Chapter 4233: Emperor Calamity

Chapter 4233: Emperor Calamity

"The Wuding Divine Sea, along with the surrounding star domains, have completely transformed into the Ancestral Order Field of the Time-Space Human Ancestor."
"This is his absolute self-contained world, possessing supreme dominance."
"Connecting the distant as if near—formerly, at Yunshen Daozhu's place, it was merely a powerful spatial formation. But for the Time-Space Human Ancestor, I fear a single thought of his can achieve it. He and I, even if separated by an immeasurably vast star sea, can cross it in a single step."

Zhang Ruochen recounted the probing exchange he had with the Time-Space Human Ancestor at the Sword Realm's edge, sharing the details with Ji Fanxin to exchange information.

Ultimately, both of their understanding of the Time-Space Human Ancestor was extremely limited.
They had only engaged in tentative clashes.
Only by exchanging information could they better comprehend their opponent.

Zhang Ruochen and Ji Fanxin walked side by side out of Star Dust Valley, their Ancestral Qi surging through heaven and earth, like an Emperor and Empress setting out on a campaign.
They advanced toward the Wuding Divine Sea, tens of trillions of miles away, exuding a majestic heavenly might that seemed to rule the universe.
Behind Zhang Ruochen followed five figures, each radiating vast divine power, transcending nature, standing at the pinnacle of the starry sea, capable of ruling one corner of the cosmos.
They were:

"Chi Yao," holding a blood-dripping sword in one hand and a Time-Space Chaos Lotus in the other, with twenty-six layers of celestial worlds above her head, her dharma unparalleled.
"Zangjin Baihu," stepping on a golden ocean, the character "Zang" above its head illuminating the starry sky. The Doomsday Fortress of the Wuding Divine Sea was built from the North Marsh Great Wall and Zangjin material, and it had confidence in helping Zhang Ruochen break it.
"Mo Yin," her form reverting to its ancestral state, transforming into a Cloud-Swallowing Demon Vine. The area covered by the vines turned into a nine-colored nebula, blotting out the sky and covering the sun.
"Nutian Shenzun," stepping on the Styx River, with the twenty-seven layers of celestial worlds of the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable above his head.
"Ling Yanzi," standing within a Taiji circle, which was filled with Hongmeng Qi. She seemed to be nurturing a universe, with the Taiji circle as its outline.

Behind Ji Fanxin followed only Lady Shiji, her beauty peerless.
She was an Ancestor, possessing a timeless, first-rank beauty, a legend worthy of being recorded in history. But standing beside Ji Fanxin, she was reduced to a mere foil, like a star accompanying the moon.

Zhang Ruochen continued, "That day, I was within arm's reach of his true body. But even if I self-destructed, the chance of taking him with me or severely wounding his origin would be no more than fifty percent. Forcing him to leave the Wuding Divine Sea, or destroying it to break his order field, would make it far less easy for him to retreat unscathed."

"Even if the Wuding Divine Sea is destroyed, he still has the Divine Realm. How many years has he been managing the Wuding Divine Sea?" Ji Fanxin looked up slightly, gazing at the end of the myriad sacrificial light pillars.

Zhang Ruochen asked, "How much do you know about the Divine Realm?"

"The Nether Ancestor might know more, but I... probably not much more than you. Of course, I mean the ultimate secrets the Human Ancestor has hidden in the Divine Realm. As for the Divine Realm's earth veins and cultural customs, those can be calculated with a snap of the fingers."

Then, Ji Fanxin added, "Do you think, why isn't the Human Ancestor afraid of the two of us joining forces? Besides the Seventy-Two Layer Tower, what is his greatest reliance?"

Zhang Ruochen had already pondered this deeply and believed Ji Fanxin must have thought it through thoroughly as well.
Her asking this now was clearly to align their goals before taking action.

Zhang Ruochen said, "What I can see are three major threats: the profundity of the Divine Realm, the unknown nature of the Heaven-Earth Altar, and the destructive storm of the Ancestral Divine Source."

