Chapter 1640: Death's Sorrow

Nine Daoist One coughed up a mouthful of blood with a gasp. He could no longer hold on. Even as a supreme Dao Ancestor, attempting to observe a battle between End-of-the-Road beings was too much for him; continued viewing would cause his own Dao to collapse. In fact, he hadn't truly witnessed the battle firsthand or touched upon that supreme power. It was merely from deducing through residual fluctuations that he was affected to this extent.

"What's happening? What's going on?!" the Dog Emperor cried anxiously, agitated beyond measure. The inability to ascertain the situation in the Earthen Abyss at such a critical moment filled it with immense worry, fear, and apprehension, dreading that the two Heavenly Emperors might meet with an accident.

At the edge of the myriad heavens, in the dark cosmos, the crimson glows gradually faded, and the two Heavenly Emperors, hand in hand, stepped into the Earthen Abyss, eventually swallowed by the encroaching darkness. Outside, no one could perceive anything happening there. Gu Qing couldn't, despite being a Dao Ancestor, his cultivation was still shallow.

Nine Daoist One was truly exhausted, unable to continue observing or deducing. The Dog Emperor was anxious and worried, a sense of dread creeping into its heart, fearing that the two might perish deep within the Earthen Abyss and never be seen again. After all, that was where the inauspicious power was densest, the headquarters of the strange races. No one throughout history knew how many End-of-the-Road beings truly resided there.

The Corrupted Corpse and the bald man also paced back and forth, equally anxious, wishing they could rush into that battlefield. Even if the two Emperors were mighty, how could they possibly withstand an encirclement by beings of that level?!

One day, two days… dozens of days passed, yet no news emerged from the land of darkness. This intensified the growing unease.

Nine Daoist One still couldn't use his Dao Ancestor source. His pale face sent shivers down many spines, giving them their first clear understanding of End-of-the-Road beings. Observing a confrontation between End-of-the-Road beings was not impossible, but one could not come into contact with the power they unleashed, not even the residual waves. However, the Earthen Abyss was too distant, separated by endless universes. Without capturing those streams of light, the truth could not be seen at all.

Regardless, the fact that even a Dao Ancestor suffered such injury from deducing that battle filled people with profound horror, and the various kings felt waves of powerlessness. If the great sacrificial ritual were to arrive without End-of-the-Road beings to resist, the myriad heavens would instantly overturn, without any surprise. This thought was despairing. If the two Emperors were lost, what would the future hold? It was likely that no one would be able to halt the strange races' advance, no one could stand in their way, and darkness would engulf their homeland, turning rivers and mountains to ink.

Several months passed, and still no news emerged. The dark land was stiflingly silent, like death itself. Even the creatures there remained mostly dormant, unsure of what had transpired in the Earthen Abyss.

Chu Feng's heart was heavy. He truly realized the terrifying power of End-of-the-Road beings. Below that realm, no matter how unparalleled one's talent, they were mere ants. Even a Dao Ancestor was insignificant in the eyes of beings at that level, powerless to turn the tide of any battle.

Chu Feng tried to comfort the Dog Emperor, assuring it that the two of them should be fine. But even as he spoke these words, he himself felt uncertain, a tremor in his own heart.

"They held back the Earthen Abyss, they delayed the coming of the great sacrificial ritual, but now, they themselves cannot return," Gu Qing said in a low voice, his feelings incredibly complex. He began to contemplate retreat. In his eyes, those two were the true Heavenly Emperors; he had never truly been one, merely chasing the legends of his predecessors.

Half a year passed, and the people of the myriad heavens grew increasingly heavy-hearted, especially the Dog Emperor, the Corrupted Corpse, and a few others, who could not rest, feeling a chill reminiscent of autumn.

Suddenly, one day, someone in the Heavens roared: "You dragon-tiger-cat-mouse-wolf cubs of the Earthen Abyss, do you want to eat people? Your grandpa has come for revenge!" With a *boom*, someone returned from the Sacrificial Sea, passing through the Heavens, and directly charged towards the Land of Darkness, using the coordinates illuminated by Heavenly Emperor Ye's blood energy not long ago. He stormed in!

"Is it him?!" The people of the myriad heavens were startled, then filled with immense excitement and joy. It was the one who had once declared he would return by treading on imperial bones, the true form of the mastermind behind Earth's events, who had taken away the dark thoughts from Earth and was now even more powerful. However, a "fierce tiger" had always been pursuing him. Now, he had unexpectedly returned! They had thought it would take him a long time to come back. Clearly, he must have paid a heavy price.

In fact, not long after, people heard his enraged roar again: "You dead tiger, you keep chasing and biting me, aren't you going to let go? Sooner or later, I'll skin you and eat your tiger meat!" At this level, an End-of-the-Road being he referred to as a "fierce tiger" was absolutely terrifying.

Eventually, he broke through the darkness and charged further away. It was clear he was struggling, with the Earthen Abyss ahead and the fierce tiger behind, being hunted from multiple directions. After that, everything fell silent again, without a sound. Many people felt an ominous premonition, but they were powerless to change anything and could only wait in silence.

