Chapter 2904: The Dream, It Turns Out to Be a Dream

The great catastrophe of Zhutian had finally concluded.

Shadows blanketed the starry sky. On every battlefield soaked in blood, figures moved among waves of wailing cries, all stained crimson as they searched for the remains of their loved ones.

That was the true funeral dirge.

"Boss, we won."

In a desolate star domain, Xiao Yuanhuang stumbled along with Kui Niu on his back. In the past, during major battles, Kui Niu had always been the one pulling him, but now their roles were reversed.

Looking at Kui Niu, there was no sign of life; he had perished, his primordial spirit extinguished by a demon lord.

"Zhutian has produced an emperor, and it's our sister-in-law."

Tears welled up in Xiao Yuanhuang's eyes as he murmured to himself, or perhaps to Kui Niu, but there was no response. Of the seven brothers, Kui Niu had fallen in battle, and Ye Chen had also perished, leaving only him alive.

Such scenes were prevalent throughout the starry sky.

One could see Chen Yi carrying a blood-stained plain qin that belonged to Di Jiuxian; Yao Xin holding the bloodied robes of Xuanyuan Dizi; Nan Di cradling the lifeless body of Zhuque, who had already drawn her last breath.

The entire starry sky presented a picture of devastation.

Ji Ningshuang, the female emperor, was one of them. She had lost her husband and her child, wandering aimlessly like a soulless shell.

Even a female emperor was still a person, a wife, and a mother.

A star wind blew, and she finally collapsed.

"Ninth Mother."

Ye Ling rushed over and supported her. Seeing the blood-soaked clothes and armor in her arms, Ye Ling wept bitterly.

Ji Ningshuang had fallen into a deep sleep, whether from her wounds or sheer exhaustion, she lay in Ye Ling's embrace.

"Ling'er will take you all home."

With tears streaming down her face, Ye Ling hoisted Ji Ningshuang onto her back and walked unsteadily into the distance.

The wailing cries did not cease.

It wasn't until three months later that they gradually faded away.

The bones on the battlefields had largely been claimed. For the forces, sects, and races that had been annihilated, others had buried them, ensuring they found peace in the earth.

Light bathed the human realm, but blood-red mists still shrouded Zhutian. The once magnificent mountains and rivers were nearly destroyed, with ruins everywhere.

Yet, no one had the strength to rebuild.

In this war, from the newly proven emperors to the qi-condensing novices, everyone was utterly exhausted and gravely wounded.

The new era required Zhutian to recuperate and recover.

For the first time, the starry sky became eerily silent, devoid of any figures—some in seclusion, others healing. The quiet was so oppressive that even the two emperors of heaven and underworld felt stifled.

The nights in Da Chu were also tranquil.

Northern Chu was in utter disarray, and Southern Chu was scarred beyond recognition. Not a single ancient city or mountain remained intact; even the great rivers and mighty Jiang had been dyed red with blood.

Zhutian's battles had been brutal, and Da Chu was no exception. From the elder generations like the kings to the younger ones like Ye Chen, over ninety percent had perished.

This catastrophe had claimed two generations in Da Chu.

This catastrophe had claimed two generations in Zhutian.

Jade Maiden Peak was cold and deserted.

Ji Ningshuang lay quietly on a bed of clouds, sleeping peacefully. Her hair was still snow-white, and tear stains lingered at the corners of her eyes, etched with grief and pain.

By her side, many everlasting lamps hung, each with a faint flame—the primordial spirit fires of Nanming Yushu and Xiyan and the others.

Fortunately, Ye Chen's wives were still alive, at least their primordial spirit fires remained. Reforming their bodies was only a matter of time.

Beneath the old tree, Ye Ling leaned against the trunk, sleeping heavily, her body wracked with fatigue. Even in her dreams, tears continued to flow uncontrollably.

Her father had died in battle, her brother had sacrificed himself, and her mothers were either in deep sleep or reduced to primordial spirit fires. After all these years, she felt true solitude for the first time. The warm night breeze made her instinctively curl up.

"Ling'er, Ling'er."

In the haze, a gentle and soft voice called, as if afraid to wake her from her dream.

"Old dad."

Ye Ling suddenly opened her eyes and sprang up. But when she saw what was before her, the light in her eyes quickly dimmed.

It was a dream, after all, just a dream.

A breeze carried a faint fragrance of a woman.

A graceful figure ascended Jade Maiden Peak, bathed in moonlight, pure and ethereal, like a dream.

Ye Ling instinctively turned her head.

It was Yan Fei, the wife of Chen Huang.

However, her eyes were closed, and she moved with graceful steps, as if sleepwalking, somehow wandering to Jade Maiden Peak. Her face was haggard, with tears at the corners of her eyes that the wind could not dry.

In this war, she too had lost her closest one.

Seeing her, Ye Ling felt a momentary daze.

For a brief instant, she seemed to see her father's shadow in Yan Fei.

Not far away, Yan Fei did not stop, truly like someone in a dream, wandering with elegant steps.

"Imperial consort?"

Ye Ling caught up and called softly.

