Chapter 1668: Giant Beasts Engage in Battle

The universe is boundless and vast, with countless galaxies separated by immense distances. Compared to this immensity, life is rare and utterly insignificant, with darkness and cold as the eternal themes.

In such a vast cosmos, information travels with severe delays. Unless one experiences an event firsthand or is physically present, immediate knowledge is impossible.

Only individuals whose lives or significant interests are at stake would immediately rush to their sect to announce an earth-shattering event.

At this moment, squad after squad of soldiers marched out of a stargate. Their gleaming armor, cast from refined copper, reflected cold light from their war halberds and battle pikes. They had traveled from a distant realm and were now entering this star system.

This was a formidable army, clearly an elite force. Each soldier was powerful, having traversed domains for conquest, and all exuded a palpable aura of grim determination.

Their numbers were astonishing, a full hundred thousand strong. Under the watchful eyes of their commanders, they marched out in an orderly and disciplined manner, poised to launch a devastating assault.

Beneath the overwhelming aura of these powerful warriors, which seemed to eclipse the sun, all creation trembled. The ominous gleam of their armor and the murderous intent emanating from their weapons combined to dim the stars and make the sun and moon quake.

The leader rode atop a rare white Qilin steed, a distinguished young man. Beside him, a grand banner flapped furiously with the fluctuations of divine power, stirring up celestial winds that caused numerous meteorites to tremble and threaten to disintegrate.

The banner bore two large characters: "Divine Court!"

These two characters were remarkably striking, emanating an astonishing aura. They seemed like a ferocious beast poised to devour, its essence transformed into runes emblazoned on the banner.

As the grand banner unfurled, it moved with a thunderous roar, like a colossal war drum, striking terror into the hearts of all who heard it. Intermittent dragon roars and phoenix cries further intensified the chilling sensation.

"Kill! Annihilate all forces of the Heavenly Court!"

The young man on the white Qilin steed was strikingly handsome, almost alluringly beautiful, yet he lacked a certain heroic spirit, appearing overly effeminate.

With a gentle wave of his hand, the army behind him surged forward like a pack of tigers and wolves towards the blue star ahead. Like a torrent of steel, their advance shook the universe and made the stars tremble.

The second son of the Divine Court Emperor had arrived, leading a hundred thousand troops to eliminate the various divisions of the Heavenly Court. Now, he was directly assaulting an ancient pass, intending to sweep through, conquer it completely, and remove this eyesore.

The Divine Army, like an overwhelming tide, engulfed the great star. Cold light reflected off their iron armor, and a chilling aura permeated the heavens, transforming the land into a scene of utter devastation.

Blood splattered high. An old cultivator, bewildered and unwilling, collapsed into a pool of blood, his white hair soaked in crimson.

"Grandpa!"

A young girl let out a heart-wrenching shriek and rushed towards the scene.

With a sharp hiss, a streak of blue sword light flashed. The innocent, tear-stained face of the young girl froze instantly. Her head flew upwards, and her headless body crumpled to the ground.

The Divine Army was overwhelmingly powerful; the cultivators on this star were utterly defenseless. They were a force of savage warriors, sweeping through with devastating sword qi that cut down every living being in their path.

The hundred thousand soldiers stormed the aqua-blue star, executing a clean sweep. Within the refined purple copper mines and divine iron mountains, all those still mining were unable to escape and were ruthlessly slaughtered.

Blood stained every region they traversed. This was a horrific massacre, not a conquest; it was an unequal slaughter, devoid of any fairness.

Many of the fallen wore expressions of utter bewilderment, having no idea what had transpired. This region had already been abandoned by the Heavenly Court; they were merely ordinary people trying to eke out a living. Why were they being massacred?

"Reporting, young master, only a fraction were Heavenly Court members—a mere few hundred killed. The majority were rogue cultivators from this star."

As blood flowed freely, a commander strode forward, his silver battle armor gleaming with cold metallic light, yet splattered with blood droplets, making him appear utterly terrifying, like a demon god.

Xuan Yi, perched on the white Qilin beast, was incomparably handsome. Dressed in white robes whiter than snow and utterly unblemished, he smiled, revealing his teeth, like a true demon. He certainly didn't seem as young as he looked, but his striking appearance was undeniable.

A cold smile played on his lips as he declared, "What does it matter? Move on to the next location! Any territory under the Heavenly Court's rule will become our own. To the next place!"

A colossal stargate opened, and the hundred thousand troops entered in an orderly fashion. These were the elite of the elite, veterans of a hundred battles—in essence, the Divine Court's primary conquering army.

Gleaming with cold light, this Divine Army arrived in another star system, landing on a massive, life-filled star. They launched a sun-obscuring massacre, stirring up waves of bloodlust and fierce winds.

