Chapter 514: Declaration of War and Action, The Character of Martial God Yan Ao

Zhao Xing’s longstanding grievances with the Carlos family could be traced back to when he attended the Primordial Grand Assembly. At that time, Zhao Xing was too weak. Even when the territory the Great Zhou had acquired was destroyed by Lord Hongyue, an agent of the Carlos family, he could only endure it. The Empire's Great Wilderness Development Plan had not yet begun, so the conflict of interest in the Annihilation Star Corridor was not significant.

Later, Zhao Xing purchased the development rights for the Annihilation Star Ancient Path from Ruin Carlos. Ruin Carlos had sent people to find Zhao Xing, demanding to rejoin the development and share in the profits, but Zhao Xing mercilessly refused. At that time, he already had Emperor Hongshan, Emperor Five Poisons, Emperor Lushan, and Zuo Qiyu as shareholders. Borvey had also attended thirty-two dharma assemblies, making any sabotage impossible.

He later secured Meng Wu from the Martial God Temple as a backer, and Zhao Xing initially thought the Carlos family would no longer have any designs. However, according to this intelligence report, ever since his true body went missing and his clone merely followed predetermined objectives, the Carlos family started to hatch new schemes. This was because the profits generated along the Annihilation Star Ancient Path were immense, even attracting the interest of the Venerable Carlos. With Zhao Xing, the actual controller, missing, the Carlos family made two relatively severe moves during the two millennia of his disappearance, aiming to oust the Great Zhou and Zhao Xing, seizing a portion of the Annihilation Star Ancient Path's rights.

“Ji Si, what’s the story behind this intelligence?” Zhao Xing immediately sought out Ji Si, asking about the situation back then.

“Grand Minister of Agriculture, at that time, Five Poisons and Hongshan were both still in the process of breaking through to Demigod status. Meanwhile, the Carlos family, a demigod family, wielded immense power,” Ji Si explained. “Ultimately, I had to seek assistance from Meng Wu of the Martial God Temple, and it was only with his intervention that we survived that ordeal. Afterward, we didn’t face any more military attacks, but the conflict evolved into an economic one.”

“The Carlos family, leveraging their vast financial resources, began to merge with or acquire the Great Zhou’s upstream and downstream industries, both domestically and internationally, and purchased our debts at a premium,” Ji Si continued. “They launched a large-scale commercial siege against us. During the middle two hundred years of the 1998th solar year of Wilderness Era 2, nearly all the materials used for Dao soldiers, elixirs, refining materials, and products from the Weaving Bureau for our Annihilation Star Ancient Path saw their prices increase by more than fiftyfold, except for plant-based raw materials, troop types, and star-continent materials supplied by the Mount of Antiquity, which did not experience unusual price hikes.”

Ji Si sighed, “If not for the substantial gains from the cave dwelling exploration and the ample funds the Grand Minister of Agriculture had reserved, we would have collapsed during the first wave of the siege. After that, the Great Zhou Chamber of Commerce increased Emperor Bishui’s shareholding, and with the combined efforts of the Grand Minister of Agriculture’s friends in the Primordial Realm, we finally stabilized the supply of daily necessities, though the development progress slowed down.”

Zhao Xing listened grim-faced. While Emperor Meng Wu had fended off the military attacks, he was powerless to intervene in the Carlos family's commercial assault on the Great Zhou. In this capital war, it was incredibly easy for the well-established Carlos family to short-sell the Great Zhou.

“We tightened our debt ratio, cut many businesses, and, adhering to a steady and prudent approach, gave the Carlos family no further opportunities. We struggled through fifty years. Subsequently, the Carlos family intensified their siege. This time, Senior Zuo and Senior Lushan had no choice but to get involved, and even Senior Hongshan and Senior Five Poisons interrupted their seclusion. Even so, we were still at a disadvantage in this siege. A large number of projects were halted as a result, with only the exploration route you originally planned remaining unaffected due to our cooperation with the Martial God Temple.”

As Zhao Xing integrated the memories of the 'Annihilation Star Clone,' a fierce financial war instantly unfolded in his mind. As a founding demigod family, the Carlos family's influence was undeniable. This was not merely a battle between the Great Zhou and the Carlos family, but also a struggle between old and new aristocrats. Although the Great Zhou became rich overnight after unearthing over three thousand cave dwellings, they were still no financial giants compared to an ancient family like Carlos. Even with Emperor Five Poisons, Zuo Qiyu, and Emperor Hongshan calling upon their friends, they remained at a disadvantage.

At its most intense, the magic arrays and mechanisms on the Annihilation Star Ancient Path incurred a loss of 100,000 Five Emperor Coins per day, equivalent to an Emperor-level figure going bankrupt every single day! Killing without shedding blood, the Carlos family used this method to force the Great Zhou and Zhao Xing to make concessions and allow them to share in the profits.

“The turning point came seventy-eight years later, when two Origin Realms and one Nirvana Realm were successively discovered along the Annihilation Star Ancient Path,” Ji Si said. “This was the second major discovery since the cross-domain realm-ships and the legacies of the cave dwellings were found. Ten years later, I, Emperor Hongshan, Emperor Five Poisons, and Emperor Lushan all entered the ranks of demigods. Due to this harvest and our increase in strength, the Carlos family knew they could no longer financially cripple us. With Emperor Meng Wu's mediation, this crisis was finally resolved.”

Recalling this invisible war, Zhao Xing couldn't help but break into a cold sweat. “The Great Zhou was truly destined not to perish. If those three small worlds had been discovered just a few years later, we might not have been able to hold on.”

