"What's going on? Why can't I see the reward the Sky Screen gave War Heavenly Emperor?"
"The Sky Screen has blocked us out! Only War Heavenly Emperor can see the actual reward!"
"It's over, completely over! War Heavenly Emperor is going to revive. The Three Realms are doomed!"
"Yikes, what if the Sky Screen grants War Heavenly Emperor a wish and he uses it to end martial arts?!"
"..."
Countless people were terrified and panicked!
What humanity feared most was the unknown!
Now, the reward the Sky Screen had given War Heavenly Emperor was unknown!
The unknown was fear itself!
The powerhouses of the Three Realms clearly remembered that War Heavenly Emperor had wanted to wipe out martial arts!
He had wanted to create a world without martial arts!
If the Sky Screen really granted that wish...
It was too terrifying to imagine!
Everyone began to panic.
To the powerhouses of the Three Realms, losing martial arts meant losing everything!
In the Earth Cave,
King Ming, King Feng, King Hu, King Baishan, and the other Earth Cave True Kings grew anxious and uneasy.
"If..." King Feng said hoarsely, his eyes trembling and his whole body rigid.
"If martial arts really vanished, what would become of us?"
"Without martial arts...we'd be torn apart by those slaves and humans!" King Baishan said, his expression dark and his heart heavy.
"Perhaps War Heavenly Emperor might choose to resolve the Origin turmoil," King Hua said gravely.
The kings were in a state of panic, while King Pingshan, the Survival King of the Earth Cave, had already built himself a bunker. He had stored plenty of resources and food inside, enough to last him a hundred years!
King Huai had also hurried back to King Huai Mansion and begun making all sorts of arrangements.
At the Divine Sect,
Li Zhu, Hong Yu, and King Kun all looked toward the Earth Emperor.
"Father, will Zhan choose to revive?"
The Earth Emperor had been close friends with War Heavenly Emperor and understood him better than anyone.
The Earth Emperor remained silent.
Elsewhere,
God Emperor, Eastern Emperor, and Heaven Fighting Emperor were also somewhat surprised.
"The Sky Screen actually blocked us from seeing the reward. This is the first time something unknown like this has happened."
God Emperor was very surprised, and his expression grew somewhat grave.
The Sky Screen hadn't blocked anyone from investigating the three choices it gave Spirit Emperor, but now it had presented an unknown reward.
Was it good or bad?
Eastern Emperor smiled. "Whatever the Sky Screen gave Zhan has nothing to do with us."
Even if War Heavenly Emperor chose to kill all the Emperors to avenge Heaven Extinguishing Emperor and Heaven Tyrant Emperor, Eastern Emperor could accept it.
The day Zhan had taken his own life to suppress the source by filling the sea, he had repaid their kindness. He owed them nothing anymore.
"The bond between master and disciple has long since been repaid."
God Emperor sighed. "If anything, we're the ones who wronged him."
Eastern Emperor smiled but said nothing more.
On Heaven Sealing Island,
"Zhan...will you choose to live another life? You probably won't," Feng murmured, his expression shifting.
He had apprenticed himself to the Four Emperors and followed Heaven Extinguishing Emperor the longest, but he understood War Heavenly Emperor as well.
All Four Emperors had possessed extraordinary ambition. Although he called himself Heaven Sealing Emperor, he was far inferior to the Four Emperors in both strength and vision.
In his view, War Heavenly Emperor would never choose to live again.
Feng gazed at the Sky Screen, his eyes turning sharp. "Now that you've fallen, why revive?"
The Extreme Dao...had long since become a thing of the past!
After the Heavenly Court fell eight thousand years ago, he had ceased to be the Extreme Dao's chief disciple.
There were hardly any members of the Extreme Dao left, either.
King Gen, King Xun, King Gan, and the other ancient powerhouses also looked grave.
They were always afraid of the unknown.
Inside Spirit Emperor Palace,
"Meow!"
Grey Cat lay on Spirit Emperor's beautiful lap and muttered,
"This cat wants a reward too."
If it could make a wish, it would wish for Emperor meat. It also wanted that cat food and those cans!
Heavenly Dog was loitering outside, his dog face full of despair.
Why could Grey Cat stay inside while he had to squat at the door and guard it?
In the Human Realm,
Zhang Tao was quite calm.
It would be best if War Heavenly Emperor chose to wipe out martial arts. Without martial arts, the Human Realm still had technology.
