Side Story

The Realm of Immortals - Side Story: The War of Heavenly Emperors

An ancient and monumental battle between two Heavenly Emperors, bringing the curtain down on the gods and demons of the Primordial Realm.

"Did you know that in the Primordial Era, aside from the two supreme masters, there were also Five Heavenly Emperors?" An old man who once followed the True Martial Great Emperor asked Zhou Hao calmly.

"The Five Heavenly Emperors? This is the first time I've heard of them. Could the True Martial Great Emperor be related to these Five Heavenly Emperors? Come to think of it, since both bear the imperial title, they must naturally be cultivators at the Realm of Supremacy!" Zhou Hao shook his head and said.

"Hehe, indeed. The Five Heavenly Emperors were disciples of the two supreme masters of the Primordial Era. They were responsible for guarding the five directions of the Immortal Domain and bolstering the fortune of the Immortal Court. Their strength naturally reached the realm of peerless supremacy!" The old man nodded and said.

"So the Five Heavenly Emperors were disciples of the two supreme masters. Truly, great masters produce brilliant pupils! With personal instruction from the supreme masters, their achievements would boundlessly soar! Senior, may I ask who these Five Heavenly Emperors are?" Zhou Hao asked, seeking guidance with utmost modesty.

"The five directions are the southeast, southwest, northwest, center, and east. The east was guarded by the Green Emperor, the second disciple of Supreme Void. The south was guarded by the Crimson Emperor, the third disciple of Supreme Void. The west was guarded by the White Emperor, the eldest disciple of Supreme Void. The north was guarded by the Dark Emperor, the youngest disciple of Supreme Ultimate. And the center was guarded by the Yellow Emperor, the eldest disciple of Supreme Ultimate!" As the old man named each Heavenly Emperor and their title, the void between Zhou Hao and the old man began to shift. A holographic projection materialized before them—a three-dimensional scene depicting a majestic Immortal Domain universe, brilliant Immortal Court palaces, densely packed black-and-white armies, and five figures clad in distinct colors.

At that moment, Zhou Hao's eyes were deeply captivated. He stared fixedly at the miniature dynamic projection, knowing that the old man was showing him scenes from the past. If he guessed correctly, this was undoubtedly the Primordial Immortal-Demon War that decided the survival of future generations of the Immortal Domain a myriad of ages ago!

He had heard countless times—and in countless versions—of that magnificent, far-reaching battle that shaped the rise and fall of later eras. Now, it unfolded right before his eyes.

"Watch closely. This is that very Primordial Immortal-Demon War. Aside from the supreme masters themselves, you will be able to witness every other scene," the old man said softly.

In the projection, the glorious palace needed no introduction; it was unquestionably the Immortal Court. Zhou Hao had once visited the ruined remains of the Immortal Court and seen its original appearance—a city built by the supreme master, a base and power center that forged eternal glory for the Immortal Domain.

At that very hour, however, the Immortal Court was surrounded by a dense, endless army in black. The colossal Immortal Court had become like a solitary leaf in a vast universe, in constant peril of capsizing.

Confronting the black-clad army was an equally massive army clad in white. Their numbers were immense, their military posture uniform, holding long spears and bearing short swords on their backs as they defended the Immortal Court to the death.

In the void above the armies, a ball of chaotic light tangled endlessly, radiating a brilliance that reached the farthest corners. Terrifying explosions echoed from within, causing the heavens to tremble and fracture. Space and time were reversing; those below could witness the past, present, and future evolving above, yet they could not touch it, for that was the ultimate decisive battle belonging to taboo entities. Without a doubt, that was the duel between the two supreme masters, and none were fated to lay eyes upon it!

Behind the black and white armies stood five figures—three behind the black army and two behind the white. The black army represented demons, and the white army represented immortals. This immortal-demon war was, at its core, a battle of black and white!

The two figures behind the white army were clad in black and yellow respectively. The one in black wore black hair, black eyebrows, and a black robe, with a small dark gold sword resting on his crown. The one in yellow had yellow hair, yellow eyebrows, and a yellow robe, crowned with a small yellow seal. These two were the esteemed disciples taught by the Immortal Ancestor Supreme Ultimate—the Dark Emperor and the Yellow Emperor!

The three figures behind the black army were clad in white, green, and red. The one in white had white hair, white eyebrows, and a white robe, with a small silver halberd pinned in his hair. The one in green wore green hair, green eyebrows, and a green robe, crowned with a small azure-jade pagoda. The one in red had red hair, crimson eyebrows, and a red robe, adorned with a small vermilion flag. These three were the esteemed disciples accepted by the Demon Ancestor Supreme Void—the White Emperor, the Green Emperor, and the Crimson Emperor!

