Chapter 1450: The Demon Emperor Descends Upon the World (Part 1)
What the Fantian Shen Di said was also what everyone else was thinking.
Since the truth had been known for so long, why not make it public earlier to prepare and discuss countermeasures together?
The Zhou Tian Shen Di sighed and said, "Because this is a truth that, once spread even a little, would cause tremendous upheaval."
As soon as these words were spoken, even the expressions of the great Divine Emperors changed dramatically.
Yun Che steadied his mind and listened silently. Here, only he and Mu Xuanyin truly understood how heavy the Zhou Tian Shen Di's words were.
"Zhou Tian, please speak in detail," the Dragon Emperor said solemnly, his gaze sweeping the surroundings. "Everyone present today is a master of one of the Heavenly Domains. No one will utter a single word."
(Yun Che: ???)
The Zhou Tian Shen Di looked up to the sky and spoke in a deep voice: "The truth of the Crimson Rift traces back to the Age of the Gods. That time belongs to the late stages of that era, yet it remains unfathomably distant from today."
"Back then, the highest sovereign of the divine race, the Heaven-Slaying God Emperor, leader of the Four Creation Gods, used a fragment of the Primordial Divine Art as a lure to draw the Calamity Demon Emperor, one of the Four Demon Emperors of the demon race, to the eastern edge of the Chaos. He then unleashed the Ancestral Heaven-Slaying Sword, the number one divine artifact of the Chaos, piercing the Chaos Wall with a single strike. That same strike hurled the Calamity Demon Emperor and his Calamity Demon Clan toward the gap in the Chaos, exiling them beyond the Chaos itself..."
His voice was like a great bell, piercing through souls, yet at the edge of the Sealing Divine Platform area, it was completely blocked by sound-isolating barriers, not a single thread leaking out.
As Yun Che had anticipated, when making the truth public, Zhou Tian, like the Ice Phoenix God Spirit, began with the exiling of the Calamity Demon Emperor by the Heaven-Slaying God Emperor in the ancient era.
It was the true origin of the fierce war between gods and demons, and also the true root of the Crimson calamity!
This history was recorded in detail in many ancient texts. Everyone present knew it well. They were puzzled as to why the Zhou Tian Shen Di was bringing up this ancient matter, but they all listened intently, not asking a single question.
"The Heaven-Slaying God Emperor's actions back then stemmed from his hatred of demons as if they were his mortal enemies. He absolutely could not accept that one of the fragments of the Primordial Divine Art would fall into the hands of the demon race. Though his methods could be considered 'despicable,' as the emperor of the divine race facing the emperor of the demons, no means were too extreme. Thus, there was no condemnation from the divine race—only the Element Creation God, enraged, who battled him..."
The Zhou Tian Shen Di recounted in detail that history, known to both ancient and present times, then suddenly shifted his tone: "I believe you all already know this. However... this past, whether in the present or in ancient times, what all beings know is merely a false surface. Behind it lies another truth."
"A truth known only to the Creation Gods and the Zhou Tian God Spirit in the ancient era."
These words instantly lifted everyone's hearts and minds high.
Only the Creation Gods and the Zhou Tian God Spirit knew... This meant that what the Zhou Tian Shen Di was about to reveal was a secret that even the ancient gods did not know—a great secret that had to be tightly concealed even in that era!
"The reason the Heaven-Slaying God Emperor used such means against the Calamity Demon Emperor, and the reason the Element Creation God battled him in fury, was because of a taboo that had already occurred, involving the highest levels of both divine and demon races—the Element Creation God and the Calamity Demon Emperor had fallen in love and united."
A collective gasp arose!
"In that era, at any stage, the divine and demon races were mutually opposed and repelling, eventually even fighting until both races were annihilated. And the Creation God and the Demon Emperor were the supreme existences of their respective races... How could such a thing happen?" said the Azure Dragon Emperor of the Western Domain.
She found it hard to believe. Everyone found it hard to believe.
"It is indeed hard to believe," the Zhou Tian Shen Di said solemnly. "In that era, it might have been even harder to believe. Yet it is the truth. A truth that violated taboos and tore them apart. It was because of this taboo-breaking truth, involving a Creation God, that the Heaven-Slaying God Emperor did not hesitate to make that shocking move... which also triggered a series of unforeseen consequences, even for himself, that have continued to this day."
"The Element Creation God later abandoned the name of Creation God, sealed himself as the Evil God, and lived in seclusion—this is also the reason."
This was an ancient secret hidden even in antiquity, each word striking the heart. But these were spoken by the Zhou Tian Shen Di himself, and he was told by the Zhou Tian God Spirit!
As the Mystic Heaven Supreme Treasure that once accompanied the Order Creation God, it was indeed the most qualified to know the hidden secrets of that era.
"Even if all this is true, what does it have to do with the Crimson Rift we're discussing today?" Cang Shitian called out.
The Zhou Tian Shen Di glanced at him and continued, "In the later stages of the fierce war between gods and demons, both races were in decline. The cause of the annihilation of both races was the world-destroying demon poison 'Myriad Tribulations of Oblivion' released by the Evil Infant Myriad Calamity Wheel after breaking its seal."
