In a world deep within the void, at this very moment.
Peony knelt before a woman of ageless beauty in her prime. This was her mother, the Divine Queen Qingtian.
Qingtian was also the mother of the First God and the second strongest expert in the Great Qin Dynasty. Her husband, Tian Ao, the ultimate epoch's first emperor, was the absolute strongest.
"Mother, I failed to invite him!" Peony said, her voice hollow.
However, Qingtian seemed to have anticipated this outcome and showed no surprise. She said to Peony, "It's alright. Perhaps for him, this is a long process of acceptance. Do not force him!"
"Mother, why don't you go see him yourself?" Peony asked curiously.
Qingtian replied, "You know, your father and he are not on good terms. Furthermore, we must guard this place and cannot leave.!"
This was Qingtian's answer. Of course, as she spoke, a flicker of unease crossed her eyes. Perhaps even she was not ready to face Yun Fan. Sending Peony was merely to let Yun Fan know he was not fighting alone; they were with him.
Peony nodded, clearly not yet recovered from her dejection.
"After so many years, he still hasn't changed!" Peony stated, "He's as cold and heartless as ever! He has severed all ties with his past!"
"It's better that he did!" Qingtian said with sorrow. "To possess memories of the past would only bring him more pain. We have wronged him twice already, and we absolutely cannot wrong him a third time!"
The past was something she could not repay, and Qingtian only wished Yun Fan a better future.
"Mother, are you truly going to do that?" Peony asked, her voice filled with worry.
"Yes," Qingtian affirmed. "This matter must be handled by Tian Ao and me. He must not bear this burden again!"
Hearing this, Peony's expression saddened, for she knew it was a path of no return. But what could be done?
Qingtian continued, "After we have done what we must, you will go to his world. Perhaps only he can protect you!"
"I don't..." Peony hesitated.
But Qingtian said, "Isn't this what you've always dreamed of? It wouldn't be a bad thing to be by his side!"
Peony remained silent in the end.
...
The Divine Race.
At this moment, a mighty being arrived at the Divine Race. It was Tian Ao.
Despite the Divine Race's enduring power and multitude of experts, Tian Ao was utterly disdainful. As he passed, divine race members cried out, but Tian Ao paid them no mind, as if they were beneath his notice. He had the right to be so arrogant.
He was a being on par with the current Yun Fan, and within the Divine Race, no one could match him except the Lord of All Gods. Thus, under his oppressive aura, the divine race members quieted down.
Tian Ao, the first emperor of all ages, was the most formidable figure in the history of the Great Qin Dynasty. In that era, he and Qingtian defended the Great Qin Dynasty. Even the Lord of All Gods could not easily deal with them. It was no wonder the Great Qin Dynasty became the foremost power beneath the Divine Race.
Now, the once glorious Great Qin Dynasty was no more, and history had been reshuffled. But Tian Ao remained unchanged, his emperor's aura instilling a chilling sense of awe.
"Lord of All Gods, come out and speak!" Tian Ao declared directly.
The entire Divine Race was enraged, but they were powerless to act.
Soon, a clone of the Lord of All Gods appeared.
"Brother Tian Ao, I didn't expect you to remain so magnificent after countless epochs!" the Lord of All Gods smiled.
However, Tian Ao was not receptive to his pleasantries. He said to the Lord of All Gods, "Lord of All Gods, do you know that the path you've chosen is wrong?"
"What is wrong with it?" the Lord of All Gods retorted.
"You have merged with malevolent thoughts! You will not only endanger all realms but also doom your own Divine Race!" This was Tian Ao's accusation.
Upon hearing this, the Lord of All Gods said, "Brother Tian Ao, times have changed. Your vision is too short-sighted. To surpass eternity, one must become stronger. Clearly, my path has reached its limit. Without the power of the Sacred Path, how can I fulfill my dream?"
As the Lord of All Gods, aside from the episode with the First God, he was undoubtedly the strongest being born in the ultimate epoch. He desired to be eternally supreme and thus had to constantly grow. Unfortunately, he had reached the end of eternity. Relying solely on his own power was ultimately limited. Therefore, he had to borrow the power of malevolent thoughts to transcend true eternity.
