Chapter 989: Today, All Beings Stand for Him

Near the coast of the Nanyu region, a deafening howl echoed from the sky. Powerful winds were whipped up, transforming into a sweeping storm that shook the very foundations of the land.

Within the storm, two figures moved with astonishing speed, whistling as they advanced. Wherever they passed, they seemed to carve long streaks across the firmament, rapidly extending across the sky, effortlessly cutting through the void.

All the various factions in Nanyu, divine beings, hidden deities, and even the mountains, rivers, and myriad creatures of the world – anyone with the ability to perceive – simply gazed upon Xu Qing's figure without offering the slightest obstruction.

Their gaze was fixed because, in the preceding period, Xu Qing's disappearance had unleashed colossal ripples, impacting a vast area and escalating the situation to an overwhelming degree. Xu Qing's name had become utterly renowned.

He was the Grand Xuan Tian of Yan Yue, and the Grand Tutor of the human race. In the eastern reaches of Wanggu, he held a position of significant authority and influence.

To locate him, the Eastern Realm of Wanggu resonated with activity. The Human Empress and the Three Yan Yue Gods seized this opportunity to assert their will to the fullest extent, declaring to all who truly ruled the Eastern Realm.

Consequently, even though humans were few in the Nanyu region, as long as it lay within the Eastern Realm of Wanggu, all were bound to obey the joint decree of the human race and the Yan Yue Xuan Tian Clan.

Thus, under the watchful eyes of all parties, Xu Qing and Er Niu, after departing the desert, headed directly for... the Forbidden Sea!

As they sped forth, news of Xu Qing's liberation swiftly spread, reaching various regions of the Eastern Realm. Simultaneously, a decree from Xu Qing was immediately issued, commanding Sheng Lan and Hei Ling.

"Sheng Lan, Hei Ling, declare war on the Xie Sheng!"

Upon the issuance of this decree, the world was shaken to its core!

The two great regions of Sheng Lan and Hei Ling, with Fenghai Commandery at their core, instantly erupted. Large-scale teleportation arrays abruptly activated. Teams of battle-hardened cultivators stepped into the arrays, obeying the commands of their respective city lords. They descended upon... the Xie Sheng Sacred Land, to rendezvous with the existing armies.

A great war was about to commence.

At the same time, a decree from Nan Huang was also issued from the Nan Huang Continent.

"Nan Huang Continent, declare war on the Xie Sheng!"

Under the Nan Huang decree, divine beings from Huang Jin surged forth, causing the world to ripple with boundless energy at that moment.

"Seven Blood Pupils, declare war on the Xie Sheng!"

From the various islands of the Forbidden Sea, countless voices of the Seven Blood Pupils responded in kind. All their killing intent converged upon the Xie Sheng!

"Ji Yue Great Region, declare war on the Xie Sheng!"

The Young Master and his companions, who had not left the Forbidden Sea, had their voices resonate through the void after learning of Xu Qing's liberation and hearing the declaration of war!

Instantly, all forces affiliated with Xu Qing were stirred into a frenzy. Array after array continuously materialized upon the sealed Xie Sheng Sacred Land!

This was Xu Qing's predatory offensive!

His first step in hunting Fu Xie was to completely uproot his sacred land.

Xu Qing was extremely vengeful; this characteristic had been apparent since his youth! Even if someone merely showed hostility without acting, he would preemptively eliminate them, let alone Fu Xie, who had pushed him to the brink of death!

And Fu Xie was the master of the Xie Sheng Sacred Land. Even if the Xie Sheng himself was unable to intervene due to external pressure, the seeds of hatred had already been sown and could not be dispelled. Given this...

Killing one Fu Xie was not enough! If they were to kill, they would kill more; if they were to destroy, they would destroy an entire sacred land! Only then would there be no future repercussions!

"Furthermore, locating Fu Xie's whereabouts will require the bloodline of his clansmen."

In the sky, a towering killing intent blazed in Xu Qing's eyes! Beside him, the Captain licked his lips, a bloody gleam appearing in his eyes.