The Five Heavenly Emperors had once been brothers sharing a single heart. Who could have foreseen that as their masters broke apart, the five of them would also sever their ties and pledge allegiance to opposing sides?

"Eldest Brother, aside from you, the White Emperor is the strongest among the four of us. I imagine that with two of us facing three, we are already at a disadvantage. Why don't we match the weakest against the strongest, and the strongest against the weakest? You take on the Green Emperor and the Crimson Emperor, while I alone engage the White Emperor. That way, our chances of victory will be maximized." The Dark Emperor looked at the three figures opposite them and shared his thoughts with the Yellow Emperor beside him.

"Junior Brother, you and I think alike. However, I worry that you may not be a match for the White Emperor," the Yellow Emperor said with concern.

"It will be fine. Even if I cannot defeat the White Emperor, I certainly will not be easily slain by him. Moreover, as long as you dispatch the Green Emperor and Crimson Emperor swiftly, you can come to my aid," the Dark Emperor smiled nonchalantly, then stepped forward and soared into the sky above the armies.

Almost simultaneously, the White Emperor, Crimson Emperor, and Green Emperor made their moves. Yet, to their surprise, the small dark gold sword atop the Dark Emperor's head suddenly expanded and struck toward the White Emperor. The latter hurriedly retreated, and the small halberd atop his own head rapidly grew in size, landing in his grip. The next moment, the resounding clash of sword and halberd rang out, shattering the void like a mirror.

The Crimson Emperor and Green Emperor reacted instantly, rushing to reinforce the White Emperor. But just then, a massive golden seal came crashing down. The seal was etched with interwoven rivers and mountains, resembling a map of the realms. Its immense force possessed the weight to shatter the cosmos, yet such a blow was somehow propped apart by the weapons of the Crimson and Green Emperors.

A cyan giant pagoda as tall and majestic as a mountain peak, alongside a vermilion flag standing like a pillar supporting the heavens, fluttered and churned, capable of pulverizing ancient galaxies. Once the pagoda and flag emerged, the descending momentum of the mountain-and-river seal slowed down. The three immortal treasures erupted with boundless light, illuminating the dim firmament.

Far in the distance behind the three of them, two figures—one black and one white—were also locked in combat with their weapons. Between the black sword and the white halberd, chaos surged, and a transparent river emerged. Within it were reflections, figures, and the aura of passing time. That river, boundless at its beginning and end, rushed forth unceasingly—it was none other than the River of Time.

"Just you?" The White Emperor, clad in pristine white robes, stood uniquely aloof, his silver halberd radiating a nine-colored glow. He looked at the black-robed man before him with disdain and spoke calmly.

"Just me, and the sword in my hand!" The black-robed man possessed a resolute expression, standing firmly with his hands resting on the pommel of his sword. His voice echoed with boundless vigor the moment he spoke.

"Courting death!" The White Emperor raised an eyebrow, and his white-emperor halberd roared like a dragon, flying straight for the Dark Emperor's eyes. The latter swung his dark emperor sword to parry, forced back three hundred feet by the sheer impact of the clash between sword and halberd.

Thus, the Immortal-Demon War was divided into four distinct battlefields: Supreme Ultimate dueling Supreme Void, the Immortal army battling the Demon army, and the Heavenly Emperor war between the Dark and White Emperors, as well as the Yellow, Green, and Crimson Emperors!

In the skies, the five immortal treasures emitted boundless light, shattering stars, slicing moons, and extinguishing suns. The sun, moon, and stars dimmed into nothingness, and the nine heavens and nine netherworlds shattered completely. The vast expanse affected by the Heavenly Emperor clash was staggering.

Onlookers could only see seals, pagodas, and flags piercing through the starry sky, while black swords and white halberds plowed an endless void trench through the cosmic space. Every clash triggered instability in space-time, shaking the heavens and earth, causing the River of Time to manifest everywhere in an attempt to overturn past, present, and future!

"Charge!"

Below, the demon army began their assault. A thick aura of malevolence emanated from them, akin to true demons emerging into the world. Every single one of them wore a demon saber at their waist and held an iron spear in hand. Wherever the spears pointed was unstoppable, and wherever the demon sabers swept, heads rolled!

