Chapter 2470: The End of the Calamity

Buzz! Buzz!

In the vast expanse above, two beams of immortal light appeared, streaking across the immense starry sky toward the Da Chu Zhu Tian Gate. Upon closer inspection, they were not immortal light at all, but two figures shrouded in chaos.

They were, of course, Hong Chen and Liu Dao.

Ye Chen had undergone his tribulation, and they had been separated by Di Huang's divine thought, sealed once more, and sent back to Da Chu. These two chaotic figures were not particularly fearsome on their own, but if they merged with Ye Chen, they would become terrifying, possessing the power to rival a great emperor.

Boom! Rumbling!

The Da Chu emperors had faced their tribulations, and the Xuan Huang Bei Sheng had been destroyed, yet the starry skies of Zhu Tian remained unrestful, as if a great battle was still raging. The thunderous booms that shook the celestial dome could be heard, though their source was nowhere to be found.

Everyone knew, however, that the booms came from the spatial black hole.

Indeed, two divine thoughts were still in pursuit of the Zhu Xian Jian.

After abandoning Ye Chen, it had been fleeing relentlessly. Its sword body was now covered in cracks, and its vibrant seven-colored immortal glow had dimmed significantly. It dared not turn and fight, only escaping for its life.

Kill! Kill!

The cultivators of Zhu Tian were filled with righteous fury, shouting hysterically. Whether elders or juniors, they all followed the path of the roaring sounds. Had it not been for the Zhu Xian Jian, Zhu Tian would never have suffered such a calamity, with countless deaths and the mortal world stained in blood.

Kill! Kill!

The people of the Jiu Li Clan had also rushed from Xuan Huang, but they arrived too late.

Their goddess had already perished in the starry sky, and they had not even caught a final glimpse of her. Tears of blood streamed down their faces, and their killing intent toward the Zhu Xian Jian had seeped deep into their souls.

In the black hole, the Zhu Xian Jian streaked like a beam of seven-colored immortal light, while the two divine thoughts chased like twin golden divine rays, adding three brilliant hues to the endless darkness.

"Faster, even faster."

Di Huang's divine thought had eyes like blazing torches, its radiant body overflowing with golden light. Its essence was burning, and its entire form was enveloped in golden flames, pushing its speed and power to the absolute limit.

Hong Yan's divine thought was the same, with all seals fully activated. Nine ancient sacred patterns were etched on its brow, and in this near-transcendent state, it burst with the most dazzling brilliance, like a golden firework.

Alas, they were not the true originals.

Even if the true Di Huang and Hong Yan had come, they would struggle to capture that seven-colored immortal sword. It was not that they could not defeat it, but that they could not catch it—its escape techniques were unmatched in the world.

During the chase, their momentum continued to wane.

Divine thoughts had a time limit, and once they reached a certain threshold, they would dissipate into the void, beyond even the gods' power to stop. That was why the two were so desperate, sparing no cost to boost their speed, aiming to destroy the Zhu Xian Jian at all costs—or at least severely wound it.

Zheng!

The Zhu Xian Jian vibrated intensely, choosing only to flee and not to fight. It knew these were mere divine thoughts, and only a fool would engage. It just needed to endure until the time limit, and the two divine thoughts would vanish on their own.

This pursuit spanned an unknown distance, crossing countless expanses of darkness.

Ah!

At some point, sighs echoed from the depths of the black hole, from the two divine thoughts.

Their end was near. The ancient sacred bodies trembled in unison, transforming into immortal swords as they sacrificed everything in their final moment, exchanging it for one last strike.

Bang! Clang!

Their attacks struck true without fail, sending the Zhu Xian Jian flying sideways. More cracks appeared on its blade, and it nearly shattered on the spot. Yet, in the end, it did not break.

With that, the two divine thoughts dissipated, both carrying a trace of reluctance.

Zheng! Zheng!

In the desolate black hole, only the Zhu Xian Jian remained, ringing out.

It seemed angry, yet also wildly arrogant, as if laughing maniacally without restraint. It had failed, true, but it was still alive, and to be alive was hope. It could still bring forth another calamity. With no divine thoughts to guard Zhu Tian, once its power recovered, no one in the heavens could stop it.

In the darkness, it vanished once more.

Whenever this happened, the eyes of the Ming Di and Dao Zu would glow with imperial light, seeking the Zhu Xian Jian's trail, but they found nothing each time. It was not that their supreme vision was lacking; it was that the sword's evasion techniques were too profound. If not for that, how could Di Huang and Hong Yan have failed to catch it? It truly knew how to hide.

The Zhu Xian Jian's escape was no small matter—Zhu Tian would never know peace again.

With the divine thoughts destroyed, the starry skies of Zhu Tian finally fell silent.

The peak quasi-emperors all wore grim expressions, aware that the Zhu Xian Jian still lived. Even the true originals could not take it down, let alone divine thoughts. It would not be long before it caused chaos once more.

"Xue Er, Father will take you home."

The tranquility of the starry sky was broken by a hoarse voice.

It was the Jiu Li Clan's holy lord, the father of Bei Sheng.

Though in his prime, the Jiu Li holy lord's back was hunched, his face aged, and his steps unsteady. In that hoarse call of "Xue Er," full of a father's love, he carried the shattered emperor sword that was Bei Sheng's only remnant, slowly walking away.

"Senior." Chu Xuan and the others stepped forward.

"Enough, enough." The Jiu Li holy lord gave a bitter laugh, ignoring everyone and blaming no one. He only blamed himself for having such a devoted daughter.

Ah!

The peak quasi-emperors sighed, shaking their heads helplessly as they turned away. What a fine girl, gone in an instant. That scoundrel Ye Chen had let another one down.

