Empress Huang Yu's Life, Becoming the World's Will Itself
Empress Huang Yu’s Life, Becoming the World’s Will Itself
The rebirth of Empress Huang Yu was a supremely joyous occasion for the entire Northern Dipper Star Territory, and indeed for the whole Resplendence Universe.
No matter what, this era finally had a True Daoist presiding over this universe. Even though she still seemed small and powerless before that vast, boundless, terrifying army, to the myriad beings of the Northern Dipper Star Territory, she was a light of hope beyond imagination.
Within Gods’ Ruins, Gu Changge came back to his senses and looked toward Empress Huang Yu outside, then smiled faintly.
To him, one more Empress Huang Yu made little difference, and one less of her made little difference either.
If a great war were to erupt in this Resplendence Universe, a single True Daoist like her could not change much. However, with her existence, there were some things Gu Changge could tell her in advance.
Then, with a sweep of his sleeve, a golden heavenly road stretched out from this place amid rumbling sounds, accompanied by crystalline flower petals and rain of light.
Without his guidance, even a True Daoist could not approach the land of Gods’ Ruins.
The restrictions outside were not merely killing intent; there were also ancient maze formations. It was for this reason that, over countless years, no one had been able to discover the traces or location of Gods’ Ruins.
“Qianbei has finally agreed to see me.”
Gazing at that golden road stretching directly toward her, Empress Huang Yu could hardly conceal the joy on her face.
Under the shocked gazes of the world, she descended into Gods’ Ruins.
Beneath the Tree of Epoch, Gu Changge sat cross-legged, exactly as he had appeared when she met him in her childhood—white robes whiter than snow, an otherworldly bearing, completely unchanged. Only this time, she could see Gu Changge’s true face clearly.
Handsome and ethereal like an immortal, peerless and unblemished, incomparably young, as if all the immortal spiritual energy of this world had gathered upon him.
“Huang Yu greets Qianbei.”
She was not surprised by this, because Empress Huang Yu had long understood that the Gu Changge who appeared in Gods’ Ruins was not a person of the present era—or rather, he was not someone who belonged to this age.
After the Era of the Great Annihilation, she had left Gods’ Ruins, and that had been the last time she saw Gu Changge.
In the days that followed, she devoted herself to cultivation, training according to the methods Gu Changge had taught her, along with the ancient techniques he had imparted, and finally achieved the imperial throne, becoming the first True Daoist after the Era of the Great Annihilation.
In the days after that, she had also searched for the existence of Gods’ Ruins. Relying on her memories, she came to the outskirts of that land and sought an audience with Gu Changge, but for thousands of years there was no response at all.
She had always believed that Gu Changge’s lifespan had run out, or that he had long since passed away in meditation.
After all, no matter how heaven-defying his cultivation was, how could he possibly live for such a long stretch of years under those environmental conditions of heaven and earth?
And so, afterward, Empress Huang Yu founded the Ascension Celestial Dynasty and took in her first disciple, beginning to preach and enlighten all living beings, imparting her understanding of cultivation to them.
She considered this fulfilling her proper duty.
Even later still, she once again went to the outskirts of Gods’ Ruins, still refusing to give up, feeling there was still hope of meeting Qianbei again. A being whose cultivation pierced heaven and earth like him would surely have some method of prolonging his life.
However, that time, she again waited bitterly for several thousand years, yet saw no response from within Gods’ Ruins.
Empress Huang Yu speculated—perhaps Qianbei had not passed away, but had long since left this universe for some other place. So she attempted to follow in his footsteps, and once left the Resplendence Universe.
But in those shattered universes surrounding it, she encountered enormous trouble. The broken environments of heaven and earth, the incomplete laws, the omnipresent Chaos Energy, and the scarce Life-Extending Matter...
Even with her cultivation, it was impossible to cross those withered universes and reach distant places.
The only possible outcomes were dying of old age along the way, or her life force failing and being torn apart by the powerful fierce beasts of those withered universes, becoming their food.
With no other choice, Empress Huang Yu could only return in solitude. Before her lifespan ran dry, she gazed distantly one last time in the direction of Gods’ Ruins, and finally chose to quietly pass away in meditation deep within the Ascension Celestial Dynasty, leaving behind endless regret and melancholy.
At the final moment of her passing, it seemed as if all the spiritual power of her life reached its peak, causing her to suddenly fall into a strange state—or rather, a strange realm.
She saw an incomparably vast and mysterious river, its waves shimmering, its billows surging, as if converging from every corner of the heavens, flowing along and through every world, every universe.
Although she had never seen it before, in that moment she knew—this was the legendary River of Time, which only those of the Immortal Realm could set foot upon.
