Chapter 3199: The End of Time

In Zhutian, Yu Xian's body perished and her Dao dissipated. This brought the Huang Di Tribulation to an end and temporarily halted the invasion from the outer domains.

This universe finally returned to calm, yet it was shrouded in gloom.

The Heavenly Dao was merciless, having buried a generation's supreme being. The hope that had been ignited was extinguished in the midst of its glory.

The starry sky was utterly desolate.

This should have been a great catastrophe, caused by those demonic pillars descending and leaving the Three Realms in ruins.

Fortunately, there were no major casualties.

The emperors of the Three Realms all fell silent, gazing toward the direction of Taigu Honghuang, their sorrow impossible to hide.

After some time, the emperors withdrew their gazes and hurried to their respective posts to continue their guard.

"Ye Chen."

The woman's murmur was like a dreamlike fairy melody.

It was Nanming Yushu and the others, all silently gazing into the vast expanse. In Zhutian, whenever a great catastrophe occurred, that figure would appear like an indestructible monument, standing at the highest peak, using his flesh and blood to uphold the most brilliant light. He was Ye Chen, the tenth emperor of Da Chu, and the belief of all beings in the myriad domains.

Yet, this time, he was absent.

To this day, they still did not know where Ye Chen was or when he would return.

"He has not been absent."

Dong Huang Nü Di murmured softly, able to sense the Dream Dao and perceive that Ye Chen had been there.

It was he who had delivered the fatal blow to the Tianmo Huang Di's body.

That night, Zhutian fell silent, with everyone lost in thought. Even the restless Xiao Yuan Huang stood atop the mountain peak, holding his battered iron staff, quietly gazing at the starry sky, silently mourning for all beings in his heart.

"Grandfather, is there still hope for all beings?"

At some point, a timid voice echoed through the mortal world, as if all creatures could hear it.

"Yes."

This single word was the heartfelt response of everyone, unquestioned—it was both an obsession and a belief.

The sky over Taigu Honghuang remained as dim as ever.

Like Zhutian, this place was also enveloped in gloom, dimming the eyes of all the emperors.

Atop the mountain peak, two clouds hovered in the air.

On them lay Nü Di and Zizai Tian, both covered in fresh blood and with pale faces.

Shen Zun was there too, his condition no better.

Yu Xian's reference to the Heavenly Dao being merciless might have meant not just the rules, but also that cross-time-space assassination.

The one who ambushed her was the Heavenly Dao itself.

Or perhaps, it was the Heavenly Dao from a future time-space, or its executor.

Unfortunately, his cultivation was limited, and he could not save Yu Xian.

That cross-time-space assassination not only severely wounded him but also destroyed a supreme being on the verge of becoming Huang Di.

Not long after, Nü Di awoke.

Her silence made time seem to freeze, oppressing the universe into an eternal state.

"Can she be revived?"

Shen Zun gazed quietly at Nü Di, his reference to revival meaning Yu Xian.

"I don't know."

Nü Di replied softly, taking a step across the void and entering the Taigu Xu Wang, heading to an unknown realm.

No matter what, she had to try.

Shortly after she left, Zizai Tian also awoke, her expression indifferent and devoid of any human emotion.

She descended from the mountain peak, heading toward the altar.

The Shidai Shengmo chuckled, his gaze toward her full of mockery, its meaning unclear.

Zizai Tian looked at him for a long time but said nothing.

This universe was extremely complex, far more extraordinary than she had imagined, such as the Heavenly Dao.

"How about making a deal?"

The Shidai Shengmo laughed and transmitted his voice, his words laden with demonic power, intending to disrupt Zizai Tian's mind.

Zizai Tian remained silent, her indifferent eyes showing no ripple.

"Release me, and I will tell you about the Gate of Eternity," the Shidai Shengmo said with a smile as he looked at Zizai Tian.

"I will find it myself."

Zizai Tian replied indifferently. Though she did not like to speak, it did not mean she was foolish.

Release you? That would likely lead to death even faster.

I have seen through life and death, it's true, but for now, I do not wish to go to the Yellow Springs.

No one knew on which day Nü Di returned.

All the emperors looked at her, their gazes filled with sincere longing.

Her blood-stained figure stumbled slightly, the vivid red unable to hide the paleness of her face.

She had lost, whether to the merciless Heavenly Dao or the strange unknown.

Whichever it was, she had failed to reclaim Yu Xian.

That peerless female supreme who had once sealed her position as Huang Di for a moment had now become dust in history. Even in the ruleless unknown realm, she could not be revived. Perhaps it was fate decreed by the heavens.

In silence, she wearily leaned against an old tree.

For the first time in the two eras, she felt this exhausted, wanting to find a shoulder to lean on.

Even emperors were human, and Nü Di had her moments of helplessness.

Full of wounds, carrying the ruins of the world, she could no longer hold up the sky.

"Ye Chen."

She murmured the name, her dim eyes flickering with a misty light.

In that one word, "Ye Chen," it was unclear whether it was Chu Xuan or Chu Ling calling, or perhaps Nü Di of the Heavenly Court.

She longed for that person to return and turn the tide for the myriad domains and all beings.

In the haze, it seemed a warm hand gently brushed aside the stray strands of her hair, softly caressing her cheek, like a loving husband comforting his wife.

It was Ye Chen.

In countless soul-stirring dreams, he once again dreamed back to his homeland. No one knew whether he was touching Chu Xuan, Chu Ling, or Nü Di of the Heavenly Court. Whichever it was, it weighed heavily on his heart.

"Where are you?"

Nü Di whispered, without moving, yet able to sense Ye Chen.