Zhang Ruochen had a resolute heart, willing to self-destruct and perish together with the Time-Space Human Ancestor.
But as he gazed into the abyss, was the abyss not also gazing back at him?
How could the Time-Space Human Ancestor not use this same tactic?
To kill or severely wound an Ancestor, reducing their combat power, there are only a few methods. Killing Zhang Ruochen before the decisive battle was the most effective one.

Lady Shiji's delicate brows furrowed as she shook her head, "Impossible. The Divine Realm holds the upper hand. Even if Emperor Chen and Miss join forces, it's merely a stalemate. How could those Ancestors of the Divine Realm be willing to self-destruct their Divine Sources to perish together with us?"

"Exactly. Unless in a desperate situation, no Ancestor would choose to self-destruct their Divine Source. Since ancient times, only Dizang Wang has done so. Including now, Emperor Chen... do you still have the resolute determination to perish together with the Time-Space Human Ancestor?" Ji Fanxin looked at Zhang Ruochen.

When there was a chance of winning, or rather, the strength to force the Time-Space Human Ancestor to retreat and compromise, Zhang Ruochen indeed could no longer immediately choose mutual destruction.
It wasn't that Zhang Ruochen had lost his will to face death; it was that he saw hope.
If there was a chance to live, who would choose to die?

Once this flame of hope was ignited, the Ancestor lost the ability to perish together with the enemy. The Time-Space Human Ancestor would have countless ways to put Zhang Ruochen to death.
Just like Shi Yan back then.
If Shi Yan had been determined to perish together with the enemy from the start, neither Zhang Ruochen, the Second Confucian Ancestor, nor the Dark Sovereign would have dared to approach him.
It was precisely because he lacked such determination initially that he ultimately died at the hands of cultivators below the Ancestor level.

Zhang Ruochen had to confront his own heart. At this moment, he was not much different from Shi Yan back then.

Zhang Ruochen said, "Before joining forces with you, the Time-Space Human Ancestor feared me. After joining forces with you, the Time-Space Human Ancestor is no longer afraid. In the end, if we cannot overwhelm him in cultivation and combat power, we can only seek opportunities from human nature."

Ji Fanxin said, "Yan Tingqiu thinks highly of himself and will never self-destruct his Ancestral Divine Heart. He can be ruled out first."

Zhang Ruochen said, "The Human Ancestor would entrust Huangyue to the Dark Sovereign only if he had set up some means within it. But if Huangyue would make the Dark Sovereign's life and death beyond his control, I think, given his pride, he would never compromise. So the Dark Sovereign can be ruled out second."

Ji Fanxin said, "Furong Dominator... have you discerned the origin of his soul consciousness?"

"I felt a sense of familiarity the first time I saw him. But he is a true Ancestor, capable of hiding heavenly secrets and the past. I have yet to see through the karma on him," Zhang Ruochen said.

Even with cultivation as high as Zhang Ruochen and Ji Fanxin's, an Ancestor still possesses certain countermeasures.
Just as Zhang Ruochen, with his state of "having a beginning and an end," could, to some extent, counter the Time-Space Human Ancestor.

Ji Fanxin said, "Before Furong Dominator was severely wounded by Xu Ding, his Ancestral Divine Heart was certainly not controlled by the Human Ancestor. Now, it's hard to say."

"As an Ancestor, one's fate is already unique, with divine consciousness spread across the universe. How could their Divine Heart be controlled?"

As an Ancestor, Lady Shiji had a say in this.
She admitted she was no match for someone like Zhang Ruochen, and might not even be able to escape. But for Zhang Ruochen to enslave her or manipulate her at will was impossible.

"Crush his will, wear down his nature. Break his Dao, enslave his soul. With the Human Ancestor's cultivation, how could he not achieve this? At that point, with a single thought from the Human Ancestor, Furong Dominator would self-destruct his Divine Heart to attack us."

Then, Ji Fanxin added, "Of course, an Ancestor in such a state can no longer be called an Ancestor. He is merely a puppet, his spiritual will and combat power far inferior to the original Furong Dominator. That is the basis of my judgment."

"Can you, Fanxin, use your spiritual power to suppress such an Ancestor from self-destructing his Divine Source?" Zhang Ruochen asked.

