“Great emperor” — two words that crush all of past, present, and future. They represent the pinnacle of battle power, the pinnacle of the Dao, the pinnacle of what a person can become.

From the earliest times to now, there had only been so many human great emperors. Each one had left behind monumental achievements that shook the historical record, towering and unsurpassable.

In the later post-primordial age, across the span of a hundred thousand years, only the Green Emperor alone had proven the Dao and become an emperor. Now, a mere ten thousand years since his passing — had another great emperor appeared?

This news was like a cosmic explosion, like the rivers of stars being snuffed out. It was nearly impossible to believe, so profoundly shattering that everyone’s heart was filled with dread and astonishment.

This group of creatures was a riot of colors — every one translucent and crystalline, none standing more than a foot tall, like a gathering of divine jade sprites. And yet all of them possessed strength that was absurdly overwhelming.

The ancient war chariot seemed to have coexisted with this world from the beginning of time, fashioned from polished stone, barely a foot tall. The thirty-centimeter-long purple qilin pulled it as it charged out of the ancient cave.

“Those who disturb the great emperor’s slumber shall die!” On the stone chariot, the foot-tall humanoid creature let out a low growl, its hundred and eight divine rings swirling around it as it roared aloud.

With a light wave of its hand, a spread of ancient characters flew forth, searing themselves into the void. Several great masters screamed, sent flying outward like torn and crumbling paintings.

Each character was like a divine hammer blow that sent great masters vomiting blood, bones shattered and tendons snapped — power impossible to resist. It was the primal embodiment of the Dao — each character a separate Dao.

Two of those great masters, after their bodies shattered, never reassembled — form and spirit alike annihilated. The other three had souls dimmed and bodies drained of all color.

Seeing this, no one hesitated. All fled as swiftly as they could. This ancient cave was absolutely no place to remain. Such terrifying existences had emerged from within — how could anyone contend against them? This surpassed even the red-furred creature in horror.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

The small jade-sprite-like figures shouted loudly. The divine rings on their bodies blazed with intensified radiance as they shouted from behind, driving the chariot in pursuit.

Above their heads, the azure-colored small dragon not quite a foot in length and the crimson-blooded divine phoenix slightly more than half a foot long danced and soared in pursuit. Additionally, the seven or eight half-foot-tall small figures running ahead each raised their blades and weapons, pressing forward in attack.

By the Transformation Immortal Pool, Pang Bo’s eyes lit up with sharp light. “The weapons in the hands of these small figures are jade weapons — they won’t be much inferior to my Nine Divine Weapons!”

Everyone was stricken with dread. What manner of creatures were these — so short, and yet every single one of them possessed strength that was absurdly overwhelming, with not one person capable of resisting them.

“The creature on the war chariot, wreathed in divine rings — setting aside the Old Madman and the Great Sage Equal to Heaven on Mount Sumeru, there is likely no one in this age who is its match!”

“I can sense a power of total annihilation. That creature and the red-furred humanoid creature are both nearly on the verge of becoming holy spirits — their battle power is enough to frighten anyone to death.”

Those sect master-level figures had all charged up the great mountain where the Transformation Immortal Pool was located. Now, only the Chaotic Green Lotus here and the Supreme Emperor’s Sword remained to suppress the enemy — if not for those, no matter where they fled, death awaited.

“Those who disturb the ancient great emperor’s solemnity must pay with their lives — you have disrupted his slumber and can only atone with death.” The humanoid creature seemed to be pronouncing a doomsday judgment.

The red-furred humanoid creature let out a roar and shook the shore of the immortal pool with the force of its rampage, leaving a ground littered with corpses — many people dying at its hands.

The several source arts grandmasters from the Eastern Wasteland had all sprouted red fur and were no longer writhing on the ground. They climbed upright, standing at its side, their eyes flickering with a dim blood-red light that extinguished every trace of human emotion.

“What manner of monster is this — it can even spread like a contagion?!” People were terrified.

The Crimson Dragon Daoist and the Peacock King held the Chaotic Green Lotus. The Supreme Emperor of Great Xia had the Supreme Emperor’s Sword hovering above his head. Two emperor’s weapons shone in mutual brilliance, carrying a force that seemed to pierce through past, present, and future.

The great majority of people had already knelt upon the ground, unable to withstand the ancient great emperor’s pressure aura. The third-generation Source Heavenly Master’s eyes gleamed with blood-red light — vivid and brilliant. He no longer retreated and was preparing to strike once more.

Seeing him like this, even the few holding the emperor’s weapons felt a flicker of uncertainty. If it truly came to an all-out fight, who would live and who would die remained unclear.

