In the heavens, people become emperors by being bad.

Chapter 590 [Being born into this world is harder than anyone else's]

If it were merely a threat from the supreme ruler of the restricted area, the old Golden Crow would certainly possess the cunning and courage to defy the odds.

But this era is too chaotic. The forbidden zones and supreme beings are the least of the problems. The various Heavenly Emperors are laying out the path to immortality. The karma accumulated since the mythological era, the taboos of the Primordial Era, and the calamity of immortality from the Desolate Era are all erupting at once, causing chaos throughout the past and present.

Such a huge shock, who can withstand it? Even the current emperor might not be able to withstand it. Don't you see, even an old monster like the Azure Emperor and Yu Hua avoid it like the plague.

Old Golden Crow had a peculiar premonition that this emperor's life would be more difficult and more arduous than anyone else's, requiring him to bear the weight of countless ages of karma—a colossal pitfall.

"Such a blessing should not be mine alone. What merit do I, Emperor Jun, possess?"

Old Golden Crow sighed, then bowed to Emperor Yan Shennong and said, "Hengyu, Xukong, Daode, and Buddha Emperor are all senior emperors who have made great contributions to the universe. Please restore them."

"We have already had our glory days, how can we cut off the path for those who come after us? We must give the younger generation a chance." Emperor Yan smiled slightly and said humbly, "We have long since become indifferent to fame and fortune, and are only focused on seeking immortality."

"That's exactly what I'm worried about." Old Golden Crow's heart sank, his eyes deep, he had his own plans.

The reason why the great emperors of the past were so revered was twofold: firstly, there were no immortals in the mortal world, and cultivators only pursued the goal of leaving their names in history and being the only ones who could be respected; secondly, the great emperors monopolized the Heavenly Heart Mark, making it impossible for later generations to achieve enlightenment. Once their realm was high, they would naturally be invincible in the nine heavens and ten earths.

But in this world today, putting aside everything else, just the fact that the Heavenly Court has an Emperor Emeritus, the Azure Emperor, suppressing everything means that even if one attains enlightenment and takes over the Heavenly Court, one may not be as carefree and unrestrained as the ancient emperors.

Moreover, there is more than one path to immortality in this life. Among the high-ranking officials of the Heavenly Court, Lin Xian once hinted that only two or three people can become immortals in one lifetime, and those who become emperors may not become immortals, and those who become immortals may not become emperors.

Old Jinwu hesitated inwardly, but showed no sign of it on the surface. Instead, he nodded in agreement: "We must give young people a chance. Senior Hengyu is absolutely right."

After a pause, Di Jun suddenly looked at Ye Fan with a smile and said very seriously, "A hundred-year-old quasi-emperor with a sixth-level physical body, I see that young friend Ye has the potential to become an emperor!"

Ye Fan's heart skipped a beat. The potential to become an emperor was not a compliment.

Even if a quasi-emperor of the sixth heaven is incredibly powerful, interfering in the imperial throne is just a matter of slapping someone across the face.

He had finally managed to shed the title of Emperor, and now he just wanted to find a place to develop and perfect his Holy Body; he didn't want to endure any pressure.

"How can I, a mere quasi-emperor, be compared to you, senior?" Ye Fandun hurriedly declined, saying, "I, Ye, will now abdicate and yield the throne to you, senior Di Jun, to become the ruler of the Heavenly Court, and be known as the Golden Crow Heavenly Emperor!"

"No need for further explanation, Fellow Daoist Ye is exceptionally talented and a young hero."

The Golden Crow Emperor roared, stood with his hands behind his back, and exuded an aura of righteousness, saying, "My Golden Crow Clan firmly supports Young Friend Ye as the Lord of the Heavenly Court. Anyone who opposes him is going against my Golden Crow Clan."

"There has never been a holy body that can become an emperor. It is extremely difficult for a holy body to become an emperor. A hundred years is definitely not enough."

Ye Fan sighed and shifted the blame, saying, "In terms of cultivation speed, Holy Master Lin is the most amazing one. I am only a Quasi-Emperor in the physical body, while he is already a flawless Quasi-Emperor with the potential to become a Holy Emperor."

