Chapter 1511 : The Fading Heart of the Sovereign

Compared to other galactic rivers, the Human Sovereign Nebula [the celestial domain of the Human Sovereign] before them seemed to be shielded by boundless Path Principle [the fundamental laws governing reality] power. The Rule Great Path [the supreme law that orders the cosmos] had not yet fully collapsed here, and the instances of supernova explosions were not overwhelmingly severe.

The two exchanged a glance, and finally, Eldrin Chen spoke, "Proceed with caution. If the situation turns dire, we must shatter the void and flee immediately."

Seeing this, Glazed Qu gave a slight, understanding nod, offering no further words.

Thus resolved, they stepped into the Human Sovereign Nebula and soon arrived at the location of the Human Sovereign Palace [the celestial palace of the Human Sovereign].

As one of the Sovereign [a supreme ruler of a cosmic domain] figures within this Small Universe [a self-contained, smaller cosmic realm], the Human Sovereign Palace drifted at the very heart of the Human Sovereign Nebula, resting upon an Ancient Continent [a primordial landmass of immense age and size] that spanned three thousand light-years.

Eldrin Chen observed a Supreme Grade Blessed Land [a land of supreme fortune and spiritual abundance] floating within, radiating a light of unparalleled brilliance.

"It appears at its zenith, yet the foundational essence within the Blessed Land [a land imbued with profound fortune and spiritual power] is nearly depleted," he noted.

"Although it has not yet fallen from its status as a Supreme Grade Blessed Land, I fear it cannot sustain itself for much longer."

Gazing upon this Ancient Continent, Eldrin Chen could not help but shake his head.

Glazed Qu nodded in agreement, a trace of regret in her voice. "In the end, it is but a single Small Universe. The power of its foundational essence has its limits."

"With so many Primordial Unity Realm powerhouses and Immortal [beings who have transcended mortality and attained immortality], the desire for Longevity [eternal life] inevitably consumes Immortal Spirit Essence [the foundational spiritual energy of an immortal], causing the natural depletion of the world's origin to grow ever more severe."

"If my deduction is correct, when this Universe first opened, the number of Supreme Grade Blessed Land [regions of supreme spiritual fortune and power] in the world was likely close to twenty."

"Now, most of these Supreme Grade Blessed Land have degraded in rank. For the Human Sovereign Palace to retain even one Supreme Grade Blessed Land is already considered remarkable."

As they spoke, the two had already stepped into the Ancient Continent.

They arrived within a majestic Great Hall and found the Human Sovereign [the supreme ruler of humankind] had been waiting for them for some time.

The Human Sovereign was a man of imposing stature, draped in a golden imperial robe, his pupils shining with the brilliance of twin suns.

Upon seeing the two, the Human Sovereign's eyes narrowed slightly before he spoke. "Are you two truly from beyond this Universe?"

"Indeed."

Eldrin Chen replied calmly, then looked at the Human Sovereign. "This Universe is on the verge of extinction. As a fellow member of the Human Race, I have come seeking cooperation."

As he spoke, Eldrin Chen sensed something amiss and could not help but add, "I have heard that the Human Sovereign is an existence with a Dual Primordial Unity Foundation [a cultivation foundation of unparalleled purity and power, forged from dual primordial energies]."

"Why is your cultivation base merely at the Single Primordial Unity Foundation realm?"

The Human Sovereign remained expressionless, replying calmly, "This sovereign is named Heaven Sorrow, the third-generation Human Sovereign of this Universe [a self-contained cosmos]."

"Your people have already informed me that you seek the treasures of this Universe."

"You promised that if my Human Sovereign Palace [the seat of the Human Sovereign's power] lends you its aid, you would guide us away from this Universe."

Eldrin Chen nodded, speaking with composed certainty. "This Universe faces imminent Oblivion [the final, irreversible end of a cosmos]. To transcend this fate, this is likely your best path."

He then explained to Heaven Sorrow Human Sovereign the circumstances and the Karma [the cosmic law of cause and effect] entwined with this Universe.

As the Human Sovereign of this Small Universe [a lesser, finite cosmos], he was well aware of its impending Oblivion.

However, upon learning from Eldrin Chen's words of the vast Immortal Domain [the boundless realm of immortals] that lay beyond this world, a look of profound yearning dawned on Heaven Sorrow Human Sovereign's face.

