Chapter 325: Unifying Yunqiuling

Ling Qingshu's final eruption seemed to brighten the sky, signaling the birth of a new monarch for Yunqiu, the land beneath this sky.

She landed steadily, her shimmering runes disappearing back into her skin. The first thing Ling Qingshu did upon opening her eyes was to rush into Xu Yang's arms and embrace him.

Even in the real world, despite traveling far and wide with Xu Yang, she rarely made such a gesture. Without the generational barrier of her ancestor, she could express her emotions more directly.

"I keep my word. You've helped me fulfill the greatest wish of my life. When I return from my vengeance, my life will be yours."

"Wait!"

Ling Yao suddenly stepped forward and briefly explained to everyone how the Dangyang lineage's plot had been exposed. Ling Qingshu's expression immediately became a little bewildered.

Her remaining dozen or so subordinates had fallen, and the Zhanhui lineage, whom she considered her sworn enemy, had actually been manipulated by the Dangyang clan...

This sudden deluge of information left Ling Qingshu, who had been eager for revenge, feeling somewhat disoriented.

"In my opinion, you should first fulfill your ambition of uniting the entire Yunqiu Ridge. Only by unifying this region and attracting followers from all directions with the power of the Fire Seed can you permanently end the conflicts here and allow the people to live in peace. As for past grievances, they are no longer important. Any tribe that foolishly tries to prevent your unification is the true enemy that needs to be dealt with."

Inspired by Xu Yang, Ling Qingshu finally nodded: "You're right. Restoring the glory of the Shepherd God lineage is the wish of generations. I will start with this step!"

The group boarded their vehicle and returned to the vast grasslands, heading straight for the Dangyang lineage's tribal base.

It was clear that as soon as Xu Yang's team returned, the Dangyang warriors' faces were filled with panic.

"How is this possible! They actually returned unharmed? Where are the chief and the others??"

Several elders within the Dangyang clan were utterly distraught. Their reactions confirmed Ling Yao's previous judgment: these people were clearly sinister and harbored ill intentions.

"People of the Dangyang clan, listen. Your chief's lineage's ambitions have been exposed by us. They have perished, buried in the volcano, in the volcano, and I have obtained the Fire Seed inheritance. Now, as the heir to the Fire Seed, I will establish a new unified order for the Shepherd God lineage in Yunqiu Ridge. Those who wish to submit to my command will enjoy eternal peace after our victory! Those who refuse to submit will be killed!"

As Ling Qingshu spoke, the warriors directly under the chief's lineage in the base all looked furious. Far from surrendering, their minds were consumed with thoughts of avenging their chief.

"Damn it, I'll fight you to the death! Everyone, follow me! Avenge our chief and kill this bastard from the Shepherd God lineage!"

A few elders and the chief's two sons completely lost their minds. They drew their weapons, unleashed the power of their runes, and charged towards Ling Qingshu.

This time, however, Ling Qingshu did not ask Xu Yang's team for any help. Instead, she rose into the air, and the dark fire's crimson-gold patterns reappeared on her body.

Now, Ling Qingshu no longer needed to rely entirely on runes as a medium to activate the power of the dark fire. It was simply a habit; she still chose to use runes to unleash her incredibly powerful dark fire energy.

Boom!

A massive explosion reverberated, instantly vaporizing large swathes of grass and structures across the tribal base. The dozen or so resistors before her were, in a single instant, consumed into a handful of ash and smoke, dissolving into the air.

"No... Is this, is this the power of a god?"

"We can't possibly fight this; surrender quickly! Since the chief and the others have fallen, the Dangyang clan will truly be annihilated..."

Seeing this, the clan members of that lineage knelt down and begged for mercy, having no intention of confronting such a powerful Ling Qingshu.

Undeniably, divine power was beyond the resistance of these mortals. How could the mere power stored in runes compare to the true source of the dark fire?

Now, Ling Qingshu could effortlessly eradicate thousands of Dangyang clan members with a mere flick of her finger.

But she was no executioner, nor a demon who reveled in slaughter. Her purpose was to bring a new future to the entire Yunqiu Ridge and restore the Shepherd God lineage's glory to its peak once more.

"Lord Fire God, please forgive our sins! We are willing to follow the glory of the Shepherd God for all eternity!"

Watching thousands of clan members kneel, Ling Qingshu felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction. She knew that as the inheritor of the Shepherd God lineage, she was finally about to fulfill her ancestors' wishes.

"Listen, from today forward, there will be only one name in all of Yunqiu Ridge: the Shepherd God. All of you are citizens of the Shepherd God lineage! Follow the guiding light of the Shepherd God, and you will eventually achieve a new life. This is my promise to you, made in the name of the Shepherd God lineage's ancestors."

"Long live Lord Fire God!!"

With sufficient power, conquering opponents naturally became quite easy.

This was Ling Qingshu's first time wielding power she had never even dared to imagine. Becoming a powerful figure was truly exhilarating.

She also didn't forget that all of this was bestowed upon her by Xu Yang, and she would spend the rest of her life repaying him.

The Zhanhui clan...

"What did you say?! The Dangyang clan was annihilated in a single day? How is that possible!"

"All resistors connected to the tribal chief's lineage have been wiped out. Most of the common people are safe and have joined the Shepherd God lineage, becoming their faithful followers. More importantly, that woman, Ling Qingshu, has now dispersed them to various tribes across the ridge, recruiting in the name of Lord Shepherd God. Any force attempting to resist will face the Fire God's judgment!"

It was evident that the Zhanhui lineage's outpost guard was also trembling with fear.

Every Zhanhui clansman knew very well that, regardless of the commotion outside, their clan, as the primary culprits who personally annihilated the original Shepherd God tribe, would undoubtedly become a target. Even if the Shepherd God unified the entire Yunqiu Ridge again, their fate seemed unchangeable.

In reality, however, they had greatly underestimated Ling Qingshu's capacity for tolerance, and also the strength of Xu Yang's team behind her.

"Forget it! In for a penny, in for a pound! We have no retreat now; we must take action. These useless tribes in Yunqiu Ridge can't be relied upon, but that doesn't mean we can't find more powerful allies!!"

Kuang Zhan Wuji, the leader of the Zhanhui, sneered. Clearly, he already had a counter-plan.