Chapter 1577: The Immortal Path Ends

Even the Lord of the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land made a move, sending a palm strike into the chaotic void. Her divine might was unparalleled, causing a massive collapse within.

Many onlookers from beyond the realm opened their eyes wide in astonishment, showing disbelief. They were all shocked, and many Sages thought that Huang was attacking Mount Sumeru.

However, the ancient Supremes understood that this was not the case. She was striking at the Immortal Ascension Road, not to enter it, but to shatter it completely!

By all accounts, her actions were utterly unexpected, leaving people astonished and bewildered. Others desperately sought immortal ascension, yet she seemed indifferent to it.

"What is the meaning of this?!" the Stone Emperor roared in fury. He revealed his true form: a tall, majestic middle-aged man. Although covered in blood, his peerless aura remained undiminished, his eyes sharp as lightning, as he pointed his black Desolate Sky Halberd towards the Lord of the Desolate.

"Clang!"Yet, the ethereal woman in white was even more dominant. Seeing him point his black halberd, she simply brought her palm down—a direct, violent, and powerful strike. Her jade-like palm collided with the great halberd, emitting a dazzling light that caused the Stone Emperor to vomit blood profusely. Having been severely wounded and nearly dying inside, the shock of this impact naturally caused imperial blood to spill.

The world was stunned!Were beings of this caliber finally going to clash? A showdown between them was about to unfold!

"Very well," the Stone Emperor roared, "though I am old and wounded, I refuse to believe anyone in this world can kill me!" His thick black hair stood on end, and his eyes, filled with menacing power, shone brighter than lightning.

Wielding his black Desolate Sky Halberd, he erupted with incomparable radiance. Chaotic energy permeated the air as he stepped forward, ready to unleash the most terrifying final battle.

"There are no mortal enemies on the Immortal Ascension Road. Both of you should cease fighting," advised the Longevity Celestial Venerable.

"Boom!"Just then, the chaotic void exploded, interrupting the external conflict. Something terrifying had happened within, a violent, massive explosion.

"Amitabha!"The countless beings chanted the name of the Buddhist Great Emperor, their voices echoing through heaven and earth. The chants even emanated from within, bursting forth as showers of light, like infinite white feathers swirling, splendid and beautiful, exuding an aura of peace.

"What?! Immortal ascension? Is Great Emperor Amitabha succeeding?!" This scene caused a massive stir, with several Quasi-Emperors beyond the realm crying out in alarm as they witnessed it.

On the Immortal Ascension Road, the ancient Supremes were also shocked, their eyes revealing an unbelievable gleam at that moment. Was someone truly ascending to immortality? Such radiance was actually being unleashed.

Was this not the very scene of ascension and transformation, with light showers filling the sky? The pervasive aura of an immortal was a clear sign of successful metamorphosis!

For eons, no Celestial Venerable, Ancient Emperor, or Great Emperor had ever achieved immortality. Was Great Emperor Amitabha about to break this ancient barrier alone and usher in an unprecedented new era?!

Perhaps it could be said that it was broken by all Buddhist beings together. This was not only the power of Amitabha himself but also the combined spiritual power of all his followers, gathered from across the universe, forming such a vast Dao Fruit.

"Rumble!"Inside the Flying Immortal Cave, explosions reverberated intensely, and the immortal light grew even brighter, scattering streaks of colorful brilliance as if flying from another world.

"No, something is wrong!" an ancient Supreme said coldly, quickly dodging aside.

At the same time, heaven and earth shattered. Within the already dilapidated chaotic void, boulders flew through the air, and Mount Sumeru, the foremost mountain of Beidou, splintered and burst forth in pieces.

The most terrifying events were unfolding inside. Faintly, the lament of countless beings could be heard, and an endless bloody light indicated lives perishing one by one. The Great Thunderclap Temple, moreover, had collapsed by more than half.

"Clang!"The copper plaque of the Great Thunderclap Temple shattered, and one piece flew out, striking the Immortal Ascension Road and becoming fixed in the chaos. It was covered in fresh blood—the blood of countless beings, and also the blood of Amitabha—a truly shocking sight.