Tian Ao then asked, "Then I ask you, have you surpassed eternity?"
"No, but I soon will!" the Lord of All Gods replied frankly, confident in his ability.
"I also advise you to merge with the power of the Sacred Path!" the Lord of All Gods suggested. "Only the Sacred Path is the true way!"
However, Tian Ao shook his head. "You are mistaken. You are no different from those of ancient times, nor have you improved one bit!"
Hearing this, the Lord of All Gods said, "Then I can only say that my growth is beyond your perception! Tian Ao, if you do not merge and become like me, then you are my enemy!"
"This is what I have to say to you as well!" Tian Ao declared. "If you do not abandon the power of the evil path, then I will not rest until this epoch ends!"
At this, the Lord of All Gods burst into laughter. "It seems we are destined to be enemies!"
"Indeed!" Tian Ao stated firmly. "This is the path you have chosen! Do not blame me!"
"So, are you going to make a move now?" the Lord of All Gods asked dismissively. Although Tian Ao was powerful, comparable to the current Yun Fan, he was far from being his equal. He barely even glanced at Tian Ao.
Tian Ao replied, "Of course not. I will give you one month. If you still refuse to give up after a month, then a battle to the death will commence!"
"Ridiculous!" the Lord of All Gods sneered. "Since ancient times, aside from the First God, I have never taken anyone seriously, not even the reincarnation of the First God. You, on the other hand, are far below that."
With that, the clone of the Lord of All Gods dissipated. Clearly, he did not wish to waste any more time with Tian Ao, as he could not deal with him directly anyway. Even a single word exchanged with Tian Ao was a waste.
Tian Ao was filled with rage. At that moment, he unleashed a surge of power, striking among the divine race members, causing a large number of them to perish.
"Tian Ao, may you die a terrible death!" The divine race members were furious, but they were no match for Tian Ao.
However, even the divine race did not know why the Lord of All Gods had not killed Tian Ao.
After Tian Ao left the Divine Race, he noticed a divine race member pursuing him. This was none other than the most valiant of the divine race, the God of War. In ancient times, the God of War had fought the First God the most. Of course, his record was also the most brilliant. From the First God's rise to his peak, they had engaged in seven decisive battles. Three wins and four losses were impressive feats, considering he faced the First God. The first three times, he had barely defeated the First God. The latter four times, the First God had fully adapted. Especially the last encounter, where a single wisp of the First God's will had nearly cost him his life. At that time, the First God was already on par with the Lord of All Gods.
The God of War had not yet emerged from his seclusion, but upon hearing the lamentations of the Divine Race, he awakened. As soon as he emerged, he pursued Tian Ao, the culprit.
"Tian Ao, you are too arrogant!" the God of War stated coldly. "No one can be arrogant over my head, and that includes you!"
Facing the mighty God of War, Tian Ao felt no fear. Instead, he said coldly, "Are there not many who have been arrogant over your Divine Race? Adding me will hardly make a difference!"
In truth, few dared to defy the Divine Race. In ancient times, there was only the First God. After him, there was the God of Defiance, who had long since faded into the mists of time.
The God of War said coldly, "Tian Ao, apologize to my Divine Race, and then kneel before my Divine Race and repent for an epoch, or I guarantee you will die a miserable death!" As he had fought the First God and even beaten him in the early days, he did not regard Tian Ao with any seriousness.
To his surprise, Tian Ao directly replied, "You are simply dreaming, God of War. If you wish to fight, then fight. Why all this nonsense!"
"This is your own doing!" The God of War immediately attacked, as he was in a hurry. After dealing with Tian Ao, he still had to personally kill the reincarnation of the First God. All things considered, he was undoubtedly the strongest being in the Divine Race besides the Lord of All Gods. As the brother of the Lord of All Gods, his status was terrifyingly high. In ancient times, he harbored resentment after being humiliated by the First God. Now, he believed that with the enhancement of the Sacred Path's power, he would surely defeat the First God's reincarnation. Tian Ao was merely an appetizer.
