Chapter 1720: After the Calamity

The aura of the Imperial Dao spread, but quickly subsided, as if nothing had happened. Yet, people's hearts were filled with tension and fear as they waited in silence.

A long time passed, and still nothing happened.

Had the great upheaval ended? What had become of the divine generals of the ancient Celestial Court? The world waited in quiet uncertainty and unease.

However, in the end, nothing further occurred. The universe remained peaceful, everything tranquil, and no dark turmoil erupted.

Eventually, everyone completely relaxed.

However, the Underworld was not so peaceful. The Netherworld was in ruins, having endured an unimaginable catastrophe. Countless stars had fallen onto this vast, dark, and eerie land, leaving it riddled with meteor craters.

Eerie mists swirled around. Beneath those deep pits lay burial grounds, one after another. The entire Netherworld was a sea of corpses, now shattered open and revealed to the mortal realm.

People could barely imagine how this place had formed, as if all beings in the entire universe had been buried together here.

The Nether Emperor stood on this vast, dark land for a long time, holding a war-halberd in his left hand and a black-gold shield in his right, with a nether-spear strapped to his back. Slowly, he turned and walked into the sea of corpses.

"Cough..."

Outside the Netherworld, a young man was laughing and coughing up blood, yet he remained radiant, his presence striking and extraordinary.

"How can someone like me die like this?" the young man chuckled heartily. "It would be an injustice to myself if I didn't take down a forbidden zone of life first." He laughed loudly, then turned and walked away from the Netherworld.

He was severely wounded, yet his survival was nothing short of a miracle. He hadn't truly achieved the Dao and wasn't a Great Emperor, but he dared to cause such a commotion, almost tearing the Underworld apart.

The young man laughed, shedding blood on the ground, and journeyed far into the starry sky alone.

Finally, he moved faster and faster, until he tore open the fabric of the universe and disappeared into the vast galaxy, becoming a brilliant streak of light like a meteor.

"Bang!"

The void exploded, and the First Divine General of the ancient Celestial Court stepped out. Before him lay a Phoenix Platform, a spectral figure, and a pile of ashes.

"It's you?" the Immortal Daoist's remnant spirit exclaimed in shock.

"I was worried the Empress would cause trouble everywhere, so I left a mark to track her, intending to give her a good beating if necessary," the young man said, shaking his head. "I never expected her soul to have already returned to dust." His eyes shone brightly as he stared at the bloodstains on the Phoenix Platform, then looked at the remnant spirit.

The Immortal Daoist's remnant consciousness changed color. He knew well the terror of this young man; if he hadn't encountered someone who achieved the Dao before him, this young man would undoubtedly have become an Imperial-level master.

Even so, he had carved out his own path, cultivating supreme divine abilities. Though he hadn't achieved the Dao, he could still be considered on par with that realm. He possessed unparalleled combat power, making him nearly unrivaled in this world.

The remnant spirit had long lost its former glory. Now, facing this encounter, it was bound to suffer misfortune, and the immortal phoenix blood sustaining it would surely fall into the young man's hands, with unthinkable consequences.

"Ning Fei achieved ultimate sublimation and died in battle, but you... you deceived him!" the remnant spirit growled.

"Nonsense," the young man said coldly. "How could I be that kind of person? He had attachments, concerns for that woman; his fate was already sealed."

"But you survived!" the remnant spirit's eyes were cold.

"Free-spirited like me, devoted like him. We are both true men. Character determines destiny; all of this was predetermined. We are two extremes." He paused, then added, "How could I be willing to die without leveling the Underworld first?" He burst into a brilliant smile, his gaze fixed on the remnant spirit.

The Immortal Daoist's remnant consciousness instantly froze, sensing that something terrible was about to happen.

Sure enough, the young man laughed loudly and said, "Are you waiting for me? Your hospitality is hard to refuse!"

As he spoke, he reached forward, his aura surging like a revived primeval beast. Yet, the young man's brilliance did not diminish. Before him was the remnant consciousness of the Undying Heavenly Sovereign's divine self. Killing it carried no burden; on the contrary, there was a thrill of avenging a great wrong.

