"Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty!"
Chunyu Xing, the Grand Tutor of the Chi Ye Imperial Dynasty, his expression flustered, his steps hurried, his eyes tinged with a trace of blood mist, he cried out sternly, his jaw trembling.
He rushed into the imperial palace. The grand and resplendent hall, usually filled with golden radiance, was now dim and oppressive. A cold, furious aura permeated the entire void.
He entered the hall and quickly looked up. The Chi Ye Great Emperor, who sat regally on the throne, had abandoned his usual composure. His face was covered in dark energy, and an aura of killing intent surrounded him.
Yuwen Yongyan's death was not merely the loss of a brother to the Chi Ye Great Emperor; it signified a weakening of the Chi Ye Imperial Dynasty's formidable foundation.
Yuwen Yongyan had been his right-hand man, one of the three top Venerables of the Chi Ye Imperial Dynasty, and currently the only top Venerable he could command. His demise today filled the Emperor with extreme rage.
How difficult was it to reach the Venerable realm? It was rare for even one to emerge in hundreds of thousands of years, let alone a top Venerable. A gaping chasm had appeared in the sky of the Chi Ye Imperial Dynasty, and their position as the top overlord of the Eastern Desolation Continent was in peril.
The Chi Ye Imperial Dynasty he controlled might decline under his reign. How could he resist the Sword God Sacred Land and the demon race during the once-in-two-million-years supreme opportunity?
It was the Great Han!
It was the Human Race!
This force that he detested!
"Grand Tutor!"
The Chi Ye Great Emperor spoke coldly, "Are there any unusual movements in the East Ling Realm to the northeast?"
The East Ling Realm—the Sword God Sacred Land, the only force on the Eastern Desolation Continent that could threaten the safety of the Chi Ye Imperial Dynasty!
Yuwen Yongyan's fall might be an ill omen.
"Your Majesty, Jian Yong, the Third Elder of the Sword God Sacred Land, is leading a hundred thousand sword cultivators and pressing towards our borders."
Chunyu Xing paused slightly, hesitating before continuing, "Jian Feiyu, the Second Elder, is leading a hundred thousand sword cultivators and has advanced into the Central Ling Realm of the Nan Tian Family!"
"Your Majesty, we..."
"Hmph!"
"The Jian Clan, what a cunning plan! Remaining aloof, they watch from the East Ling Realm as we fight amongst ourselves!"
"Yuwen Yongyan just died, and the Jian Clan is immediately trying to make a move against me. Hmph, do they truly believe that with just Yongyan's demise, I am incapable?"
"What?"
"Your Majesty!"
Chunyu Xing's face turned pale. "According to secret reports, when Prince Yuwen Yongyan passed through the Nan Tian Family on his way, he encountered Qian Cun, the Grand Tutor of the Xi Ling Imperial Dynasty!"
"The Four-Eyed Tribe?"
The Chi Ye Great Emperor's expression shifted rapidly. To the myriad tribes of the Eastern Desolation Continent, the Four-Eyed Tribe was an outsider force, their status somewhat sensitive.
"I suspect that the Xi Ling Imperial Dynasty must have used underhanded tactics, inciting the Nan Tian Family to jointly attack the Great Han."
"The Xi Ling Imperial Dynasty is of the Four-Eyed Tribe. Facing an opportunity that comes once in a million years, how could the ancestor of the Four-Eyed Tribe be content?"
"I surmise that the Nan Tian Family's involvement in the Great Han this time is undoubtedly the work of the Xi Ling Imperial Dynasty, with the aim of forging an alliance with our Chi Ye Imperial Dynasty and the Nan Tian Family. Once the Great Han is destroyed, the Fire Cloud Cave will erupt in fury, and then war will break out again in the Eastern Desolation..."
"The Xi Ling Imperial Dynasty, the Four-Eyed Tribe!"
The Chi Ye Great Emperor murmured softly. "No matter. The most important thing now is to remain vigilant against the Sword God Sacred Land in the East Ling Realm!"
"Chunyu Xing, carry my golden decree, mobilize the army, and strictly guard against the Sword God Sacred Land!"
"Your Majesty, what about the Great Han and the Fire Cloud Cave?"
