Chapter 2312: Primal Ancestral Soul

This was a vast star domain on the edge of the universe's wilderness, with star rivers meandering through it, so dark that no light penetrated, dotted with massive ancient stars but lacking any stellar source. Thick fog hung heavily, offering no trace of life energy, making it a domain of utter dead silence, like Jiuyou—cold, desolate, and lifeless.

Yet, within this dead silent star domain lay the Honghuang great clans.

Di Huang stood still, gazing deeply into the star-filled void. He already knew that this star domain hid the Honghuang ancestral land of the Taotie clan. He and Ming Di had seen it clearly in the underworld, where they had a full understanding of each clan's ancestral grounds. They could pinpoint the locations accurately, as their time in the underworld had not been wasted.

"This godforsaken star domain is supposed to hide a Honghuang clan?" Tian Lao raised an eyebrow.

"No signs whatsoever." Chi Yangzi narrowed his eyes slightly, scanning the surrounding star void. Though he knew a Honghuang clan was here, he couldn't detect any trace. It wasn't due to his limited vision; the Honghuang clan's concealment methods were simply too advanced, masking the very essence of heaven and earth, yin and yang.

"If he's stopped here, then it must be." The speaker was Honghuang Qilin Jiuchen. Although he belonged to the Honghuang clans, even he didn't know where each one was hidden—this was the ultimate secret.

"They've hidden themselves deep!" Zhan Wang snorted coldly. Jiuchen couldn't see it, and neither could he. The Honghuang clans weren't just fighters; they were masters at hiding, which was why they were often called shrinking turtles.

"Have you figured it out?" Yaochi Xianmu asked softly, glancing sideways at Jiu Jianxian.

Jiu Jianxian furrowed his brow and shook his head lightly.

It wasn't just him; Jian Shen was the same. In fact, aside from Di Huang, no one could see through it. Even if Ye Chen were here and had activated his Liudao Lunhui Yan, he probably still wouldn't find any clues.

"Are you sure there's a Honghuang clan here? Why can't I see it?" On a dead silent star in the eastern star void, five figures stood tall—it was the Jinqu Wuda Tianwang.

They were also witnesses to this slaughter. Di Huang had been on a killing spree, and they had watched it all, witnessing the terrifying power of a Dacheng Shengti. It could be said that among all the Dacheng Shengti in the history of the heavens, Di Huang was the most formidable, far surpassing Ba Yuan and Chen Zhan.

These past three days and nights had been incredibly bloody, making even them shudder with fear. So what if it was the Honghuang clans? So what if they had emperor path inheritances? In the face of a Dacheng Shengti, they were far from enough.

"Does he really plan to wipe out the Honghuang?" Wangchuan Tianwang mused.

"Even if they're exterminated, it's their own fault." Lianyu Tianwang snorted coldly, his temper as fiery as ever. He had long been displeased with the Honghuang; these past three days and nights had been the most satisfying in ages.

"The Shengti lineage is all unyielding, and Di Huang is even more so. It's possible he'll truly annihilate the Honghuang." Huangquan Tianwang stroked his chin. "With his current power, he has the capability."

"When Yue Shang became emperor, the Honghuang caused plenty of trouble. They're likely to be wiped out now." Mingtu Tianwang said, recalling ancient events. In that distant era, wars had been endless.

The four heavenly kings spoke, while Tianxu Tianwang remained silent, his brow furrowed as he quietly observed. Though he disliked the Honghuang's ways, they were still a force in the heavens. Destroying them like this was a pity. Compared to flattening the entire Honghuang, he would prefer Di Huang to show mercy.

As the five discussed, Di Huang raised his hand and pushed aside the eternal heavens and earth.

Immediately, deep in the star void, a vast world materialized, shrouded in clouds and mist, appearing and disappearing like a mirage. Focusing on it, one could vaguely see a Honghuang demon land in the haze—towering mountains and rivers, vast plains and mighty rivers stretching out, with surging Honghuang energy that felt ancient and weathered, though it couldn't hide the underlying stench of blood that made one want to retch.

"The Taotie clan." Wutian Jianzun murmured softly. Without even looking, he knew from the aura alone that the Honghuang clan hidden in this star domain was the Taotie, the greedy and ferocious beasts of the Honghuang.

"No wonder we couldn't find it—it's concealed by an emperor path trap array!" Kuiniu Huang exclaimed in admiration, clicking his tongue. This level of hidden enemy array was even more advanced than those of the former Tengshe clan and Hanjiang clan.

"What a vast Honghuang demon land—bigger than the Zhutian Gate!" Sheng Yuan Huang grinned. But upon second thought, it made sense. The Taotie were among the first beings in the world, having existed since the Honghuang era, enduring countless changes through the ages, giving them ample time to develop their ancestral land.

"If not for the Shengti leading the way, we'd never find it in eight lifetimes." Wu Huang sighed. That was why the Dacheng Shengti was so remarkable—this level of insight was beyond even peak Zhundi.