"I'm going to cultivate!" Chu Feng declared, clenching his fists. Waiting any longer was meaningless. He would train, even though he knew there wasn't nearly enough time, he still wanted to strive to improve himself.

In the Yang World, one year, two years… ten years passed. The Dog Emperor appeared increasingly aged, and the Corrupted Corpse was also hunched, muttering to itself daily, waiting anxiously.

In the Foreign Realm, tens of thousands of years passed. Chu Feng realized for the first time how incredibly difficult it was to become a Red Dust Immortal. He always failed to break through that barrier, unable to reach that realm. During this time, he also met with Yao Yao. Even with unparalleled talent, Yao Yao was also trapped, not yet having reached that state.

The two discussed how Red Dust Immortals were mostly forged in harsh Age of Dharma Decline eras. In the Foreign Realm, where the Great Dao was incomplete yet offered shortcuts, it was likely difficult to succeed. Even enduring for ages might not guarantee success.

Ultimately, Yao Yao and Chu Feng both emerged from seclusion. The Foreign Realm had temporarily lost its utility for them. Over these years, Old Gu, Yellow Ox, Li Jiuxiao, Big Black Ox, Mitian, Ji Caixuan, and others had all steadily progressed, consistently enhancing their strength. They had left seclusion multiple times to break through realms, only to return to secluded cultivation. Outside, silence still reigned, with no significant changes. The two figures people awaited never reappeared.

Time flew by. Chu Feng traveled through various worlds, contemplating his own path, experiencing the myriad aspects of mortal life. He wished to break through the limitations, ascend to a higher level, and craved power.

Decades after the upheaval in the Earthen Abyss, the Corrupted Corpse and the Dog Emperor grew increasingly emaciated, their already depleted bodies showing more pronounced signs of old age. Nine Daoist One had recovered, but when he tried to scry again, meticulously deducing, he found nothing. The strange Earthen Abyss was cloaked in complete darkness.

Then, after more than seventy years, the dark continent gradually became active. The various races that had been dormant reappeared, immediately plunging the atmosphere of the myriad heavens into extreme gloom. That day, the Dog Emperor coughed up a mouthful of blood, staggering as it made its way to its secluded dwelling. "My longed-for ones, will I ever see you again in this life?" the Dog Emperor whispered, utterly desolate.

The Corrupted Corpse and the bald man were also incredibly despondent, as if they had lost all their essence and spirit, regretting their own lack of strength to penetrate the Earthen Abyss. All signs indicated that the turmoil in the Earthen Abyss had ceased, which was an extremely ominous message for the myriad heavens, causing intense unease. Some even fell into despair, believing that the two Heavenly Emperors, trapped deep within the Earthen Abyss, had likely met with misfortune.

This feeling was truly terrible. In recent decades, people's emotions had swung wildly, from moments of hope and glimpses of dawn to being immediately cast back into the abyss.

For decades, Gu Qing was melancholic and self-reproachful, feeling utterly incompetent. As the new Emperor, he had achieved no great deeds, primarily due to his weak strength. Gu Qing harbored feelings of loss and worry. Seeing Heavenly Emperor Ye and Empress disappear, charging deep into the Earthen Abyss, he had been greatly moved and shocked at the time, but now he endlessly awaited their return.

He sighed softly, feeling like a failure. Finally, he shook his head vigorously, muttering: "Uncle Ye, you are the true Heavenly Emperor. I am a false Emperor, disgracing this title. I relinquish it. If I cannot protect this homeland, preserve these magnificent rivers and mountains, and am powerless to wage war in the inauspicious land, what right do I have to sit in this position? I will walk my own path, letting all glory and brilliance return to their origin. I am not the Heavenly Emperor, and never have been!"

This astonished many. At that moment, Gu Qing seemed to be set free. In the past, Gu Qing had revered Heavenly Emperor Ye and others, wholeheartedly aspiring to that position. Today, he let go of it all. In an instant, his body cracked, seemingly on the verge of his Dao body collapsing.

Nine Daoist One rushed over immediately, scolding: "Foolish! Do you not wish to live? Your foundation, your Dao fruit, was built upon the imperial throne!"

"I am not the Heavenly Emperor," Gu Qing shook his head. He seemed liberated, even smiling. And he did not collapse. In heaven and earth, all races felt his mood and state of mind through the vast sea of sentient consciousness, and it did not backfire. His Dao fortune did not diminish. Furthermore, his body actually began to heal, gradually recovering his Dao Ancestor form.

"You are..." Nine Daoist One was astonished. Gu Qing had truly stepped into the realm of a Dao Ancestor without collapsing?!

Gu Qing was also perplexed. He had merely acted from his heart, feeling truly unworthy of being the new Emperor, and voluntarily abdicated. Yet, he had suffered no calamity? On the contrary, he seemed to have broken some shackles, severed some inherent obsession, and his Dao fruit was further solidified.

