The universe is boundless, far too vast. Endless star systems are separated by distances too immense to fathom. Compared to all of this, life is scarce — and so very, utterly insignificant. Darkness and cold are the eternal themes.

In such an immense stellar expanse, the transmission of news carries severe delays. Unless personally experienced, unless right on the scene, it is impossible to hear of things in an instant.

Only those for whom matters of life and death are at stake — those whose crucial interests are implicated — will rush to their sect the moment something happens to announce earth-shaking news.

At this moment, troop after troop of soldiers was on the march. They stepped out of a star gate, armor gleaming — cast entirely from refined copper. Some held battle spears, others bore battle halberds on their backs. Cold light flashed. They had come from far away and were now entering this star domain.

This was a powerful army. A single glance showed they were elite — every soldier was mighty, crossed from distant realms to fight, and every one of them radiated a killing aura.

Their numbers were astonishing: a full hundred thousand troops, moving methodically under the watchful eyes of their commanders, proceeding with discipline and order as they marched out — about to launch a world-shaking assault.

Under the surging aura of this heaven-blanketing host, all things trembled. The cold gleam of their armor and the killing intent of their weapons, merging together, dimmed the very stars and set sun and moon quaking.

At their head, riding a rare white qilin colt, sat an otherworldly young man. Beside him flew a great banner, snapping in the divine power’s flow, drumming up heavenly winds that set the surrounding meteorites trembling, on the verge of shattering.

Carved on the banner’s face were two great characters: Divine Court!

Two characters, extremely conspicuous — radiating a terrifying aura, like a ferocious beast about to devour someone, transformed into symbols forged into the banner’s face.

When this great banner unfurled and rolled, it rumbled like thunder, like war drums, subduing the soul. There were also intermittent sounds of dragon cries and phoenix calls that sent cold shudders through the listener.

“Kill — cut down every last member of the Celestial Court!”

The young man on the white qilin colt looked quite handsome, even somewhat bewitching — beautiful to an extreme, only lacking a measure of heroism, being too feminine.

With a light wave of his hand, the great army behind him surged toward that blue star ahead like a pack of tigers and wolves — a flood of steel that shook the universe, sending the stars into turmoil.

The second son of the Divine Court’s Emperor had come, leading a hundred thousand troops to exterminate every branch of the Celestial Court. He charged directly toward an ancient stronghold, intending to sweep straight through, fully seize it, and rid himself of this thorn in his eye.

The divine army moved like a tide, blanketing the sky, inundating that great star. Cold light bathed iron armor; frigid air broke through the heavens, turning this place into a scene of carnage.

Puff!

Blood splattered high. An elderly cultivator, filled with confusion and unwillingness, fell into a pool of blood, his white-haired head soaked red.

“Grandfather!”

A young girl’s heartbroken, piercing scream, and she threw herself toward him.

A whoosh of pale blue sword light swept past. That pure, innocent face — tear-streaked, so young and tender — froze in an instant. A head flew. The headless body of the young girl fell to the ground.

The divine army was too powerful. The cultivators on this star could not hold them back at all. This was a pack of fierce wolves, extraordinarily fierce — when they swept through with a roar, sword energy blasted in all directions, and every living creature was cut down.

A hundred thousand troops flooded that water-blue star, killing with ruthless efficiency. In the mines of violet copper and within the spirit iron mountain ranges, those who had still been mining had no way to escape — all were slaughtered.

Blood dyed the areas they passed through crimson. This was a terrible massacre; there was nothing that could be called a battle. It was unequal — without a shred of fairness.

The people who died wore, for the most part, expressions of bewilderment on their faces. They had no idea what was happening. This area had already been abandoned by the Celestial Court — they were uninvolved parties here to make a living. Why were they being killed?

“Report — Your Young Lord, there are only a portion of Celestial Court members here. No more than a few hundred were killed. The rest were for the most part freelance cultivators making their living on this star.”

Blood was still flowing. A commander strode forward, silver battle armor gleaming with metallic cold light but stained with droplets of blood — terrifying to behold, like a demon god.

On the back of the white qilin, Xuan Yi was extraordinarily handsome, dressed in white robes white as snow, not a speck of dust upon him. He revealed his teeth in a smile — like a sinister marvel. He most certainly was not as young as he appeared, but his looks were this outstanding.

A faint cold smile curved the corner of his mouth. He said: “What does it matter? Proceed to the next location. Any territory under Celestial Court rule will become our territory. Move to the next one!”

A massive star gate opened. A hundred thousand troops filed in in order. These were the elite of the elite, soldiers tempered through a hundred battles — one could say the first army with which the Divine Court had built its empire in the past.

Cold light blazing, this divine army arrived in another star domain, landed upon another great star teeming with vitality, and drove down to kill with a sweeping, all-blanketing force, stirring waves of murderous energy and fierce winds.

