The Little Stone Emperor's Final Battle and the Rebirth Across Ages

The astonishingly talented Little Stone Emperor, the peerless king who once stood against the world, ascended to the very pinnacle of the cultivation path, looked across the ages, and surveyed all the realms without finding a single foe—now he had reappeared in the world. Even Stone Kings would blanch at the sight.

"Merge!"

The Otherworld Ancestral God struck without hesitation. From between his brows shot a beam of rainbow light—a condensation of primordial order and law, the sublimation of endless ages of insight. Even a Stone King would be reduced to ash upon contact.

But the Little Stone Emperor had no time to waste; he could not remain long in this world. His eyes, deep as the abyss, flicked upward. One finger snapped, and the dome of the sky shattered.

Points of divine radiance bloomed—like sacred flowers opening, like a newborn sun rising, like a bright moon hanging in the void—dazzling and sacred. They pulverized the beam of light.

The Otherworld Ancestral God's body was wreathed in chaotic mist; numberless black holes appeared across his form, instantly connecting him to all the heavens and myriad worlds. This was not his true body but an incarnation, borrowing the boundless power of great worlds to annihilate the Little Stone Emperor.

"Rumble, rumble—"

Endless black holes, each passage leading to a real great world, surged with infinite, majestic force.

"Blood extinguishes the myriad worlds!"

Drops of blood oozed from the Otherworld Ancestral God's body, each bead capable of destroying a great world. Now they linked with the black holes, transforming into a rain of blood that swept toward the Little Stone Emperor.

Each bead was like a sword, exploding with blinding crimson light, completely covering and enveloping him—a power sufficient to annihilate all things across the myriad realms.

The Little Stone Emperor was vigorous and heroic, without equal past or present. His body blazed with radiance ten thousand zhang high as he stood in the sky, hands constantly forming seals, his black hair wild, his eyes sharp as swords. The Imperishable Seal was unleashed time and again.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

His palm imprint was like the Heavenly Dao itself, blocking the holy force that could destroy all things. His figure drifted like a cloud, and wherever he passed, blood light collapsed and black holes caved in.

"The ages roll by—how many heroes? I invoke the word 'Slay,' and all talents fall." The Otherworld Ancestral God's low chant was a terrifying demonic sound, carrying a mysterious curse power. In an instant, demonic clouds blotted out the sun, drowning ten thousand li of ancient land.

The Little Stone Emperor was undaunted. He burst through the blood light, shattered the demonic clouds, and closed in, his finger seals like rainbows, gently slicing downward.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The Otherworld Ancestral God's eyes flashed with cold lightning as they collided with the finger seals time and again. The two shattered the dome and tore out of the Primordial Celestial Realm, entering the void belt. Otherwise, all worlds would have been broken between them; their divine power exceeded the limit this world allowed.

The Primordial Celestial Realm quaked. All the kings soared into the sky, broke through the great world's barriers, and gazed into the distant void belt.

That was a battle between sovereigns, a peak-level clash comparable to the great ancient powers of the primordial age—the best opportunity for the kings to gain insight and breakthrough.

The Little Stone Emperor and the Otherworld Ancestral God were akin to the Heavenly Dao itself. Having reached their level, they were the incarnation of the Dao. Millions of orders, billions of laws—they commanded them at will.

The power to destroy eternal order was the most basic element. Yet they constantly wove and reorganized the great net of the Heavenly Dao. This battle was the most primal collision.

"Bang!"

The Otherworld Ancestral God's ten-thousand-zhang demonic body exploded with a blood blossom. His shoulder was pierced, stark white bone exposed, countless black scales flying, blood rain scattering.

Several drops of that blood carried too much divine power, splashing into the myriad worlds. Immediately, several worlds collapsed under the impact, dissolving into chaos.

The kings were horrified, their faces draining of color. These primordial ancient powers—the sovereigns among sovereigns—were simply too terrifying. They knew they could not match this, for a gap like a chasm separated their power.

Lu Zhan frowned but did not tarry. Together with the other three Otherworld Ancestors, he left the Celestial Realm and returned to the Otherworld's ancestral land.

