Chapter 1318: Old Soldiers Don't Die, They Just Fade Away

The black giant beast glanced in the direction where Chu Feng had vanished and murmured to itself, "My old eyes are dim, and I can no longer see clearly. Sending you a bit further away is like leaving a sliver of hope, though it might be futile. You are a strange one, and seeing you gives me something to hold onto before I die."

Then, it lowered its head, gazing at the majestic man who was both familiar and had remained silent for countless ages.

For a moment, it almost wept again. How could the man who once conquered both heaven and earth have fallen to such a state? A wave of profound sadness and endless melancholy washed over it.

"Please, open your eyes and return to the world. We have endured so many trying times, so many dark moments. Please, you must live!"

The black giant beast trembled, its lips quivering with fear, dreading the worst possible outcome.

After countless ages, it had finally gathered all the necessary components for this potent medicine. All its painstaking effort and dedication would be put to the test at this crucial moment.

The medicinal fragrance was extraordinary, causing the very void to tremble. This was more than just an herb; it felt as if a Dao was being forged, a life being wrestled from the heavens. The world around them rumbled and quaked.

The middle-aged man lay there, his hair disheveled and his body covered in dried blood. He was finally facing the world, yet he was utterly lifeless, without a single spark of vitality.

What was more, a strong, putrid odor of decay emanated from him. It was almost inconceivable how the body of a Heavenly Emperor could decompose and be erased from existence.

The battle of that era was unfathomable; everything he endured surpassed the extreme limits any cultivator could face.

Even as a revered Heavenly Emperor, it was not enough. He still met this fate. In that darkest hour, during those past ages of despair, he had stood at the forefront and paid the most terrible price.

He was once the one who had crushed enemies across all heavens, the one who had reached the absolute peak at the end of the Great Dao. Yet, his ultimate fate was tragically cruel.

The black giant beast began to administer the medicine to him. As the unique medicinal fragrance diffused, the heavens and earth resonated and then trembled, giving rise to a peculiar life energy field in the vicinity.

If this were an ordinary being whose remains had been preserved after death, it would now undergo immediate Nirvana and rebirth, reappearing in the world!

However, what was now being contested was an Emperor's life, and the task was incredibly arduous. With a resounding boom, a vast section of this unique realm exploded, shattering the very sky.

"It must succeed, please, come back to life!" The black giant beast cried out, both urgent and terrified, its cloudy old eyes brimming with fear, dreading failure.

The medicinal liquid's fragrance unexpectedly began to fade, making it difficult to administer. Even more horrifying, a mouthful of black, foul-smelling blood seeped from the man's mouth.

This putrid blood directly diluted the medicinal fragrance, extinguishing the essence of the medicine and causing it to lose its potency, ultimately giving off a putrid odor itself.

"No!"

The black giant beast was overcome with terror, its ancient eyes reflecting both defiance and dread. For a moment, its gaze grew vacant, utterly paralyzed by fear.

"How can this be? You must live! So many are waiting, hoping for your return to the world. Although everyone from our era has passed away, fading into the annals of time, your resurrection remains the last hope for many!"

After the black and reddish putrid blood had completely drained, the black giant beast administered the liquid medicine once more. After several large gulps, a unique, clear fragrance finally began to emanate again.

The odor of decay on the man's body lessened slightly, causing the beast to tremble with joyous excitement. This batch of medicine was indeed effective.

At this very moment, above the dim land, a powerful boom resounded once more, as the skies tore open again. This potent medicine influenced the vitality of heaven and earth, causing a vast and hazy life magnetic field to rotate, as if challenging an unseen force, intent on reassembling the person from that bygone era!

"It's working! It must succeed!" The black giant beast's resolve solidified, filled with hope that the man would awaken, open his eyes, and return to this world.

At this moment, an endless shower of light spilled from the medicinal liquid, engulfing the area. As the black giant beast continued to administer the medicine into the man's mouth, the clear fragrance intensified.

The putrid odor was suppressed, and the vital energy in the area became considerably richer.

Simultaneously, an ominous change occurred: continuous thunder rumbled in the sky, and the heavens and earth seemed to be torn apart, as if some immense power or entity were about to descend.

"Come back! You were once invincible; even the very end of death could not confine you. I believe you haven't truly departed, but merely slumber. You will surely awaken!"

Eerie winds howled, and countless strange phenomena manifested across the heavens and earth. It seemed as though an entire epoch, a complete ancient history, was descending from beyond the sky. Terrifying visions flashed by, and then, without warning, a torrential blood rain began to fall, as darkness descended and converged upon the middle-aged man.

As the black giant beast continued to administer the medicine, its eyes betrayed fear, worry, and utter despair. It repeatedly roared the words, "Resurrect! Live!"

For a moment, the world plunged into absolute darkness, with only a faint glow around the man. This light emanated from the potent medicine, which radiated an inconceivable vitality, as if a single dose contained the life essence of an entire realm.

"Finally, this moment has come. In this life, I will save you and repay my debt of gratitude!"

The black giant beast's voice trembled. Having reached this critical juncture, it was determined to fulfill its vow, even if it meant its own demise, to make one final, desperate effort.

It intended to ignite its own soul-light, distilling all the imprints and energies of the man it had absorbed throughout its lifetime, and returning them to him, using this potent medicine to bring about his resurrection!

At this critical juncture, specks of divine light bloomed within its dim, ancient eyes. It turned its head, looking towards the direction where Chu Feng had vanished.

"Get far away from here. I hope I wasn't mistaken in my fleeting glance. Now, no one should witness my final moments. I shall quietly depart on my own."

