Chapter 2308: Emperor Desolation

Boom!

As the words fell, another thunderous boom echoed.

This roar carried a layer of annihilating halo, dazzling in golden splendor. It spread endlessly from the borderlands of Nan Chu, exuding supreme pressure that shook the entire universe.

Boom! Boom!

The golden halo swept across the various heavens and races, charging straight toward Hong Huang.

Puff! Puff! Puff!

The Hong Huang clans suffered disaster, with groups of people disintegrating into surging blood mist.

It was a terrifying scene: From the peak quasi-emperors to the novice celestial realm cultivators in Hong Huang, no one could resist. They were all collectively hurled out of the Da Chu Zhutian Gate by that golden halo, sent hurtling through the starry sky for countless miles, smashing through who knew how many star domains.

Witnessing this, the people of the various heavens were collectively stunned.

That was the Hong Huang army! An uncountable number, with nearly ten million in the quasi-emperor realm alone, and countless stronger experts—yet they were all knocked out of the Da Chu Zhutian Gate by a single halo.

Two or three seconds later, everyone snapped back to their senses.

Looking ahead, they saw a figure of golden light stepping forth from Nan Chu, as if emerging from a distant era, ancient and weathered. His features were indistinguishable, but every step he took was infused with Dao essence, overturning the cosmos and disrupting yin and yang. He was like a war god conquering myriad domains, his entire body radiating piercing immortal light laced with destructive power. Every wisp of his aura was as heavy as a mountain, crushing the heavens inch by inch.

He was Di Huang, having regained his consciousness and returned against the heavens.

With each step he took, his true form gradually revealed itself.

"That... that is..." Countless elders recoiled at the sight of his face, their eyes bulging as if they had witnessed something dreadful.

"Heavens! Am I seeing things?"

"The sacred body emperor, Di Huang." Too many people gaped, their mouths hanging open for a long time as they stared in a daze. Though they had never seen Di Huang in person, they had all beheld his stone statues.

"It's undoubtedly him, the one who single-handedly battled the five heavenly demon emperors."

"He was buried for eons—how is he still alive?"

Shocks, bewilderment, and doubts rose in waves, blending into a roaring tidal sea. Everyone looked up, gazing intently. In their memories, the great accomplishment sacred body Di Huang had long perished, fighting to the death in the Heavenly Demon Domain to protect Yue Shang's ascension to emperor.

Now, seeing Di Huang's true form, how could the world not be astonished?

The common people were unaware, but the peak quasi-emperors knew the truth. Why had they held the line at Nan Chu's city walls? It was precisely to buy Ye Chen the precious time to channel Di Huang.

Once again, facts proved that Da Chu's tenth emperor had not disappointed the masses. He had defied the heavens to advance to quasi-emperor, defied the heavens to channel Di Huang, summoning this peerless war god from the underworld.

"Empress, the sacred lord has returned." Zi Xuan choked back sobs, her eyes brimming with tears. After countless eons of change, she finally saw Di Huang again. Though she was not the Donghua Empress, she carried the empress's memories. The tears she shed were the empress's tears, worn down by the passage of ages.

"The great accomplishment sacred body truly dominates the eight wastelands." The various emperors of Da Chu murmured to themselves. Only upon seeing Di Huang in the flesh did they realize his terror—he was like an emperor incarnate.

"Even if the emperor himself came, he might not defeat him." The divine generals whispered. They had only heard legends of Di Huang, but seeing him now for the first time, his fearsomeness was no less than that of a supreme emperor.

"It's as if we're gazing upon an emperor." The seven sons of Donghua said in a daze. The great accomplishment sacred body was at quasi-emperor perfection, while they were all at quasi-emperor peak. Though the gap was merely half a minor realm, the difference in combat power and might was like heaven and earth. Even the strongest bloodlines could hardly bridge it.

"The emperor's sacred lord lives up to his reputation." The four peak sword cultivators felt turbulent waves in their hearts. Among the strong, there are always stronger ones; one mountain towers over another. Even though they had reached the pinnacle below the emperor's path, the moment they saw Di Huang, they realized all their Dao pursuits had been in vain.

"Well, there's no beating him." Hong Huang's Qilin Jiuchen couldn't help but cough, feeling an urge to flee. Where was the boldness he once had in beating Di Huang? Who knew he was still alive? The great accomplishment realm Di Huang was beyond his capabilities—unless he became an emperor.

"He's stronger than Hong Lian." Both Mo Yuan and the evil demons affirmed. Even the peak-era Hong Lian Empress might not be Di Huang's match. A peerless ruthless figure who single-handedly fought five emperors—how could that be mere talk? In the great accomplishment sacred body realm, who in the myriad domains could rival him?

"If any emperor shared an era with him, how awkward that would be." The various heavens' emperor's sons all thought the same. The great accomplishment sacred body was already a defying existence, capable of clashing head-on with emperors—let alone Di Huang, a defier among defiers.

