"Damn the Fox Clan!"
A shiver ran through the onlookers in Cloud City, none daring to utter a sound. Sima Xuance descended slowly, his massive hand sweeping forth, unleashing a torrent of brilliant Dao patterns that instantly enveloped the Beast Arena.
In moments, the Beast Arena's formidable arrays flared with dazzling light. With a mere thought, Sima Xuance conjured a vivid projection within the arena.
The crowd gasped, utterly stunned by such a miraculous display of power.
Within the projection, Lu Xuan, clad in his iconic white robes, stood majestically in the void, relentlessly slaughtering the Cloud City Guards.
Even Liu Ruyan was ultimately slain!
At this sight, Sima Xuance slammed his palm down, and all the Beast Arena's arrays shattered into dust, their light fading into oblivion.
He gazed coldly at the ruins below. "This was a premeditated attack! If I had been here, annihilating this White Robe Supreme would have been like swatting a fly! Alas, we underestimated the Fox Clan!"
Lu Xuan's face had been clearly visible in the projection.
With another thought, Sima Xuance conjured an illusory portrait in the air.
He turned to his subordinates. "Someone! Issue a warrant for this individual's arrest throughout the Fourth Star Ring and beyond!"
A black-robed elder behind him suggested, "Perhaps this person is Demon Fox Ah Li in disguise."
Sima Xuance gritted his teeth. "Better to kill a thousand by mistake than let a single one escape! Dare to challenge my Cloudrise Holy Land? Not one of them will live!"
"Remember this: issue another bounty! For the entire Fox Clan! Throughout the Fourth Star Ring and beyond, any information leading to the discovery of a Supreme Fox Clan bloodline will be rewarded! My Cloudrise Holy Land will completely eradicate these Fox Clan remnants!"
A chill gripped everyone's hearts.
This time, Cloud City had been ravaged by the Fox Clan, infuriating the Cloudrise Holy Lord, who had granted Elder Sima Xuance full authority to handle the matter.
"Better to kill a thousand by mistake than let a single one go!"
The Holy Lord intended to unleash a bloody storm across the entire Fourth Star Ring and beyond!
Sima Xuance was a truly ruthless individual.
Years ago, he had emerged from a small realm, slaughtering every living being within it to refine a Star Core, which he then offered as a pledge of allegiance to gain entry into Cloudrise Holy Land.
Over the epochs, he had risen against all odds, committing countless massacres, becoming the very blade of Cloudrise Holy Land.
When he was truly ruthless, he would even kill his own bloodline descendants!
For years, Cloudrise Holy Land, in its efforts to maintain the cosmic balance of the Fourth Star Ring's 'Momentum,' had annihilated countless small realms, each operation personally overseen by Sima Xuance. Wherever he went, rivers of blood flowed, and corpses piled high.
This time, the Holy Lord's decision to put Sima Xuance in charge was a clear message to everyone beyond the Fourth Star Ring: they were utterly resolute.
"Cloudrise Holy Land is the Heaven outside the Fourth Star Ring!"
The prestige of Cloudrise Holy Land could not be tarnished!
Anyone who dared to provoke them would be suppressed with blood!
Beyond the Fourth Star Ring, with the exception of a few powerful factions like Bodhi Temple, Ghost Sect Branch, Thousand Illusions Sect Branch, One Sword Sect Branch, Immovable Stone Sect Branch, and Yanwu Sect Branch – whom they had to show some respect – all other forces were utterly insignificant.
They could be wiped out entirely!
However, doing so would go against the will of the Ancient Ancestors, so a complete massacre was not an option.
Sima Xuance turned to his subordinates. "Many powerful demons escaped the Beast Arena this time, didn't they? Use my Holy Land's Slave Seals to track them all down, then torture them to death!"
"As you command!"
Several black-clad figures shot into the sky.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Wave after wave of powerful cultivators departed Cloud City, setting out to execute Sima Xuance's orders.
The entire Starry Sky instantly grew tense.
Everyone knew that Cloudrise Holy Land operated with absolute tyranny; if they declared you guilty, then guilty you were.