As expected, with the augmentation of the God of War's power by the evil path's influence, his strength was immense. He exuded an aura of being second only to the Lord of All Gods. Of course, Tian Ao was not to be outdone and immediately released his purest emperor's aura.
When the emperor's power clashed with the God of War's power, it was undoubtedly one of the most spectacular duels of this era. Under the enhancement of these two powers, their fight was straightforward. For warriors of their caliber, flamboyant techniques were useless; only killing the opponent mattered.
Instantly, countless dragon qi emanated from Tian Ao, enveloping all the realms. A colossal phantom of a divine beast appeared behind the God of War, capable of devouring the sun and moon. Two peerless combatants were engaged in a final battle, a sight that sent tremors of fear. Such power was enough to rewrite any situation.
"Boom!" When the two powers collided, the phantom of the divine beast was shattered by the phantom of the dragon. However, due to the augmentation of the evil path's power, the God of War was not defeated.
"Tian Ao, your strength has exceeded my expectations!" the God of War exclaimed in shock, looking at Tian Ao. Of course, in the past, he had never truly fought Tian Ao, so he had no idea of Tian Ao's strength. Although he had once attacked the Great Qin Dynasty, he had been intercepted by the First God. To his surprise, after truly engaging Tian Ao, he realized how terrifying Tian Ao's strength was. Without the augmentation of the evil path's power, he would have been no match for Tian Ao.
"There are many things that have exceeded your expectations. This is just the beginning!" Tian Ao scoffed and transformed into an invincible emperor, relentlessly attacking the God of War, preventing the God of War from fully unleashing his power. The God of War fought with increasing ferocity. Their battle illuminated all the realms; it could not be described as weak. It was uncertain when their fight would end. However, it was undeniable that even against the God of War, who fought with ever-increasing vigor, Tian Ao maintained an absolute advantage. Who wouldn't be afraid?
After hundreds of exchanges, heaven and earth were battered. Yet, the two combatants seemed to have lost all reason. Furthermore, their battle had begun to spill over into the Demon God Domain.
Yun Fan leaped out of the Demon God Domain. Upon seeing Yun Fan, Tian Ao and the God of War, who were in the midst of their battle, looked on with shock. After all, this person was not simple; he was the renowned First God! He was once a powerhouse who could contend with the Lord of All Gods.
"First God, you want to join the fray?" the God of War sneered at Yun Fan. If this person were truly the First God of ancient times, he would have already fled with his tail between his legs. But the current Yun Fan was merely the First God's reincarnation, far from his peak. Therefore, he felt no fear.
When Tian Ao looked at Yun Fan, his expression was complex. After the First God rose to prominence, he had learned of his identity as his son. However, having been instigated by the Lord of All Gods, he had participated in the scheme. Although he had preserved a wisp of the First God's soul, the guilt in his heart was undeniable. Yet, he could not abandon his pride. Clearly, Yun Fan had also recognized Tian Ao's identity, the father of the First God, the first emperor of all ages. Tian Ao bore too many illustrious titles, each representing a pinnacle of power. Yun Fan's emotions remained calm; after all, he had severed all ties with his past. To him, the Tian Ao before him was, at best, a stranger.
Yun Fan then stated, "I am not the First God. My name is Yun Fan!"
"It doesn't matter what your name is. Your life will be mine sooner or later!" the God of War taunted.
"Wait until you can survive my hand first!" Tian Ao said coldly to the God of War. Although the God of War was powerful, Tian Ao could suppress him. Even if he couldn't kill him, merely suppressing him proved his immense strength.
Yun Fan then said, "If you must fight, go elsewhere. Otherwise, I had intended to attack the Divine Race later, but perhaps I will act today!" This was Yun Fan's stance. He showed no deference to either of them.
"Furthermore, anyone who crosses this line, no matter who they are, I will kill them!" With that, Yun Fan drew a line with his power. He wanted to see who dared to cross it.
"Damn it!" The God of War was infuriated by Yun Fan's arrogant attitude. Tian Ao was also provoked.