"Little Ah Qing, your idea is perfectly sound. Indeed, some matters don't need to be spoon-fed to you. While that might make them easier to consume, it deprives you of the experience of uncovering them yourself! Since you desire this experience, after we blood-sacrifice the Xie Sheng Sacred Land, I, your Senior Brother, will personally use this clan's bloodline to set up the Great Five Ox Trace Origin Ruthless Dao. With this, we'll pinpoint that scoundrel's location, and then we'll go finish him off."

The Captain's murderous cry echoed. After their whistling rush tore through the clouds, they finally entered the skies above the Forbidden Sea. Without any hesitation, amidst the ocean's waves and the sky's churning, they headed directly for the Xie Sheng Sacred Land! Along their path, countless sea beasts could be seen leaping from the waters, and tidal waves swept everything before them, all converging on the Xie Sheng! Furthermore, one after another, divine beings emerged from the seabed, their target also the Xie Sheng Sacred Land!

By the time the two figures appeared within the territorial boundaries of the Xie Sheng Sacred Land, Xu Qing's eyes were met with a grand, breathtaking, and truly vast spectacle!

Countless battle flags fluttered in the wind! Innumerable cultivators were arrayed in all directions, their malevolent aura shaking everything at that moment, causing the winds and clouds to change color and storms to rage!

Among these cultivators were legions from the Sheng Lan region, priests from the Hei Ling region, grand armies of the human race, and numerous Forbidden Sea tribes allied with the Seven Blood Pupils! There were also cultivators from the Reversal Moon Hall of the Ji Yue Great Region. They were boundless, completely encircling the Xie Sheng Sacred Land!

In the sky above, numerous figures that warmed Xu Qing's heart were also present! There was the Young Master, Third Grandma, Fifth Grandma, Eighth Grandfather, and Ninth Grandfather. Ling'er was there too! Additionally, King Zhen Yan and all the ancestors of the Seven Blood Pupils were present, with Xue Lianzi prominently among them! The powerful cultivators from both the Sheng Lan and Hei Ling regions had also arrived!

At the very apex, a Flame Phoenix, its body wreathed in endless flames, blotted out the sun, forming a sea of fire that scorched the firmament. Second Senior Sister stood atop the Flame Phoenix!

Everything was poised, awaiting only Xu Qing.

And Xu Qing's figure, step by step, approached from the horizon! Each footfall resonated like thunder, and his arrival solidified into an overwhelming aura!

"Greetings, Region Lord.""Greetings, Grand Tutor.""Greetings, Dao Child.""Lord of Reversal Moon."

Different titles emanated from the armies of various factions. Though the words varied, the respect and fervor they contained were identical! He was the Region Lord of Sheng Lan and Hei Ling! He was the Grand Tutor of the human race! He was the Dao Child of the Seven Blood Pupils! He was the Lord of the Reversal Moon Hall. All these titles he had earned step by step through his own efforts over the years.

Originally, during his period of tempering, Xu Qing had not sought to display any of these identities. He simply wished to hone himself according to his master's instructions! But since, during his tempering, Fu Xie had desired his death, then today, he had come! To unleash the full might of his forces!

As he walked, heavenly thunder rumbled, and a deafening roar filled the air! Only a hundred miles remained until the Sacred Land!

As for the Xie Sheng Sacred Land, its array had already collapsed, and its clansmen trembled, one by one revealing despair! Under this pervasive pressure, most of them suffered torment in both body and soul, many of their lips bleeding amidst the tremors.

The Xie Sheng Ancestor's expression grew even grimmer. He had, in fact, prepared himself over the past few days, but upon seeing Xu Qing's figure emerge from the horizon, his heart sank!

"Fu Xie... he failed..."

A deep bitterness welled up in the Xie Sheng Ancestor's heart. He gazed at the approaching Xu Qing, then, without further hesitation, shifted his gaze to King Zhen Yan in the sky and suddenly spoke!

"King Zhen Yan of the human race, please inform Empress Li Xia that my Xie Sheng Sacred Land is willing to surrender our entire clan and become a subordinate of the human race. This declaration is sealed by our clan's solemn oath and the fate of our lineage. If the human race agrees, then from this day forth, my clan, for generations to come, shall honor this vow."

As the master of the Xie Sheng Sacred Land, the Xie Sheng Ancestor naturally possessed his own strategic acumen. From the moment he decided to protect Fu Xie, he had already analyzed every possible outcome! Now that the worst possible outcome had materialized, the choices laid before him were few indeed! Although... he knew that the lord of the Void Star Sacred Land possessed immense cultivation, and betraying them would likely lead to dire consequences, yet now... there was no other option!