Myriad Tribulations of Oblivion... this terrifying name that destroyed both divine and demon races was still known to everyone today, chilling them at the mere mention.
"When Myriad Tribulations of Oblivion was unleashed, it forcibly locked onto the life souls of all gods and demons, leaving nowhere to hide. Yet there was one artifact that could easily escape even 'Myriad Tribulations of Oblivion.' That was... also a Mystic Heaven Supreme Treasure—the Cosmic Thorn!"
"And according to the Zhou Tian God Spirit, in that era, the original owner of the Cosmic Thorn was precisely the Element Creation God... later known as the Evil God."
"But! In the final world-ending calamity, the Evil God also fell victim to the Myriad Tribulations of Oblivion poison and ultimately perished."
"In the years following the Age of the Gods, the Zhou Tian God Spirit has always been puzzled by one thing: why did the Evil God, who possessed the Cosmic Thorn, also fall to Myriad Tribulations of Oblivion?"
"Until four years ago, it found the answer... the same answer as the appearance of the Crimson Rift."
"What is it?" Nanming Shen Di asked, narrowing his eyes. Even he couldn't help but speak up.
The Zhou Tian Shen Di's words grew more and more mysterious, raising everyone's hearts higher and higher.
Perhaps the calmest person was Yun Che, who had the lowest cultivation.
As the Ice Phoenix God Spirit had anticipated, because of the existence of the Zhou Tian Pearl, as the Crimson aura grew clearer, the Zhou Tian Pearl sensed the aura of the Cosmic Thorn, thus learning the terrifying truth.
However, the Zhou Tian Pearl did not know that the Evil God had left behind a lifeblood inheritance. Perhaps it vaguely knew that the Evil God and the Calamity Demon Emperor had a daughter, but it absolutely would not know the fate of that daughter afterward, or that 'they' still existed in this world.
"The Crimson Rift at the eastern edge of the Chaos is releasing... the aura of the Cosmic Thorn!"
When the Zhou Tian Shen Di said this, everyone looked puzzled, struggling to react.
"The Cosmic Thorn is the most powerful spatial artifact in the world. The strength of its spatial power is far beyond what we can imagine. The Zhou Tian God Spirit personally stated that with the Cosmic Thorn's immense spatial power, it might be enough to open up space in the Outer Chaos, allowing living beings to survive for a long time."
After the Zhou Tian Shen Di finished, some people finally showed signs of dramatic shock. The Yue Shen Di stood up, his brows deeply furrowed with terror: "Could it be..."
"Sigh..." The Zhou Tian Shen Di let out a long breath. "The Evil God could not escape the world-ending calamity, which means that at that time, the Cosmic Thorn was very likely no longer with him."
"An artifact as precious as the Cosmic Thorn, possessing supreme spatial divine power, also carried the strongest life-preserving ability. If he were to give it to someone, it would only be to the one he cherished most, loved most. Then... who could it be?"
When the Zhou Tian Shen Di reached this point, the answer, the name, appeared clearly in everyone's minds like a curse.
The Zhou Tian Shen Di continued, "And now, the aura of the Cosmic Thorn is unmistakably coming from the Crimson Rift... from beyond the Chaos!"
"Why is it beyond the Chaos? Who brought it there?"
"All of this fits perfectly with one name, so fitting it sends chills down the spine."
He paused, then spoke the name and answer that indeed sent chills down everyone's spine: "Calamity... Demon... Emperor!"
The space of the Sealing Divine Platform instantly froze, then violently trembled in the terrifying cold... trembling as if it were about to collapse.
"Could it be... that beyond the Crimson Rift... is... the Calamity Demon Emperor!?"
This came from the Fantian Shen Di himself! As the number one Divine Emperor of the Eastern Domain, even he spoke with some difficulty.
It seemed he could hardly believe his own words.
No one spoke. They all stared at the Zhou Tian Shen Di with horrified expressions, waiting for his answer.
"The power of the Cosmic Thorn rarely appeared even in the ancient era, and there are no clear records of its appearances. However, the Zhou Tian God Spirit told me that when the Cosmic Thorn's dimensional divine power fully erupts, it manifests as a crimson color as rich as blood!"
"Four years ago, when the Zhou Tian God Spirit first sensed it, there was still some hope. But over these four years, the aura of the Cosmic Thorn has drawn closer and clearer, leaving no room for even a shred of wishful thinking. And in recent years, our Eastern Divine Region has suddenly seen outbreaks of Xuan Beast riots, which have grown in scale and now affect higher and higher levels of Xuan Beasts. The force capable of such influence is simply not something that exists in the present world!"
The Zhou Tian Shen Di swept his gaze across the surroundings. On the Sealing Divine Platform, these proud, world-dominating supreme experts had eyes deeply shaken... just as he had been when he first learned of this "truth."