This was not the true divine self. The Heavenly Sovereign's consciousness had left his body, and the Immortal Daoist had been granted a new life. Although his power was once unparalleled, he was ultimately incomplete.

The young man seized him, then threw a punch that instantly caused his head to explode. Afterward, he absorbed the scattered specks of primordial spirit light, reading its remnant consciousness.

Then, he stood on the Blood Phoenix Platform and burst out laughing. "Undying Heavenly Sovereign, you old geezer, my greatest wish has always been to kill you! Now I'll start by killing your divine self's remnant body, then use your own method to bathe in your blood. As the saying goes, 'to use one's own methods against them.'"

The blood on the Phoenix Platform steamed upwards, transforming into strands of crimson light that then showered upon the young man. He remained optimistic, laughing heartily even while severely wounded.

"Indeed, the effect is excellent. Nether Emperor and Underworld, wait for your burial! What if you've achieved the Dao? Sooner or later, I will slay you until your Dao collapses and your spirits are extinguished!"

The First Divine General's bones crackled all over. In a short time, he was full of vigor again, a hundred times more energetic than when he left the Underworld!

"Later Dao-achievers, appear as soon as possible. I will restrain the Underworld for you for a hundred years," he murmured, sitting cross-legged on the Phoenix Platform before vanishing completely.

The outside world was abuzz with discussions about the battle that had occurred that day.

Within the Celestial Court, there were many coffins. Three Saints who had been sworn brothers with the Dragon-Horse had fallen, and four of the thirteen great demon-fiends had died. The casualties among the heavenly soldiers and generals were also significant.

The main reason was the appearance of the Undying Sky Blade, which almost turned the tide of battle, nearly wiping everyone out. Even Ye Tong and Pang Bo were shattered on the spot; if not for the protection of the Primordial Emperor Talisman, they would surely have died.

Even Little Pine was cleaved in two, barely escaping death.

In this battle, they achieved a decisive victory, but also paid a price. For many days, they mourned the fallen heroes, and the atmosphere was somber.

It wasn't until half a month later that the mood lightened. They knew that deaths were inevitable in war, and such conflicts were bound to occur again in the future.

A month later, the Celestial Court had recovered, and laughter gradually returned.

Three months later, life slowly returned to normal. This was a chaotic era, and the rules of survival were cruel. Everyone seized the time to cultivate and elevate their realms.

The crimson divine wood, which had formed a Phoenix Nest, was now shattered into pieces, divided among the Celestial Court, the Dao Palace, and the Divine Organization. These were all divine artifacts.

The Phoenix Nest contained not only secret treasures but also insights into the Dao, making its value immeasurable. It was a pity that no remnants of the Nine-Reversed Immortal Elixir were found, presumably consumed entirely by the Empress and the Divine General.

Furthermore, the shattered Phoenix Nest itself was a supreme treasure, for it was engraved with Imperial Dao array patterns, symbols shining one after another, representing some of the Undying Heavenly Sovereign's Dao patterns.

For these past three months, the Black Emperor had been completely engrossed in studying the fragments, forgetting sleep and food. Only three days ago did he finally fall into a deep slumber, leaving Hua Hua to continue the work.

The red sun set in the west. The Black Emperor awoke after three full days and nights of sleep. Hua Hua came closer and said, "Uncle Master, I've dismantled the Phoenix Nest."

"Was it the part I was studying?" the Black Emperor asked.

"No," Hua Hua said sheepishly.

"If you're well, it's a sunny day," the Black Emperor said calmly, then bared his pearly white teeth. "But if you're not well, I'll beat your backside into eight pieces!"

"Help, murder!" a pig-like shriek echoed through the place.

"Sunny day... eight pieces... Doggy is bullying people again, Baldy Big Brother is so pitiful." Little Zi blinked her big eyes, sitting side by side with Little Nannan. Both little ones rested their chins in their hands, looking soft and delicate, as they gazed forward.