"A ruthless one who fought five emperors alone—truly lives up to the hype." The sacred venerable sighed.

"I'll slap you down without a second thought." Xi Chen said earnestly.

"I believe it." The sacred venerable coughed, and Long Cang Jie beside him did the same.

Even Di Ji didn't refute it. Di Huang's power was beyond doubt. A war god of this caliber was unmatched by the six paths—let alone Hong Chen.

"Is that the sacred body ancestor who fought five emperors alone?" Chu Xuan and the others looked up, their minds reeling as if he were not a great accomplishment sacred body, but a supreme sovereign.

"It's undoubtedly him." Chu Ling said with a light smile. She had seen Di Huang in the Yin Cao Underworld and wasn't as shocked as imagined. The various heavens' ancestors were truly war gods.

"I heard that Dad's divine treasury came from him." Ye Ling'er tilted her little head, her big eyes blinking rapidly. Looking at Di Huang now was like seeing her future father—someday, Da Chu's tenth emperor would also become a figure of legend.

As she spoke, Ye Ling glanced down at the female sacred body in the treasure lotus lamp.

The female sacred body was also watching. As fellow sacred body bloodline holders, Di Huang was at quasi-emperor perfection in the great accomplishment realm, while she was merely at quasi-emperor peak, infinitely close to great accomplishment. Yet that half-step gap was like night and day, and their combat powers were worlds apart.

This peerless queen, infinitely near great accomplishment, now showed a hint of wariness.

She was certain that even at her peak, she couldn't last half a move against Di Huang.

In that instant, the female sacred body fell silent, her eyes dimming. She didn't know if it was joy or bewilderment—joy at Ye Chen bringing a dawn of hope, or bewilderment at the path ahead?

" We pay respects to the sacred body ancestor." Amid the discussions, over ninety percent of the various heavens' cultivators bowed with hands clasped, while the rest were of higher seniority than Di Huang.

"No need for formalities." Di Huang smiled, his expression as refreshing as a spring breeze. He had fully restrained his aura, for his pressure was too overwhelming—many were nearly immobilized by it.

Hearing his voice, the world was moved to tears, faces streaming with emotion.

What kind of existence was Di Huang? A ruthless figure who battled five emperors alone, known only from myths—where had they ever seen him in person? This scene felt almost unreal, leaving their minds dizzy and hearts trembling. Their legs shook involuntarily, yearning to kneel before this peerless war god. The masses of the myriad domains had finally endured until this dawn of hope arrived.

Bang!

Thousands of words were shattered by another thunderous boom.

Looking into the distance, it was Hong Chen who had shattered the heavens with a step. He didn't even glance at Di Huang, his gaze fixed solely on Jian Fei Dao—for Yao Xi was in his natal artifact.

To ignore the great accomplishment sacred body like this, he was quite the character.

While he ignored Di Huang, Di Huang did not ignore him. With a raised hand, an emperor-level immortal array appeared, suppressing Hong Chen on the spot and sealing him in the artifact.

Gulp!

The world collectively swallowed hard. Even the various heavens' sword gods couldn't match Hong Chen, yet Di Huang subdued him with one palm. Was the legendary great accomplishment sacred body truly a peerless deity?

Under the gaze of all, Di Huang moved, striding through the ethereal void toward the starry expanse.

Where he passed, the bloody winds ceased, fallen leaves hung frozen in mid-air, the cosmos halted its cycle, yin and yang stopped their transformations, and the heavens froze inch by inch in ice. It was the chilling killing intent of the great accomplishment sacred body, evoking a scene of world-ending destruction.

Clearly, his killing intent was directed at the Hong Huang clans.

Hong Huang had been repelled, but some matters needed to be addressed—to teach the Hong Huang clans how to behave and show them what true mountains of corpses and seas of blood meant.

"Hurry, hurry, follow him." The various heavens' cultivators supported one another, collectively giving chase.

"I've calculated it—the boss of our various heavens is about to unleash hell." Gu San Tong clutched his old waist, coughing up blood as he spoke—it was unclear if from injury or excitement.

"Already got the big iron pot ready to stew the Hong Huang lot." Wu San Pao grumbled, his wounds worse than Gu San Tong's, yet he was exhilarated beyond measure. Finally, someone had their back.

"Bet we'll sweep up plenty of treasures." People like Xie Yun and Situ Nan from Da Chu had their sacks at the ready—Di Huang would handle the killing, and they'd collect the loot.

"After all these years, it's the first time I've felt this bold." Countless elders from the various heavens straightened their hunched backs. They had always been bullied by Hong Huang, but now the tables had turned—they had a peerless war god on their side.

"Blood debts repaid in blood." Many more wept tears of blood, sobbing uncontrollably. As they passed the ruined city walls, they gathered the bodies of their loved ones and comrades, intent on using Hong Huang's blood as tribute.

"Having someone to hold the fort makes all the difference." Xuan Gu Emperor's son Tian Shuo sighed.

"Forgot to tell you—Bai Zhi's master is Di Huang." Long Yi said.

