Days later, Zhou Yu and Yu Dayou led the Ying Long Legion, landing on the southeastern coast of the Tian Bao Sect's territory. They advanced northward without resistance, and upon reaching the heart of the sect's domain, the assembled heroes were filled with shock.
The scene before them was one of immense desolation and horror. Hundreds of once prosperous cities had vanished as if from thin air, leaving only dust to whisper tales of millennia of prosperity.
"What divine power could have annihilated all the cities and lives within a two-hundred-mile radius of the Tian Bao Sect?"
Zhou Yu crouched, scooping a handful of dust. He examined it, and even he, a True Immortal, could not discern the size of the particles, so thoroughly had they been erased. Such terrifying power sent shivers down his spine. The Immortal Realm was indeed a realm of myriad supreme planes. Was this the destruction wrought by that woman?
He shuddered at the thought of such a force descending upon the Great Han Immortal Dynasty.
"Commander!"
Yu Dayou approached and bowed deeply.
"How is it?"
Zhou Yu let the dust scatter from his hand and stood up.
"The Tian Bao Sect left nothing behind; everything was pulverized into dust!" Yu Dayou shook his head.
"Issue the command. The entire army will divide into three routes. You will lead one army north to occupy the northern territories of the Tian Bao Sect. Order Zhang Dingbian to lead another army westward, and I will lead the rest southwest!"
Zhou Yu glanced at the ground covered in dust. Everything had happened too suddenly. However, he didn't have time to dwell on it. Thirty ordinary warships of the Ying Long Legion were dispatched to the Immortal Dynasty to rendezvous with other legions. He, leading the main force, would first consolidate the Tian Bao Sect's territory. After all, the Tian Bao Sect was located in the northwestern part of the Tian Bao Realm, bordering the Burial Cloud Realm, the Sacred Land Realm, and the Profound Cloud Realm.
"Your subordinate obeys!"
...
"Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty!"
"General Zhou Yu has sent an urgent report. All buildings, spiritual materials, living beings, and immortal treasures within a two-hundred-mile radius of the Tian Bao Sect have been ground to dust. The Tian Bao Sect has been uprooted!"
Mao Xiang, the Commander of the Brocade-Clad Guard, hurried into the study and spoke rapidly, his face filled with immense shock.
"Hmm?"
Yang Hao's heart trembled, but his outward expression remained as calm as still water. He put down the memorial in his hand and stood up. "The Feng Zhou Realm, this realm is governed by the Phoenix tribes. But where in the Nine Realms is this realm located, and how far is it?"
He murmured to himself. It was too terrifying. He had witnessed the spectacle from the imperial palace in Chang'an City that day – streaks of light filling the sky. In the blink of an eye, and now to hear that the Tian Bao Sect's domain was destroyed for two hundred miles, it was even more terrifying than the destruction of the Wuji Star Palace some time ago.
A wry smile then touched his lips. What was all this? As soon as he led the Great Han Immortal Dynasty into the Immortal Realm, the Tian Bao Realm's three major powers, the Wuji Star Palace and the Tian Bao Sect, were annihilated by a powerful force. The remaining Nine Dragon Sect also ceased to meddle in worldly affairs, focusing solely on defending its own territory.
"Order the Kui Niu Legion, the White Tiger Legion, the Vermilion Bird Legion, the Qiong Qi Legion, and the Tao Tie Legion to immediately board ordinary immortal treasure warships and proceed to the Tian Bao Sect to suppress the border and strictly guard against the covetousness of other realms!"
"Order Li Si, Xiao He, and others to immediately select suitable officials to go to the Tian Bao Sect to preside over administrative affairs!"
"Order Yuan Tiangang and Zhang Jiao to lead the Taoist disciples to construct teleportation arrays without delay!"
"Decree! The Tian Bao Sect and the Wuji Star Palace, for defying the heavens, have suffered the punishment of the Great Dao. Countless races and beings are in dire straits. I deeply understand their pain. Alas! The Great Han controls the territory of the Tian Bao Sect and the Wuji Star Palace. For the sake of all living beings, taxes will be waived for ten years! So be it!"
"Your Majesty!"
