"Mere ants." Lu Xuan’s expression was as light as a passing cloud, yet Mu Lao froze, a thousand thoughts dying on his tongue. Friend, aren't you only a Five-star Great Emperor? The Tianluo Hall's Tenth Branch is guarded by the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Elders—a Seven-star and an Eight-star Great Emperor! Even with a terrifying secret art that lets you cross the chasm of one star, killing a Six-star Great Emperor is one thing, but Seven and Eight? That gap is insurmountable! No supreme secret technique can bridge that cosmic divide!
Just then, Lu Xuan remembered a System reward he’d been saving. It seemed perfect for the moment: the Southern Wilds Bell. He was going to make a statement for Ye Chen and Ji Fuyao. Tianluo Hall daring to send a Five-star Great Emperor after Ye Chen had touched his reverse scale. This is too much! The Tianluo Hall’s Tenth Branch was marked for destruction. He would make the Three Thousand States of the Southern Wilds understand the consequences of bullying his disciples.
With that thought, Lu Xuan casually pulled out a palm-sized ancient bell and activated it. Immediately, an incomparably profound and mysterious power surged around him. It felt as if, in that instant, he could make every living being in the Three Thousand States of the Southern Wilds hear his voice! A primal, ancient Dao and Essence flowed around Lu Xuan, making him appear transcendent, radiating a glorious divine light. Everyone present was utterly stunned. Even Mu Lao was shaken to his core, staring intently, trying to see through Lu Xuan's disguise. But he couldn't. The terrifying aura emanating from Lu Xuan transcended his understanding entirely.
Lu Xuan’s eyes were deep and profound. He slowly opened his mouth and said, "Hey!"
The moment the word left his lips, a thunderous boom echoed across the Three Thousand States of the Southern Wilds. Every major faction that had emerged—be it human, demon, or alien—and even the reclusive forbidden zones of the Southern Wilds, heard Lu Xuan’s voice. That single word resonated in their ears like a clap of thunder, filled with profound Dao Rhyme.
In an instant, the entire Southern Wilds erupted in chaos! The supreme magnates of the human race, the peerless experts of the alien races, and the strongest powers of the demon race were all startled awake. The voice carried an unparalleled mystery, flooding their senses. Clearly, a magnate was using a supreme secret art to address them—and the technique was terrifyingly potent!
In the Supreme Profound Sect, a Nine-star Great Emperor was instantly roused. A grey-robed old man climbed out of an ancient tomb. "A long, long time has passed," he muttered. "The Bronze Ancient Palace just appeared, and now such a powerful figure has emerged?" The Grand Dao Sect’s ‘Heaven’ lineage, the Tianhuo Old Ancestor, was startled awake. He crawled out of a black sarcophagus, his ancient, decaying aura filling the air. He looked bewildered, gazing up at the void, trying to trace the source of the voice.
At the Tianluo Hall’s main headquarters, Duan Hunsheng and his subordinates instantly grew solemn, sending their divine senses far into the distance. "Which magnate of the Southern Wilds is speaking?" he asked coldly. Ancient powers like the Ancient Yao Family, Cangmu Academy in Yunzhou, the Pill Fragrance Sect, and the Ancient Wang Family were all shaken. Within the forbidden zones of the Southern Wilds, numerous magnates extended their divine senses from ancient tombs, their eyes filled with confusion. Alien and demon factions across the Three Thousand States were also alerted, as were the ancient overlord forces that had recently emerged following the appearance of the Bronze Ancient Palace. Every living soul in the Three Thousand States of the Southern Wilds leaned in, listening intently.
After a moment of silence, Lu Xuan slowly continued. "Three Thousand States of the Southern Wilds, listen closely. Ye Chen and Ji Fuyao are my disciples. From this moment forth, anyone who dares to use their power to bully the weak, or attack my disciples, I will kill them without fail!"
