33: The Great Emperor Wushi: I can open the path to immortality!

"The path to immortality in this world... has long since... disappeared."

Boom!!!

This sentence, spoken lightly, was heavier than the Supreme power that had just suppressed fifteen Supremes. It was like a hammer of judgment, piercing through the eons of time, striking heavily upon the hearts of all powerful beings in the Universe!

Silence.

A deathly silence.

On Wushi Great Emperor's face, there was only calmness, and a trace of... pity for all living beings.

At the same time, in the Big Dipper Star Field, those surviving Life Forbidden Zones fell into an unprecedented dead silence.

In the Primordial Beginning Ancient Mine, in the deepest part, where purple Qi permeated, the Immortal Sources sealing the Primordial Emperors dimmed.

"Disappeared... He said the path to immortality disappeared... What does this mean?" An ancient and majestic Divine Thought vibrated in the Void Realm, filled with incomprehensible confusion. This was the voice of the Ten Thousand Dragon Emperor, who was one of the most majestic existences among the Primordial Emperors, but now he sounded like a lost child.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Ancient records state that Emperor Zun once tried to lead his entire sect to Immortal Ascension; that path truly existed! Wushi, don't you dare spread such heresies here!" Another Supreme, the Lord of the Divine Ruins, roared in anger. But within that roar, there was a tremor he himself hadn't noticed.

Fear.

A fear deeper than death spread in their hearts.

Death, they had experienced once and were not unfamiliar with it. But if the lifelong belief that supported them to step down from their glorious imperial thrones, willing to transform into darkness and ominousness, and cling to life for eons, was a void from the very beginning, then this sense of nihilism would be enough to completely destroy their Dao Heart.

Just then, a clear and cold Divine Thought, spanning endless star rivers, came from the direction of the Immortal Tomb.

"Wushi, what do you mean by this? If the immortal path is broken, then she..." Although Longevity Heavenly Venerate was dead, there was more than one Supreme in the Immortal Tomb. Another ancient existence turned his gaze to The Only Honored One - Ruthless Great Emperor, "...How did she take that step and achieve the Mortal World Immortal position?"

This question echoed the thoughts of all Supremes!

Indeed!

If the path was broken, then how did this living woman, whose aura even surpassed that of an Immortal, come into being?

In an instant, all greedy, terrified, and bewildered gazes converged on The Only Honored One - Ruthless Great Emperor. She was like the only bright lamp in the darkness, their only hope in despair.

Wushi Great Emperor turned his head, glanced at Ruthless by his side, his gaze full of tenderness. He gently held her cool hand, as if comforting her emotions disturbed by those disrespectful gazes.

Then, he looked back at the depths of the Universe, speaking in a tone so calm it was almost cruel: "Her Dao is different from yours."

"She did not seek Immortal Ascension, but only to wait for someone's return in the Mortal World. She underwent nine Reincarnations, each living a different splendid life, yet all holding the same obsession. She was once the Ancestral Master of Demonic Technique that devoured all Origins, and also a Mortal girl playing in the Mortal World. Her Dao is remembrance, waiting, and persistence."

Wushi Great Emperor's voice echoed throughout the Universe, every word like a heavy hammer striking the hearts of those Supremes.

"Can you do it?"

"Can you abandon the dignity of an Emperor or Monarch who once ruled the world, transform into a Mortal, and Reincarnate in the vast sea of humanity, just to await a vague possibility?"

"Can you endure eons of loneliness, watching seas turn into mulberry fields, and stars turn into dust, while your Dao Heart remains unchanged?"

"You cannot." Wushi Great Emperor directly gave the answer, his tone full of disdain, "Your so-called Dao is merely clinging to life by devouring all beings. In your hearts, there is only fear of death and greed for longevity. Therefore, her Dao, you cannot learn, nor can you walk."

These words silenced all Supremes.

They looked back at their past; it was indeed as Wushi had said. They were high and mighty Emperors, looking down on all beings. Asking them to be Mortals, to experience the suffering of birth, old age, sickness, death, love, hate, and separation, would be worse than killing them.

Ruthless's Dao was indeed a dead end, a path belonging only to her.

Despair, once again, surged like a tide.

But just then, the Lord of the Divine Ruins' sinister Divine Thought rang out again. This time, his voice carried a pathological fanaticism: "Even if we cannot walk her Dao, since she is already a Mortal World Immortal, she must have mastered the true secret method of Immortal Ascension! She knows how to use longevity matter, she knows the secrets of the Immortal Realm! Wushi, hand over her secret method, and we can spare your Human Race!"