Finally, Nine Daoist One seemed to understand, saying: "The Heavenly Emperor is not a title bestowed by others, nor granted by anyone. It depends on your true heart, whether you act selflessly, whether you are willing to stand with the will of the myriad heavens. Now, you have lost the imperial position, but this heaven and earth have also prepared a fallback for you, considering you still a guardian."

Time flowed, and in the blink of an eye, a hundred years passed! During these years, Chu Feng had been constantly traveling through various worlds, tempering himself. When he returned, the first news he heard was related to him. A seed-level being from the Earthen Abyss had come to the myriad heavens. At the Great Universe level, he specifically challenged Chu Feng. His strength was extraordinarily powerful, capable of slaying immortals.

Chu Feng was not present, so Yao Yao stepped in and directly slew this person! "Well killed! One less seed-level being. These are all future Dao Ancestors, terrifying great threats. Killing one is like saving a multitude of beings in the future."

Chu Feng returned and was very pleased to hear the news. It was the same whether he killed or Yao Yao killed. However, he soon frowned, thinking of something, and his heart immediately sank. Because the strange beings were now daring to come to the myriad heavens for experience, this implied that the drastic changes in the Earthen Abyss had been completely quelled by them?!

"The situation has worsened!" Chu Feng whispered. Indeed, everyone sensed that the situation was extremely dire; their worst fears might have materialized. True to form, when the Dog Emperor received the news, its reaction was the most intense. It immediately coughed up blood continuously, its fur rapidly turned gray and withered, and its eyes became dull and lifeless.

The old dog cried. It had an ominous premonition, and its own time was already short. It would most likely never see those two again in this life. From that day onward, the Dog Emperor became despondent, increasingly silent and aged. It often lost itself in thought, becoming sluggish. Finally, it stopped breathing, no longer circulating its blood energy. It was utterly heartbroken.

"I can't hold on. My many years of faith have collapsed. All my persistence and bitter endurance are coming to an end. No longer will I contend with the heavens; I will just naturally die." The Dog Emperor, its body withered, rambled about an old dog returning to the mountains, preparing to find a place to bury itself.

Upon learning the situation, Chu Feng immediately rushed over, shouting: "Pull yourself together! You yourself said you would protect my kin and friends, that I shouldn't sink into despair, that I should always remain full of fighting spirit. But what about you?!"

The Dog Emperor shook its head weakly: "I am old. In that past battle, my source essence was depleted. For so many years, I've been contending with heaven, enduring to live until now. I truly cannot go on."

"There is no hope left. Everyone I cared about is dead." The Dog Emperor stooped, laboriously carrying the Emperor's corpse and the broken bell. Finally, it looked towards the depths of the Earthen Abyss, gazing for a long, long time. Its body hunched, its twilight years were infinitely bleak, weak, and decaying. It wept tears of blood, muttering: "Has the era of the Three Heavenly Emperors truly ended? Did those two also meet with an accident? They were trapped in a place of no return."

It felt there was no point in continuing to endure. The memories of its own era were fading. Even its last glimmer of hope had dimmed. Even the strongest were destined to die. They were symbols and imprints of a grand era. What meaning was there in only it and the Corrupted Corpse, a handful of survivors, remaining alive?

"I haven't risen yet, wait for me!" Chu Feng cried.

"It's useless, you don't have time," the Dog Emperor looked at him, then drooped its head again, carrying the Emperor's corpse. It stumbled into the mountains, chose a scenic spot, and sat down, silent and unmoving, waiting to die, to bury itself.

In its final moments, it seemed to experience a brief resurgence of vitality, clinging to its homeland, looking at the mortal world. Its clouded, lifeless old eyes gazed at the magnificent rivers and mountains. Finally, it trembled, lifting its head proudly. It had made its decision to depart.

"Roar!"

The Dog Emperor roared, filled with sorrow, indignation, endless melancholy, regret, all its unwillingness, resentment, and ultimate despair contained within this final, earth-shaking cry that resounded throughout the myriad heavens. Before its eyes, ancient scenes seemed to reappear, showing the Three Heavenly Emperors, and their brilliant era.

"I have returned! Dreaming back to ancient times, to find you!" After speaking these words, it took its last breath, its head slumped, and its decaying, withered soul light extinguished.

"Doggy!" the Corrupted Corpse roared. By the time he received the news, it was too late. He rushed madly, embracing the corpse, blood-tinged old tears streaming down his decaying face. He cried out: "You coward! How could you escape? Die like this, are you content?!"

"Its body was depleted; it truly couldn't hold on," Nine Daoist One sighed softly.

The Corrupted Corpse stood rooted, blood tears flowing, unmoving, no longer speaking. "Our era has ended," the Corrupted Corpse said much later. Embracing the Dog Emperor, he stumbled away until he vanished.

Yellow leaves drifted through the sky, covering the ground. The air was cold, the autumn wind bleak. Winter had not yet arrived, but a chill already pierced to the bone.