Chapter 1660: Martial Spirit Fragrant in Death

Bai Qu'er took a step back. From the emperor's coffin, a tall figure sat up. This Emperor of the High Emperor Era was clearly not human, but rather a demon from the post-celestial races.

During the High Emperor Era, it wasn't only humans who served as High Emperor Heavenly Emperors. Heavenly Venerate Yue and Heavenly Venerate Ling supported this era by selecting outstanding individuals from the post-celestial races, and several of these Heavenly Emperors belonged to other species.

That particular High Emperor was a corpse demon, his body having transformed into a fiend. Chains wrapped around him, placed there by Yi Shisheng to suppress him and prevent him from wreaking havoc as a corpse demon.

Although his obsession remained within him, his transformation into a corpse demon amplified his bloodthirsty instincts, which was why Yi Shisheng had to suppress him.

The High Emperor was enveloped in a dense aura of death. He lowered his head to look at Heavenly Venerate Yue's decree, his eyes glowing with a faint blue light.

The overwhelming death aura emanating from him was deeply unsettling, prompting Bai Qu'er to retreat.

"Indeed, it is my master's handwriting."

The High Emperor's corpse spoke in a deep voice, "Fellow brothers, our master calls upon us to fight for humanity once more. What are your thoughts?"

A muffled sound came from another emperor's coffin: "We are already dead, having fallen in battle for humanity and for the post-celestial beings. Though my heart no longer beats and my blood no longer flows, the campaigns of old still stir my spirit. Yet, we are dead."

From yet another emperor's coffin, a heavy voice resonated: "The sound of war drums still echoes in my mind."

"Over three hundred thousand years of the High Emperor Era, how many heroes were born? This era is ours; it should not be buried with us."

"In the Dragon Han, Crimson Emperor, Founding Emperor, and Eternal Peace eras, there were always undying heroes who emerged to fight against this calamity. What of the most glorious High Emperor Era?"

"The High Emperor Era has not fallen, nor has it been buried!"

"Our master, who taught us, is still here, still fighting with all his might! We cannot return to dust!"

A thunderous rush of vital qi surged from within the coffins. The chains wrapped around them rattled loudly, then suddenly snapped one by one.

The withered vital qi of the High Emperors rapidly revived. Above their coffins, the heroic figures of ancient emperors emerged, their majestic visages appearing as nine ethereal silhouettes standing within the vital qi, gazing at Bai Qu'er.

"Though many High Emperors throughout history perished body and soul, leaving no remains, those of us fortunate enough to preserve our bodies will fight on their behalf!"

The last High Emperor Heavenly Emperor, enveloped in a thick aura of death, told Bai Qu'er: "Go to Eternal Peace first and inform the Emperor there that the High Emperor Era still lives. Even in death, we will crawl from our graves and continue to fight for humanity and for the post-celestial beings!"

"This is our unfinished business!"

"Our junior brother, Yi Shisheng, will carry our coffins to the battlefield!"

Bai Qu'er bowed respectfully to the nine emperors, then rose and led her group away.

The Great Ruins Abyss.

Heavenly Venerate Yun battled against the power of the Great Abyss. He could already use his Dao Tree and Dao Fruit to resist the chilling winds of the Ultimate Void, but the Great Abyss was filled with winds of heat death that even a Dao Fruit struggled against. These winds constantly depleted his magic power and even threatened to dismantle his Dao.

"This place is likely a perilous trap for those who have imprinted the Ultimate Void on their path to enlightenment!"

Fortunately, his cultivation was formidable enough, and he finally reached the lowest level of the Great Ruins Abyss. There, he saw a snow-white orb enveloping and constantly rotating around Madame Yuanmu, making it difficult for her to resist.

The snow-white orb was composed of countless strands of hair, fine as silk, which ensnared Madame Yuanmu, preventing her escape.

Heavenly Venerate Yun, grasping the root stem of the twin-blossomed lotus, peered downwards. He saw a massive female face at the bottom of the sea, entangled by numerous chains.

However, after searching for a long time, he still couldn't find Heavenly Venerate Ling.

"Could Heavenly Venerate Ling have met with misfortune?" A chill ran through him.

Just then, Madame Yuanmu sharply cried out, "Sister, only by working together can we overcome this calamity! If we escape, I will allow you to take control of this body!"

"Agreed!"

Suddenly, the voice of Empress Dowager came from within Madame Yuanmu's body: "If we activate the Path of Reincarnation, escaping won't be difficult!"

"The Path of Reincarnation?"

Heavenly Venerate Yun paused, slightly surprised. "Isn't that Heavenly Venerate Mu's ultimate art?"

