Chapter 889: Emperor Wave

The Great Accomplished Holy Body dissolved into a gentle rain of light, each droplet sinking into the mound. It vanished into the desolate wilderness, unknown to the world, thus completing its ascension.

At the same moment, Ye Fan's primordial spirit trembled. The light imprinted on his glabella by the Great Accomplished Holy Body faded, then vanished entirely.

"He has departed from this world," Ye Fan murmured, standing silently on the black, fractured mountain. He had foreseen the Great Accomplished Holy Body's ultimate fate: after witnessing all the world's magnificent landscapes, he would eventually transcend.

Imagine looking back tens of thousands of years later, standing before the graves of comrades, old friends, and confidantes. What a profound sadness it would be, watching them age and pass away one by one, finally burying their bones with your own hands.

Ye Fan's mind raced with thoughts. Would this, too, be his destiny? A life half brilliant, half solitary? Would he have to witness Pang Bo, Ji Ziyue, and their companions grow old and pass away, only to mournfully inter their remains himself?

Such an outcome was too tragic; he refused to accept it. If that day truly arrived, how would he possibly face it?

In that moment, he profoundly felt the Great Accomplished Holy Body's sorrow: watching loved ones approach life's end, bidding farewell to comrades who once fought by your side, witnessing their return to the dust. What a desolate and heartbreaking grief that must be.

The images made Ye Fan shiver involuntarily. He slowly composed himself, his sole comfort being that such a day was still far off.

"What are you thinking about?" Yan Yixi asked.

Ye Fan quickly composed himself. The Great Accomplished Holy Body was a mirror, reflecting its own past and, by extension, hinting at his own future.

"What a shame he just left," Duan De grumbled, clicking his tongue. "This was an entity capable of contending with ancient Great Emperors. Missing him is like missing an immortal tomb—an immeasurable loss for anyone aspiring to study the Great Emperors' past."

Soon after, Monkey and Pang Bo returned. They had pursued Hua Yunfei and Li Xiaoman for thirty thousand li, but only found faint traces and were unable to engage them in combat.

"What happened here?" Pang Bo asked. "The aura of an ancient Great Emperor permeated the air just now; it was terrifying. We couldn't move a muscle, even from a distance."

Ye Fan recounted the events that had just transpired, leaving Qi Luo utterly stunned and speechless, only able to repeatedly lament how terrifying, regrettable, and lamentable it all was.

The great battle here had finally concluded. No one knew how many enemies had been slain; the twelve Peerless Killing Arrays had harvested countless lives. The fractured mountain was strewn with severed limbs, heads, shattered bones, and blood-soaked mud, resembling a true asura battlefield!

"It's over," Ye Fan murmured to himself.

A blood mist permeated the air, hovering over the black, fractured mountain, reeking of iron. Piles of shattered bones, pulverized flesh, and gore were everywhere, a truly shocking sight that could make one gag.

Many people within the Heavenly Rift Mountains had not ventured into the central zone, content to merely observe. Now that the killing arrays had collapsed, they cautiously approached, but were all utterly horrified, chills running from head to toe.

The black, fractured mountain was drenched crimson with blood. The brutal spectacle made every heart pound and every hair stand on end.

Some timid individuals shrieked and quickly retreated. The scene was too terrifying; this was no longer the human world, but a true purgatory.

Many stood frozen at the foot of the mountain, watching streams of blood cascade down the black slopes, flowing from the clouds above all the way to the base. This horrifying sight shocked everyone to their core.

Within the Heavenly Rift Mountains, each black peak soared ten thousand ren high. This was blood flowing down from the flattened mountaintops. How many lives must have been lost to create such a horrifying scene?

Everyone was utterly terrified; a chilling cold seeped into their bones, and their hair stood on end. Even without ascending, they knew that the area above must have transformed into a crimson slaughterhouse!

Many congratulated themselves on not having entered, as they would likely have become one of the countless corpses, their blood mingling with the torrents flowing down the stone mountains.

This battle shook the entire world; that day, the five domains were aghast; at that very moment, the ancient races were in a state of utter panic.

Ye Fan's meticulously crafted trap led to corpses strewn across the wilderness, staining the Heavenly Rift Mountains crimson. In the final moments, a Human Emperor emerged, entering the Undying Mountain and the Primordial Ancient Mine, striking fear into the hearts of the great royal clans—a feat bordering on myth.

A veritable storm swept across the land, leaving everyone in profound shock, with no one able to remain calm.

Ye Fan, Pang Bo, and their companions traversed the void, returning immediately to Heaven's Village. They sought to avoid any unforeseen incidents amidst the turmoil, preferring to observe external events from their tranquil sanctuary.

A pall of dread settled over the hearts of the various primeval tribes. The Human Emperor's presence weighed on them like a colossal mountain, striking fear even into the Ancient Path Ancestral Kings.

Who would dare venture into the Primordial Ancient Mine to ascertain what had occurred? Not a single soul. None of the ancient tribes, not even the Ancient Royal Princes, dared to set foot inside.

Apart from the Fire Qilin Prince, ordinary individuals didn't even dare to approach the Primordial Restricted Zone. No one was willing to risk their life to meet the legendary being.

The human race collectively breathed a sigh of relief. The Great Emperor's aura and divine might that day solidified a belief in everyone: humanity was the true master of this land, fearless of intimidation from any other race.

Many predicted that a truly peaceful era had dawned, one that was not merely an empty promise or a source of concern. They believed that for a considerable time, there would truly be "no Saint beneath the heavens."

"Was it the Peerless Great Emperor? It doesn't seem like him; his style is different." "Who can say for sure? Regardless, it's an undeniable fact that a Human Emperor is still alive."