“Who are you? Why are you invading our home?” A still very young boy cried out in grief and outrage. Uncle Li was dead. Elder Wang had been killed. Great-grandfather Zhang had been split in two by a sword. This armored host, blanketing the sky like ravening wolves, killing everyone in sight, was causing blood to flow across the mines.

Puff! His face wore an expression of unwillingness as he fell into a pool of blood. No one noticed. A single sword came down, and he became a corpse.

“You are all bad people — waaah — give me back my brother!” A little boy sobbed heavily, stumbling and running forward.

Puff!

A commander swept his iron sword sideways. The little boy’s head flew ten or more meters into the air; the terror on his small face was frozen there, blood scattering and splattering outward.

“Celestial Court members are pitiably few. The freelance cultivators making a living here are only eight hundred — the killing squads never even caught up to them, to say nothing of one of their actual divisions.”

A senior commander personally came to report.

On the snow-white qilin, Xuan Yi was unworldly and wind-swept, even his fingers crystalline and snow-white. He said with cold indifference: “Then continue the slaughter. Make for the next location. Every trace of them will be erased.”

This was a terrifying fuse being lit!

As he gave these orders, he had no idea what kind of terrible consequences they would produce. Later generations would call the bloodshed of this period the “Second Son’s Calamity” — the beginning of a true blood tribulation.

The universe was vast. Deep in the distant starry rivers, Ye Fan’s battle had just ended. Only those who had personally appeared on that battlefield knew of it; the greater majority of people did not yet know.

When the second son of the Divine Court’s Emperor set out, he was completely unaware that in a distant star domain, a great battle had shaken the universe. In the period just before, the Dragon Maiden, Shen Ming, and the Golden Celestial Maiden had all made fierce moves — some shattering the Celestial Court’s stars, some severing the Celestial Court’s ancient paths, some conducting bloody massacres within the Celestial Court’s territories, stirring up boundless turmoil. Seeing this, he too had chosen to act.

In recent days, his cultivation had reached great completion; even his body and appearance had grown younger, reaching a peak state within himself. His confidence swelled, and he became exceedingly self-satisfied.

At this moment, news from the stars was spreading rapidly, spilling into other ancient domains. More and more people were receiving word, triggering a massive upheaval — while Xuan Yi and his company still did not know.

One star, two stars… four stars in total had been assaulted. Those killed were not very many — not in the tens of thousands — for related parties had already retreated long before. But the blood-killing was cruel, decisive, and savage.

“Young Lord, bad news — news from the starry sky…” Just as they were about to head for the fifth star, a holy knight driving a wild beast charged through the star gate, face chalk-white and panicked to the extreme, rushing forward to deliver the message.

“What are you panicking about?” Xuan Yi’s face was placid, somewhat displeased, calm and composed, dressed in white robes, distinguished in bearing.

“The Holy Body — Ye Fan — he has appeared!” the messenger said, voice trembling, stuttering the words out.

“Oh, he’s come out again — could he really defy the heavens, could he truly have resolved his own problems?” Xuan Yi wore a faint cold smile, perfectly composed and unhurried.

“He — killed Shen Ming, killed the Golden Celestial Maiden, killed the Dragon Maiden!” The holy knight got it all out in one breath, as though releasing a great mountain from his chest, letting out one long and labored sigh.

“What?!” Xuan Yi’s expression changed. His handsome face was written over with disbelief. All three great ancient imperial children dead? This was like a cosmic explosion — shattering to the soul.

How could this be? Had he not been permanently cut off from that realm, sealed by the remnant imprints of the Stone Emperor, the Lord of the Sacred Ruins, and the others? How was he this powerful now?

“Are you certain it is true?” Xuan Yi’s brows shot upward.

“It is true. That battle has just ended. Within a few days, the whole universe will know.” The holy knight answered, urging Xuan Yi to retreat.

“What is there to panic about? This was done with my father’s approval. Even if he has broken through — what does he amount to before one who is about to attain the Dao? Hardly anything worth mentioning.” Xuan Yi forced himself into steadiness, projecting an air of authority — but it only made his stunning features look somewhat distorted.

Boom!

Another star gate opened. Another holy knight charged out, shouting: “Young Lord, retreat at once — the Heavenly Emperor Ye is coming. An urgent message from the Divine Court — leave this star domain now!”

“What Heavenly Emperor Ye — who conferred that title? Who does he think he is? Even my father would not dare use that name — what is he?!” Xuan Yi flew into a rage on the spot.

“It is — what the various great lords called him themselves. Young Lord, please leave at once. He is coming back.” The messenger’s forehead was covered in cold sweat.

“Very well, we will temporarily withdraw. Since the Divine Court has given the order, I must comply.” Xuan Yi said, giving himself a way down. Then the hundred thousand troops swiftly passed through the star gate and left this star domain.

Ye Fan had risen — returned defying the heavens!