Back on the Great Luo Heavens, Qin Mu had exchanged techniques with him. He had taught Qin Mu the Path of Divine Consciousness he had comprehended, and Qin Mu had in turn shared his own insights. Heavenly Venerate Yun was therefore no stranger to Qin Mu's Path of Reincarnation.

A thought stirred in his mind: "This must have been taught to them by Heavenly Venerate Mu. Does it require both the Empress Dowager and Madame Yuanmu to perform it together? Heh, it seems Heavenly Venerate Mu held something back! The Path of Reincarnation he taught Madame Yuanmu and the Empress Dowager must contain a flaw!"

His eyes glimmered as he watched Madame Yuanmu's every move, attempting to discern any flaws Qin Mu might have left in the Path of Reincarnation as Madame Yuanmu and the Empress Dowager performed it.

Below, within the orb, the Empress Dowager and Madame Yuanmu each controlled the physical body, working together to unleash the reincarnation divine ability. Beams of light, forming spinning wheels of reincarnation, sliced through the white-haired orb.

Wherever the white hairs were cut, they formed Ruptured Void spaces. Yet, the halos of reincarnation sliced through these Ruptured Voids, making it impossible to obstruct their escape!

Madame Yuanmu passed through the cycles of reincarnation and quickly escaped the white-haired orb, immediately soaring upwards and rushing towards Heavenly Venerate Yun.

Madame Yuanmu was exceptionally excited, giggling, "Sister, you are truly naive! Did you really think I would hand over the body to you?"

Just then, she saw a handsome man gracefully descend from above, his fingers flitting like spinning, blossoming lotus petals!

Caught off guard, Madame Yuanmu waved her sleeves repeatedly to defend, but the man pointed a finger at the spinning halo of reincarnation.

Madame Yuanmu grunted, and the black mole between her eyebrows transformed into a red one.

"Minister Yun." The Empress Dowager raised her head, her gaze falling upon Heavenly Venerate Yun.

"Empress Dowager."

Heavenly Venerate Yun bowed slightly. "Where is Heavenly Venerate Ling?"

"Heavenly Venerate Ling has been sent to the prehistoric universe by the Second Young Master of Miluo Palace in the Chaotic Sea, to help her achieve unparalleled renown, so he said."

The Empress Dowager rose into the air and spoke solemnly, "You helped this Empress suppress that little wretch. I will not lie to you."

Heavenly Venerate Yun walked alongside her, saying, "I trust Your Majesty."

The two surged out of the Great Ruins Abyss, one landing on its left side, the other on its right.

The Empress Dowager's gaze fixed on him. "Then why does Heavenly Venerate Yun still follow me? Do you intend to attack me?" she asked faintly.

Heavenly Venerate Yun shook his head. "Your Majesty, although you are now the master of this body, how will you manage when you return to the Heavenly Court? Heavenly Venerate Hao may not tolerate you."

The Empress Dowager snorted. "I will go to Grand Primordium. With my support, Grand Primordium can seize the imperial throne!"

Heavenly Venerate Yun burst out laughing, shaking his head. "It's laughable how naive Your Majesty still is. You were betrayed by Grand Primordium and Yuanmu back then, leading to your current predicament, yet you still rely on your scoundrel lover. Your Majesty, you are skilled in the art of reincarnation. Can you not disguise yourself as Madame Yuanmu? If you appear as Madame Yuanmu, would Heavenly Venerate Hao still be wary of you?"

The Empress Dowager considered carefully. The Path of Reincarnation could indeed achieve this, and with such vivid realism that no one would be able to discern the truth.

"Minister Yun, why do you wish to help me?"

The Empress Dowager sneered, "Do you wish for me to cause chaos in the Heavenly Court, to aid Eternal Peace in its victory?"

Heavenly Venerate Yun did not deny it. He nodded and smiled. "Precisely. So, what is your choice, Empress Dowager?"

The Empress Dowager activated her reincarnation divine ability, her appearance, voice, and personality becoming identical to Madame Yuanmu's. She flew obliquely upwards, still facing him directly, not daring to relax in the slightest. She giggled, "This Empress will grant your wish!"

Heavenly Venerate Yun hesitated for a moment. In the sky behind the Empress Dowager, his Divine Consciousness Great Luo Heavens materialized, and the Grand Primordium Emperor Sword, hanging on his Dao Tree, seemed poised to strike from afar.

However, he stopped, not taking the opportunity to assassinate the Empress Dowager.

"Heavenly Venerate Ling is not here, and Eternal Peace has one less master. I can only keep the Empress Dowager alive. Besides, I might not even be able to assassinate her..."

Thinking this, his Divine Consciousness Great Luo Heavens vanished, and he gave the Empress Dowager a slight smile.