Extreme Dao emperor’s weapons were certainly formidable, but how many strikes could they sustain? They could eliminate saints — yet behind them, a host of jade sprites were closing in for the kill. They could not continuously activate emperor’s weapons, for the cost was enormous.

A group of cultivators was caught between the Transformation Immortal Pool and the forces pressing in from behind — caught between wolves and tigers, unable to advance or retreat. Even sect master-level figures were rattled, at a loss for what to do.

“Kill the red-furred humanoid creature first — but then, how do we deal with the dozen or so jade sprites behind us?” The Supreme Emperor and the Crimson Dragon Elder deliberated with each other.

At this juncture, the third-generation Source Heavenly Master saw through their hesitation and let out a roar. More than ten streaks of blood-red radiance burst from its body. More screams of agony rang out.

The terrain-reading earth masters from Central Province — not one was spared. One by one, every single one of them transformed into red-furred humanoid creatures, their appearance that of malevolent ghosts.

At the same time, the golden sacred blood within Ye Fan’s body ignited once more, repelling and expelling the strange power from outside.

“This is bad — now it’s impossible to tell the real from the false. It has taken over so many bodies. Which one does the primary soul actually inhabit?”

Everyone was deeply unsettled and had acutely perceived that the third-generation Source Heavenly Master was dividing and distributing its spirit soul. Even if an emperor’s weapon struck out, it could escape the calamity.

“All those who sprouted red fur are source arts masters and terrain-reading masters. Could it be that those who spent years walking deep within earth veins long ago became contaminated with some kind of terrifying mark?” Ye Fan murmured to himself.

At the same moment, the foot-long qilin pulling the ancient war chariot arrived, appearing at the mountain summit. The Peacock King and the Supreme Emperor of Great Xia wielded the emperor’s weapons, uncertain which side to strike at first.

“True emperor’s weapons — what a feast. Our clan’s great emperor happens to be in need of weapons. Present them all to him.” The small figure on the war chariot laughed coldly.

“I see you’re tired of living.” The Crimson Dragon Elder growled in a low voice, holding the Chaotic Green Lotus and preparing to sweep it forward.

“Do you think I fear you? Our clan’s lord has long since become a great emperor. In this ascension land, he is the sovereign — everything here exists for his use.”

Before the qilin chariot, eight small figures each half a foot tall raised a command banner in their arms, taking positions in eight directions, and began making offerings to heaven. The azure-colored small dragon and the crimson-blooded divine phoenix, slightly more than half a foot long, began sounding their cries.

The Qinling Mountains shook violently. Boundless dragon energy shot toward the sky, converging into one enormous true dragon that condensed in the sky above, gazing down from on high. Its dragon might was like an ocean, so crushing that people choked for breath.

“This is the ancient dragon vein — all dragon power has erupted, rising to contend with the emperor’s weapons!”

Everyone was astonished. This was the mightiest dragon vein of Central Province — enduring through ten thousand ages, stretching for a million li, having long since given birth to a primal root divine spirit of unfathomable power.

“This is an attempt to use the primal root of Central Province to resist the extreme Dao emperor’s weapons!”

Everyone was shaken. The mightiest primal root of Central Province represented the great destiny of Central Province itself — and now it was being turned against the weapons of ancient great emperors. One could well imagine the severity of the situation.

If the dragon power were dispersed, Central Province would undergo a catastrophic transformation. Heaven only knew what terrifying consequences would follow, for this would be the collapse of the earth’s essential primordial energy.

From this alone, one could see how powerful and terrifying emperor’s weapons truly were — requiring the entire great destiny of vast and boundless Central Province to oppose them. What a domineering and absolute supremacy this represented.

“Humans, what good are emperor’s weapons? Our clan’s great emperor still lives. He will emerge into the world. Who among you can resist?” the humanoid creature wreathed in a hundred and eight divine rings called out.

Yet its body could not help but tremble. It was being completely suppressed by the extreme Dao emperor’s weapons. No matter how powerful it was, with the aura of an ancient great emperor spreading through the air, it could not endure.

However, neither side had yet made a move. If the great Qinling dragon and the emperor’s weapons collided, the result would be catastrophic. For now, both sides were only threatening each other — unless absolutely forced, neither dared to act.

“Hmph!”

The Peacock King snorted coldly and said, “The great destiny of Central Province can barely contend with a single emperor’s weapon even under strain. We have two here — what do you have to suppress them?”

Suddenly, from deep within the earth came a cold snort. A strand of imperial might surged upward — and the power of the emperor’s weapons immediately diminished greatly, nearly sealed shut.

“What — is there truly a great emperor?”

Everyone was stunned. Many had believed the jade sprites were bluffing. Now they knew there truly was a supreme existence slumbering within the earth veins.