Ji Fanxin said, "That depends on whether I am contending against the Ancestor himself or the Human Ancestor behind him. It also depends on the state we are all in. In any case, the Ancestor's self-destruction of his Divine Source is a move that any cultivator must be extremely wary of. Otherwise, even if they don't die, they are doomed to defeat and become the Human Ancestor's prey."

"Actually, there is one more person I am very worried about," Zhang Ruochen said.

Ji Fanxin said, "The Heavenly Demon?"

During the time of rescuing the Heavenly Demon, Jiusi Yitianhuang and the Old Drunkard were both in the Divine Realm. Ji Fanxin knowing about this didn't surprise Zhang Ruochen.
Moreover, how many secrets in the universe could be hidden from a ninety-seventh-level spiritual power?

The Heavenly Demon had not yet appeared.
Coupled with the fact that the rescue process was too smooth.
And the fact that the Heavenly Demon could survive until this era seemed too bizarre, so Zhang Ruochen had always harbored suspicions.

For the Time-Space Human Ancestor to wear down Furong Dominator's nature and enslave his soul in a short time was extremely difficult.
But the Heavenly Demon had been imprisoned in the Divine Realm for over ten million years. The Time-Space Human Ancestor had plenty of time to set up around him.

Only at this moment did Chi Yao and Nutian Shenzun suddenly realize that, standing at the heights of Zhang Ruochen and Ji Fanxin, they had never regarded the Heavenly Demon as an ally, but rather as a major uncertain factor.
Wanting to find him was merely to confirm their suspicions or directly eliminate the hidden danger.

Ji Fanxin said, "Actually, the most terrifying thing about an Ancestor is their spiritual will. When that spiritual will is gone, the self-destruction of a Divine Source below the ninety-sixth level is not so frightening."

Many present looked askance.
This wasn't just disregarding an Ancestor; it was disregarding an Ancestor's self-destructive death struggle.
But thinking of "ninety-seventh-level" spiritual power, likely unique in the entire universe throughout history, what kind of methods she possessed was hard for even Ancestors like Zhang Ruochen and Lady Shiji to fathom, let alone those below the Ancestor level.

Ji Fanxin said, "In my view, the greatest threat is still the Heaven-Earth Altar."

Zhang Ruochen nodded in agreement, "The Ancestor's self-destruction of his Divine Source is an open move, so we will naturally think of counter-strategies in advance. But the Heaven-Earth Altar has consumed most of the universe's resources; it cannot be a mere decoration. And the altars built throughout the universe since ancient times are likely part of the Human Ancestor's scheme. With such a long time and such a vast network of altars, if it truly is some kind of means, it will overturn our imagination."

"What cannot be seen through is the most terrifying," Ji Fanxin said.

The eight advanced, each step covering a world, rapidly closing the distance to the Wuding Divine Sea.
They had already entered the order field the Human Ancestor had set up in this star domain.

Zhang Ruochen's momentum continuously rose, the divine Qi and rules emanating from him pushing open the order field. He said, "Regardless, we must first destroy the main altar and the over five thousand Heaven-Earth Altars on the Wuding Divine Sea. The Human Ancestor's attitude is very strange. We cannot all take risks together. Leave this to me. Fanxin, stay outside the Wuding Divine Sea to handle any unexpected situations."

"You want to face the Time-Space Human Ancestor alone?" Ji Fanxin asked.

"With my current cultivation, I'm probably not enough.
But if I can force him to use his trump cards first and see through his strategy, the advantage will tilt in our favor."

Zhang Ruochen raised both hands slightly, releasing all nine cauldrons.
Including the Xu Cauldron he had just retrieved from Ji Fanxin.
The nine cauldrons slowly revolved and rose around his body, rapidly growing larger and heavier, emitting increasingly bright light, distorting time and space, causing day and night to alternate.

Legend has it:
He who obtains the nine cauldrons commands the world, with all clans obeying and all heavens paying homage.
Throughout the countless ages of the universe, the nine cauldrons had almost never been gathered by one person. Now that the nine cauldrons were united, a qualitative change immediately occurred. They pulled on each other, causing the entire universe to tremble.

