15: As long as the human race is not destroyed, the Human Emperor will not die!!!

“The bloodline of the grand beginning human emperor…”, The Gravekeeper’s voice still echoed in his soul.

Its attack had already arrived.

There was no earth-shattering explosion.

No world-destroying energy.

The Gravekeeper merely slowly raised a finger and gently pointed it at Gu Yanci.

That was something it had just learned from the great being, Gu Jianghan.

Although it was merely superficial, it was enough to deal with Gu Yanci.

In an instant, Gu Yanci felt as if the entire world had betrayed him.

His Human Emperor Dragon Qi, which he was so proud of and which was enough to suppress the fate of a civilization, faced this finger.

It was like a fragile loach, strangled, twisted, and crushed inch by inch by an invisible force!

The Imperial Dao Law behind him let out a mournful cry of unbearable burden, and then completely disintegrated.

“Pfft—” Gu Yanci’s body flew backward like a broken sack, smashing through layer after layer of walls.

He slammed heavily into the Coiling Dragon Golden Pillar of the Lingxiao Palace.

The indestructible palace pillar instantly became covered in spiderweb-like cracks.

His limbs were twisted at a bizarre angle.

His bones were shattered, and blood stained the white jade floor tiles beneath him.

His consciousness sank into darkness.

He seemed to see the end of his life.

Just then, a fragment of a distant memory lit up from his almost extinguished soul fire.

It was a warm afternoon.

He had shed his imperial robes and walked incognito through the streets of the Heavenly Court Federation’s capital.

A little girl with pigtails held a sugar painting.

The sugar painting was a majestic golden divine dragon.

The girl stumbled to him and said in her clearest voice, “Emperor Brother, this is for you! You have to protect us!”

—Protect them!

“Roar!!!” A beast's roar exploded from the depths of Gu Yanci's throat.

That was an unyielding roar of fury from the deepest part of his soul!

Within his shattered body, a new, even more immense power erupted!

The pressure of near-death and the obsession to protect forced him to break through his shackles!

Immediately, his aura was no longer weak.

He took a step from the peak of Tier 7!

Breakthrough!

Early Tier 8!

Golden flames shot into the sky, and his injuries recovered at a visible speed.

Gu Yanci stood up again, his eyes bloodshot.

Like a battle god bathed in blood, he charged at the Gravekeeper once more!

However, the Gravekeeper merely watched him with interest.

“An interesting struggle.” It raised its hand again.

This time, it wasn't an attack, but a gentle grasp.

The entire Lingxiao Palace, including Gu Yanci.

All light, all sound, all laws were instantly stripped away.

Gu Yanci felt himself falling into an absolutely silent, pure “nothingness.”

His newly broken through Tier 8 power could not even stir a ripple here before being completely assimilated and dissolved.

He was easily crushed again.

The fire of his life was truly about to extinguish.

But at this moment, within him, the genetic imprint of the “grand beginning human emperor” that had flowed for eons was completely ignited by this extreme pressure of death!

Buzz—!

An indescribably brilliant golden pillar of light shot up from Gu Yanci’s heart!

It pierced through the silence, tearing apart the void!

On the grand path paved with golden light, majestic figures slowly emerged from the ceaseless river of time, standing behind Gu Yanci.

There were ancient ancestors clad in animal skins, wielding stone axes.

There were holy emperors in bronze armor, driving ancient chariots.

There were emperors of a thousand ages in dragon robes, overlooking vast lands.

And there were future human lords in nano-armor, commanding interstellar fleets… They were the successive grand beginning human emperors!

They were the guardians of human civilization!

At this moment, they had transcended time and space.

The gazes of the successive Human Emperors converged on the Gravekeeper.

Their gazes were identical, all filled with the domineering power and wrath of emperors!

“Young one, don't panic, I'm here to help you!” A hoarse yet majestic voice rang out.

“To dare harm my human descendant, you shall be executed!” Another cold voice proclaimed like a law.

“Fight!!!” Thousands of Human Emperor phantoms.

At this moment, they transformed into burning meteors, converging into a golden torrent that spanned eternity.

At the cost of their complete dissipation, they condensed into a supreme strike, fiercely crashing into the Gravekeeper!

