In the distance, a shower of meteorites came flying — the human race’s Sacred Physique was severing the Dao, and heaven was manifesting strange phenomena. And this was only the barest beginning!

It was a meteorite field — hundreds of them in all, blazing with resplendent light, their radiance like a tear across the ages. They came arrayed together in a rushing formation. Even the smallest was hundreds of zhang long; the largest was nearly as big as half the moon. All bore the might of thunder and lightning, trailing brilliant, long tails of light, radiating world-annihilating power!

Ye Fan’s expression changed. He had known that severing the Dao might bring forth strange phenomena — but he had not expected that even at the very start there would be hundreds of meteorites. This was a terrifying and extraordinary sight.

All of them came hurtling from the depths of the cosmos, suffused with a mysterious power — boundless and immense, every meteorite as blindingly bright as a sun.

“Not friction-ignited — the power within them is inherent.”

Ye Fan swung his fist within the heavenly tribulation, straining forward, and immediately a surge of overwhelming sacred radiance erupted from him — for every inch of his body was already wreathed in tribulation light.

The heavenly tribulation was stirred into motion by him. Meeting the meteorite field head-on, he stretched out his arms wide open, unleashing his full power, shaking the meteorite field with sheer force — a great annihilation unfolded, ten thousand streams of dawn light and ten thousand weights of thunder, and every last meteorite was reduced to fine powder.

Even a single wisp of slender tribulation light was world-destroying — equivalent to another person’s entire great heavenly tribulation, more than sufficient to flatten mountain ranges.

Every pore on Ye Fan’s body was open and expanded. Thousands upon thousands of threads of tribulation light entered and exited him. His body was autonomously inhaling and exhaling this sea of lightning-light. His blood, flesh, organs, and bones — all were breathing.

“Hum!”

The void trembled. The Dragon Stele shimmered — ancient and grand in its bearing, taller than a heavenly peak. It pressed down toward Ye Fan. Across its surface were various hexagram images — wondrous and strange.

This was lightning in the form of the Fuxi Dragon Stele — its power extraordinarily great. Ye Fan had been struck by it several times already, nearly shattering bones and breaking tendons each time. Every time it descended, it was like an ancient star detonating.

A suspicion formed in his mind: why had ancestral artifact-shaped lightning appeared — and why was its power so earth-shaking, so enormous? What was the connection between the two?

“Could it be the Dao impressions left behind by those who proved their Dao in the past?” Ye Fan’s thoughts ran far. Was the Great Dao re-manifesting the imprints of the divine laws once created by the mightiest figures of ancient times? Displaying them in the world once more?

“Boom!”

There was no time to dwell on it. Bolts of lightning shaped as ancestral artifacts of every kind appeared simultaneously and pressed downward — their divine power boundless. The energy emanating from the Fuxi Dragon Stele and others was immense and vast.

“To sever the Great Dao against its current — I must defeat the Daos that already exist within heaven and earth at this realm. Truly break free. Rise above them all!”

Ye Fan’s eyes grew sharp as blades. Like two divine lanterns, they shot out a flame-like radiance — in these depths of the heavens, it blazed with singular splendor, supremely awe-inspiring.

“Boom!”

He began to swing his fist, destroying every obstacle. Whether it was the Fuxi Dragon Stele or the various ancestral artifacts — he took them one by one and shattered them, waging war against the already-existing Dao!

Within the boundless sea of thunder, vast without measure, he moved through the outer domain alone, doing battle with the many ancient sacred Daos, passing through a tribulation that ordinary people could not even begin to imagine.

For anyone else, merely enduring the heavenly tribulation would count as successfully crossing it. But he had to charge upward against the current, destroying all tribulation punishment — until the heavens had no more to send down. It was for this reason that his heavenly tribulation surpassed all who had come before him, monstrously vast; any single bolt of it was sufficient to destroy any other Dao Severer.

And now, in the void, the tribulation lightning grew more intense. The Dragon Stele was destroyed; the stone platform cracked into four — yet they swiftly reassembled. Human-shaped bolts of lightning appeared, and not just one — an entire formation of them, simultaneously.

At the same time, the weapons multiplied in great number — their might shaking this entire star domain — and Ye Fan felt a chill run through him. Several times he was struck until bones shattered and tendons broke; golden blood sprayed outward.

“What is it that I’m seeing?” He could hardly believe his own eyes.

“Boom!”

From the distance, a blazing light shot forward, punching straight through his chest. A wisp of green smoke rose, and the smell of scorched flesh drifted outward.

It was a majestic figure whose true face could not be discerned — but the ancient mirror in its hand was unmistakably clear. It was — the Void Mirror!

“This is the weapon of the Void Great Emperor — I cannot be mistaken!” Ye Fan had once carried the ancient bronze coffin to do battle against it. The patterns on the ancient mirror were identical in every detail. And now he had seen it at this end of the star domain.