Choosing to resolve the Origin turmoil would benefit the Human Realm, too.
Even if he chose to revive, it wouldn't be a big deal.
God Emperor, Eastern Emperor, and Heaven Fighting Emperor had all returned to the Three Realms, and the Heavenly Emperor was close. Adding War Heavenly Emperor wouldn't make much difference.
At Magic Martial University,
Fang Ping was cultivating.
What did other people's choices have to do with him?
All he could do now was mind his own business.
In Yang City, Yang God had stopped drinking coconut juice. He was also curious about the reward the Sky Screen had given War Heavenly Emperor.
"Don't tell me that guy Zhan really plans to wipe out martial arts?"
Yang God narrowed his eyes and cursed,
"This feeling of not knowing is awful!"
At Southern Martial University,
Wang Jinyang looked calm. He turned to Zhang Xuan, who was munching on an apple, and asked, "Zhang Xuan, what do you think the future of the Three Realms will look like?"
Zhang Xuan munched on his apple and patted him on the shoulder.
"Obviously, chaos."
"But it's precisely because things are chaotic that little people like us have a better chance to rise."
Wang Jinyang nodded, then suddenly chuckled.
"Actually, wiping out martial arts wouldn't be so bad."
Zhang Xuan glanced at him in mild surprise but said nothing.
To be honest, he didn't know what choice War Heavenly Emperor would make, either.
The reward he had set for the Uncrowned King was simple and very practical.
At this moment, the words War Heavenly Emperor still hung above the Sky Screen!
The powerhouses of the Three Realms were all speculating about War Heavenly Emperor.
Meanwhile, in the Void Heaven Realm, War Heavenly Emperor had remained silent for a long time as he looked at the reward the Sky Screen had given him.
"Meow, why not let this cat make a wish? This cat wants lots of delicious food and fun things!
"And I want Big Dog and that other Grey Cat outside to play with me!"
The projection of Grey Cat was perched on War Heavenly Emperor's shoulder, waving its paw.
War Heavenly Emperor tapped the cat on the head.
"Amusements can make you neglect your goals."
"Meow!"
Grey Cat shook its head. It wasn't listening, it wasn't listening!
War Heavenly Emperor looked at the golden screen before him and fell silent once more.
[Reward: One wish will be granted.]
"A wish?"
War Heavenly Emperor murmured. Should he resolve the Origin turmoil, deal with the Seed's calamity, wipe out martial arts, or take Grey Cat to see the Three Realms?
"Ah..."
A trace of sadness and regret appeared on War Heavenly Emperor's face.
Back then, he hadn't loosed that arrow, and that had led to the deaths of Mie and Simpleton.
In this life, the only ones he felt he had wronged were Mie and Simpleton.
"Is it all right to be selfish just this once?
"No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes.
"Everyone has selfish desires."
He was already dead.
The world, the Great Dao...what did they matter?
He was dead. Why should he care about any of that?
War Heavenly Emperor made his wish.
A hundred years from now, Mie and Ba would revive without any hidden dangers.
War Heavenly Emperor stroked Grey Cat's head and smiled.
The Origin turmoil had nothing to do with him anymore. He was a dead man.
He didn't like killing. Let someone else be the executioner, the butcher.
He didn't want to revive, either. He had already lived long enough...
"It's so lonely."
War Heavenly Emperor sighed.
"Meow! This cat wants to go out and see the world, too."
The projection of Grey Cat swished its tail. It wanted to go out and meet the other Grey Cat!
"All right. When the time comes, we'll go see the Three Realms together," War Heavenly Emperor said, his voice full of affection.
"Meow, okay!"
No one outside knew what was happening in the Void Heaven Realm.
Everyone was frightened, panicked, curious, and eagerly awaiting the final result.
"I really wonder what kind of reward the Sky Screen gave War Heavenly Emperor!" someone exclaimed.
In an instant, golden light blazed!
The Sky Screen shimmered with golden light, and the heavens seemed to split open once more!
[The Heavenly Dao follows its course, and fate is woven like a tapestry. The Sneaky Ranking is settled, yet the waves have not stilled! The next ranking: Future Human King's "Dao Protectors." It will be unveiled in seven days!]
The announcement sent shockwaves through the Three Realms!
"Hm? Those quotation marks—is the Sky Screen emphasizing something, or is it expressing denial and mockery?!"