At this, the God of War said to Tian Ao, "Our duel can wait. I will kill him first!" How could Tian Ao agree? Although he couldn't let go of his pride, he would not let the God of War kill Yun Fan. However, at this moment, he also wanted to test Yun Fan's true strength. Therefore, he relented slightly, allowing the God of War to test Yun Fan. If necessary, he would not hesitate to help Yun Fan kill the God of War.
"Alright, no problem!" Tian Ao said coldly. "But I can intervene at any time!"
"You..." The God of War was instantly furious, but compared to an endless entanglement with Tian Ao, he preferred to kill Yun Fan, the former First God. At worst, after killing Yun Fan, he would retreat quickly, giving Tian Ao no opportunity to capitalize.
"Boy, you are simply asking for death. Today, you will die by my hand!" the God of War sneered at Yun Fan.
However, Yun Fan replied, "Since you are so eager to die, I will end you prematurely!" In the next moment, Yun Fan attacked decisively, channeling the power of the Sky-Breaking Force and crushing down on the God of War.
"Pathetic!" Upon feeling no pressure from the First God, the God of War was extremely confident that Yun Fan was no match for him. Thus, he unleashed his strongest move, intending to defeat Yun Fan in one blow. To his surprise, as his ultimate attack descended, Yun Fan suddenly exerted his power, not only shattering the strongest move but also counterattacking with a force that struck the God of War.
"Pfft!" The God of War spat out a mouthful of blood, looking at Yun Fan in shock. He was certain that the current Yun Fan was nowhere near as powerful as the First God of ancient times. However, undeniably, he could not fathom the current Yun Fan, who appeared too profound.
"Stronger than me!" Tian Ao could tell from Yun Fan's move that Yun Fan's strength indeed surpassed his. When facing Tian Ao's strongest attack, he could neutralize the God of War's moves, but he certainly couldn't counterattack and wound the God of War. Yet Yun Fan had achieved this. Although it was a surprise attack, it was enough to prove that the strongest First God of the past was returning.
"Boy, I guarantee you will regret this!" In the next moment, the God of War attacked again. This time, he did not focus entirely on offense but also employed many defensive maneuvers.
"Eye of Devouring!" Yun Fan activated his ultimate Eye of Devouring. That's right, the evil thoughts within the God of War were incredibly potent. If he could refine these evil thoughts, his strength would increase by another step. Thus, at this moment, Yun Fan activated the Eye of Devouring and directly swallowed the God of War into it.
"What?" Tian Ao, seeing Yun Fan unleash a power even stronger than the evil path, his eyes were filled with shock. Was this a blessing or a curse? He was also eager to know how powerful the Eye of Devouring truly was.
Upon entering Yun Fan's Eye of Devouring, the God of War clearly felt that both his God of War power and his Sacred Path power were completely suppressed.
"This is bad. I must find a way to escape!" The God of War began to panic, as he did not know what other tricks Yun Fan had. In such a situation, fighting rashly was unwise. Therefore, escaping became his primary thought; he had to escape and fight Yun Fan one-on-one outside.
"Too late!" Yun Fan sealed the Eye of Devouring, trapping the God of War within. No matter what power the God of War used, he could not break through the defense of the Eye of Devouring. When the Sky-Breaking Fire began to burn, he realized the gravity of the situation.
"Help me!" The God of War hoped his inner evil thoughts would assist him, but the evil thoughts within him were facing even greater difficulties at this moment than the God of War. After all, this was absolute containment. Thus, at this moment, the evil thoughts first left the God of War's body and attacked Yun Fan within the Eye of Devouring. Only by defeating Yun Fan could they escape.
Unfortunately, as Yun Fan sprinkled the blood of the Sky-Breaking Force onto the evil thoughts, they felt as if their entire bodies were burning. The same applied to the God of War. Here, they were completely suppressed by Yun Fan. It could only be said that from the moment they stepped into the Eye of Devouring, their fate was sealed. If Yun Fan had fought the God of War outside without using the Eye of Devouring, although he could defeat the God of War, the effect would have been far less significant. Therefore, at this moment, Yun Fan felt utterly confident. His goal was almost certainly refinement.
