CHAPTER 1627: CHAPTER 1568: TO ASCEND AS HUMAN EMPEROR, ONE MUST BEAR ITS BURDEN! (SECOND UPDATE!)

At this moment, Guan Tian Pavilion fell into a sudden silence. The Tianzu, a terrifying clan holding dominion over the rise and fall of other races, was simply an unchallengeable and invincible existence.

The mysterious golden age of the ancient era, what was it worth!

The so-called undying and immortal lofty gods of antiquity, what were they worth!

Only by truly understanding everything would one realize the unbearable cruelty of it all!

Playthings!

The billions upon billions of human lives, like the stars in the heavens, had pioneered a majestic Age of the Emperor, only to find in the end that it was all so fragile and disgraceful. How could the heart of any human warrior not swell with murderous intent and smoldering wrath!

No wonder the enigmatic figure bathed in blue light bore an aura of disdainful contempt for all living beings!

"Then why, in the darkness of the Desolate Wilds era, after Tianzu had already devastated the human race, did they not annihilate us completely!"

"Heh heh..." Upon hearing this, the East Emperor chuckled lightly, his tone filled with helplessness.

"Because Tianzu need the human race. Otherwise, how could they all become like dragons, reigning over heaven and earth!"

Blood food!

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen’s eyes erupted with murderous fury.

"Back then, they altered the rules of heaven and earth, binding the human race with the Nine-Layer Tower and curtailing our martial arts progression, while extending our lifespans. This allowed the human race to reproduce in greater numbers more quickly!"

"The Hundred Clans of Heaven lack such abilities, which is why the human race was called the Blood Reservoir, and it wasn’t just empty talk!"

There was a deep melancholy embedded in these words. Even as the Human Emperor, the ruler of his entire race, learning the truth was no doubt horrifying!

A pain rooted in the survival of a race—a pain marked by unparalleled reproductive strength, ensuring an endless supply for blood food!

And to further encourage reproduction, they modified the rules of heaven and earth, suppressing the potential of the human race while increasing its longevity, nurturing more lives!

Bitterness!

Agony!

A torment etched deep into the soul of a race!

"Then why keep the Hundred Clans alive?"

"Blood food exists, naturally slaves are required to drain the blood of the livestock that have been penned up!"

In that instant, Xiao Chen felt the chilling cold of the East Emperor’s words. He bit down heavily on the word "livestock," as if he wanted to shatter even his bleeding bones!

"The slaughter between the human race and the Hundred Clans is, at its core, a deliberate design from the Desolate Wilds era. This realm was originally whole. Over long months, who knows how many lives have bled out, their essence dissipated into heaven and earth!"

"Can it be that Tianzu secretly collect the blood and bones of our human race and the Hundred Clans?" Xiao Chen’s expression froze, though he quickly dismissed this speculation!

"Do you think these blood and bones truly vanish? This heaven and earth are but a single entity. Even when you refine the Golden Dragon Emperor’s power and seem to absorb it, upon your fall it will ultimately return to the earth!"

"This...!"

"Thus, Tianzu crave endless slaughter—boundless and perpetual carnage. Only through the constant spilling of life’s blood can the essence cycle back to heaven and earth!"

"They extract the crimson essence from the Vast Wilderness Continent, akin to vampires with grotesque tubes, relentlessly draining the spiritual power extracted from bones. Life, the purest creation of heaven and earth, arises from the most refined amalgamation of this realm’s spirits. These distilled essences are the ultimate elixir of this land!"

"The life essence gathered from the slaughter of billions, accumulated drop by drop, is transported wholly to the realm of Tianzu. From their very birth, Tianzu train with the essence of life itself. Even in their mother’s womb, they are nourished by its purity. Thus, they all become like dragons; the weakest toe the lines of kingship, while the strongest control heaven and earth!"

"A single child from their race is comparable to the pure-blood descendants of ancient exotic species once birthed by this realm. This is the consequence of life’s design!"

"Enslaving all sentient beings to nurture the prosperity of one race—compared to this, the slaughter between my human race and the Hundred Clans is but a trifle!"

"Do you know how many humans have been sent into the Hundred Clans Battlefield throughout history?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen froze. He seemed to understand something—the Hundred Clans Battlefield might more aptly be called a slaughterhouse. Sure enough, the East Emperor’s words confirmed his suspicions!

"Endless numbers!"

"Were it not for the countless human warriors cast into the battlefield each year, ensuring the boundless blood qi returns to the heavens, how else could the human race have survived for so many eras!"

"Furthermore, alongside our perpetual battles against the Hundred Clans in other territories, the bloodqi disintegrating into the heavens each year is immeasurable and vast!"

The humans entering the Hundred Clans Battlefield were largely sent to their deaths!

A numbing chill!

At this moment, Xiao Chen felt an unbearable emptiness. Had the Human Emperor erred?

For generations, the Five Regions of the Human Realm knew the Hundred Clans Battlefield as the arena where humans contested the Hundred Clans for supremacy.

Countless human warriors throughout history marched into the battlefield without hesitation, even those veterans returning bore withered blood qi and countless scars, yet their fighting spirit remained undiminished, battle blood roaring within their frail bodies!

They fought for the human race!

But in reality...!

No, the Human Emperor had not erred!

As the emperor of humanity, how could they not know this humiliating truth? It was precisely because they knew the reality that their pain burned even deeper!

Kill! Kill! Kill!

Suddenly, the heavens spun, stars shook, and an immense, boundless killing intent exploded from the East Emperor, thrusting the space into frenzied turmoil.

The murderous intent penetrated the soul, vast and endless. In this moment, the East Emperor appeared like a vengeful deity of slaughter, yearning to shatter heaven’s chains and unleash all the pent-up humiliation!

