Chapter 1829: Desperate Situation Turbulent Waves (2)

"It's impossible for five such individuals to exist in this world! Not even in the Dragon God Realm!"

Qianye Ying'er's golden brows furrowed deeply. Even though these words came from Chi Wuyao, and despite the five figures standing before the Crimson Extinction Dragon God, she could not believe it. More precisely, she simply could not accept it. Because if it were true, the power of the Dragon God Realm would be terrifying enough to induce despair.

She quickly focused and sent a sound transmission. Soon, two white figures swiftly appeared: Qianye Wugu and Qianye Bingzhu.

"Divine Emperor's urgent summons, what are your orders?" Qianye Bingzhu asked.

"Do you recognize these five shadowy figures?" Qianye Ying'er pointed to the grey images in the projection.

Without Qianye Ying'er's direction, the two Qianye ancestors' gazes were already fixed on the five grey figures behind the Dragon Emperor. Even as mere projections, they exerted immense pressure on the two old men, who had seen through the world's illusions.

"We don't recognize them," Qianye Wugu shook his head.

"Not recognizing them is precisely what's most frightening," Qianye Bingzhu said.

"Though they are mere projections, these five give this old man a feeling... of unfathomable depth," Qianye Wugu sighed. "'The Dragon God Realm is always more terrifying than you perceive'—our ancestors' words truly did not deceive me."

The words of Qianye Wugu and Qianye Bingzhu undoubtedly shattered Qianye Ying'er's last glimmer of hope. Five monsters comparable to the Crimson Extinction Dragon God... these five alone could obliterate more than half of the King Realms. The Crimson Extinction Dragon God had almost become the Dragon Emperor back then. One individual had the qualification to lead the Dragon God Realm... how could five more suddenly appear?

Qianye Ying'er's mind was in turmoil, and Chi Wuyao also found it hard to remain calm. Because in such a situation, the Dragon God Realm's overall strength presented an absolute crushing advantage over them. And that was even before factoring in the Five Western King Realms!

Chi Wuyao narrowed her eyes, then slowly said, "It's fortunate we learned of these five old monsters' existence early; otherwise, if we were to face them directly, the consequences would be unimaginable."

"Should we retreat?" Qianye Ying'er asked.

Retreating to the Northern Divine Region offered a perfect escape route that even ten Dragon God Realms couldn't forcibly breach.

Chi Wuyao pondered for a moment, then said, "Whether to fight or retreat, it must still be decided by the Devil Master. In the current situation, the biggest variable depends on what kind of surprise the Devil Master can bring once he emerges from the Heaven Smiting Divine Realm."

"If that surprise isn't greater than the shock brought by the Dragon God Realm, then we will have no choice but to retreat."

"Hmph, will he listen?" Qianye Ying'er scoffed lightly.

"He wouldn't have before, but now..." Remembering Yun Che's sudden change, the heavy-hearted Chi Wuyao couldn't help but smile slightly. "Perhaps he will be obedient."

"From the Dragon God Realm to here, for a force of this scale, even the fastest profound ark, maintaining maximum speed throughout the journey, would take at least four days," Qianye Ying'er gradually calmed down and said indifferently. "Yun Che should emerge in about two days, so while it's a bit tight, we barely have enough time to prepare a retreat."

"However, it would be best to issue orders in advance and prepare for withdrawal, just in case of any other unforeseen variables."

Chi Wuyao deliberated for a moment, then nodded.

Long Bai's early return to his realm, and his forceful, decisive command that surpassed everyone's imagination, had already put considerable pressure on Chi Wuyao... but not enough to make her choose immediate retreat. However, the sudden appearance of these five old monsters was enough to instantly shatter all hope and confidence. Because an absolutely crushing combat power would render even the most intricate strategies and formations into a joke.

"Huajin, send a sound transmission to the Sirius Star God, Yan Tianxiao, Fen Daoqi, the various Upper Realm Kings... and Cang Shitian. Order them to immediately..."