The deities looked strange. In the past, they fought tooth and nail for the throne, leaving mountains of corpses and seas of blood in the universe, and piles of white bones on the imperial road. Now, several of the most promising people to become emperors are here making three refusals and three concessions. It's true that people who have lived long enough can see all sorts of things.

"It's not that I'm being modest, how could a mere Saint Body like me become an Emperor?" Lin Xian waved his hand and then said, "Becoming an Emperor and becoming an Immortal are not necessarily mutually exclusive; each has its own destiny. Besides, the Azure Emperor is currently evolving the Immortal Realm. Once my Heavenly Court's grand plan succeeds, all living beings will have hope of achieving immortality."

The scene fell silent. Even the Emperor of Feathered Ascension in the Immortal Realm was shocked and exclaimed, "Fellow Daoist Wan Qing has great wisdom and even more courage than the ancient Heavenly Court's decision to send the entire sect to immortality."

The Chaos Green Lotus trembled, and the Azure Emperor slowly said, "On the way."

"The Azure Emperor's grand achievements are beyond our reach. However, the evolution of the Immortal Realm is a long process. Perhaps we should consider the Immortal Path of Mars offered by the Undying Heavenly Emperor."

Old Golden Crow coughed lightly and said tactfully, "Killing the Heavenly Emperor is much more reliable than evolving the Immortal Realm. Why don't you, Azure Emperor, consider it?"

The Green Emperor remained silent, seemingly deep in thought.

Suddenly, a voice rang out, tinged with tension. The Feathered Fossil Embryo soared into the air, excitedly asking, "You say the Undying Emperor is on that immortal path?"

"Yinghuo, eh, that name sounds familiar." Di Jun clicked his tongue, lost in memories. Could it be that he had been to this immortal path before? Why didn't he remember it?

“Flickering firelight, chaotic and confusing.” Feathered petrified body stood on Kunlun, using its divine sense to outline a corner of the Earth’s starry sky, and said in a low voice, “That is the ancient star Yinghuo.”

Because it glows like fire, it was called Mars in ancient times.

In an instant, Di Jun's expression changed drastically. There was an immortal emperor on Mars, while he was on Earth. What difference was there between this and walking to someone's doorstep? Not to mention a supreme being, even a great sage could cross this short distance in a few steps.

"The Emperor is within reach."

The Feathered Emperor felt a chill in his heart. A green cauldron floated on the stone embryo. The Heavenly Court had not sent him to Kunlun for Nirvana, but had clearly arranged for him to be neighbors with the Immortal Emperor.

An emperor who came from the remnants of the ancient Heavenly Court, plus a cauldron for achieving immortality—if the Undying Emperor were to encounter this, even if the Feathered Emperor claimed that he had no relation to the Emperor and no connection to the ancient Heavenly Court, the Emperor wouldn't believe him.

"This is an open conspiracy." The old Golden Crow gasped. Even if the Feathered Emperor wanted to reconcile with the Undying Emperor, the Undying Emperor was not at ease, fearing that if the Feathered Emperor were to live several more lives, he would seek revenge on him for the karmic debt.

Once a chain of suspicion is formed, it cannot be broken. Whether the Feathered Emperor had the intention to harm the Emperor is not important; what is important is that he had the power to do so.

"The ancient star of the primordial era is of great benefit to cultivation, reducing cultivation time by ten times, or even a hundred times," the Azure Emperor said. "I wish Fellow Daoist Yuhua a speedy ascension to immortality and the completion of the Stone Man realm."

The valley is filled with ribbons of fairy spirit, glowing clouds, shimmering lights, and various fairy flowers flowing, forming a magnificent fairy scene on earth.

The most important place for nurturing immortals was like a placenta, but unfortunately it was shattered by the Ruthless Great Emperor with a single slap, turning into an immortal pool.

The Feathered Emperor sighed, knowing that further words were useless. Only by striving to achieve Nirvana as soon as possible could he have some say. He and the Immortal Cauldron entered the Immortal Pool, like an infant returning to its mother's womb, gaining innate wonder.

