Chapter 641: The Demise of the Demon Emperor

This has been the case since ancient times: two Great Emperors have never been seen together. If both these individuals truly hold the title of Emperor, it would be an unprecedented miracle.

Is an ancient Emperor slumbering beneath the Qinling mountain range?

"I don't believe it; it must be an illusion. Someone with immense power has made everyone see things that aren't real," one person asserted, refusing to believe.

The Demon Emperor stood with his hands behind his back, his green robe billowing. He appeared young, heroic, and imposing, exuding an air of serene detachment, yet radiating the invisible might of a Great Emperor.

Even powerful figures like the Red Dragon Daoist and the Peacock King trembled uncontrollably. The Primordial Green Lotus in their hands swayed, enveloped by wisps of chaotic mist that seemed to resonate with the green-robed Great Emperor.

At that moment, they found themselves utterly unable to bear the pressure or wield the Imperial Weapon. All of them knelt down. The Azure Emperor wasn't actively suppressing them; it was simply the inherent emanation of his original aura that overwhelmed them.

This was the Great Emperor of the Demon Race. Even standing there so calmly and unassumingly, the most powerful Demon Kings of the current era could only gaze up at him, their souls trembling in awe.

From a distance, Ye Fan's heart pounded. Such was the awe-inspiring might of the Demon Emperor; reflecting on his astonishing and brilliant life filled one with profound reverence.

It was conceivable that even in his youth, the Demon Emperor must have been a peerless powerhouse, overshadowing all others. At that time, his contemporaries would likely have fallen into despair, unable to even aspire to his level.

*Clang*, *Clang*...

Ten thousand swords chimed in unison, as massive pillars of light shot straight into the sky. Each column, as colossal as a mountain, was merely a wisp of pressure emanating from the Grand Emperor Sword.

These were not sword energies or sword lights, but simply minor energy fluctuations naturally released as the sword awakened. Yet, even this was enough to pierce the heavens.

One could only imagine the terrifying power an Imperial Weapon would wield once fully revived. It was no wonder that even the accumulated millennia of destiny from the entire Central Plains proved insufficient to counter it.

The Grand Emperor Sword's unusual activity was entirely due to the self-proclaimed Immortal Emperor of the Central Plains. He was attempting to control the sword, intending to seize it for himself and use it against the Great Emperor of the Demon Race.

However, the Grand Emperor Sword had awakened to some extent, possessing a life of its own. Its maximum potential power was equivalent to that of a resurrected Human Race Great Emperor. While still far from being fully alive, it was not easily commanded by others.

*Clang*, *Clang*...

The Grand Emperor Sword hummed faintly. The Demon Emperor flicked his finger, tapping its surface. The sword instantly quieted, subdued by the invincible presence of the Demon Race.

A collective gasp escaped the onlookers.

From afar, people collectively gasped. The Azure Emperor was simply too powerful; he had effortlessly subdued the Grand Emperor Sword, a fabled immortal weapon renowned for its unparalleled offensive might, rendering it incapable of resistance.

"Do you intend to wield this sword?" the Great Emperor of the Demon Race calmly inquired.

Not far away, the god-like being on the ancient war chariot glowed from head to toe, standing perfectly still. He had sensed a formidable presence.

"Then take it," the Azure Emperor said, flicking his finger. The Grand Emperor Sword vibrated with a hum, transforming into a massive dragon that surged forward, baring its fangs and claws, radiating unparalleled sharpness.

*Clang!*

On the ancient war chariot, the god-like entity raised a hand and grasped the Grand Emperor Sword. Instantly, his entire aura surged dramatically, causing the million-mile expanse of the Qinling Mountains to tremble.

All the birds and beasts wailed in distress. Even those far away prostrated themselves, utterly devoid of any will to resist, continuously performing kowtows.

Those present, being so close, felt the impact even more profoundly. Overwhelmed by fear, almost everyone collapsed to their knees, their bodies trembling uncontrollably like a sieve.

With the exception of the serene and undisturbed area directly behind the Azure Emperor, all other regions violently shook as if struck by terrifying tidal waves. Only those positioned behind him were able to remain standing.

"You are far too arrogant!" the Immortal Emperor of the Central Plains stated coldly and indifferently. The Grand Emperor Sword in his hand hummed, unleashing a sky-piercing sword energy that instantly tore through everything.

At that moment, many ancient and powerful factions across the Central Plains were struck with horror. Even from tens of thousands of miles away, they perceived an extraordinary aura.

*Boom!*

The Grand Emperor Sword continued to glow, transforming into a massive dragon that instantly pierced through the celestial sphere, soaring into the starfield and vanishing into the dark, cold depths of the universe.

*Bang!*

In the eternal and desolate starfield, a passing meteor was utterly pulverized by the thick sword light. An entire region of meteorites was swept clean, reduced to cosmic dust.