*Rumble rumble rumble...*

A colossal roar, like the heavens collapsing and the earth splitting, suddenly erupted... accompanied by Zhou Xuzi's intense soul tremor, causing both Chi Wuyao and Qianye Ying'er to look sideways in alarm.

Within the projection, a colossal black shadow slowly rose into the sky from an unknown location. Only after Zhou Xuzi's gaze shifted multiple times could its outline finally be discerned. It was an enormous floating island, three to four hundred miles in size! No! More accurately, it was a floating city! Buildings stood densely upon it, enveloped in a faint greyish-white aura. Every brick, every tile, every piece of profound jade emitted an exceptionally heavy ancient aura... so ancient that even someone with Zhou Xuzi's vast experience could not trace its origins through the memories of past ancestors.

"What... is that?" Qianye Wugu murmured aloud.

Another existence he knew nothing about. The two former Brahma Divine Emperors realized anew, at this moment, how shallow their understanding of the Dragon God Realm truly was.

"Could it be... a special profound ark?" Chi Wuyao's demonic eyes narrowed, and she whispered.

"A profound ark!?" Qianye Ying'er was about to deny it, but then she understood why Chi Wuyao made such a guess... given the situation where the Dragon God Realm had gathered all the core forces of the King Realms, even if it didn't look like one, the possibility of it being a profound ark was the highest.

"Your Highness Dragon Emperor, these... seniors are?" Zhou Xuzi finally couldn't suppress the shock in his heart and voiced everyone's astonishment.

Long Bai didn't glance sideways, stating indifferently, "These are five Guardian Venerables of my clan, all ancestors of mine. No need to ask further."

The Dragon Emperor's... ancestors?! These few words caused the terror in everyone's hearts to multiply several times over; the more they pondered, the more frightened they became.

"..." Zhou Xuzi bowed in deference. "Zhou Xuzi, an unworthy descendant of the Heaven Smiting Realm, greets the senior Dragon Gods. With five reclusive seniors in command, the Devil Race is as good as annihilated."

The five silent withered Dragon Venerables reacted to the words "Heaven Smiting Realm," each giving Zhou Xuzi a faint glance. Long Yi sighed lightly and said, "How astonishing was the young woman who founded the Heaven Smiting Divine Realm, for her descendants to have fallen to this state. Alas."

"...!?" Zhou Xuzi's head snapped up, his gaze trembling.

He referred to the Heaven Smiting Progenitor as... a young woman?! This statement not only startled Zhou Xuzi but also profoundly shocked Chi Wuyao and Qianye Ying'er, who were observing from afar in the Southern Region.

"Such an aura, tone, and form of address," Qianye Wugu mused, "this person could have been the Dragon Emperor of old, or at least a Dragon God."

"That the Dragon God clan possesses such secrets is both terrifying and lamentable," Qianye Bingzhu said.

"With such power, their identity no longer matters," Chi Wuyao's gaze fixed on the floating city in the projection. "What I care about most is what this strange city... truly is!" Because when this floating city appeared, the intense unease already in her heart instantly magnified several times over... even more so than when she saw those five terrifying old men. She had no mind to continue the sound transmission she had interrupted.

Long Bai's gaze swept across the surroundings, his voice shaking heaven and earth. "Esteemed Divine Emperors, thank you for traveling so far. The calamity in the Northern Region has plunged the Eastern and Southern Regions into dire straits, an unforgivable offense against heaven and earth. This time, I ask for your assistance in eliminating it with a single battle."

The Qilin Emperor leaned forward and said, "How dare we disobey the Dragon Emperor's command?"

The Chilong Emperor took a large step forward, his tone a few points higher than the Qilin Emperor's. "Annihilating the Devil Race is a paramount duty for my clan. My Imperial Chilong Realm has long been prepared and ready, awaiting only the Dragon Emperor's return and his single command! Even if we are buried here, we will have no regrets!"

