Duan Hunsheng, the Hall Master of the Tianluo Hall, stood atop the nine-layered palace, his black robes billowing. His face was sinister, his killing intent monstrous, and strange black mist swirled around his body.
Behind him stood more than a dozen high-star Emperor Realm Elders from the Tianluo Hall's main branch.
Duan Hunsheng's voice was frigid. "Our descent upon Yunzhou this time, besides eliminating Mu Yunhai and his ilk, has one crucial objective: capturing Ji Fuyao. This is the direct order of the Patriarch of Silence from the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Zone."
Hearing this, the Elders looked grave.
The Patriarch of Silence! The Old Ancestor of the Silent Sect, an Ancient Power within the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Zone!
He was the true power backing the Tianluo Hall in the Southern Wilds.
Duan Hunsheng had long ago reported the secret of Ji Fuyao's reincarnation technique to the Patriarch of Silence, who had commanded them to obtain the secret at all costs.
The Patriarch of Silence was currently confined to the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Zone and could not step out. Therefore, all matters in the Southern Wilds had to be handled by the Tianluo Hall.
This was due to the rampant spread of the Eerie Power and Ominous Power within the Forbidden Zone. The strong cultivators of the Southern Wilds' Three Thousand States had once joined forces to establish a Heaven-Reaching Array Pattern outside the zone, agreeing that no Forbidden Zone expert could leave until the Ultimate Path opened.
This was why the Patriarch of Silence had fostered the rise of the Tianluo Hall in the Southern Wilds. The Tianluo Hall was his 'blade' outside the Ancient Desolation Forbidden Zone!
When Lu Xuan previously transmitted his judgment across the Southern Wilds' Three Thousand States, the Patriarch of Silence naturally heard the condemnation of the Tianluo Hall.
The Patriarch of Silence was furious. This was a direct slap in his face!
He had already promised Duan Hunsheng a reward: an Ultimate Emperor Armament and the second volume of the Silence Scripture technique.
The allure of an Ultimate Emperor Armament and the Silence Scripture was irresistible to Duan Hunsheng!
In truth, even without the rewards, he would still eliminate the Grand Dao Sect and capture Ji Fuyao. This was necessary to demonstrate the Tianluo Hall's unwavering attitude to the Southern Wilds. The Tianluo Hall had been uncompromising since its inception. They had to remain so!
With that thought, killing intent surged across Duan Hunsheng's face. "Grand Dao Sect, the time has come to settle the score!"
***
In Luohua State, the local strong cultivators watched the massive Spirit Boat of the Tianluo Hall in the sky, utterly shaken.
The aura of a Nine-star Great Emperor!
Everyone felt a primal terror, like a river facing the vast, boundless ocean. This was the rule-based suppression unique to the Nine-star Emperor Realm.
At the high-star Emperor Realm, the Nine-star stage represented a qualitative leap. In the Southern Wilds' Three Thousand States, the number of living Nine-star Great Emperors was scarce. Many of the states Lu Xuan had previously destroyed didn't even possess one!
People cried out in alarm.
"It must be Duan Hunsheng, the Hall Master of the Tianluo Hall's main branch, making a move!"
"Something huge is about to happen in Yunzhou!"
"I wonder if the Grand Dao Sect can withstand this?"
As they watched the Tianluo Hall's Spirit Boat vanish into the distance, immense waves crashed in their hearts. The Southern Wilds was about to face another massive upheaval!
***
In Yunzhou, half a day later.
Ye Chen slowly opened his eyes. Behind him, his Martial Dao Furnace roared incessantly, radiating brilliant divine light. A boundless martial will, like a great river, filled the surrounding space.
"Thank you, Master!" Ye Chen said respectfully.
This time, his gains were immense! The martial will that his Master had casually derived for him was perfectly compatible with his own Path. He had essentially stood on his Master's shoulders to achieve enlightenment!