Wei Zhongxian presented the drafted imperial edict to Yang Hao. Yang Hao glanced at it and said, "Issue it immediately!"
"Mao Xiang!"
"Your Majesty!" Mao Xiang bowed slightly.
"Our Great Han has just entered the Immortal Realm and has already controlled three-quarters of the Tian Bao Realm's territory. Such vast lands now border the Burial Cloud Realm, the Sacred Land Realm, and the Profound Cloud Realm, greatly increasing the pressure. For the future of the Immortal Dynasty, you will immediately lead the Brocade-Clad Guard to infiltrate the Three Realms. If possible, the secret agents of the Brocade-Clad Guard should be spread throughout the Nine Realms. I want to control the every move of the various powers in the Nine Realms!"
Yang Hao looked at the map of the Nine Realms hanging in the hall. He walked over and took down the map of the Tian Bao Realm. Although there was still the Nine Dragon Sect, it would only take an excuse to annihilate it. Sudanshuwang.
"Your subject obeys the decree!"
Mao Xiang bowed and withdrew.
...
"Sect Master!"
"Sect Master!"
In the Dragon Pool City of the Nine Dragon Sect, Guan Qiu let out a desperate howl of pain. Long Qianning, the woman he most admired, had finally died in the Southern Heaven Immortal Dynasty. This woman, whom he had protected for millennia, had paid with her life for a ridiculous promise. And he, who had stayed by her side, caring for her with all his heart, all his efforts seemed to have been in vain.
"Duan Gan Bai!"
"Duan Gan Bai! I, Guan Qiu, swear that I will slay you in this life and offer your head as a sacrifice to the Sect Master!"
Tears streamed down his face, and with blood on his lips, Guan Qiu knelt on the ground, howling in agony. "Duan Gan Bai, you heartless wretch, you betrayed the Sect Master's deep affection for you! Ten million years! Ten million years, she has loved you deeply!"
"Dharma King!"
"Dharma King!"
"The Sect Master died tragically in the Southern Heaven Immortal Dynasty. We cannot stand idly by. Revenge! We must avenge the Sect Master!"
"Kill that faithless man! Revenge!"
The elders, clad in mourning attire, remembered the Sect Master who had protected them for thousands of years. Betrayed and abandoned by the one she loved, and then dying tragically outside the imperial capital of the Southern Heaven Immortal Dynasty – how could this blood debt go unavenged!
"Announce it: every member of the Nine Dragon Sect, without exception, will board immortal treasure warships and follow me to declare war on Duan Gan's clan of the Southern Heaven Immortal Dynasty, to avenge the Sect Master and wash away our shame!"
Guan Qiu stopped his tears. His beloved woman was gone, how could he continue to live? Even if the Duan Gan clan was immensely powerful, he was not afraid. He would die alongside his Sect Master.
"We obey the decree!"
...
Several days later, a battle flag marked with the Nine Dragon Sect appeared in the imperial palace of the Great Han Immortal Dynasty.
"Strange!"
Yang Hao looked at the words on the letter in shock, then shook his head. With a look of slight bewilderment, he handed the letter to Li Si.
"This...!" Li Si read the contents of the letter and was at a loss for words, his face also showing shock.
The Sect Master of the Nine Dragon Sect was betrayed by Duan Gan Bai of the Southern Heaven Immortal Dynasty's Duan Gan clan. He abandoned his love and broke a promise of ten million years, causing Long Qianning to despair and commit suicide before the Jade Blood Wood outside the imperial capital of the Southern Heaven Immortal Dynasty.
Guan Qiu, the Dharma King of the Nine Dragon Sect, led a million strong force of the Nine Dragon Sect, boarding immortal treasure warships, and marched west to conquer Duan Gan Bai. Before leaving, he wrote a letter to the Great Han. The gist of it was that Guan Qiu was going to conquer Duan Gan Bai and would never return, willing to entrust the Nine Dragon Sect's territory to Yang Hao and asking him to treat the Nine Dragon Sect's hundreds of millions of beings with kindness.
"Strange!"
Yang Hao gave a bitter smile. This Guan Qiu was a being driven mad by love. However, at this moment, he was utterly bewildered. The vast territory of the Tian Bao Realm had inexplicably fallen into his hands.