The immortal army guarded the Immortal Court to the death, their battle spears slashing horizontally and vertically, while the immortal swords on their backs flew out to ambush the foe. Despite being at a disadvantage, not a single person took a step back; they were using their blood to defend this immortal palace.

Stunning red blossoms fell across this cosmic starry sky, a single drop of blood enough to pierce through a star. Without a doubt, neither army was weak; casually picking an ordinary immortal soldier or demon minion revealed them to have reached the Immortal King realm. How astonishing was that!

With kings as foot soldiers, sovereigns as generals, and supreme Heavenly Emperors as marshals—such was the scale. Throughout the ages, only the Primordial Era could achieve this. It was a truly earth-shaking endeavor!

Blotting out the sun and sky, swords and sabers flashed, spears and halberds crossed. The two factions engaged in a life-and-death struggle across the starry sky and deep within the chaos. Terrifying energy waves easily pierced through the void, causing countless stars to sway and fall, while space-time collapsed and shattered.

In the distance, the battle among the Five Emperors remained deadlocked. Every strike from a Heavenly Emperor tore apart the universe; the Immortal Domain simply could not withstand their onslaught. At that moment, all five reached the speed of flowing light, leaving no trace in the ten directions and vanishing from the six paths.

Thus, the five unanimously plunged into the chaotic domain beyond the heavens. That realm of undifferentiated primordial primeval chaos was lawless and boundless—a prime location for a decisive battle. Even if chaotic lightning struck down, it was no more than an itch to them.

What is a Heavenly Emperor? What is a Supreme? It is very simple—four words: Invincible in all existence!

Within the chaos, the Yellow Emperor, crowned with the golden mountain-and-river seal, battled the Crimson and Green Emperors. One of those two wielded the vermilion flag, drawing upon the void where blazing fire burned the chaos, while the other brandished the azure-jade pagoda to counter the Yellow Emperor's seal. For a time, it created the rare spectacle of exploding chaos and newly birthed heaven and earth!

On the other side, the Dark Emperor transformed into a giant supporting the heavens, wielding a dark gold great sword to cleave the chaos and slay the White Emperor. The latter remained unperturbed, his heavenly halberd dancing like a heavenly dragon soaring through the cosmos. A thunderous dragon roar instantly shattered the dark gold sword's strike.

The Yellow Emperor, the Central Heavenly Emperor among the Five Emperors, was clad in golden robes, every strand of his yellow hair crystalline. His plain yet resolute face was etched with iron-clad glory. As the eldest disciple of the Immortal Ancestor Supreme Ultimate and the leader of the Five Emperors, he had rendered countless meritorious services to the Immortal Court. The mountain-and-river seal above his head was drawn from the famous mountains and rivers he had traversed, imbued with profound affection. At this moment, his gaze was resolute, as if he had made a decision. He raised the Yellow Emperor's seal with both hands in the posture of a Heavenly Emperor propping up the heavens, and instantly, a golden barrier was released from the seal, sealing off the space-time where the three Heavenly Emperors were located!

"Yellow Emperor, what do you think you are doing?" The Green Emperor's eyes were icy; facing this golden barrier, he felt a bad premonition.

"Former brothers, as the eldest, I shall send you on your final journey today!" The Yellow Emperor spoke calmly, devoid of sorrow or joy, and then his figure merged with the seal.

"Body and artifact as one?" The Crimson Emperor, his red hair draped over his shoulders, gripped the pole of the Crimson Emperor's flag tightly and cast a deep look at the massive golden seal.

"It seems he is using his own cultivation base to reinforce the Yellow Emperor's seal, intending to suppress and crush us to death. We must not let him succeed; we must break through this barrier!" the Green Emperor said fiercely.

"Hmph, relying on just one person to suppress and slay two Heavenly Emperors is sheer delusion. Even if you were the eldest before, we are all Supremes—how vast can the gap be? As long as the two of us join forces, we will surely shatter your barrier, and when that happens, you will suffer a backlash and we can easily finish you off!" The Crimson Emperor sneered, while the flag in his hand fluttered violently as a giant flame bird took shape, continuously bombarding the golden barrier.

"I'll join!" The Green Emperor had a slender and handsome build. As his green robes fluttered, boundless immortal power gathered in his hands. He brandished the Green Emperor's pagoda as if it weighed nothing, smashing it against the barrier with a relentless, rhythmic sound akin to a giant forging iron in the heavens—a scene starkly contrasting his usual dashing demeanor.

