Chapter 2882: Sign of the Emperor

Chapter 2882: Omen of the Emperor

"It's the omen of the Emperor."

Gazing at that phenomenon, the two emperors' eyes both deepened with intensity; they could not be mistaken. The Emperor from ancient times, Xuanyuan from eons past, and every Human Realm Great Emperor they had seen—all without exception—had displayed this phenomenon before proving the Dao.

Thus, unless something unexpected happened, someone would become an emperor.

But if there were surprises, then it was hard to say.

In this era of imperial anomalies, anything could change.

Ye Chen was a bloody example of this. Before his second attempt at Great Accomplishment, he too had a phenomenon that no one else had ever seen, a sign of achieving Great Accomplishment.

Yet, Ye Chen had failed. He did not reach full Saint Body Great Accomplishment, all because of unforeseen events and variables—a cross-time-space kill that not only inflicted terrible wounds on him but also knocked him out of the gate of Great Accomplishment.

Now, though there was an omen of an emperor emerging, who could guarantee it wouldn’t end like Ye Chen’s? Any anomaly could occur; any variable could appear, such as that damned cross-time-space kill.

The two emperors’ expressions were not pleasant.

In the end, the order was still reversed.

If Ye Chen had achieved Great Accomplishment first, then the Human Realm could produce an emperor afterward, stabilizing the heavens’ defenses. But if someone proved the Dao first, the implications would be entirely different.

“I’m back, damn it, I’m finally back.”

“The heavens are still the best.”

“Damn it, how many years have passed?”

In the starry skies of the heavens, there were many shouts and cries, all from people returning from the chaotic flows. Due to differences in time flow, too many had aged, and too many shed tears.

The space-time chaos was disgustingly awful.

At Tian Xuan Men, Fu Ya had already integrated the events from before into his divine sense and informed the returned peak experts, including the Hong Huang clan’s rebellion, the descent of the eight emperors, and the deaths of Hong Chen Six Paths and their comrades in battle.

“Such things happened?”

Everyone who heard this—whether from Great Chu, Xuan Huang, or You Ming—collectively furrowed their brows. They had no idea that during the time they were trapped in the space-time chaos, the starry skies had undergone so many upheavals: the Hong Huang rebellion, countless heavens’ cultivators perishing; the descent of the five Heavenly Demons’ emperors, with Ming Jue dying in battle, Bai Zhi dying in battle, and Hong Chen Six Paths also falling, sacrificing the Black Robe Emperor in the process. Yet, because of that damned altar formation, the heavens suffered a devastating defeat. They should feel fortunate that the Ten Thousand Domains of the Heavens still existed, though the price of that existence was tragic.

“Who is it, exactly who?”

Ming Di narrowed his eyes slightly, scanning the entire heavens. Every time a group of would-be emperors was sent back, he examined them one by one, as if searching for something—what else but the person about to prove the Dao?

Even now, he still didn’t know who it was. A sovereign? A divine general? Or perhaps any peak quasi-emperor of the heavens, including those from Hong Huang—all were possible.

He was searching, and Dao Zu was searching too.

The two emperors scoured the Human Realm, even peering into the Five Great Forbidden Zones, the Tearless City hidden in the void, the Immortal Clan, the Ancient God Burial Ground, and the Tian Zun ruins.

Unfortunately, they still found nothing.

Boom!

A booming sound suddenly erupted, with an extraordinarily massive wave, like an eternal thunderbolt that shook the entire heavens. Except for Dao Zu and Ming Di, and those in the space-time chaos, everyone standing was unsteady on their feet.

In that instant, the two emperors who were scanning the Human Realm both rolled their eyes upward, their faces lifting slightly, as if they knew where the thunder originated. Precisely because they knew, their previously contemplative expressions slowly shifted into ones of utter bewilderment.

“The person about to prove the Dao is on the Taigu Road?”

Dao Zu seemed to mutter to himself, or perhaps he was asking Ming Di.

The thunderous sound came from the Taigu Road.