Upon hearing this, the Chi Ye Great Emperor stood up. "I underestimated the Great Han Imperial Dynasty. Yuwen Yongyan's demise is my fault. The western border must also be heavily guarded. This peaceful Eastern Desolation is about to descend into chaos!"
...
"Nan Tian Guan Yu pays his respects to the Grand Elder!"
In the ancestral land of the Nan Tian Family, Nan Tian Guan Yu and Nan Tian Fei Zhang bowed slightly to the withered old man before them.
Nan Tian Cun, the Grand Elder of the Nan Tian Family, a witness to the last supreme contention. Millions of years had passed, and he had changed bodies several times, consuming countless precious medicinal herbs to stabilize his disintegrating soul.
He had sealed his soul and suppressed it in the ancestral land, merely clinging to life, hoping to seize this supreme contention and ascend to a higher plane.
"Grand Elder, I did not expect to disturb you, old one. I deserve death!"
Nan Tian Guan Yu's face was filled with shame and a trace of panic.
The death of Nan Tian Pu He was not a significant loss for the Nan Tian Family. A seventh-level Venerable was a loss they could afford. What terrified Nan Tian Guan Yu, the leader of the Human Race and master of the Central Ling Realm, was that the Great Han Imperial Dynasty possessed a top Venerable capable of slaying Yuwen Yongyan of the Heavenly Demon Tribe. Their strength was likely among the top contenders in the top Venerable realm.
Even if he himself were a top Venerable, facing Yuwen Yongyan, he would not be confident of victory, let alone the news of Yuwen Yongyan's death emerging from the Great Han Imperial Dynasty in less than an hour.
In one hour, the top Venerable Yuwen Yongyan, an established supreme powerhouse, had met his end on the territory of the Great Han.
Nan Tian Pu He's expedition had not only offended the Great Han Imperial Dynasty but also attracted a hundred thousand sword cultivators from the Sword God Sacred Land.
With the fall of Yuwen Yongyan, one of the two supreme overlords of the Eastern Desolation Continent, the Chi Ye Imperial Dynasty had effectively dropped from its position.
The Sword God Sacred Land possessed three top Venerables, and as sword cultivators who mastered the path of combat, their fighting power surpassed that of warriors of the same realm.
The fact that the Sword God Sacred Land was simultaneously deploying troops to the borders of the Nan Tian Family and the Chi Ye Imperial Dynasty indicated their intentions.
"Guan Yu, you have done well in this matter!"
Nan Tian Cun gently patted Nan Tian Guan Yu's shoulder, his voice calm. "Our Nan Tian Family has protected the Human Race for millions of years. If we speak of the orthodox lineage of the Human Race, it is only our Nan Tian Family!"
"The Great Han Imperial Dynasty, a mere corner of the southwest sea, dares to dream of being the master of the Human Race!"
"Although our Nan Tian Family has lost Nan Tian Pu He this time, the strength of the Chi Ye Imperial Dynasty has also been greatly diminished, and the Sword God Sacred Land has deployed two hundred thousand troops to our borders."
"Guan Yu, in my opinion, this matter can be resolved!"
"Grand Elder!"
Nan Tian Guan Yu said excitedly, "Please guide me, Grand Elder!"
"Write a letter to the Chi Ye Imperial Dynasty. I believe that at this juncture, the Chi Ye Great Emperor will need us as allies to resist the Sword God Sacred Land!"
"With cooperation between the two sides, and four top Venerables stationed, I doubt the Sword God Sacred Land will dare to act rashly."
"As for the Great Han, a newly risen force, a mere fledgling, I fear it will not dare to deploy troops on multiple fronts simultaneously."
"If the Great Han deploys troops, they will face the Xi Ling Imperial Dynasty, the Chi Ye Imperial Dynasty, and our Nan Tian Family. How can the Great Han withstand three top forces?"
"A Great Han Imperial Dynasty, coupled with a crippled Fire Cloud Cave, aspiring to wage war, is not worthy!"
"Guan Yu, the opportunity that comes once in a million years is approaching. Regardless of success or failure, you must remember to spare no effort to protect our Nan Tian Family!"