The various primeval tribes felt a bitter taste in their mouths. A single individual's might had so thoroughly intimidated them that numerous Ancient Kings dared not utter a word or make a move. What unparalleled power was this?

The Ancestral King who had once passed through the Heavenly Rift Mountains wished to speak, but realized he hadn't truly comprehended anything at the time. He had been utterly awestruck by the Great Accomplished Holy Body, trembling so much that he retained no distinct memory of the encounter.

"He erased the imprint from my mind?!" The moment this realization struck him, the Ancestral King was so terrified that he immediately entered seclusion, not daring to re-emerge.

Over the next two weeks, the Ancient Great Emperor became the sole topic of conversation. People compared him to historical figures, speculating on his identity, while others believed someone in the current era had attained enlightenment.

The fervor continued unabated; people kept discussing. It was not every generation that witnessed a Human Emperor. To coexist with such a figure was an immense honor, alleviating any concerns about being bullied by other races.

During this period, the ancient races adopted a very low profile, shedding their former arrogance as if they had suddenly lost all confidence.

Across different regions, ancient races still appeared, but even those with the most prominent statuses no longer carried themselves with arrogance. They genuinely began to interact with humanity on equal terms.

"The Crocodile Ancestor is the so-called extraterrestrial deity," Pang Bo said. "This ancient demon's power is unfathomable. Its true body is on the ancient planet of Mars, and it has a divine embryo in this world, which will likely cause trouble in the future."

At Heaven's Village, Pang Bo, Li Tian, and others were discussing this.

"Divine embryo? Are you talking about this?" the Black Emperor asked, extending a large paw. Between its claws, it held a golden tadpole about a foot long, grinning like a sly wolf. "Did you forget? It's right here! I almost ate it. There can't be a divine embryo anymore."

"No, not that. This is just a descendant of the Crocodile Ancestor," Ye Fan said, shaking his head seriously. "The Crocodile Ancestor's true form is merely a primordial spirit that arrived in this world, bringing some of its offspring. The divine embryo formed on this ancient star shouldn't be a physical entity."

"It’s gone. A primordial spirit can transform again, giving birth to a divine embryo. The demon race possesses such a heaven-defying ability to recreate a second true body!" Duan De explained.

"There's such a concept? Even I, an old man, have never heard of it," Qi Luo interjected.

Duan De's expression grew solemn as he nodded affirmately. He had once seen a mural in an ancient tomb depicting such a process: a primordial spirit undergoing transformation, giving birth to a divine embryo, effectively creating a second life. If the original body perished, this new life could take its place.

"That's an incredibly defying method," Pang Bo exclaimed, astonished.

The Black Emperor nodded, its voice grave. "Indeed, the demon race truly possesses such a heaven-defying technique. It has been lost for many years, and hardly anyone in this era can still perform it."

The divine embryo created by this method is not merely an avatar; if truly successful, it would be a second self. Naturally, there are advantages and disadvantages. Determining which self is dominant poses a significant problem, potentially leading to self-inflicted harm or conflict with the first true body, as no one wishes to live as another's shadow.

"The Crocodile Ancestor's second true body, or its divine embryo, is linked to Li Xiaoman," Ye Fan explained. "If we find her, we can easily eliminate it."

Heaven's Village welcomed two new residents: Wu Zhongtian and Jiang Huairen, who had been rescued from Jiuyou Mountain, marking a true reunion of old friends.

It was a place sealed by an ancient divine array. Years ago, pursued relentlessly with no escape, they had inadvertently stumbled into it, which, ironically, had allowed them to survive. Now, they were finally free.

Old friends reunited, naturally with endless stories to share, toasting and reminiscing about the old days.

A month later, the stir caused by the Human Emperor finally subsided somewhat, no longer as tumultuous as before. Many began to reflect, rather than relentlessly pursue answers.

Once the buzz about the Great Emperor faded, the lethal trap in the Heavenly Rift Mountains instantly became the new focus of conversation. No one knew how many had died in that battle; the two divine assassin dynasties were undoubtedly wracked with profound regret.

"The trap was set from the five-colored altar, all orchestrated by the Human Holy Body to lure formidable enemies into the snare."

The true death toll in the Heavenly Rift Mountains remained unquantifiable. Fresh blood had dyed several black mountain peaks crimson, streaming down to their bases—an utterly horrifying spectacle.

"It was all a ruse; he had no intention of leaving this world. It was solely to eliminate his formidable enemies."

This battle had unsettled everyone, leaving their very souls trembling. Though the slaughter had long passed, its sheer brutality continued to send shivers down many spines.

"The slaughter was so terrifying it shook people to their cores. After this battle, in a time without Saints, how many would dare to provoke the Human Holy Body?" This was the unspoken thought of many, all struck with fear.

Ye Fan had flattened the Desolate Ancient aristocratic families, defied the ancient divine assassin dynasties, slain Yuan Gu, eliminated the Hell Goddess, and killed the Son of the Human World with an arrow. His awe-inspiring trap had drenched the Heavenly Rift Mountains in blood. With such overwhelming power, how many would still dare to cross him?

"Emperor Son, a true man honors his promises. This humble Daoist Yuanshi and my junior brother Tongtian are waiting for you in God City for you to deliver the heart of the Ancient Tea Tree of Enlightenment."

Clang!

In the outer battlefield, a sealed ancient ship emitted a metallic resonance, and a surge of life energy emanated from within. Had Ye Fan, Li Tian, and Yan Yixi been present, they would have been astonished, for it was the same mysterious ancient vessel they had encountered in outer space during their crossing from Ziwei.

"Is there still a living Great Emperor in the Beidou Ancient Star Domain?" a voice mused from within the mysterious ancient ship. "The terrifying fluctuations from a month ago have completely vanished and haven't reappeared. Hmm, Daoist Yuanshi and Daoist Tongtian—interesting names."