"So, this is where the real action begins." Canglong Huang twisted his neck forcefully.

His words energized the cultivators of the heavens, their eyes gleaming with excitement as they straightened their postures, weapons in hand—or more precisely, large storage bags at the ready.

Di Huang hadn't brought them here for sightseeing; it was to wreck the place.

"You've already slaughtered countless of my clan's people—what more do you want?" A roar echoed from the Honghuang demon land—it was the Taotie clan's clan emperor, his eyes blood-red and on the verge of bursting with blood, filled with sheer terror. It wasn't just him; the entire Taotie clan looked pale and trembled uncontrollably, their souls quaking in fear.

In this battle, the Taotie clan had suffered devastating losses, with over forty percent wiped out. The remaining sixty percent were the lucky ones, barely escaping with their lives back to their ancestral land.

But who would have thought Di Huang would pursue them right to their doorstep?

Even the ancient Honglian Nüdi from eons ago hadn't found their hiding place, yet before Di Huang, they had nowhere to hide—he had located it so effortlessly.

"Follow and live; oppose and perish." Di Huang said indifferently, his words shaking the immortal dome to collapse.

"We'd rather die than surrender." It was unclear which talented member of the Taotie clan shouted this, their demeanor one of unyielding resolve, a picture of righteous heroism.

Yet, to the ears of the heavens' people, it sounded inexplicably amusing.

Even Ming Di and the Jinqu Wuda Tianwang were amused. They hadn't realized the Taotie clan could be so tough. If they were this bold, why hadn't they fought during the heavenly demon invasions?

But what good was this toughness now? It would only ensure their clan's destruction.

The Taotie clan's defiance only fueled Di Huang's unresolved anger. With fools who didn't fear death, what more was there to say? This gave him the perfect reason to strike.

Boom!

Accompanied by a thunderous boom, the Dacheng Shengti moved again, his palm blotting out the sky. A golden hand descended from above, with dao principles evolving in its palm and seal scripts carved between its fingers. It was as heavy as a mountain, infused with the power to destroy the world, capable of crushing everything in existence.

Crack!

The crisp sound was quite satisfying. The Taotie clan's protective heavenly barrier was shattered by Di Huang's palm in an instant, collapsing with a roar. So-called emperor path trap arrays and emperor path foundations were nothing but a joke before the Dacheng Shengti.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

The Taotie ancestral land was in ruins. Countless mountains crumbled, numerous clan members were buried, and many palaces and pavilions had their tiles scattered. Even the stone statue of the Taotie clan's great emperor toppled under Di Huang's palm, debris littering the Honghuang demon land.

Looking again at the Taotie ancestral land, it was a scene of utter devastation—a wasteland of rubble with no intact mountains or buildings left, only surging blood mist, flashing lightning, and thunder. Too many Taotie clan members were reduced to mere ethereal yuan spirits.

The most striking sight was the massive five-finger imprint on the ground, spanning over 100,000 zhang, left by Di Huang's hand. The Dacheng Shengti's palm had shattered the very heavens and earth.

"We surrender! My clan surrenders." The roar was filled with grief—it was the Taotie clan's clan emperor, his physical body destroyed, leaving only a flickering yuan spirit. They had no choice but to surrender; Di Huang was too ruthless. Any more resistance, and the Taotie lineage would be severed.

Di Huang said nothing, stepping forward and ascending step by step.

Only at the peak of the void did he come to a stop, like a god overlooking the eight directions of the universe. Every wisp of Shengti aura flowing from him could shatter the eternal immortal dome.

Under the watchful eyes of all, he extended his five fingers downward, grasping toward the Taotie ancestral land.

In an instant, every member of the Taotie clan shuddered in unison, and a thread of soul flew out from each of their bodies, drawn by Di Huang and gathering in his palm.

"Honghuang Zuhun." Both Xie Mo and Mo Zun murmured softly, and the Honghuang clan members standing with the heavens whispered the same, as if recognizing what Di Huang had collected.

"What's Honghuang Zuhun?" Xiao Yuan Huang scratched his head.

"It's the origin soul of the Honghuang clans." Tian Zhi explained gently. "This ancestral soul is unique to the Honghuang, inherited from the dawn of chaos, belonging to the first beings of heaven and earth—a special soul force."

"That's impressive," Kuiniu Huang said. "Swallowing that would be quite the opportunity."

It truly was an opportunity, but not for him.

After condensing the Honghuang Zuhun, Di Huang waved his hand, sending it toward Chu Xuan—or more precisely, toward the Changming Deng in her arms, merging it into Ye Chen's yuan spirit flame. He intended to use the Honghuang Zuhun to restore Ye Chen's yuan spirit, a tremendous gift.

As soon as the Honghuang Zuhun fused in, Ye Chen's yuan spirit flame, which had been like a grain of light, brightened instantly, igniting into a golden flame. The once dim Changming Deng now shone brilliantly.

This sight left the cultivators of the heavens green with envy!

