Nine Star Hegemon Body Art

Long Chen entered a strange world. It was a world of fantasy that was thrumming with life. From the sky, Long Chen looked down on the rolling hills. This place looked a bit familiar.

He could vaguely see mountain ranges, rivers, and terrain that looked similar to some parts of the Central Plains. However, here, everything was on a much larger scale, so large that it couldn’t be described.

“Could this be…?”

The Martial Heaven Continent’s gentle voice rang out. “Yes, this is the most primitive appearance of the Martial Heaven Continent. Back then, countless cultivators were born every day, and there were thousands and thousands of people who ascended every year, reaching the higher realm. The laws of heaven and earth were complete, and the path to the heavens was clear. Everything followed the proper sequence. The people back then knew what it meant to respect and be grateful to the heavens. When mining ores, people knew to leave the source of the mine behind so that years later, strangers could harvest more. All kinds of sects and schools littered the land. There was constant fighting and competition but never any large-scale wars. Moreover, cultivators never harmed the commoners. I was young back then and full of life. Through the movement of the cosmos, I could absorb more energy for myself and pass it to my children. Seeing them escape the restrictions of the Heavenly Daos and spread their wings in a higher plane, I was filled with pride…”

The Martial Heaven Continent fell silent, seemingly lost in its memories. It then sighed.

“That all ended one day. Crisis fell, and I was shackled by chains, unable to absorb any further energy from the cosmos. I only had my own body. I thought that if I could pass through this time, everything would be fine. But things only got worse. Invaders came, assaulting the continent, killing my children, and destroying my body. Merciless plundering and slaughter wreaked havoc. I could only watch as they killed my children. I cannot describe that pain. With that tribulation, I had no other choice but to condense all my power into one expert. Thus, Yun Shang rose and became the first generation Sovereign. However, he told me that his Heavenly Fate Eyes saw a trace of hope for the future. He told me to patiently wait. Later on, he made himself dissipate, becoming one with the Dao. I wanted to stop him, but I couldn’t… Then it was Qing Xu, Mo Li, Han Wei, and Zi Yang…”

The Martial Heaven Continent’s voice began to sob. “They were all good children, but to protect me, they sacrificed their chance to reincarnate. They forever vanished from this world.”

Long Chen finally learned of the history of the Sovereigns. They were existences that had the continent’s karmic luck concentrated in them. In the end, when they found that they were unable to save the world from its predicament, they chose to return to the Dao, passing that karmic luck back to the continent.

Although they died, their soul essence remained, and their hearts were always thinking of the Martial Heaven Continent. Until the end, they spilled every last drop of blood, every trace of soul essence for the continent.

These were things that the Sovereigns had never told him, so only now did Long Chen understand just how heavy the burden that the Sovereigns had entrusted to him was.

He couldn’t help feeling even greater reverence for the Sovereigns. Just this devotion to the continent, this willingness to sacrifice everything for the continent was something that he would never be able to do.

“The invaders have come once more. Their blood soul power is activating the Heaven Devastating Bracelet, but it also triggered the protective wills of Yun Shang, Qing Xu, Mo Li, Han Wei, and Zi Yang. The will of the five Sovereigns has managed to temporarily suppress the Heaven Devastating Bracelet and buy time for us. Now, it just so happens that the blood soul power outside is capable of stimulating all the remaining energy in me, and I can aid you in becoming a Sovereign.”

After saying this, countless runes condensed in the air, transforming into an arm. The hand brushed against Long Chen’s cheek warmly just like a mother’s hand, and a finger pressed against Long Chen’s forehead.

The world then rumbled. Countless runes flowed into that arm, and immense power gathered. It felt like it was enough power to drown this entire world.

This was the final energy of the core of the star-field, the heart of this world. Even with one foot in the grave, the Martial Heaven Continent still possessed such vast power.

“Prepare yourself.”

“No!”

Long Chen instinctively dodged to the side, avoiding this energy. As for why he did so, he didn’t even know.

All he knew was that his instincts told him that if he did this, this world would definitely die. He couldn’t accept it.

“Long Chen, this is the only way to save us. We are all trapped. I know you’re a kind child, but there is no time to waste. This is the only hope,” said the Martial Heaven Continent.

Long Chen also knew that only by absorbing this energy could he save the world. But even if he could save the people, the Martial Heaven Continent would be destroyed. Was this world that the five Sovereigns had entrusted to him going to die in his hands just like this?

“There must be another way. There has to be…” Long Chen clenched his fists, wracking his brain for ideas. But he couldn’t think of anything other than this.

“It’s useless. This board was set in place over a hundred thousand years ago, and the five Sovereigns came to the same conclusion together. Don’t feel any guilt. As long as you can protect my children, I am willing to make any sacrifice.”

“Why? You love them, but they don’t love you. They spend all day fighting, their hearts covered in shadows. They also destroy your body, not giving you any respect or gratitude. Why do you treat them like this?!” Long Chen suddenly became angry.

This anger stemmed from how this world could be like this. People treated the continent with no gratitude, destroying it. Hence, even without the attacks from the outsiders, the continent would still have been destroyed eventually. But the continent still wanted to save them.

The Martial Heaven Continent was silent. It then sighed, “They are my children. Whether they are good or bad, I cannot change them. But they are my children. I love every single one of them. You might find that foolish, but as the spirit of this world, I love all my children, no matter how they treat me.

“Long Chen, I beg you, do not hesitate any longer. There is not that much time before everything will be too late. The Heaven Devastating Bracelet can only be temporarily suppressed. It has bound me for too many years and absorbed too much of my energy. The sum of its energy even surpasses mine. The only way to destroy it is for you to become a Sovereign and gain control over the five supreme divine items.”

“As long as I destroy the Heaven Devastating Bracelet, will you be able to escape? Could you then help us fight the invaders?” Long Chen suddenly jumped up, thinking of a possibility.

“What? That is impossible!”