Lu Xuan smiled faintly. Ye Chen's comprehension was vast, but his own passive gains were even greater!
Just then, a sudden BOOM! The void tore open! Space twisted violently!
Several figures stepped out from the spatial rift. It was the Tianyuan Old Ancestor, the Cangxuan Old Ancestor, and the Sect Master, among others.
In an instant, a monstrous Emperor's might surged out, pouring across the heavens and earth, causing everyone present to feel an intense spiritual dread!
The suppression of a Nine-star Great Emperor!
The Tianyuan Old Ancestor, clad in black robes, had consciously suppressed his aura, but the might of the Nine-star Emperor Realm was still vast as the sea—a power beyond the mundane. A unique Stance appeared around the Tianyuan Old Ancestor.
This Stance was extraordinary, a rule-based power unique to the Nine-star Emperor Realm. All cultivators below the Nine-star Emperor Realm would be instantly crushed by it!
Seeing this, Elder Mu immediately exclaimed with excitement, "The Tianyuan Old Ancestor has arrived!"
The people of Yunzhou were utterly shocked. The Grand Dao Sect had actually deployed a Nine-star Great Emperor!
The Tianyuan Old Ancestor flicked his sleeve, and Great Emperor Dao patterns surged through the void, shining brilliantly.
In a flash, they materialized before Lu Xuan and the others.
The Tianyuan Old Ancestor smiled as he looked at Lu Xuan, scrutinizing him closely. "Fellow Daoist, thank you for your assistance."
Lu Xuan nodded simply. "It was my duty."
He was also observing the Tianyuan Old Ancestor. The Old Ancestor had just awoken from endless slumber, and the aura of ancient time had yet to fully dissipate, leaving a desolate, withered air about him.
Although the Tianyuan Old Ancestor had restrained his aura, Lu Xuan could already feel the pressure of his Stance bearing down on him.
A Nine-star Great Emperor is truly terrifying! Lu Xuan thought with internal shock. He knew he was no match for the Tianyuan Old Ancestor.
This was because the Nine-star Emperor Realm was the dividing line for the high-star Emperor Realm, allowing one to condense their own Stance. Within this Stance, the Nine-star Great Emperor turned Heaven and Earth into a chessboard, and all cultivators below the Nine-star Emperor Realm became mere pawns!
At the same time, the Tianyuan Old Ancestor was equally shaken.
He was a Nine-star Great Emperor, yet he couldn't see through the white-robed Great Emperor before him! This white-robed Great Emperor appeared to be a Seven-star Great Emperor on the surface, but the Tianyuan Old Ancestor vaguely sensed that his true strength was far beyond what he showed.
There is another profound secret here!
However, the Tianyuan Old Ancestor did not pry further. After all, the Grand Dao Sect had already acknowledged this Fellow Daoist, and they had no intention of touching his secrets!
With that thought, the Tianyuan Old Ancestor smiled, cupped his hands, and said, "My Grand Dao Sect welcomes Fellow Daoist's inclusion."
Lu Xuan gave a faint nod.
The Tianyuan Old Ancestor then turned his gaze to Ji Fuyao, a look of satisfaction on his face. "Excellent."
He then looked at Ye Chen and chuckled. "Fellow Daoist, your two disciples possess truly heaven-defying talent, one more exceptional than the last."
The Sect Master interjected, "Fuyao and Ye Chen being Lu Xuan's disciples is the only imperfection."
Lu Xuan's face twitched slightly.
The Tianyuan Old Ancestor laughed. "Just ignore that boy Lu Xuan. Let him be."
He then glanced at Luo Lingkong, Liu Xuan, Fang Yan, and the others, nodding. "Excellent, excellent, you are all doing well!"
The top True Disciples all bowed respectfully to the Tianyuan Old Ancestor.
At this moment, Elder Chonglou of the Cangmu Academy stepped forward and bowed to the Tianyuan Old Ancestor. "Senior, my Cangmu Academy's Jiujun Old Ancestor is also on his way. He said that once this matter is resolved, you are all welcome to visit Cangmu Academy so we may host a welcoming banquet."
