The Stabbing Heaven Palace Great Emperor sneered. This was the moment he'd been waiting for! He spun around, a Nine-star Emperor Tier short blade appearing in his hand, slashing directly at Chen Changsheng. Swoosh! The blade plunged into Chen Changsheng's chest. The Stabbing Heaven Palace Great Emperor grinned ferociously. "You lose..."
Before he could finish, Chen Changsheng's body disintegrated into dust. It was only a Wooden Puppet Clone! Endless dust exploded, engulfing the Stabbing Heaven Palace Nine-star Great Emperor! His face twisted into a mask of utter horror, an unprecedented fear seizing him. This White Robe Great Emperor's assassination techniques were far more terrifying than their own Stabbing Heaven Palace's! Who, exactly, was the assassin here? Their Stabbing Heaven Palace was the inheritor of Dark Shadow Island's legacy, yet they were being utterly defeated here today!
In a flash, a phantom blur streaked past the Stabbing Heaven Palace Great Emperor. Thwack! His head flew high into the air, instantly severed by a cold gleam. An Instant Kill!
Chen Changsheng silently gathered the remains, taking all the Storage Rings. Several Wooden Puppet Clones began to activate the Scripture of Salvation! Mysterious golden light emerged, and the Emperor Corpses began to dissipate into dust, vanishing into the heavens and earth.
On the other other side, the Red Serpent Race's high-star Great Emperor had no chance to retaliate. Trapped deep within an array formation, he couldn't even struggle before his body absorbed a massive amount of poison mist, dying instantly. All dead!
Far away, several Wooden Puppet Clones, manifestations of Chen Changsheng, concealed themselves. They had laid a Heaven-Sealing Array along the Ghost Shadow Race's inevitable path. Boom! Incomparably brilliant Great Emperor Formation Pattern Fragments surged, an overwhelming power, deep as an abyss and vast as the sea, suppressing the Ghost Shadow Race cultivators! This was the Four Dragons Devouring Heaven Array! This array formation drew upon the Grand Terrain Stance, forcing the Ghost Shadow Race to reveal themselves, all trapped within the array. Their hideous and ferocious faces furiously struck out in all directions, but it was useless!
The leading Nine-star Great Emperor's face was grim and sinister as he spoke coldly, "White Robe Great Emperor, we haven't even made a move today! If we die here, my Ghost Shadow Race and the Grand Dao Sect will be locked in an endless war!"
There was no response. Instead, a wisp of ethereal mist drifted into the array formation. The Ghost Shadow Race cultivators' bodies began to bleed profusely, unable to withstand the continuous corrosion of their souls and flesh. This was a poison mist specifically designed for the Ghost Shadow Race! The leading Ghost Shadow Race Great Emperor's face contorted in a ferocious snarl, roaring, "Who are you?!" The heavens and earth remained silent.
An hour later, some of the high-star Great Emperors' bodies had mostly dissolved, black blood flowing ceaselessly, an utterly grotesque sight. Even the leading Nine-star Great Emperor couldn't bear it! What he couldn't accept was dying so humiliatingly, trapped within a grand array, without even seeing the White Robe Great Emperor's shadow! He racked his brains, but in his memory, no such figure had ever appeared in the Southern Wilds! Such methods! Such mastery of array formations, such mastery of poison — unheard of, unseen!
Half a day later, of the Ghost Shadow Race cultivators, only the Nine-star Great Emperor remained, struggling fiercely, roaring, "White Robe Great Emperor, you are dead! If I die, my race will never rest!"
A day later, the Ghost Shadow Race Nine-star Great Emperor's aura gradually extinguished! He ultimately perished!
Another day passed before Chen Changsheng's figure slowly appeared. Several Wooden Puppet Clones materialized in the void, their hands performing various spirit seals. The chanting of the Scripture of Salvation began. Golden light filled the Dao!
As usual, Chen Changsheng respectfully bowed towards the heavens, slowly saying, "Heavenly Dao Lord, dust to dust, ashes to ashes. The Stabbing Heaven Palace, Ghost Shadow Race, and Red Serpent Race harbored killing intent towards my Senior Sister. It was not I who killed them, but the power of Causality that struck them down! Now their souls return to the Southern Wilds, and their cultivation returns to the heavens and earth. May their Karma thus be resolved!"
Having completed this, the Wooden Puppet Clones vanished into the horizon.
Ji Fuyao was still Traversing the Void, heading to the next state. The last Heavenly Net Hall Branch! In the shadows, Chen Changsheng murmured, "It's time for this to end."
***
The combined appearance of the Stabbing Heaven Palace and the Red Serpent Race to annihilate Ji Fuyao had caused an uproar across the states of the Southern Wilds. No one had expected the Demon Court's representative, a Nine-star Great Emperor of the Red Serpent Race, to be so easily obliterated by the White Robe Great Emperor. Battle footage circulated through the major merchant guilds. The Red Serpent Great Emperor's fate was truly tragic. His massive body had been nailed to the void, his fangs ripped out, and his terrifying venom extracted. As for the Stabbing Heaven Palace, they hadn't even made a move before being intimidated by an Ultimate Emperor Weapon and fleeing in disarray! The name of the White Robe Great Emperor once again resounded throughout the Southern Wilds!