"Indeed!" the Huilong Emperor also declared loudly, "My Huilong Realm has also been preparing for a long time! Upon receiving the Dragon Emperor's command, all Divine Masters of the Huilong Realm have resolutely arrived, their battle intent overflowing, none absent! With the Dragon Emperor personally leading us, we will ensure that not a single drop of blood returns from that wicked Devil Race!"

The atmosphere and attitudes of the Five Western King Realms also visibly changed. After Ash's death and Crimson Extinction's humiliating escape, the Five Western King Realms had fallen into apprehension that the "Dragon God Realm might lose," causing them to hesitate before acting and secretly hold back power. Who knew that upon the Dragon Emperor's return, he would issue an unprecedentedly overbearing imperial decree, eliminating any thoughts of self-preservation? Having arrived with trepidation, upon witnessing the Dragon God Realm's lineup, their shock dispelled their apprehension towards the Devil Race and their previous unease that the "Dragon God Realm might lose." With the Dragon Emperor personally leading, all Dragon Gods, Dragon Lords, and Prime Dragons mobilized... and five terrifyingly powerful old monsters. Plus all the core Divine Masters from their five King Realms. With such an immense force, what was there to fear from the Northern Region Devil Race? It even felt like no fierce battle would be needed; they could easily crush them. If there were to be any variables, it could only be the Devil Master Yun Che, who was always beyond prediction and even comprehension. However, these five reclusive old monsters from the Dragon God Realm were also a monumental variable for the Devil Race. Their postures naturally changed accordingly.

The Dragon Emperor raised his hand, silencing them, and said, "Your collective will to slay devils greatly pleases me. All of you are Divine Masters standing at the peak of the current age, so I need not elaborate further. Since everyone has arrived, please proceed to the Heaven and Earth Dragon City. We shall immediately head straight for the Ten Directions Azure Sea Realm, where the Devil Race resides."

"Heaven and Earth... Dragon City?" The Qilin Emperor murmured, as if recalling something but unable to pinpoint it.

"What is this?" The Azure Dragon Emperor looked up at the floating city... "Proceed to the Heaven and Earth Dragon City?" Could it truly be a special profound ark?

The Dragon Emperor said calmly, "This is a divine ark left behind by an ancient ancestral branch of my Dragon God lineage. With this ark, reaching the Southern Region's Azure Sea will take only one hour!"

*Boom!*

The projection violently trembled, then directly collapsed.

"Impossible!" Qianye Ying'er's golden eyes constricted. She vehemently denied, "The fastest profound ark in the Western Divine Region is the Azure Dragon Realm's 'Still Water Heart Palace,' whose maximum speed is comparable to the Eastern Divine Region's fastest profound ark, the Moon-Shunning Immortal Palace."

"Yet, whether it's the Still Water Heart Palace or the Moon-Shunning Immortal Palace, traveling from the Dragon God Realm to the Azure Sea Realm at maximum speed would still take at least three days. And the speed of a large profound ark could never compare to profound arks designed for extreme speed! One hour... that's utterly preposterous!"

"No," Chi Wuyao, however, let out a long breath, her voice slow and tinged with a sense of powerlessness. "Facing the combined core forces of all Western King Realms, the Dragon Emperor would not speak carelessly about such a matter."

"Furthermore... the name 'Heaven and Earth Dragon City' exists in the fragmented memories of the demonic soul I bear." Had it not been for this, her soul would not have been so disturbed as to be unable to maintain the projection.

"...!?" Qianye Ying'er looked directly at her. "What exactly... is that?"

Chi Wuyao replied, "The Heaven and Earth Spirit Realm and the Heaven and Earth Dragon City are two special profound arks from the ancient gods. They are unique because they are both imbued with the power of the Heaven and Earth Needle. And the Heaven and Earth Spirit Realm... you have actually seen it."

Qianye Ying'er frowned, then said, "Could it be... Yun Che's Primordial Profound Ark!?"