This was a side of the East Emperor Xiao Chen had never before witnessed!

Who knows how much time had passed before Xiao Chen felt himself recover from the violent shockwaves, his mind settling into quietude. He saw the once-majestic and towering figure of the East Emperor slightly hunched over!

The unbearable weight had bent his spine!

But in a flash, Xiao Chen’s gaze wavered. When he looked again, the East Emperor stood tall and unrivaled in the Void, raising the vast heavens in majestic grace!

After the cold rage, Xiao Chen let out a bitter laugh. He had destroyed the Beast Underworld, slaughtering billions. Had he not also acted as Tianzu’s accomplice!

Epochs rise and fall, the cycle of reincarnation marches on. Under these circumstances, the conquest and destruction of all races meant nothing to Tianzu—for the extinction of any race still served as nourishment for them!

"To ascend as the Human Emperor, one must bear its weight!" The East Emperor’s voice rang out swiftly!

"At the end of the era, this is our human race’s final struggle to break free from the chains. If successful, we will cross into a new epoch; if we fail, we will vanish from the heavens and earth. To claim the Human Emperor’s throne at such a time demands a burden far greater than my own!"

"Throughout time immemorial, our human race has twice marched the Heavenly Path to war against Tianzu, and both times failed. This is the third and final attempt!"

"To ascend as the Human Emperor, one must bear its weight!" Xiao Chen then recited the words, each syllable resonating like thunder, roaring like a mighty bell, imprinting the heavens.

"This burden, I shall bear!"

Xiao Chen showed no pretense, no hesitation. Within the boundless skies and infinite heavens, as one of humanity, where else could he go? Here was his root!

At this stage, his heart had long since achieved clarity, with no room for deceit. Their words now carried the power to imprint onto the heavens themselves. The East Emperor did not immediately respond to Xiao Chen’s proclamation!

"To bear this burden, you must first possess the strength!"

Suddenly, the East Emperor spoke, continuing, "I may not delve deeply into the Dao of gods, but I have seen true deities of flesh. You, having defied fate and slain emperors, prove there is untapped potential below the True God Realm."

"Moreover, when you ascended to the rank of king, your reserves within the half-king stage were abundant, allowing you to leap directly into the fourth level of kinghood. So too will it be with the emperor stage, saving you precious time—focus on uncovering your latent strength!"

"Xiao Chen understands." Naturally, Xiao Chen understood that the East Emperor’s words were a guide. At this level, one person alone embodied their Dao. To attain boundless majesty, one had to carve their own path!

Even the East Emperor could not provide much assistance. Once one had grasped their own Dao, clarity would follow naturally!

"Take care to heal your body and uncover your potential. Now that you’ve forged a true dragon of momentum, even if your aspirations surpass the Human Emperor’s throne, there’s no need to rush. There is still time before the Saint Son’s battle—observe how Taihao and Fuyu Cang have yet to emerge!"

"The true dragon’s rival is naturally another true dragon—that is the pinnacle of conquest. Wait patiently and watch the other Saint Sons rise and fall. You are already among their ranks!"

Seated once more in the Void, the East Emperor’s aura dissipated into nothingness, resembling an ordinary warrior.

"Uncover your potential—do not rush to ascend to the True God Realm, or else you won’t be able to enter the Nine Nether Underworld Realm. And that realm requires the combat power of emperors to seal its challenges!"

"The real battles will commence within the Nine Nether—the Saint Son’s battles will reach their zenith on that battlefield!"

"Xiao Chen understands!"

Seeing the East Emperor slightly close his eyes, Xiao Chen bowed respectfully, preparing to withdraw. Yet, he hesitated halfway.

Noticing Xiao Chen’s movements, the East Emperor reopened his eyes, "What is it?"

With a resounding hum of his spear, Xiao Chen produced the divine spear. Whatever hesitation lingered in his expression vanished as he spoke firmly, "Junior implores the emperor to help reforge this divine spear!"

With this, Xiao Chen waved his hand, summoning the Golden Dragon Emperor’s remains. Despite devouring part of it and sharing some with the Heavenly Dragon Emperor, the dragon’s body stretched thousands of feet, containing the most vital portions from mid-body to its head!

Boom!

In an instant, the East Emperor extended his hand toward the colossal Golden Dragon Emperor. Though his palm seemed only a few feet in size, it dwarfed the towering dragon itself!

Rippp!

With the sound of snapping bone, the East Emperor extracted a dragon spine along with its tendons from the Golden Dragon Emperor’s body, followed by numerous dragon scales!

The remaining blood bones were reabsorbed by Xiao Chen’s Mountain River Seal.

"Some of the blood bones, together with this Great Dragon Spine, tendons, and horns, will suffice to transform your spear. As for the dragon scales—I will keep part of them—and some materials can only be found within the Human Ancestor’s Treasury. Dragon scales must be exchanged according to the rules, even for me. The remainder I leave for my own purposes—consider it my fee for helping forge your weapon!"

To have the East Emperor personally assist was already a favor Xiao Chen was deeply grateful for. The few dragon scales, even if the East Emperor claimed them directly, Xiao Chen wouldn’t dare refuse. Besides, he still possessed nearly a thousand Golden Dragon Scales!

After bowing once more, Xiao Chen prepared to depart.

Wait!

Hearing this, Xiao Chen froze mid-step!

"Do you truly intend to tread the path of the Emperor of Emperors?"

But before Xiao Chen could respond, the East Emperor’s voice rang out again.

"When your injuries have healed, venture behind the Human Emperor Palace into the wilderness—it harbors the graves of human royal ancestors!"

As the words fell, the boundless clouds once again shrouded the heavens, leaving the East Emperor alongside the space-orbed sphere beside him, emitting its luminous treasure light!