It whispered softly, with a sense of finality and melancholy. It had once been dominant, glorious, looking down upon myriad races, but now it was in its twilight. To save this man, it was willing to sacrifice everything.

Vaguely, Chu Feng sensed a pair of lifeless eyes glancing in his direction from across countless miles of space and time.

"Burn my soul-light, illuminate the ancient, desolate path of the Fallen Emperor, and guide you back!"

At this moment, the black giant beast acted.

Flames erupted from its body, from the inside out. Its soul-light was igniting, flickering faintly, illuminating its already aged and withered face.

At this moment, it felt no pain, only a profound sense of peace.

It recalled so much. How spirited and proud they had been in their youth, defying the heavens to embark on the path to immortality in an era when such a feat was deemed impossible.

In that era, their entire sect achieved success, fighting their way into the Immortal Domain and subsequently advancing with unstoppable momentum.

Back then, it had reached the pinnacle of power. When enemies attempted to subdue it, it instead turned the tables, enslaving a host of 'human pets' who served by its side, even carrying its palanquin.

In that age, it was fiercely dominant, never yielding. When provoked, it would even dare to bite its own kind, or even a Heavenly Emperor, relentlessly pursuing them across the world.

As it reminisced, a silent smile spread across its great maw, and then, it wept. That beautiful youth, that memorable era—their glory, their brilliance—had finally been laid to rest in the annals of time. The Golden Generation had met its end.

In the past, this was simply unimaginable; no one would have believed that they, too, would eventually wither, fade into the depths of time, and someday decline into oblivion.

Everyone believed they were destined for eternity, insurmountable. They had even battled the Immortals of the Heavens; who else could possibly stand against them?

Thinking of the laughter and joy, and the splendor of yesteryear, a serene smile graced its face. It became increasingly calm, devoid of any sadness about its imminent demise.

Although its life had been brilliant, it carried one regret: it would not live to witness the man before it revive. It could only embark on its final journey first.

At the same time, it recalled old memories, past events that brought tears and sadness: the Divine King in white and the unyielding Emperor, who had both departed long ago.

And what of the children it had cherished and diligently nurtured? They had grown up, but what was their ultimate fate?

Among them were descendants of Heavenly Emperors, those with integrated Yin and Yang bloodlines, innate Saints, and flawless Dao Embryos—all individuals upon whom it had placed immense hope, watching them grow.

In the end, they indeed lived up to its expectations, each becoming capable of leading independently and bringing glory to the world.

However, before the final battle, their paths were tragically cut short. Some bled out, while others were cast into distant lands, their ultimate fates unknown. Perhaps some were destined never to reappear in the world, having utterly withered and perished.

Thinking of this, its heart ached, and it wanted to weep. They were akin to its own children, carefully nurtured to become the next generation of leaders.

"However, someone survived. They will eventually find you and bring you back into the world!"

In its final moments, amidst its sorrow, there was still a glimmer of hope. Since it had happened in ancient times, it believed that if the magnificent empress of the ancient scriptures could cross the Bridge of Life and Death, she too could bring those individuals back.

"Burn my true soul, illuminate your path forward, and guide you home!"

In the serene final moments of its impending death, the black giant beast murmured to itself, intent on guiding that person back.

In the flickering flames, its ancient face was clearly visible. Although it appeared calm, how could it truly be content? It did not fear death, yet it would never again see its old companions.

Even though eras changed, and even the greatest beings had their day of passing, no one could endure forever; they would gradually fade away and vanish from the world.

Yet, it still felt a profound sadness for those individuals, not for itself, but solely for the continuation of their glory.

Fierce flames burned intensely, and though it was the soul fire that ignited, its physical body was also withering, decaying, and becoming increasingly hunched. It was aging rapidly, on the verge of passing away.

Meanwhile, the outside world had already descended into great chaos.

Not long after the First Mountain unleashed its peerless sword-light, the resounding chime of that person's bell echoed once more, shaking the entire Yang Realm.

Everyone felt as though they were being baptized, their ears ringing with the grand chime of a great bell, as if undergoing purification. Their ears throbbed, and their soul-lights violently quaked.

Even the most ancient beings whispered among themselves, utterly stunned.

Others were filled with sorrow—disabled old veterans who knew the truth, their bodies forever incomplete due to the ravages of the Great Dao's slaughter.

"Old soldiers never die; they just fade away," someone murmured, awakening upon hearing the bell, their face already streaked with tears. Such individuals trembled and said, "Our spirit and essence endure forever, but we wonder if we will live to see the day you reappear in this world. So few of us from that era remain."

At this moment, within the dim heavens and earth, the black giant beast was performing its sacrifice, incinerating its true soul. It had reached its final critical juncture.

At this moment, its face was also tear-streaked, and it chanted an ancient war song, as if transported back to their glorious era, where the individuals of the Golden Generation were reborn.

Finally, its eyes slowly dimmed, its lips ceased to move, and its entire head gradually drooped. It struggled to lift it for one last look at the man, but failed. It was utterly devoid of strength, too ancient and withered to move again, on the verge of eternal departure.

It knew that the moment its eyes closed, it would vanish forever. No one could revive it, for its soul had been completely incinerated.

In that very instant, the man suddenly opened his eyes!

He abruptly raised his head. In an instant, the heavens and earth collapsed; winds and clouds lost their color; a torrential blood rain reversed its flow; the sun and moon dimmed; the sky shattered; and the earth sank!

Yet, his eyes were incredibly cold and merciless, emitting two terrifying, ruthless beams of icy light that made all the heavens tremble.