"The nine Daos flow, causing the rules of heaven and earth to boil, all converging toward the northern universe!"
"Not the northern universe, but further north, the North Marsh Great Wall, the Wuding Divine Sea."
"Look... what is that? Nine... nine divine stars rising, illuminating the entire north... the starry sky is lit up!" Cultivators from both the Hell Realm and the Heavenly Court Realm were shaken. No matter how remote the place, they all saw the nine giant stars rising at the end of the northern star sea.

Too bright!
The power and aura they emitted were like the nine great Witch Ancestors of ancient times descending upon this era, causing many cultivators to feel an inexplicable awe and reverence, and then kneel and bow.

Wen Tianjun stepped on the massive corpse of the Ancestral Yaksha King, gazing into the distance to the north.
What he saw was not only Zhang Ruochen supporting the nine cauldrons.
But also the other seven standing with Zhang Ruochen on the shore of the Wuding Divine Sea, facing the wind and waves. And, in the dark void, the gods of the Sword Realm fleeing like grains of light.

"This final showdown of Ancestors, Great Emperors, and Immortals has ultimately erupted in the Sword Realm star domain!"
Wen Tianjun sighed, suppressed the Ancestral Yaksha King into his Divine Realm World, and quickly disappeared into the darkness.
He had to find the Candlestick Monk.
Only Wen Tianjun knew how powerful this monk was once he untied his heart knot and shed his Buddhist robe—a being capable of influencing the course of the battle.

The Candlestick Monk was originally invited to this universe by him.

A majestic Nether City coiled with a swastika-shaped Azure Dragon.
Yan Wushen absorbed the Ancestral substance and blood Qi from the Corpse Demon Ancestor's corpse. His physical injuries healed in a very short time, and his blood Qi rivaled that of a true Ancestor, reaching an unprecedented level of vigor.
But the damage to his divine soul affected him more than he had imagined.
It left him powerless to impact the Ancestor realm.

The swastika-shaped Azure Dragon absorbed the bones of the Hongmeng Black Dragon, its physical form advancing further. Every scale was like a green immortal jade, always able to keep pace with Yan Wushen.
One man and one dragon could clash head-on even with an Ancestor.

"Such earth-shattering momentum—which Ancestor in history can compare? Zhang Ruochen, wielding the nine cauldrons, is truly a great emperor now, capable of challenging an Immortal."

Yan Wushen stood with his hands behind his back atop the Nether City, his blood boiling within him, excited to have such a contemporary rival.
But in his eyes, there was an undeniable desolation and unwillingness.
Such a rare, unprecedented life-and-death battle among Ancestors, Great Emperors, and Immortals, yet he had no part in it, unable to participate. How could someone like him not suffer?

Di Huang Universe.
Baozhu Dizang led a large group of monks along the Santu River, heading toward the Hell Realm.
Seeing the nine divine stars rising in the northern universe, her beautiful eyes shimmered. She planted her staff in the ground, knelt first, and prostrated in worship.
The monks behind her also stopped, knelt, and chanted unknown scriptures.

The Time-Space Human Ancestor stood atop the main altar, with the blue sea stretching to the horizon below his feet. He gazed at Zhang Ruochen on the shore a hundred billion miles away and said, "In such a hurry to make a move? I thought you would wait until you broke through to the state of 'consistent from beginning to end.'"

"Wouldn't that keep the Human Ancestor waiting too long?"

Zhang Ruochen stood tall and straight like an ancient divine mountain, his voice resounding through the nine heavens: "I wield the nine cauldrons, commanding all living beings and all Daos in the universe. Today, I declare myself Emperor! Wherever the stars shine, that is the Emperor's realm. The sea accepts all rivers, encompassing all things."

With each word Zhang Ruochen uttered, he took a step forward, his momentum continuously rising.
When the word "things" fell, his momentum reached its peak.
The nine cauldrons, like nine hand seals of the Witch Ancestors, flew toward the Wuding Divine Sea.

The Time-Space Human Ancestor raised his arm and pointed a finger.
"Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh..."
The Wuding Divine Sea, spanning thousands of billions of miles, whether at the bottom, on the surface, or above, all rose with divine formations.
The formation inscriptions spread outward across the entire Sword Realm star domain, enveloping Ji Fanxin, Lady Shiji, and the five including Chi Yao who stood on the shore.