As the voice faded, the Southern Wilds exploded! This was a supreme magnate declaring the status of Ye Chen and Ji Fuyao to all living beings! Everyone present stared at Lu Xuan in utter shock. Ye Chen and Ji Fuyao froze, their minds reeling with colossal waves of emotion. Master, to protect our growth, you actually activated such a terrifying, supreme secret art! The toll of such a technique must be immense! They knew that while their Master appeared leisurely and lazy on a daily basis, his kindness toward them was bone-deep. Now, after the Tianluo Hall ambush, he was speaking out for them to the entire Southern Wilds!
Meanwhile, the magnates across the Three Thousand States frowned. Startled awake from their seclusion and deep slumber, they were all utterly bewildered. They had never heard the names Ye Chen or Ji Fuyao! The strongest demon experts, the alien grand powers, the forbidden zones, and the newly emerged ancient factions were all confused. "Who is Ye Chen? And who is Ji Fuyao?" They quickly used their supreme methods to learn the disciples' identities from other sources.
A demon magnate whispered, "So they are disciples of the Grand Dao Sect's Azure Mystery Peak! Their nominal master, Lu Xuan, is only at the Qi Refining Stage, so the one speaking must be someone else entirely." A Blood Demon magnate mused, "The Tianluo Hall actually sent a Five-star Great Emperor to ambush a group of Profound Venerates from the Grand Dao Sect. That certainly counts as bullying the weak. But this is an internal human affair. We'd prefer they fight among themselves." The Ancient Yao Family Old Ancestor frowned. "So, the Tianluo Hall has angered this Fellow Daoist!" Yao Huanhuan stared dumbfounded, then a look of pure joy spread across her face. "That means Ye Chen isn't dead! He survived." In the Yao Family’s Sin Valley, Ye Chen’s mother, Yao Liuli, wept clear tears. "My Chen'er is safe. My Chen'er is safe."
In the Supreme Profound Sect, Yuan Qingzi, Sect Master Wei Qianhan, the Ancient Qin Family Old Ancestor Qin Wuyang, Qin Wang, and Nangong Baixue were discussing the Divine Son competition. Qin Wuyang stared at the void, shocked. "What happened? Tianluo Hall actually failed? What a bunch of trash! And they even alerted a magnate from the Grand Dao Sect!" Nangong Baixue’s mouth gaped open wide enough to fit an egg. "How is that possible? That waste, Ye Chen, isn't dead!" Qin Wang was utterly disappointed, his face a mask of disbelief. A Five-star Great Emperor failed to kill Ye Chen? Meanwhile, the newly emerged Tianhuo Old Ancestor of the Grand Dao Sect was completely bewildered. "Who is speaking up for our Grand Dao Sect disciples?"
High in the sky, the flying figures of Tianxing Old Ancestor and Cangxuan Old Ancestor immediately halted. Tianxing Old Ancestor said, "That must be the Fellow Daoist behind Ye Chen and Fuyao, right?" Cangxuan Old Ancestor’s expression was grave. "It must be. This time, Tianluo Hall has likely enraged that Fellow Daoist completely!" Far away, Chen Changsheng hid in the shadows, his face incredulous. "Is that Lu Xuan speaking, or another Old Ancestor of the Grand Dao Sect making a declaration?" In an instant, the Three Thousand States of the Southern Wilds were shaken to the core. All sorts of rumors flew everywhere. Shock! Everyone was utterly shocked!
At that moment, Lu Xuan continued speaking. "Three Thousand States of the Southern Wilds, under Heaven! No matter the lineage, no matter the faction, if you dare to use your power to bully my disciples, I will personally visit your gates, annihilate your lineage, and destroy your faction!" "Today, I will start with the ten Tianluo Hall branches that participated in this ambush, and cleanse them one by one! Duan Hunsheng, listen well: if there is a next time, I will personally ascend to the Tianluo Hall headquarters and wipe out your entire line!"