"Exactly! Hand over the secret of Immortal Ascension!"

"This is an opportunity for all of us! As long as we get the secret method, we can also become Immortals in the Mortal World!"

Greed, once again, overcame fear. They dared not walk Ruthless's path, yet they fantasized about taking a shortcut to obtain Ruthless's fruit.

"Hehe..." Wushi Great Emperor laughed, his laughter full of mockery. "A bunch of dying wastes, still daring to threaten this Emperor?"

He took a step forward, the wushi bell buzzed above his head, and an imperial might capable of crushing all eons erupted, causing the Divine Souls of those Supremes who had just harbored greed to tremble violently, as if an invisible large hand had gripped their throats.

"However..." Wushi Great Emperor changed his tone, the curve of his mouth becoming playful, "You are also right, there are indeed secrets. And the path is not just one."

"The path to immortality in this realm was shattered in the battle at the end of the Immortal Ancient Era. Later, Emperor Zun attempted to refine the two realms into a cauldron, which only accelerated its collapse. Now, it has long existed in name only, becoming a dead end. Even if you wait until the end of time, it's impossible to enter the Immortal Realm through it."

This shocking secret, spoken by Wushi, caused all Supremes to tremble in their hearts. So, that was the truth!

"But," Wushi Great Emperor's voice was full of temptation, "In my homeland, there is a legend. In the cracks of the Universe, there exist some Strange Worlds opened by people. Those worlds exist to connect the broken immortal path; they are the 'transfer stations' between the Immortal Realm and the Human World!"

"There, there is no suppression from the Imprint of the Heavenly Heart, yet it is filled with unimaginably rich longevity matter. There, even you wastes who self-severed a blade can easily live for hundreds of thousands of years, and even have the chance to complete your Dao Fruit and return to your Peak!"

Boom!

If before there was despair, now there was hope, enough to drive all Supremes completely mad!

A world filled with longevity matter, where one could live for hundreds of thousands of years!

Wasn't this the "Immortal Realm" they had always dreamed of?!

"Where is it?! Where is that world?!" The Ten Thousand Dragon Emperor's Divine Thought was the first to ask eagerly.

"Wushi! If you take us there, we will honor you as the First Emperor of all ages!"

"As long as we can achieve longevity, we will give you anything you want!"

Looking at these Supremes revealing their ugly true colors, Wushi Great Emperor's sneer deepened.

"I can take you," he slowly spoke, like the final judge, "But this Emperor never does a losing business."

"Hand over all the Undying Divine Medicines, all the Immortal Gold Divine Materialss, all the Divine Spring Liquids, and all the accumulated heritage you have gathered over eons in your forbidden zones."

"Use them to buy your 'tickets'."

"Remember, it's all. If this Emperor finds anyone daring to hide anything, then your forbidden zones will suffer the same fate as this Undying Mountain."

Wushi Great Emperor's voice was cold and undeniable.

Upon hearing this, all Supremes fell silent again.

What harsh conditions these were!

Undying Divine Medicines were the foundation for extending their imperial lifespan. Immortal Gold Divine Materialss were the cornerstone for forging Imperial Weapons. These were all their accumulated wealth, gathered over endless years by instigating Dark Turmoils again and again.

Now, Wushi actually wanted them to hand over everything?

This was like tearing out their very hearts!

"Wushi! Don't push your luck too far!" A Supreme roared unwillingly.

"Pushing my luck?" Wushi Great Emperor sneered, "You can also choose not to give. Then, in this hopeless Universe, slowly wait for your imperial lifespan to run out and turn into a pile of yellow earth. Or, I can send you on your way right now, which would be more straightforward."

"You have no choice."

The cold words completely shattered their last shred of illusion.

Indeed, they had no choice.

Either hand over all their possessions to gamble for a chance at longevity.

Or, die now, or slowly await death in despair.

Divine Thoughts furiously intertwined in the Void Realm, arguing, weighing, strategizing... Ultimately, the desire for longevity overpowered everything.

"Alright... We agree!"

After an unknown period, an ancient and weary Divine Thought emanated from the Primordial Beginning Ancient Mine.

Where there was one, there were two, then three... "Immortal Tomb, agreed."

"God Ruins, agreed."

"Sea of Reincarnation, agreed."