Chapter 1388: Battle with the God

A golden fist energy exploded, resembling ten thousand shattered stars—dazzling and terrifying. In that instant, the entire sea of thunder collapsed, revealing the scene to everyone.

"Who is that?"

All the Saints were stunned. They saw one magnificent heavenly palace after another, and two figures fiercely clashing, shattering everything around them, like two celestial gods at war.

Both ordinary people and Great Saints were terrified. The person whose eyes gleamed with five-colored light, though only in the Saint King realm, exuded an aura akin to a supreme god. Every move, calm and unhurried, exuded an innate grandeur. His dominance seemed universal, a demeanor only possible for one who held a supreme divine position.

All the powerful figures trembled, every one of them unnerved. Ye Fan was still fighting in the final sea of heavenly tribulation, having encountered an extremely formidable opponent! Cracks appeared on Ye Fan's indestructible golden body, revealing white bones and startling golden blood. Everyone was deeply shaken, wondering what kind of adversary he had truly met.

The Great Saints trembled, their spiritual senses more acute. They witnessed a vision of all races honoring him, all beings prostrating themselves. That individual seemed to be the co-ruler of the universe, before whom even gods would bow.

"Could it be the Undying Heavenly Sovereign?!" the Ox King exclaimed, his heart trembling. His home planet still revered this ancient supreme deity.

"What?!" Everyone was stunned, as if struck by lightning. This was utterly unbelievable, like something out of a myth. The legendary Undying Heavenly Sovereign had appeared in the lightning tribulation. This was incredibly defiant of the heavens, clearly a direct attempt to annihilate the Sacred Body and prevent him from passing.

"This is a god revered by all races, yet he manifested in the heavenly tribulation," an ancient evil god from an alien race uttered, trembling.

The Undying Heavenly Sovereign's prestige was immense, with a profoundly far-reaching influence. He had never been forgotten throughout history; everything about him was a shocking myth.

"This defies the heavens…" the Ancient Demon, Hundred Tribulations Daoist, sighed softly.

Qi Tian, the guardian of the Human Race's ancient path, turned pale. This was truly devastating news for him; his face drained of color as he clenched his fists. Emperor Tian, the Great Demon God, the Human King, and others fell silent, their eyes flickering as they watched the sea of thunder. Despite their unyielding conviction of invincibility, they now felt an immense pressure.

The golden fist energy and five-colored divine light appeared and vanished swiftly. The chaotic sea of thunder instantly descended once more, engulfing the area, and everything became invisible.

Outside, the powerful figures' hearts pounded with alarm.

Ye Fan's battle with the Undying Heavenly Sovereign was so fierce that every drop of his blood seemed to burn. Many of his bones were fractured as he relentlessly fought, struggling for his life, drenched in blood. He finally realized that the heavens were making things difficult for him. From the beginning of his tribulation until now, he had endured countless trials. Even with his "Zhe" character technique, he couldn't sustain himself indefinitely. Each time he healed his injuries, he had to consume golden life essence. While he seemed to recover instantly, his fundamental strength was constantly being depleted.

From the start of this battle, even a god would be overwhelmed, especially facing the Undying Heavenly Sovereign, the co-ruler of all races. This made the situation far more perilous. Ye Fan's powerful will sustained him, purely because his opponent was the Undying Heavenly Sovereign, a figure revered in the past, hailed as holding the supreme divine position. He yearned to fight him. Such a figure was rare throughout history, separated by millennia, making an encounter virtually impossible. Now, with a chance to fight, his golden battle blood surged. While others might have felt fear facing such a supreme adversary, Ye Fan was invigorated. Even though his body wasn't in its optimal condition, he forcibly unleashed his potential.

This battle would be fought to the bitter end!

Ye Fan's duel with the Undying Heavenly Sovereign was almost mythical. Yet, it wasn't entirely unexpected. After killing the Heavenly Sovereign's son, Ye Fan had considered the possibility. It was rumored that the Undying Heavenly Sovereign had attained a supreme divine position; could he truly have simply faded into history? Perhaps one day, he would encounter the Heavenly Sovereign's contingency. Now, there was no need to think further. This figure's appearance in the heavenly tribulation was terrifying; within the same cultivation realm, he was virtually an unstoppable force!