They had failed. The Buddhist sect had suffered a crushing defeat and could not pass. They were not the right ones. The divine self, forged from collective spiritual power, though at its peak state, was ultimately not Great Emperor Amitabha himself!

"This is a great catastrophe, an boundless tragedy!""The entire Western Desert, the tens of millions of miles of Buddhist lands, all Buddhist practitioners are dead!""The collective spiritual power, amassed from beings across the universe, has exploded!"

Some ancient Supremes whispered; even they were moved. This defeat was too tragic, the casualties too immense, the sorrow reaching an extreme point!

"Amitabha…"The shattered pieces of Mount Sumeru burst forth together. On them, resentful spirits wailed—the unwilling soul-thoughts of hundreds of millions of beings who had died unjustly and been annihilated.

In an instant, all these laments vanished. They transformed into vast showers of light, imprinted upon the Immortal Ascension Road, continuing to construct it.

This caused people's eyes to narrow and their hearts to skip a beat. Could it be that all the sights encountered on this road were real, formed by the fusion of those who had perished in ancient times?

"They failed. Even the Buddhist sect, relying on the power of all beings, failed. Who else can break through?""Only by achieving Dao in this present era can one become an immortal!"

This filled people with despair, rendering them speechless, overwhelmed with sorrow. There was truly no other way; no one could ascend to immortality. It shook everyone's faith to its core.

Were there immortals?Could one achieve longevity?How could it be done?

This left people in doubt. This outcome not only eroded the lives of the ancient Supremes but also extinguished the dawn of hope and expectation for all living beings.

Mount Sumeru was shattered into pieces, stained red with blood. The Great Thunderclap Temple on its summit had collapsed by more than half, its various structures damaged, and the Hanging Temple, among others, lay in ruins, on the verge of disappearing.

Within the mountain, the endless power of faith seemed to have dried up, with not a single wisp spilling out anymore. The cracked Mount Sumeru, carrying its ruined temples, flew into the sky and descended once more upon the Western Desert.

From this day forward, the entire Western Land became utterly silent. The tens of millions of miles of Buddhist lands were no more; there was no light, no chanting, and no aura of peace.

The Western Desert had become a land of death!

At this moment, the Lord of the Desolate once again prepared to strike, intending to shatter the Immortal Ascension Road and level the area.

Simultaneously, the giant beside her, a man covered in golden fur, also stepped forward, preparing to act against the Longevity Celestial Venerable, master of the Immortal Mausoleum.

"Wait," said the Qilin Ancient Emperor, who was severely wounded and covered in blood. "I understand your intention, believing that this era has failed and no one can ascend to immortality, thus you wish to destroy this place. However, we are unwilling to give up and still intend to make one final attempt!"

"Indeed, we would rather die fighting on the Immortal Road!" another ancient Supreme declared. Their fate was already sealed, and they wished to end it in battle.

"I don't want to die, nor do I want to give up on the Immortal Ascension Road right now!" the Stone Emperor said coldly, holding his halberd in a standoff.

"Very well, I will give you time," the tall man with golden fur said to the Longevity Celestial Venerable. "If you die fighting on the Immortal Road, so be it. But if you return, we will settle our grievances in battle!"

The woman in white briefly appeared bewildered, as if she had lost her soul, before reverting to her cold demeanor and refraining from further action.

Clearly, her state was unique. The ancient Supremes were also suspicious, as it felt as though she was merely a supreme shell, her primordial spirit appearing and disappearing.

"You all see it now! This is the Immortal Ascension Road! Look closely, this is our law, our Dao, our path!" An ancient Human Supreme roared, his voice reaching beyond the realm. Then, resolutely and without hesitation, he leaped into the Immortal Ascension Cave to make his final effort and attempt.

"Kill!" Another ancient Emperor leaped into the Immortal Ascension Cave, beginning his last desperate struggle.

"Like a moth drawn to a flame, I hear my dirge on the Immortal Road. Though I am unwilling, I have no regrets. I will verify my Dao, tread the path to immortality. I am still alive, and I will press forward!" someone wailed tragically.