After a long silence, Heaven Sorrow Human Sovereign spoke. "I can lend you my strength. But within this Universe, my Human Race subjects are beyond counting."

"As its final Human Sovereign, I will never abandon them."

"Oh?"

Eldrin Chen's gaze flickered slightly, and he could not help but inquire, "Then what does Your Majesty plan to do?"

Heaven Sorrow Human Sovereign fell silent for a moment before finally stating, "I shall issue an order to summon the Human Race from all regions, to take all the people of this Universe and depart."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen's expression grew solemn.

He pondered for a long while, then shook his head and said, "This is a vast Universe. The number of people within it is beyond countless billions upon billions. To think you can save them all is simply impossible."

"I know."

Heaven Sorrow Human Sovereign spoke slowly, finally sighing as he said, "I shall remain within this Human Sovereign Palace until the last person arrives."

Eldrin Chen said nothing further, offering no more counsel.

He rose to his feet and voiced the question in his heart: "What of the two previous Human Sovereign?"

Heaven Sorrow Human Sovereign was silent once more. After a long pause, he spoke: "Three hundred thousand years ago, the Primordial Human Sovereign ventured alone into the rift in the void, seeking to carve a path forward for this Universe."

"Eight thousand years ago, the previous Human Sovereign gathered the majority of the Human Race's resources to forge a World-Ferrying Ancient Ark. He departed through the spatial rift with billions of our people, and since then, there has been no word of them."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen felt a slight tremor in his heart.

To venture along a spatial rift, seeking a path forward within the boundless Dimensional Void, was in itself a path to certain doom.

Unless they encountered a heaven-defying Opportunity and Fortune that allowed the Primordial Human Sovereign and the second-generation Human Sovereign to find another world or a Small Universe, they had almost no chance of survival.

Yet, with a Universe facing imminent Oblivion, it was better to risk seeking a new path than to simply wait for death.

Speaking of this, Heaven Sorrow Human Sovereign sighed and said, "At its peak, this Universe was home to forty-nine figures at the Great Emperor level."

"Unfortunately, since the crisis of world-extinction drew near, over half of the Great Emperor from the past million years have already charged into the endless void through spatial rifts."

"But as time has passed, their Soul Lamp have almost all been extinguished."

Hearing this, Eldrin Chen fell into a contemplative silence.

Beyond this Small Universe lies the Endless Chaos.

The vast majority of spatial rifts terminate in torrents of overwhelmingly violent Chaos Energy Flow [the raw, primordial energy that predates and surrounds all creation]; without cultivation at the Celestial Immortal Realm [the realm of true celestial beings], to step into one is to embrace certain death.

Only with immense fortune, if a rift happens to open precisely at the very fringe of an Immortal Domain [a realm governed by immortal laws and beings], might one barely cling to life.

Yet this possibility is vanishingly slim; among ten million such rifts, perhaps not a single one would lead to the periphery of an Immortal Domain.

Furthermore, those rifts are realms of profound peril, where terrifying spatial forces can shred even an Earth Immortal Patriarch, and the seeping Primordial Chaos Energy [the undifferentiated, foundational energy of chaos before the cosmos was ordered] is potent enough to threaten a Half-Step Celestial Immortal [a cultivator on the very cusp of ascending to the Celestial Immortal realm].

Under such circumstances, the chance of safely reaching an Immortal Domain or any other world is virtually nonexistent.

Contemplating this, Eldrin Chen could not help but inquire, "A world-ending calamity... it truly is a despair that suffocates the soul."

"I am curious. Why did you not leave?"

"Leave?"

Heaven Sorrow Human Sovereign shook his head, then spoke with serene finality, "I was originally a Quasi-Emperor of the Human Race within this Universe."

"In that distant past, the moment I took up the Human Sovereign's Sword [the legendary blade symbolizing the mandate to protect humanity], I swore a solemn vow: to remain within this Universe, to shelter the Human Race until the very last moment."

"With this great vow, I have broken through to the Great Emperor Realm [the pinnacle realm of cultivation, representing supreme power and authority], yet I am bound to remain within this Great Universe [the vast, all-encompassing cosmos]."

Upon hearing this, Eldrin Chen could not help but sigh softly in his heart.

From the very beginning, the Heaven Sorrow Human Sovereign had made his great vow, resolving to shelter the Human Race until the very end, with no thought of departure.

Even if Eldrin Chen wished to take him away, bound by the constraints of his great vow, he could not leave this place alive.