The distance between Liucheng and Cangcheng was astronomical, yet Lu Xuan had traversed it in an instant. How was this possible? He casually mused, recognizing the sheer power of the Supreme Great Emperor formation pattern he had just utilized.
Lu Xuan’s divine sense effortlessly located the headquarters of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. It was a magnificent, sprawling complex of towering structures, its carved pillars and painted beams etched with brilliant spirit runes that seemed to challenge the very heavens. In the next breath, a boundless divine radiance erupted from Lu Xuan, enveloping him like a colossal sun ascending the void. He raised a hand, and with a casual, devastating motion, slammed a single palm down toward the Pavilion.
The force was cataclysmic, a supreme wave of destructive power that condensed into a colossal palm print, vast enough to blot out the sky. It descended with the crushing weight of a falling star. Boom! The Drunken Immortal Pavilion’s formidable defense array flared to life, its brilliant runes converging like a galaxy of stars, turning the structure into a shimmering, defiant pearl within Cangcheng. Crack! Crack! Yet, in less than a single breath, the formation shattered. It was utterly worthless, collapsing instantly as the immense, invisible weight of the palm crushed the Pavilion like a mountain grinding dust.
An ancient figure, a Nine-star Quasi-Emperor, rocketed out of the collapsing structure. He glared venomously at Lu Xuan. "A mere One-star Great Emperor dares to throw his weight around at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion—" His arrogant challenge was cut short. A blinding streak of divine light, a casual flick of Lu Xuan's finger, shot forth. Pfft! The Quasi-Emperor’s body instantly detonated, dissolving into a fine, crimson mist.
Across Cangcheng, countless divine senses and spiritual consciousnesses immediately stretched out, desperate to identify the attacker. But Lu Xuan was shrouded in an endless, surging brilliance, simultaneously resembling a radiant moon and a scorching sun. He was utterly indistinct, a mere silhouette in white. Any cultivator who dared to probe him felt a searing pain in their sea of consciousness, their eyes instantly tearing up. He could not be observed. The onlookers were aghast. "Who is this Great Emperor? Why is he attacking the Drunken Immortal Pavilion headquarters without warning?"
The Drunken Immortal Pavilion was notorious in Cangzhou for its political savvy, having forged alliances with the four great families of Cangcheng—the Xiao, Cai, Lin, and Liu—sealed by millennia-old Heavenly Dao Oaths. They had risen over two thousand years by eliminating or befriending all powerful rivals. Now, however, Lu Xuan’s single palm strike had utterly pulverized their legendary defenses. The residual force continued its inexorable descent, causing the very earth to groan and buckle beneath Cangcheng. Dust and stones flew as the Pavilion was crushed under a majestic, unstoppable heavenly might.
A desperate, furious roar erupted from the wreckage of the Pavilion. "Old Ancestors of the Xiao, Cai, Lin, and Liu families! Remember the three-thousand-year oath! Intervene now!" The voice was frantic. "We will pay the price of an Emperor Weapon! Anyone who acts will receive one Emperor Weapon, and we will grant you ten percent of all the Drunken Immortal Pavilion's assets!" The entire Cangzhou region was stunned. Ten percent of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion! Their assets, spanning nearly ten branches in auctions, taverns, alchemy, and refining, were immense—a foundation that surpassed any single great family. The price was staggering.
Instantly, the Cai family’s ancestral lands erupted with a terrifying Emperor Realm pressure. The aura of a Two-star Great Emperor, a primordial beast rousing from slumber, shocked the crowd. The Cai Family Old Ancestor was moving! Simultaneously, from the Liu family’s hidden sanctuary, a profound, overwhelming aura burst forth, like a tsunami or a volcanic explosion, its Two-star Great Emperor energy washing over Cangcheng. Another Emperor was preparing to strike!
Yet, in the Lin family’s direction, the ancestral land’s Emperor aura flared briefly, then instantly vanished. The Xiao family’s strongest Old Ancestor also stirred, his divine sense sweeping toward Lu Xuan. When he realized he couldn't discern Lu Xuan's face, his aura immediately vanished, and he retreated deep into his clan's territory.
The people of Cangcheng were bewildered. The Liu and Cai Old Ancestors were stirring, but the Xiao and Lin Emperors had retreated? Against a mere One-star Great Emperor? Yet, even as the Pavilion continued its catastrophic collapse, the Liu and Cai Emperors only maintained their overwhelming auras, refusing to show themselves. The voice inside the Pavilion shrieked, "Act! Hurry and act!" The two Emperors remained deaf to the plea. "Twenty percent of the Pavilion's assets!" the voice screamed. Silence. "Thirty percent!" Still, no one moved.
Lu Xuan’s colossal palm was now moments from impact; the Pavilion was hanging by a thread, its destruction imminent. The voice inside shrieked its final, desperate offer: "Liu Family Old Ancestor! Cai Family Old Ancestor! Thirty percent of the assets for each of you! The Heavenly Dao Oath will witness it! If you don't agree now, the Drunken Immortal Pavilion will be annihilated here, and I swear I won't raise the price again!"