The Void Great Emperor had come to this ancient star at some point — perhaps had fought here — and had left a Dao impression within the Great Dao itself. This world had branded it within its memory.

In this instant, Ye Fan’s understanding of the Great Dao and heavenly tribulation gained entirely new dimensions. The already-existing Dao of ancient times, recorded and imprinted — could be re-manifested!

“Am I doing battle with the Void Great Emperor?”

His voice trembled. He could not help but murmur it aloud. It was not that he had never encountered human-shaped lightning before — he had seen similar scenes in the Northern Dipper Star Domain. But this time was different from all previous encounters.

Before, the lightning had taken human form purely to deliver tribulation punishment, and even if Dao laws were involved there were not nearly so many. But now, the human-shaped lightning bearing the ancient Void Mirror could deploy all manner of supreme Dao arts — terrifying beyond measure!

“Fortunately — it is not the Emperor’s true might. Only an impression of a kind, a Dao trace imprinted within the Great Dao of this world!” For this alone Ye Fan could be grateful. If it had been the true Emperor’s might, he would have died with absolute certainty.

This Dao trace was targeted only at Dao Severers. It was not the tribulation of a Saint, much less the tribulation of a Great Emperor — otherwise, this entire star domain would have been destroyed.

Ye Fan let out a clear, sharp cry. He charged through the sea of thunder, brought out his cauldron, and sent it smashing into the ancient Void Mirror — a surge of immense, sweeping power erupting outward.

“Bang!”

They locked together, fighting in fierce, close-quarters combat. Ye Fan had an illusion — that he was facing the Void Great Emperor in his youth, doing battle against his true self.

“Boom!”

Waves of blazing fire poured down. A massive furnace descended from the sky — lightning in form, yet appearing as though cast from phoenix-blood crimson gold. Atop it stood an imposing, towering figure, pressing down toward him in suppression.

“The Hengyu Furnace — that is… the Hengyu Great Emperor!”

Ye Fan was startled again. Another ancient Great Emperor had appeared — the heavenly Dao had preserved an impression of him as well. His divine authority was supreme, peerless in the world!

He evaded the illumination of the Void Mirror — but was squarely struck by the Hengyu Furnace, his spine splitting open, his bones nearly snapping root by root. He took a severe blow.

Another Great Emperor of the Northern Dipper Star Domain had come to this shore as well. Now that his Dao laws had emerged, matchless throughout the world, Ye Fan nearly fell then and there.

At last he understood the consequence of severing the Dao against its current. It was a dead end — no hope of surviving. The Dao of every supreme figure who had ever existed in this star domain would be manifested, one by one. To transcend — how inconceivably difficult.

But Ye Fan refused to yield. He had no intention of surrendering. His gaze hardened — like two divine lanterns blazing fire — in these cosmic depths, dazzling with singular brilliance, supremely awe-inspiring.

“Boom!”

He began to swing his fists, smashing everything that obstructed him. Whether it was the Fuxi Dragon Stele or the various ancestral artifacts — he took them on one by one, destroying them, waging war against the already-existing Dao!

“This is a rare opportunity. I have long craved a battle against a Great Emperor of the same realm, and never had the chance. Today — let us settle who is superior!” Ye Fan steeled himself.

This was not arrogance, not disrespect toward the ancient Great Emperors. He was backed into this position with no other choice — the only option was to fight to the death against the ancient Emperors as they had been in their youth, when they too had severed the Dao.

The most terrible battle erupted. Ye Fan was nearly killed. The young Void Great Emperor struck without mercy; neither did the young Hengyu Great Emperor hold back.

They unleashed all manner of wondrous arts, shattering heaven and earth. Though they were formed of lightning, they possessed the Dao laws of those ancient times — and were equally terrifying. This was a killing blow.

“Boom!”

A Jade Lake Western Empress Tower appeared — shaking the ages, collapsing across time, crashing down upon Ye Fan. Even a human race Sacred Physique could not endure it. More than a hundred bones shattered, and he was sent flying.

The Jade Lake Western Empress had appeared!

Ye Fan found himself in dire peril, on the razor’s edge between life and death. Being able to contend against Great Emperors of the same realm was something he had yearned for — it would force him toward clarity about his own Dao.

Yet if he were to face a whole group of young Great Emperors at once, it was a catastrophe. Even if an immortal were reborn into this realm, they would still face death.

“Boom!”

A thunderous crash rang out. Lightning in number beyond counting flooded the expanse of heaven and earth. Another loose-haired man pressed forward — fighting with sweeping, unconstrained strikes — bearing the heroic bearing of one who was unrivaled under all heaven.

The Fuxi Great Emperor had joined the battle!

Ye Fan let out a great cry, caring nothing for reverence toward the ancestors, his dense black hair whipping back in frenzy. He battled on within the lightning, fighting simultaneously against the young Dao bodies of these supreme existences.

