The Fall of the Stellar Empire

The Star Divine Iron is undeniably important.

But if the entire empire is destroyed and everyone dies, won't Ling Ye take it anyway?

So, being cowardly—at least in front of Ling Ye—isn't truly cowardly. In the heavens and the worlds, almost everyone has submitted to him. When everyone is forced to bow, there is no shame in doing the same.

With no other choice, the empire's people move quickly.

Before long, the Star Divine Iron is brought forth—a spherical mass of divine metal, radiating the brilliance of a starry universe.

Ling Ye extends his hand, effortlessly pulling it into his grasp.

This single sphere is what keeps the entire Stellar Empire's Palace suspended in the galaxy. Its weight surpasses that of the vast imperial palace itself, an object of unfathomable density and power. Only something of this magnitude can be used to forge a body in the Extreme God Realm.

Having obtained what he came for, Ling Ye spares no further thought for Chu Yuntian or the others.

In the next moment, his figure vanishes.

He chooses not to kill them—not yet. Those who believed he would inevitably fall, those who sided with Ye Tian—he lets them live.

He wants them to see the end they never expected.

To him, breaking their will is far more satisfying than merely ending their lives.

After Ling Ye's Departure

Silence gradually settles over the grand hall.

Everyone exhales, their bodies finally relaxing.

They hadn't expected Ling Ye to come only for the Star Divine Iron. More surprisingly, despite knowing that the Stellar Empire planned to ally with the Heaven and Earth Alliance, he did nothing to stop them.

Does this mean… that they are so insignificant that he doesn't even care?

Even if the Stellar Empire joins forces with the Heaven and Earth Alliance, does Ling Ye believe they aren't even worthy of his attention?

The realization stings.

The Stellar Empire is one of the most powerful forces in the heavens and the worlds, yet Ling Ye treats them as nothing.

For an empire that has always stood above others, this disregard is unbearable.

But no matter how humiliating, they can only endure it.

What else can they do? Call Ling Ye back to demand an explanation? Challenge him to a fight?

That would be suicide.

When they are certain that Ling Ye is truly gone, Chu Yuntian finally sinks back into his throne.

Hum…

A deep, ominous vibration ripples through the palace.

The entire imperial palace—spanning the galaxy itself—begins to tremble.

Without the Star Divine Iron, the empire's foundation collapses.

Soon, the magnificent palace, a symbol of generations of power and dominance, will crumble into space debris.

Chu Yuntian's expression darkens.

Damn it…

How many years has the Stellar Empire stood in the Chaos Universe?

How many generations have built this foundation?

And now, it has been destroyed in his hands.

How many epochs will it take to rebuild? How much effort, how many sacrifices?

Today's loss is unprecedented.

What makes it worse is that they have no one to hold accountable—no one to compensate them for what they've lost.

They must bear this humiliation alone.

"Your Majesty… what do we do now?"

All eyes turn to Chu Yuntian.

The empire's foundation is gone. Its legacy has been shattered.

The Stellar Palace will collapse entirely, and with it, countless years of history will be erased.

Chu Yuntian clenches his fists.

If he had the power, he would drag Ling Ye back and cut him into a thousand pieces.

But he doesn't have that power.

That helplessness… that rage… is suffocating.

After a long silence, his voice finally echoes through the hall.

"This grudge… the Stellar Empire will avenge it."

The room erupts with shouts of agreement.

While Ling Ye was here, all they felt was fear.

But now that he is gone, their rage burns.

"We must take back the Star Divine Iron! The Blood Shadow Demon Lord must pay for what he's done!"

"He destroyed the foundation of our empire—he must answer for it with his life!"

"He will learn that the Stellar Empire is not so easily trampled upon!"

They shout with passion, completely forgetting how powerless they had been mere moments ago.

When Ling Ye was here, they could do nothing but submit.

Yet now, they roar as if they were never afraid.

"Your Majesty, what are your orders?"

All eyes fall on Chu Yuntian once again, awaiting his command.

After a moment of deep thought, as the palace trembles around him, he speaks.

"Evacuate the entire Stellar Empire. Abandon the palace before it collapses."

"We will take refuge in the Primordial World. The Heaven and Earth Alliance… should be willing to take us in."

"For now, we will align ourselves with the Heaven and Earth Alliance. Once the Blood Shadow Demon Lord is destroyed… then we will decide our next course of action."

His words send a ripple through the crowd.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

With that, the great migration of the Stellar Empire begins.

The entire empire stirs to life.

The imperial army moves out in full force, leading the evacuation.

One by one, the people abandon their home—their once-proud imperial capital of the Milky Way, now destined for ruin.