During the eighty years since the Ancient Immortal Emperor stepped onto the Ancient Star Road, the Ancient Saint Emperor, through his decisive governance, saw a stable transition of power. For over eight decades, the Ancient Saint Emperor harbored a growing unease, perhaps a lingering fear born from his father's absence, making him overly cautious.
For eighty years, he had kept his father's life tablet close, constantly checking the Ancient Immortal Emperor's status. Today, the Ancient Saint Emperor had summoned his ministers to discuss the position of Crown Prince, when suddenly, the life tablet vibrated violently, directly injuring the strongest being in the Weakly State of Ten Thousand Ages.
The life tablet floated in the air, erupting with a blood-red light. At this moment, the white clouds in the sky above the Ancient Immortal Heavenly Court turned black, then a bloody red. A golden dragon, far more imposing and majestic than the long dragon of national destiny of a dynasty, writhed amidst the bloody clouds in the sky.
Lightning crackled everywhere, and a blood-red rain fell from the starry sky. Several Quasi-Emperor realm powerhouses in the vicinity of the Weakly State of Ten Thousand Ages stirred, their eyes filled with terror as they gazed in the direction of the Ancient Immortal Heavenly Court. The Ancient Star Road was a hurdle that every Immortal Emperor had to overcome; it was a prohibition set by the Great Dao. Only those who walked out of the Ancient Star Road alive could truly be called Immortal Emperors, becoming eternal powerhouses who commanded imperial destiny and dominated all sides!
Gazing at the blood-red rain in the starry sky, the Sect Master of the Flying Immortal Sect’s lips curled into a faint smile. He knew this scene all too well. A thousand and two hundred years after their sect’s ancestor, the Flying Immortal Emperor, had stepped onto the Ancient Star Road, his life tablet had looked exactly like this: entwined with blood, afflicted by curses, imperial destiny floating, and a river of blood in the starry sky.
Yes!
Eighty-nine years after the Ancient Immortal Emperor had set foot on the Ancient Star Road, he had perished on it. His sole imperial destiny, bestowed by the Great Dao, returned to the peak of the Great Dao!
“Sect Master!”
An elder from the Flying Immortal Sect cautiously approached the Sect Master, leaning in to whisper, “The Ancient Immortal Emperor has fallen. This is our Flying Immortal Sect’s chance to rise!”
Before the Ancient Immortal Emperor had become famous, the Flying Immortal Sect, relying on a few Emperor-grade immortal treasures, had suppressed and controlled three domains. Later, when the Ancient Immortal Emperor reached the Immortal Emperor realm, he shattered two of the Flying Immortal Sect’s Emperor-grade immortal treasures. In his benevolence, the Ancient Immortal Emperor, finding it difficult enough to achieve the Immortal Emperor realm, chose not to annihilate them completely and incorporated the Flying Immortal Sect into his Heavenly Court.
“Cut the grass but don’t remove the roots, and it will grow again in the spring breeze!”
The Sect Master of the Flying Immortal Sect gazed at the void, his words cold. His own Flying Immortal Sect was a legacy of an Immortal Emperor powerhouse, originally positioned in all directions. Why should they submit to others?
“Let us go!”
“From this day forth, the Flying Immortal Sect shall secede from the Ancient Sacred Court and establish its own lineage!”
“Emperor Zun!”
As the Flying Immortal Sect severed ties with the Ancient Sacred Court in front of the Ancient Saint Emperor, a general of the Mystic Sacred Immortal Dynasty, at the Immortal King level, approached Emperor Zun of the Mystic Sacred.
“I thought our Mystic Sacred Immortal Dynasty’s reliance on the Ancient Immortal Emperor would bring us his protection. But even a powerful Immortal Emperor could not escape demise. The Ancient Star Road is the starting point for Immortal Emperors, and ultimately, the tomb for their final resting place. The Flying Immortal Sect, with its legacy as an Immortal Emperor lineage, has been oppressed by the Ancient Immortal Emperor for over a hundred thousand years. It is time for them to rebel!” Emperor Zun of the Mystic Sacred stood up, gazing at the imperial destiny swirling in the bloody rain in the sky, his brow furrowed.
Suddenly, his expression turned fierce. “Ultimately, they are a declining Immortal Emperor lineage. If the Flying Immortal Sect dares to contend for the world with the Ancient Saint Emperor, why can’t I!”
He looked at the Ancient Saint Emperor, who knelt on the ground, his head bowed in grief. Suddenly, a killing intent struck him, causing his expression to change. He turned to see the Sect Master of the Crimson Sun Sect in the distance slowly raising his hand, making a cut across his own throat, then a cold smile gracing his lips as he led the Crimson Sun Sect’s followers away from the plaza.