Such was the power of the Grand Emperor Sword. Wielded and activated by someone, it displayed shockingly terrifying power even before being fully revived.

A single individual standing on this earth could cleave passing meteors from outer space. This power was almost mythical, so absolute that it brought even the strongest cultivators to the brink of despair.

"What kind of power is this?"

"Even deities wouldn't possess such destructive power!"

Numerous sect masters paled, their faces utterly grim. Such formidable might was beyond their reach, even if they were to cultivate for a hundred lifetimes.

"This is merely an Imperial Weapon that hasn't fully awakened! What kind of power would it possess if truly revived, or what power does a true Great Emperor wield?!"

"Legends claim that ancient Great Emperors, standing on earth and wielding Imperial Weapons, could effortlessly cleave stars from the cosmos, no matter how distant. It seems those legends are true!"

As people considered this ancient rumor, a shiver ran down everyone's spine. Such power was truly terrifying; destroying this entire world would pose no challenge whatsoever.

"No wonder, throughout history, the simultaneous presence of two Great Emperors has been a taboo. When one lives, the other is already considered dead; only when one perishes can the other truly emerge. It is rare for two such ultimate beings to ever meet..."

*Om!*

On the ancient war chariot, still preserved from primordial times, the supreme powerhouse, adorned with a Great Emperor's crown and ancient Imperial sacred robes, repeatedly praised, "Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!"

He continued to wield the Grand Emperor Sword, shaking it with force. An even thicker beam of sword light pierced through the cosmic expanse, a truly terrifying sight.

At this moment, some of the living fossils across the Central Plains opened their eyes in shock, gazing incredulously at the vast firmament.

"The might of a Great Emperor!"

"Someone is fully activating an Imperial Weapon! An ancient Great Emperor's weapon has come to life! How is this possible? How much immense power is required to accomplish this?!"

The Grand Emperor Sword, driven by a supreme power, was on the verge of full revival. The most powerful individuals across the Central Plains sensed this subtle shift, and all were alarmed.

The Four Immortal Dynasties, in particular, grew even more uneasy. They understood that the Grand Emperor Sword was reviving. They wondered who was orchestrating this and what their ultimate goal was.

By the Immortal Transformation Pond, the Azure Emperor remained unperturbed, quietly observing what lay ahead. Within his eyes, stars evolved, and the myriad profound mysteries of the universe's birth flowed in conjunction.

"Azure Emperor, you are far too arrogant! Do you really believe I don't know your true nature? I shall grant you liberation; vanish from this world forever!"

On the ancient war chariot, the Immortal Emperor roared, suddenly swinging the Imperial Weapon in his hand, bringing it down with an aura capable of world destruction.

This sword was unbelievably vast. If it were to strike, not only the Immortal Transformation Pond but even the million-mile expanse of the Qinling Mountains would be utterly annihilated, ceasing to exist!

The Azure Emperor paused, letting out a faint sigh. He said nothing, merely extended two fingers forward, arriving instantly to clamp down.

"A world in his palm!" exclaimed the divine monk from the Western Desert, utterly shocked.

A single grain of sand contains a world; the Buddha's hand can manifest a grand universe, possessing boundless divine abilities. This is a secret Buddhist technique not passed down, yet the Azure Emperor could perform it.

*Clink!*

With a soft *clink*, the Demon Emperor's two fingers extended for dozens of miles, clamping down on the unfathomably mighty Grand Emperor Sword. He easily immobilized it; even this Imperial Weapon, on the verge of full revival, could not move or strike.

"Just moments ago, it cleaved meteors from outer space, yet now it's helpless against two fingers!"

People's hair stood on end. There was truly no way to gauge the extent of the Demon Race Great Emperor's power; it was immeasurable.

"Demon Emperor, truly worthy of being called the foremost individual in 100,000 years, for ushering in the prosperous Post-Archaic Era!" stated the Immortal Emperor on the war chariot.

"I gave you an opportunity..." the Azure Emperor calmly stated.

"What opportunity did you give me?" The god-like entity recoiled, the ancient war chariot rumbling.

"I lent you the Grand Emperor Sword not for you to kill me, but for you to sever your own malevolent thoughts and retain an invincible, compassionate heart," the Demon Emperor said, shaking his head.

"Don't assume the airs of a Great Emperor. Don't think I'm unaware of your true state; you perished ten thousand years ago. The current you is a mere shadow of your former peak!"

"You are on the verge of becoming a Holy Spirit, with your nine orifices opening to spiritual perception, a form that takes millions of years to achieve. It is not easy, and the heavens themselves would condemn me for slaying you. I had no desire to take a life, but now I have no choice but to act," the Azure Emperor stated.