"This life, this era, I have lived through it. I have existed. Death means nothing!"

"With my fading life, I will verify the method of immortal ascension. With my still warm blood, I will anoint the Immortal Ascension Road. My Dao, my destiny, my life—they burn and bloom in the flames!"

...The Supremes wailed tragically, their cries echoing through heaven and earth. Once, they had commanded the primordial universe, fought countless battles with no rivals above or below, and looked down upon the mortal world. There was nothing they could not accomplish, no enemy they could not suppress. Yet now, they were destined to end like this.

Apart from two who had shattered into blood and bone, all other ancient Supremes charged in, determined to make one final attempt.

Ultimately, the place became chaotic. Blood bloomed, and elegies emanated. Even powerful, supreme Supremes could not change this outcome: no one could ascend to immortality in this era!

Everyone had failed. Ultimately, the outcome of this era could not be changed; they could not break through!Eons of effort had come to nothing!

"My path has reached its end. Since it is so, let me return to this heaven and earth," some Supremes said with a certain detachment. Their life force exhausted, not a trace of vitality remained, their primordial spirits decayed. They sat cross-legged on the ground, directly transforming into the Dao, with light showers rising.

"Pfft!"Others didn't even have time to utter a word. They had truly reached the end of their life's journey, exploding into blood and bone the moment they exited the chaotic void.

"Who else hasn't come out? The Longevity Celestial Venerable is still inside!"

These Supremes were nearing their end, all with little life left. In fact, this had been their state after the first entry; the second attempt to challenge the immortal pass consumed even more of their remaining vitality.

Everyone's life was drawing to a close; two individuals had already perished one after another.

"The Human Emperor is dead! That must be the depletion of the Human Emperor's vitality, ending so bleakly!"Beyond the realm, people lamented. It was too great a pity; he was unrivaled for eons, yet his story concluded with such regret.

The Qilin Ancient Emperor let out a low roar, his body covered in blood, and soared into the sky, instantly vanishing into the cosmos. Everyone trembled in alarm, feeling as if a great disaster was imminent.

However, the ancient Emperor's figure moved ceaselessly, ignoring them. In an instant, he streaked across tens of thousands of galaxies, reaching another side of the universe and descending upon a massive ancient life star.

His body swayed, stumbling and staggering. How could the Primordial Emperor, who once looked down upon the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, be in such a wretched state? Throughout his life, he had been mighty and invincible, yet in the end, he was so desolate and mournful.

His feet, once capable of crushing the primordial universe, now left behind only a trail of bloody footprints. He walked, bleeding imperial blood, his body trembling violently.

"Father!"Huo Linger appeared, crying out in heartbreaking grief, and quickly rushed over, throwing herself onto the blood-soaked Qilin Ancient Emperor.

"Be... careful, I'm losing control of my killing intent. This blood might harm you." The Qilin Ancient Emperor's hands, which could once pluck stars, seize the moon, and shatter countless galaxies, were now unsteady and trembling. He wiped away the imperial blood for his daughter, his eyes filled with tender love.

Huo Linger sobbed aloud, tears streaming down her face. Her father had once reigned supreme, looking down upon all realms, a man of immense power, invincible throughout his life. Yet now, he was in such a state—blood flowing from his body, staggering, having suffered unimaginable injuries, his life nearing its end.

To see such a powerful individual in such a pathetic state now made her heart ache as if being twisted by a knife. She embraced the Qilin Ancient Emperor and cried out loudly, "Father, don't leave me! You must survive, you absolutely must survive..."

This man's figure had once been so magnificent, unattainable, and unparalleled in the world. Heroes from the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands all looked up to him, and even gods would kneel and prostrate themselves before him.

But now, he was somewhat hunched, his hands trembling. He could not support his own body, swaying as if he might collapse at any moment, unable even to wipe away his daughter's tears despite his efforts.

No longer the supreme Primordial Emperor of old, he was now just an old father who could not bear to leave his child. His eyes, no longer intimidating, were dim and filled with reluctance. He couldn't let go of his daughter, gently caressing her face with his trembling, calloused hands.