Above the Heavenly River, the Heavenly Court's vast army advanced majestically along the river. Nearly all gods and devils from the entire Heavenly Court had been mobilized. Additionally, many gods and devils flew to various other heavens, which were directly administered territories of the Heavenly Court. These gods and devils, bearing Heavenly Emperor Hao's decree, conscripted armies from all quarters to march together towards the Primordial Realm.

Along the way, the Heavenly Court's expedition to the Primordial Realm grew increasingly massive, with continuous reinforcements arriving from various major heavens, making their momentum ever more formidable.

En route, the Heavenly Court also annihilated several heavens that had rebelled, plundering them and capturing numerous slaves to manage their logistics.

Meanwhile, the Ancestral God King, residing in Xuandu, used the power of the Heavenly Duke to propel the waters of the Heavenly River, accelerating the Heavenly Court's army.

On the surface of the Heavenly River, various multi-decked ships and grand warships were teeming with divine soldiers and generals. These vessels themselves were formidable artifacts, some even having suns and moons revolving around them, creating not only day and night but also distinct seasons on board.

Even more remarkably, some forces traveled by directly controlling entire Heavenly Palaces, within which gods and devils were as dense as a forest!

The various Stellar Deities and Baleful Deities of the Heavenly Court were also mobilizing stars, constellations, and asterisms, all rushing to join.

Furthermore, some multi-decked ships and grand warships towed massive divine artifacts, moving slowly with deep drafts across the Heavenly River.

Unlike Eternal Peace's artifacts, which were forged, the divine artifacts on these ships appeared to be naturally formed.

Some ships transported vast mountain ranges, with tens of thousands of gods and devils continuously refining them, attempting to forge them into various heavy treasures based on their natural shapes!

On other ships, many gods and devils were refining rivers thousands of miles long, guided by the Ancient God of Taiji, who instructed them on how to forge these rivers into weapons.

On some ships, even a Heavenly Gate stood, along with colossal structures like the Nine Prisons Platform and the Jade Pool Terrace, all of which had been excavated whole by the Heavenly Court's army of gods and devils and refined into treasures!

The Heavenly Court was entrenched in the Ancestral Court. How magnificent and rich was the Ancestral Court?

All the sacred lands within the Ancestral Court had been excavated by them. These sacred lands naturally possessed boundless power. Even though the Heavenly Court's forging techniques were inferior to Eternal Peace's, the inherent power of these sacred lands alone was enough to suppress everything!

The Heavenly Court's million years of accumulation meant that not only did their number of gods and devils far surpass Eternal Peace's, but their financial and resource capabilities also greatly exceeded them!

Heavenly Emperor Hao returned to the central military camp, his face grim. His recent battle with Qin Mu had instilled in him a strong sense of crisis.

This probing revealed that Eternal Peace's high-tier combat power was already on par with the Heavenly Court's. The only lacking aspect was mid- and low-tier gods and devils, where the Heavenly Court held an overwhelming advantage.

However, if their high-tier combat power suffered losses, then this battle would inevitably end in defeat!

"Currently, the only solution is to borrow the power of the Third and Fourth Young Masters."

His eyes flickered. Suddenly, a divine general reported, "Your Majesty, the Heavenly Lake Heavens have rebelled. The rebels refuse to obey orders, have killed the master of Heavenly Lake, and declared themselves emperors!"

Heavenly Emperor Hao smiled faintly and said softly, "Order the ghost gods to go to Youdu and tell Heavenly Venerate Xu to sacrifice the Heavenly Lake Heavens. Remember, tell Heavenly Venerate Xu my exact words: 'sacrifice the Heavenly Lake Heavens'!"

The divine general took his leave and departed in haste.

Heavenly Emperor Hao leaned back, murmuring, "Sacrificing one heaven to the Third Young Master should secure me an enlightened one, right? The Third Young Master will also see my loyalty and will surely lend me more power! And I'm just one step away from mastering my second Heavenly Court technique; then, both methods of enlightenment will be mine..."

He completely relaxed. "Heavenly Venerate Mu, ah, Heavenly Venerate Mu, I will not let you become my inner demon again. In this battle, you are doomed to lose!"

Crushing Eternal Peace is now imminent!

The Ultimate Void, Abandoned Land.

Before a massive square stele, a door panel floated. Qin Mu looked up at the obelisk, which was refined from chaos stone, making it incredibly durable.

Qin Mu examined the text on the stele. After a moment, he reached out, forcefully broke off a piece of the stele, and tilted his head back to swallow the chaos stone.

"This chaos stone must be incredibly nourishing. If I eat the stele and refine it into Primordial Purple Qi, I might be able to recover to my peak state..."