After exerting their utmost efforts, the two were astonished to find that the golden barrier showed not the slightest sign of damage. It was comparable to an indestructible, eternal golden body—even full-powered attacks from Heavenly Emperors were ineffective!

"Damnable! Since you have merged into your natal immortal artifact to reinforce the barrier, we shall merge as well. Let us see whether your shield is sturdier or our spears are sharper!" The Green Emperor and Crimson Emperor exchanged glances and nodded. Both merged into the Green Emperor's pagoda and Crimson Emperor's flag respectively, and instantly, the two immortal treasures emitted astonishing might.

The flag and pagoda advanced side by side, crashing into the barrier. Brilliant red light and ultimate green light fused into one, resembling a sharp heavenly sword drawn from its sheath, eager to pierce the chaos. But at that critical juncture, the golden mountain-and-river seal suspended motionlessly at the top of the barrier moved!

It smashed down with the momentum of wind and thunder, resembling a collision of heaven and earth. Yet for some reason, no sound accompanied it, as if the entire chaotic domain had been muted. The next moment, the Yellow Emperor's seal crushed the Crimson Emperor's flag and Green Emperor's pagoda inside the barrier, and all three shattered completely.

The banner of the Crimson Emperor's flag was torn into hundreds of fragments, and its pole snapped inch by inch. The Green Emperor's pagoda cracked like porcelain until, after a long moment, a faint crisp sound echoed, and the pagoda collapsed. The Yellow Emperor's seal itself shattered into dust. It was impossible to imagine what level of impact could inflict such devastating damage.

The Heavenly Emperors... had fallen. A full three Heavenly Emperors had perished together!

In the far distance, the Dark Emperor and the White Emperor were still locked in relentless combat. At this moment, however, the two of them simultaneously turned their gazes toward the same direction. As brothers sharing the heart of the Five Emperors, they could naturally sense each other's true soul states. Yet now, the two discovered that the true souls of the other three had vanished entirely, leaving not a trace of existence behind.

"How is this possible? How is this possible? How is this possible? How could he kill two of them simultaneously?" The White Emperor roared into the chaos like a madman, his eyes filled with confusion.

"Senior brothers, fare well on your journey!" The Dark Emperor wore a sorrowful expression and bowed deeply toward the direction where the three Heavenly Emperors had perished.

"Spare me the crocodile tears! If you want to stand supreme alone, you have to take me down first. Indeed, my cultivation is inferior to the Yellow Emperor's, but that is only relative. Now that he is dead, I, the White Emperor, can finally shed the title of perpetual second. Today, I shall take your head, Dark Emperor, to sacrifice to the departed souls of my two junior brothers!" The White Emperor pointed his halberd at the Dark Emperor, burning with the fire of vengeance.

"Our stances differ, so I have nothing to say. Life and death are dictated by fate; I will give this battle my all!" The Dark Emperor leaned on his giant sword, his expression tranquil.

"Die!"

"Die!"

In the sea of chaos, only two figures remained, locked in a bloody, life-and-death struggle. Sword lights and halberd shadows, black and white clashing, the murderous intent scattering the chaotic lightning into a brilliant shower of electric light.

Later, the chaos surged and grew increasingly blurred. Beyond the chaos, a flash of white light appeared in the vast Immortal Domain—dazzling and sharp, blinding to behold. The entire scene seemed forcibly severed in half, and Zhou Hao could see nothing more. Until, long afterward, the chaos gradually dispersed, and he beheld only two distinct pools of crimson blood that were unmistakable at a glance.

"Senior, did the Dark Emperor and the White Emperor also perish together?" Zhou Hao asked, staring blankly at the scene in the void frozen upon those two pools of blood.

"No, they left. Grievously wounded, they were sent by the supreme masters to two different recuperating grounds, requiring a long epoch to mend their supreme true bodies," the old man sighed softly, as if his eyes beheld the lonely backs of the two Heavenly Emperors bleeding in the chaos.

"Alas, who would have thought the Five Heavenly Emperors would meet such a tragic fate? Once brothers and comrades-in-arms who shared life and death, they ended up turning on each other for their respective masters, dying or wounded..." Zhou Hao sighed with emotion over the fate of the Heavenly Emperors.

"Brothers fighting within their own walls—what else can one do but sigh?" The old man shook his head and sighed deeply, feeling a profound sense of regret.

"Senior, since the Dark Emperor and the White Emperor did not die, did they emerge and meet again in later ages? Did they make peace, or did they draw their swords against each other once more?" Zhou Hao pressed on.