Meanwhile, the three Supremes of the Southern Wilds Demon Court had already fled far from Cloud City.
They arrived at a black market.
It took nearly half their fortune to persuade a mysterious elder to purify the Cloudrise Holy Land's Slave Seals within their bodies.
The elder informed them, "In three days, the marks on your bodies will completely vanish."
The Titan Ape, Giant Insect Ancestor, and Profound Tortoise Ancestor shed tears of pure exhilaration.
"Finally, we're free!"
Soon, they would be able to return to the Tai Chu Realm.
First, they had to lay low and avoid the impending storm.
Cloudrise Holy Land was likely in a frenzy right now!
Offending Cloudrise Holy Land meant they would unleash their fury upon this entire Starry Sky.
This was Cloudrise Holy Land's long-standing practice:
To make everyone beyond the Fourth Star Ring witness their wrath.
The Titan Ape declared, "Our unworthy descendants are already trying to contact us using Ancestral Artifacts. Once we return, we must indulge, indulge, indulge!"
The Profound Tortoise Ancestor licked his lips. "After suffering for so many damn years, we'll go back and live it up! Eat, drink, and play with female demons! What's the point of cultivating anymore? I'm never cultivating again when I get back!"
The Giant Insect Ancestor was equally thrilled. "Back home, we'll be the Heaven of the Tai Chu Realm! Damn it! Anyone who dares to defy us will be slapped to death! We can't deal with Cloudrise Holy Land, but we can definitely deal with the beings of the Tai Chu Realm!"
Even as the three Demon Lords of the Southern Wilds hid, a bloody storm was unleashed across the Fourth Star Ring.
The numerous experts of Cloudrise Holy Land, emboldened by Elder Sima Xuance's command, became utterly unscrupulous.
As long as they avoided provoking factions like the Ghost Sect Branch or the Yanwu Sect Branch, no other power could stand against them.
A black-clad man descended above a star, his voice cold. "I suspect the Fox Clan is hiding within your star! To conspire with the Fox Clan is a death sentence for all!"
The Four-star Supreme's overwhelming pressure surged out like a tidal wave, engulfing the surroundings.
The strongest cultivator on this star was only a Two-star Supreme!
They were no match!
Utterly crushed underfoot!
"Boom!"
The Realm Lord of that world, clad in grey robes, rose into the sky, offering his essence treasure with a trembling voice. "Elder, this is a grave injustice!"
The black-clad man snatched the essence treasure, then pointed a finger directly at the Realm Lord's forehead, branding him with a Slave Seal. "Injustice? This star must be refined!"
With a flick of his sleeve, all beings below the Emperor Realm in that world were instantly wiped out!
Annihilated with a single thought!
The remaining beings above the Emperor Realm were all branded with Slave Seals!
The black-clad man stomped his foot down!
Trampling the Star!
This single stomp contained a secret art of Cloudrise Holy Land, capable of directly refining small realms.
An incomparably profound and mysterious power surged, a force that utterly transcended this star. This entire world began to collapse, its Heavenly Dao directly erased, and all its mountains, rivers, and lands were compressed and refined!
Half a day later.
The star was completely refined into a Star Core, which shimmered with brilliant Dao patterns, radiating an intense heat.
Finally, a faint smile touched the black-clad man's lips.
Though it was only a low-grade Star Core, it could be exchanged for many Contribution Points within Cloudrise Holy Land!
This time, Cloudrise Holy Land's order to hunt the Fox Clan was, in reality, a 'perk' for these Holy Land elders.
They could wantonly refine Star Cores!
In this vast Starry Sky, who would dare question the people of Cloudrise Holy Land?
This was precisely why countless cultivators fought tooth and nail to join Cloudrise Holy Land!
The waters were deep and complex!
And full of opportunities!
Soon after.
The black-clad man arrived at another star.
He didn't care if this star had any Fox Clan members; refining it meant more Contribution Points!
"Boom!"
Another star was refined.
This Realm Lord was exceptionally defiant, but against absolute power, it was utterly useless!
Before his death, the Realm Lord snarled a curse, "Cloudrise Holy Land will be destroyed one day!"