Sixty percent of the Pavilion's wealth! This astronomical sum finally broke the deadlock. Boom! Boom! The Liu and Cai Old Ancestors finally moved.
The void ripped open, and space twisted violently. From the Liu family’s direction, a gray-robed elder emerged, leaning heavily on a cane, his face a roadmap of wrinkles. He was a Twilight Emperor, every step radiating waves of death energy, yet his body pulsed with terrifying Great Emperor Dao patterns. From the Cai family, a plain-clothed old woman appeared, flashing a sinister, toothless grin and eyes that gleamed with cold, vicious light. The two Two-star Great Emperors simultaneously unleashed their power. Two terrifying blasts of energy collided with and instantly annihilated the residual force of Lu Xuan’s palm, momentarily halting the Pavilion’s collapse.
Having stabilized the wreckage, the two Two-star Emperors slowly advanced, their expressions dripping with contempt. They didn't even see Lu Xuan as a threat; a mere One-star Great Emperor was someone they could crush with a thought. They stopped tens of thousands of feet away. The Liu family Old Ancestor sneered, his voice raspy with age. "I neither know nor care about your feud with the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. It is now the property of my Liu family. I will grant you a single opportunity... commit suicide."
Commit suicide!
Lu Xuan, an ethereal silhouette in white, stood utterly still in the void, his figure transcendent. A faint, knowing smile touched the corner of his lips. He raised his right hand and gave a casual, almost bored flick of his finger. Two streaks of divine light, seemingly unremarkable, shot toward the two Emperors. Swoosh! Swoosh! The Liu family Old Ancestor laughed derisively. "In the Emperor Realm, one star is one world! A One-star Emperor is an ant to me. Do you truly believe you can injure—" His words dissolved into a shriek. He had casually tried to swat the light away, but Pfft! His entire right arm, from shoulder to fingertip, exploded into a gory mist. The Old Ancestor stared in disbelief, his body recoiling in shock. But the divine light was already there, piercing his skull with silent precision. A crimson thread of blood traced a line down his brow. He froze, his left hand rising in a final, horrified gesture to touch the wound. "How... how is this possible..." Boom! His lifeless body dropped from the sky like a stone.
Meanwhile, the Cai family Old Woman had already turned to flee, endless defensive Great Emperor Dao patterns swirling around her, even sacrificing an Emperor Weapon to buy time. But it was useless. Pfft! Her body, too, burst into a spray of blood, detonating like crimson fireworks. Another Two-star Great Emperor, annihilated! The entire city of Cangcheng was paralyzed by shock. How? A One-star Great Emperor had instantly executed two Two-star Great Emperors! The principle of "one star, one world" was supposed to be absolute! Who was this white-robed Emperor? He possessed an aura of absolute invincibility! The terror was overwhelming. No one dared to probe him again. A great, profound terror had descended.
Not far away, Ji Fuyao watched, her delicate lips slightly parted, a monstrous wave of emotion surging in her heart. This is Master Lu Xuan! she thought, her reverence reaching a fever pitch. Killing mortals is like cutting grass! Destroying Emperors is like scattering falling leaves!
At that moment, desperate pleas for mercy echoed from the ancestral lands of the Liu and Cai families. "Senior, our Liu family never intended to offend you! Please spare us! We offer one Emperor Weapon to quell your righteous fury!" "Senior! Please withdraw your divine power! Our Cai family offers two Emperor Weapons!" Silence descended upon the world. The cultivators of Cangcheng were utterly stunned. The Liu and Cai families had completely surrendered! It was the only choice; the white-robed Emperor was simply too invincible. Boom! Boom! The Liu family’s offering, a One-star Emperor Weapon in the form of a spirit sword, surged with terrifying sword intent. The Cai family’s offering, a massive seal inscribed with ancient, mysterious Dao patterns representing the power of mountains and rivers, shot toward Lu Xuan. Lu Xuan simply gave a cold, dismissive smile. "Too late."
With a casual wave of his sleeve, Lu Xuan sent the three Emperor Weapons roaring back. They instantly reversed course, transforming into two blazing divine rainbows that seemed to ignite the very firmament. Swoosh! The Emperor-tier spirit sword plunged straight toward the Liu family’s ancestral land, unstoppable! Crack! Boom! It was like a torrent of stars had flooded their territory. The Liu family’s protective formation flared, then instantly shattered like fragile glass. The colossal, majestic power poured into the Liu family’s domain for thousands of miles, tearing the void and twisting space. The terrifying phenomenon of that single sword strike dominated the heavens and the earth.
Within the Liu family’s territory, screams of terror erupted. "Ahhh! Stop! Senior, we were wrong!" "Damn that Old Ancestor! Why did you drag us into this?!" "No! No!" The heavens roared. The terrifying power swept through the clan with the devastating force of a hurricane, ruthlessly erasing lives like autumn leaves. A fierce, wide rainbow of light pierced the Liu family’s ancestral land, illuminating thousands of miles. It was nothing less than divine retribution.