Chapter 3184: Divine Judgment

Boom! Rumble!

In the Shenjie starfield, thunder roared continuously. Although the great battle had ended, the terrifying aura of the Tai Shang still lingered.

At the edge of the universe, two black Shenbei stood tall, one on each side, like ancient symbols reaching into the sky. They were drenched in blood, the stain of eternity clinging to them. Ye Chen and Zhao Yun, nailed to them, were like two blood-soaked myths, their former glory utterly extinguished.

Ah!

The supreme gods sighed, unable to bear the sight. These two juniors had astounded the ages, yet met such a fate. It wasn't that they lacked strength; it was that the Tai Shang was too terrifying. Losing to the former heavenly dao was no disgrace.

Ah!

The gods of the world also sighed, gathering in vast numbers, filling the surrounding starfields. Gazing from afar, one couldn't help but feel pity. These two eternals had been incredibly dominant, slaying countless gods and forcing many supreme beings to flee to the edges of the universe. They had decimated four of the five forbidden zones and, through a grand war of gods and demons, forged legends of eternity. Alas, the heavenly dao was merciless; even the most dazzling eternity could not escape the gods' suppression.

"Crazy one, why aren't you crazy anymore?"

Howls echoed through the star domain as the enemy forces arrived, whether those who had fled or hidden, gathering in waves. Each one gritted their teeth, laughing wildly and without restraint, their grotesque faces twisted in ugly glee as they stared at the blood-stained Shenbei, excited to the point of madness.

"Ye Chen, it's I who have doomed you."

Zhao Yun's mouth overflowed with blood, his voice hoarse and broken. Gravely wounded, he could barely lift his head, his hair entirely white and aged beyond recognition, his once brilliant eyes now devoid of their former light.

"It was fated in our lives."

Ye Chen managed a weary smile, his eyes blurred by blood and tears, on the verge of complete extinction. Never before had he felt so powerless; a war spear pinned him firmly, leaving him without even the strength to raise his gaze. Now, they were the focus of all eyes. This day was one of judgment, and they were the two to be condemned.

"Ye Chen."

"Zhao Yun."

In the void, calls seemed to echo, each one piercing the soul.

"Go."

Both spoke in unison, their voices hoarse, roaring from the depths of their souls. This sound was inaudible to the world, reaching only into the void.

A layer of eternal barrier separated them, shielding Yao Chi, Yue Shen, Di Xian, and Kuang Yingjie. They had never left, remaining as observers from the start. Until Ye Chen and Zhao Yun were suppressed, they now madly assaulted the barrier, tears of blood streaming down their faces.

"Go."

In these words, Ye Chen and Zhao Yun exerted their last ounce of strength. The brilliant eternity could no longer shield them from the storm. Fleeing to the Zhutian was their only path to survival, where the heavenly court would protect them. As for Ye Chen and Zhao Yun themselves, they would be eternally inscribed in the annals of history, witnessing the passage of ages, the transformation of seas and lands, until the final glory illuminated the world.

"Ye Chen."

"Zhao Yun."

The cries persisted, audible only to eternity. Whether the Eastern Wasteland Empress, Yue Shen, or Di Xian, all were tearful and frenzied, like mad souls slamming against the barrier without regard for cost, all for the sake of their husbands. Through countless springs, summers, autumns, and winters, they had never felt such despair.

Ye Chen did not reply, and Zhao Yun fell silent. It was not that they did not wish to look; they simply lacked the strength. Weary to the point where even opening their eyes was a difficult luxury, only strands of eternal blood trickled down, flowing over the dark Shenbei and becoming the most brilliant stain in the darkness.

Ah!

The supreme gods sighed again. The heavenly dao was heartless, yet even they were not entirely free of earthly ties. The heavens still harbored a trace of benevolence. In a certain moment, they had subtly altered the concepts, erasing the opportunities for Yao Chi and the others, lest the Tai Shang detect it. That one was truly a madman; if discovered, the Shenbei would surely bear a few more divine figures.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

Suddenly, banging sounds erupted, slow and rhythmic. The Tai Shang had arrived. Each of his steps trod upon the cosmos, his pressure overwhelmingly heavy, his dao essence equally so. His chaotic strides boomed like doomsday bells with every step, making the entire universe tremble in response.

The gods of the world tacitly retreated to the sides. Then, they collectively bowed with hands clasped, as if welcoming a monarch. The Tai Shang was that supreme sovereign; even as gods passed by, they felt their souls quiver, nearly compelled to kneel.

The Tai Shang regarded everything with disdain, ignoring all the gods, his eyes fixed only on Ye Chen and Zhao Yun. He remained as ever, shrouded in chaos, his form blurred like a dream hidden in illusion. Apart from the supreme gods, no one could discern his true appearance. Every wisp of aura flowing from him could crush the ancient immortal firmament; if he willed it, he could turn the entire Shenjie into dust of history in an instant.

This was the former heavenly dao. This was the ruler of the world, overlooking all seas and realms, where even eternity paled in comparison.

Ye Chen and Zhao Yun did not look at him. Even across countless star domains, they could hear the Tai Shang's dao sounds. Though wondrous like a divine melody, they were also like a funeral dirge for the end of days, played for eternity's defeat, absolute and irreversible.

Bang!

Under the gaze of all, the Tai Shang halted, and the trembling universe stilled with him.

Boom! Rumble!