The ancestors of the Shengti lineage were partial, giving it only to their own descendant. What an opportunity—or rather, a heaven-defying fortune for Ye Chen.

But then again, Da Chu's tenth emperor had earned it. Without him risking his life to summon Di Huang from the underworld, the heavens would have already fallen to the Honghuang.

In this war, everyone in the heavens had contributed, but none more than Ye Chen.

Meanwhile, the Taotie clan gritted their teeth in fury. Their origin souls were incredibly precious, yet they were being used to nourish Ye Chen's yuan spirit. The rage was heart-wrenching.

But what could their anger do? Who dared to speak out, unless they had a death wish?

Di Huang ignored it all. After delivering the Honghuang Zuhun, he manifested a golden divine pattern of unknown origin, incredibly profound, and merged it into Ye Chen's yuan spirit as well.

"Emperor path forbidden curse." The Taotie clan emperor's face turned ashen upon seeing it.

"Di Huang, you're going too far!" A Taotie Zhundi roared in anger, his eyes bulging and veins of blood spreading, making his already red eyes even more bloodshot.

As a peak Zhundi, he knew exactly what that golden divine pattern was—a forbidden curse. With it in place, a single thought from Ye Chen could scatter their souls.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than he turned to ash, obliterated by Di Huang's palm.

Now, the entire Taotie clan collapsed to the ground. With the emperor path forbidden curse imposed, their emperor path inheritance was utterly defeated, with no chance of recovery.

"Emperor path forbidden curse—Di Huang, you're ruthless!" Jiuchen kept tsking in disbelief.

"The Dacheng Shengti is truly iron-blooded." The gods and generals all sighed, understanding Di Huang's intent. By fusing the Taotie clan's Honghuang Zuhun and the supreme emperor path forbidden curse into Ye Chen, he was keeping the Taotie in check. Any further rebellion, and a single thought would wipe them out.

"He's done what no emperor in history has." Huangquan Tianwang laughed.

The other four heavenly kings didn't refute him.

What kind of beings were the great emperors? How proud and lofty they were. Even knowing the Honghuang great clans were hateful, they had never stooped to target such ants, let alone use an emperor path forbidden curse to control them.

Yet Di Huang, the Dacheng Shengti, had done it. With his supreme status, he had used a fearsome forbidden curse on these ants, tarnishing his eternal reputation in the process.

Di Huang remained silent, his expression unchanging.

His actions indeed violated the dignity of a supreme being and might earn him eternal infamy, but he had done it anyway. From the moment he arrived in the heavens, he had prepared to bear the blame, even if it meant slaughtering ants or imposing an emperor path forbidden curse on them.

"Back then, Honglian must have been in this mindset." Xie Mo murmured. As a great emperor, she had wrought slaughter, nearly exterminating the entire Honghuang. How furious the ancient Honglian must have been.

Mo Yuan fell silent, his smile tinged with weariness. Honglian's life had been stained with too much blood.

"Di Huang, you've won—and won supremely."

The Taotie clan emperor laughed bitterly, his words laced with resentment. His hatred for the Shengti ran deep into his soul, and the shame of the Taotie clan would be etched into their bones forever.

"Xi Chen, open the domain gate." Di Huang said indifferently.

The son of the realm understood immediately and knew Di Huang's intention. He waved his hand, manifesting a towering gate that led straight to the Zhutian Lingyu.

He understood, and so did everyone else. This was to exile the Taotie clan to the Lingyu, forcing this self-proclaimed powerful race to guard the gate for the beings of the Zhutian Wandu.

Guarding the gate had its own implications.

Recalling the past, the Can Ye Mo Di had invaded the heavens from the Bingyu. Who could guarantee that the next heavenly demon invasion wouldn't come from another realm?

Di Huang was preparing for the worst, sending the Taotie clan to the Lingyu to hold the line.

If the heavenly demons ever attacked from the Lingyu, the Taotie clan would be the first to face them. After so many invasions where the Honghuang had never joined the fight, it was time they experienced the demons firsthand and contributed to the heavens' beings.

"This move by the Shengti is brilliant!" Bai Hu Huang stroked his chin, his eyes shining.

"They should have been dealt with like this long ago." Donghuang Tai Xin took a deep breath, her tone icy cold. Back in the Da Chu war, how fiercely they had fought, yet the Honghuang showed no gratitude and instead rampaged. Scum like them deserved to taste the horrors of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

"From what I can tell, the other Honghuang clans won't escape either."

"If I were in his place, I'd do the same. They keep using the heavens as a shield—it's not that easy. Time and again, and they still want to be shrinking turtles? Dream on."

"Failing to wipe out the entire Honghuang is already an act of mercy."

The cultivators of the heavens chimed in, their words firm and resolute. No one felt any pity. Remembering their fallen loved ones and the ruined lands, this treatment of the Honghuang was the height of mercy. Cause and effect always come full circle—what the Honghuang had sown, they were now reaping.