This is a newborn world.
In the beginning, it was just a tiny planet, supported by a colossal World Tree.
Later, this world underwent a transformation, and the massive World Tree began to change.
A flower, a world; a leaf, enlightenment.
It started to expand, to stretch...
The colossal trunk grew larger and larger, and the fruits it bore transformed into stars.
Then, when the World Tree expanded to a certain point, it shattered with a boom.
It formed a small universe, complete with a sun, a moon, and galaxies—everything a complete plane possessed.
However, this world was still very young, just beginning to nurture life.
This was the scene that appeared in Li Qingyun's Qinglian Realm when he ascended to Immortal Emperor. After he became an Immortal Emperor, no one had entered his world, so others remained unaware.
Originally, it was just a tiny planet, with day and night evolving on their own.
Now, this tiny planet had evolved into a small universe.
Thus, after becoming an Immortal Emperor, his strength was on a different level from his companions.
He was already the master of a small universe!
In previous battles, he had been conserving his strength. Even when the situation appeared dire, it had never exceeded Chu Yang's ability to handle.
The reason he couldn't reveal his full power was that if he did, Shitian would know, and if Shitian knew, Yanxu would also know.
Not revealing his strength was something Chu Yang had emphasized to Li Qingyun since he was an Immortal King.
Unlike others, Chu Yang had long ago told him about the conflict between Yanxu and Shitian for the dominion of the universe. Upon hearing this, Li Qingyun felt that humanity had encountered its most terrifying challenge.
It seemed like a realm that humans could never reach.
Yet Chu Yang had always told him, "Humanity possesses infinite possibilities. Anyone has the chance to ascend to the level of a Creator, but you are the most suitable. Your Dao is naturally destined to be a ruler!"
Thus, Li Qingyun became the person entrusted with a crucial mission by Chu Yang.
At this moment, Li Qingyun stood up and looked behind him.
Red light illuminated the sky, and Yanxu's figure appeared before Li Qingyun.
Facing the immensely powerful Yanxu, Li Qingyun remained unfazed.
"Who are you?"
"The new Human Emperor. If you're asking for my name, you can call me Yanxu. Hand over the Human Emperor Cauldron, and I can spare your life. After all, you are one of my people..."
Li Qingyun's gaze sharpened, his breathing becoming slightly rapid. He sensed Chu Yang's aura emanating from Yanxu.
After a moment of silence, he stopped speaking, a vast killing intent permeating his being.
Then, he took a step forward, vanishing into the void.
Yanxu frowned at this, then followed Li Qingyun into the void.
Li Qingyun raised his right hand, and a terrifying power gathered, akin to the power contained within the beginning of all creation.
Yanxu's expression turned grim. She sensed a power from Li Qingyun similar to that of the Human Emperor Cauldron.
Moreover, the strength Li Qingyun was now displaying...
"Half-step Creator. Chu Yang used the might of the Human Emperor Cauldron to create a piece of trash like you? What a waste of resources! This is a supreme treasure I condensed from the truths of the universe!"
Yanxu was extremely indignant. She knew that Li Qingyun had absorbed the Human Emperor Cauldron.
"How could he possibly know the might of a Creator? Does he naively believe that one can fight across realms at every level?"
Red tentacles writhed behind her, then gathered millions of strands of power capable of tearing apart stars, striking towards Li Qingyun.
"Killing you and then finding a way to reclaim the Human Emperor Cauldron's power is the same, hehe..."
Yanxu's tone was laced with mockery. She found Chu Yang's plans to be childish, yet also disgusting.
He had restricted her from harming humans excessively and had destroyed her methods of removing these limitations.
Only by fully integrating the power of the Human Emperor Cauldron could she truly be the Human Emperor; otherwise, she was like a caged beast.
Now, killing Li Qingyun would suffice. She had managed to condense the Human Emperor Cauldron before and let Chu Yang nurture it; she could still do so now, but it required extracting the power from within Li Qingyun.
Therefore, she found Chu Yang's meticulously crafted plans to be incredibly childish.
"Boom!"
Li Qingyun's hands pushed forward a lotus formed from the power of creation.
This collision resulted in a world-shattering explosion.
Red light disintegrated Li Qingyun's attack and surged towards him.
Li Qingyun's expression shifted slightly. The Creation Green Lotus within his body emerged, emitting a powerful creative force that blocked the incoming attack.
Yanxu looked surprised, then her eyes revealed intense greed. "This Green Lotus... it contains a small universe! If it were in my hands, it could completely replace the Human Emperor Cauldron as the vessel for humanity's destiny!"
Li Qingyun's lips curled into a sneer. "Is this all your strength?"
Yanxu could not tolerate any mockery at this moment. She snorted coldly, then raised her hand and pressed down on Li Qingyun again.
The red light was eerily strange.
It was like myriad needle tips piercing towards Li Qingyun.
Li Qingyun remained still, blocking with his Creation Green Lotus.
Yanxu frowned. "Is this all you can do? Relying entirely on your weapon?"
"Heh, and you have the nerve to mock me like that. If you were truly capable, would you dare to suppress your realm and fight me to the death?"
This low-level provocation would certainly not work on Yanxu.
"Seeking death!"
Yanxu was now furious. She exerted more force, gripping the twin sabers condensed from red light in her hands, and slashed towards Li Qingyun.
The terrifying power caused the surrounding stars to warp and crack.
The power of a Creator was capable of destroying the universe.
Under Yanxu's full-power attack, the defense of the Creation Green Lotus finally began to waver.
Seeing the change in the Creation Green Lotus, Yanxu's eyes flickered, and she intended to retract her attack.
However, Li Qingyun, seeing her intention to stop, roared in anger and forcibly raised the Creation Green Lotus in his hands, pressing it towards Yanxu.
"Die!"
Yanxu was instantly enraged. She suddenly felt that these humans had no reverence for her whatsoever.
Since she took over as "Human Emperor," she had never received respect from humans.
And this Li Qingyun, after she had already restrained herself, dared to continue his attack, as if deeply offended.
"You are truly seeking death!"
In her anger, Yanxu swung her twin sabers.
The Creation Green Lotus could no longer hold on, its surface covered in cracks!
Li Qingyun, however, laughed. "Although your strength is immense, I must say, you are quite foolish..."