Chapter 1588: The Last Hope

The Feathered Ancestral Star was shattered, with only one in ten surviving. The death toll is immense. The Azure Bright Ancestral Star was utterly devastated, all saints perished! News poured in, one after another. The surviving powerful beings were already numb, unsure when their turn would come. Throughout the vast cosmic expanse, countless ancient lands had become bleeding tombs.

The Supremes were annihilating the world, unstoppable. Anyone who faced them died; even the Great Accomplished Sacred Body had fallen, extinguishing humanity's last shred of hope! From then on, the world was plunged into darkness, with no light to be found, only blood and sorrow.

"The Abandoned Heavens Supreme has entered the depths of the Ancient Starry Road!" Nothing could halt their advance. They were like primeval beasts rampaging through the human world, hunting mercilessly. A single one was enough to slaughter all the powerful beings in existence.

"It's over! The Ancient Road of the Celestial Ghost Race has been severed; everyone who hadn't left was annihilated!" "The Human Race's Ancient Road has been ravaged; the cities are filled with corpses, and everyone who failed to evacuate has become a lost soul!"

The world was engulfed in an atmosphere of despair and terror, with no glimmer of dawn. The slaughter continued relentlessly; people had no idea how many sentient beings the Supremes needed to consume. The Ancient Starry Road became the Supremes' rendezvous point, a critical target because it contained a significant number of Saints and powerful cultivators, naturally making it a site of immense catastrophe.

Everyone who could leave had fled; those who remained were doomed to die! Throughout the cosmos, all Saints were in a desperate flight, choosing the most desolate star systems, avoiding groups or concentrations, as this offered the only chance of survival.

By now, the Supremes had massacred countless ancient stars and no longer bothered hunting individual targets. They would only take notice if a Great Saint and numerous other Saints were discovered simultaneously; that would undoubtedly lead to a tragedy. Eventually, the ancient Supremes gathered. So many had been killed, perhaps hundreds of billions or even trillions, that the entire universe wept and bled.

“This is only the beginning, far from enough. The grand feast is yet to come. Our losses this time have been too great; even if we survive this era, we might not last through the ages that follow.”

No one could achieve true immortality. Even by severing their own cultivation and slumbering for eons, it wasn't enough! After all, they had emerged several times, breaking through immortal sources. Even without undergoing a full sublimation to reach the pinnacle, this inflicted immense damage upon themselves. While they had survived at a cost, it wasn't true eternal life. There were too many restrictions; ultimately, they were destined to turn to dust! All they could do was delay this inevitable trend, not achieve perpetual immortality. When their time came, they would still be obliterated. Next time, some might not even have the chance to initiate a Dark Turmoil, destined to perish in the annals of time! To have slumbered for eons, only to be active for mere days in total, yet be in such a state—this was something these powerful figures found truly unbearable.

“Perhaps it's time to cleanse some truly heavyweight life forms with blood,” the Stone Emperor said grimly. “This would make our weapons stronger and might also fortify ourselves, extending the immortal and undying lifespan of our Immortal Platform.”

“You mean…” the Reincarnation Supreme's heart skipped a beat. “Unless it’s a bloodbath in the restricted zones, killing those of our own rank!”

“No, kill the deities!” the Stone Emperor, master of the Undying Mountain, said coldly.

“So-called divine races are nothing special; what are they even worth?” the Light-Dark Supreme said chillingly.

“No, we kill the deities within the Emperor Weapons, seizing their vital energy. This can strengthen our weapons and perhaps extend our own existence,” the Stone Emperor said mercilessly.

“This…” Everyone's heart leaped. Such a method was too extreme, potentially leading to earth-shattering consequences. It was foreseeable that they might all face threats.