Furthermore, two Stabbing Heaven Palace Nine-star Great Emperors, who had infiltrated the Grand Dao Sect to assassinate the White Robe Great Emperor, had their heads severed and returned to the Stabbing Heaven Palace via a merchant guild! All the states were shaken. The Grand Dao Sect's power had once again shattered their understanding! For several epochs, the Grand Dao Sect had been too low-profile, causing the various states to forget the terrifying power it wielded during its ancient rivalry with the Supreme Profound Sect. But now, ancient memories were reawakened. A powerful magnate remarked, "In this epoch, the Grand Dao Sect, holding the Bronze Token, has already seized the initiative. Could it be that the Grand Dao Sect will ultimately claim the Supreme Fruit Position of the Southern Wilds?"
Other magnates commented, "In the ancient epoch, the Grand Dao Sect's progenitor abandoned the Supreme Fruit Position. The Heavenly Dao owes the Grand Dao Sect a debt. I wonder if this epoch's Supreme Path will compensate the Grand Dao Sect?" Everyone was abuzz with discussion. "But now, the Grand Dao Sect has stirred up serious trouble! The Red Serpent Race is a proxy for the Demon Court. With a Nine-star Great Emperor of the Red Serpent Race dead, they certainly won't let this go!"
***
At the Demon Hall's headquarters, the Red Serpent Old Ancestor's face was incomparably sinister. He paced back and forth before the stone statue of the Lord of the Demon Court, his demonic aura surging like a tidal wave, spilling outwards in all directions. When had the Demon Race ever suffered such humiliation? All the Red Serpent Race magnates who had gone to annihilate Ji Fuyao had perished! And their kin had been publicly disgraced in such a manner! This was simply outrageous!
The Golden Crow Old Ancestor and Fire Dragon Old Ancestor knelt before the Demon Lord's statue, exchanging glances, not daring to speak. The Fire Dragon Old Ancestor transmitted, "The White Robe Great Emperor is probably unmatched now!" The Golden Crow Old Ancestor replied, "But the White Robe Great Emperor has completely offended the Demon Court! Once the Demon Court's Half-step Supreme and Quasi-Dao Supreme magnates awaken, he's dead for sure."
Not far away, the Red Serpent Old Ancestor suppressed the rage in his heart, walked up to the Demon Lord's statue, and knelt down with a thud. Begging for forgiveness! The Red Serpent Old Ancestor used a Supreme Secret Art to communicate with the Demon Court elders, informing them of the matter. The Demon Court's magnates transmitted only one word: "Kill!" The might of the Demon Race demanded vengeance for every grievance!
After receiving the Demon Court Holy Decree, the Red Serpent Old Ancestor bowed respectfully once more, issuing a command to the Demon Race, beginning to gather numerous demon beasts. Within days, a massive influx of Monster Race Magnates poured into the Demon Hall's headquarters. From the east, a colossal Demonic Spider tore through the void, slowly revealing its form. Its body was immense, swirling with dark energy, its eight long legs Traversing the Void like black pillars. In an instant, the Demonic Spider transformed into a dark-robed woman with an evil, charming smile, landing at the Demon Hall. "Hehehe... After an entire epoch in seclusion, a human Great Emperor dares to be so arrogant!"
From the west, an utterly terrifying aura surged. The Giant Ram Race Old Ancestor, with colossal horns atop his head, his body towering and muscular like a small mountain, galloped across the land, causing the earth to shake wherever he went. He transformed into a middle-aged man stroking his goat beard, sneering, "Red Serpent Adult, are we going to war with the Grand Dao Sect?"
From the south and north, incomparably terrifying Great Demons descended. Many Great Demons arrived, all looking with utter disdain at the kneeling Golden Crow Old Ancestor and Fire Dragon Old Ancestor, cursing them. "You are truly the shame of the Demon Race!" "Hmph... Spit!"
Soon, numerous Great Demons gathered in the Red Serpent Race's stone palace. The Red Serpent Great Emperor's eyes blazed with murderous intent. "The Demon Court elders have issued a command: this grudge must be avenged! Kill!" The Demonic Spider Woman's dark robes billowed, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned, revealing her excitement. "What's the plan? Attack the Grand Dao Sect?" The Giant Ram Race Old Ancestor slammed his Ancient Iron Hammer down forcefully. "Red Serpent Adult, just give the order!" Hearing this, all the Great Demons nodded, looking at the Red Serpent Great Emperor.
The Red Serpent Great Emperor's gaze was chillingly cold. "I've already found out: Ji Fuyao is currently making her way back. They're planning to hold some kind of Fuyao Dynasty Founding Ceremony in the Blackflame Mountain Range soon! The White Robe Great Emperor will undoubtedly descend then. That will be our chance!" The Giant Ram Race Old Ancestor slammed his Ancient Iron Hammer again. "I'd love to meet this White Robe Great Emperor personally! How dare he use my Demon Race as food? I'll flay him alive and devour him whole!" Another demon beast said coldly, "The Fuyao Dynasty has no need to exist! What 'Founding Ceremony'? We'll turn it into a Bloody Ritual!" The numerous Great Demons nodded. Following this, the many Great Emperors began to discuss their plan of action.