"Do you remember asking me earlier whether the True Martial Great Emperor was related to the Five Heavenly Emperors? Now I tell you: not only are they related, but the True Martial Great Emperor is none other than the Northern Heavenly Emperor—the Dark Emperor!" the old man said calmly.

Zhou Hao opened his eyes wide, muttering under his breath: "The True Martial Great Emperor is actually the Dark Emperor! That means the True Martial Great Emperor was a figure from the Primordial Era, and a disciple of the Immortal Ancestor!"

"Though both suffered severe injuries in that Heavenly Emperor War, they eventually recovered. More than half an epoch passed before the two Heavenly Emperors emerged once more, right up until the twilight of the Divine Era. I imagine I need not say much for you to know the White Emperor's second identity, right?" The old man sighed softly.

"The twilight of the Divine Era? It is said that three thousand giant demons wreaked havoc in the Immortal Domain, and the True Martial Great Emperor joined hands with the gods of Mount Kunlun in the grand cause of eradicating demons. The leader of those three thousand giant demons was also in the realm of supremacy—a demon known as the Demon Emperor!" Zhou Hao was naturally aware of the earth-shaking God-Demon War at the end of the Divine Era, whose impact was second only to the Primordial Immortal-Demon War!

"The Demon Emperor was the White Emperor!" Zhou Hao said, looking into the old man's eyes.

"Indeed. That Primordial Heavenly Emperor War extended to the twilight of the Divine Era. The Dark Emperor became the True Martial Great Emperor, while the White Emperor became the Demon Emperor. An ancient duel between the two Heavenly Emperors remained inevitable," the old man nodded and said.

"Watch the battle once more!" The old man flicked his sleeve, and the scene in the void shifted, revealing a towering, majestic mountain standing amidst the cosmic sea of stars. On that mountain, countless figures thronged densely—just like the defense of the Immortal Court a moment ago.

"Mount Kunlun!" Zhou Hao couldn't help exclaiming upon seeing the all-too-familiar giant peak. The title "First Mountain of the Immortal Domain" had already spread far and wide during the Divine Era.

At the northern firmament atop Mount Kunlun, a golden dharma image ten thousand zhang tall attracted everyone's attention. Beneath the dharma image's feet lay a massive sea turtle, coiled around a gigantic azure python. The dharma image's golden feet stepped upon the turtle's back, holding a giant sword with both hands. Brilliance erupted across the universe like broad daylight, hymns and immortal music echoed endlessly, and celestial maidens scattered flowers from the sky—appearing in a flash, only to vanish just as quickly.

The True Martial Great Emperor, commanded to guard the north, ruling over the seat of Xuanwu!

Aside from the north, the other four directions of Mount Kunlun were guarded by others: the Azure Dragon Sacred Spirit in the east, the White Tiger Sacred Spirit in the west, the Vermilion Bird Sacred Spirit in the south, and the Qilin Sacred Spirit in the center. Together with the Xuanwu Sacred Spirit beneath True Martial's feet, they formed a gigantic magical formation centered around Mount Kunlun—the Five Sacred Spirits Opening Heaven Formation!

This formation was adapted from the Five Emperors Opening Heaven Formation passed down by the True Martial Great Emperor, once jointly practiced by the Five Heavenly Emperors, possessing power sufficient to split heaven and earth. Now, for the cause of eradicating demons, Mount Kunlun selected five sacred spirits to lead the gods in forming the Five Sacred Spirits Alliance Army, swearing to the death to resist the onslaught of the Demon Emperor's three thousand giant demons against Kunlun!

"That turtle fellow is quite majestic. Back then, it always boasted about being the disciple and mount of the True Martial Great Emperor, and we laughed at it for bragging without drafting. To think it really was a generation of the Xuanwu Sacred Spirit back then!" Zhou Hao muttered with a smile, staring at the giant sea turtle beneath the True Martial Great Emperor's feet.

"Meow-ed if I didn't say, little rat, Grandpa Turtle is not some mortal pond turtle and has no habit of hibernating! How could I miss such a grand spectacle? Though hundreds of millions of years have passed, recalling it feels as fresh as ever. When fortune favors, heaven and earth lend their strength; when fortune departs, heroes are not free!" At that moment, the pitch-black turtle, smaller than a fist and nestled in Zhou Hao's arms, crawled out and climbed onto his shoulder. Crossing its legs like a human, it quietly watched the miniature dynamic projection.