For the first time, the Gravekeeper showed a solemn expression; it crossed its arms to block.

Amidst a thunderous roar, its invulnerable star robe was torn open with a tiny slit!

At the same time, the last power of all the previous emperors, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, poured into Gu Yanci's body, wildly pushing his realm higher!

Mid-Tier 8!

Break!

Late-Tier 8!

Break again!

His aura continued to climb, reaching the peak of Tier 8!

Gu Yanci felt the unprecedented, immense power within him.

Not missing any opportunity, he gathered all his strength into his right fist, and a simple, ancient “Human Emperor Seal” phantom, engraved with mountains and rivers, appeared on his fist.

“In the name of my human race—Suppress!” This punch condensed the will of the Human Emperors of all ages.

It slammed fiercely into the Gravekeeper's chest, right on the torn opening!

“Crack.” A faint sound of shattering echoed.

The Gravekeeper was actually knocked back half a step by this punch.

A clearly visible fist-print crack appeared on the star robe on its chest.

It looked down at the crack, silent for a moment.

Then, it slowly raised its head, and the face hidden beneath its hood seemed to reveal a strange, almost approving smile.

“Not bad… You finally have the right to make me a little serious.” As the Gravekeeper’s voice fell, the background sound of the entire universe seemed to be cut off.

It no longer made any superfluous movements.

It merely “looked” at Gu Yanci with those eyes hidden in the shadow of its hood.

The next moment, Gu Yanci felt it.

Not an attack, not a law.

But a higher-dimensional “definition.”

The Gravekeeper's will transformed into the highest law of the universe, proclaiming an iron rule: [Gu Yanci is dead].

Instantly, Gu Yanci’s heart, which had been beating strongly due to his peak Tier 8 power, stopped.

His breathing through his nose and mouth ceased.

The raging fire of battle in his soul was extinguished.

There was no process, only a result.

He stood there stiffly, becoming a lifelike “specimen” with no signs of life.

The Gravekeeper was about to turn around when a sudden change occurred!

From every corner of the Heavenly Court Federation’s vast territory, from the depths of the hearts of eight hundred billion citizens, wisps of the purest golden threads of faith, invisible to mortals, rose up.

They crossed endless space, pouring into Gu Yanci’s “corpse” like swallows returning to their nest!

“The Human Emperor is immortal, the human race prospers forever!” It was unclear who was the first to let out a roar.

This sound seemed to ignite a fuse, and the power of faith of eight hundred billion people erupted in a frenzy!

Gu Yanci’s stopped heart began to beat again!

The extinguished fire of his soul reignited! He was resurrected!

“So that’s it… The human race is immortal, so the Human Emperor is immortal?” For the first time, the Gravekeeper’s voice carried emotion; it was a whisper mixed with surprise and cruelty.

“The faith of the human race is the foundation of your existence? As long as they believe in you, you cannot be killed… Interesting. Then, as long as they no longer believe in you, that will suffice.” The Gravekeeper changed its mind.

It stretched out its hand.

Invisible dark laws transformed into giant chains, pinning Gu Yanci firmly to the wall.

At the same time, a massive light screen covering the entire solar system appeared out of thin air, projecting the scene here in real-time onto the retinas of every person in the Heavenly Court Federation!

“Watch!” The Gravekeeper’s voice echoed in the minds of eight hundred billion people.

“Watch your Emperor! Every bit of your faith will turn into a portion of his suffering! Every one of your prayers will become a wail tearing at his soul! Abandon him, despise him, and you shall live!” The torture began.

Dark laws transformed into blades and swords, slowly dissecting Gu Yanci’s body.

Time and again, the baptism of death turned into nightmares, gnawing at his soul.

And all of this unfolded before the eyes of eight hundred billion citizens.

However, not a single person flinched.

Their eyes were filled with tears, yet their faith grew even stronger.

Because they knew that their Emperor was enduring everything for them!

“Enough… It’s enough…” An old scientist with white hair, who had dedicated his life to the Heavenly Court, watched the Emperor’s tragic state on the light screen, and two lines of hot tears streamed from his cloudy eyes.