No wonder they hadn’t found anyone in the Human Realm. Now it was clear: that person wasn’t in the heavens at all, but a heavens’ native on the Taigu Road. Even if he became an emperor there, the heavens would still show the phenomenon, because as a native of the heavens, his body contained the Human Realm’s origin.

“Is it Di Huang or Hong Yan?”

Ming Di said instinctively.

“It’s definitely not them. The sign of a Saint Body proving the Dao is the phenomenon of the Eightfold Heavenly Dragon.”

“How do you know?”

Ming Di raised an eyebrow and glanced at Dao Zu.

“I’ve never seen a second lineage Saint Body prove the Dao, but I was fortunate to witness a first lineage Saint Body become an emperor. She once showed me that ancient scene.” Dao Zu spoke leisurely. “As fellow Archaic Saint Bodies, the colors of their emperor phenomena might differ, but the form must be the same. The sign of a second lineage Saint Body proving the Dao must also be the Eightfold Heavenly Dragon.”

Ming Di said nothing, knowing that the “she” Dao Zu referred to was the Ancient Heavenly Court’s Female Emperor. Since it was from her ancient scenes, it had to be true; he believed it unconditionally.

“It’s not Di Huang or Hong Yan.”

“Is there a third heavens’ native on the Taigu Road?”

“Two possibilities: first, a remnant from Emperor Zun’s million divine generals from back then; second, that person comes from the Taigu Hong Huang and went to the Taigu Road.”

“You’re thinking the same as I am.”

The two emperors exchanged words, figuring out the matter clearly, and both secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

It was good that the person about to become an emperor wasn’t in the heavens. This gave the Human Realm a chance to catch its breath, and the time in between would be precious. Once Ye Chen achieved Great Accomplishment and the heavens truly stabilized, then a new Great Emperor could emerge—this order would be perfect.

Boom! Rumbling!

As they spoke, the phenomenon of the emperor’s omen in the void had already dissipated, proving that the person on the Taigu Road had triggered the Emperor Tribulation. Only the thunderous sounds echoed, and whether he could prove the Dao depended on his fate. If he succeeded, it would be best, easing the pressure on Di Huang and Hong Yan.

The two emperors’ guess was correct: the one who triggered the Emperor Tribulation was indeed on the Taigu Road, and it wasn’t Di Huang or Hong Yan, but that headless heavens’ native.

Boom! Rumbling!

The Taigu Road was extraordinarily lively at that moment, filled with fleeing figures everywhere—Heavenly Demons, Calamity Demons, and first lineage Great Accomplishment Saint Bodies.

Naturally, that included Di Huang and Hong Yan.

It wasn’t their fault; it was because that headless person was darting all over. He wandered aimlessly without issue, but the terrifying part was that he carried the Emperor Tribulation’s thunder sea with him.

As before, he remained muddled and unclear of mind, yet he had a highly proactive subconscious: wherever there were more people, he headed there. Wherever he went, the Emperor Tribulation’s thunder sea followed.

“Damn it.”

A Heavenly Demon Emperor gritted his teeth, in the midst of a fierce battle, when that headless heavens’ native unwittingly triggered the Emperor Dao Divine Tribulation. It wasn’t an ordinary heavenly tribulation—who would dare face it head-on? Too many Heavenly Demons were struck dead, including one Heavenly Demon Emperor whose imperial body was shattered.

“Damn it.”

A Calamity Demon Emperor roared in anger. In the middle of fighting, it suddenly escalated like this. With so many people clustered together, how could you trigger the Emperor Tribulation so shamelessly?

“After the tribulation, I’ll kill you.”

The first lineage Great Accomplishment Saint Body’s face twisted ferociously. They could withstand ordinary tribulations, but the Emperor Tribulation was different. It wasn’t that they couldn’t move under it, but it was a taboo specific to their lineage. If they endured too much of the Emperor Dao Divine Tribulation, their bloodline limits would be destroyed, never to be awakened again.

In contrast, the second lineage had no such restrictions.

So, in many ways, the two Saint Body lineages had their strengths and weaknesses.