“What’s so extreme about it? The Immortal Ascension Road has gone awry, the heavens and earth are in chaos, and this specific time point has severed the flow of eons. Even you and I cannot predict what will happen. Those of the past were surely unaware and could not have foreseen this era; there will be no hidden moves or unexpected occurrences.” The Stone Emperor said chillingly, his black Heavenly Desolate Great Halberd incredibly sharp, radiating world-shaking killing intent. He was exceptionally dominant, advocating for a complete slaughter.

Ultimately, the ancient Supremes had no objections, and they all accepted the decision. The emergence of the Immortal Ascension Road had been predicted by many Supremes, but its consequences were ambiguously both right and wrong. It was a unique temporal nexus that had severed ancient time and space, making future events unpredictable. Thus, to unleash a massacre and reach their peak state to confront the unforeseeable future was the intention of each of them.

Boom! The heavens shattered, the earth crumbled, and the bloody slaughter continued.

Some minor worlds were spared from suffering because their populations were too small to warrant a visit. Other secret realms, protected by ancient Great Emperor's hidden world formations, remained undetected for the time being. The universe was vast; as long as a Supreme did not approach closely, these Emperor patterns could still conceal everything. Furthermore, the flawless, complete array patterns specifically designed by certain ancient Emperors and Great Emperors to conceal vital energy could perfectly seal everything, making it unlikely for even an ancient Supreme to immediately sense them when passing nearby.

Amidst the sea of blood, seeds of hope would always remain. The universe was too vast for the ancient Supremes to truly reach every single place; many desolate and uninhabited star systems were inevitably overlooked. Indeed, many regions had been untouched by anyone since ancient times. However, when the ancient Supremes truly focused their senses and specifically sought out certain inheritances, it became an unimaginable catastrophe from which escape was exceedingly difficult.

“Found it… the Divine Refining Pot of the Radiant Clan!” That day, the ancient star of Radiance suffered a bloodbath. Everyone of that clan prayed and called out for the deity within the Divine Refining Pot to revive, which then reached its absolute peak state. The divine pot, forged from azure-gold, erupted violently. The deity within vibrated, unleashed a bloody slaughter, and battled the Supremes!

“You were created by beings of our level. While you can wound us, you are still ultimately lacking!” Although the ancient Supremes were not in their flawless state, they still possessed Imperial Dao laws, and each carried an Emperor Weapon. With two Supremes acting, this tragedy proceeded without any surprises. Ultimately, the Divine Refining Pot was shattered into pieces, divided between the Stone Emperor and the Reincarnation Supreme, who then melted the deity into their own weapons! Moreover, a portion of it was temporarily refined into their bodies and Immortal Platforms, awaiting further tempering and complete assimilation.

With such a precedent, the Light-Dark Supreme, the Master of the Divine Ruins, and the Abandoned Heavens Supreme also began to act. On this day, the most horrific events unfolded. The inheritances of the original Big Dipper Starfield successively met with utter devastation. Even those who fled into other star systems were pursued and tracked down. Among the Four Great Imperial Dynasties of Central State, the Guhua Imperial Dynasty and the Shenzhou Imperial Dynasty were annihilated one after another, becoming mere history. Only a small fraction, "blessed" to survive as a seed—one in ten—as per the unwritten pact of the Dark Era, lived on, while their Emperor Weapons were destroyed! This was an uprising; two Emperor Weapons from the two Imperial Dynasties successively revived, but both were shattered into pieces. Their deities were killed, their life energy completely absorbed by the Supremes. This impact was immense, shaking the entire universe!

“This is just the beginning,” they declared. “We must not only survive but also forge the most powerful weapons.” They intended to continue, to persist in their bloody slaughter. Along their path, numerous star systems bled, and the few Supremes showed no mercy.

Meanwhile, the Great Accomplished Hegemon was also engaging in mass slaughter. He did not target Emperor Weapons alone but massacred relentlessly and mercilessly. His cruelty surpassed even that of the ancient Supremes. Behind him lay mountains of corpses and seas of blood; beneath his feet, countless bodies were strewn. Like a peerless devil king, with blood mist swirling around his hair, he strode away, step by step, and the universe trembled because of him.

