“It's been a while since we last met.”
The Martial Emperor chuckled as he looked at Chen Xia.
“Indeed.” Chen Xia nodded slightly, maintaining a calm demeanor. The Martial Emperor's visit to the Great Death Realm had already been explained by the Heart Demon to Chen Xia.
It was clear that the Martial Emperor was unaware of the Heart Demon's resurrection and still believed that the entity in the Great Death Realm was Chen Xia's Seed of Dao.
“The last time I saw you was in the Great Death Realm. We spoke briefly then, and tonight I’ve come to discuss it further.” The Martial Emperor continued with a smile.
“Go ahead,” Chen Xia replied.
“First, let me explain why I want to replace the Way of Heaven. Let me tell you the backstory, consider it a story if you will.”
The Martial Emperor said with a light smile.
“The experiences one has in their youth can shape their entire life. You know, I came from Qing Province, and I’m sure you’ve heard of my exploits there.”
“Back then, Qing Province was a place where humans and demons were in constant conflict. But humans weren’t exactly virtuous either. It was common to see those from the mountains mercilessly slaughtering those from the plains. In essence, it was just a matter of strength.”
“There was a young man who refused to accept this disparity and insisted on seeking justice. Reality, however, taught him a far crueler lesson.”
“I won’t go into details, as it’s just a clichéd and melodramatic tale. One can’t truly empathize with something that hasn’t happened to them.”
“Now, this young man has grown up, gained enough power, and formed his own ideas. He wants to create a world of equality.”
“That’s all there is to it.”
The Martial Emperor waved his hand, speaking in a very matter-of-fact tone, then added softly,
“Whether you believe me or not, you’ll have to help me. I’ll start by appealing to your reason, and then I’ll appeal to your strength.”
In this regard, the Martial Emperor and Chen Xia were quite different.
Chen Xia didn’t bother with reason; he only followed etiquette, such as politely beating someone up.
“As for the benefits, I’ve already mentioned them to you before. This time, I’ll add one more: I can cultivate you to become a Supreme Being.” The Martial Emperor continued.
Chen Xia nodded, “If you put it that way, of course, I agree.”
He knew he couldn’t defeat the Martial Emperor yet, so he didn’t argue. He would wait until he was stronger.
“That’s excellent.” The Martial Emperor smiled and nodded, then added, “I still have things to do, so don’t interfere with the Way of Heaven’s reckoning. You won’t be able to stop it. I predict that the Way of Heaven’s reckoning will destroy over half of the Star Regions. Just retreat back to the Blue Sky Sword Sea in advance.”
Chen Xia didn’t respond.
Another figure appeared on the city wall, greeting warmly,
“Chen Saint, Chen Saint, I’ve come to chat with you.” Yan Zi said with a smile, then looked at the Martial Emperor, his smile growing even wider as he asked Chen Xia,
“Is there another guest? Who is this young man? I don’t recognize him. Is he a newly ascended Great Emperor?”
“He is indeed new,” Chen Xia confirmed.
Yan Zi quickly added with a smile,
“Oh, no wonder he looks unfamiliar. Nice to meet you, young man. I’m the Three-Dao Great Emperor, Yan Zi. Although we may not be in the same faction, don’t worry, I’m very easygoing and don’t enjoy one-on-one combat.”
“I don’t enjoy one-on-one combat either,” the Martial Emperor replied with a smile.
After all, it was usually him chasing others to kill.
Yan Zi’s smile grew even broader as he quickly stepped forward and patted the Martial Emperor on the shoulder, saying,
“Then we’re quite compatible, aren’t we?”
Chen Xia’s smile also deepened as he replied, “Maybe not just compatible, you might end up with a flattened head later.”
“What are you talking about? Are we playing a guessing game?” Yan Zi frowned, then smiled and asked, “Chen Saint, introduce me to this young man, will you? Who is he?”
“The person you most want to meet,” Chen Xia replied.
Yan Zi’s brow furrowed deeper with curiosity as he continued to scrutinize the Martial Emperor, then patted his shoulder and asked,
“Why don’t you introduce yourself, young man?”
“Chen Jiu,” the Martial Emperor said.
“Chen Jiu, haha, what a coincidence, just like the name of the Martial Emperor…” Yan Zi’s laughter trailed off as he suddenly realized the truth.
This was truly a self-inflicted revelation.
His face went blank as he looked at Chen Xia for confirmation.
Chen Xia nodded, then said seriously to the Martial Emperor, “When you kill him, try to leave a whole body. I promised him I’d take care of his remains.”
With a ripple in the void, Yan Zi’s figure disappeared from the city wall.
The Martial Emperor shook his head, “Forget it, if you really want to kill him, do it yourself. I have things to do, and you need to improve quickly. Strive to become a Supreme Being in this era and get this over with sooner.”
After saying this, he didn’t wait for Chen Xia’s response and vanished.
Chen Xia returned to the city wall, looking up at the sky.
Darkness was encroaching, and the Way of Heaven was in turmoil.
This was the last peaceful night.
At dawn,
A beam of light shot through the darkness, as if capable of obliterating everything. It carried the chaotic and frenzied aura of primordial times, shattering the entire city wall with a single strike.
It was the Four-Dao Great Emperor.
Chen Xia stood on the broken city wall, catching a glimpse of the scene.
But that was all he could see.
Because he had taken a blow from the Four-Dao Great Emperor to his chest, and he was falling rapidly, his destination unknown.
This was the final battle.
The Executioner Emperor returned from the Way of Heaven’s reckoning, looking weary and stained with blood. He faced off against another Four-Dao Great Emperor, holding his own.
The left battle line was doomed to fall, everyone knew that, but all the Great Emperors charged forward into the fray.
Chen Xia continued to fall, his eyes vacant, his chest caved in, blood streaming from the corner of his mouth.
The killing power of the Four-Dao Great Emperor was too overwhelming; he couldn’t withstand it.
As he fell, with his vitality rapidly draining, his body began to vibrate strangely.
His Heart Lake was boiling, and thunder roared.
At its very center,
A cocoon formed by the Celestial Dragon pulsated rhythmically, like a heartbeat, trembling with a faint dragon’s roar.
The pulsing sound created a melody that affected the surroundings.
It grew wider and farther,
Until it resonated across over ten Star Regions.
Celebrating the birth of the Ancestral Dragon!
Goodnight.