The crowd gasped, utterly dumbfounded. What in the heavens was happening? Yao Feng Old Ancestor, who had just been so ceremonious, was now calling for Saint Daughter Yao Liuli's immediate execution!
Even Ye Changfeng, usually so composed, couldn't hold back. “Yao Feng Old Ancestor,” he roared, his voice trembling with fury, “Lu… If you dare lay a hand on her, the White Robe Supreme will never forgive your Saint Son’s Lineage!”
Yao Feng Old Ancestor threw his head back and cackled, a sound devoid of mirth. “Foolishness! Utter foolishness! At a time like this, you still cling to the White Robe Supreme? Let’s not even discuss whether he’ll survive his return to the Grand Dao Sect. He’s about to face eight Supreme-tier factions, all by himself!”
A chilling silence fell over the crowd. Yao Feng Old Ancestor’s words, however cruel, held a terrifying truth. The current Heaven and Earth Change had seen the Heaven and Earth Rules re-evolve, lifting all restrictions on supreme magnates. The cosmic killing intent that once suppressed them was gone. Now, Two-rotation Quasi-Dao Supremes and even Three-rotation Quasi-Dao Supremes could emerge and act with their full power! In this new era, the White Robe Supreme, no matter how powerful, held no inherent advantage.
At that moment, Yao Liuli, despite her bound state, spoke through gritted teeth. “Yao Feng Old Ancestor, I beg you, do not provoke the White Robe Supreme. He is invincible!”
Ye Chen had confided in her about the events at the Bronze Ancient Palace. She knew, with absolute certainty, that Lu Xuan was truly invincible in the Southern Wilds. His previous restraint in not annihilating the Yao Family had been a mercy, granted solely for Ye Chen’s sake. If Yao Feng dared to provoke Lu Xuan again, death would be swift and absolute. While she held no love for the Saint Son’s Lineage, she couldn’t bear to witness their complete destruction.
But Yao Feng Old Ancestor merely scoffed, a contemptuous sneer twisting his lips as he gestured to the vast sky. “Times have changed. The Heaven and Earth Change has begun, and the White Robe Supreme is nothing more than a dying man…”
“Who dares insult my Master?!” Ji Fuyao’s eyes blazed with fury, literally spitting fire. Her elegant feet carried her effortlessly into the air, the Eight Desolations Annihilation Flame swirling around her, its slow burn a terrifying prelude to her power. Her long hair cascaded like a black waterfall, and a boundless sea of spirit fire erupted around her, reaching for the heavens. In the next instant, her slender hand extended, and the Ultimate Emperor Weapon, Howling Heaven, materialized within her grasp, a silver dragon of destruction, its spear-light piercing the very sky.
Beside her, Ye Chen’s rage erupted. “Who dares touch my mother?!” In a flash, the phantom of his Martial Dao Furnace blazed behind him, and his heaven-reaching Martial Dao Will condensed into a palpable force. His aura turned savagely violent, and the Heaven-Devouring Cauldron appeared in his hand, radiating ancient power.
Yao Feng Old Ancestor merely chuckled, a condescending sound. “Two mere ants, daring to challenge me? Great Emperors themselves are but mayflies before my vast sea of power!”
As his words echoed, Yao Feng Old Ancestor’s massive hand slammed down. A terrifying, overwhelming force surged through the heavens and earth, like an entire ocean overturning, as countless brilliant Dao patterns secretly manifested. There was no need for any elaborate spirit art to deal with mere One-star Great Emperors like Ye Chen and Ji Fuyao! This was a pure Dimension-Reducing Strike – a One-rotation Quasi-Dao Supreme crushing two One-star Great Emperors with absolute, unassailable power.
Witnessing this blatant injustice, Dao Yuan Old Ancestor shot into the sky, his voice sharp with condemnation. “Yao Feng, have you no shame?! A Quasi-Dao Supreme attacking cultivators who have just Attained Emperor?!” He moved to cross the void and intervene, but was immediately intercepted by other Old Ancestors from the Saint Son’s Lineage.
“Dao Yuan Old Ancestor, you won’t escape your fate today either… Heheheh!” a sinister voice cackled from the blocking Old Ancestors.
Ye Chen let out a furious roar. “Desolate Heaven Art!” In his mind’s eye, the silhouette of that man appeared—a figure shouldering the weight of all heavens, standing alone through eternity, suppressing every enemy in existence! Ye Chen snarled, “Star-Plucking Hand!” Instantly, power erupted from within him like a raging tempest. His long, dark hair whipped around him, golden divine radiance pulsed from his form, and his white robes billowed, making him appear like a Divine King Descending. Kill! Even a Great Emperor can slay a Quasi-Dao Supreme!