Ji Fanxin remained calm, showing no intention of acting.
The other cultivators each used their own methods to resist the formations set up by the Time-Space Human Ancestor.

"Rumble!"
The nine cauldrons descended from nine different directions, light burning, darkness devouring, origin refining, truth taming... countless formations were shattered, pressing the seawater down, tearing time and space apart.
The Xu Cauldron was at the center of the nine cauldrons, more powerful than the God-Defying Stele, capable of grinding away all inscriptions in the world.

"Swoosh!"
On the Wuding Divine Sea, not only did the over five thousand Heaven-Earth Altars release sacrificial light pillars. Those altars built since ancient times on planets, islands, and great worlds were all activated by the Time-Space Human Ancestor, connecting to the Divine Realm.
Over a hundred million light pillars coexisted, stabilizing heaven and earth, blocking the nine cauldrons.

"The Wuding Divine Sea is my domain. Even if a Great Emperor descends and the nine cauldrons unite, you must retreat," the Time-Space Human Ancestor said calmly.

"This Emperor will break precisely the Human Ancestor's domain."
Zhang Ruochen stepped onto the water's surface, immediately forming a Heavenly Dao footprint.
As if by resonance, starting from Zhang Ruochen's foot, a series of footprints penetrated the formations and altar light pillars, traveling along the sea surface toward Guixu, ascending to the Nether Kingdom and the Sword Realm.

The Time-Space Human Ancestor let out a soft exclamation of surprise.
These footprints were left by Zhang Ruochen when he returned to the Sword Realm earlier. Each footprint contained the Wuji Dao Yun, a Dao imprint unique to him.
Hidden in "nothingness," concealed in "emptiness."
Clearly, Zhang Ruochen had long prepared to fight back to the Sword Realm, leaving a contingency plan.

"Break!"
With a single word uttered.
This long trail of footprints tore through the Time-Space Human Ancestor's order field, shattered all formations and altars along the path, and forcibly opened a route across the Wuding Divine Sea.
Zhang Ruochen, sword in hand, charged through the crack.

"Zhang Ruochen, I've been waiting for you!" The Dark Sovereign's divine voice rang out.
A Myriad Forms Formless Seal, connecting heaven and earth, rose from the sea surface, pressing down amidst the rolling waves.

Zhang Ruochen swung his sword, his sword intent piercing through past and present, containing the flavor of creation, far beyond what Sword Twenty-Seven could compare to.
"Swoosh——"
The Myriad Forms Formless Seal was cleaved open by a single sword strike, unstoppable.
Zhang Ruochen locked onto the Dark Sovereign's position and immediately delivered a second sword strike.

The Dark Sovereign's greatest strength lay in his hands, interwoven with the rule order of a "Heaven-Start Self-End" level powerhouse, undying through the ages. Therefore, he caught Zhang Ruochen's sword strike with his bare hands.
"Boom!"
With one clash, the Dark Sovereign was sent flying back.
A blood mark appeared on his black palm, and even the "Heaven-Start Self-End" rule order could not withstand it.

"How long has it been? He has grown this much stronger?"
The Dark Sovereign knew Zhang Ruochen had obtained the Quantity Demon's Profound Meaning and was continuously absorbing the Quantity Force from Lihentian, but he hadn't expected his cultivation to advance so quickly.

"Shua! Shua——"
The nine cauldrons, along with Chi Yao, Zangjin Baihu, Cloud-Swallowing Demon Vine, Ling Yanzi, and Nutian Shenzun, entered the Wuding Divine Sea, rapidly converging toward Zhang Ruochen.
The five powerhouses entered Zhang Ruochen's small world, transforming.
They became five clusters of Dao light, merging with the other forty-nine clusters of Dao light within the fifty-fifth cluster of Dao light, "Qi Domain," which had always been inside Zhang Ruochen's body.

In an instant, Zhang Ruochen's might soared to a new height, the radiance he emitted surpassing all stars in the world.
"Rumble!"
Step by step, he advanced. Wherever he passed, Heaven-Earth Altars were crushed.
The waters of the Wuding Divine Sea churned and boiled without cease.