Yan Fei's body trembled lightly, and she finally awoke. She opened her eyes for a moment, her expression blank, her eyes hollow. Only then did clarity return.

Glancing around, she realized she was at Jade Maiden Peak. Seeing Ye Ling, Ji Ningshuang, and the dozen or so everlasting lamps, she said,

"Everything will be all right."

Yan Fei smiled gently, lightly stroking Ye Ling's head, her smile warm but forced. Having lost her dearest one as well, she was still comforting the young girl.

Ye Ling nodded, her eyes welling with tears again.

Yan Fei left, arriving as lightly as a breeze and departing just as quietly. Before going, she glanced back at the sleeping Ji Ningshuang.

The younger generation holds promise.

She was the youngest great emperor of Zhutian, the most astonishing female emperor. May she awaken soon.

A dream was ultimately an illusion.

Behind her, Ye Ling wiped away her tears, regaining her strength, and once again approached her mothers, using her primordial spirit power to nourish their primordial spirit fires.

She had been doing this for the past three months.

As for Ji Ningshuang, being an emperor, the wounds on her imperial body had long since healed completely.

Yet, she still had not awakened.

Or perhaps, she was deceiving herself, lost in the dream world, afraid to open her eyes to face reality. In her dreams, she had her husband and child, but upon waking, only two empty graves remained.

It was not until the fourth month that people began to emerge one by one.

Then, towering tombstones were erected in many parts of the starry sky to honor the fallen heroes.

In the fifth month, more people came out to rebuild their homelands.

Zhutian had produced an emperor, ushering in a new era. It was supposed to be a golden age, but it turned out to be merely the lingering glow of glory. This period of recuperation would take at least a thousand years for Zhutian to fully recover.

The morning sunlight was warm.

Before dawn fully broke, people from Hengyue Sect emerged from the mountains, intent on rebuilding their former sect. Da Chu was nearly in ruins, and Hengyue Sect was no different—no intact peaks remained, and too many palaces had collapsed.

Looking up, so many familiar faces were missing: Nie Feng, Huo Teng, Shi Yan, Wang Lin, Long Yi, Long Wu, Long Ye, and that money-grubbing Bear Er.

Each one, as they passed Jade Maiden Peak, showed reverence and bowed respectfully.

This small Jade Maiden Peak housed a supreme emperor and also buried a war god.

The once tranquil Da Chu gradually regained some vitality.

Like Hengyue Sect, forces such as Zhengyang Sect and Qingyun Sect in Da Chu were rebuilding their homelands.

Looking up, many were still missing.

The night remained peaceful.

Jade Maiden Peak was still desolate.

Accompanied by a gentle breeze, Ji Ningshuang's imperial body trembled lightly, and she finally awoke. All dreams must end.

Six months after the war, she rose to her feet.

In that instant, the dozen or so floating everlasting lamps flickered. Though they were primordial spirit fires, they seemed to possess awareness, perhaps stirred by excitement or sorrow.

Ji Ningshuang had lost her husband and child, and so had they. They were family.

Ji Ningshuang forced a smile, tears still in her eyes, and gently waved her hand, scattering waves of primordial spirit power to nourish their fires.

Once done, she went to the old tree.

Ye Ling nestled there, curled up, murmuring about her father and Ye Fan in her sleep.

Ji Ningshuang reached out, stroking her cheek. Ye Chen's daughter was also her daughter.

As the night deepened, she stood up and headed to the small bamboo grove to pay respects to Ye Chen and Ye Fan.

Before the two modest graves, the female emperor's tears were crystalline, and she clung to the tombstones, crying until she could barely speak.

It was unclear when she left.

The female emperor's silhouette was bleak, weathered, and sorrowful.

When she reappeared, it was at Tianxuan Gate.

Tianxuan Gate was now cold and empty.

The irreverent old folks of the past were nowhere to be seen, only the son of the plane remained, white-haired and aged, sitting silently under an old tree, lost in thought.

How tragic this catastrophe was—friend after friend had become dust in history.

That day, if he had not been patrolling the realms, he might have been another among the fallen emperors, perhaps joining those old quasi-emperors in pulling the great emperor into the underworld.

"Take care."

From afar, Xi Chen managed a weary smile, blood still trickling from his lips. Though he had not become an emperor, his injuries were severe; he had fought on the battlefield and clashed with the heavenly demons.

Ji Ningshuang said nothing, walking lightly past him. A strand of imperial light entered Xi Chen's body, healing his wounds and dispelling the killing intent within.

Da Chu was desolate, and Tianxuan Gate even more so.

As she walked, she saw few people; those present were mostly juniors, and many were below the Great Saint level.

Da Chu had truly lost two generations.

Passing the stone monument hung with primordial spirit jade plaques, she paused for a moment. Over ninety percent of the plaques had lost their light, a shocking sight.

Bathed in moonlight, she entered the Lingxiao Hall.

Inside, Ruoxi, Chu Xuan, and Chu Ling were there, all suspended in the air, deep in slumber. One had a pale face, the other two had tears at their eyes, their expressions full of pain.