This news set every corner of all the heavens into a clamor. The news of one battle obliterating three great ancient imperial bloodlines swept like a raging torrent across the starry sky, shaking the vast universe.

Everyone was frozen in place, staggered beyond measure. It was nothing short of a myth — they were bloodlines of great ancient emperors, yet he had lifted his hand and dominantly slain them.

“The second son of the Emperor?” The light in Ye Fan’s eyes flickered. He had just returned to the Celestial Court’s headquarters and received word of something that displeased him — and the Black Emperor, Hua Hua, and the others had already erupted.

“Those bastards must be tired of living — thinking they can bloodbath our Celestial Court. Do they really think being the second son of the Divine Court’s Emperor lets them do whatever they want? Go back and kill him. We must slaughter him!”

“He surely had the Emperor’s approval — otherwise, how would he dare?!”

This time, the four stars’ casualties were not very high. Close to ten thousand cultivators had perished — mostly freelancers who had been unwilling to leave.

But still, it left a fire smoldering within the Celestial Court. Ye Fan, the Holy Prince, and the Human Demon had just returned, only to find that someone had been trying to bloodbath their home territory. How could that be endured?

“To hell with the Emperor — let Little Nannan garrison here. We go now to kill the Emperor’s second son!” the Human Demon said with overbearing might.

The light in Ye Fan’s eyes circulated, beams piercing and intimidating. He said: “Agreed.”

True to his word, in the very next moment Ye Fan vanished. The others, seeing this, decisively opened a star gate and followed.

Xuan Yi’s forces had already returned, retreated to the Divine Court’s territories and entered a grand fortress — after which he grew unhurried. He did not believe anyone would dare violate the dignity of his father, coming here to make trouble.

How powerful was the Undying Celestial Empress? Yet she should be wary of his father. Even the outside world had spread rumors that the one who could stand as an equal to the Celestial Empress was his father — which showed how terrifyingly powerful people believed the Emperor to be.

Yet, just as they returned at ease, this great fortress collapsed. A silhouette like a god or demon plunged deep into the Divine Court’s heartland and drove downward to kill.

Ye Fan had come, descending from the sky, reaching down with a grasping hand toward this son of the Divine Court.

“You—!”

The second son of the Divine Court shouted. He had not expected that, at this moment, someone would dare penetrate so deep, almost to his father’s imperial palace — how could anyone be this audacious?

In recent years his strength had advanced greatly; he was now only a single thread away from the Quasi-Emperor level. Moreover, the great banner at his side had been bestowed on him by the Emperor as a Quasi-Emperor supreme treasure, capable of protecting his life. But now it was completely useless — Ye Fan grabbed him in a single motion, lifting him and fixing him in midair, staring at him coldly.

The banner snapped open. This was a supreme treasure; its face erupted with terrifying light — ten thousand streaks of thunder swept toward every part of Ye Fan’s body.

Yet blazing light flashed — Ye Fan’s divine power was torrential, completely unharmed. He even, in the end, drew this force into his body, probing the secret of this power — it could not injure his body by a single hair.

The white qilin let out a sky-shaking whinny and reared up on its hind legs, also erupting with light — only for the Black Emperor to descend from the heavens in an instant, sitting astride it and pinning it down, saying: “From today onward, you are this Emperor’s mount.”

He cast a sidelong glance at Xuan Yi and sneered: “Riding a white horse and thinking yourself a holy god? Maybe this Emperor. Wearing white robes too — I see you’re ready to dress in mourning.”

“Release our Young Lord!” Many people roared, and those elite soldiers all charged forward.

The Human Demon spread open his great hand, blotting out the sky and earth. In an instant, sand flew and stones hurtled as this place was submerged and covered. He grabbed tens of thousands of people in a single motion and suppressed them all.

“Do you know—!” Xuan Yi’s expression cracked, all composure gone. Not a trace of that breezy manner remained, nor that noble bearing, nor that unworldly quality. Right now, he was afraid.

Ye Fan held him dangling, as though gripping a small chick.

Puff!

Before he could finish speaking, Ye Fan crushed his physical body, then seized his soul and sealed it within that great banner, grinding it through hell.

“Ahh—!” Xuan Yi let out a shrill, wrenching cry, in the extremity of agony.

The Divine Court was going to war with the Celestial Court!

On this day, news burst to the sky. The four poles of the universe shook three times, trembled three times. All people were stunned.

How could this be — were these two enormous powers finally going to fight to the finish?

“To kill my child, to act with such reckless abandon — do you think I won’t wipe you all out?!” After more than three hundred years, the tumult of darkness and chaos ended. The Emperor, long silent, finally appeared, his imposing, dignified voice resounding across the world.

“Kill one of my Celestial Court people, and I will kill one of your sons. Don’t believe me — come and try!” On this day, Ye Fan’s words also shook the universe — unyielding, a powerful counterattack.