Therefore, his words continued to pour forth: "I, personally, am even willing to have the Empress's mark seared into my soul, and at the same time, I am prepared to alter my path of cultivation, transforming my cultivation into godhood and igniting my own divine flame. In doing so, I would completely sever ties with the Sacred Land."

As soon as these words were uttered, the gazes of the various factions outside the Sacred Land mostly fell upon King Zhen Yan, who remained silent!

Yet Xu Qing's steps did not falter in the slightest. At this moment, he was only thirty miles from the Xie Sheng Sacred Land!

Seeing this, Xie Sheng spoke again: "Once I become a god, I will most likely be able to step onto the Divine Platform. At that point, it will be of immense help to both the human race and Yan Yue, allowing your side ample room to maneuver during the arrival of more powerful Sacred Lands in the future."

He feared the lord of the Void Star Sacred Land, but once his divine flame was ignited, he would no longer be a mere cultivator but counted among the ranks of gods! He understood very well that the lord's plan was to avoid friction with deities as much as possible! While not entirely foolproof, facing such a perilous situation, this was the only method he could conceive of!

Therefore, he directed his words to King Zhen Yan of the human race, for he knew very well that only the Empress could save him now! And the Empress... she was a deity, a human god, which meant her actions would be primarily focused on the interests of her clan!

"The Empress clearly could have found Fu Xie earlier, but she used this opportunity to assert her will. This proves my judgment was not mistaken; for Her, as long as accepting my clan is deemed to strengthen the human race after careful consideration, then whatever Xu Qing's personal feelings may be, it will be irrelevant!"

However, despite the merit of his thoughts, King Zhen Yan remained silent!

As Xu Qing's figure drew closer, the crowd before him respectfully parted, clearing a path. Step by step, he advanced towards the Xie Sheng Sacred Land! Xie Sheng paid him no heed, his voice merely echoing once more!

"Empress Li Xia, I know many secrets of other Sacred Lands. I know the fundamental reason for this current Sacred Land descent, and I even know the locations of the Sacred Lands that will descend next. Wanggu is about to be engulfed in the flames of war! This is unavoidable, but my information can grant the human race an advantage in the unfolding situation. Furthermore, Xu Qing is unharmed, and Fu Xie has surely paid a price. I implore the Empress not to pursue this matter further; allow Fu Xie to atone for his actions by performing meritorious service for the human race. Would that not resolve this matter amicably?"

Xie Sheng looked up, gazing at the far reaches of the firmament! He could sense that the Empress... was right there! As for Xu Qing's approach, he didn't even spare him a glance. In his heart, he now awaited only the Empress's reply. He believed that he, his clan, and the information he possessed were sufficient to secure his clan's survival and atone for Fu Xie's actions. With this conviction, he bowed towards the firmament!

At this moment, King Zhen Yan's brow finally furrowed!

As for the armies from all directions — whether from Ji Yue, Seven Blood Pupils, Nan Huang Continent, Sheng Lan, or Hei Ling — they remained unmoved. For them, the one who held ultimate authority here and now was not the Empress, but Xu Qing!

And at that very instant, Xu Qing's figure arrived directly above the Xie Sheng Sacred Land. After a calm glance downwards, he raised his head and looked towards the firmament! He, too, wished to know how the Empress would respond! Beside him, Er Niu narrowed his eyes, a terrifying light flashing within them!

From the firmament, the Empress's clear, cold voice resounded!

"To exchange one person's suffering for the advantage of a clan, this matter may seem correct! But back then, when Fenghai Commandery faced a moment of life and death, this individual, with only Core Formation cultivation, like a fool, knew it was impossible, yet he still stepped forward for the sake of the people of Fenghai Commandery! The Ji Yue Great Region, originally a pasture for the Crimson Mother, it was also this person who, with Nascent Soul cultivation, stepped forward and rescued the people of Ji Yue! Before My divine flame, when Our clan and Yan Yue were in conflict, it was also this person who went to Yan Yue, achieved the Grand Xuan Tian title, and declared a truce in front of all Yan Yue's beings! He carried the Imperial Sword, walked among mortals, his conscience clear, and his original intent remains unwavering to this day! Tell Me, for such a person, if I choose to disregard his grievances, then what meaning would our clan truly hold? And what about the next, and the one after that? An advantage for the clan gained by repeatedly forcing its members to suffer grievances might be worthwhile in your eyes, but in My eyes, that is no advantage at all! Though I am a deity, I am a human god! This deity is not to be merely held in reverence, nor do I stand behind them. I am the god who stands before the human race of Wanggu. Xu Qing, he has stood for everyone. So today, everyone, including Me, shall stand for him! Therefore, your surrender, I do not accept."