"The Little Stone Emperor reborn—could it be that he never truly died?"

That was the question on everyone's mind.

"Perhaps, relative to the past, this is the Little Stone Emperor of the future. In bygone days, the Little Stone Emperor stood without equal across the world, probing through ten thousand ages and all realms without finding a single worthy opponent. He once charged into the primordial past to do battle with ancient powers, and once struck into the future to seek a foe. Maybe this figure is the one who struck into the future..."

A king made this deduction, and many nodded in agreement. But some dissented.

"I am the Great Dao itself, evolving all things and decreeing fate. Let heaven return to its origin, dust return to dust—you shall disperse..."

The Otherworld Ancestral God gave a low roar. The battle had reached its critical moment. He transformed into a form of Dao origin, a misty ball of chaotic light.

At the same moment, the Little Stone Emperor also became Dao origin. Tangible techniques and divine laws could no longer kill each other. They would deliver the final blow.

"All things have flaws; heaven is maimed, earth is incomplete, the Great Dao is not whole. My body stands alone, guarding Eternity. If it abides, it abides; if it departs, it departs..." These were the words the Little Stone Emperor spoke after becoming primal origin.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The two masses of Dao origin made a devastating sound as they merged.

After a terrible clash, a final mighty bang rang out.

"Dong!"

The Otherworld Ancestral God was knocked back into his original form. The ten-thousand-zhang demonic body was drenched in blood; black scales flew in all directions. He was virtually pierced through in a hundred places.

On the other side, the Little Stone Emperor's Dao origin was no longer stable. Gradually it condensed into a heroic, majestic man. His wild black hair was stained with blood, and his whole body showed many cracks.

"Passing through the ages, traversing the realms of endless worlds, walking through past and future... My eternal enemies are not extinguished, the sovereigns have not vanished. I hate that I cannot send this message back to the Sole True Realm..."

"Bang!"

The Otherworld Ancestral God's body disintegrated, dissolving into motes of light and vanishing. Whether he was destroyed because his time had run out or because the Little Stone Emperor had annihilated his body and spirit, none could say.

All the kings changed color; fear gripped every heart.

At the same moment, the Little Stone Emperor's form slowly faded. Finally it shattered, dissolving into nothingness.

On that day, the Primordial Celestial Realm was set ablaze.

The brilliant, peerless Little Stone Emperor had been reborn and had manifested in the world, only to sever an Otherworld Ancestral God. Though many said it was only his future self, a final manifestation that would vanish forever, it still inspired boundless awe and terror.

The Little Stone Emperor was unmatched in power, proud across the ages, having reached that peak realm—raising a hand to annihilate an Otherworld Ancestral God. Even in death, he had no regrets. He had truly climbed to the supreme summit of the cultivator's path, bowing to none above, none below.

And with this, the Three Sovereign Mirror and the Five Emperor Tower once again became the focus of all kings. Everyone sought them. There was reason to believe that these two sole remaining supreme treasures of the sovereigns could provide the opportunity to become a sovereign themselves.

Time flowed like the eastern river. In the blink of an eye, tens of thousands of years slipped by in a single breath.

During this time, countless battles were fought. The struggle for the Three Sovereign Mirror and the search for the Five Emperor Tower drew many kings into the conflict, plunging all the heavens into an age of war.

The heroes of the Nine Provinces attempted to breach the Otherworld several times but returned without success. On the Ninety-Nine Stone Steps, the seal on the stone gate was broken, and the demon shadow of the exalted one reappeared—none could stand against it.

The final three layers of the primordial prison could not be breached, and the great criminals imprisoned within were not freed.

During this time, the Otherworld descended upon the Nine Provinces and the Eternal Continent several times, bringing devastating attacks. But this time, they did not dare to exterminate all life.

For the Nine Lamps had transformed, giving birth to a shadow of light. Emperors Yao and Shun and others, relying on this shadow, had sworn a vow: if the Nine Provinces were destroyed, the Otherworld would perish with it. If both were driven to the brink, neither would hold back—it would be a mutual ruin.