Ye Fan was covered in golden blood, but he had also made the Undying Heavenly Sovereign pay a significant price; five-colored blood splattered from him too. Both fought fiercely until the very sky seemed to darken.

"Roar..."

Ye Fan let out a long roar, his voice shaking the sea of thunder. In another grand hall, Pang Bo's eyes snapped open, and he instinctively moved to rush to his aid.

"Ye Zi, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I've encountered an ancient deity from eons past, and he's quite formidable. Don't come here; I must fight this battle alone," Ye Fan transmitted, preventing Pang Bo from approaching.

This engagement was incredibly tragic. Ye Fan's true body was shattered, bone fragments flew, and golden blood splattered everywhere. This was a truly peerless foe. Of course, Ye Fan had also split the Undying Heavenly Sovereign in half, a mutually destructive blow. In a battle within the same cultivation realm, if a young Great Emperor fought with all their might, even a god could not withstand them.

"Ye Zi, are you truly okay?!" Pang Bo rushed in, forcing his way into the grand hall. He was filled with intense worry, detecting the scent of blood and the ferocity of the battle.

"Don't come over, I'm fine. It's just that I've fought too many battles today, and my body isn't in its peak condition, which is a slight regret," Ye Fan replied, not disheartened. His battle with the Undying Heavenly Sovereign had driven him to a state of exhilaration and madness.

Pang Bo naturally refused to leave, standing guard outside the hall. He was deeply concerned, resolved to charge in and intervene without hesitation should Ye Fan face any danger.

"Boom!"

Ye Fan's golden blood thundered, and his bones cracked with every movement. He forcibly gathered his vital energy, spirit, and essence, pushing himself toward his peak state.

"Kill..."

He fought with furious abandon. In another violent collision, both he and the Undying Heavenly Sovereign exploded into shattered bones and mangled flesh, a gruesome sight.

"Ye Zi!" Pang Bo cried out, rushing in, no longer able to stand by. He couldn't let Ye Fan continue this insane fight.

Ancient chanting resonated. Ye Fan's translucent white bone fragments fused back together, and his blood began to flow in reverse, reforming into a shining, indestructible golden body. On the other side, the Undying Heavenly Sovereign's body also reassembled. His eyes were cold, and despite his disheveled hair, he exuded a supreme majesty and terrifying aura.

"Go to the Demon Emperor Hall; don't stay here," Ye Fan insisted, determined to fight to the bloody end.

"Boom!"

The battle erupted once more, growing even fiercer. Ye Fan actually seemed to grow stronger with each clash. He unleashed his unique phenomenon and wielded the Six Paths Reincarnation Fist, pressing forward relentlessly.

This arduous battle lasted for a long time. Ye Fan ultimately prevailed, cleaving the Undying Heavenly Sovereign in half. Covered in the deity's five-colored blood, the sight was profoundly shocking. Yet, Ye Fan fell silent. After having already fought multiple Great Emperors, his body was far from its optimal state. How then could he have grown stronger with each clash and slain the Undying Heavenly Sovereign? Something felt amiss.

Suddenly, he looked up and saw a figure deep within the heavenly palace, standing in the sky and gazing down. A chill ran down his spine. The Undying Heavenly Sovereign! How could there be two? Ye Fan's heart tightened. One he had just cleaved in half, and it had yet to reassemble. How then had another appeared?

"No, this figure was already here; it didn't just appear later. I simply hadn't noticed it," Ye Fan suddenly realized.

This body hung suspended in mid-air, looking down with even greater majesty. It exuded an aura capable of devouring star rivers, and its eyes seemed to hold the destruction of suns and moons. The entire universe trembled beneath its feet. This Undying Heavenly Sovereign was far more powerful!

Suddenly, Ye Fan recalled a secret previously shared by the Holy Emperor's son, a fact known to very few throughout history. The Undying Heavenly Sovereign was revered by all races, and countless beings worshipped him. The pure power of their collective faith had actually given birth to a divine embryo, which then transformed into a "god" identical to him, possessing unparalleled magical power that echoed through ages. Later, the Undying Heavenly Sovereign's true body retreated into seclusion, using this "god" to govern all races. He himself cultivated in isolation, appearing only during moments of extreme importance.

