Chapter 1386: Longevity Calamity

The Fighting Saint Emperor was fierce and mighty, his divine power unrivaled. He sought to transform into a War Immortal but ultimately failed. His demise in the Northern Region accelerated cosmic upheaval, leading to the decline of the Primordial Era, bringing its glory to an end and ushering in an age of decay.

The Great Emperor Wushi shook the past and present. He intended to enter the Immortal Realm with his true body, dominating all ages. Eighty thousand years ago, he emitted world-shaking fluctuations from Mount Zi, startling the Supremes within the various forbidden zones of life.

The Demon Emperor, unparalleled in ancient and modern times, truly stepped onto the Immortal Path. He was a man who surpassed gods, invincible under heaven, a living myth. Regrettably, by then, he was in his twilight years, his vitality fading, and he collapsed on the path.

Amitabha Buddha never killed a single person throughout his life, yet he triumphed on the Emperor's Path, forged from blood and bone, establishing his doctrine and achieving Buddhahood—a feat unmatched through history. His teachings spread widely, leaving his mark on ancient star regions, gathering endless power of faith. Some followers firmly believed he still lived in the world, while others believed he could reincarnate at any moment. He could be described as unfathomable.

Looking at these individuals, all had progressed far on the path to longevity, achieving extraordinary feats that astonished both ancient and modern times.

Indeed, as Ye Fan had anticipated, the next person he encountered fit the aforementioned criteria: the Taiyin Human Emperor!

The Human Emperor swept across realms, conquered the heavens, surveyed the vast cosmos, and reigned supreme with unparalleled majesty. Eons after his death, a divine thought was born from him, an unyielding obsession stemming from an unforeseen incident on the path to immortality. This Great Emperor had advanced far on the path to longevity, and his appearance now further supported the possibility that Ye Fan's conjecture was true.

Inside the magnificent Human Emperor Palace, the nine ancient characters from the Taiyin Immortal Scripture transformed into dazzling stars, appearing both behind and in front of Ye Fan.

"Boom!"

The scriptures collided, clashing intensely.

Although Ye Fan deeply revered the Human Emperor, a fierce battle was inevitable. He fought with wounds all over his body, golden blood splattering, and struggled to emerge from the ancient hall. Ye Fan wiped away the blood, sighing inwardly and realizing just how powerful the Human Emperor truly was. This battle had inflicted severe injuries upon him, and his cauldron was on the verge of shattering.

He pondered silently, gazing at another hole in his cauldron, lost in thought. Using the "Zhe" character secret, golden divine light emanated from his body, and he quickly recovered to his peak state. "If it breaks, I'll reforge it. Without destruction, there is no creation. Nirvana makes it stronger!" Ye Fan looked at his cauldron, with the Mother Qi of All Things cascading down like waterfalls. Numerous cracks appeared on its walls, along with five holes in total, making it seem on the verge of shattering.

Initially worried, he now let go completely. He had battled nine young Great Emperors during his tribulation, and wasn't his cauldron undergoing the same? It had endured the assaults of young Great Emperors and was now clashing with Imperial Weapons one by one. He would forge the strongest cauldron! This was his only artifact, and he was treading the path of "one artifact breaking all techniques."

Next, Ye Fan did not flinch. He sought out and opened those magnificent celestial palaces, intending to clash with their masters in the fiercest of blood battles. He encountered the Azure Emperor, the sole one to attain Dao after the Desolate Ancient Era, who claimed he would rebuild the ancient Heavenly Court and reshape the rules and order of heaven and earth. Their battle was so intense that it turned day into night.

Golden blood rained down, a tragically beautiful sight. Ye Fan suffered greatly under the Demon Emperor's Nine Slashes, almost losing his head, and his body was covered in wounds. Furthermore, the Azure Emperor's "Divine Wound" slash nearly extinguished his primordial spirit's flame, cleaving open his head and causing extremely severe and terrifying injuries. The Azure Emperor was formidable, especially in his youth, when he was at his sharpest—a legend who would slay gods and Buddhas alike, never retreating even half a step.