The azure snake, Qingqing, coiled upon the turtle's back as well, could not help sighing softly: "Indeed, when fortune favors, heaven and earth lend their strength; when fortune departs, heroes are not free! The Great Emperor only accepted the two of us as disciples. Back in Mount Kunlun, a place teeming with gods, the two of us were completely inconspicuous presences. Yet in the Great Emperor's eyes, we were the most precious sacred spirits in the world. Under his meticulous guidance, we too became titan-level immortal lords, finally securing a place in the strength-worshiping Mount Kunlun, and eventually becoming the universally recognized Northern Xuanwu Sacred Spirits. Yet he dedicated everything to pacifying the three thousand giant demons and returning peace to the Immortal Domain! That is why the turtle and I have always treated demon eradication as our lifelong career, to repay the Great Emperor's grace of teaching."

Around Mount Kunlun, demonic Qi rolled and shrill cries pierced the clouds. Fully three thousand giant demons surrounded the mountain, each riding lightning and driving electricity, spitting fog and gushing wind, resembling demon gods escaped from the netherworld. No, not resembling—they truly were!

At the very rear of the three thousand giant demons, a figure also standing ten thousand zhang tall emerged. He was still clad in white robes as before, with white eyebrows and white hair, though his neatly bound hair was now unspooled and cascading loose. Once possessing a face like polished jade, his complexion was now deathly pale, and from his pupils, crimson lightning flashed to a length of ten zhang, chilling the spine of anyone who beheld him.

The Demon Emperor—once the Western Heavenly Emperor who guarded the Immortal Domain, the White Emperor!

To his right hand, a frosty white halberd stood upright in the void, taller than him by a head. It was none other than the most renowned, offensive-first White Emperor Halberd of days past. Yet now, its name had changed to—God-Slayer!

"Charge!" A single syllable escaped the Demon Emperor's lips, hoarse as grinding stones, like the whisper of a vengeful ghost.

The moment the word left his lips, thousands of battle cries roared in unison. It was the same word—"Charge!"—yet it sounded like a sudden clap of thunder on flat ground. Moreover, real heavenly thunder rolled down from the void, striking at the gods upon Mount Kunlun.

"Five Sacred Spirits, Open Heaven!" Atop Mount Kunlun, five sacred spirits occupied each of the five directions. The formation diagram they formed dropped a curved light barrier that enveloped the entire mountain, completely impervious to the rolling heavenly thunder.

The three thousand giant demons were a demon-god army masters of heavenly law adjudication, personally hidden away by the Demon Ancestor Supreme Void of yore. Born with the authority to decree law through speech, one thousand of them were in the Immortal Lord realm, while the other two thousand were in the Immortal King realm. Their strength was immense enough to sweep across the world and dominate the Immortal Domain!

However, their opponents were no pushovers either. From the birth of Mount Kunlun, when the Ancestral Dragon ascended to Epoch Supremacy at the dragon pool on the mountain summit, followed by the successive birth of three hundred sixty-five orthodox gods—all supreme powerhouses of the Immortal Lord level... Though the Ancestral Dragon had left the Immortal Domain at the peak of the Divine Era to go to the other half of the Primordial Immortal Domain shattered by the Immortal-Demon War, the Immortal Domain nonetheless continued to thrive. Not only did Kunlun have gods, but deities descended across the myriad domains of the heavens, multiplying and flourishing without interruption. Over the span of an epoch, even if a thousand Immortal Lord-level powerhouses were lacking, seven or eight hundred could easily be mustered. Now, to defend this most renowned birthplace of gods, the deities shared an unprecedented, absolute unity!

Bang!

Just as the three thousand giant demons' method of hurling heavenly thunder failed to breach Kunlun, the figure at the very rear moved. In a mere breath, a thunderous explosion echoed across the starry sky, and the demons watched as a massive breach was torn in the light barrier protecting Mount Kunlun. Jutting right through that breach was a heavenly-halberd ten thousand zhang long, its tip piercing deep into the belly of Mount Kunlun, preventing the light barrier from sealing itself no matter what.

"March on Kunlun!" Seizing the moment, the three thousand giant demons swarmed toward the breach like a plague of locusts.

Clang!

Too fast to describe, a dark gold great sword slashed horizontally across the air. The vanguard of demons attempting to pass through the breach instantly bled out into the void, becoming souls beneath the sword.

The sword of the True Martial Great Emperor, named—Demon-Slayer!