Ye Fan was horrified, a chill running down his spine. The Undying Heavenly Sovereign was truly too powerful. The one he had just cleaved in half must have been the "god," not the true body. Now, the true body had manifested.

"Clang!"

A metallic clang, powerful enough to shatter the cosmos, rang out. Above, from behind the true body, a Heavenly Blade automatically unsheathed, glowing with such intensity that the sun seemed like a mere firefly in comparison. In reality, the true Undying Heavenly Blade has yet to appear, its whereabouts unknown. It is a supreme weapon that once received the worship of all races. Now, it manifested as a Dao principle, cleaving down.

Above Ye Fan's head, his broken cauldron surged forth, myriad strands of primordial qi emanating from it, crashing towards the Undying Heavenly Blade.

Boom!

A blinding light erupted, shattering the area. The Undying Heavenly Sovereign Palace was destroyed, and everything was annihilated. The chaotic sea of thunder was blasted open, revealing golden blood splashing, and nothing else. Moments later, thunder rumbled, once again obscuring their view.

Ye Fan was covered in blood, with bones exposed in many places and gruesome bone fragments protruding. The cauldron above his head had nearly shattered, riddled with cracks, seemingly ready to collapse at the slightest touch. An eighth gaping hole, shaped like a heavenly blade, appeared on it, emanating a supreme, invincible aura that struck awe into observers.

Ye Fan looked back. The Undying Heavenly Sovereign Palace lay pulverized, and the true body had submerged into the chaotic lightning sea, vanishing without a trace, leaving no aura behind. Ye Fan regretted not being able to fight the true body. The battle in the heavenly palace had been too fierce, and the heavens could not deny it, for he had successfully fought his way out.

"The Undying Heavenly Sovereign is truly too powerful..." Ye Fan murmured to himself.

This was a fact: the Undying Heavenly Sovereign possessed extraordinary talent, hailed as a born divine being. Rumors claimed he might have descended from the Immortal Realm, while others posited he was a true Immortal Phoenix, hence his immortal body. The era of his appearance was ancient and shrouded in profound mystery. It was rumored that he once contended with the Heavenly Emperor, daring to defy him. Other tales claimed he emerged only after the Heavenly Emperor's demise, leading an era of chaos before eventually unifying all races. Still others asserted he was born tens of thousands of years after the Heavenly Emperor's death, his glorious achievements unmatched throughout history, truly unrivaled.

This individual's entire life was enveloped in mystery, leaving behind countless secrets. The attitude of some ancient emperors towards him hinted at a strange truth. The Monkey King's father, the Battling Saint Emperor, held great reverence for the Undying Heavenly Sovereign in his youth, and even after achieving enlightenment, he maintained respect for this ancient predecessor. Yet, in his later years, he personally destroyed the Heavenly Sovereign's dojo. This remains an ancient mystery, still unsolved to this day.

In later generations, the Wushi Great Emperor forcefully entered Purple Mountain and occupied the Undying Heavenly Sovereign's grand tomb. However, it was rumored that Purple Mountain had been empty long before his arrival. In fact, his coffin had vanished countless eons ago, having entered the Immortal Mansion World in Zhongzhou. This is also why many believe him to be an Immortal Phoenix. Legend says he was resurrected through fiery nirvana long after his death, which is why he moved his coffin to the Immortal Mansion World to seek further heavenly destiny.

In summary, he remains a supreme and enigmatic powerhouse. Revered eons ago and worshipped by all races, he left behind incomparable glory and an endless veil of mystery.

"I still couldn't fight his true body, but perhaps that's for the best. When I grow stronger, I'll face him again in the Great Saint lightning tribulation!" Ye Fan murmured. He knew he still had a long journey ahead on the path to becoming an Emperor, needing to unlock the potential within every fiber of his being.

Ye Fan speculated that time was running short. He could open at most one more heavenly palace, which would align with the ultimate number nine. Who would he encounter in that final trial? He transmitted a message to Pang Bo, urging him to seize the remaining time to comprehend the fragments of the Great Dao within the Emperor's blood, refine the Ancient Demon Emperor Scripture, and retrieve the two halves of the immortal ruler.