Ye Fan, severely injured from their confrontation, finally erupted. He unleashed golden fists, displaying the true meaning of the Six Paths of Reincarnation. Behind him was the Golden Divine Treasury, capable of slaying all techniques, and the cauldron above his head trembled violently, overshadowing the azure sky of ages. It was a brutal, fierce struggle. Ultimately, Ye Fan fought his way out of the palace, leaving two trails of golden blood behind him, his body staggering, almost falling.

Of course, Ye Fan also made the Azure Emperor pay a bloody price. And this time, his cauldron developed a sixth hole, pierced by the Azure Emperor's weapon, resembling a chaotic green lotus. Ye Fan did not retreat. This was a form of tempering. Since the Heavenly Tribulation had manifested, if he had the ability to fight, he was willing to press on.

After resting sufficiently, he pushed open the seventh colossal palace, his dilapidated cauldron above his head. The moment he entered, his body stiffened, and his hair stood on end. Moreover, the cauldron above his head trembled, as if sensing something, and almost flew towards that person. Fortunately, the cauldron stabilized. It was his own forged cauldron, long since connected to his flesh and blood, an inseparable extension of his body, and it was not lost.

It was a slender figure. Although only a back view, it was so perfect, as if a true immortal had descended into the mortal world. Ye Fan's body froze. He faced this infinitely beautiful figure as a formidable enemy. It was a woman; her elegant posture could be discerned from the curves of her back. Furthermore, this figure, unlike all previous Great Emperors, was incredibly clear, not blurry at all, lifelike, as if a stunning beauty stood right before him.

Suddenly, the woman turned around, standing in the grand hall and meeting Ye Fan's gaze. Her eyes were incredibly clear, purer even than a child's. Her beautiful hair danced, shimmering with starlight. On her snow-white neck, there should have been an otherworldly face of unparalleled beauty, but it was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a ghost-face mask. It seemed to cry and laugh simultaneously, smiling faintly in sorrow, weeping in smiles. It was a bronze mask, unforgettable at first sight, capable of stirring one's soul.

The Ruthless Great Emperor!

Ye Fan's heart boomed, and he involuntarily took a step back. His karma with this most stunning Great Emperor ran deep; beyond other reasons, even the Mother Qi of All Things Cauldron above his head belonged to her. She seemed like a flesh-and-blood person. Ye Fan could even perceive a warm luster on her jade-like body. This was too strange; how could something formed by lightning be so lifelike?

"Rumble!"

A streak of immortal light flew forth, supremely domineering and incredibly powerful. All other light in the world dimmed, losing its brilliance under this glow. It was like a startling immortal descending from beyond the heavens, with light misting down like vast white feathers, containing an ultimate attack force, rarely seen throughout history. This was the Flying Immortal Force! It was the Ruthless Great Emperor's unparalleled divine art, created to counter the Nine Secrets. It could be said to shake the past and present, countering the nine Heavenly Venerates of the Mythological Era alone and establishing numerous supreme secret arts.

"Bang!"

Even Ye Fan's indestructible golden body, strong as it was, exploded, tearing into pieces. Golden blood splattered, turning the entire hall golden, and jagged white bone fragments lay scattered. This was the most severe injury Ye Fan had ever suffered since his debut, and the most brutal in the Heavenly Tribulation. Even his primordial spirit was nearly scattered. He harbored an inexplicable emotion towards the Ruthless Emperor because he had gathered her True Dragon Divine Medicine fluid, obtained her Mother Qi of All Things, and taken the Immortal Treasure Map from her Chaotic Dragon Nest. He always felt some connection.

Ye Fan was struck by such an attack after only a brief moment of stunned distraction. He couldn't evade it; it was truly too fast! This attack was unparalleled in its power; how many throughout history could compare? It was the same secret art, yet far more powerful than when unleashed by Hua Yunfei or Li Xiaoman. This was the true Flying Immortal Art. This art, claiming to possess the power of a flying immortal, was an astonishing strike that transcended ages, unmatched throughout history!

"Rumble!"

Ye Fan's immense golden blood energy surged together, and his shattered body reassembled. The "Zhe" character secret operated, rapidly repairing his body. He became exceptionally solemn, gazing directly at the peerless woman before him, his expression gravely serious as if facing a formidable foe.