In an instant, myriad rays of light shot into the sky, and the Immortal Pool seemed to be reborn. There were some silk-like nets on the pool wall, each one crystal clear and flowing with immortal light, like the blood vessels of living beings, and even able to breathe and exhale.

"This is a celestial embryo, which once had life."

Old Golden Crow's pupils shrank, filled with disbelief, and he said, "Could it be a true immortal placenta? Ruthless Great Emperor, it's truly... truly... a waste of heaven's resources."

Emperor Jun hesitated, finally managing to describe it in four words: the Heavenly Court's true plan was this celestial embryo, which was even more precious than the celestial artifact, the Green Cauldron, yet it was destroyed by a ruthless person.

This was the hope for immortality. Even if it couldn't make someone an immortal, it could at least allow an emperor to live a third or even a fourth life. Yet, the Ruthless Great Emperor discarded it like a worn-out shoe and disdained it.

"Not for immortality, but only to wait for your return in the mortal world." Duan De was suddenly startled. The Devouring Demon Jar on his body actually started to hum on its own. The jar was simple and unadorned, like pottery. Some of the engravings on it had beautiful lines, like the graceful body of a young girl imprinted on it.

The Heaven-Devouring Imperial Weapon unleashed thousands of dark rays of light, exuding the aura of imperial power. It danced with the blood-stained robes and echoed the words, "I am about to die. Who... can take care of my sister?"

Startled, the golden crow fell silent and disappeared into the depths of the sea. Only Ye Fan seemed somewhat lost and murmured, "Little girl."

A figure slowly turned her head, seemingly alive, like a real person. Her beautiful hair fluttered gently, and her moon-white dress accentuated her graceful and proud fairy-like figure. Her skin was fair and white, like it was carved from mutton fat jade. She was an empress of unparalleled beauty.

Having survived nine lives and nine deaths, the Devouring Demon Jar is not only an imperial weapon but also her first incarnation, possessing a portion of her primordial spirit imprint.

A paper boat flew out, crystal clear. Although it was made of the most ordinary material, it bore the mark of gods and demons, which neutralized the Empress's aura for Lin Xian. He slowly said, "Little Nannan is doing very well now. She is being cared for by Ye Fan and her parents in the Heavenly Court. In a while, everyone will return to Beidou."

The Ruthless Emperor gazed at the starry sky and, with a fleeting glance, glimpsed a corner of the small world across billions of stars. In a land of lush grass and water, two old men were happily boiling milk, a little girl was riding a black dog across the grassland, and there was also the sound of a melodious zither, as if a musician in blue was playing music.

"Yaoguang and Jiang Yifei are gone. Yes, these two are true heroes, destined to embark on the path of God, unlike Hua Yunfei whose heart is at peace."

Lin Xian secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the matter was over and the Devouring Demon Jar gradually dimmed.

Suddenly, the paper boat burst forth with boundless divine light, like a celestial vessel slowly sailing towards the small grave. The grave of the ruthless man's elder brother was protected by the power of the Great Emperor, which had blocked the powerful figures of past generations, but it could not stop the paper boat.

In the tomb, dozens of fragments, pieced together to form a ghostly mask, stood alongside a blood-stained garment, now all emerging from the ground.

The Empress's eyes narrowed, and countless beams of celestial light shot out. The little girl on the other side of the starry sky sensed it, as if she were ascending to heaven, about to transform into celestial light and fly away.

"Big dog, Nannan is leaving again."

The little girl was a bit confused, but she looked at the Black Emperor, Ye Fan's parents, and Hua Yunfei with great reluctance. During her time in the small world, she felt a rare sense of family affection.

"Woof! Woof! Woof! What's going on!"

The big black dog immediately panicked. Who could possibly scheme against the Ruthless Dao Fruit for no reason? Who would dare to scheme against Little Nannan? Amidst the cries for help from Ye Fan's parents, the Black Emperor instructed Hua Yunfei to keep an eye on the two elderly people. He then leaped into the air, tightly holding Little Nannan, as the immortal light pierced through the void of the universe.

"Boom!"

After the earth-shattering change, a familiar scene came into view. The Black Emperor asked with doubt, "This is... Kunlun?"