In his vast and ethereal presence, he shone brilliantly, chaos swirling with countless phenomena. Innumerable orders surrounded him, each wisp a rule—time, space, spacetime, cosmos, cause and effect, and so many more—interweaving and dancing in the starfield, forming indestructible marks. This was the reason Ye Chen and Zhao Yun could not defeat him. The former heavenly dao, the former heavens, had comprehended countless laws, each one perfected to completion. Eternity was powerful but incomplete; even when fused, it could not match the perfection of laws. It was suppression of cultivation and also of the dao. In such a situation, they had still beaten the Tai Shang to such a state, enough to make them proud through the ages.

"Truly going to kill them?"

"Otherwise, why would the supreme gods self-inflict a wound? Just for amusement?"

"Eternity is surely doomed."

Before the Tai Shang could speak, whispers spread from all sides, with many gods harboring a flicker of hope. Mainly because Ye Chen and Zhao Yun were too extraordinary; destroying them would be a waste. Alas, hope was beautiful, but reality was harsh. The Tai Shang had paid such a painful price; how could he let eternity go? It was merely a question of how to kill them. If he wished, he would torment them slowly to death.

The Shenbei was ice-cold, its blood light piercing. The two eternals nailed upon it were like lowly criminals, about to face divine punishment, simply for defying the heavens. This Shenbei was their exclusive execution ground.

"Eternity, what a joke."

The Tai Shang said indifferently, his words carrying the power of law, instantly filling the starfield with lightning and thunder.

"Bullying the weak with strength, where's your sense of superiority?"

Ye Chen and Zhao Yun were too weak to speak, but their expressions clearly conveyed this sentiment. This demeanor earned the admiration of the supreme gods. Thinking about it, the Tai Shang bullying the weak was indeed not glorious. Face was a precious thing. Even if one of Ye Chen or Zhao Yun had been at the same level as the Tai Shang, they would not have lost so badly. At the very least, they would not have been suppressed. If the three had been equals, the one nailed to the Shenbei might have been the Tai Shang.

This was clear to the onlookers. Though they sighed inwardly, no one intervened. The Tai Shang had already self-inflicted such a wound; it would be improper to step in.

"Interesting."

The Tai Shang said lightly, his gaze on Ye Chen and Zhao Yun now profoundly deep. He had long known of Zhao Yun's secrets. But Ye Chen's secrets, he had only realized today. As fellow eternals, they shared a mysterious kind. Precisely for this reason, his divine eyes gleamed. In that gleam lay greed and covetousness. The more astonishing Ye Chen and Zhao Yun were, the more delighted he became. For all of it would soon be his.

With a wave of his hand, the two towering Shenbei exploded simultaneously. Then, Ye Chen and Zhao Yun, still impaled by the war spears, fell like dimmed meteors into the nine abysses.

The so-called nine abysses was a massive refining furnace. The furnace encompassed heaven and earth, forming its own cosmos, vaster than mountains. Its surface was etched with divine patterns; within, illusory flames blazed fiercely, intertwined with countless laws dancing together.

"Refining pills?"

Someone exclaimed in surprise.

"Refining your sister's pills—it's about refining eternity, turning Ye Chen and Zhao Yun into essence."

"In the end, the Tai Shang still covets eternity."

Whispers continued from all sides, quickly seeing through the Tai Shang's intent. Their guess was correct. The Tai Shang indeed intended to refine eternity. After all the effort and the heavy price of self-inflicted wounds, simply destroying Ye Chen and Zhao Yun would be too lenient. As a supreme god, he needed to claim some interest, and their eternity was that interest—resources to be fully utilized. Once he refined them, once he absorbed their two forms of eternity, he might even return to the heavenly dao. Such hopes were worth holding.

"Perhaps he's dreaming too grandly."

The supreme gods folded their hands, able to see through the Tai Shang's intentions just as the others could. Unfortunately, the Tai Shang was destined for disappointment. Self-inflicting that wound had already severed his path to the heavens. Even if he refined Ye Chen and Zhao Yun and seized their eternity, it could not mend that damage. Some scars were irreparable. For this life and all lives to come, the Tai Shang would be forever barred from the heavenly dao, at least in this universe. It was no joke; did he think the heavenly dao was merely decorative?

The Tai Shang said nothing, merely flicked his sleeve, scattering a cascade of golden light. Upon closer inspection, it was a cluster of Tianzi characters. Yes, Dun Jia Tianzi, numerous in number, suspended around the refining furnace, arranging themselves automatically. Each one seemed to contain a universe, mesmerizing the gods and supreme beings into a trance.

From the Yongheng Xianyu, how could the Tai Shang not know the wonders of Dun Jia? Unfortunately, as the heavenly dao, he could not interfere in the world, and other supreme gods were watching. If not for that, so many Tianzi would not have been lost to the world. But now, it was unimportant. What mattered was that he had captured two eternals. As for the Dun Jia Tianzi, he had time to seek them out. After refining eternity, he would search not only this universe but others as well. If he found enough, he might even unlock the gate of eternity and return to the Yongheng Xianyu. By then, what heavenly dao, what heavens, would all be laughable trifles in his eyes.

Inside the furnace, Ye Chen and Zhao Yun were both forced into a seated position. The seals were too powerful; they could not move. The Tai Shang's dao principles and laws had been inscribed into their bodies, locking their primordial spirits and forbidding their dao roots. Everything was sealed tight. This seal was far beyond what the Wuhuang Demon Zun could achieve. Even with their eternities interwoven and fused, they could not break free. All that awaited was gradual refinement, and their eternity would be plundered by the Tai Shang—it was only a matter of time.