In the distance, the boundless sky collapsed. Following the path of the dense, dark demon army, a towering white-clad figure ran straight through the void, causing stars to reverse and suns and moons to deviate from their orbits. The Demon Emperor reached out and grabbed; the God-Slayer Halberd shook, causing Mount Kunlun to tremble violently. The next instant, the halberd retreated at high speed, returning to its master's grasp, while the curved light barrier finally sealed shut once more.

"True Martial, I will shatter your every orifice, scatter your soul, and ensure you never transcend for all eternity!" The Demon Emperor gazed at the closing figure of his nemesis ahead, his hoarse, ghostly voice echoing across all of Kunlun.

"To the death!" Atop Mount Kunlun, the True Martial Great Emperor stepped forward stride by stride, and the dark gold giant sword flew back into his palm.

At a distance of twenty thousand zhang, the two figures stopped. Sword and halberd struck simultaneously, thunder cracking across the universe. After more than half an epoch, the two Heavenly Emperors once more engaged in a pinnacle duel!

The Demon-Slayer Sword was ancient and unadorned, its brilliance restrained, possessing a profound sense of the simplicity of the Great Dao. The God-Slayer Halberd, meanwhile, was entwined with lightning and electric serpents throughout its body, reeking of a monstrous murderous intent as if acting in place of the heavens to punish sins.

Both immortal artifacts had been nurtured for a full epoch. Their spiritual intelligence and immense power were beyond the imagination of ordinary Immortal Lords. Any carelessness in their attacks would cause hundreds or thousands of Immortal Kings and Immortal Lords to perish on the spot, forcing both men to suppress the leakage of their immortal power in order to protect their respective armies.

The True Martial Great Emperor's golden body blazed brilliantly, a halo adorning the back of his head, his demeanor transcendent. The Demon Emperor, on the other hand, surged with demonic Qi, his pupils as crimson as blood. Falling from immortality to become a demon was truly just that.

Elsewhere, the rousing battle for the defense of Mount Kunlun erupted. The Five Sacred Spirits Opening Heaven Formation required the sacred spirits of the five directions—east, west, south, north, and center—to simultaneously occupy their positions on the formation diagram. Once activated, unless a Supreme personally stepped down to break it, no one could breach it. Thus, with the formation opened, the five sacred spirits were unable to participate in combat, leaving the gods of Mount Kunlun to step outside the curved light barrier and meet the enemy!

"Charge!" The deities of Kunlun sortied out. Aside from the native gods born upon Mount Kunlun, many more deities hailed from various worlds across the Immortal Domain. The weakest among them were at the four-turn Immortal King realm, for the enemy demon army not only possessed superior strength in aggregate but vastly outnumbered them; to win, they had to rely on sheer quality.

Golden-winged rocs soared across the vast sky, their wings like heavenly blades dual-slaughtering demon kings. Slithering pythons ascended, spitting poisonous mist to exterminate three-headed royal demons. Phoenixes streaked past, their five-colored auspicious light sweeping across demon kings like a heavenly sword. White dragons emerged from the mountains, their roars shattering the hearts of demon kings while four dragon claws pierced through demon skulls...

The deities from all directions displayed their divine might. Though the demons held a numerical advantage, at this moment they found themselves at an absolute disadvantage, finally realizing that the Kunlun pantheon was brimming with extraordinary masters wielding immense divine powers!

Amidst the armies, a blood-red squad was particularly eye-catching. They belonged to the Kunlun faction, each holding standard blood-dripping long swords, wearing cold, ruthless expressions, heads rolling wherever their swords fell. What made them special was their incomparably formidable sword technique, carrying the aura of a self-contained lineage.

The leader of that squad, like every swordsman under his command, wore blood-red armor, with natural crimson hair. He possessed a slender, incomparably handsome build, and a pair of peach-blossom eyes that could hook a soul. The only thing setting him apart was that his swordsmanship had reached the realm of perfection; crimson sword qi surged, turning whoever stood in his path into a mist of blood, and his murderous intent had reached a peak of unbridled madness.

"That person is... Zhangyue?" Zhou Hao could not help crying out in shock upon seeing the leading swordsman, nearly popping his eyes out.

Because that exceptionally handsome swordsman looked identical to Zhangyue—even more alike than twins, giving the impression that they were one and the same person.

"Senior, who are these swordsmen in red armor?" Zhou Hao hurriedly inquired.

"The Asura clan of killing gods!" the old man replied.

"The Asura clan? Why does this Asura god look so much... no, exactly like him? Could Zhangyue be the reincarnation of the Asura god?" Zhou Hao asked, filled with questions.

