Chapter 644: Two Emperors Meet?
The vast and boundless starry sky stretched endlessly before them, a silent, cold, and desolate expanse. Ye Fan and the Black Emperor stood side by side, gazing at the distant star field. Behind them, the Big Dipper Star Domain had long since shrunk to a faint speck of light, almost indistinguishable from the surrounding stars.
"Are we really going to leave just like that?" The Black Emperor's voice carried a rare hint of melancholy. Its massive body floated in the void, its fur shimmering with a faint metallic luster under the starlight.
Ye Fan was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly. "The Big Dipper is too chaotic now. The Ancient Clan is stirring, and the various Holy Lands are scheming against each other. Staying there will only drag us into endless conflicts. We need to find our own path."
"Hmph, you're just afraid of trouble." The Black Emperor curled its lip, revealing a mouthful of gleaming white teeth. "But you're right. That place is indeed not suitable for cultivation right now. The Ancient Human Path is the true battlefield for tempering."
Ye Fan didn't respond. He turned his head to look back at the distant Big Dipper Star Domain, a complex light flickering in his eyes. There, he had left behind too many memories—friends, enemies, and unfinished grudges.
"Don't worry, we'll be back." The Black Emperor seemed to sense his thoughts and spoke in a rare, comforting tone. "When you become a Great Emperor, we'll come back and settle all the old scores."
Ye Fan smiled faintly, then his gaze grew resolute. "Let's go."
The two figures transformed into streaks of divine light, swiftly shuttling through the starry sky. They followed the coordinates on the star map, heading toward the legendary Ancient Human Path.
The journey was long and tedious. The starry sky was vast, and they encountered many dangers along the way—meteor showers, spatial rifts, and even the corpses of ancient ferocious beasts drifting in the void. But with Ye Fan's current cultivation and the Black Emperor's profound knowledge, they managed to overcome each obstacle.
On this day, they arrived at an ancient star field.
"This place..." The Black Emperor suddenly stopped, its expression turning serious.
Ye Fan also sensed something unusual. The star field ahead was shrouded in a strange mist, faintly emitting an ancient and oppressive aura.
"What's wrong?" Ye Fan asked cautiously.
The Black Emperor narrowed its eyes, staring intently into the distance. "I sense a very familiar aura... extremely ancient, and terrifyingly powerful."
Ye Fan's heart tightened. He immediately circulated the Secret of All, his divine senses spreading out like a tide. Soon, his expression changed dramatically.
"There's a battle ahead!"
The two exchanged a glance, then simultaneously concealed their auras and quietly approached.
As they drew nearer, the scene before them left them utterly shocked.
In the void ahead, two figures were locked in a fierce battle. Every time they clashed, it was like the stars were shattering, and the universe was collapsing. The terrifying energy waves swept through the surroundings, causing countless stars to tremble.
One of the figures was shrouded in a vast, boundless aura, as if he were the master of this world. Every move he made resonated with the principles of heaven and earth, carrying an indescribable pressure.
The other figure was even more astonishing. He was surrounded by chaotic energy, and behind him, a massive phantom of an ancient cauldron loomed, as if it could suppress the nine heavens and ten earths.
"Great Emperor!" Ye Fan and the Black Emperor exclaimed in unison, their faces filled with shock.
These two figures were both at the Great Emperor level!
"How is this possible?" The Black Emperor's voice trembled. "In this era, how could there be two Great Emperors fighting at the same time?"
Ye Fan's gaze was fixed on the battlefield, his heart churning with turmoil. The power of a Great Emperor was truly terrifying. Even from such a distance, he could feel an overwhelming pressure, as if his soul might shatter at any moment.
"Wait, that's..." Ye Fan suddenly widened his eyes, staring at one of the figures.
That figure, surrounded by chaotic energy, looked somewhat familiar. Although his face was obscured by divine light, the aura he exuded was astonishingly similar to his own.
"Could it be..." Ye Fan's mind raced, and a bold guess emerged.
At that moment, the two Great Emperors suddenly stopped fighting. They simultaneously turned their gazes toward Ye Fan and the Black Emperor's hiding spot.
