Chapter 2315: Suppressing the Primordial Wilderness

In the vast starry sky, a deathly silence enveloped everything, as all eyes gazed up at Tai Shang Tian.

Shen Nian Qiong Qi had been defeated, signaling the end of the showdown between the emperor and the Great Accomplishment Sacred Body. The emperor had lost, an outcome that, though anticipated, felt surreal to the world. It wasn't that the emperor lacked strength; it was simply that the Great Accomplishment Sacred Body was too terrifying. Di Huang's combat power even surpassed that of Qiong Qi the Emperor.

In the ethereal void, Shen Nian Qiong Qi finally came to a halt, quietly staring at Shen Nian Di Huang. Though merely a divine thought, his eyes were filled with an aura of majesty and ancient weariness. He was truly an emperor, gazing across the ages at the Great Accomplishment Sacred Body. Yet, he remained silent, never uttering a word from beginning to end, only slightly bowing his proud head. In this battle, he had been utterly defeated. Who could have imagined that in the later eras, the heavens would produce such a fearsome existence? Even in the same realm, no emperor could stand against it.

"Ah!" With a sigh, Shen Nian Qiong Qi dissipated. Whether it was the divine thought or its form, both crumbled away bit by bit amid apocalyptic radiance, vanishing into smoke.

In that instant, people across the heavens bowed in unison, paying respects to the departing emperor. Though there were grudges with the Qiong Qi clan, he was still an emperor, regardless of his deeds—once a divine figure who shook the universe.

Turning to the Qiong Qi clan, each member lowered their proud heads. With Shen Nian Qiong Qi defeated and Qiong Qi the Emperor fallen, their clan was defeated, stripped of all resolve. Their actions spoke volumes without words. To submit was to survive, at least preserving a lineage for the emperor; to resist was to perish, leaving nothing behind. They had all witnessed the iron-blooded and ruthless nature of the Great Accomplishment Sacred Body.

Shen Nian Di Huang also faded away, his soul returning to the true Di Huang. Once more, Di Huang ascended step by step into the void, employing the same heaven-defying secret techniques he had used on the Taotie clan. He applied them precisely to the Qiong Qi clan—seizing their Honghuang ancestral souls, implanting emperor-level curses to bind them.

Xi Chen coordinated seamlessly, once again opening the gateway to a domain. This time, it connected to Huo Yu, meaning the Qiong Qi clan would be exiled there. In the coming ages, the flaming realm of the heavens would become the territory they were tasked to guard.

As the Qiong Qi clan departed, their mindset mirrored that of the Taotie clan—eyes full of helplessness and sorrow. Even as they stepped into the passage, they couldn't help but glance back, knowing they could never return. No one pitied them, nor could they. If they had foreseen this sorrowful end, why commit such evils in the first place? Compared to the Qiong Qi's atrocities, the innocent lives they had claimed were the truly pitiable ones.

With the Qiong Qi clan gone, Di Huang turned and walked away, gradually disappearing into the distance. The cultivators of the heavens stood tall and followed in his wake, each manifesting clones to enter the Qiong Qi's ancestral land. They wouldn't overlook the treasures within. When it came to arguing and plundering, the heavens' cultivators never disappointed the supreme beings—they took everything they could, leaving nothing behind, even wishing to haul away the entire Honghuang demon soil.

On this day, the starry sky remained unrestful, filled with booming noises one after another. Di Huang was truly the boss, leading his followers to smash through everything in his path. For clans like the Qiong Qi that surrendered on the spot, he refrained from mass slaughter, merely seizing their Honghuang ancestral souls, implanting emperor-level curses, and exiling them to other domains to fend for themselves. But for those like the Jin Wu who resisted stubbornly, spouting lines about their emperor-level heritage and preferring death over surrender, he had only one response: submit and live, resist and die—no second words wasted.

The Great Accomplishment Sacred Body was that iron-blooded; he wouldn't tolerate any nonsense. The moment he heard "prefer death over surrender," he launched an attack, carrying out a cold-blooded massacre until the clan was wiped out. In this regard, Di Huang was quite accommodating—if they sought death, he would grant it. Thus, along his path, countless races had their lineages severed by his hand.

Naturally, most Honghuang clans were pragmatic, especially the Honghuang Scorpio clan, who didn't even wait for Di Huang to speak before preparing their Honghuang ancestral souls, cooperating enthusiastically.

Di Huang pressed on, seeking out Honghuang ancestral lands one by one. The people of the heavens followed closely, witnesses to this iron-blooded law, diligently playing their roles as subordinates. Their leader handled the destruction, while they managed the cleanup.

"From the looks of the Great Accomplishment Sacred Body, he won't stop until Honghuang is completely subdued." At the rear of the crowd, Huangquan Tianwang sighed with emotion. They were also witnesses, their hearts racing as they saw Honghuang clan after clan suppressed or exterminated.

"This will be a rather time-consuming task," Wangchuan Tianwang remarked leisurely.