It was a grueling confrontation. He was genuinely powerful — yet to contend against beings such as these was an excessive demand upon him.

What sort of figures were these? Every one of them had stood supreme across an entire historical era as the mightiest of the mighty — their profound arts pressing down upon ten thousand ages, unrivaled throughout the cosmos!

None of them had ever encountered one another — yet they all shared a single defining trait: every one was a Great Emperor. They had vanquished every other being of their respective eras. Truly unrivaled beneath the starry sky — standing at the summit above all living beings, gazing down upon the ancient and the future!

Ye Fan required a powerful adversary. Having reached this level of strength, in this age of waning Dao, it was difficult even to find a single defeat. Yet this time it was truly absurd.

One would have been sufficient — one could have honed him until he shone with ten-thousand-fold brilliance. But to have so many appear at once left no path of survival. Ancient Great Emperors — four words sufficient to collapse the cosmos. Such figures were the most extraordinary of all, without exception, and that was not merely words. Ye Fan, severing the Dao — even managing to do battle against a single one would have been a remarkable achievement.

And now, this was not honing — it was a death sentence. Not a sliver of hope. This was the price of his choice to sever the Great Dao against its current: he would have to face every Dao that had ever manifested upon this ancient star, in all ages past and present.

Ye Fan fought on drenched in blood. Every bone in his body had been broken. Never before had things been this harrowing — yet he refused to yield, biting down hard and persisting, fighting simultaneously against four ancient Emperors.

“Spit!”

At last he failed to evade. The ancient Void Mirror shone upon his back. The Hengyu Furnace smashed down upon his shoulder. The Western Empress Tower pressed down upon his head. And the Fuxi Great Emperor brought his palm crashing forward.

Ye Fan was covered in blood; his bones shattered into pieces. Golden blood flew — staining the long sky, detonating in this outer domain — flesh and organs torn and scattered in all directions.

From the moment he had come into the world, he had never been this wretched, this shattered. He was trapped in a desperate situation, life hanging by a thread.

He was one person — not an immortal. The ancient Great Emperors, each one supremely transcendent throughout the ages, were the most extraordinary figures the entire star domain had ever produced. Every one of them was the protagonist of their world!

Of all the world, if there were one person who could be spoken of in the same breath as a young Great Emperor — one who could contend against a Great Emperor in their youth — then it could be said that person was destined to leave their name through all the ages.

To find someone who could face four young Great Emperors alone — perhaps no such person had existed in all of ancient or modern history. No one could believe such a ludicrous miracle were possible!

Even if Ye Fan proved his Dao, he would only be one of them — the protagonist of this era. Yet now he was facing four against one — an achievement without precedent in all of ancient or modern history!

He was beaten until his embryonic bones shattered, golden flesh and blood flying in all directions. He had suffered terrible wounds — yet his whole spirit was still there. More fierce than ever.

“Boom!”

Surging golden blood energy billowed outward. Ye Fan activated the “Self” character secret, and flesh and shattered bone merged as one. The embryonic bones reassembled — crack by crack — and his true body was restored.

Ye Fan had long since shed all reverence. This was the most unprecedented heavenly tribulation in all of ancient and modern history. Facing these Great Emperors manifested as human-shaped lightning, his gaze blazed with awe-inspiring intensity — and only a single conviction remained within him: destroy them all!

“Boom!”

He enacted a wondrous art — the Old Master’s Art of One Transforming into Three Pure Ones. A Dao Body manifested — identical to himself, with equal combat power — to contend against these four young Great Emperors!

The battle boiled over. Two against four still left no chance of victory. It was unbearably difficult. His entire body was streaked with golden blood, and before long the Dao Body’s time ran out — it was severed and drawn back.

He fought one against four, and could only be defeated. Ye Fan battled on drenched in blood — he refused to despair, refused to bow beneath the Dao of the ancient Emperors.

“Fighting four young Great Emperors at once, I will certainly die. What do I do?” Ye Fan asked himself.

If anyone had learned that he was doing battle with four young Great Emperors who had severed the Dao, they would have been shaken to the core — might not even have believed it at all.

This was a glorious record that would shine throughout the ages! Simply holding on for even a moment was worthy of eternal boasting — sufficient to be written into the historical annals. And yet he was still thinking about severing the Great Dao against its current.

“Boom!”

In the sky, nine suns blazed together. For one instant, their radiance illuminated the dark depths of the cosmos — another extraordinary phenomenon of Dao Severing manifested.

And at this very moment, five more human Dao figures appeared within the sea of thunder. Now, in total, there were nine young Great Emperors — all of them present to jointly sever Ye Fan!

Ye Fan drew in a sharp breath, a sense of mounting dread washing over him — for he had recognized one among them. Above their head hung a great Primordial Chaos Bell. Though their true face could not be discerned, this had to be the Wushi Great Emperor beyond any doubt!