In the heavens, people become emperors by being bad.

Chapter 557 [The Eternal Era, The Chaotic Era]

Thirty emperors of the eternal blue sky, countless sages and saints buried in the dust. Time is merciless. Since the beginning of the mythological era, three eras have passed. In such a long time, it is impossible that there were only thirty or so who attained enlightenment. However, many more supreme beings chose to fall into the forbidden zone of life.

"The true emperors and sovereigns are all dead." The Black Emperor sighed. This was not just his opinion, but a conclusion drawn by the Great Emperor Wushi after studying ancient history.

The "Emperor" mentioned by the Great Emperor Wushi refers to the enlightened being who once protected the universe, whose first incarnation was radiant and made great contributions to all living beings.

The ancient emperors, supreme beings, and rulers who severed themselves and fell into the seven forbidden zones of life are unworthy, because they are no longer who they once were.

Void, Eternal Universe, Taiyin, Sun, Chaotic Ancient Times, Jiuli, Western Queen Mother... and those nine generations of Great Accomplished Holy Bodies, their blood spilled on the battlefield, protecting the peace of an entire era.

Even including the Azure Emperor, the Fighting Saint Emperor, the Demon Emperor Xue Yueqing, the God of Light, and the Yuan Emperor, these alien emperors, there are only about thirty of them.

"Is he really gone?" Ye Fan looked at the Chaotic Ancient Emperor's son, thought of Amitabha Buddha on Mount Sumeru, and recalled the past. He couldn't help but whisper, "Those who are truly dead live on in the hearts of all living beings and have a glimmer of hope. Those who seem to be alive are trapped in forbidden zones and become walking corpses or immortal puppets."

"What exactly constitutes being truly alive?"

Those emperors and sovereigns who made great achievements have become myths and are passed down in the hearts of all people, generation after generation.

Of all living beings in this world, only a small fraction are cultivators; the majority are ordinary people.

Monks, being high above, may forget, but weak mortals sing their praises.

"Do you want to know the meaning of life? Do you want to truly live?" The Chaotic Ancient Emperor Prince shook his head and said, "I don't know."

Even in the life of the Chaotic Ancient Emperor, he lived in a daze, without family or friends by his side, and was extremely desolate. His obsession was not enough to support him to live on; he only wanted to reunite with his relatives and friends in the Yellow Springs as soon as possible.

“Perhaps…she knows.” The Chaotic Emperor’s son looked at the Ruthless Dao Fruit, then pointed to the innocent little girl and said, “To live forever, no one is more qualified than her to answer this question.”

The prince of the Chaotic Ancient Dynasty came before the little girl and bowed deeply in worship. The little girl was still confused and asked, "Big brother, why are you bowing to me?"

With a rumble, the dragon-patterned black and gold cauldron leaped out. The little girl was qualified to receive the respect of a great emperor, but she did not have the courage.

A great emperor symbolizes the glory of an era, which cannot be measured by imperial weapons alone.

Little Nannan showed no signs of recovery. Ruthless Great Emperor didn't care about anything else; her obsession was her brother. Unless Ye Fan was on the verge of death, she wouldn't show any emotional fluctuations.

Ye Fan had no choice but to seek answers from the Dragon Pattern Black Gold Cauldron. Imperial weapons are the continuation of the life of an emperor, and the Dragon Cauldron deity might be able to answer this question, representing the one-sided view of the Ruthless Great Emperor.

How should we view the deceased emperors and sovereigns?

The dragon-patterned black-gold cauldron fell silent. Why should it, a mere imperial weapon, answer such a weighty question? It was too difficult for the cauldron.

However, under everyone's questioning, the Dragon Cauldron Deity reluctantly spoke slowly, his voice ethereal, like the echoing voice of the Great Dao: "Respect their first incarnation..."

Even the Ruthless Great Emperor respected the first lives of those emperors and sovereigns. In the ancient era, every human emperor was the protagonist of an era. They were human beings and martyrs who laid the foundation for the human race's current territory.

In an instant, Lin Xian once again felt the weight of the title "Great Emperor," which was not only a realm but also a responsibility and a duty to protect.

The ancient and desolate era was a glorious time for the emperors of the human race. One after another, the emperors of the previous generation and the next generation shared an unspoken understanding.

"Besides the Feathered Emperor?" Lin Xian suddenly narrowed his eyes and asked tentatively.

The dragon-patterned black-gold cauldron trembled. The deity remained silent for a long time before finally uttering a sentence: "Even... including the Feathered Emperor."

Everyone looked at the little girl, who was still adorable and showed no reaction, her big, watery eyes wide open, seemingly puzzled by the words "ascension."

"To be an emperor for one lifetime and protect the peace of the world is not just talk; it is something I have truly done."

The Chaotic Ancient Emperor's son explained, "You are all outstanding talents, and you will at least become quasi-emperors in the future. Even without the protection of the Great Emperor, you can still live a carefree life. Once the Ancient Sacred Body is fully developed, your lifespan will be comparable to that of the ancient Great Emperors, so you will naturally not feel the impact of such protection."