“What a pleasant surprise.”

Hong Yan gave a dry laugh, her evasion techniques heaven-defying yet still in disarray. Her sacred body was covered in lightning scars, all from the Emperor Tribulation. Every bloody gash was laced with the Emperor Dao’s thunder breath, which could erode her Saint Body’s origin and was extremely hard to heal. She didn’t dare face that kind of tribulation lightning directly.

Di Huang said nothing, but his expression was extremely awkward.

That headless person, their peculiar ally, was out of his mind and showed no favoritism—whoever he saw, he struck. The Heavenly Demons, Calamity Demons, and first lineage Great Accomplishment Saint Bodies suffered, and he and Hong Yan fared no better. They had been in the thick of the battle earlier.

That fool didn’t even give a warning before triggering the Emperor Tribulation, catching everyone off guard.

As for the headless person, well, without a head, no one knew his expression, but it was probably blank. He was a formidable force, wielding his pitch-black battle axe while carrying the Emperor Tribulation’s thunder sea, darting back and forth, always heading where the crowds were thickest.

From this, it was clear that in his prime, he must have been full of vitality, a real troublemaker. Even in his muddled state, he couldn’t resist causing chaos, his subconscious hiding a deeply restless heart.

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

Amid the rumbling, bursts of blood mist erupted.

The Heavenly Demons and their ilk were in a sorry state. The emperors could escape, and the Great Accomplishment Saint Bodies could flee, but the demon soldiers and generals below that level had no such luck.

In short, everywhere the headless person passed, aside from the emperors and Great Accomplishment Saint Bodies, hardly any living beings remained. Even the emperors and Great Accomplishment Saint Bodies didn’t dare face the Emperor Dao Divine Tribulation directly, let alone the lesser minions.

This wave was brilliantly executed.

In the distant sky, Di Huang and Hong Yan had stopped, and even the reserved Di Huang felt like saying as much. Ever since arriving on the Taigu Road and meeting the headless person, the three of them had basically been chased and beaten. But this time, the headless one stood out, finally holding his head high. So many emperors and Great Accomplishment Saint Bodies were forced to flee in all directions by him alone—that sight was incredibly satisfying.

Though they sighed, they still held some hope.

If the headless person could slaughter supremes without being an emperor, what would happen if he proved the Dao? He might even reconstruct his head, improving their situation.

The premise was that he survived the Emperor Tribulation.

Boom! Rumbling!

The Taigu Road was lively, and so was the starry skies of the heavens.

Because of that Emperor Tribulation, the entire starry sky was shaking. This commotion was more massive than any before, with endless rumbles like tolling funeral bells. Not just the juniors, but even the peak experts felt their hearts quiver, their souls trembling repeatedly.

“I have a bad premonition.”

Ren Wang murmured to himself, gazing into the vast expanse, but the heavens’ restrictions limited his vision to mere blurriness. The all-knowing one had become blind.

Figures like the sovereigns, divine generals, and Yan Luo had entered the starry skies, patrolling. Today’s rumbles were too unusual; an emperor might descend at any moment.

Looking out at the vast starry skies, the scene was somewhat chaotic. Due to the shaking, many stars were collapsing, and people walking along would suddenly topple over.

“I always feel something bad is about to happen.”

“With the starry skies this chaotic, how could there not be disasters?”

“Bullshit, can’t we have some peace?”

Shadows flitted through the starry skies, discussions rising and falling. In recent times, the heavens had become increasingly abnormal, and that sense of foreboding grew stronger.

“Don’t let the Taigu Road get destroyed.”

Ming Di muttered, though he couldn’t see the Taigu Road, he could imagine the scene. The Emperor Dao Divine Tribulation could annihilate heavens and earth, and that already fragmented Taigu Road would likely become even more shattered, possibly collapsing entirely.

If the Taigu Road was destroyed, the path to the Taigu Hong Huang would be cut off. Reconnecting or rebuilding it would be difficult—that kind of technical feat isn’t something emperors or heavenly emperors can accomplish; at least a quasi-wild emperor would be needed.