Fate-Defying Demon Emperor

The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name.

What is the Dao? The Dao is heaven, the Dao is earth, the Dao is all of creation, and the Dao is also one’s own heart. It is the ultimate realm where matter and spirit merge.

All living beings cultivate to strengthen themselves and stand firm between heaven and earth. This is the path known as Martial Arts. Some lament the state of the world and show compassion for its people, relieving suffering and treating others with kindness. This is the Dao of the Saint. Some become leaders of nations, guiding their people to grow and expand, striving against the will of heaven and earth. This is the Dao of the Emperor.

There are countless Daos in the world, each one immensely powerful and possessing infinite strength, a strength that can be both tangible and intangible. The very concept of the Dao is mystery upon mystery; it can only be understood implicitly, not conveyed through words.

Everyone searches for their own Dao, pursuing their own path, but most do not understand what their Dao is, nor do they know how to walk it. The quest for the Dao has become an obsession for countless people.

Su Han, too, did not know his own Dao or which way to go. He had always been caught up in getting stronger and seeking revenge. Although his power had improved rapidly, he had lost his sense of direction. He now possessed fourteen Origin Techniques, eleven Divine Methods, five of the Nine Secrets, as well as Divine Skills, Martial Techniques, Demonization, and other abilities. Mastering just one of these would be enough to make him an invincible expert, but possessing so many had become a hindrance rather than a help.

Therefore, Su Han urgently needed an Enlightenment. It would allow him to both comprehend his own Dao and find his way out of his confusion.

”Devouring Heaven Demonic Art!”

The Source of the Dao guaranteed a one-hundred-percent chance of success. Su Han had already entered the Enlightenment State, and the Devouring Heaven Demonic Art began to circulate on its own within him.

Cultivation Techniques are the foundation of every Martial Artist’s practice. Their strength directly affects a cultivator’s power and future achievements. The Devouring Heaven Demonic Art that Su Han had obtained was created by the Cruel Demon Emperor. Although its exact Grade was unknown, it was definitely beyond the Divine Level. All this time, Su Han had been cultivating the Devouring Heaven Demonic Art. He absorbed various Physiques and refined Devouring Heaven Demonic Qi, but he only understood its effects, not the principles behind it.

The core of the Devouring Heaven Demonic Art lies in a single concept: to devour!

To devour is to actively assimilate, to take all things in the world and make them a part of oneself. All living beings must eat, as the food they consume is converted into energy that sustains life, enabling them to grow larger and stronger. The Devouring Heaven Demonic Art functioned on the same principle: devouring all creation to strengthen oneself. It was a technique of all-encompassing consumption. It could devour not only flesh and blood but also spiritual power. If cultivated to its peak, it could even devour Laws, space-time, and the entire world.

If the universe were a single person, then all the stars, worlds, and motes of dust would be parts of its body. If the Devouring Heaven Demonic Art were cultivated to its absolute limit, could it also transform one into a universe? The word ’universe’ is composed of ’space in all directions’ and ’time through all ages.’ It contains everything. So, too, does the ultimate state of devouring. In this, the two are fundamentally linked.

Devouring Heaven... in truth, it does not devour Heaven itself, but everything within it—flesh and blood, energy, Laws, and even space-time!

Su Han felt he was beginning to understand, but the concept was vast and the scope of his thoughts too broad, far beyond his current ability to grasp. His perspective limited his thinking, and his experience limited his imagination. This was Su Han’s predicament. Although he had caught a glimpse of a clue, he could not follow it any further.

At this moment, Su Han felt as if he were immersed in a void, a darkness without heaven, earth, sun, moon, or stars. He was surrounded by emptiness, possessing no physical form, only a consciousness. In this darkness, he could not find himself or anything else, let alone the Dao he so desperately sought.

What is my Dao? he asked himself, searching his heart. Is it to become powerful and stand atop the universe? Or is it to seek revenge and vent the resentment in my heart?

But none of these seemed to be what he truly desired.

What is the point of becoming stronger? For vengeance? To stand alone above all others? I am a demon, destined to fight against the heavens!

Suddenly, his Defying Heavenly Demon Will surged within his heart. Demonic Intent is similar to Dao Rhyme, as both are expressions of the Dao’s aura. The difference is that Dao Rhyme comes from comprehending the Dao, whereas Demonic Intent originates from one’s own will.

WHOOSH!

Finally, Su Han understood what he truly wanted.

What I crave is not simple power, nor is it mere revenge. When I was a child, I wanted to become strong so my mother would no longer shed endless tears. Later, I wanted to become strong to repay the Empress’s kindness. Later still, I cultivated the Devouring Heaven Demonic Art to take revenge on the Empress and the Great Crown Prince. From beginning to end, there has only ever been one thing I truly yearned for: to be the master of my own destiny! Whether it’s cultivation or revenge, I just want to hold my fate in my own hands. Everything else is merely a tool to help me achieve that!

In the darkness, a demonic light flickered into existence. It was faint and blurry, but it was the only light in this endless void. It represented Su Han’s first true exploration of his Dao.

To dominate his own destiny—this was what Su Han desired, and it was the foundation of his personal Dao. However, achieving this was incredibly difficult. In this world, one is rarely the master of their own actions. Even a Great Emperor or a God Realm expert cannot truly control their own fate. There is always someone stronger, a heaven beyond the heavens. Only by becoming a universe unto yourself, your own heaven and earth, can you truly rule your destiny.

The Devouring Heaven Demonic Art, the mastery over destiny... so that’s it! My Dao is the Way of the Universe!

Su Han had an epiphany. He now knew what his Dao was. The realization was like a sudden sunrise, clearing the fog that had clouded his vision.

But even the Dao has its Realms. Right now, Su Han was merely at the Entry Level, barely having reached the Realm of Enlightenment. Above this were the realms of Searching for the Dao, Establishing the Dao, and the Great Dao. Enlightenment is to comprehend one’s own Dao. Searching for the Dao is to find the path of one’s own Dao. Establishing the Dao is to pioneer one’s own Dao. The Great Dao is to reach the peak of this path, achieving one’s own supreme, personal Dao.

Each of these four Realms is extremely difficult to attain. Many people go their entire lives without achieving Enlightenment. Some comprehend their Dao but can never find their path, while others find their path but can never establish it.

The concept of the Dao is profoundly mysterious. Still, this single instance of Enlightenment had allowed Su Han to comprehend his Way of the Universe and showed him how he should proceed.

Devour all things and let my body become a universe. Let all of creation coexist with me, and let heaven and earth be one with me. My Origin Techniques, Divine Methods, and all other abilities are simply parts of me. There is no need to deliberately specialize.

Su Han had attained Enlightenment. He not only comprehended the Way of the Universe but also resolved his internal conflicts.

One moment of Enlightenment is worth ten years of cultivation!

RUMBLE!

Just then, above the Enlightenment Cliff, dark clouds gathered and thunder rolled. A terrifying, destructive aura washed over the area, causing Tongyan and the other two to snap their eyes open in shock.

”Is this... a Heavenly Tribulation?”