No one refuted this. It was all because there were too many Honghuang clans, the universe was vast, and these clans were scattered everywhere. Even an emperor like Qiong Qi couldn't traverse the entire cosmos in a lifetime, let alone Di Huang. Truly suppressing all of Honghuang would require a long period.

"I'm wondering, once Ye Chen advances to Quasi-Emperor, who will be the next to become an emperor in the heavens," Mingtu Tianwang said, stroking his chin. "If it's from Honghuang, it would be awkward."

Upon hearing this, the other Tianwangs' expressions grew meaningful.

Speaking of Ye Chen, the five couldn't help but glance at Chu Xuan, and at the eternal lamp she held. Di Huang had seized Honghuang ancestral souls along the way and fused them into Ye Chen. His primordial spirit fire now burned fiercely again, and remolding his ancient sacred body was only a matter of time.

"Old dad, are you full yet?" Ye Ling blinked her big eyes and chuckled at the eternal lamp.

Ye Chen's primordial spirit fire flickered in response, but soon fell silent. The injuries from the Tongming Di Huang had been severe; without the Honghuang ancestral souls to nourish him, remolding his golden body would take at least several years.

The world watched with a mix of sighs and envy. It proved just how crucial it was to have a Great Accomplishment Sacred Body as an ancestor.

"Focus on remolding your sacred body—I'll take care of your siblings." Xiong Er wiggled his burly frame and squeezed over shamelessly, putting on a righteous air.

"And us too." Situ Nan, Xie Yun, Xiao Ling Wa, and the Dragon One to Dragon Five crew also crowded in, as if ready to take Chu Ling and the others home to look after them.

In response, Chu Xuan and the others were as direct as ever, knocking them down one by one.

The talents of the heavens were truly reliable—full of banter and laughter, all while stepping on these guys from the past. Their kicks were forceful, not stopping until they were flattened. Thus, the path of destruction was accompanied by waves of wails and howls.

Ahead, Di Huang suddenly stopped, gazing quietly at a certain region. The heavens' cultivators halted with him. Whenever Di Huang paused in a star domain, a Honghuang clan was hidden there, and they were sure to reap great rewards—the treasures in Honghuang ancestral lands were countless.

The Honghuang clan in this star domain was the Bi An clan. They were quite self-aware, dismantling their emperor-level barriers before Di Huang could act, and under their clan emperor's lead, the entire clan surrendered. Di Huang didn't resort to killing; he seized their Honghuang ancestral souls and implanted the emperor-level curses. The rest was left to the son of the domain, who opened the domain gate and sent the Bi An clan away. The whole process went smoothly, without any chaos or bloodshed.

In the following days, Di Huang continued his journey, stopping and starting, unearthing Honghuang clans wherever he went. Each one was precisely located—some exterminated, others suppressed, showing no mercy to emperor-level pretenses. He killed along the way and suppressed along the way, but the road ahead remained long. As the five great Tianwangs had said, there were too many Honghuang races, scattered across the universe's corners. Tracking them all down was indeed a time-consuming endeavor.

Fortunately, Di Huang already knew the exact locations of the Honghuang ancestral lands. During his years in the Ming Realm, he had studied such matters, waiting for his return to deal with the Honghuang clans. His actions perfectly illustrated the saying: sharpening the axe won't delay the woodcutting. Precisely because he knew the positions, this seemingly arduous task was easier than expected. No matter how well the Honghuang clans hid, they couldn't escape his pursuit.

The expressions of the five great Tianwangs grew more serious—Di Huang wasn't just a fighter; he was thorough. His time in the Ming Realm hadn't been wasted. At this rate, he would suppress all the major Honghuang clans single-handedly—it was only a matter of time.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

Such sounds echoed occasionally, not from battles, but whenever they occurred, a Honghuang clan suffered. Those who preferred death over surrender were slaughtered; those who submitted peacefully were spared. Di Huang still harbored a trace of mercy, much like past emperors, hoping to preserve Honghuang's strength for the heavens. After all, their common enemy was the heavenly demons.

On the ninth day, the Kui Ba clan was found and the entire clan exiled. That very day, after fusing more Honghuang ancestral souls, Ye Chen condensed an illusory primordial spirit, nearly transparent and swaying with the star winds. Full recovery would still take some time.

"Thank you for the gift, senior." The later-era sacred body respectfully bowed to his sacred body predecessor.

Di Huang smiled warmly and continued his expedition.

"After swallowing the Honghuang ancestral souls, how does it feel?" Chu Ling blinked her beautiful eyes.

"It feels... strange." Ye Chen drifted along, uttering those words. He had heard of ancestral souls before—they existed only in Honghuang clans, born in eras close to the dawn of chaos. The spiritual energy of that time was the purest essence of heaven and earth, and the souls it formed were the most primordial. Only after truly fusing with a Honghuang ancestral soul did he understand its profundity. He sensed a mysterious power in his primordial spirit, which he called the chaos origin—it aligned perfectly with his dao.