This declaration shook the Three Thousand States once more. A demon magnate scoffed, "The Grand Dao Sect has quite the nerve! Annihilate a lineage, destroy a faction! I'd like to see who this figure truly is." A powerful expert from the Blood Bone race chuckled lightly. "When did the Grand Dao Sect become so arrogant? In my memory, for several epochs, the Grand Dao Sect has been low-key and reserved. Is this a declaration of war against our alien race?" Several newly emerged ancient families shook their heads. "What? Does the Grand Dao Sect still think it's the power that once dominated the world? They certainly crushed the Supreme Profound Sect on the Ultimate Path back then and could have claimed the Supreme Fruit, but they gave it up! When the tides turn, all power aligns; when destiny is against them, even heroes are bound. Can the Grand Dao Sect still be favored by Heaven in this generation?" Most of the supreme magnates were dismissive, especially those from the demon and alien races, and the newly emerged ancient overlord factions. As for the experts in the forbidden zones of the Southern Wilds, they didn't take Lu Xuan’s words seriously at all.
In the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Zone. In the heart of a collapsed mountain range, a grey-robed figure sat cross-legged. Her robe was tattered, and she was surrounded by an eerie mist. Her back was vast and desolate, bearing the Invincible Stance of a world, yet she seemed profoundly lonely. Her body was stained with the Eerie Power and the Ominous Power—two terrifying forbidden forces that enveloped her. Suddenly, the grey robe disintegrated entirely, and her hair unfurled dramatically, three thousand feet of white silk cascading like a waterfall. It wrapped around her long, slender legs, covered her perfect curves, and flowed over her flat, delicate, snow-white abdomen, eventually enveloping her entire exquisite body, revealing a stunning, alluring silhouette. The white-haired woman was breathtakingly beautiful, her eyes shining with divine light. "Ye Chen," she murmured. "Such a familiar name. I sense a thread of causality..." She recalled, "Sixteen years ago, a Quasi-Emperor from the Ancient Yao Family mistakenly entered the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Zone with an infant. I saved them. That infant's name was... Ye Chen!" "So Ye Chen has joined the Grand Dao Sect! No wonder I felt a thread of future causality back then, as if I was destined to have some connection with this child in the dark." As she spoke, the Eerie Power and Ominous Power surged around her like a storm, and a look of pain crossed her face. She had endured the Eerie Power and Ominous Power for countless years, and now, she was struggling to hold on.
At the same time, in Cangmu Academy in Yunzhou, Elder Cang Li began dancing and shouting wildly. "Hahahaha! Ye Chen is alive! Ye Chen is alive! Now I can discuss the refining process of the Nine Revolutions Ice Soul Pill with him! Heaven is helping me!"
Back at the Tianluo Hall headquarters, Duan Hunsheng was incandescent with rage. Seated high on his throne, his face was black with fury. "Outrageous! Simply outrageous! My Tianluo Hall has been publicly humiliated like this, in front of the Three Thousand States, by this person?" The surrounding Tianluo Hall elders trembled, daring not to speak. A terrifying black mist surged around Duan Hunsheng, his face contorted in a savage snarl. "I want to see if this person truly dares to annihilate my Tianluo Hall's ten branches! If he does, my Tianluo Hall will repay the debt!"
Meanwhile, at the Tianluo Hall branch in Yunzhou, the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Elders were shaking uncontrollably, paralyzed by fear. Their souls were scattered, their scalps tingling with dread. "How is this possible?" they cried out in shock. "The Bronze Ancient Palace just appeared, and already such a magnate has emerged?!" They realized they had offended an existence of unimaginable terror. If this supreme magnate descended upon the Yunzhou branch, how could they possibly resist? They would simply die! Panic gripped the entire Yunzhou branch. "What do we do? What do we do..." The Thirteenth Elder snarled, "What kind of skill is it for this magnate to target us? If he has the guts, he should go to the Tianluo Hall headquarters and fight Duan Hunsheng!"