Thus, the ages passed continuously. Three full cycles of civilization came and went; no one could say how many years had elapsed.

In those long years, the heavens fought without cease, and many fell. Among them, Keke's Xuanzu, a Stone King of one generation, perished—not by the Otherworld's hand, but struck down in the Celestial Realm, a death that shook the world.

And in that process, both the Nine Provinces and the Otherworld saw many brilliant talents wither and fall.

After three cycles of civilization, many had fallen, becoming history, vanished forever. Yet many others became legends, gradually growing and strengthening.

Yes, after three cycles of civilization, new Stone Kings were born.

And some names were buried in the river of time, slowly forgotten, receding from memory.

Among them was Xiao Chen. Few could recall that name anymore. He had disappeared for too long; endless ages could wear away any trace.

As the fourth cycle of civilization approached, a cataclysmic change occurred in the Otherworld's First Ancient Capital.

The once-quiet sacred city shook violently. The Seventh Heavenly Stele seemed to come alive, shooting into the sky.

"Stop it!"

A dozen figures soared into the air. Through these endless ages, the Otherworld gods had been studying the Heavenly Stele, many times trying to destroy it, but always failing.

Over three long cycles of civilization, even the primordial ancient powers—like the Demon Emperor—had been completely extinguished. Their vast essence and energy had been absorbed by the ancient capital. According to Lu Zhan, they would refine the Demon Emperor, shatter the Heavenly Stele, forge the First Sacred City, and eventually send it to the Sole True Realm for their Holy Ancestor.

But they had never expected the Heavenly Stele embedded in the capital to remain unbroken, even vying for the essence.

"Boom!"

The Four Otherworld Ancestors appeared simultaneously. Together, they struck, knocking the Heavenly Stele down.

At the same moment, from the end of the Ninety-Nine Worlds, the demon shadow reached out, seized the Heavenly Stele, and replanted it in the ancient capital, intending to continue the refinement.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, a stone prison materialized, flying out from between the demon shadow's fingers, tearing through the great world's barrier.

No one had expected such an object to be concealed within the Heavenly Stele.

The Heavenly Mark of the stele vanished, taken by the stone prison. By the time the demon shadow's order and law interwove and descended to stop it, the stone prison had already vanished without a trace.

"Find it! Search through all the heavens and myriad worlds—drag it out!" Lu Zhan was both shocked and furious.

He had never imagined the Seventh Heavenly Stele contained a stone prison. It was nearly inconceivable.

The stone prison successively tore through the barriers of great worlds and finally fell into a world of dead silence. There was no trace of life here—it was an ancient realm at the end of its road, about to return to chaos.

"Crack, crack, crack—"

The three-meter-square stone prison fissured. Drops of fresh blood seeped through the stone crevices, followed by bursts of dazzling light.

"Bang!"

At last, the stone prison split open. A blood-colored cocoon, a full zhang in size, fell to the ground. It had been gestated within the stone prison and now emerged. The fresh blood was flowing from it.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, the radiance blazed ten thousand zhang. The blood cocoon burst apart. A man with black hair and black eyes burst forth, his gaze like lightning, sharp and overwhelming.

His body bore spots of blood. A layer of rocky blood armor peeled away, revealing a crystalline, gleaming flesh-and-blood body, flowing with precious light.

It was Xiao Chen—the one who had vanished for three cycles of civilization, whose name had long been forgotten by the world. Only now, on this day, did he see the light again.

"I have finally returned to this world..."

His flesh-and-blood precious body gleamed with crystal radiance, even more awe-inspiring than a Stone King's stone form. It contained boundless divine power, enough to make anyone tremble with terror.

His sharp eyes were like two heavenly blades, instantly piercing the dome and tearing through the great world's barrier.

Xiao Chen did not leave at once. He looked down at the stone prison—or rather, the miniature divine city. This shattered ancient city was slowly healing and reassembling, flowing with Xiao Chen's divine blood as if alive.

"Clang!"

The miniature divine city finished reforming, hovered, then slowly shrank until it appeared in Xiao Chen's palm, indistinguishable from the miniature Five Emperor Tower.

"This—this is my own true divine city!"