"But what if it's a low-level cultivator, or an ordinary mortal?"

A mortal's lifespan is a hundred years, and a low-level cultivator's lifespan often doesn't exceed a thousand years. For them, ten thousand years is simply too long.

That's enough for a hundred generations of mortals, or ten generations of cultivators, to create a noble family and build a large clan with generations of descendants.

Because of the Emperor's protection, mortals and low-level cultivators lived a relatively peaceful life in the Eternal Era. For them, this was a perfect world.

"The path to immortality in this life is coming to an end. The supreme beings are all lying dormant, and the darkness and turmoil are not yet apparent. But in the past, in the era without the protection of the Great Emperor, it was completely different. It was a chaotic era in which all living beings sang tragic songs and all spirits wept blood."

The Chaotic Emperor's son solemnly said, "In the Chaotic Era, there are not only major upheavals, but also minor ones. The offspring of beings from forbidden zones will be born in place of the Supreme Being to collect life potential and launch small-scale dark upheavals."

"If there is no great emperor in this world, then we need to rely on the emperor's son, the emperor's weapon, and the quasi-emperors of this world to suppress it and exchange lives for it."

"The Eternal Era is short-lived, while the Chaotic Era is long-lasting. Sometimes, for hundreds of thousands of years, no Great Emperor has attained enlightenment, and the Great Universe is plunged into darkness, becoming a forbidden herb-gathering garden."

“Not only cultivators, but also mortals are dying in large numbers. The forbidden zone is like livestock, feeding the mortal world and harvesting it regularly.”

Everyone fell silent. The testimony of an ancient emperor revealed the cruel truth of the universe to them.

The merits of an emperor are not just empty words. Even a demonic emperor who devours all kings, no matter how ruthless he is to his enemies, is still a savior to all living beings in the universe.

If something happens, the Emperor doesn't need to do much. Just standing there or sitting there, even without saying a word, is enough to make the Supreme Being of the Forbidden Zone wary and dare not start a disturbance.

"The Emperor, the master of all living beings, the originator of prosperity!"

The Black Emperor, a being who had followed the Great Emperor Wushi, also stood up to testify that because the Great Emperor was alive, all living beings could rest and recuperate, reproduce in peace, and not worry about large-scale blood calamities, thus saving the universe from ninety percent of disasters.

Even the most brutal order is better than no order at all.

"Descendants commit evil deeds, but ancestors possess virtue."

Lin Xian seemed to be deep in thought, and in a flash of inspiration, she grasped that the Empress did not kill the Feathered Emperor in the end, perhaps not only because the Feathered Emperor was not involved in the Feathered Divine Dynasty's mess.

Furthermore, because the Feathered Emperor did not fall into the forbidden zone of life, but instead made great contributions to all living beings in the universe in his first life, he protected the peace of that life.

The Empress herself, as well as her brother, the Holy Body, did not enjoy this protection, but her ancestors survived because of the Ascension Emperor.

Without the Ascension Emperor, the universe might experience a gap of tens of thousands of years, leading to another chaotic era.

The ancient era of emperors was not the achievement of one person, but the result of the combined efforts and perseverance of one human emperor after another, which created the space for the rise of future human cultivators.

"Perhaps we are just fleeting visitors in the vast universe, and mortals are the true protagonists of this world."

A strange light appeared in the eyes of the Chaotic Ancient Emperor's son. He pointed to a certain region of the primordial planet, activated his supreme divine power, and deduced the past, causing various historical events to surface. The kingdoms on this land were constantly being born and dying, constantly recuperating and rebuilding, collapsing and reorganizing, prospering and decaying, as if in one cycle after another.

For hundreds of years, thousands of years, tens of thousands of years, hundreds of thousands of years, millions of years... they have always been there.

Even a great emperor who reigns for ten thousand years is but a tiny speck in the vast universe.

The ancient planets in this region of stars have existed for billions of years.

Compared to such numbers, what are emperors and immortals? They are nothing but dust and ants.

Everyone was deeply shocked. Ye Fan murmured, "If we don't step out of this universe, even if we become emperors, we'll just be the most dazzling flower in the end?"

"To become an immortal, one must first become a mortal. The mortal world is the foundation of this universe." The Chaotic Emperor's son looked at the little girl and said, "She should have been a chaotic being, but now she is a mortal."

Everyone suddenly realized that, yes, the Ruthless Great Emperor had long been the Chaos Heavenly Emperor, and her Dao Fruit, if not examined closely, was no different from that of a mortal girl.

Could this also be a form of mortal transformation, a pursuit of immortality and becoming a celestial being?

"So, the path of Amitabha Buddha is the most correct one," Ye Fan said in horror. Amitabha Buddha had made a great vow to walk every inch of the Western Desert, personally preaching and spreading his teachings among humankind.

Living in the hearts of the people, Amitabha Buddha truly achieved this. The only one comparable to him is the Boundless Heavenly Venerable of Taoism.