He trembled as he turned and activated a device called [Humanity’s Great Furnace], sealed in the highest laboratory.

“Your Majesty… We, your subjects, cannot let you suffer alone anymore.” He murmured, and was the first to walk resolutely into the pillar of light extending from the device.

His existence instantly transformed into the purest essence of life, merging into the furnace.

This scene spread throughout the world via the SkyNet.

Everyone understood.

This was their civilization's final answer.

“May I die for Your Majesty!” A young soldier put down his weapon, gave a final military salute towards the Imperial City, and stepped into the pillar of light.

“Child, remember the Emperor’s face, we are going to help him.” A mother kissed the forehead of the infant in her arms, holding him, and walked into the light together.

On the other side, Jiang Ruoxue, now a marshal, held a photo in her hand.

It was a photo taken of Gu Yanci and her when they were still in Yunlai City.

The photo showed two people and a cat.

The young girl held the black cat, making a face at the young man.

The cat has already died in battle, I don't want you to suffer the same fate... Let me contribute my last bit of strength for you... Then, Jiang Ruoxue, without hesitation, walked into the pillar of light.

There was no chaos, no crying.

The entire Heavenly Court Federation, eight hundred billion people, from old to young, lined up in neat rows, with unprecedented resolve and serenity, voluntarily walked into the pillars of light spread across the globe.

They sacrificed their lives, souls, memories, emotions… everything, to their Emperor!

Rather than live in humiliation, it was better to burn down the entire civilization to forge the only hope!

The Gravekeeper sensed that terrifying power, enough to reverse the tide of battle!

It roared, trying to destroy the giant furnace.

But just then, a will beyond its comprehension, from a higher dimension, descended.

Gu Jianghan used his last power in this world.

He frowned, and that will transformed into supreme power, binding the Gravekeeper firmly in place, unable to move!

At the same time, the refining speed of the [Humanity’s Great Furnace] was accelerated by billions of times!

Boom—!!!

The energy torrent of eight hundred billion souls poured into Gu Yanci's body!

The chains on him snapped inch by inch!

His aura surged wildly in an incomprehensible manner!

Peak Tier 8, broken!

Early Tier 9, broken!

Mid-Tier 9, broken!

Late Tier 9, broken!

When Gu Yanci opened his eyes again, there were no longer pupils in his eyes.

Only a cold, dead starry sky, carrying the ashes of eight hundred billion civilizations.

He took a step, ignoring space, and appeared before the restrained Gravekeeper.

“You…” The Gravekeeper had just uttered a word.

Its answer was Gu Yanci's fist.

This punch had no laws, no techniques.

It was pure power, the final rage and unwillingness of eight hundred billion people!

“Bang!!!” The Gravekeeper’s law defense was torn apart like thin paper, and half of its body was directly blasted into cosmic dust!

“This punch is for my people!” Gu Yanci’s voice was hoarse and cold.

“This punch is for the successive Human Emperors!” Another punch.

It shattered the remaining half of the Gravekeeper’s body.

He grabbed the Gravekeeper’s crumbling head.

Staring at it with those dead, starry eyes, he said word by word, “The fear you inflicted upon my people, I now return to you, a thousand, ten thousand times over!”

What followed was a massacre carrying the blood feud of an entire civilization.

Gu Yanci dragged out the Gravekeeper's soul, repeatedly burning it with the vengeful flames of eight hundred billion people, making it wail and collapse in endless pain.

And at the very last moment, just before the Gravekeeper was completely annihilated, a strange smile, almost of relief, appeared on its shattered face.

“So… this is your civilization’s ‘answer’… Using the entire race as fuel, forging a sole god… Congratulations, you have passed the ‘screening’.

“But do you think… I am the final enemy? No, I am merely an ‘examiner’… Now, ‘They’ know of your existence…” As its voice fell, the Gravekeeper turned to dust, vanishing completely.

Gu Yanci floated in the empty universe.

His dead eyes took one last look at the empty Blue Star.

Finally, unable to support himself any longer, he fell straight backward, sinking into endless slumber.

Within the consciousness sea of the [Humanity’s Great Furnace], a murmur echoed.

“Your Majesty… please wait for us, to return.”