But until today, he had no choice but to fully unveil that terrifying, brutal truth: "Back then, when the Evil God was still the Element Creation God, he gave the Cosmic Thorn to the Calamity Demon Emperor. And the Calamity Demon Emperor, exiled beyond the Chaos by the Heaven-Slaying God Emperor, used the Cosmic Thorn's power to survive in the Outer Chaos with her exiled people. As a result, they avoided the fierce war between gods and demons and the calamity of 'Myriad Tribulations of Oblivion.'"
"The only artifacts in the world capable of breaking through the Chaos Wall are the Ancestral Heaven-Slaying Sword and the Evil Infant Myriad Calamity Wheel. But there is one more artifact that can interfere with the Chaos Wall—that is the Cosmic Thorn, which wields ultimate dimensional divine power!"
"Millions of years have passed. Relying on the Cosmic Thorn's dimensional divine power... the Calamity Demon Emperor and the many demon gods she led are finally about to return!"
Millions of years—relative to the lifespan of true gods and true demons—is not a very long time.
Everyone's expression changed. The Sealing Divine Platform remained silent for a long time, with no one speaking.
The Western Domain's emperor and two sovereigns, the Southern Domain's two Divine Emperors... they had taken the Crimson Rift seriously but not overly so, since it occurred in the Eastern Divine Region and might not affect their own Divine Regions. But now, their expressions had lost all previous calm, heavy with terror.
This was undoubtedly the most terrifying news they had ever heard in their lives.
And these words came from none other than the Eastern Divine Region's—nay, the vast Divine Realm's most respected and least rashly spoken—the Zhou Tian Shen Di!
Silence. Terrifying silence.
In a grand gathering almost entirely of Divine Lord-level powerhouses, the only sounds were racing hearts and gasps of cold air.
Beside the Zhou Tian Shen Di, the various Guardians also had faces full of shock, for even they were learning everything only today.
At this point, they fully understood why the Zhou Tian Shen Di, who had known everything for a long time, had never revealed a single shred of it.
If even they, upon hearing this, were this terrified... if this were to spread, the panic and upheaval it would cause would be unimaginable.
The Dragon Emperor stood up and said solemnly, "Zhou Tian, how certain are you of what you said today?"
The Zhou Tian Shen Di replied, "I have carried the will of the Zhou Tian Pearl all my life and have never dared to speak falsely or rashly, let alone about matters of such magnitude. My words... leave little room for hope."
Silence. Even more terrifying silence.
If all this were to truly happen, if an ancient Demon Emperor were to descend upon the world, what would it mean...
"If that's the case... is there a countermeasure?" the Dragon Emperor asked.
The Zhou Tian Shen Di let out a long breath, his gaze growing unusually dim, his tone even heavier: "If it were a world-threatening enemy like the Evil Infant, we could gather the strength of all realms to destroy it. If strength is insufficient, we could still use strategy. If it were a natural disaster, we could work together to face it. But... the power at the level of an ancient Demon Emperor, if it truly descends, is absolutely beyond the resistance of any force in this age. Plans and schemes are meaningless games before the power of a Demon Emperor and true demons."
The Zhou Tian Shen Di's words grew crueler with each sentence. And those present, given their level of existence, understood best what true godly power meant—it was a mythical level that mortals could never even touch. They knew well that the Zhou Tian Shen Di's words were in no way exaggerated, not even by half a word.
"After millions of years of being schemed against and exiled, the world of the Outer Chaos—even with space opened by the Cosmic Thorn—must surely be a barren, impoverished, and cruel world. When they return, they will carry hatred and resentment accumulated over millions of years. And above all, they are inherently cruel and fearsome demons..."
"When the Crimson Rift completely collapses and these demon gods return to the Chaos, what will descend is... a world-engulfing calamity."
Sorrow and despair... these emotions spread like a plague through the deepest souls of everyone, carried by the Zhou Tian Shen Di's words.
After attaining the Divine Lord realm, they gradually forgot what fear and despair were. Because they stood at the pinnacle of power in this age, overlooking all living beings, becoming the world's masters—this was why they were called "Divine Lords."
But when they learned that a force capable of easily erasing them was about to descend upon this world, their shock and terror surpassed even that of mortals.
Part of the Yue Shen Di's attention had been fixed on Yun Che's side. All the Divine Lords and Divine Emperors were deeply shaken, yet he was remarkably calm. After a brief thought, she stood and said, "Zhou Tian Shen Di, in recent years, you have gathered the Eastern Domain's strength to build a dimensional array leading to the eastern edge of the Chaos. Today, you have summoned us here... Do you truly have no countermeasure?"
The Zhou Tian Shen Di shook his head bitterly: "It is merely the only struggle we can make, along with... a sliver of hope, so faint it's almost nothing."
"What hope?"
"First," the Zhou Tian Shen Di said slowly, "we pray that after millions of years in the Outer Chaos, the Demon Emperor and the various demon gods have suffered a great collapse in their power—enough for us to barely resist and prevent them from engulfing the world."
This hope was so slim it could hardly even be called "hope."
"Second..." The dimness in the Zhou Tian Shen Di's eyes finally flickered with a trace of brilliance. "We gather the strength of all of us and forcibly seal the Crimson Rift!"