Those words hit hard, nearly making Tian Shuo stumble.

Back when he first arrived at Heng Yue, he had argued seniority with Bai Zhi, boastfully claiming he'd have a chat with her master. Who could have guessed it was the great accomplishment sacred body Di Huang?

"If there's chatting to be done, let the Xuan Gu Great Emperor handle it. As for you? One slap and you'd be turned to ash." Long Wu passed by, patting Tian Shuo on the shoulder with a serious tone.

Tian Shuo finally steadied himself, his laugh awkward.

Long Wu's words were spot on. A ruthless figure like Di Huang had just suppressed Hong Chen with one palm—anyone below emperor realm who messed with him would meet a grisly end.

"Once the various heavens are at peace, I'll marry you." For romance, none topped the Kunlun Goddess. She lounged lazily on Jian Fei Dao's back—not for show, but because her injuries were severe. She had single-handedly fought over a hundred Hong Huang quasi-emperors and surviving was already a miracle.

"Agreed." The sword god smiled, his tenderness as a man unmistakable.

Donghuang Tai Xin smiled radiantly, her pale cheeks gently pressing against her beloved's back. After so many years, this guardian deity of Da Chu finally felt this relaxed.

Not far away, the Yao Chi Immortal Mother, carried by the Wine Sword Immortal, whispered sweet nothings as well.

The various heavens' two great sword cultivators each had supreme beauties by their side, evoking envy. People couldn't help but glance at Wu Tian Sword Venerable and Jiu Jian Scatterer—those two were still bachelors.

The Feather Immortal King had arrived, cloaked in a black robe, but he didn't follow. He only watched from afar, gazing at Di Huang. His silhouette was so dazzling, even brighter than the scorching sun.

Yet, what he watched most was Zi Xuan. Her eyes, from beginning to end, held only Di Huang. The empress's lingering soul represented the empress herself and would only look at her beloved.

"Senior, where is Ye Chen?" Chu Xuan, Chu Ling, and the others approached.

The immortal king said nothing, simply waving his hand to reveal an ever-burning lamp, where Ye Chen's primordial spirit fire flickered—like a grain of rice, on the verge of extinction at any moment.

Seeing it, the women couldn't help but cover their mouths, tears pouring like rain.

Their husband had truly suffered—a channeling that nearly cost him his life and Dao.

"We'll take you to see the Hong Huang blood debt settled." The women wiped their tears, cradling the ever-burning lamp as they joined the various heavens' procession. Their lineage's ancestor, the great accomplishment sacred body Di Huang, would avenge him, the fallen heroes, and the masses of the myriad domains.

Boom! Boom!

The starry sky trembled, thunderous roars echoing through the domains.

Gazing afar, Di Huang led the way, his great accomplishment sacred body might crushing the universe. His pair of radiant golden eyes flashed with tangible killing light. Having seen too much smoke in the underworld, the eons-suppressed fury would be quenched today with Hong Huang blood.

Behind him, the various heavens' cultivators followed like a vast sea, treading bloody footprints across the stars. It was a path of blood, stained with the fresh blood of the myriad domains' masses.

One could see that every person's back was straight. Since the fall of Xianwu Emperor Zun, it was the first time they felt such confidence. The various heavens were not without protectors—they had come to claim their blood debt.

In the depths of the starry sky, a star domain held the gathered Hong Huang army, all of them swaying unsteadily.

Looking closely, the Hong Huang formation remained overwhelmingly vast, a dark ocean roiling with terrifying waves, like a sky-covering cloud veil that blocked out the stars' light. The surging Hong Huang aura carried savage bloodlust, each one like a demon.

"What happened?" The Hong Huang clan emperors gathered, their eyes narrowed as they stared toward Da Chu, completely baffled—only to see a golden halo that had toppled the entire Hong Huang army, hurling them from the Da Chu Zhutian Gate to who knew how far, killing countless Hong Huang people.

"A great emperor?" The Qiong Qi clan emperor furrowed his brow. Only a great emperor could hurl the entire Hong Huang army with a halo—but where had the various heavens gotten one from?

"No sign of anyone—there must be something fishy." The Tao Tie clan emperor snorted coldly.

"I never knew Da Chu hid such depths—it's quite the eye-opener for me." The Kui Ba clan emperor gritted his teeth. Being knocked over by a halo was a massive loss of face.

"The whole army, regroup and attack Da Chu again." The Hong Huang commander howled across the star domain, his blood-red eyes twisted with ferocity, vowing not to stop until Da Chu was destroyed. The Hong Huang great clan's fury could only be quenched with the various heavens' cultivators' blood.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

As the clan emperors spoke, banging sounds suddenly rang out—slow and rhythmic.

Listening carefully, it was the sound of footsteps, perhaps because the person's body was so heavy that each step caused the cosmos to collapse, making the entire universe shake. It felt as if a killing god had emerged from the nine underworlds, intent on slaughtering all living beings.