“Ignorant humans. You have disturbed the great emperor. Even in death you cannot wash away your guilt. Present the emperor’s weapons.” The humanoid creature standing on the war chariot shouted.

On the other side, the third-generation Source Heavenly Master, leading more than ten red-furred creatures, advanced step by step toward Ye Fan, pressing in with endless killing intent.

Ye Fan deployed his source arts. Pattern after pattern flew forth, searing themselves into the void — the very secret techniques recorded in the Source Heavenly Tome.

In this moment, the third-generation Source Heavenly Master’s body stiffened. For a fleeting instant, it seemed to lose focus — vaguely dazed and blank.

“Founding Master!” Ye Fan called out.

The third-generation Source Heavenly Master let out a low growl. In its eyes, blood-red tears began to roll, filled with boundless despair and sorrow. It stretched out a hand, as though trying to grasp hold of something.

Ye Fan was lost for a moment. What had the Source Heavenly Master encountered in his final years — to wear such an expression? What exactly had those ill omens of his twilight been?

But the third-generation founding master suddenly raised his head. All emotion vanished. Infinite, icy coldness replaced it, and quick as lightning, it lunged forward.

“Flash!”

Ye Fan was shaken. His feet executed the Walking Script technique and he flashed away, appearing before the Peacock King. The Chaotic Green Lotus trembled. The red-furred creature let out a great cry, toppled backward, and dared not approach.

“Ah…”

Screams rose one after another. The third-generation Source Heavenly Master struck out continuously — seeing people and killing them, absolutely no one able to resist.

The Chaotic Green Lotus and the Supreme Emperor’s Sword were being held at bay respectively by the great Qinling dragon and the near-great-emperor-level killing intent of the creature — neither could be spared to stop this.

“Is that the dreamlike divine marrow? It must have awakened its spirit and transformed into human form. Could it truly have proven the Dao and become a great emperor?”

“Ah…”

Screams rang out together. The third-generation Source Heavenly Master and the creature wreathed in a hundred and eight divine rings simultaneously went on a rampage together — even sect master-level figures had begun dying, several having already fallen.

This was a catastrophe. People were powerless to resist. They cried out and screamed, dodging toward the Supreme Emperor’s Sword and the Chaotic Green Lotus, seeking their shelter.

“The human race is nothing more than this. With strength like yours, you presume to be the rulers of this great land? You are truly too weak — utterly feeble!” The humanoid creature on the qilin ancient war chariot laughed ruthlessly.

Everyone understood: even if the Old Madman came, or the Great Sage Equal to Heaven descended from Mount Sumeru, it might still not be enough to resolve the situation. For the existence within the dragon vein — as terrifying as a great emperor — was growing more and more formidable in the imperial might it was releasing, on the verge of emerging into the world.

“Ah…”

A young girl screamed. The qilin stone chariot plowed into her. A life in its bloom of youth was ended — she was crushed into two pieces.

“Too weak. The human race truly is feeble — no more than ants.” The creature on the war chariot laughed coldly, again and again.

Not far away, the third-generation Source Heavenly Master had slaughtered its way into a frenzy of demonic rage — its entire body was dyed red with blood. Corpses lay across the ground in piles, and no one knew how many hearts it had swallowed.

“Are you truly what passes for the strong among you? Hopelessly feeble.” The humanoid creature on the war chariot called out.

“Whoosh!”

Just as this sea of corpses and rivers of blood surged around them, water splashed and sprayed from within the immortal lake. A green copper piece appeared — and upon it grew a small green lotus, swaying in a green, crystalline radiance.

“Flash!”

Light and shadows flickered. The small green lotus took form. A figure — tall and magnificent, heroic and awe-inspiring — stepped up out of the lake water, one step at a time, and came ashore. His eyes swept across the scene and a burst of green radiance exploded outward.

“Ah…”

On the war chariot, the creature wreathed in a hundred and eight divine rings let out a single scream — and was instantly cut into three pieces.

What manner of power was this? Merely a glance from the corner of his eye, and the creature that had been cutting down sect masters in all directions had its body shattered. It was simply terrifying beyond reckoning.

“The Green Emperor!”

“It’s actually the Green Emperor!”

“The Green Emperor did not die — he is still alive!”

Demon lords cried out in shock. Sage masters shouted in alarm. Every face drained of color in horror.

The Demon Emperor had passed away only ten thousand years ago. In the hands of undying great powers, paintings of him existed. This heroic and magnificent man was without any doubt the Green Emperor — there could be no mistake.

“That’s right — it is the Green Emperor. He truly did not die…” Xiang Yufei, the supreme talent of nine thousand years ago, was dazed for a long moment.

“Ancestor!” Yan Ruyu cried out in shock.

“The Green Emperor was alive all along…” The ailing elder’s eyes showed the extinction of stars.