The ultimate target for the Supremes was the Big Dipper, for it was destined to still hold Emperor Weapons, such as the Chaotic Ancient’s weapon, Emperor Amitābha’s Devil-Subduing Vajra, and possibly other Imperial artifacts. However, the Stone Emperor shook his head, indicating that the Big Dipper would be their last stop, a return journey. His expression was utterly cold as he stated, “Void, you are dead, but my grudge remains. The Imperial Oath has expired. Let your bloodline and Imperial Mirror atone for the hatred of the past!” His target was the Ji family; he intended to search the entire universe, destroy them, and shatter the Void Mirror.

“I will go with you,” the Abandoned Heavens Supreme offered, “after all, that Immortal Mirror is quite peculiar and powerful, having been stained with Supreme blood.” “No need,” the Stone Emperor replied. “I anticipate that ancient mirror will be sufficiently astonishing. This is my grievance with Void, and it will end here!” Holding his black great halberd, he set off alone.

The Supremes then parted ways, not immediately returning to the Big Dipper. They continued to seek powerful prey, intending to cleanse the heavens and earth with blood along different routes.

Boom! The Primal Saint Ancient Star was annihilated. Many cultivators there roared, cursed in fury, and refused to succumb to fate. In response, the Reincarnation Supreme merely flicked a finger, instantly shattering the entire star. This was the first star ever slaughtered. Elsewhere, eighteen other locations, including the Hidden Dragon Ancient Star and the Abyss Sea Pure Land, also suffered successive bloodbaths.

“Great Emperor Void… where are you? Come fight for your people once more!” “Woe… it’s a pity Great Emperor Void died prematurely; otherwise, how could the Dark Turmoil befall the human realm?”

It must be said, the accomplishments of Great Emperor Void were immense. During the Ancient Desolate Era, he waged bloody battles across the Eight Desolations, single-handedly resisting many Supremes throughout his life, leaving behind legends in countless places. Some elder Saints, aware of that era, roared with great mental power, urging all beings to pray.

“The power of all sentient beings—this might be our only hope,” they reasoned. “Great Emperor Void is dead, unable to protect us, but perhaps our own collective will can settle the score with the Supremes.” This was a method proposed by several elder Saints, a concept found by poring through endless ancient texts.

Everyone mourned Great Emperor Void, the Human Emperor, the Sacred Body, and others, while simultaneously cursing the ancient Supremes, filled with bloodlust and hatred!

“To use the collective will of all beings to settle scores with me? Too weak!” the Light-Dark Supreme sneered mercilessly. “What are all beings? Insignificant! Perhaps only during the moment of becoming an Emperor, or on the Immortal Ascension Road—only at such critical junctures might you affect me. On ordinary days, what are you? The will of all beings is merely something for those at the world's apex to trample upon!” With a merciless sneer, the Light-Dark Supreme pointed a finger, and the elusive, indescribable Qi surrounding him instantly exploded, unable to touch him. Correspondingly, on the ancient star, many people's foreheads burst open, bloody, with terrifying holes, and they all collapsed into pools of blood. Even Great Saints suffered the same fate!

“Human Emperor, Great Emperor Void… where… where are you?” This was the dying murmur of an old man, filled with despair and indignation, his white hair soaked in blood, his withered body shielding several children. And this was just one instance of the countless, trillions of tragedies unfolding across the human realm, continuing endlessly!

On Earth, at Hangu Pass, four figures stood side by side. The most ordinary-looking man, with a plain face, touched his cheek, which was wet with tears. This was his body's instinct, and also a deep stirring within his Sea of Consciousness. “I hear billions of beings wailing, calling out to me, filled with despair…” he murmured softly, wiping away his tears. Then he said, “It's time. We should set out. What if we die?” “Yes, it’s precisely when those individuals are complacent and their guard is lowest,” the majestic Shennong said. “Presumably, those weapons should also have revived. The final, sole opportunity has arrived; we must fight them, even if it means death!” He too had heard countless calls, transmitted directly into his soul, as if from the ancient desolate ages. The figures at Hangu Pass vanished, charging into the depths of the universe.