On the other side, Ji Fuyao, too, unleashed her full might. “Heaven-Burning Art!” Her fiery red gown billowed, and around her, an endless, towering inferno blazed with unparalleled ferocity, transforming into a scorching ocean that seemed to burn the heavens and boil the seas, staining the very void crimson with its terrifying aura. “Hiss!” Ji Fuyao unleashed her most potent strike, activating the Ultimate Emperor Weapon, Howling Heaven! The spear’s power, infused with the undying will once passed down from the legendary Flame Ancestor, was earth-shattering, its brilliance illuminating the entire sky.
Yao Feng Old Ancestor merely laughed, a dismissive, mocking sound. “A mere firefly, daring to contend with the sun and moon!”
The colossal palm descended! Ye Chen roared in defiance, blood splattered from Ji Fuyao’s delicate hand. They had poured every ounce of their being into their attacks, but it was utterly, tragically useless! Their combined power was being annihilated, dissolving into nothingness. No miracle occurred. This was the absolute, unyielding power of a Quasi-Dao Supreme!
“Boom!” “Boom!” Ji Fuyao and Ye Chen both coughed up a spray of Essence Blood, sent hurtling backward to crash violently onto the ground. “Mas…” “Mas…” They strained, trying to call out to their Master, but their last reserves of strength failed them. Before even uttering the first syllable, they succumbed to unconsciousness. An instant, crushing defeat! The chasm in power was simply too vast, utterly insurmountable! Moments later, Yao Feng Old Ancestor’s power descended, completely sealing every meridian and every trace of aura within their bodies. Now, Ye Chen and Ji Fuyao lay utterly still, sealed as if dead, devoid of any flicker of life.
Witnessing this horrifying sight, Yao Liuli’s mind went blank, a deafening buzz echoing in her skull. “No! No…!” she shrieked, her voice raw with agony. “Chen’er! My Chen’er!” Her delicate body convulsed with tremors, and two streams of clear tears suddenly poured down her face. She stared at Yao Feng Old Ancestor, her eyes wide with terror. “What have you done to my Chen’er?!”
Yao Feng, a cruel smirk playing on his lips, deliberately drawled, “He’s already dead. Heheh.” The words struck Yao Liuli like a bolt of lightning. Plop! She collapsed to the ground, a broken heap. Clutching at her hair, she wailed, tears streaming down her face. “Chen’er, my Chen’er! It’s all my fault, my son! Your mother failed you!”
A sudden, searing hatred for herself consumed her. Why had she clung to such foolish illusions about the Saint Son’s Lineage? Why had she been so incredibly stubborn? How could she have been such an idiot?! Peak Master Lu could have annihilated the entire Saint Son’s Lineage with a single palm strike, so why, why had she insisted on upholding those utterly worthless Yao Family rules? Why?! Was she a pig?! Now, her son, Chen’er, was dead because of her! And Empress Fuyao, too!
Yao Liuli was utterly lost, her eyes weeping tears of blood as she mumbled incoherently. “I’m a sinner! I’ve doomed Chen’er, I’ve failed Peak Master Lu!” “I’m a sinner, a wretched sinner…”
In that instant, a terrifying, bone-chilling killing intent erupted from Yao Liuli. Never before had she radiated such cold fury! She had broken family rules, and she had been willing to accept the consequences—but only if her Chen’er remained unharmed! Now, Chen’er was dead! To hell with the Yao Family! To hell with their damn rules!
Yao Feng watched Yao Liuli, disheveled and distraught, and sneered. “Yao Liuli, you have violated the family rules…” Before he could finish, Yao Liuli, like a madwoman, shrieked, “To hell with your mother’s rules! Give me back my Chen’er!”
Yao Feng scoffed, “Such vulgarities from a woman of your standing.” But Yao Liuli’s heart was now a maelstrom of pure rage and murderous intent. “I curse your Saint Son’s Lineage to a terrible end!” she screamed. “You will all die!” She had truly gone mad. Punish her, and she would accept it. But Chen’er… never! With a guttural cry, she lunged towards Yao Feng Old Ancestor, intent on killing him.
Ye Changfeng quickly intercepted Yao Liuli, holding her back. “Liuli, don’t be afraid! Even if Chen’er is dead, Peak Master Lu can bring him back! He is the Lord of the River of Time, the Lord of Reincarnation! He commands life and death itself!”
Yao Liuli buried her face in Ye Changfeng’s chest, fiercely pounding her own head. “Is it true?” she sobbed. “It’s true,” Ye Changfeng affirmed, his voice thick with emotion. Yao Liuli wept, “Chen’er, my Chen’er…”
Just then, Yao Feng struck. His palm, imbued with terrifying power, shot directly towards Ye Changfeng and Yao Liuli. The Silent Destruction Old Man only cared for Ji Fuyao and Ye Chen; these two were now expendable. “Boom!” An utterly terrifying force descended, aimed squarely at Ye Changfeng and Yao Liuli’s heads! Yao Feng Old Ancestor snarled, a vicious glint in his eyes. “All of you, die!”