C1550 A Desolate Great Emperor!

On the mid-lake island within the Absence Relic, Yu Yuan narrowed his eyes, channeling the mystical power of the Dragon Slash Platform to scrutinize the Sky Shocking Emperor before him. This very emperor had nearly unified the Profound Sky Continent and founded the Kingdom of Rewia. With the Martyr Spell, he had slaughtered millions, nearly becoming a bloodthirsty butcher on the verge of attaining ultimate freedom—a true legendary overlord.

Yu Yuan faintly recalled that the Sky Shocking Emperor had been gravely wounded by a warrior of the Sword Sect, which led to the destruction of his Yang God along with his physical form. Only his Yin God had fortuitously escaped, transforming into one of the spectral souls of the forbidden land.

Yet, the Sky Shocking Emperor standing before him was undeniably corporeal, his flesh and blood unmistakable, and he had achieved a state of great liberation. This defied all logic, for the Sky Shocking Emperor was not supposed to exist in this era.

Once the Yang God was shattered, there was a sliver of hope for rebirth, but for a human's true physical form to be resurrected after death was nearly impossible. If one could reconstruct their true form even after its annihilation, Youyu wouldn't have needed multiple rebirths. Xuanli wouldn't have had to become Cao Yi. Nor would he have needed to first be Hong Qi before being reborn as Yu Yuan.

In Yu Yuan's view, only his current incarnation, due to the miraculous nature of his Yang God, could possibly be recreated after the explosive demise of his true form. Perhaps the Great Demon God Grec might also possess this ability, but it seemed improbable for anyone else.

With his mind clouded by perplexity, Yu Yuan took a closer look. Previously, he hadn't paid much attention to the Sky Shocking Emperor, and the Dragon Slash Platform hadn't been as potent as it was now. But now, upon closer inspection, he noticed that both the emperor's body and his Yang God, residing in the Yellow Court Little World, bore signs of being cobbled together.

"Emperor..." Yu Yuan called out gently.

The Sky Shocking Emperor instantly tensed, replying hastily, "Just call me Hantian, please."

Yu Yuan hadn't made a move, yet the emanating aura of his presence was enough to keep Hantian on edge at all times.

When the once-bloodthirsty butcher came face to face with Yu Yuan again, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, and he seemed noticeably uneasy.

"Did I hear correctly that both your body and Yang God were destroyed?" Yu Yuan inquired.

"Not entirely. I managed to recover the bones..." The Sky Shocking Emperor chuckled awkwardly, then suddenly added, "Remember when we first met in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area? I cobbled together a skeleton from various bones and even made flesh grow on it?"

Yu Yuan nodded in acknowledgment, recalling the past, "I remember."

Back then, the Sky Shocking Emperor had fashioned a skeletal body for himself which, once endowed with flesh and blood, exuded an aura of decay, ready to challenge the Green Incubus.

"In addition to the Martyr Spell, I've delved into other sinister Spiritual Spells, with a focus on reforging the flesh," he continued.

Clearing his throat, the Sky Shocking Emperor hesitated before revealing, "It's somewhat akin to the regeneration technique of the Secular Bird. Naturally, it lacks the miraculous aspect of true regeneration."

He succinctly explained that after his departure from the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, with the Divine Soul Sect's rise to power and the support of the Babel Chamber of Commerce, he was able to return to the Vast Expanse and locate his former body. With the aid of Taishi, Guixu, and Tianqi, he used the dark arts to regenerate flesh on his skeletal remains and reconstructed the Yang God using a fragment.

Moreover, during the fusion of his Yin God with this body, he astonishingly advanced to the Unrestrained Stage.

He had merged his Yin God with his original shell to ascend to the Unrestrained Stage. But lately, he noticed the integration with his body was weakening, hinting at an impending rupture.

The painstakingly rebuilt body now seemed on the verge of bursting, filling him with dread, prompting him to seek Taishi's counsel.

Taishi then directed him to Yu Yuan, offering a glimmer of hope.

"I've been told by Taishi that the Martyr Spell I've mastered, along with the various Spiritual Spells and secret techniques of the Evil Sect, all trace back to the late Divine King..." the Sky Shocking Emperor mused aloud.

"The Evil Sect as well?" Yu Yuan was taken aback.

"Yes."

The Sky Shocking Emperor nodded. "That individual, in ancient times, exchanged profound Soul Arts with Youyu of the Ghost Wizard Sect. If you think about it, you'll see that the secret arts of the Evil Sect for crafting Evil Demons and the Ghost Wizard Sect's process for refining Asuras have many similarities."

"Asuras! Evil Demons!" Yu Yuan exclaimed, startled.

"The Asuras of the Ghost Wizard Sect are created from the souls of human cultivators. Once an Asura takes form, it is wholly controlled by its master. Many Asuras possess intelligence from the start, but they are enslaved throughout their existence, forced to obey their master's commands."

"In the case of Evil Demons, there's a variety, from the malevolent souls of humans to Earth Demons, and as you've demonstrated, even Heavenly Demons can be transformed into Evil Demons. However, once an Evil Demon is formed, its sentience is erased, only to be slowly regained upon reaching the ultimate stage."

"That person must have explored the mysteries of the soul with Youyu, adapting and enhancing the Asura refining process to develop a method for creating Evil Demons."