"Yikes, I have a feeling this ranking isn't going to be serious!"
"Holy crap, what reward did War Heavenly Emperor get?!"
"No, why aren't War Heavenly Emperor's reward and his choice being revealed?!"
"That's it for the Sneaky Ranking? That was way too short!"
"Is the Sky Screen about to reveal the identity of the Future Human King?"
"Wonderful!"
"I really want to know who the Future Human King is."
"I have a beautiful daughter of marriageable age. I hope the Future Human King takes a liking to her."
"..."
As soon as the Sky Screen made its announcement, the Three Realms erupted!
The powerhouses and Emperors of the Human Realm, the Earth Cave, and the rest of the Three Realms all had their own reactions!
In the Human Realm,
Zhang Tao looked at the Sky Screen's announcement, and his expression changed in an instant!
What reward War Heavenly Emperor had received didn't matter to him, but the Future Human King did!
Heaven Suppressing King and God Forger also looked grave.
"The Future Human King's 'Dao Protectors' ranking?!"
"Once this ranking is revealed, the Future Human King will inevitably be identified! After that, the Human Realm may never know peace again!"
The Future Human King was the peerless powerhouse who would eventually lead Grey Cat to become the Dominator Cat!
He was also part of War Heavenly Emperor's plans, and he was sure to carry some powerful treasure bestowed on him by War Heavenly Emperor!
There was also the Three Emperors Great Dao!
Even if the Emperors weren't tempted, there were so many Heavenly Kings in the Three Realms. Could all of them really resist the temptation?
Such enormous benefits would be enough to drive some people to take a desperate risk!
Especially the Earth Cave.
Human Realm and the Earth Cave had been at war for a hundred years. How could a century of bloodshed and enmity go unsettled?
The Earth Emperor was also one of the chief culprits!
The Earth Cave would surely want to kill the Future Human King before he could grow, or take him away!
"No. We have to act in advance!"
Zhang Tao's expression was grave, utterly serious.
The day the Earth Emperor was exposed, Zhang Tao had begun hunting down the remnants in the Human Realm.
Some of them had escaped to the Earth Cave, but to this day, he still hadn't found their stronghold.
Now that the Earth Emperor had transcended, what if he also wanted to target the Future Human King?
War King's expression darkened. "But even if we find him in advance, how could we protect him for the rest of his life? Are we supposed to pour all our resources into him?"
"Human King, the human race's powerful fighters have all fought their way to the top!"
At those words, Zhang Tao fell silent.
Of course he knew that a towering tree couldn't grow in a greenhouse.
But the Future Human King had come from inside the Seed.
Perhaps he was the only one who could resolve the Seed and solve the Origin's problems at their root.
If he died before his time, sooner or later the human race would be harvested like chives by a new Immortal Source or the lord of the Origin Source!
God Forger spoke up. "This old man thinks the powerful beings of the Three Realms won't personally move against the Future Human King."
"War Heavenly Emperor's remnant soul projection is still around. The power to slay Emperors hangs over their heads like a sword!"
"But they'll definitely want to take the Future Human King away. They might even try to deceive, tempt, or possess him!"
His words jolted them awake.
Zhang Tao's expression grew even more grave.
They wouldn't kill him?
But if they could extract the treasure War Heavenly Emperor had placed on the Future Human King, would they still spare him?
The Emperors and those powerful beings weren't of one mind!
There were still Emperors trapped in the Origin Source!
Didn't they want to escape?
If they did, they would surely join forces with certain factions.
And what about the Earth Cave? What if it assassinated the Future Human King and dragged the human race down with it?
"More than half of the chaos in the Three Realms right now was caused by the Sky Screen!"
"What exactly is the Sky Screen trying to do?"
Zhang Tao gazed at the Sky Screen, his eyes deep and his heart sinking to the bottom.
He drew a deep breath, tore open space, and returned to the Capital.
Li Zhen and Nan Yunyue looked at Zhang Tao with grave expressions.
"Zhang Tao, the Future Human King's identity is about to be exposed!"
Zhang Tao looked at Li Zhen and Nan Yunyue and said gravely, "Choose some talented Military Department fighters who are willing to secretly build support for them. Stir things up."
"Make arrangements at the Martial Arts Universities, too. Everything must be voluntary."
Li Zhen and Nan Yunyue fell silent for a moment, then nodded.
"All right."
(In the original novel, Zhang Tao does make sacrifices for the greater good.)