"At the end of time."

Ye Chen spoke, whether answering the question or speaking to himself.

Yes, at the end of time.

His path home was too long and distant, covered in the dust of years and separated by vast changes.

When did Nü Di fall asleep? She did so while still in the dream.

As the dream lingered, Ye Chen watched quietly. In that eternal instant, he could not help but feel heartache.

He had experienced such a state of mind, and so had Nü Di.

In some spring, summer, autumn, or winter, Nü Di must have watched him in the same way—watching the weary tenth emperor of Da Chu, carrying his burdens and forging ahead, only to curl up under an old tree in the dead of night for quiet rest. When he opened his eyes, he would drag his exhausted body onward, continuing to support that light.

In the end, they were the same kind of people.

In the previous era, she was the protagonist, setting up the eternal heavenly bureau solely to slay the Heavenly Dao.

In this era, he was the protagonist, walking the path against heaven solely to protect all beings.

He was tired, and so was she.

Now, she had fallen first, her strong exterior hiding a tender heart.

The dream dissipated.

When Ye Chen awoke, he was already in the small universe.

That night, snow fell again.

That night, his hair turned white.

Atop the mountain peak, he stood quietly, gazing up at the vast expanse.

The starry sky here was as vast as Zhutian's, each star holding its own story.

Suddenly, blood overflowed from the corner of his mouth.

He was injured, with wounds that were extremely difficult to heal, even with eternity and bloodline limits.

"Damn it."

In the Tianmo Domain, there was a roar of anger from Tianmo Huang Di, his shout causing thunder and lightning to flash across the universe.

Ye Chen was wounded, and so was he. Losing his Huang Di body was one thing, but the backlash affected his true self.

He was still Huang Di, but now with a slight imperfection.

He had underestimated Zhutian and the supreme beings of the Shengti lineage, caught off guard and killed.

However, in this battle, they had won.

With Yu Xian's destruction, Zhutian still lacked a Huang Di. If war broke out, all beings would surely be defeated.

On the ninth day, Ye Chen lowered his gaze and looked beyond the universe.

In the dark Xu Wang, vast and boundless, a piercing light appeared today.

It was the Xu Wang Zhi He, flowing once more and passing by the small universe.

Ye Chen strained his eyes to search inch by inch, hoping to find Zhao Yun's figure.

Unfortunately, he could not find it.

He reached out his hand, passing through the universe's barrier and across the endless darkness, scooping up a splash of water from the Xu Wang Zhi He. He wanted to know the origin of this river and its purpose.

Retracting his hand, he gazed at it quietly.

The water from the Xu Wang slipped through his fingers, turning into wisps of mist that dissipated.

He tried again, and it was the same.

As the Heavenly Dao of this small universe, no change or external object could escape his notice.

Yet now, as the Xu Wang water dissipated, he could not trace its trace.

It was as if it truly was illusory, leaving no mark in the world.

"Above the Heavenly Dao."

Ye Chen's eyes deepened. The Xu Wang water he had scooped might still exist, but he could not perceive it.

He entered another dream on the tenth day.

This time, he dreamed of Tianhuang and saw a dreamlike figure.

It was Dong Huang Nü Di.

She was still in Zhutian, guarding her homeland, patrolling at night and pausing silently when passing Tianhuang.

It was here that she had achieved her heaven-defying enlightenment.

This desolate starry sky held tragic memories—her husband and child had fought to the death to protect her Dao.

Ye Chen appeared in the dream, and she could sense it, revealing a gentle smile.

Perhaps she knew where Ye Chen was, as their experiences were strikingly similar.

No one answered how she had endured such trials to return home.

But she believed Ye Chen could dream his way back, just as she had done.

The dream was short, like a fleeting glimpse.

Or perhaps, it was Ye Chen who actively withdrew from the dream, not because the time had ended, but because something had gone wrong in the small universe.

Boom! Rumbling!

In the night, the small universe was covered in dark clouds, with lightning flashing and thunder roaring, the universe descending into chaos.

Ye Chen frowned and surveyed the eight directions.

As the Heavenly Dao here, this upheaval was not his doing.

After looking around, he slowly lifted his gaze.

At that glance, his eyes narrowed slightly. At the highest point of the ethereal realm, a illusory giant hand had appeared.

"Extinction?"

Ye Chen frowned.

This was not the first time he had seen that giant hand—it had appeared during his quasi-Huang tribulation and in the "Dao" character realm. It was that hand that had smashed the "Dao" character universe and refined it into the "Tian" character.

Now, the hand had come again, targeting the small universe.

Clearly, it intended to extinguish the world and destroy the small universe that had given birth to the Heavenly Dao, refining it into another "Tian" character.

Buzz!

The small universe trembled, no longer just slightly chaotic but completely disordered. The heavens and earth shook violently, mountains collapsed one after another, and stars in the sky exploded one by one.

Ye Chen said nothing, forcibly upholding the rules.

In fact, that illusory giant hand was still incredibly far from this small universe.

What he saw was merely a premonition of the impending catastrophe.

However, the premonition would become reality, and the illusory hand would turn real.

"So strong."

Ye Chen murmured. Now that he had become the Heavenly Dao, he felt it acutely—the hand had not yet fallen, but destruction had already arrived.

In an instant, he activated his eternal bloodline.

In an instant, he layered on countless forbidden techniques, determined to resist that giant hand.

This was his second confrontation with Yongheng Xianyu.

That hand came from eternity, though he did not know why it sought to extinguish the world or refine it into the "Tian" character.

He only knew that to survive, he had to fight with all his might.