Within that River of Time, she saw the remnant shadows left behind from the past, and saw that white-robed figure she had pursued her entire life.
“So... you were never a person of this era.”
At the very end of her passing, she left behind these melancholy words, which lingered within her remnant spirit, never fading through countless years, becoming her greatest obsession.
Her thoughts flew back to the present. Empress Huang Yu had never imagined that, on a day so many ages later, she would be resurrected in such a manner, reappearing in the mortal world.
“It’s been a while, little Huang.”
Gu Changge smiled faintly. Though given his age, speaking to Empress Huang Yu this way seemed rather odd.
Yet Empress Huang Yu did not feel that way at all. On the contrary, she found it incomparably warm and natural, as if she had returned to the beginning of the Era of the Great Annihilation.
Back then, she was just a little girl in feathered robes, her comprehension of cultivation still shallow—she needed Qianbei’s guidance for basically everything, and for some things Qianbei had to explain several times before she could remember.
She had thought Qianbei would be angry, perhaps even scold her, but he never did. He was as gentle and patient as ever.
To Empress Huang Yu, this was not merely the kindness of teaching.
Although she did not know why Gu Changge had chosen to return to that era and plant that mysterious towering giant tree there...
Right now, the only thing she wanted to do was stay by Qianbei’s side forever.
Empress Huang Yu came closer, her voice carrying a sob she could hardly suppress, as if she had returned to being that young girl of the past.
She had thought that after achieving the Dao, she would no longer be so sentimental, but she was still wrong. Because her obsession in achieving the Dao had simply been to not let down Qianbei’s guidance back then.
Tao Yao quietly watched this scene. For some reason, she felt she could see the shadow of Chan Hongyi in Empress Huang Yu.
Could it be that Gu Changge wanted to make up for what he owed Chan Hongyi back then by compensating Empress Huang Yu?
Moreover, he had casually said he would resurrect Empress Huang Yu, claiming it was to repay the karma of that time—but at his level, did he still need to care about such things?
Perhaps he just wanted to give himself a reason to do so.
Thinking this, Tao Yao’s expression grew even more complicated.
She actually could not understand why the master back then had treated Chan Hongyi that way. Was it capriciousness, or was there some deeper meaning, or some other reason?
Those memories were too distant; by now, perhaps they no longer mattered so much.
The Gu Changge of today had also become different from the Demon Lord of the past. He was that Demon Lord, yet not entirely.
“Actually, I want to tell you about the matters of the Resplendence Universe.”
Gu Changge smiled. He had no intention of reminiscing about the past with Empress Huang Yu, because there truly was nothing much to say.
Back then, when he reversed time through the Spacetime Stone and the Celestial Boat of Creation, he had not intended to change too much.
He merely wanted to leave behind the legends of the Tree of Epoch and Gods’ Ruins, making the story more authentic, so as to attract big fish into the bait.
Empress Huang Yu’s appearance was, in a certain sense, indeed the result of him changing the past.
Because of events in the past, karma had been produced upon the present world.
“Please speak.”
Hearing this, Empress Huang Yu’s breathtakingly beautiful face grew solemn. Although she had only just been resurrected, she knew what the Resplendence Universe was currently facing.
“Take all the living beings of this universe away.”
Gu Changge said softly. It was not that he had suddenly grown soft-hearted, nor that he felt using the entire universe as bait would trigger some terrible consequence.
Rather, after refining the Palm Divine Kingdom, he intended to connect this universe with his own Inner Universe, thereby ensuring absolute certainty in the end.
If this universe still had living beings within it, it would only affect the efficiency and speed of his Inner Universe merging with it. After all, it was equivalent to bringing truly existing cultivators and living beings into his Inner Universe.
And his Inner Universe had not yet fully evolved; it could not yet compare to these ancient universes.
“This universe will soon erupt into a great war beyond your imagination. Any living being or cultivator who remains here will only become cannon fodder, mere ants.
After all, they are all innocent.”
Gu Changge thought for a moment, then continued speaking. Explaining it this way also maintained his persona as her Qianbei.
Hearing these words, Empress Huang Yu was first stunned, then quickly understood Gu Changge’s meaning. Her expression grew heavy as she said, “Huang Yu understands. I will soon arrange for the cultivators and living beings of the Resplendence Universe.”
As the current empress of the Resplendence Universe, her words naturally carried unimaginable authority.
Immediately, her figure rushed out of Gods’ Ruins, her vast imperial might sweeping across the entire Northern Dipper Star Territory.
The existences within the many Life Forbidden Areas were also shaken.
When Empress Huang Yu had entered Gods’ Ruins just now, they had all been speculating about what would happen, what that incomparably mysterious and powerful Lord of Gods’ Ruins would say to her. Countless doubts had shrouded their hearts.
