Chapter 2256 — Chapter 2256 Storming the Celestial Palace

"The Celestial Palace… as in the Celestial Emperor's place?" Lan Yingying asked.

Xiao Hua nodded. There was no mistaking it, as she'd visited that place countless times in the past.

Shortly after the Celestial Palace appeared, Yuan began making his way toward it. But barely half a minute later, he noticed several tiny black dots emerging from the palace. As they drew closer, the dots expanded into the shapes of human silhouettes, and their powerful aura became clearer.

In the blink of an eye, ten fifth-level God Ascension cultivators surrounded him, their aura surging with Celestial Qi and killing intent. "Evil God! How bold of you to come here by yourself! You must have finally gotten tired of living!" One of the cultivators shouted.

"Don't worry, we'll kill you soon. However, if you're hoping it'd be a painless death, we'll have to disappoint you."

"You will pay for all of the atrocities you committed! Not only have you taken countless lives, but you also have no boundaries, killing children and the innocent without batting an eye!"

"We'll definitely avenge our fallen comrades today!"

Hearing such words made Yuan recall his final moments as Tian Xian, when he raided the Celestial Palace alone.

"Are you done barking? If so, come at me." Yuan beckoned them with a nonchalant expression on his face.

"Die! Tian Xian!"

The ten cultivators rushed at Yuan.

Yuan didn't utter a single word as he used Void Manipulation to not only dodge their attacks but also counterattack.

"Ah!"

With a single swing of his sword, Supreme Sword Aura, enhanced with Eternal Essence, erupted across the battlefield, instantly cutting down all ten of the cultivators.

The Supreme Sword Aura didn't merely kill them… it butchered them. In the blink of an eye, their bodies were sliced thousands of times, flesh and bone shredded away until nothing remained but blood. It was as if the cultivators had exploded into a scarlet mist.

After killing the cultivators, Yuan subconsciously lifted his arm to inspect it. At that moment, he realized the trial had done more than change the scenery—it had altered his appearance to that of Tian Xian as well.

"That appeance…" Xiao Hua swallowed nervously after seeing Tian Xian's appearance, her eyes flickering with deep admiration and reverence.

Feng Yuxiang and Lan Yingying couldn't help but make strange faces when they saw Xiao Hua's expression. It was one they had never seen on her before, and it was full of obsession.

Shortly after, more cultivators emerged from the Celestial Palace to stop Yuan.

Ten… twenty… fifty…

In the blink of an eye, the number of cultivators appearing to stop Yuan with each wave had grown into the hundreds.

"Hahaha!" Yuan laughed madly as he danced in and out of existence with Void Manipulation. Each time he reappeared, dozens of cultivators exploded into bloody mist, staining the sky crimson.

Thud.

Xiao Hua, watching from the spectators' room, suddenly fell to her knees as tears streamed down her face. Yet despite her trembling shoulders, a satisfied smile bloomed on her lips.

"I have always regretted not being able to witness this moment…" Xiao Hua spoke in a low voice. "If he hadn't secretly stormed the Celestial Palace alone, I—my family would've surely fought alongside him. But alas, by the time we realized, everything was already over."

In the past, Tian Xian had secretly gone to confront the Celestial Emperor alone. Although he succeeded in defeating him, it came at the cost of his own life.

Meanwhile, Yuan continued carving his way forward, inching closer to the Celestial Palace.

Those who blocked his path ranged from armored soldiers to ordinary-looking cultivators in simple robes. Unlike the present era—where the Celestial Emperor's fighters are almost exclusively Heaven's Mandate—the first Celestial Emperor commanded people from all manner of backgrounds.

Eventually, after slaughtering tens of thousands of enemies, Yuan reached the Celestial Palace's very doorstep.

Without a word, Yuan lifted his leg high and delivered a ruthless kick to the majestic doors, shattering them instantly.

"I'm here to take your life for a second time, Celestial Emperor!" Yuan laughed out loud as he strolled inside the Celestial Palace, where even more enemies awaited him.

"Evil God, you won't get to meet the Celestial Emperor, as you will be dying where you stand!"

They immediately bombarded Yuan with powerful martial techniques that shook the entire palace. Yuan responded to their aggression with his own, and within moments, the entire place was submerged in Supreme Sword Aura and Eternal Essence.

Minutes later, Yuan walked down the blood-soaked hallway until he reached the next area—where, once again, many people stood blocking his path.

"S-Stop him! We mustn't let him reach the Celestial Emperor at all costs!"

Yuan didn't even bat an eye as he moved forward, slaughtering everyone in the area without leaving a single soul alive.

Some time later, Yuan arrived before another majestic door. However, this one was different from the others. It was much more lavish and detailed.

As Yuan raised his leg and prepared to kick it down like he did with the others, the doors suddenly flung open by themselves.

"Come in."

A calm voice echoed, beckoning Yuan.

Without hesitation, Yuan stepped through the doors and entered what appeared to be an indoor garden. His eyes narrowed at the tall figure standing among crystal flowers, back turned to him—a posture that made the figure seem unexpectedly vulnerable.

"Just like back then, you're tending your flowers while your subordinates are being slaughtered by me," Yuan said.

The Celestial Emperor replied, "Unlike that useless bunch who can't even stop a single intruder, these Celestial Dahlias are pleasing to the eye. Moreover, even a single petal from them can turn trash into treasure."

He then turned to face Yuan, his eyes calm yet carrying a faint glimmer of madness beneath the surface.

"Tell me, Tian Xian… why reject my invitation? Had you accepted my offer, the war would have been over ages ago, and you could have enjoyed a peaceful, fulfilling life with your family until the end of time."