"Xuan Huang no longer has Bei Sheng."

Zhong Huang, Nan Di, and Xi Zun sighed as they left. Even the usually lively ones like the Little Ape Emperor and Kui Niu were downcast, not inquiring about their fathers' matters.

Girls like Xiao Jiu Xian and the Ling Clan goddess were still wiping away tears, their eyes blurred with sorrow. It was heartbreak and admiration for their good sister, whom they had watched perish.

"What is love in this world?" The emperors of Zhu Tian sighed as they went their separate ways.

The five heavenly kings of the forbidden zone also departed in silence, with the five young emperors following quietly, their sorrow unmistakable. A pure-world immortal king had ultimately been unable to escape the vast workings of heaven and earth.

The vast starry sky, once crowded with figures, gradually emptied.

Each person left with a sigh, having witnessed a world-shaking battle and a tragic romance. A devoted woman had sacrificed her life for her beloved.

In that stretch of starry sky, only Chu Xuan and the others remained, their eyes full of tears.

Bei Sheng had perished, and Ye Chen was undergoing his tribulation. After one calamity, another might follow. Perhaps that man named Ye Chen would also fall in his ordeal.

They too departed, clutching Ye Chen's robes, their figures lonely and expressions mournful. Even the usually playful Ye Ling had tears streaming down her small face.

In the shattered starry sky, no figures lingered, only stardust drifting, accompanied by an ancient funeral melody, carrying an age-old romance toward the far end of the stars.

In the years that followed, anyone passing through this starry sky would often think of that devoted woman in her vibrant red bridal gown, buried with her lifetime of love.

How regrettable for Ye Chen, who never opened his eyes, never knew who had dispelled his inner demons, and never realized that a tender woman had sacrificed her worldly beauty for him.

This sudden calamity finally ended in scars. Zhu Tian suffered heavy losses, and so did the forbidden zones. A certain foundation of the Ming Tu was nearly depleted.

Beyond that, two divine thoughts that could rival early-stage heavenly demon great emperors had been used on Ye Chen. In a way, Zhu Tian had lost two emperors.

The devastation of this calamity was beyond words.

In the aftermath, the peaceful Zhu Tian saw some rejoice and others grieve.

The Jiu Li Clan was shrouded in sorrow, the entire clan weeping.

The Hong Huang Clan, however, was ecstatic, celebrating as one.

It was not surprising—they knew this calamity, and Ye Chen's tribulation, had lifted the Di Dao Jin Zu. They had also deduced that Di Huang and Hong Yan were not in Zhu Tian, and with their divine thoughts destroyed, there was no longer any deterrence against the Hong Huang Clan.

Without deterrence, how could they be content to remain in their domains? They would surely launch an assault on Zhu Tian. At present, the Hong Huang Clan's overall strength still surpassed that of Zhu Tian.

All of this was thanks to the Zhu Xian Jian.

It was the one that had broken the Hong Huang's Di Dao Jin Zu. One could say that as long as it could stir chaos in Zhu Tian, it would stop at nothing. The more disorder, the better—it only increased its chances of achieving its goals. Having failed time and again, its malicious intent had grown even thicker.

The night on Yu Nu Peak was peaceful and serene.

In that quiet bamboo grove, another grave had been added, for Bei Sheng—a cenotaph. The tombstone bore her name.

Chu Xuan and the others were all there, standing in two neat rows before the grave, offering a deep bow. It was this woman who had accomplished a great feat, saving their husband.

"Dad, why couldn't you be a little more of a playboy?" Little Ye Ling squatted in front of Bei Sheng's tombstone, inserting sticks of incense into the burner, as if paying respects to her mother.

The little girl's tone carried a hint of resentment. Knowing Bei Sheng's feelings, he had still created this tragedy. To the end, he had not even opened his eyes to look at her, leaving her with eternal regret.

Chu Xuan and the others fell silent. They understood their husband well.

He was a man cursed by heaven, his life forever shadowed by calamities. It was not that he was heartless; it was heaven's curse that was merciless. Anyone connected to him was doomed to an ill fate, marking him as one fated for solitude. Yet, in both past and present lives, he had never let down any of them.

Ah!

Ming Di sighed, gazing at the grave as he slowly clasped his hands.

This time, it was all thanks to Ye Chen's tribulation; otherwise, he would have dragged Ye Chen over and demanded: "You little brat, do all your wives have to die once for you?"

The night grew deeper, and the women quietly turned away.

Under that old tree, the wives of Da Chu's tenth emperor all gazed silently into the distance, wondering where their husband was in his tribulation and whether he would return safely.

Ji Ning Shuang was there too, sitting quietly, her eyes vacant and her expression wooden, like an ice sculpture or a puppet. No trace of human emotion could be found on her face.

Someone had once played the Jiu You Xian Qu for her, but it was futile.

As Xiao Jiu Xian had said, the backlash of the dream path was no ordinary thing—it required a loved one to play the music, and their feelings must be mutual. In all of Zhu Tian, only Ye Chen could do it, and it had to be him.

Unfortunately, Ye Chen was lost in his tribulation, and no one knew how many years it would take. If he failed and perished, Zhu Tian would lose far more than just a young emperor.

"Ninth Mother, Ling Er will make you look beautiful and wait for Dad to come back."

Ye Ling murmured softly, holding a comb and gently brushing Ji Ning Shuang's hair. Her ninth mother had suffered the dream path's backlash and now wandered in a daze.

Ah!

On the opposite peak, Long Di's remnant soul let out a sigh.

Of Zhu Tian's two young emperors, one was in tribulation, and the other in a stupor. No one knew if she would ever awaken, or if he would return alive.

This era was truly full of surprises.