"Even Bai Yuan reborn would probably be no more than this!"
Seeing Zhang Ruochen's aura and battle might, the Dark Sovereign immediately retreated, unwilling to clash head-on with this peerless Emperor for the Time-Space Human Ancestor.

In the distant starry sky, the Second Confucian Ancestor intended to descend upon the Heavenly Court, causing Zhang Ruochen to lose focus and disrupt his mind.
On the shore of the Wuding Divine Sea, Ji Fanxin was prepared. She took out the Heavenly Mechanism Brush and wrote stroke by stroke on the "Book of Life and Death."
Each stroke transformed into a heavenly blade that cut across the universe.
The "Book of Life and Death" began to burn.
When the character "Yan" was written, the Second Confucian Ancestor sensed something amiss and decisively retreated back to the Divine Realm.
Ji Fanxin did not continue writing, unwilling to be distracted by the Second Confucian Ancestor. Her and Zhang Ruochen's true great enemy was the Time-Space Human Ancestor.

"Something is wrong!" Ji Fanxin sensed something and looked toward Guixu.
"What's wrong?"
Just as Lady Shiji asked this, Zhang Ruochen had already fought his way into Guixu and ascended to the Sword Realm continent.
Zhang Ruochen also felt a vague unease, thinking the Time-Space Human Ancestor should not be so ineffective. Therefore, upon reaching the base of the main altar, he stopped.

An aged figure, with a dazed expression, stumbled out from the altar.
"Senior Jie!"
Zhang Ruochen's tone was calm, but inside, a storm was raging. Anger and killing intent threatened to burst through his skull.
But reason triumphed over everything. He immediately retreated far away.
He did not want to implicate Chi Yao, Ling Yanzi, Nutian Shenzun, and the others, causing them to die here.

But...
It was already too late!
"How did I get here?"
Jie Tian suddenly regained consciousness. Before he could observe his surroundings, the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable's Ancestral Divine Source within his body erupted with blazing light, and in an instant, his body turned to ashes.
The destructive radiance tore through heaven and earth. In the blink of an eye, it caught up with Zhang Ruochen, who was retreating through spatial dimensions, spreading to his heart.

As for Chi Yao, Nutian Shenzun, Ling Yanzi, Zangjin Baihu, and the Cloud-Swallowing Demon Vine, they could not withstand it. In the destructive light of the Ancestor's self-detonating Divine Source, their bodies, souls, divine seas, and even their Divine Sources all developed dense cracks.

In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through Zhang Ruochen's mind.
Jie Tian's Ancestral Divine Source had been set up by Yunshen Daozhu. Zhang Ruochen knew this. As early as in the Chaos Clan of the Abyss of Darkness, Jie Tian had used the talisman given by Yunshen Daozhu to mobilize the stronger power within the Ancestral Divine Source.
In the Heavenly Court, Zhang Ruochen had carefully examined the Ancestral Divine Source within Jie Tian's body and found no issues.

But when facing the Time-Space Human Ancestor, how could Zhang Ruochen dare to have any wishful thinking?
Therefore, when coming to the Wuding Divine Sea this time, he did not bring Jie Tian, nor the Sundial that had a connection with the Time-Space Human Ancestor, leaving them in the Truth Divine Temple.
He even had Hao Tian watch over Jie Tian. Just in case!

Since Jie Tian appeared here, it undoubtedly meant that a great upheaval had also occurred in the Heavenly Court.
The Ancestral Divine Sources within the Ten Thousand Generations and Nine Ancestors were not terrifying, because those Ancestral Divine Sources had existed in the world for over a hundred million years, their internal Ancestral power less than one-tenth of the original. Zhang Ruochen believed he could withstand them. But the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable's Ancestral Divine Source belonged to this era, its Ancestral power surpassing even Dizang Wang's.

He had been careful enough, yet still made a catastrophic mistake.
In this moment of life and death, Zhang Ruochen finally understood that weaknesses were weaknesses, impossible to compensate for! The Time-Space Human Ancestor had never intended to threaten him with the people he cared about. Instead, he was certain that Zhang Ruochen would not kill Jie Tian.
Because of their deep bond, he had not killed Jie Tian in advance to eliminate the hidden danger. Now, he had to pay the most tragic price for this weakness.