and the gathering of tragic resentments.

The intertwined dragon veins of the earth allowed her to witness the final, tragic scene in the Royal Capital of Fediki.

The entire royal capital had become a massive black lava chasm.

Empress Fediki, wearing her golden crown, embraced the corpse of Yuk, the hero of the Royal Academy, and vanished amidst the golden flames that filled the sky. They were like two beautiful moths drawn to the golden sun, fluttering towards eternity.

"It has begun, after all," she murmured.She fell silent for a moment, then finally closed her eyes slightly. Staying in the Potion World, she tightly gripped Hermes' arm beside her. "If I hadn't changed the Ancient Desolate World, allowing a vital bond to form between the powerful and mortals, then by now, our world might also have..."

The destructive power of a Heavenly Emperor was truly terrifying.

If left unchecked, they could easily obliterate an entire nation. This was precisely why both sides fiercely prevented enemy Heavenly Emperors from descending into their own worlds at the borders.

At this moment, countless Quasi-Emperors and legendary powerhouses, who had fought on the front lines for their homes, never imagined that these ancient Epic Monarchs and Emperors would turn on the mortals of their own land.