"Shut up, something important has happened." Lin Xian pulled the black dog aside to make room for the little girl.

The paper boat radiated divine light, and the shattered ghost mask gradually healed. Most incredibly, a trace of essence blood was extracted from the blood-stained garment. The blood contained mysterious power and eventually dripped onto the paper boat, staining this extraordinary treasure red.

"The aura of an older brother?"

The little girl held a ghost mask in one hand and a red paper boat in the other. Gazing at the drop of holy blood, she murmured something, her voice tinged with sadness and confusion.

Ye Fan's lips twitched. What kind of hellish joke was this?

"A lotus blooms under the eternal blue sky."

The Azure Emperor's illusory figure spoke calmly, and the Chaotic Azure Lotus in his palm swayed, releasing the primordial immortal energy that had created the world, which eventually condensed into a drop of extremely clear immortal liquid.

All the Venerable Ones felt their physical bodies become more vibrant after smelling it. Since ancient times, the elixir of immortality has contained extremely strong life force, which can bring the Great Emperor back to life, let alone a Chaos Green Lotus that has attained the Heavenly Emperor.

If a supreme being from a forbidden zone were to devour the Azure Emperor, they might be able to live a third life immediately, provided, of course, that they are not killed by the Azure Emperor.

"The stronger a person is, the harder it is for them to be resurrected; the weaker a person is, the more hope they have."

Lin Xian gazed at this scene thoughtfully. Some extremely powerful Immortal Kings could intervene in the river of time and capture some mortals, but they were powerless against immortals and needed Quasi-Immortal Emperors. And for some more crucial people, even if an Immortal Emperor intervened to change their life or death, they would still suffer a backlash.

As the Azure Emperor's Immortal Liquid dripped down, the strongest vitality in millions of years burst forth. That drop of holy blood trembled, and the fragments of the Great Dao within its body seemed to come alive.

"Ascension to immortality, bestowed with divine titles by the Heavenly Emperor."

The Feathered Fossil Embryo also made its move. Since ancient times, there has been more than one Heavenly Court, and the ancient Heavenly Court has also sealed countless gods.

In an instant, golden light shone everywhere, and a blurry precious body appeared. However, due to the passage of time, it shattered, leaving only a faint trace.

Out of respect for the Empress, all the dignitaries offered their blessings.

Although their mental power is not as strong as that of those who have ascended to immortality, it is still supreme among mortals, incomparably sacred and radiant.

With a thought, Lin Xian began to recite the Scripture of Salvation: "Recite it ten times, and all the heavens will sing in the distance, all the emperors will pay homage, the rivers and seas will fall silent, and the mountains will hide their clouds..."

In an instant, all the gods and believers followed, three thousand Buddhas and Taoist priests shouted, chanting the Heavenly Venerable's scriptures in unison, profound and mysterious, to save both humans and gods.

With a whoosh, faith surged, transforming into a golden glimmer within the holy blood. Though not fully restored, it offered a glimmer of hope.

The Empress remained silent. If this didn't work, did she really have to follow Lingbao Tianzun's advice and gather all ten thousand emperors?
Whether there have been a thousand supreme beings since the age of mythology is a question, let alone ten thousand emperors; this is even more difficult than becoming an immortal.

"Throughout history, the most proficient in the power of faith are none other than the Immortal Emperor and the Amitabha Buddha Emperor."

Gai Jiuyou coughed twice and suddenly said, "The Undying Emperor and the Heavenly Court are mortal enemies and it is impossible for them to help. However, the Buddhist sect maintains a close alliance with the Heavenly Court."

"The Victorious Fighting Buddha retrieved a Buddha statue from the Amitabha Starfield." Lin Xian raised an eyebrow and said meaningfully, "From any perspective, we must make a trip to Mount Sumeru."

A Buddha statue?!
Upon hearing this, all the Venerable Ones looked at the Feathered Fossil Embryo. These two Great Emperors lived in adjacent eras, bridging the past and the future, and their methods of achieving immortality shared commonalities.

"Beidou, we're finally going back."

Ye Fan spoke softly. He was born on Earth but grew up in Beidou, which was his second home. There were too many people and things there that he cared about.

(End of this chapter)