"There's no such thing as the most correct path; some paths in this world will always intersect." The Chaotic Emperor's son shook his head and said, "Throughout history, many outstanding individuals have forged their own unique paths to immortality, some burying their lives, some seeking the elixir of immortality, and some gathering the power of faith."

After a pause, the Chaotic Ancient Emperor's son guessed, "Perhaps one must travel through all the methods of immortality and integrate them to truly become an immortal."

Transcending to the mortal realm is merely one step in the path to immortality; successfully traversing this path does not guarantee immortality.

“Perhaps becoming a mortal is a way of paying off a debt.” Lin Xian’s eyes flashed, and a world-shaking wisdom was brewing within him. He offered a different perspective: “As we all know, our universe is in the Dharma-ending Age. Heaven and earth are flawed, so one cannot become an immortal.”

"What kind of common knowledge is this?" The dragon horse under its seat complained. How many people in the mortal world know such a secret? Even those who are about to attain enlightenment may not be able to understand it.

Everyone glanced at Longma. How did you even get in here if you don't even know something like this?

Longma looked around and immediately felt a headache coming on. The Black Emperor had followed the Great Emperor Wushi, the Chaotic Ancient Emperor's son was half a Chaotic Ancient, Ye Fan was said to be the reincarnation of the Emperor, and Lin Xian was an old thing... There was no simple character among them.

"You can say whatever you want, just pretend I don't exist." Longma gave an awkward smile and slipped out to stand guard.

Lin Xian coughed lightly and got back to the point, comparing becoming an immortal to making money. Although the Great Universe Company is not bankrupt, it is on the verge of bankruptcy and regards all those who have attained immortality as the biggest debt collectors. They would rather not suppress them than support them in becoming immortals and opening a subsidiary.

All the past creations must ultimately be repaid by the Great Emperor with his life. Returning the Dao to Heaven is the only choice in the Dharma-ending Age.

Becoming an immortal is a process of outwitting and outmaneuvering the universe, employing all sorts of tricks and deceptions.

Some emperors, to avoid cosmic debt collection, choose to start saving money. Like Amitabha Buddha, they are in the cycle of reincarnation, living in the hearts of all beings, transcending cause and effect, neither born nor dying, neither increasing nor decreasing.

Some emperors forged their household registrations, such as the Ascension Emperor who became the Holy Spirit, the son of the Great Universe, so that he wouldn't have to repay the money.

All of the above are methods of avoiding debt. If you want to completely escape the universe and become an immortal in the mortal world, there is only one way: generate your own immortal energy, and your own body will become an immortal realm, so that you will not be affected by the passage of time.

However, producing longevity substances on one's own is extremely difficult, and the Azure Emperor's attempt to achieve instant success was a stark example of what would happen to him.

"The cycle of Nirvana is merely a method for achieving immortality, used to prolong life."

"The true path to immortality lies in the self-generating immortal essence!"

Lin Xian said meaningfully, "As for becoming a mortal, it means returning everything bestowed by the universe, thus leaving with nothing and severing the last causal ties with the universe."

His words, once spoken, were like a thunderclap from the heavens, shaking everyone to their core and opening up a completely new way of thinking.

"Yes, yes."

The Chaotic Ancient Emperor's son suddenly stood up, his eyes flashing with divine light, and murmured, "This is the true essence of the mortal body. The Great Emperor's Dao Fruit, the Heavenly Heart Imprint, all the cultivation of this body is a gift from the Great Universe."

"With the divine powers bestowed by Heaven, how could one possibly resist the universe? Being within the system of the universe, one is destined to be unable to contend with the system itself."

"Only by stepping outside, only by being completely pure and innocent, without any lingering attachments, can one be considered independent and transcendent."

Ye Fan was also shaken, a kind of instinctive tremor, because he was walking on such a path, and what Lin Xian said perfectly matched him.

He dissolved the Six Paths of Reincarnation Fist of the Holy Body, and thus created his own Heavenly Emperor Fist.

If that's the case, why not go a step further and sever the Holy Body, transforming it into a Heavenly Emperor body that belongs only to oneself?

"To cut off and to rebuild, it is a long road."

"I've just started, so I'm not in a hurry."

Ye Fan pondered that he needed to advance towards the Great Perfection of the Sacred Body, and only after becoming an Emperor could he begin to discard the Sacred Body.

There is just one small problem.

Ye Fan asked suspiciously, "Holy Lord, is this method truly something you comprehended?"

He remembered that Lin Xian only knew how to suture.

"Be bold!"

Lin Xian's face flushed red instantly, and she retorted, "In your impression, am I that incompetent?"

"Lin Ken..." the Black Emperor muttered softly. This name had been circulating in the Eastern Wilderness for quite some time.

“I am the reincarnation of the Celestial King of the Nine Heavens. I have come here in this life specifically to save you. You are truly biting the hand that feeds you, not recognizing a kind heart.”

Lin Xian snorted coldly and said, "This is not some kind of transformation into a mortal, but a sacrificial method created by this Holy Lord."

"Sacrificing forbidden numbers can be exchanged for a higher realm."

"Then by sacrificing one's origin, one can naturally transcend."

(End of this chapter)