"Who are you, and why have you invaded our home?!" a still-young boy cried out in grief and rage. Uncle Li was dead, Uncle Wang had been killed, and Grandpa Zhang was sliced in half by a sword. These armored warriors, like savage wolves, killed on sight, splattering blood across the mining mountains.

With a soft thud, he fell into a pool of blood, an expression of unwillingness etched on his face. No one heeded him; a single sword stroke had turned him into a corpse.

"You're all bad people, w-w-w... Give me back my brother's life!" a small boy cried hysterically, stumbling as he ran forward.

"Puff."

A commander's iron sword swept horizontally, sending the little boy's head flying more than ten meters into the air. The terror on his small face was frozen in time as blood spurted forth.

"The Heavenly Court' forces were pitifully few, and only eight hundred rogue cultivators unwilling to leave their livelihoods remained. We didn't encounter their regular troops, let alone any significant division."

A high commander personally delivered the report.

Xuan Yi, seated on the snow-white Qilin beast, appeared pristine and otherworldly, his very fingers translucent and pale. He calmly stated, "Then continue the suppression. Rush to the next location; all traces of them will be erased!"

This was a terrifying fuse!

As he issued the command, he was utterly unaware of the horrific consequences it would unleash. Later generations would refer to the bloodshed of this era as the "Second Son's Calamity," marking the true beginning of a devastating bloodbath.

The universe was vast. In the depths of a distant galaxy, Ye Fan's battle had just concluded. Only a fraction of those who had been present on that battlefield were aware, while the majority remained ignorant.

As the Divine Court Emperor's second son embarked, he was entirely unaware of the universe-shaking war that had recently erupted in a distant star system. Not long ago, the Dragon Girl, Shen Ming, and the Golden Celestial Maiden had launched ferocious attacks—shattering Heavenly Court's stars, breaking its ancient celestial bodies, and initiating widespread massacres in its territories, stirring up immense turmoil. Witnessing this, he too decided to act.

Recently, he had perfected his divine power, rejuvenating both his body and appearance. He had reached a pinnacle state, his confidence inflated, making him incredibly arrogant.

At this very moment, news from the cosmos was spreading rapidly, reaching other ancient domains. The increasing number of people receiving this information caused a massive sensation, yet Xuan Yi and his forces remained oblivious.

One, two... a total of four stars had been conquered. The number of people killed wasn't in the tens of thousands because all relevant individuals had already retreated. However, the massacre was exceptionally cruel, decisive, and horrific.

"Young master, it's bad! News from the cosmos has arrived..." Just as they prepared to advance towards the fifth star, a holy knight on a savage beast burst through the stargate, his face ashen and his demeanor utterly panicked, rushing to deliver a message.

"What's the panic?" Xuan Yi's face remained placid, though a hint of displeasure was evident. He was exceptionally calm and composed in his pristine white robes, his demeanor outstanding.

"The Sacred Body... Ye Fan... he has appeared!" The messenger stammered, his voice trembling.

"Oh, he's emerged again. Can he truly defy the heavens and resolve his own issues?" Xuan Yi asked with a faint, cold smile, remaining utterly calm and composed, completely at ease.

"He... he killed Shen Ming, he killed the Golden Celestial Maiden, he killed the Dragon Girl!" The holy knight blurted out the words in a single breath, as if releasing an immense burden from his heart, and then exhaled a ragged sigh.

"What?!" Xuan Yi's expression changed instantly, his handsome face etched with disbelief. All three ancient imperial descendants were dead? This news was as shocking as a cosmic explosion.

How could this be? Wasn't that realm forever beyond reach, sealed by the remnants of the Stone Emperor, the Lord of Divine Ruins, and others? How could he be so powerful now?

"Are you certain this is true?" Xuan Yi's brows furrowed in a fierce scowl.

"It's true. The battle just concluded; I believe the entire universe will know within days," the holy knight replied, urging Xuan Yi to retreat.

"What's the panic? This matter has my father's approval. What if he did break through? Before one who is about to achieve Dao, he's still insignificant and humble," Xuan Yi asserted, feigning composure and adopting a stern expression. Yet, this only made his exquisite features appear somewhat twisted.

"Boom!"

Another stargate opened, and another holy knight burst forth, shouting, "Young master, retreat quickly! Emperor Ye is coming! The Divine Court sent an urgent message for you to leave this star system at once!"

"Emperor Ye? Who crowned him? What is he? Even my father wouldn't dare use that name! What is he?!" Xuan Yi exploded in a fit of rage.

"It was... powerful lords from all over who called him that. Young master, please leave quickly, he's returning!" The messenger was drenched in sweat.

"Alright, we shall temporarily retreat. Since the Divine Court has issued an order, I must comply," Xuan Yi said, creating an excuse for himself. Then, the hundred thousand soldiers swiftly passed through the stargate, abandoning the star system.

