Radical moves, frank words, the Black Emperor's passing...

A crack appeared in his spirit platform.

The Black Emperor's gaze sharpened. Divine power surged as he tried to smooth it away.

The result, however, was not entirely satisfactory.

A tiny fissure remained, requiring a second repair.

The Black Emperor fell silent for a long time.

His eyes were deep, with no emotion stirring within them.

"Heh-"

The Black Emperor chuckled.

He knew he had entered old age, and that his blood and vitality would decline steadily from now on.

Yet he was not saddened in the slightest.

Instead... he felt somewhat delighted.

He was old and would soon die. Did that mean... he could be even more radical?

The Black Emperor made his decision.

He would kill a Supreme in a forbidden zone to celebrate entering his twilight years.

The Kunlun Divine Ruins.

This was a terrifying forbidden zone as renowned as Chaotic God Mountain.

Deep within it lay an independent world.

The Black Emperor entered without the slightest hesitation, his steps as natural and steady as though he were returning home.

Before long, he emerged dragging the corpse of a Golden-Winged Emperor Peng.

Then he sat at the entrance to the Kunlun Divine Ruins and roasted this Supreme over a fire, his manner extraordinarily brazen.

It was nothing short of outright provocation!

"Black Emperor, you've gone too far."

A voice rang out from the depths, suppressing utter fury.

But the Black Emperor continued doing as he pleased, paying it no heed.

He acted as though he were saying, "I'm old now. Nothing you say will work."

If they had the ability, they could all rush him and kill him outright.

Unfortunately...

In the end, no Supreme emerged willing to fight this Heavenly Emperor who was nearing death.

Over the next two thousand years.

The Black Emperor would take a stroll through the forbidden zones from time to time.

He never killed many on each visit, just a single Supreme.

He no longer fought several at once with overwhelming force while bearing the power of the other Supremes, as he had before.

It was simply because... he had grown old.

For a long time, he had made no further progress in his cultivation.

Coupled with years of unleashing battles at the pinnacle of the Dao, this had caused his blood and vitality to decline exceptionally quickly.

Still, his cultivation realm remained.

Slaughtering Supremes was still as easy as butchering pigs and dogs.

The Black Realm.

Ye Mingyuan stepped inside at a leisurely pace.

His presence was as deep as an abyss, his blood and vitality as vast as a sea.

His life force was exceptionally vigorous. He was in his prime.

He looked at the Black Emperor, whose face had not changed at all and who seemingly retained all his former splendor, with a trace of admiration in his eyes.

By now, his strength had already surpassed the Black Emperor's.

But he knew this did not mean his aptitude was better than the Black Emperor's.

It was simply because he was still young.

And unlike the Black Emperor, he had not devoted the vast majority of his time to purging the forbidden zones.

"You're dying."

Ye Mingyuan spoke frankly.

The Black Emperor nodded. "This day was bound to come."

"I foresaw it long ago, and I accept it calmly."

"I asked you here today because I want you to protect me during my remaining days, lest those Supremes seize this lifetime's flesh and blood and Dao fruit."

"All right!" Ye Mingyuan agreed decisively.

The Black Emperor's achievements during his reign alone were enough for Ye Mingyuan to protect him through this final stretch.

Even if doing so would affect his own cultivation.

After receiving that assurance.

The Black Emperor smiled, then spoke just as frankly. "I knew you'd agree. For you, whether you spend this little time cultivating won't make much difference anyway."

"I know. Becoming an immortal... you have no hope."

Ye Mingyuan's face darkened at those words, but he did not voice a rebuttal.

It amounted to tacit agreement.

After cultivating for so long, he did indeed have that feeling.

Although his cultivation had been improving all along.

His progress was not fast, and moreover... he had a point of reference ahead of him.

Three punches had nearly killed both of them, two Heavenly Emperors, together!

Even if he cultivated bitterly for a hundred thousand years, he would struggle to reach such terrifying might.

Yet even though that man possessed such terrifying strength.

Ye Mingyuan also knew that the Chaos Heavenly Emperor had not become an immortal.

As for living a third life... Ye Mingyuan had no confidence in that.

Back when he attained the Emperor Realm.

He had merely taken a shortcut, relying on a special will within the opportunity he had obtained from Chaotic God Mountain to break through.

Perhaps, if he had not relied on outside power back then.

And had instead relied solely on his own comprehension, thoroughly making it his own ability, he would now have had a sliver of a chance at success.

Now, it was impossible.

News that the Black Emperor was approaching the end of his life spread throughout the entire great universe.

For a time, sorrow permeated the entire great universe.

Everyone knew.

Had the Black Emperor not spent years campaigning against the forbidden zones, even delaying his cultivation.

His lifespan would likely not have been limited to this.

For precisely this reason, the world mourned the Black Emperor's impending departure and remembered his great achievements.

They inscribed his life in ancient history and left behind classics singing his praises, for future generations to remember.

However, the world did not fall into despair because of this.

For a young Heavenly Emperor still existed in the world, capable of sheltering all living beings.

The thirty-four-thousandth year of the Immortal Court calendar.

Over the past several thousand years, the Black Emperor had still refused to settle down.

He frequently appeared in the various forbidden zones, becoming a nightmare to their Supremes for a time.

In fact, not long after he had just killed another Supreme.

When the world thought he was recovering in seclusion.

A pinnacle Dao presence that overwhelmed the myriad Daos and ruled the entire great universe reached its peak at that very moment!

Sorrow permeated the entire starry sky.

Everyone sensed the passing of that towering existence at that moment.

At that very same moment.

Within the Black Realm.

Golden light illuminated the world, dazzling beyond compare.

It swept away every cold, malicious gaze that sought to pry!

Ye Mingyuan stood above the Black Realm, his gaze supremely majestic, his life force exceptionally vigorous!

His presence suppressed all the heavens and enveloped the entire great universe!

At this moment, he was informing the world and warning the Supremes of the forbidden zones.

A Heavenly Emperor still lived in the great universe!

And he was still in his prime!

After quelling all unrest.

Ye Mingyuan looked toward the imperial throne. It was already empty.

Everything had completely dissolved into the Dao with the Black Emperor's passing, returning to heaven and earth.

Ye Mingyuan watched this former sole Great Emperor of the age depart, his eyes filled with emotion.

It felt as though a brilliant era had reached its end.

But the problem was...

He wasn't dead yet!!

Moreover, when he spoke of watching him depart.

He meant it literally: he watched the Black Emperor turn into an illusory black lotus and fall into the boundless void.

Most likely, he was undergoing nirvana to become a Divine Medicine of Immortality once more.

It could not really be considered complete death in the true sense...

"So, is this why he never pursued eternal life?"

"In a sense, a Divine Medicine of Immortality has always endured in this world, with no need to worry about withering away."

"Damn it!"

"When the time comes, out of the three Heavenly Emperors, surely I won't be the only one to die cleanly and completely, without even a scrap left?"

Ye Mingyuan immediately felt a headache coming on.

For when the Black Emperor died, he had been there to protect him, but when his own lifespan ran out...

There was no need even to think about it. A pack of Supremes would definitely band together and come like leeches to devour his flesh and blood!