“Emperor Zun, these people from the Crimson Sun Sect are becoming increasingly audacious,” one of the followers said with an indignant expression.
“No rush. With the Ancient Immortal Emperor’s demise, the Weakly State of Ten Thousand Ages will become a battleground for all heroes. The Flying Immortal Sect with its Emperor-grade immortal treasures, and the Ancient Saint Emperor with his three Emperor-grade immortal treasures. This is not a venture for the faint of heart. Let us go!”
Emperor Zun of the Mystic Sacred cast one last glance at the Ancient Saint Emperor, who was gradually standing up, and then led his ministers away from the plaza.
“Sacred Emperor! They… they!”
A being approached the Ancient Saint Emperor, trembling as he spoke.
“The Mystic Sacred Immortal Dynasty, the Flying Immortal Sect, the Crimson Sun Sect. Each of them received my father’s favor. Now, barely after my father’s death, they are establishing their own factions. Especially the Flying Immortal Sect. If my father had not been so kind back then, how could they have attained their current status!” The Ancient Saint Emperor felt his blood surge with anger. The day he had feared and worried about had finally arrived.
“Sacred Emperor!”
From not far away, a figure knelt on both knees. Without a word, he prostrated himself three times before the Ancient Saint Emperor and solemnly declared, “From the Purple Thunder Sect of the Southern Bound Realm, we are willing to follow the Sacred Emperor to punish the unfaithful, to brave fire and water, and spare no effort!”
“Good, good, good!”
The Ancient Saint Emperor’s expression softened slightly. He looked at Ye Hua, the Sect Master of the Purple Thunder Sect, kneeling not far away and said, “Your loyalty is evident, Lord Ye. From this day forth, you shall be the Purple Thunder King, and you may travel freely within the capital of the Sacred Court!”
“Your subject, deeply thanks the Sacred Emperor for your immense grace!”
Ye Hua immediately pledged his allegiance with excitement. If not for the rebellion of the Crimson Sun Sect, the Flying Immortal Sect, and the Mystic Sacred Immortal Dynasty, this enfeoffment as a King would likely not have fallen to him.
“The Immortal Emperor has fallen, and my heart is filled with grief. Effective immediately, the Ancient Immortal Heavenly Court shall be dissolved. The capital of the Ancient Sacred Court shall be relocated to the Ancient Domain. We shall suspend court for three months. All beings within the Sacred Court shall wear mourning attire and pay respects to the departed soul of the Immortal Emperor. Any who dare disobey shall have their nine generations of kin exterminated and their lineage wiped out!”
The Ancient Saint Emperor descended the steps step by step, watching the imperial destiny in the sky churn and gradually dissipate. He knew that the glory of the Ancient Immortal Heavenly Court, which had lasted for a hundred thousand years, would cease to exist.
Three days later, the news of the Ancient Immortal Emperor’s demise and the secession of the Mystic Sacred Immortal Dynasty, the Crimson Sun Sect, and the Flying Immortal Sect from the Ancient Sacred Court spread like a storm throughout the Weakly State of Ten Thousand Ages, and then outwards to other domains.
In the Blazing Flame Domain, the Nine Domains, and the Human Domain, these events did not stir much of a ripple. The pressure of the Ancient Immortal Emperor had not overshadowed these three realms. The Six Flames Cult was busy fending off the onslaught from the Azure Sun Gate. Emperor Zun of Great Yu, instigated by Jia Xu, was solely focused on conquering the Purple Thunder Sect. As for the Great Han Immortal Dynasty, this matter was too distant. The Ancient Immortal Emperor’s demise had been predicted by many heroes. His hundred thousand years of not entering the Ancient Star Road already indicated that the Ancient Immortal Emperor lacked the overwhelming confidence to emerge from it. The suppression for a hundred thousand years was merely to allow the Ancient Saint Emperor to grow stronger step by step. Unfortunately, his talent was not inherited, and after a hundred thousand years of cultivation, the Ancient Saint Emperor only reached the Immortal Emperor realm.
Upon returning to the Southern Bound Realm, Ye Hua, the Sect Master of the Purple Thunder Sect, received a declaration of war from Emperor Zun of Great Yu. He became enraged. Clad in the Sacred Court’s royal crown and holding a prominent position within the Sacred Court, his arrogance surged. He immediately appointed three elders of the Purple Thunder Sect to lead five hundred thousand disciples into the Boundary Sea to confront the army of the Great Yu Immortal Dynasty.