The autumn wind rose and fell. Ye Fan remained seated beneath the Bodhi tree, comprehending his own Dharma and Dao. The battle involving the Undying Sky Blade and the Heaven-Devouring Demonic Pot had profoundly affected him.

For over a year, he had been engrossed in this comprehension.

Finally, he opened his eyes and stood up. He glanced at his slightly grown daughter in the distance, a tender look flashing in his eyes. The two little ones then ran towards him together.

"Big Brother!"

"Father!"

Time flew by. Nearly two years had passed since the battle ended. Little Zi was now as tall as Little Nannan, like two porcelain dolls with large, black-gem eyes, gazing at him.

Ye Fan smiled, stroked their heads, and asked, "Has anything happened during all this time?"

"Yes," the little one pouted. "Big Brother Dao-Achiever came and wanted to see you, but you were always napping and couldn't wake up."

"I... we'll go see him," Ye Fan nodded, and together they left the spot.

A half-dark-red ancient mirror lay on a jade plate. It was cracked like a spiderweb and missing half, revealing it to be the Void Mirror.

Originally, the young Heavenly Master Zhang Qingyang, Long Yuxuan, and Zhang Wenchang had brought this half-mirror from Beidou to the Celestial Court, and Ye Fan had traded it to the Ji Family.

"For all these years, we've been trying to awaken the deity within the mirror, hoping he would revive and help us find the remains of our ancestor, Ji Zi, but we've failed every time," Ji Chengdao said.

The Ji Family had tried various methods, including dousing it with the blood of their clansmen. The broken mirror had once reacted, turning entirely crimson, but it only lasted for a short while before dimming completely again.

Over the years, the Ji Family had run out of ideas to revive the broken mirror, so they brought it to the Celestial Court, hoping to use Ye Fan's unparalleled combat power.

Ye Fan took the mirror, finding it exceptionally heavy. It had not only absorbed the blood of several Supremes but was ultimately stained with the Imperial blood of its own master.

Thinking of that past battle, Ye Fan fell silent for a moment. The image of the half-broken mirror, stained with blood and buried in the void, seemed to still be vividly before his eyes.

In that campaign, he had lost several of his closest and dearest companions. Gai Jiuyou, the White-Clothed Divine King, and Ji Zi—each of them so extraordinary—were gone forever.

"Leave it with me. I'll study it and search for the whereabouts of their remains," Ye Fan said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

The White-Clothed Divine King, who was like a teacher and a father; Ji Zi, his good brother who fought alongside him through life and death; and Senior Gai Jiuyou, full of heroic spirit, who dared to challenge Supremes, shouting "Who dares to fight me?"—their voices and smiles seemed to be right before him.

Ye Fan set out. This was a special kind of cultivation—a quest to seek out friendships deeper than mountains and seas. These individuals were dearly missed, and every time he remembered them, tears welled up in his eyes.

They were all peerless prodigies, astounding through the ages, yet they were eternally buried in the cold cosmos to quell the dark turmoil, their remains still unfound to this day.

Ye Fan's heart was far from calm, filled with emotion. He walked the path to the heavens, journeying alone through the vast cosmos.

He arrived at Beidou, gazing towards the forbidden zones of life. He had heard that after that battle, remnants of soldiers and flesh had fallen into these zones. He stood silently in these places for a long time.

Finally, Ye Fan left Beidou, drifting aimlessly through the universe, holding the broken Void Mirror.

A star hung suspended before him, encircled by nine moons, appearing exceptionally sacred.

Ye Fan looked up and was startled. This was Mount Flying Immortal, a place he had previously avoided and never entered. Now, he had unknowingly arrived here.

This was a mysterious and formidable star, its ancient lands sealing away ancient and terrifying entities, holding existences and secrets unfathomable to ordinary people.

"Since I'm here, I won't miss it this time. I'll go and see," Ye Fan said, because he noticed the mirror seemed to flicker.