"A single thought blossoms into flowers..." the peerless beauty, wearing the ghost-face mask, uttered these words distinctly, reaching the deepest parts of one's soul. Ye Fan's hair stood on end. This was unprecedented; never had a Great Emperor appearing in a Heavenly Tribulation spoken. It was truly unique. This made his hair stand on end. Was he facing a Heavenly Tribulation, or had he truly met the Ruthless Emperor?

Petals danced, sparkling with a dreamy, translucent luster, falling like vast showers of light. Each one was crystal clear, emitting a faint fragrance that even the sea of thunder could not obstruct. In an instant, each petal transformed into a Ruthless Emperor, thousands of figures assaulting Ye Fan. Her robes fluttered as she moved, like a true immortal!

Ye Fan's expression changed. His golden blood energy surged, manifesting various phenomena: Immortal Kings in the Nine Heavens, a green lotus in chaos, a golden sea of suffering, and majestic mountains and rivers, all connected as one, as if an Immortal Realm had emerged. The phenomena isolated all energy, blocking the Ruthless Emperor's assault. Ye Fan trembled continuously, eventually spitting blood from his mouth, retreating several steps, enduring until the numerous Ruthless Emperor illusions vanished. Those illusions didn't possess the true Ruthless Emperor's combat power, but their sheer number was terrifying enough to instantly kill Supremes of the same cultivation level.

In this world, the Ruthless Emperor was undoubtedly the most talented; otherwise, it would have been impossible for her to attain Dao with a mortal physique. Now, Ye Fan had personally experienced her heaven-defying combat prowess. Physiques meant nothing to her; whatever bloodline appeared, she could slay it! The Ruthless Great Emperor lived for four lives, some say five, and some even claim she never died, always living in the mortal world. Though not for longevity, she walked the furthest on that path.

"Kill!"

Ye Fan's gaze sharpened. Standing on the Emperor's Path, no matter whom he faced, even the most talented and powerful Ruthless Emperor, he could not flinch. He had to press forward undaunted. He manifested his Dao, his body transforming into a dragon-like curve, his arms swaying, becoming the Taiyin and Taiyang. His entire being became a True Dragon of Dao Traces, charging towards the Ruthless Emperor. A heaven-shaking battle erupted, incredibly fierce.

Their speed was astounding; they exchanged blows like lightning, sometimes incredibly rigid, sometimes incredibly soft, unleashing streaks of immortal splendor that astounded all. Finally, the two separated. The Ruthless Emperor seemed somewhat surprised; divine radiance shone from her pure eyes. Her left and right hands moved independently, manifesting supreme Dao Immortal principles. The character "Life" appeared in the Ruthless Emperor's left palm, and "Death" in her right. They emanated strands of extreme divine might, pressing down on Ye Fan. These two characters outweighed everything; they seemed capable of crushing all ages. Throughout history, countless cultivators had explored them, yet none had fully comprehended them to achieve immortality.

The Sky Swallowing Demonic Art, the Undying Heavenly Art, various secret arts used to combat the Nine Heavenly Venerates... The Ruthless Great Emperor was astonishingly brilliant, having lived for several lives. For countless ages, no one knew how many divine arts she had created; she was the most mysterious. Now, with the emergence of this profound art, it truly shocked heaven and earth and moved ghosts and gods. Ye Fan's expression instantly changed. The meaning of these two characters was too extraordinary, astonishingly condensed, truly defying the heavens.

"Rumble!"

Chanting sounds emanated from within Ye Fan's body. His entire being transformed into a Taiji Immortal Diagram, ready to face the Ruthless Emperor for a final showdown.

A sigh drifted forth. The Empress turned gracefully, peerlessly elegant, leaving behind a shower of light. She walked away step by step, her body shrinking until she became a solitary three or four-year-old girl, setting off alone. She was pitiable and lonely, her small clothes tattered, with two pigtails, her face smudged with dirt. An unintentional glance back was heart-wrenching: her large eyes, clear and pure, were brimming with tears.

Ye Fan's heart quaked. He wanted to see clearly, to examine closely, to see that tender young face, but her figure blurred and vanished.

"Heavens, could it be that the Ruthless Great Emperor is truly still alive, still in this mortal world?!" Ye Fan was astonished.