Bang! The Light-Dark Supreme's body erupted in a long string of blood blossoms. He staggered, then still unable to stop his momentum, was sent flying, covered in blood. Alas, he ultimately did not perish. The void silently tore open, and an ordinary-looking man stepped out. “It’s you. You’ve unleashed the Forbidden Immortal Art exclusive to Great Emperor Void!” He had already heard from the Reincarnation Supreme. Although the face before him was familiar, his expression remained cold as he said, “Even if you possess an Emperor Body, you are no longer your original self. Having lost the Imperial Dao laws, to contend with me is merely to seek death!” The newcomer remained silent, not uttering a word. He possessed an Emperor Body, but ultimately failed to deliver a fatal blow. This outcome was anticipated, yet the battle was still inevitable.

In another star system, Shennong suddenly appeared. He similarly used an Emperor Body to make the Reincarnation Supreme cough up large mouthfuls of blood, nearly tearing him in two. Yet, he still fell short, unable to succeed. The Master of Reincarnation displayed his most cruel smile, saying, “You finally emerged from Hangu Pass! I have been waiting for your appearance, ha ha ha!”

Evidently, everyone in the universe who could threaten them was to be eliminated, all to be annihilated, leaving no power capable of halting their advance.

Boom! In the distance, another Emperor Weapon shattered, another supreme immortal artifact destroyed on this day. Several figures rushed over; the Supremes all appeared, then converged from various star systems, trapping the four individuals who had emerged from Hangu Pass within a single region.

“What a true surprise, Void, we meet again!” the Stone Emperor, master of the Undying Mountain, said coldly, tossing over the corpse of a Great Saint. “This is one of your descendants. I have destroyed many, and this is just one of them. However, their nests seem to be numerous, and I haven’t wiped them all out yet.”

Undoubtedly, this would be the final battle. The Supremes, having surrounded them, gazed at the four, as if they were the purest immortal essence—beings capable of fighting them, whose vital energy must be as vast as the sea. “Once you are dead and the myriad realms have been cleansed by blood, this era will come to an end,” the Stone Emperor said grimly. “Offer yourselves as sacrifice.”

“This era should indeed come to an end…” the ordinary man at the front murmured to himself with sorrow. “Good that you know!” “I know,” the man identical to Ji Zi shouted, his voice shaking the universe with an unprecedented majesty. “I have prepared for death, but you too will pay the price! You have created enough formidable enemies for yourselves!”

“Formidable enemies? Are there any left in this world?” the Stone Emperor laughed uproariously. “You lot are still not enough!”

“Emperor Weapons also possess life!” the man identical to Ji Zi declared. He was not physically imposing, yet his majesty and righteousness were awe-inspiring. “You have shattered several of them, awakening all the Emperor Weapons across the universe. They have all revived autonomously, and today, they are here to execute you!”

Boom! The Devil-Subduing Vajra vibrated, shattering all in its path, descending from the sky as ten thousand streams of purple Qi ascended.

Clang! Immortal light sliced through eternity as the Grand Emperor Sword emerged, illuminating the nine heavens, tearing open the universe, and arriving at this very spot!

Whoosh! The Jiuli Diagram vibrated, shattering the firmament. It arrived from an extremely distant land, spanning billions of galaxies, pressing down upon them.

Buzz! The Western Empress Tower soared into the sky, forged from Immortal Tear Green Gold. Its tears of light scattered across the universe, as all beings wept in anguish. It shook the thirty-three layers of heaven, overshadowed the human realm, and descended to suppress them!

One after another, the Emperor Weapons were awakened by this most horrific slaughter of all time. They simultaneously awakened, acting in unison, coming here autonomously to suppress the ancient Supremes!