"Exactly," Chi Wuyao nodded slightly. "Although it consumes an immense amount of energy, you have personally witnessed the power of the Heaven and Earth Spirit Realm. We relied on it to easily infiltrate the core of the Heaven Smiting Divine Realm and complete a day-long bloody purge."

"As for the Heaven and Earth Dragon City... in the demonic soul's memories, it indeed belonged to the Dragon God clan in ancient times. I hadn't expected it to survive the fierce battle back then and remain in this world."

Chi Wuyao's voice grew heavier with each word. "A profound ark on the same level as the Primordial Profound Ark... not to mention one hour, if it has enough energy, it could arrive in an instant... I wouldn't doubt it."

Qianye Ying'er's golden eyes constricted further.

One hour... in just one hour, the Western Divine Region would attack?!

Qianye Wugu and Qianye Bingzhu heard everything. They simultaneously uttered two words: "Retreat."

Their core Devil Master was absent, while the enemy had not only forcibly gathered all their core strength but also gained five old monsters. In this battle, the Devil Race had no chance of victory. Even their retreat route was reduced to just one hour. Evidently, even though the Dragon Emperor had deployed his strongest formation, he was still ruthless enough to leave the Devil Race no way out... intent on complete annihilation! If Chi Wuyao hadn't secretly enslaved Zhou Xuzi's soul beforehand, they wouldn't even have this one hour. Long Bai's actions, while seen by the world as extreme cruelty towards the Devil Race, were believed by no one to stem more from his hatred for Yun Che alone. He wanted to inflict upon Yun Che the ultimate despair, the most tragic end.

"No, absolutely not!" Qianye Ying'er's brows furrowed, her voice cold. "If we retreat, what about Yun Che?!"

The Heaven Smiting Pearl was currently activating the Heaven Smiting Divine Realm; it couldn't be moved by force! If the Devil Race withdrew... would only the Heaven Smiting Pearl, with Yun Che and Shui Meiyin inside, be left behind in the Azure Sea?

"Retreating means there's still a chance for survival, still a future. Holding out..." Chi Wuyao paused for a long time before softly saying, "For how long can we hold out?"

According to Yun Che, he would emerge from the Heaven Smiting Divine Realm in about two more days. Yet, in one hour, the Western Divine Region would arrive at their doorstep. Retreating... would indeed preserve their vitality and future. If they dispersed and withdrew, even if the Western Divine Region pursued, it would be impossible to annihilate them all. Returning to the Northern Divine Region would mean safety. However, this action would be tantamount to abandoning Yun Che. As for holding out... unless a miracle occurred, they would at best suffer heavy losses, and at worst, be completely annihilated. And it would still be almost impossible to hold out until Yun Che emerged from the Heaven Smiting Divine Realm.

Qianye Ying'er suddenly reached out a hand, gripping Chi Wuyao's shoulder, her fingers clenching tightly.

"Chi Wuyao," Qianye Ying'er spoke to her in a menacing tone for the first time, her eyes revealing a terrifying malevolence. "I don't care what you're thinking, but first, remember my stance."

"Even if everyone in your Northern Divine Region perishes, Yun Che cannot die!"

Her already tightened fingers clenched further, trembling. "You're so skilled at manipulating people's hearts. I believe that even in this desperate situation, you must have a way to make everyone fight to the death for Yun Che... you *must*!"

"Don't talk to me about reason, and don't make me hate you!"

Chi Wuyao turned her gaze, looking deeply at Qianye Ying'er, yet she did not shake off her offending grip.

"I don't possess the capabilities you describe, and furthermore, this matter doesn't require manipulating hearts."

Ultimately, as the Devil Queen, she had become completely calm at this moment, her dark eyes once again transforming into bottomless, endless abysses that devoured souls.

"To advocate holding out, one must first advocate departure," she said softly.

"..." Qianye Ying'er's golden eyes flickered slightly, and her hand on Chi Wuyao's shoulder gradually relaxed.