The Earth Cave,
King Ming, King Feng, and the others were delighted.
"Once the Human King Guardian Ranking List is exposed, the Future Human King won't be able to hide!"
"But even if we learn his identity, what are we supposed to do? Kill him... Can we even pull that off?"
The Earth Cave's kings fell silent.
King Ming smashed through space, sweeping his icy gaze over the assembled kings as he said coldly,
"Are we supposed to do nothing and wait for him to grow up, become one of the strongest, and settle accounts with all of us?"
"What is there to fear in death? The humans of the God Continent aren't the Emperors' slaves, much less stepping-stones for the human race!"
"If the human race has a Human King, why can't the God Continent have one?"
"Capture him, seize everything he has, and forge a Human King for the God Continent!"
"If our deaths can open the way to a future for the God Continent, I refuse to believe that War Heavenly Emperor and the Emperors would exterminate every human in the Earth Cave just for his sake!"
King Ming spoke with fierce conviction!
The Earth Cave had no Emperor!
Li Zhu wasn't the Earth Cave's Emperor!
The Earth Cave needed an Emperor of its own!
King Feng and King Baishan were stunned. King Ming's words had shaken them to the core.
Forge a Human King for the Earth Cave?!
What ambition! What audacity!
"Even if we can't kill him, we'll find a way to turn him into one of the Earth Cave's humans!"
King Baishan's eyes were icy.
Except for Survival King and King Pingshan, all the Earth Cave's kings had fought their way to the throne. How could they lack even the slightest trace of fighting spirit?
"The Emperors and the powerful beings treat the God Continent as a resource, while the human race sees us as enemies!
How can we simply await our deaths?"
"There will come a day when accounts are settled!"
"Why can't we be the ones to settle accounts with them?" King Ming roared.
"If you're afraid to die, then I'll lead the charge!"
Elsewhere, King Gen, King Xun, King Gan, and several other powerful beings from the Three Realms found Feng.
"Feng, the Sky Screen is about to open the Future Human King Protector Ranking. His identity is going to be exposed!"
Feng regarded them impassively and said coldly,
"He's a pawn jointly set up by War Heavenly Emperor and the Earth Emperor. Would the Earth Emperor let you scheme against him?"
King Gan chuckled. "The Earth Emperor is arrogant and overbearing. He despises the weak and the useless! As long as we don't bully someone weaker than us, and the Future Human King dies at the hands of someone his own age, the Earth Emperor will only laugh at him. He won't step in for him!"
Feng's eyes shifted slightly. "What about War Heavenly Emperor...?"
"The Emperors will handle War Heavenly Emperor."
"You've joined forces with the Human Emperor!"
Feng's expression changed.
King Gan and the others smiled without answering.
Elsewhere,
God Emperor, Heaven Fighting Emperor, and Eastern Emperor watched the Sky Screen's prediction and were somewhat surprised.
"If the Three Realms descend into chaos because of this, the Sky Screen will bear at least half the blame."
God Emperor looked at Eastern Emperor and Heaven Fighting Emperor and smiled.
"If the Future Human King's identity is exposed, I'm afraid a lot of people won't be able to sit still."
Heaven Fighting Emperor took a small sip of tea and said softly, "If some people want to kill him, others will surely want to protect him!"
If the Future Human King didn't die before his time, his future would be bright.
Naturally, some would want to win credit by following him to power.
Some might even try to control him, so they could become the king above kings!
Eastern Emperor looked at the Sky Screen and chuckled. "Do you think the Seed can see this Sky Screen?"
"Even if it can't, someone will tell it."
Heaven Fighting Emperor smiled. "The Earth Cave and Original Martial Arts... They probably won't amount to much if they try to scheme against the Future Human King.
"But the Seed won't just sit around and wait for death."
If the Seed learned that the Future Human King would put an end to it once and for all, how could it possibly do nothing?
It had probably already contacted the Human Emperor, Southern Emperor, and Beast Emperor—one of them, or perhaps all of them.
God Emperor clasped his hands behind his back, his tone calm yet tinged with domineering certainty.
"This Emperor would like to see what makes this piece Zhan has placed on the board so special!"
(Guess: How many chapters until Fang Ping's identity is exposed, and how will it happen?)
(Happy Spring Festival, everyone! May everything go your way!)
(Lastly, please keep reading and support the novel in any way you can. Thank you all.)
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