In the projection, the Asura god cleaved demons with his sword, cutting down foes all the way. Even when encountering Immortal Lord-level demons, he easily slew them. By now, he had already killed eight demon Immortal Lords, not to mention countless royal-level demons. Naturally, his subordinates also suffered heavy casualties; his original squad of forty-nine had dwindled to fewer than twenty!

"Asura, your Asura Sword Technique is truly unrivaled in slaughter. I've only killed four demons while you've slain eight. You're making your brother look rather inadequate!" Marching side by side with the Asura god was another figure, entirely wrapped in a black robe. Though his voice carried an icy chill, it was exceptionally hearty, and he gripped a black scythe tightly, blood dripping continuously from its blade.

"Nether, it seems your reputation as the God of Death is somewhat undeserved. You can't even grant these demons a merciful death when they ask for it. You might as well change your name from the God of Death to the God of Life, hahaha..." The Asura god curled the corner of his lips, mocking the black-robed man.

"Oh, starting to swagger, are you? The war is far from over; let's wait and see. Whoever kills more gets the last laugh! The loser has to massage the winner's feet." The Death God Nether dropped a harsh ultimatum before wielding his scythe once more to harvest demon heads.

"Heh, fine then. When you lose, I'll make you use that unsightly dead-man's face of yours to massage my feet, hahahaha..." The Asura god laughed heartily as he watched the direction where Nether had charged off.

"Holy fork, isn't that jerk the Lord of the Underworld? So he used to be called the God of Death! I'll... Back in that duel, not only did he snatch the essence pearl, but he also separated our Xuanwu body into the immortal and mortal realms! Do you know how much effort it took me to run back to the Immortal Domain? Someday, I'll dig that jerk's heart out just to play with it, and see if he can still bounce around like I did back then!" The turtle pointed at the black-robed man in the projection and cursed vehemently.

"Sacred Spirit Xuanwu, there is no need for anger. Nether has already passed away; he left the Immortal World in the middle of the Nine Domains Era!" The old man quickly explained with a smile, treating the turtle—a Xuanwu—with the utmost respect as a follower of the True Martial Great Emperor.

"Dead is a big deal? If he's dead, I'll dig up his corpse and whip it!"

"Uh... he transformed into the Dao and perished, leaving no physical body behind!"

"Old man, are you deliberately trying to piss me off..."

"This old man wouldn't dare."

The scene shifted: the defense of Mount Kunlun had achieved a temporary, phased victory. The Demon Emperor and True Martial could do nothing to each other and had no choice but to call a truce!

Following hundreds of major and minor battles, the True Martial Great Emperor finally made his decision. He had to settle things with the Demon Emperor once and for all; otherwise, the grand cause of eradicating demons would never be completed. His master, Supreme Ultimate, hoped he could prevent the rise of the demonic path in later generations and return a peaceful prosperous era to the Immortal Domain. To fulfill his master's dying teachings, the True Martial Great Emperor would go all out no matter what, even if it meant... dying!

That day, the Five Sacred Alliance Army took the initiative. With the five sacred spirits fully activating the Five Sacred Spirits Opening Heaven Formation, the remaining half of the demon army—all fifteen hundred giant demons—were forced near a cosmic sea eye ten light-years long in the Northern Immortal Domain. In later generations, that place was known as the Demon Ruins, or the Origin of Demons, because the first domain master of the Fallen Immortal Domain, the Fallen Demon Lord, had fallen into demonhood and risen powerfully from that very location.

Because the allied deities were well prepared and held down the Demon Emperor so he couldn't break away, they achieved victory at minimal cost. Nearly all the thousand-plus giant demons were slaughtered by the deities, leaving fewer than a hundred heavily wounded and dying ones. The five sacred spirits exhausted their remaining divine power to hurl the corpses of the giant demons into the irretrievable cosmic sea eye!

On the other side, the True Martial Great Emperor and the Demon Emperor had been missing for a long time. It wasn't until deities guarding the edge of the Immortal Domain brought word that they had seen the two supremes battling all the way into another chaotic zone at the edge of the Immortal Domain...

Thus, the thousand-year God-Demon War finally came to an end! The Immortal Domain welcomed an era of peace once more.

Years passed, and no further news was heard of the two emperors. The deities finally confirmed their inner suspicions: the True Martial Great Emperor and the Demon Emperor had gone to the other side at the edge of the Immortal Domain—the very other half of the Immortal Domain that had been cleaved open by the Supreme Void's Exalted Heaven Sword at the end of the Primordial Era: the Primordial Immortal Domain!