"Your innate primordial spirit is very strong." Ji Ning Shuang smiled lightly, clearly perceiving the new power in Ye Chen's primordial spirit, lurking deep within. Once unleashed, it would astonish the heavens and move the ghosts, for the ancestral soul's power was too ancient and formidable.

"The sacred body has risen." The women smiled radiantly, tears still lingering in their eyes.

Ye Chen chuckled, focusing on examining his soul. His primordial spirit power was now far more refined than before, and advancing to Quasi-Emperor was incomparable to the Great Saint peak.

"Kid, you need to be careful from now on." Dragon One limped over, clutching his old waist.

"What do you mean?" Ye Chen looked up, puzzled.

"Di Huang fused the emperor-level curse into your primordial spirit." Dragon Five explained leisurely, "It's an extremely terrifying curse. With a single thought from you, those Honghuang people branded with it will instantly disintegrate. Of course, if you die, they won't survive either."

"To put it bluntly, the lives of the exiled Honghuang clans are in your hands." Bei Sheng laughed, "Your ancestor used this method to bind Honghuang."

Ye Chen raised an eyebrow and quickly examined his inner primordial spirit, but he couldn't find the emperor-level curse.

"The curse only manifests if the Honghuang clans rebel." From the end of the void, Di Huang's voice echoed, along with an explanation of the curse's intricacies.

The sacred body predecessor was indeed thoughtful. Ye Chen understood clearly, straightening his back. With this emperor-level curse, he felt his status had instantly elevated several levels. His death might not matter, but the Honghuang clans would follow—this honor of holding their lives was unique to him.

On the tenth day, the Jin Ni clan was located and surrendered unconditionally.

On the eleventh day, the Gui Ken clan was unearthed, attempted to flee, and was slaughtered by Di Huang, with over half exterminated.

On the nineteenth day, the Suanni clan's ancestral land appeared and was forcefully suppressed.

On the twenty-sixth day, the Kun Peng clan was found, chose death over surrender, and the entire clan met their ancestors.

On the thirty-fourth day, the Xue Qiao clan's ancestral land collapsed.

On the forty-ninth day, the Qiu Yu clan was exterminated, their emperor-level lineage severed.

On the fifty-eighth day, the Lu Tian clan's ancestral land exploded, and the entire clan was exiled to Lei Yu.

The Great Accomplishment Sacred Body was ice-cold and iron-blooded, suppressing clan after clan along his path. No one knew how many were exiled or how many were wiped out, with blood staining the starry sky.

The heavens' cultivators were all present, silent observers of the war. Each suppressed clan led to an endless sweep of treasures—items once plundered by Honghuang, now returned to their rightful owners.

This bloody suppression lasted for three full months. It wasn't until the fourth month that it truly concluded. For all the major Honghuang clans, those not exterminated were without exception suppressed—their Honghuang ancestral souls seized, emperor-level curses implanted, and each exiled to other domains.

This day was worth commemorating. The first batch of beings in the world, who had plagued the heavens for millions of years, were finally iron-blooded suppressed. The massive mountain weighing on people's heads was toppled, and the world's light grew even brighter. Di Huang, the Great Accomplishment Sacred Body, accomplished what no emperor before him had. Though the process was bloody, it was highly effective. Like the Honglian Empress, he would bear a lifelong infamy.

"The starry sky is free of Honghuang at last." The people of the heavens laughed with a touch of melancholy, finding it almost unreal.

"Without massive wars, we can finally rest and recover." The older generations pulled out their wine flasks, their faces weary. With Honghuang suppressed and unable to cause chaos, all living beings could breathe easy. With a Great Accomplishment Sacred Body guarding the heavens, even if the heavenly demons came, there was no fear.

"We should count ourselves lucky." The Honghuang clans aligned with the heavens, such as the Honghuang Qilin and the Seven-Colored Peacock clan, breathed a huge sigh of relief. Otherwise, they might have faced exile, or worse, extermination by Di Huang. This proved just how crucial it was to choose the right side—fortune turns like a wheel, and the heavens had held on until now.

"I have a feeling that a golden age is approaching." Chi Yang Zi spoke meaningfully.

He wasn't alone—many shared this sense, especially the peak Quasi-Emperors, who felt the emperor path's suppression most acutely. Since Ye Chen had sealed his Quasi-Emperor position, the suppression had weakened significantly. In other words, in some future year, a new emperor might emerge in the heavens. Everyone present could be that person, and Honghuang was no exception.

"It's over." The five great Tianwangs laughed and turned back toward Xuanhuang. Di Huang had suppressed along the way, and they had followed. With Honghuang subdued and Di Huang overseeing the heavens, an unprecedented peace had arrived—that was a figure more fearsome than any emperor.

"It's over." On Jieming Mountain, Ming Di took a deep breath. Then, he pulled out his treasured edition. No longer needing to worry about the heavens, he could finally study his treasured edition in peace, especially since Di Huang wasn't around.