“All cultivators and living beings, leave the Northern Dipper Star Territory. Evacuate the Resplendence Universe.”
Her voice was calm, yet carried an irrefutable tone, resounding through the skies above the Northern Dipper Star Territory.
At the same time, her voice appeared in many surrounding star territories as well.
The many Quasi-Emperor existences were all horrified, then without hesitation began using great divine abilities to relocate their clan lands, taking their many clansmen away.
They were incomparably decisive. As the strongest fighting force of this universe aside from the True Daoist, they had personally witnessed that scene outside the Northern Dipper Star Territory, and understood that at this moment, they were actually no different from ants.
Remaining in this universe would only mean waiting for death.
Empress Huang Yu stood towering in the sky, radiating a terrifying pressure that suppressed the Eight Wastelands and ten lands, as if this heaven and earth could not contain her aura.
At this moment, nearly all cultivators and living beings deeply felt that urgency and sense of crisis.
Previously, many had thought that the mysterious existence within Gods’ Ruins might intervene to preserve this universe.
But judging from Empress Huang Yu’s words now, that was clearly impossible.
Immediately, from various life star territories and ancient life stars, Ancient Battleships rose into the sky, all filled with cultivators and living beings, everyone trying to find a way to leave.
Empress Huang Yu sighed softly as she watched these scenes. In truth, she was powerless too. All she could do was sweep her divine sense across, and wherever she saw remaining cultivators and living beings, lend them a hand, sending them onto those Ancient Battleships and ancient flying vessels.
Beyond that, there was truly nothing she could do.
What’s more, she could no longer sense the existence of this universe’s World’s Will—it was as if it had fallen silent and died. If the World’s Will were still present, perhaps it could have suppressed those supreme experts from the foreign universe.
Within Gods’ Ruins, Gu Changge watched the scenes outside, his gaze deep and rippleless, then turned to begin his own work.
This universe’s World’s Will? He had destroyed it with his own hands long ago.
Moreover, he had refined the Source of the Eternal Overcast into it. This universe was itself meant to exist as a cage—how could it possibly have a will?
Looking at the Tree of Epoch before him, Gu Changge sank his mind into his own Inner Universe.
Within it, Chaos Energy surged, billowing at the desolate borders, like the mythological era before chaos had been divided.
From void to reality.
Gu Changge directly drew the Epoch Source from the Tree of Epoch into it, simultaneously unfolding his own Inner Universe.
Boom—
Accompanied by heaven-shaking, earth-shattering sounds...
The embryonic form of a sky-supporting sapling began to grow rapidly within the Inner Universe, its branches and leaves incomparably massive, as if it could hold up all the heavens and myriad worlds.
In the sky, one Great Dao law after another began to emerge, truly materializing, condensing into tangible forms, rising and falling there, vast and unfathomable.
This sky-supporting sapling began to sway, incomparably immense, blotting out the sky and sun, as if it could envelop the firmament, flowing with astonishing world intent.
Every leaf flickered with starlight, like cascades of Astral Rivers hanging down, evolving...
The next moment, this sapling formed from Epoch Source began to spread open.
Countless Grand Runes condensed, its entire body glowing, extending branches and leaves into the invisible, boundless void of the universe.
Within that void, Chaos Energy boiled, and a Chaos Sea appeared.
Within the Chaos Sea, the branches bore world intent, and upon every leaf, new worlds were born one after another.
These were dust-mote worlds countless times smaller than even a Basic Thousand World.
These new dust-mote worlds were born, then began to nurture new living beings.
With a thought from Gu Changge, time within them flowed madly—tens of millions of years passed in the blink of an eye, evolving civilization after civilization.
Every world developed differently, beginning to evolve different changes.
These changes simultaneously appeared within Gu Changge’s divine sense.
Although these newly born worlds could not yet compare to the trillions of lower realms of the Beyond, they already had form. This was true world intent—the portion of laws missing from within the Epoch Dao Fruit.
Gu Changge gained some enlightenment. This was a universe belonging to him.
When void and reality collided, that would be the day his Inner Universe descended upon the present world.
The Resplendence Universe trembled. At the edges of the universe, one could see numerous ripples being born, as if some power was seeping in, undergoing a transformation from void to reality.
Countless Great Dao laws emerged within it, incomparably complete—one could even say comparable to the laws of the Beyond.
At the very center of the Inner Universe, that infinitely vast sapling was still growing vigorously, continuously extending into the distant void.
At this moment, Gu Changge watched all of this happen, his expression very calm—or rather, indifferent.
The Great Dao is emotionless; all things are straw dogs.
Perhaps, right now, he existed within precisely this state.
Supremely just and supremely fair, without bias or favoritism.
His will had thoroughly become the World’s Will of this universe.