Everyone was astonished. It turned out this so-called Immortal Emperor was not a true Great Emperor, but rather an entity on the verge of becoming a Holy Spirit, still with a journey ahead.

"You yourself are merely a fragment of killing intent, no longer the person you once were! What can you possibly do to me?!" the creature, nearly comparable to a Holy Spirit, bellowed.

People were once again shaken; it was truly unexpected. The Demon Emperor was also not resurrected, but merely a fragment of killing intent.

Only then did people feel relieved. How could two Great Emperors exist in the same era? It turned out neither was a true Great Emperor; there was a hidden truth.

"It is indeed him, the Azure Emperor's killing intent, which has persisted throughout the ages to eliminate the ancestor of the Cai clan," the ailing old man murmured to himself.

Ye Fan suddenly understood. He had previously heard a secret: before the Demon Emperor's passing, he had released a killing intent in the Eastern Wasteland, aiming to eliminate the red-furred humanoid creature plaguing the Qinling Mountains. However, the Qinling Dragon Vein had shifted and sunk underground at that time, and the third-generation Source Heavenly Master disappeared from the surface, making it impossible to locate the creature.

The Azure Emperor's cultivation was profound, capable of creation itself. Once his killing intent was unleashed, as long as it did not strike its target, it would persist indefinitely, automatically absorbing the essence of heaven and earth to sustain its power.

"Rooted in a piece of green copper, transforming into a small green lotus, submerged in its original birthplace..." Everyone suddenly grasped the full sequence of events.

"But, that piece of green copper..." Many people's eyes gleamed with avarice. Since the Azure Emperor was merely a wisp of killing intent destined to fade, that piece of green copper would naturally become ownerless, making it an absolute supreme treasure.

"I have ventured into the Divine Ruins, passed through the South Heaven Gate, and ascended to the Heavenly Palace. Beneath the immortal peach tree there, I once slew two true Holy Spirits. Originally, I had no desire to kill a third, but I also cannot allow you to bring disaster upon the world," the Azure Emperor calmly stated.

Upon hearing these words, everyone's scalps tingled with dread. How truly powerful was the Demon Emperor? From his words, it seemed he had effortlessly slain two Holy Spirits.

"You killed two true Holy Spirits in the Divine Ruins, one of the seven great forbidden zones of life in the Eastern Wasteland?!" The creature's voice was filled with disbelief.

"Nine orifices opening to spiritual perception, forming over millions of years—those who reach this stage are truly favored by the heavens. I had no desire to unleash a massacre, but allowing you to remain would surely bring disaster upon the world. You possess no benevolent heart. If the heavens hold any grievance, I shall disperse it with my imperial power!" The Azure Emperor's demeanor grew majestic.

People were aghast. Legends held that slaying an individual blessed with immense heavenly fortune would invite boundless calamities and inevitable divine retribution, leading to certain death.

Each Holy Spirit takes millions of years to fully form, effectively embodying a vast portion of Heaven's own destiny. To slay them would incur boundless catastrophe.

From ancient times until now, only Human Race Great Emperors have dared to slay them, capable of dispelling heavenly misfortunes and even refining the heavens themselves through their singular power.

*Boom!*

This entity, on the verge of becoming a Holy Spirit, simultaneously wielded the Grand Emperor Sword and seized the Primordial Green Lotus, intending to confront the Demon Emperor with two Imperial Weapons.

However, the Azure Emperor remained entirely unconcerned, allowing his former weapon, the Primordial Green Lotus, to fly away. He merely stated with calm indifference, "I am a Great Emperor. Do you truly believe I cannot slay you merely because my Imperial Weapon is not in hand?"

At that moment, he slowly raised his hand and gently pressed it downwards. There was no dazzling light or terrifying fluctuations, yet the two Imperial Weapons, which had been striking towards him, were instantly immobilized.

*Boom!*

As the mighty hand descended, the Holy Spirit let out a cry. Its body shattered inch by inch, burning away piece by piece, and along with the ancient war chariot, it transformed into a flash of light, completely evaporated.

An entity that, once a Holy Spirit, could contend with even a Great Emperor was thus effortlessly obliterated. The onlookers were struck by an unprecedented shock!

*Clink!*

A soft *clink* was heard, and a piece of green copper landed on the ground. The Demon Emperor's figure then gradually faded, before completely vanishing, as if he had never appeared at all.

On the ground, only a rusted and mottled piece of green copper remained, serving as proof that everything which had just transpired was real.

"Azure Emperor!"

"Our Ancestor!"

Various exclamations erupted from the crowd.

"What does it matter if one is born, or if one dies? From chaos I came, and to chaos I return—a single lotus in the eternal azure sky..."

The ethereal voice was heard one last time, and then everything fell silent, leaving nothing behind.