She felt guilty toward them. Emperors were not all-powerful; she had failed to save their Ye Chen.

At her arrival, Chu Xuan and Chu Ling cried even harder.

But they could not awaken, only weeping subconsciously in their dreams, grieving for their love and for Ye Chen.

Ji Ningshuang raised her hand, gently placing it on Ruoxi, channeling imperial divine power to repair her damaged foundation. Only then did Ruoxi's cheeks gain a touch of color.

The stronger one became, the more one realized the terror of this world.

Like her, like this emperor, she had once stood before Ruoxi without feeling anything, but now she felt immense pressure. It was an ancient oppression surpassing even emperors. If the true ancient Heavenly Court female emperor still existed, no emperor could outshine her glory.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

The Lingxiao Treasure Hall trembled slightly, its meaning unclear—perhaps contentment, perhaps awe—as if it had found a shadow of the ancient female emperor in Ji Ningshuang.

They were both so extraordinary. If given enough time, she might become a second ancient Heavenly Court female emperor.

Ji Ningshuang left, walking through the skies of Da Chu.

In the night, shadows moved, busy rebuilding their homelands. Seeing her, they all bowed respectfully.

They were fortunate—to have survived and to witness the birth of a new emperor. They would be the seeds of this new era, carrying on for future generations.

Passing the walls of Southern Chu, Ji Ningshuang paused.

From the bloodstained rubble, she found a trace of a residual soul belonging to the demon king Kui Yujiang.

The nine kings of Da Chu had fallen, and the successive kings had also perished in battle against the heavenly demons, including Kui Yujiang.

However, as a star cloud, he had left behind a fragment of his soul.

Ji Ningshuang waved her sleeve, channeling imperial divine power into an everlasting lamp, placing Kui Yujiang's residual soul inside and igniting its soul fire, sending it back to the demon domain.

In time, this soul fire would become a primordial spirit fire, and revival would be only a matter of time.

Kui Yujiang was not the only lucky one; there was also Xu Nuoyan, the holy maiden of the Qixi Palace.

If the Qixi holy maiden were here, she would surely call him Ji Wuchen—the one who, back in Alchemy City, had disguised herself as a man and captivated a woman's soul, enduring a great cycle of reincarnation, yet she still remembered that name.

Again, it was an everlasting lamp that housed the soul of the Qixi holy maiden, which the female emperor sent back to Qixi Palace with a wave.

That night, her imperial divine sense enveloped all of Da Chu, searching for any remaining souls.

Unfortunately, there were no more lucky ones.

So many had died; only Kui Yujiang and Xu Nuoyan could truly be revived. As for the other heroic souls, they had become dust in history, never to return.

Passing by Luoshen Abyss, the female emperor suddenly stopped.

From within, a graceful figure emerged step by step, bathed in moonlight, dreamlike and illusory.

It was Yan Fei again, sleepwalking like a night ghost, drifting unpredictably, sometimes fading, sometimes solidifying.

Looking at her, Ji Ningshuang felt a momentary daze, as if seeing Ye Chen's shadow in Yan Fei.

Like Ye Ling, she smiled self-mockingly. Was it self-deception, or did she miss Ye Chen too much?

Facing the night wind, Yan Fei drifted farther away.

Ji Ningshuang watched her go.

Both cultivated the Dao of dreams, but Chen Huang's imperial consort walked a different path. In comprehending the Dao of dreams, that senior was even superior to her.

After all, Ji Ningshuang only practiced it alongside other paths.

While Yan Fei specialized in it.

Even as an emperor, Ji Ningshuang could not make up the difference.

She turned and entered the chaotic flow of time and space, where many old quasi-emperors remained trapped.

"Wow, a great emperor?"

Soon, cries of surprise rang out as veteran figures flew by, stunned and wide-eyed. They recognized it was Ji Ningshuang and sensed the aura of an emperor.

"How did she become an emperor?"

"Did we miss the main event?"

"What happened?"

Exclamations of shock echoed endlessly. The old quasi-emperors were astounded, their gazes on Ji Ningshuang more dramatic than imagined, full of questions.

They had still been pondering how to prove their Dao.

Now, looking at her, forget about it—her imperial Dao imprint had replaced the emperor's, suppressing it harshly. Proving the Dao now would be impossible.

Ji Ningshuang said nothing, standing gracefully in the chaotic flow, unaffected by it.

She did not respond to the quasi-emperors' words, only waving her hand lightly to send each old quasi-emperor out of the flow. Though there were many, their numbers were limited—only a few hundred, and none at the peak quasi-emperor level.

Leaving the chaotic flow and returning to their homeland, the old quasi-emperors saw the devastated Zhutian.

Soon, wailing cries echoed through the starry sky. They had likely been told what happened. In the time they were absent, a great catastrophe had befallen the human realm, claiming countless lives.

PS: "Shen Gui World: My Gatling Gun is an SSS-Grade Divine Skill"

"Shen Gui World: Demons, Ghosts, and Monsters Are All My Divine Pets"

I recommend these two books to everyone. They are excellent fantasy novels with very original themes, so please show your support.