Ye Fan had risen, returning against all odds!

This news ignited an uproar across all realms. The intelligence of him having annihilated the three ancient imperial descendants in a single battle swept through the cosmos like a raging tempest, shaking the vast universe.

Everyone was stunned, inexplicably shocked. This was nothing short of a myth; ancient imperial bloodlines had been powerfully suppressed and eliminated by a mere wave of his hand.

"The Emperor's second son?" Ye Fan's eyes flickered. He had just returned to Heavenly Court headquarters when he received this unsettling news, causing Black Emperor, Huahua, and the others to explode in outrage.

"He's sick of living, damn him! He actually tried to butcher my Heavenly Court. Does he really think being the Divine Court Lord's second son grants him free rein? We're going back to kill him!"

"He must have received the Emperor's approval; otherwise, he wouldn't dare!"

This time, the casualties on the four stars were not exceedingly high; nearly ten thousand cultivators perished, mostly independent rogue cultivators who had refused to leave.

Nevertheless, this still caused stifled resentment and burning rage within the Heavenly Court. Ye Fan, the Saint Prince, and the Human Demon had only just returned, and now someone sought to butcher their very home. How could they possibly tolerate this?

"So what if he's the Emperor? Let Nannan hold down the fort here. Now, let's go kill the Emperor's second son!" the Human Demon declared imperiously.

Ye Fan's eyes gleamed with intimidating light. "Alright," he said.

True to his word, Ye Fan vanished the next instant. Seeing this, the others decisively activated a stargate and followed him.

Xuan Yi had already led his forces back, retreating into a formidable pass within the territory ruled by the Divine Court. Once there, he relaxed, convinced that no one would dare to infringe upon his father's majesty and stir up trouble here.

The Undying Empress was immensely powerful, yet even she should harbor some apprehension towards his father. Outsiders even rumored that his father was the one capable of contending with the Empress, a testament to the terrifying strength of the Emperor's cultivation.

However, just as they were returning calmly, the formidable pass exploded open. A god-like figure penetrated deep into the heart of the Divine Court, descending with suppressive force.

Ye Fan had arrived, descending from the heavens. He extended a hand and seized the Divine Court's Divine Son.

"You..."

The Divine Court's second son cried out, stunned. He had never imagined anyone would dare penetrate so deeply, so close to his father's Imperial Palace, or be so audacious.

In recent years, his strength had advanced significantly, bringing him to within a hair's breadth of becoming a Quasi-Emperor. The grand banner beside him was an ultimate Quasi-Emperor treasure bestowed by the Emperor, capable of protecting his life. Yet, it was utterly useless now. Ye Fan simply picked him up, suspending him in mid-air, and stared at him with chilling indifference.

The grand banner fluttered, a supreme treasure whose surface erupted with terrifying light, unleashing thousands of thunderbolts that swept towards Ye Fan's entire body.

However, with a flash of brilliant light, Ye Fan's immense power remained entirely unaffected. He even managed to draw this destructive energy into his own body, probing its secrets, without suffering the slightest harm.

The white Qilin roared skyward, reared up, and also erupted with light. However, the Great Black Dog descended from the heavens, immediately mounting and pinning it down. "From now on," it declared, "you are this Emperor's steed."

It squinted at Xuan Yi and sneered, "Just because you ride a white steed, do you fancy yourself a holy celestial god? Perhaps it's just this Emperor. And wearing white robes? I think you're more likely preparing for mourning."

"Release the young master!" many shouted, as the elite soldiers all charged forward.

The Human Demon spread his massive hand, obscuring the sun. In an instant, sand swirled and stones flew, engulfing the area. With a single grasp, he captured tens of thousands of people, all of whom were instantly suppressed.

"Do you know..." Xuan Yi stammered, outwardly fierce but inwardly trembling. All composure, elegant bearing, and otherworldly aura had vanished; he was now utterly terrified.

Ye Fan held him aloft, as easily as one might hold a small chick.

"Puff."

Before he could finish speaking, Ye Fan crushed his physical body, then seized his primordial spirit and sealed it within the grand banner, subjecting it to a hellish torment.

"Ah..." Xuan Yi shrieked horribly from within, in ultimate agony.

The Divine Court was about to go to war with the Heavenly Court!

That day, the news erupted, shaking the four corners of the universe thrice over, leaving everyone utterly stunned.

How was this possible? Were the two colossal powers finally destined for a decisive battle?

"Killing my offspring so recklessly—do you wish for me to exterminate you all?!" After more than three hundred years, with the dark turmoil concluded, the long-silent Emperor finally emerged, his majestic voice echoing forth.

"If you slay one of my Heavenly Court's people, I will slay one of your sons. If you doubt me, come and try!" On this very day, Ye Fan's words, resolute and powerful, echoed throughout the universe as a forceful retort.