"After the fall of the Divine Soul Sect, this technique somehow spread and gave rise to the Evil Sect."

"It's said that the founder of the Evil Sect began to focus on the cultivation and refinement of the physical body, delving into techniques in this realm. Thus, the founder of the Evil Sect also embraced these principles, leading to the creation of the Evil Body Refining Skill."

"The demise of the Evil Sect's leader and the fracturing of the Evil Cauldron were also due to the five supreme forces gradually recognizing that the Evil Sect was, in fact, an offshoot of the Divine Soul Sect."

The Sky Shocking Emperor disclosed the secrets.

Yu Yuan couldn't help but chuckle.

It turned out that the secret arts of the Evil Sect and the Evil Cauldron he thought he had inherited were actually based on his own philosophy. Even the techniques like the Evil Body Refining Skill, meant for strengthening the physique, might have been his own original insights.

The Evil Sect was, in essence, a part of him.

He hadn't simply inherited the Evil Sect; rather, the sect had been formed by others following in his footsteps, using the Spiritual Spell he had disseminated.

After going in circles, it turned out that the root of the issue still pointed back to himself. Yu Yuan, amused by this realization, shook his head and continued to examine the Sky Shocking Emperor's physical state. He gradually discerned that the issue wasn't with the soul, nor was it a consequence of any hidden dangers associated with the Martyr Spell.

The problem was that his body, though composed of bones and flesh, lacked any semblance of vitality. Indeed, he possessed flesh and blood, but what circulated within was a blend of energies, predominantly spiritual, with virtually no life force.

The absence of this vital energy meant that the organs he had later regenerated, like the heart, served merely as ornamental. His heart was still rife with the stench of decay, devoid of any vibrant life force.

Yu Yuan ceased his inspection and slowly closed his eyes, sinking into contemplation. The Sky Shocking Emperor, sensing trouble, felt a growing unease but dared not interrupt the silence.

After what seemed an eternity, Yu Yuan spoke, "Your body and the so-called Yang God are, in fact, already dead." His voice was as serene as a still pond, simply stating the facts, "There's no lifeblood within you, no normal life, no inherent vitality that should be present."

"The impression you give me is akin to... Huangyin's Earth Demon Ancestor having refined the body of a human practitioner. Or perhaps a Demon God Level Devaputra from beyond our realm who has taken over a physical form."

"What you refer to as the integration of the Yin God with your body and Yang God is merely your powerful soul having refined your original body."

"You are still present within, with your soul reigning over the body, but this vessel is now devoid of life." Yu Yuan delivered the harsh truth.

Fear and despair flickered in the Sky Shocking Emperor's eyes, yet his facial skin, pulse, and the meridians on his neck showed no sign of his inner turmoil. In a normal person, such intense emotions would manifest as pallor, a quickened heartbeat, and pronounced veins.

But not for him.

It was only his soul that was profoundly disturbed. He resembled an aberrant Devil Soul clinging to his deceased body, having used the secret arts of the Devaputra to transmute it. With his former dark magic, he had caused bones to sprout flesh, crafted organs and meridians, and assembled a Yang God.

However, these were merely for show, serving no actual purpose.

He believed he had achieved a perfect union with his body, that he had merged with the Dao and attained freedom, but it was all just wishful thinking.

It was all an illusion.

He had been deceiving himself all along.

Taishi, Tianqi, and Guixu, the three Divine Kings, had assisted him with their dark arts, reviving his withered bones and transforming him into his current state, yet they never unveiled the truth.

Why had Taishi sent for him? To resolve what issue?

To confront him with the harsh truth, to encourage him to abandon his fixation and pursue the Ghost Dao as taught by Youyu?

Or was it to let him fully metamorphose into an Earth Demon and advance along the path of a Demon God?

"Haha, it turns out I haven't been human for a long time. I've been dead all along. Haha, oh..."

The Sky Shocking Emperor alternated between maniacal laughter and low sobs, his demeanor unhinged.

Yet not a single tear graced his eyes; all his emotional turmoil emanated solely from his soul.

For his heart was dead, and the body he believed to be alive was equally lifeless.

Yu Yuan watched him in silence, understanding the difficulty he faced in accepting the truth, yet recognizing that he was beginning to see himself anew, to truly assess his current state.

This once ruthless emperor needed to relinquish his obsessions and find a new way to live.

For instance...

"There is still a path to rebirth. The Ghost King of Horror Land is granted one chance at reincarnation. Given your present condition, fully transforming into a Ghost King is highly likely. If you wish, I can speak with Youyu on your behalf, so you may have another go at life in human form."

Yu Yuan gently coaxed him, pondering whether Taishi's reason for sending Hantian to him was tied to this very possibility.

Knowing that Taishi and Youyu weren't close, Yu Yuan was aware that Youyu wouldn't do Taishi any favors.

And Hantian's self-deception was reaching a point where he could hardly fool himself any longer. Should Hantian lose all control, Yu Yuan would be forced to make the painful decision to eliminate him.

Considering Hantian's years of loyalty and the many deeds he had done for him, perhaps this was the alternative he could offer?

As Yu Yuan mulled over these thoughts, the infant boy on the Dragon Slash Platform let out a soft cry, seeking Lee Sha's vital blood essence, ready to indulge in another feast.

...