As these words were uttered, the heavens and earth roared, the sound surging past even thunder, reverberating in all directions!

The clansmen of the Xie Sheng Sacred Land fell into despair, one by one, while the Ancestor's face turned ashen. He had never expected such a reply! The cultivators gathered there, their hearts churned, and a towering wave of fervent excitement surged forth! The coldness in Er Niu's eyes melted away. He let out a soft huff in his heart, and all his previous resentment towards the Empress dissipated.

Xu Qing withdrew his gaze, looked towards the Xie Sheng Sacred Land, and calmly spoke!

"Today, we destroy the Xie Sheng."

"We obey the decree!"

The armies from all directions instantly roared, their immense malevolence erupting forth to form a vast, overwhelming power that crashed down upon the Xie Sheng Sacred Land like a raging tide!

Simultaneously, the Sacred Land mountain erupted, and an aura of death permeated the air. The Corpse Forbidden Stone Gate, which the Xie Sheng Ancestor had previously captured alive, was now released by the Sacred Land. Seizing this chaos, the Xie Sheng Ancestor's body vanished in an instant, reappearing on the horizon, fleeing madly without a backward glance!

He knew that the Xie Sheng Sacred Land was beyond hope today, and his staying would be utterly meaningless. If he could manage to escape, perhaps there would still be some hope for the future!

But in the very next instant, the Empress's figure materialized in the sky and took a single step towards Xie Sheng! As that step landed, ripples appeared across the firmament! Not just here, but at that very moment, the skies across all great regions of Wanggu rippled!

The Empress's single step caused the very daylight across Wanggu to undulate! Across the entire Wanggu continent, various worlds interwoven with black and white turned pitch black as if all lights had been extinguished. All daylight, in that instant, became absolute darkness! Every great region plunged into night!

A deity had extinguished the lights, temporarily withdrawing the concept of light from Wanggu! Thus, the former daylight instantly turned pitch black! Only above the Xie Sheng Sacred Land, where the Empress stood in mid-air, did Her eyes become the sole source of light in all of Wanggu at that moment!

This was the Empress's divine authority! She withdrew the concept of light, condensing it within Her own eyes, becoming the world's momentary source of illumination!

At this moment, the concept of light converged from every region of Wanggu, endless brilliance returning from heaven and earth, ultimately forming a dawn that tore through the night, rending all darkness! Wherever this light passed, the world became brilliantly illuminated.

The Xie Sheng Ancestor trembled, enveloped by the light, his figure blurring. His right hand lifted, as if to grasp something, and his mouth opened as if to speak, but ultimately, within this light, all became naught! Only a bitter, helpless sigh echoed in all directions, becoming the final sound.

In the next instant, as the world returned to normal, the Flame Phoenix in the firmament let out a soul-shaking roar. The sea of fire blazing from its enormous body descended from the sky! As it descended, this fire scorched the firmament, incinerated the void, engulfed the Sacred Land mountain, and spread throughout the entire Sacred Land's territory. It even plunged into the sea, enveloping everything in a world of flames, yet it targeted only the Xie Sheng clansmen!

Within the sea of fire, cultivators from all sides had already charged in... Instantly, a deafening roar filled the air, and the sounds of slaughter shook the very sea! These sounds interwove, like leaping musical notes, playing a profound melody for the heavens and earth!

Xu Qing's figure, at this moment, also merged into this symphony! His slaughter began with the music.

At the same time, in the depths of the Forbidden Sea, Fu Xie, who was secretly fleeing, suddenly halted. An indescribable sorrow inexplicably welled up in his heart! He trembled violently and turned his head to look in the direction of the Xie Sheng Sacred Land!

"Ancestor... fallen..."