“Our Imperial Court’s four Supreme Old Ancestors are already en route! The advantage is ours!”
The Ice Frost Empress radiated confidence. The Imperial Court had never known defeat, and she believed it never would!
Just then, Wang Chen’s gaze fell upon the heavily armored Imperial Dragon Guard arrayed behind Ji Fuyao. A tremor ran through him. He remembered the prophecy. The prophecy of Huang Chao, the Creation Supreme!
“The Northern Plains Imperial Court shall fall to a Spirit Fire Dao expert. The Northern Plains will melt, and the capital will be filled with golden armor!”
The Ice Frost Empress, observing Wang Chen’s visible unease, spoke with chilling disdain, “Are you perhaps recalling the prophecy of that rebel, Huang Chao?”
Wang Chen, caught off guard, could only offer an awkward silence.
The Ice Frost Empress scoffed, a dismissive sound. “He was merely a dead man.”
As her words faded, the Dao patterns etched upon an Ancestral Artifact within her storage ring flared to life. Her divine sense probed it, and a flicker of excitement crossed her face as she addressed the numerous Supreme Old Ancestors behind her. “Our Imperial Court’s Supreme Old Ancestors are about to descend!”
The Supreme Old Ancestors erupted in joyous fervor. “Our Imperial Court finally ascends!” one cried. “To hell with the Supreme Path, let it come or not!” another scoffed.
Meanwhile, in the vast Starry Sky, four ancient figures sat aboard a venerable Cloud Ship. Mystical Supreme Dao patterns were etched into its hull as it traversed the cosmic expanse. Their expressions were grave, and several attendants stood behind them.
These four were Bing Qianluo, Bing Qianhan, and other Supreme Old Ancestors who had ascended from the Northern Plains Imperial Court.
Bing Qianluo’s face was grim, an ominous Slave Seal mark pulsing faintly on his body, a brand of the Ice Soul Realm. “Our Imperial Court’s Ancestral Artifact has shattered,” he stated, his voice tight. “It seems the enemy’s strength has surpassed the Quasi-Dao Supreme realm!”
Bing Qianhan sneered, a cold, dismissive sound. “The Tai Chu Realm is merely a minor world. Even after all this time, any Supremes it produces are bound to be incomplete. Such incomplete Supremes are hardly worth fearing!”
Behind the four, a black-robed elder pointed towards the distant Tai Chu Realm. “Is that your homeworld?” he asked.
Bing Qianluo and the others replied with utmost humility, “Indeed.”
The black-robed elder shook his head dismissively. “This place is too close to The Void. Furthermore, this realm is tainted with Eerie Power and bears a terrifying rift. It won’t last much longer. As a slave star, it might only endure for a few decades. Not much value.”
Bing Qianluo’s expression shifted. “My lord, my apologies!”
This black-robed elder was a native Three-star Supreme from the Ice Soul Realm, a figure of immense status.
The Ice Soul Realm was one of many minor realms under the dominion of Cloudrise Holy Land. Though its strongest cultivators only reached Five-star Supreme, its reliance on Cloudrise Holy Land meant few dared to provoke it beyond the Fourth Star Ring.
The black-robed elder spoke indifferently, “In that case, let’s plunder some living beings.”
In the Fallen Star Sea, cultivation resources were vital, but living beings were equally a resource. Greater realms frequently waged war, annexing minor realms to plunder their populations!
Bing Qianluo replied respectfully, “As you command! We of the Ice Soul Realm can plunder the living beings of the Northern Plains in this realm. However, we cannot act in the Eastern Wilds, as a Ji Family Supreme Old Ancestor serves as an elder in Cloudrise Holy Land.”
The black-robed elder frowned slightly. “Oh? Then take the Northern Plains’ population.”
...
Within the Yunhan Mountain Range, Ji Fuyao, clad in a fiery red gown, radiated terrifying Spirit Fire Dao Rhyme. She spoke calmly, “Let us proceed to the Inheritance Land.”
Just then, several middle-aged men from the Fire Alliance emerged from the Inheritance Land. They stared, utterly stunned, at the vast army Ji Fuyao commanded. After a moment, they bowed deeply to Ji Fuyao, speaking in hushed tones. “Senior Ji Fuyao, our Fire Alliance King General, Lady Su, has been awaiting your arrival.”