Ultimately, under the burning of the Sky-Breaking Fire, the God of War and the evil thoughts, believing their strength was too depleted, were no match for Yun Fan. Just as the evil thoughts controlled the God of War to self-destruct and take Yun Fan with him, Yun Fan struck first, a powerful blow that killed the God of War. The remaining evil thoughts were at their wit's end and had no chance of escape.
"You've grown stronger!" the evil thoughts said to Yun Fan in terror. It was not that Yun Fan's power had grown stronger; in fact, Yun Fan was still far from the First God. What he meant by "stronger" was that Yun Fan's attributes had become stronger. In ancient times, the First God could suppress the evil path's power but could not refine it. However, the current Yun Fan had achieved this, which was why he said Yun Fan had grown stronger.
"Indeed, but you are not the first to say that to me!" Yun Fan stated with certainty. Upon hearing this, the evil thoughts knew that the tide had turned and said to Yun Fan, "You win!" Finally, they gave up all resistance, knowing that further struggle would only lead to a more agonizing death. It was better to cease resistance and die more quickly. As expected, under the refinement of the Eye of Devouring, the evil thoughts quickly vanished. Both his and the God of War's powers became sources of Yun Fan's strength. In this regard, Yun Fan's attributes had indeed surpassed the First God.
Afterward, Yun Fan concluded his work. The next step was to refine these two powers, and then the campaign against the Divine Race could begin. He had never abandoned his dream. As long as the Divine Race existed, not only the myriad races but also he and his loved ones would have no peace.
At this moment, Yun Fan emerged from the Eye of Devouring and discovered that Tian Ao had not left.
"You're still here?" Yun Fan asked Tian Ao. If, in ancient times, the First God and Tian Ao had a relationship, being father and son, even though Tian Ao had done unforgivable things that led to the First God's complete defeat, the relationship was an undeniable fact. But now, Yun Fan and Tian Ao had no such connection. First, he had severed all ties with his past. Second, he had shed the shadow of the First God. Therefore, their current relationship could be described as strangers.
"You killed Yuan Lin!" Tian Ao began directly with a thunderous declaration.
Yun Fan asked, "Should he not have been killed?"
"Do you know that by killing him, the Great Qin Dynasty is also finished?"
"A dynasty that has long been rotten should have ended long ago. Besides, anyone who stands in my way, I will kill!" This was Yun Fan's decisive response. Yuan Lin stood in his way and intended to eliminate him. Would he repay evil with good? That was absurd; only saints would do such a thing, and he was certainly no saint.
Upon hearing this, Tian Ao said, "Are you not afraid that I will punish you?"
"If you truly believe you have the ability, then by all means, try!" Yun Fan replied directly.
"You..." Tian Ao was truly angered by Yun Fan. He realized that Yun Fan was even more detestable than the First God of ancient times. At this, Yun Fan said, "Do not try to suppress me with your past identity. Remember, I am Yun Fan, not the First God!"
Hearing this, Tian Ao finally faced reality. He said to Yun Fan, "Even though you have destroyed my Great Qin Dynasty, I will not punish you. All of this is what we owe you!"
"Is that so?" Yun Fan scoffed, not taking Tian Ao's words to heart. Of course, he had no obligation to do so. Tian Ao continued, "Furthermore, you have cultivated a technique more wicked than the evil path. I advise you not to go down this road!"
"Otherwise, you will have to eliminate your own kin?" Yun Fan asked coldly.
"If that day truly comes, I will!" Tian Ao replied directly. This made Yun Fan almost laugh and cry. "Think what you will. I reiterate, if you have the strength, come and try!" With that, Yun Fan turned to leave, intending to return to the Demon God Domain.
"Also, this line is your taboo. I hope you do not cross it! Otherwise, the God of War's fate will be yours!" Hearing this, Tian Ao was utterly enraged. He had intended to cross the line and slap Yun Fan hard, but recalling the past, they owed Yun Fan too much. He could not bring himself to do it, and so he left, filled with anger.
...
