Immortal-Exterminating Divine Venerable

Chapter 697: Chapter 696: The Human Emperor’s Will

‘I can’t block this at all! Am I going to die?’

He watched the massive hand descend, containing a power he could never hope to resist.

Even someone as composed as Yang Xiao felt the color drain from his face.

However, he still hadn’t changed his mind.

‘Back then, the Lord of Immortal Dao seized the opportunity when I was breaking through to the Realm of Great Emperor and the Seal was undone. He suppressed me once more, just like this—a giant palm descending from the sky to pulverize me! At that moment, I self-detonated the Divine Format of my first life, along with the Unparalleled Divine Pill I had just refined in my second, to buy myself a slim chance at survival!’

‘It’s the same now. So what if this body is destroyed, my Divine Soul is gone, and the Heavenly Venerable Divine Aspect I just condensed is dissipated? As long as I, Yang Xiao, draw breath, I will never yield!’

His gaze suddenly became incomparably resolute.

The aura around his body instantly turned violent.

Star Emperor was the first to sense this, and his heart jolted once more.

He never imagined that even at a time like this, this junior—this descendant of his—would still dare to resist, and with such unyielding determination.

‘If this boy weren’t that man’s son,’ Star Emperor thought, ‘perhaps I really could spare his life. I might even acknowledge him as my grandson.’

But alas!

‘Those of the Immortal Dao are treacherous and ambitious. This boy is that man’s only bloodline. Even though his veins are filled with the true blood of my Star Clan, he is still that man’s child. I cannot afford to be soft-hearted and indulge them any longer.’

With a soft sigh, the sky-blotting palm suddenly accelerated several times over.

Pressing downward, it reached the space right above Yang Xiao’s head in the blink of an eye.

And at that very moment, Yang Xiao unleashed every last bit of power he could muster.

His entire body swelled, like a balloon on the verge of popping.

But just then, a voice suddenly drifted out from the void.

“Why must you do this? Why go to all this trouble? Star Old Ghost, how about you do this Emperor a favor?”

The moment the voice sounded, Yang Xiao felt the violent power raging throughout his body being suppressed.

At the same time, a terrifying power surged forth from within him.

The terrifying nature of this power was in no way inferior to Star Emperor’s will Clone.

Furthermore, to Yang Xiao’s surprise, the source of this power was also a will Clone—one that contained even more Soul Power than Star Emperor’s.

The master of this will was an existence Yang Xiao knew all too well.

Human Emperor Xuanyuan!

The very same man who had been so suspicious of him, who had seemingly harbored ill intentions, and who was, of all things, his cousin from his past life.

He had actually appeared right before him.

Although it was only a will Clone, it had clearly reached the absolute Peak of a Top-tier Divine King.

In terms of Soul Power, it was even greater than what Star Emperor had left for his own son, Nangong Xinghui.

‘I can’t believe it. This guy actually left a Great Emperor’s will on me, and with so much Soul Power invested. What is he up to?’

Even Yang Xiao was taken aback.

Because this was completely out of character for him.

Unless, in his eyes, I am more important than Nangong Xinghui is to Star Emperor.

But… is that even possible?

‘Could it be that he knows who I was in my past life?’

‘Impossible! If he knew who I was in my past life, he would never have this kind of attitude. Ruling that out, then it seems he must have had a change of heart about me.’

A thought flashed through Yang Xiao’s mind, and he settled on this conclusion.

At the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Because with this man present, he should be safe now.

“Human Emperor Xuanyuan, you wish to interfere in this matter?”

Star Emperor’s expression was clearly grim.

But the coldness in his eyes didn’t lessen in the slightest.

“Star Old Ghost, this Emperor holds this young man in high regard. Besides, he is connected to you by blood. Must you be so ruthless?”

Human Emperor Xuanyuan said, a hint of helplessness in his voice.

He clearly wanted to persuade Star Emperor.

Unfortunately, the Star Emperor facing him had already made up his mind.

He would not be swayed.

At least, not by Human Emperor Xuanyuan.

On the contrary, his expression grew even colder and more furious.

“You say he is connected to this Emperor by blood? But this boy killed my son and heir! Do you think he can possibly compare to him?”

Star Emperor roared.

In truth, if the young man before him were a grandson he acknowledged—the child of his most beloved daughter—he really would consider him more important than Nangong Xinghui.

However, this young man was not a grandson he acknowledged.

Because he was the son of the man who had caused his daughter’s death.

But Star Emperor would not say any of this out loud.

So, he simply used avenging his heir, Nangong Xinghui, as a reason to shut down Human Emperor Xuanyuan.

Seeing his stance, Human Emperor Xuanyuan wanted to try persuading him again.

But Star Emperor cut him off. “Human Emperor Xuanyuan, further words are pointless. If you truly insist on protecting the one who killed my son and heir, then this Emperor will have to fight you!”

As he spoke, Star Emperor started walking toward Yang Xiao.

At the same time, he sneered, “The enmity for my son’s murder is irreconcilable. Even if you can protect him now, you won’t be able to forever. This boy bears the Bloodline Curse Seal of my Nangong Family. As long as it remains, this Emperor can reach his side with ease. When that time comes, even if you defeat this will Clone, can you stop my true self?”

“So just back down obediently, and we can both go our separate ways. What do you say?”

His words were laced with menace.

When Human Emperor Xuanyuan heard this, his expression changed drastically.

He never imagined that even after he had personally intervened, this Star Old Ghost wouldn’t give him any face at all.

Looking at the man, he knew.

‘If what he says is true, then there’s no way I can protect this young man.’

Because his true body couldn’t just appear at will.

In fact, even if it could, he wouldn’t be able to come.

As the Human Emperor, he was bound to guard a vital stronghold of the Human Race and could not leave easily, unlike this Star Old Ghost who could come and go as he pleased.

He was completely unrestrained.

Of course, he had one other option: to threaten Star Emperor in the same way he himself was being threatened.

But leaving aside the fact that as the Human Emperor, he couldn’t bring himself to do such a thing…

…even if he did, could Star Emperor—whose cultivation and strength were hardly inferior to his own—not simply continue threatening him in return?

He, after all, was not a man with nothing and no one to lose.

If it came to an all-out fight, it was simply impossible for him to engage in a life-or-death battle with Star Emperor.

‘Am I really going to just stand by and watch this promising young talent—a potential future Human Emperor—die right before my eyes?’

‘No! This boy’s talent is extraordinary! I can sense he has already achieved initial success in cultivating the Emperor Dao Celestial Venerable Map. A talent like this surpasses even the four previous Human Emperors. How can I let him die here?’

‘No matter what, I have to save him!’

Human Emperor Xuanyuan’s resolve hardened.

He raised his hand and struck out with his palm toward Yang Xiao.

In that instant, a large fissure tore open in the void behind Yang Xiao.

“Go!”

With a sharp cry, without waiting to see if Yang Xiao had heard, he pushed him straight into it.

The void sealed shut, and Yang Xiao vanished.

Simultaneously, Human Emperor Xuanyuan spun around to face the stunned Star Emperor.

He lunged forward, transforming into a brilliant streak of sword light.