“With the Fuyao Dynasty now allied with us, our strength has grown considerably.”
Chen Bing, however, hesitated, a troubled expression on his face.
Soon, Ji Fuyao, accompanied by Wang Man, Qing Yan, and others, stepped into the Inheritance Land. Passing through towering stone gates, they found themselves in a vast, open landscape that formed its own self-contained world.
The Fire Alliance headquarters had indeed been waiting for a long time. Upon Ji Fuyao’s arrival, Su Yunxi immediately rose. A flicker of awe crossed her face, clearly struck by Ji Fuyao’s stunning presence, but she quickly composed herself and stepped forward to greet her.
Ji Fuyao spoke calmly, “Where is the inheritance of Huang Chao, the Creation Supreme?”
Su Yunxi’s lips curled into a faint smirk. “A mere dead man. Why bother with his inheritance?”
Ji Fuyao’s expression remained utterly unperturbed, as if she had anticipated this very moment.
But the Fire Alliance members behind Su Yunxi looked bewildered. “Lady Su, what is the meaning of this?”
Su Yunxi sneered, a chilling laugh. “A bunch of fools! Since things have come to this, I’ll tell you: in this entire Yunhan Mountain Range, only one of us will walk out alive, and that will be me!”
“I have long been a loyal servant of the Imperial Court! Your presence here is nothing but a death trap!”
As her words echoed, the Fire Alliance experts at the headquarters were utterly dumbfounded. All eyes turned to Su Yunxi. “Lady Su, you… you’ve betrayed the Fire Alliance!” one stammered. “Why? Our headquarters helped you secure the Creation Supreme’s inheritance, why would you do this?” another demanded. “We were ready to fight to the death, why betray us?” The Fire Alliance members grew increasingly enraged. They had all been deceived! Who could have imagined a King General would betray them?
Su Yunxi merely laughed, a cold, calculating sound. “Opposing the Imperial Court is a dead end for everyone. Only by stepping over your corpses can I secure a higher position within the Imperial Court!”
“As for you, Ji Fuyao, and your so-called Fuyao Dynasty, you’re all headed for the same fate!”
“This entire area has been surrounded by the Imperial Court’s forces, and a Heaven-reaching Great Array has been deployed. No one will escape!”
With that, she turned towards the entrance of the Inheritance Land and shouted, “Welcome, Her Majesty the Empress!”
A thunderous boom! A shattering crack! The Ice Frost Empress, clad in an ice-blue gown, descended from the sky. General Wang Chen and other commanders followed in her wake. Around her, an incomparably frigid power surged, silver-white Dao Rhyme swirling continuously. With every step, a crystalline ice stair materialized in the void, radiating immense power. Her mere presence caused the temperature of this entire domain to plummet, and snowflakes began to drift through the air.
Thud! Su Yunxi immediately dropped to her knees before the Ice Frost Empress, shouting, “This is my pledge of allegiance…”
Before she could finish, Whoosh! An ice pillar erupted from the ground, piercing straight through Su Yunxi’s body and impaling her upon it.
Su Yunxi looked at Ji Fuyao with utter shock, blood gushing from her mouth. “You…”
Ji Fuyao’s expression remained perfectly calm.
Su Yunxi, her face a mask of horror, lifted her head to gaze at the Ice Frost Empress, asking in disbelief, “Your Majesty, why… why would you attack me?”
The Ice Frost Empress scoffed, a cruel, cold sound. “Su Yunxi, had you resisted my Imperial Court, I might have held you in higher regard and granted you an intact corpse. But if you could backstab the Fire Alliance today, you would backstab my Imperial Court tomorrow! My Imperial Court has no need for such a vile wretch!”
At these words, Su Yunxi spat out a mouthful of vital blood. Pfft! She was utterly incredulous. All her machinations, the deaths of so many Fire Alliance experts for her pledge of allegiance… had led to this outcome?
“Hahahahaha!” The Fire Alliance members erupted in triumphant laughter. “Su Yunxi, you vile bitch, you got what you deserved!” “Hahahahaha! Good riddance!” Another spat in disgust.
The Ice Frost Empress gazed down coldly at Su Yunxi. “Merely a lowly creature. And you dared to dream of becoming a member of my Imperial Court?”