Chapter 1606: Three Hundred Years in the World

This era is filled with sorrow, causing grief and pain. A century has passed, yet some wounds are too deep for time to heal. Many things can never return, and certain marks are forever etched into hearts. For a hundred years, some have endured in solitude, quietly waiting and gazing into the distance. For a hundred years, others have traversed the starry sky, desperately searching for lost footsteps. For a hundred years, some have licked their wounds, recuperating in the shadows. Time flew by; a century passed just like that. The dark turmoil ended, but it left indelible pain and bitterness upon this era.

“Master, where are you?!” Ye Tong and others roared, searching the entire cosmos, but found nothing. Their tears fell across the stars. “Son of God, I know you must still be alive and will return,” Little Sparrow departed sadly.

As the wind blew down yellow leaves, another autumn arrived, bringing with it a chilling cold, a killing chill, as if cut by a blade. This late autumn felt especially cold, raw, and disheartening. That war had ended, but it left countless tears and much bloodshed across all realms and races. Too many wounds still needed time to heal slowly. Innumerable mortals died tragic deaths, and too many heroes perished.

Emperor Void and Emperor Hengyu are remembered by all races for their immense sacrifices. Gai Jiuyou is also widely commemorated, his defiant cry, “Who dares to fight me?” still seeming to echo in the ears. Even though his end was tragic, his glory endures. Stars vanished and reappeared, tides rose and fell; what was lost remained irrevocably so, immortalized in time yet only living on in people’s memories.

“So many died in that war, what a pity. How many heroes were buried in foreign lands, their blood spilled beyond the cosmic borders? Many didn’t even leave their names,” someone lamented. “A single ripple in the river of time, it stirred up a heaven-shattering radiance that deeply moves one’s heart.”

All races paid tribute, not just to Ji Zi, Jiang Taixu, and Gai Jiuyou. Tens of thousands of powerful races throughout the universe had heroes who participated. Some died on their home planets, while others journeyed to distant regions. Though they couldn’t reach the main battlefield, they fought bravely and tirelessly, perishing outside the immediate conflict zone. Only Quasi-Emperors could enter the battlefield, and without exception, they all died!

Upon careful calculation, over a dozen Quasi-Emperors had fallen, their blood staining the outer reaches of the universe. Individuals of this caliber were almost wiped out across the cosmos! These were the strongest, the elite of the world, even holding the hope of achieving true enlightenment. Yet, they all died in this most terrifying dark turmoil. They became heroes for their respective races, remembered forever, spoken of, and became an indelible mark of their era, known to every man, woman, and child in their communities.

Of those who perished, the greatest heroes of that age, did not a single one survive? People once held hope, yearning for a miracle. Yet, after a hundred years of solitude, no hero returned against the odds. No matter how transcendent or supremely talented one was in life, death was final. “Is there reincarnation in this world?” many powerful races cried out in grief, their entire clans shouting to the heavens, hoping their fallen heroes might one day reappear.

But could this ever come true? Many powerful cultivators shared the consensus that death was like a lamp extinguished; there was no reincarnation, no talk of rebirth, no next life. Asking such questions of the heavens was merely an expression of hope and bitter anguish; only a few clung to the dream of a miracle. The elder Grand Saints sighed, acknowledging that once dead, there was no returning, not even for ancient Great Emperors who sought no rebirth and held no hope for the future, only striving for the present.

If there was one exception, it was undoubtedly Amitabha. The Buddhist faith firmly believed that the next life was not an illusion and could be awaited. In the long river of time, there would always be two similar flowers: one wilts, and another blossoms, with the most beautiful radiance awaiting in the future. After this day, some golden-bodied Arhats, Bodhisattvas, and Dharma Protecting Heavenly Kings from the Amitabha Ancient Star Domain set out to search various regions for the fallen elites of the Buddhist sect.

A hundred years of time, a hundred years of sorrow—everything eventually drew to a slow close. An era had passed.

Amidst the ruins of blood and bone, new hope emerged. A generation of young powerhouses grew stronger. They had witnessed the bloodiest turmoil in history, seen one peerless expert after another rush into battle like moths to a flame, fighting to the death without hesitation. This deeply impacted them from a young age, forging resilient wills. Furthermore, having experienced the rampant supreme aura, they grew up to surpass the previous generation.

Though many had perished, this generation, tempered by iron and blood, shone brilliantly. They had grown powerful amidst the flames of war, filling many vacant positions of saints. Throughout these hundred years, the world was far from peaceful. Many events transpired: the Underworld powerfully manifested itself, appearing among mortals, with endless Yin soldiers traversing star domains to collect the corpses of fallen powerhouses.

This led to numerous bloody battles across various regions, localized conflicts that followed the dark turmoil’s end, causing widespread panic for a time. “At the end of reincarnation, all things will conclude; the Underworld is the ultimate destination for all souls.” This phrase, whose origin was unknown, once spread terror, as Yin soldiers passed through for a century, and some mysterious ancient domains remained chaotic for the same period. Finally, they mysteriously vanished again.