The Tianyuan Old Ancestor paused slightly. "That old fellow Jiujun has also awakened early?"
The Jiujun Old Ancestor was the Nine-star Great Emperor of the Cangmu Academy!
Elder Chonglou gave a wry smile, looking at the Tianyuan Old Ancestor. Doesn't Senior know why the Jiujun Old Ancestor woke up?
The previous transmission by that supreme magnate of the Grand Dao Sect (Lu Xuan, as misinterpreted) across the Southern Wilds' Three Thousand States had caused the Jiujun Old Ancestor to wake up ahead of time. At the time, the Jiujun Old Ancestor was utterly bewildered, thinking the Ultimate Path had opened!
The Tianyuan Old Ancestor quickly realized this and immediately clapped his hands and laughed, looking at Lu Xuan. This white-robed Great Emperor has probably awakened far too many powerful figures this time!
Lu Xuan shrugged. Who would have thought that his casual transmission across the Southern Wilds' Three Thousand States would inadvertently push the great trends of the Southern Wilds, stirring up such a magnificent storm!
Suddenly, the communication jade slip in Elder Chonglou's arms vibrated violently.
He probed it with his divine sense, and his expression immediately changed drastically. He looked at the Tianyuan Old Ancestor and said in alarm, "Senior, the Tianluo Hall has already crossed the border into Yunzhou and is rushing toward this location! This time, the Hall Master Duan Hunsheng has also come!"
Duan Hunsheng, the Hall Master of the Tianluo Hall's main branch!
Hearing this, the Tianyuan Old Ancestor gave a cold laugh. "Excellent! Excellent! I'd like to see just what kind of capability this legendary Duan Hunsheng possesses!"
Elder Chonglou was inwardly terrified. A battle between two Nine-star Great Emperors would surely shatter the heavens and earth. If Yunzhou became the battlefield, countless miles of mountains and rivers would be destroyed!
At this moment, the Tianyuan Old Ancestor looked at Lu Xuan. "Fellow Daoist, with Duan Hunsheng arriving, will you take him, or shall I?"
Lu Xuan frowned slightly. "If I take him..."
Before he could finish, the Tianyuan Old Ancestor's battle intent soared, and he immediately cut Lu Xuan off. "I'll take him! Fellow Daoist, take a rest! After tens of thousands of years of slumber, I need to stretch my muscles!"
Lu Xuan was momentarily stunned, then nodded faintly.
Beside him, Ji Fuyao's starry eyes flickered. What a shame I won't get to see Master fight a Nine-star Great Emperor! If Master were to make a move, it would probably be an instant kill! After all, Master is invincible.
A moment later, the Tianyuan Old Ancestor stepped directly into the void, standing tall. A field of Dao and Stance appeared around him. Within a radius of one hundred thousand feet, the Great Emperor Dao patterns shone brightly, constantly evolving into terrifying array diagrams.
"Retreat!" the Tianyuan Old Ancestor commanded with a flick of his sleeve.
The next second, the Cangxuan Old Ancestor led the Grand Dao Sect disciples to rapidly fall back! The Yunzhou cultivators also retreated!
In an instant, the battlefield had been carved out!
Only the Cangmu Academy cultivators looked somewhat distressed. This is their territory, after all! The battle of Nine-star Great Emperors was terrifying beyond measure. This region was likely to be reduced to ruins, with the very fabric of Heaven and Earth thrown into chaos.
Not long after.
BOOM!
A massive roar came from the extreme distance, like a great bronze bell, stirring the heart and deafening the ear.
Then, a brilliant Dao pattern materialized, forming a giant, ancient corner in the void, as if a colossal object was condensing from space.
A moment later, the object revealed its full form: a Heaven-Reaching command token inscribed with three ancient characters.
"Tianluo Hall!"