"Come out." A calm voice sounded, carrying an undeniable authority.
Ye Fan and the Black Emperor's hearts tightened. They knew they had been discovered. With no other choice, they could only reveal themselves.
As they emerged, the two Great Emperors' gazes fell upon them, especially on Ye Fan.
"You are..." The Great Emperor surrounded by chaotic energy suddenly spoke, his voice carrying a hint of surprise and complexity.
Ye Fan looked up at the other party, and their eyes met. At that moment, he felt an inexplicable resonance, as if they were connected by some profound bond.
"Who are you?" Ye Fan asked, his voice a little hoarse.
The Great Emperor was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke, "I am you, and you are me."
These words left Ye Fan stunned. The Black Emperor beside him was also dumbfounded, its mouth wide open.
"What do you mean?" Ye Fan asked, frowning.
The Great Emperor sighed softly, the chaotic energy around him gradually dissipating, revealing a face that was shockingly similar to Ye Fan's—only more weathered and mature, with eyes as deep as the starry sky.
"I am Ye Fan from the future," he said calmly, as if stating an ordinary fact.
"What?!" Ye Fan and the Black Emperor were both shocked.
"Impossible!" The Black Emperor was the first to react. "Time is irreversible. How could you possibly travel back from the future?"
The future Ye Fan smiled faintly, a trace of complexity flashing in his eyes. "Under normal circumstances, it is indeed impossible. But if one pays a sufficient price, even the impossible can be made possible."
Ye Fan's heart trembled violently. He stared intently at the future version of himself, a thousand questions swirling in his mind.
"Why did you come back?" he asked solemnly.
The future Ye Fan's gaze grew profound. He looked at the other Great Emperor, then back at Ye Fan. "To stop a catastrophe, and also... to save someone."
"Save someone?" Ye Fan was puzzled.
At that moment, the other Great Emperor suddenly spoke. His voice was deep and ancient, as if it had traveled through endless time.
"Ye Fan, do not be deceived by him. He is not your future self, but a demon from another time and space, attempting to alter the course of history."
Ye Fan was startled and turned to look at the other Great Emperor.
"Who are you?" he asked.
The Great Emperor's body shimmered with divine light, and a figure gradually emerged. It was an old man with a kind face, but his eyes held a wisdom that seemed to pierce through the ages.
"I am the reincarnation of Emperor Wu Shi," the old man said calmly.
"What?!" The Black Emperor was so shocked it almost jumped up. "You are Emperor Wu Shi? No, that's impossible. Emperor Wu Shi has long since vanished without a trace. How could he appear here?"
The old man smiled faintly. "The world is full of wonders. Nothing is impossible."
Ye Fan's mind was in chaos. The situation before him was far too bizarre. Two Great Emperors, one claiming to be his future self, the other claiming to be the reincarnation of Emperor Wu Shi. And they were locked in a fierce battle.
"Enough nonsense!" The future Ye Fan suddenly shouted coldly, his aura surging. "Old thing, you have interfered too much. Today, I will end you here!"
As his words fell, he made his move. A vast, boundless power erupted, transforming into a massive hand that pressed down toward the old man.
The old man's expression remained calm. He gently raised his hand, and a golden divine light shot up, colliding with the giant hand.
The two forces clashed, instantly tearing apart the surrounding void. Terrifying energy waves swept out, forcing Ye Fan and the Black Emperor to retreat repeatedly.
"Retreat quickly!" the Black Emperor shouted, grabbing Ye Fan and fleeing into the distance.
Ye Fan looked back, watching the two Great Emperors locked in battle, his heart filled with shock and confusion.
What was happening? Why would his future self appear? And why was Emperor Wu Shi's reincarnation here? What kind of secret was hidden in all of this?
Countless questions swirled in his mind, but no one could give him an answer.
At that moment, a voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
"Remember, do not trust anyone. Only by walking your own path can you find the truth."
It was the voice of the future Ye Fan.
Ye Fan was stunned, then his gaze grew resolute. No matter what the truth was, he would uncover it with his own hands.
The starry sky was vast, and the road ahead was long. But he knew that this was only the beginning.