Furthermore, deep within the universe, the seal on a great star loosened, and a vast army set forth, attacking distant realms. After a century of continuous bloody battles, a great immortal bell rang, signaling their defeat and retreat, leaving behind many corpses.

Over the hundred years, many destroyed homes were rebuilt. On Mount Sumeru in the Western Desert, which had been fractured, Buddhist light reappeared, and chanting could be heard from several temples. The Big Dipper constellation had its sun, moon, and stars shifted by powerful magic. Clans like Daxia, Jiuli, Ji, and Jiang also rebuilt their ancestral lands from the ruins. This reconstruction effort was seen everywhere: in the Feathered Star Domain, the Heavenly Passage Star Domain, the Gouchen Star Domain, the Fire Mulberry Star Domain—all powerful races were recuperating, striving to recover in the shortest possible time.

Two hundred years after the end of the dark turmoil, the various realms emerged from the shadow of bloodshed. Populations had fully recovered, and a prosperous era unfolded. Ancient pathways shattered in the starry sky were repaired, and many heroes embarked on trials, honing their skills, eager to make their mark in this new age. Time is the greatest force in the world, and under its healing touch, everything gradually changes.

As several more decades passed, all races became fully prosperous, faintly showing the initial signs of a golden age descending. It was hard to imagine that such a cataclysmic disaster had once occurred. “What a truly grand era! Almost all kinds of special constitutions have appeared, radiating the most brilliant splendor!”

“It’s hard to imagine that the prophesied Golden Age has arrived, and it happened after the great calamity! From destruction to recuperation, then to the emergence of vitality, followed by flourishing growth, and finally extreme prosperity… these stages are astounding. In previous years, there were already powerful individuals with various constitutions, and many survived the great calamity. Now, many 'divine sprouts' from the ancient, primeval, and mythical eras have appeared, truly a hundred flowers blooming, a myriad of stars dazzling.”

People once believed that with the opening of the Immortal Path, this era would enter its strongest Golden Age ever. Who would have thought it would be the most tragic catastrophe instead? The universe was shattered, races were decimated, and it nearly led to complete annihilation. After that, no one believed the Golden Age would appear, thinking all prophecies were wrong. However, facts proved that there are always exceptions; the will of Heaven and Earth is unfathomable.

The Golden Age had indeed arrived, emerging after the bloody tribulation. A myriad of flowers bloomed, radiating the most brilliant light across the universe. Stars glittered, and powerful constitutions that should only exist in legends now coexisted in this era! “It’s hard to believe that a hundred years ago, someone saw the Undying Heavenly Blade traverse the universe, cleaving endless stars, and extracting immortal light left after the collapse of the Immortal Path, merely to nourish a stone egg. A century has passed, and someone has seen that astonishing blade light again! It’s likely that being has long since been born!”

“Is it true that someone also saw the Chaos Body?” “Yin Tiande is almost invincible!” “Is Yaoguang about to reign supreme in the world?” Discussions filled the air. One brilliant divine star after another rose, illuminating the cosmos, piercing the firmament of this era, and radiating the most dazzling light. Resounding battle hymns, stunning figures—they captivated all eyes, and all races marveled.

Several more decades passed, and the three-hundredth year arrived. The world gradually moved towards the pinnacle of prosperity. This was a grand age rarely seen in eternity; although the supreme powerhouses of various races had perished in that war, their losses had long since been compensated. Bloodlines that had only appeared in the mythical era now emerged, astonishing the human realm, shining eternally, and drawing worldwide attention. This was a glorious era, an unparalleled Golden Age, and the people of this time were fortunate enough to witness its arrival!

In the cold universe, the old battlefield, over the years, one group of people left, and another arrived, searching for lingering traces of the past. Some came to pay respects and mourn their ancestors, but more often, people came looking for fragments of Imperial Weapons, which were supreme immortal materials. Even a small piece, when melted into one’s own weapon, would dramatically increase its power. Unfortunately, despite so many years passing and so many Imperial Weapons being shattered, not much has been found. Most remain buried in the boundless star domain.

“Where did all those immortal materials go? These weren’t just one or two powerful artifacts; almost all the Imperial Armaments of that era were destroyed. How could so little remain? They must have been collected by someone intentionally, unknown to outsiders.” People were unwilling to give up. Though such thoughts existed, they continued their search, for the universe was vast, and no one could truly say which areas the great war had affected.

Perhaps, the Imperial blood, weapons, and shattered remains were still drifting in some unknown corner. If found, they would be a treasure that would shake the human realm. The dark turmoil had passed for so long that gradually, fewer and fewer people came to the cosmic battlefield to mourn Emperor Void, Emperor Hengyu, and Gai Jiuyou. Most now came for treasure, or to seek Imperial blood.

The Imperial War had ended, the bloody tribulation was far behind, and now people’s attention was focused on the rising, dazzling figures like Yin Tiande and Yaoguang, whose names resonated across the stars, shining brightly, drawing the gaze of the entire world. Yet, in the desolate cosmic frontier, blood and bones still drifted, without light, without warmth, only darkness and cold. The accompanying weapons had long since shattered, stained with blood—a testament to those who had defied death and fought supreme beings with all their might.