"Damn it, he is too lawless!" At this moment, Tian Ao recounted his experience to Qingtian. Qingtian quickly comforted him, "That's just his personality, you know it! Forget it, forget it. If it weren't for us, how could he have..." Qingtian stopped speaking, as she did not wish to recall their shameful past. If they had not devised that plan, the First God would not have died, the ultimate epoch would not be as it is today, the Divine Race and the Evil Race would have colluded, and the ten thousand races across heaven and earth would have reached an unprecedented state of decline.
"Precisely because of this, I will not hold it against him!" Tian Ao said to his wife. "Everything else is fine. After all, we owe him too much. He can have any attitude he wants. We wronged him first, so we have no right to complain. But he has cultivated a power more wicked than the evil path, and it will surely lead to trouble sooner or later!" The ability to devour the power of the evil path was truly terrifying. If Yun Fan could not control it, he would be playing with fire and inviting self-destruction. Yun Fan had already become addicted to it, which cast a lingering shadow over Tian Ao.
At this, Qingtian said, "This is indeed a troublesome matter. I will go see him!" At this moment, Qingtian made this decision. She had been afraid to see Yun Fan, and she had also feared seeing him. It was not that Yun Fan would kill her, but rather the guilt of the past had become an eternal pain in her heart.
"Forget it. Let's not worry about this for now. Our primary objective is paramount!" Tian Ao said. "The Lord of All Gods will not abandon the evil path. Therefore, for you and me, we must take that step!" That step was for him and Qingtian to sacrifice themselves to eliminate the Lord of All Gods. This was their plan and their objective; they did not want Yun Fan to bear the burden any longer, as Yun Fan had borne too much for the ultimate epoch. It was a pity that the First God's sacrifice had ultimately been in vain due to the downfall of the Divine Race.
At this, Qingtian said, "Very well! In that case, this epoch will be ours to bear, to thoroughly resolve the scourge of the Divine Race!" However, the more so, the more I should see him, for I fear I may never have another chance to!" This was Qingtian's decision.
"As you wish! I am out of options anyway!" Tian Ao finally agreed. Afterward, Qingtian said to Peony, "Child, prepare yourself. We are going to the Demon God Domain!"
"Yes, Mother!" Peony quickly replied. Without a doubt, she was also eager to see Yun Fan, but the thought of Yun Fan's cold demeanor made her spirits fall. However, this time, accompanying Qingtian, perhaps the situation might improve.
And so, the two arrived at the Demon God Domain.
"Senior!" Chi Xian quickly bowed.
"No need for pleasantries!" Qingtian said to Chi Xian. "I wish to see my son!"
"Queen!" At this moment, Xuan Xin appeared and knelt before Qingtian.
"You still have the audacity to see the Queen?" Huan Xin coldly taunted. "Didn't you already pledge allegiance to the First God? Do you even remember the Queen?"
However, Xuan Xin replied, "No matter what, the Queen is always the Queen! I have never forgotten the kindness of the Queen's nurturing and support!"
"Enough!" Qingtian said. "Xuan Xin, I know I wronged you in the past. Now that you are happy here, stay here!" Huan Xin wanted to curse again, but since Qingtian had spoken, she naturally dared not be presumptuous.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your magnanimity!" Xuan Xin quickly expressed her gratitude. At this, Qingtian said, "Send Yun Fan to see me!" She had wanted to call Yun Fan "child" but feared it might provoke his disgust, so she decided it was better to call him by his name.
"Auntie, I'm afraid I will disappoint you!" At this moment, the Goddess of Burial approached and stated directly, "My husband is in seclusion lately and is also preparing for the grand plan to attack the Divine Race. He may not be able to see you!"
Upon hearing this, Huan Xin immediately cursed, "How dare you! What right do you have to speak here? They are mother and son meeting, and you want to stop them?"
"Silence!" With Qingtian's reprimand, Huan Xin was startled into silence. The Goddess of Burial said, "Auntie, this is not a perfunctory excuse. As soon as you stepped into the Demon God Domain, my husband knew! It was his wish, and I am merely conveying it!"
"I understand!" Qingtian's expression clearly became dejected at this moment. Although she had anticipated this outcome, her heart ached when it truly happened. She immediately said, "Please convey this to him! We wronged him in the past. In this life, I only wish for him to live well. We will bear the upcoming difficulties!"