“Indeed, we were not destined to perish,” Ji Si said, a little dazed. “If we had run out of time, it would have been over. We survived that time, but we also felt the power of the Carlos family. So this intelligence was merely filed; we were powerless to retaliate.”

“The Carlos family has gone too far,” Zhao Xing immediately gathered the key personnel and communicated with them through karmic conversation.

Venerable Five Poisons, Venerable Hongshan, and Venerable Lushan each manifested a karmic avatar. Upon seeing Ji Si, they all nodded to him.

“Young man, before you talk about Carlos, I need to tell you something first,” Venerable Five Poisons said, pointing at Ji Si. “Back then, when your true body was absent, a portion of the demigod resources originally reserved for you was given to Ji Si. Emperor Hongshan, Emperor Bishui, Zuo Qiyu, and I all unanimously agreed to this. He led the Great Zhou to win numerous battles on the karmic level during that siege. He even broke through the Ninth True Spirit Tribulation because of it.”

Zhao Xing was somewhat stunned. “Ji Si, why didn’t you mention this?”

Ji Si shook his head. “Grand Minister of Agriculture, it was merely luck; it’s nothing to boast about.”

“Ji Si is humble and doesn’t take credit, but we must speak on his behalf to prevent any misunderstanding,” Five Poisons stated.

“Indeed,” Emperor Bishui nodded. “That commercial war affected multiple industries and encompassed nearly half of the Empire, impacting seven or eight super-first-rate star systems. Commercial actions also intertwined with the karmic destinies of countless individuals. At that time, for your Great Zhou, Ji Si was the primary decision-maker! I, Hongshan, and Five Poisons were merely providing assistance at the time, because the main entity holding the exploitation rights was the Great Zhou and you. Because no matter what, the karmic destinies entwined with countless commercial actions would inevitably reflect back or backlash upon the Great Zhou. No one else could substitute for that.”

Emperor Hongshan nodded. “At that time, the Great Zhou had only three paths: either compromise with the Carlos family and become their puppets. Or resist fiercely, but if we lost, it would be eternal damnation. If we survived, it would be equivalent to overcoming a True Spirit Tribulation. When the karma of countless people was entangled with Ji Si, even a slight misstep in his decisions at that time would have led to the karmic backlash of countless families being ruined and destroyed, which would have been absolutely terrifying.”

A scene immediately appeared in Zhao Xing’s mind: countless late nights, Ji Si standing in the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, bearing the karmic destinies of untold numbers of people, while simultaneously facing attacks from countless threads of karma. Such karmic battles were no less intense than the karmic war waged against him by Old Qing, Wei Tianchen, Borvey, the Demon Race, and the Heavenly Master's Residence. On countless late nights, Ji Si would be forced to enter dreams to heal, only to awaken countless times. During this period, he even managed to find time to ask Yang Baihe to search for his whereabouts and to speak with Wang Tianzhi. Thinking of this, Zhao Xing couldn’t help but exclaim, “Ji Si, you have worked so hard.” He did not bow to Ji Si; it was entirely unnecessary. Their bond required no further words.

Naturally, the feedback from surviving this battle was also immense, enough for Ji Si to break through the Ninth True Spirit Tribulation and become a Demigod Diviner! He then used resources, which allowed Ji Si to become a Tier 10 Diviner and a Tier 9 Historian in just over two thousand years.

“I was fortunate not to disappoint the Grand Minister of Agriculture and His Majesty’s expectations,” Ji Si replied softly, as if it were a casual past event.

“Having suffered a loss, there’s no reason not to retaliate,” Zhao Xing said, looking at Ji Si, Five Poisons, Hongshan, and the others. “Now that I’m back, esteemed teachers, are you willing to support me in a confrontation with the Carlos family once more?”

“My good disciple, I’ve been waiting for you to say that,” Emperor Five Poisons exclaimed with delight. “These hairless rascals forced me out of seclusion once and then rode roughshod over me. I’ve been holding this anger for a thousand years! Grandpa here has never endured something for so long!” Five Poisons seemed very excited. “Old Hongshan, are you in or out?”

“I haven’t actually fought anyone in a long time; peace is precious,” Venerable Hongshan said slowly.

“Old Hongshan, stop pretending. Don’t think I don’t know how you got your title of Eight-Armed Demonic God back then.”

Venerable Hongshan sighed, “That was a long, long time ago.”

“Less talk, just say if you’re in or out.”

Venerable Hongshan looked at Zhao Xing. “Zhao Xing, of course I’m willing to help you. However, as a person from the Mount of Antiquity, it's ultimately not appropriate for me to interfere in internal imperial conflicts. As I just said, the Great Zhou and you are the main entities. You will have to directly face the impact from the Carlos family.”

Venerable Hongshan’s words already conveyed his attitude: he was willing to help, but also concerned whether Zhao Xing could truly withstand the pressure. Hearing Venerable Hongshan’s words, Zhao Xing immediately began inserting needles into himself without a word. As he inserted them, he said, “Teacher, esteemed seniors, I am currently a Tier 9 Demigod, but—boom!”

A surging aura engulfed Zhao Xing, and then a giant hand, entirely dark black with a singularity in its palm, appeared. The next second, Zhao Xing completed his transformation, emerging from the flames with twin horns, abundant fur, magnificent muscles, and Nine-Swamp secret patterns encircling his body. “Now, I am a Tier 10 Demigod! I can maintain this state for at least about three days. This is the change brought by the Heaven-Transforming Divine Needles.” Zhao Xing understood that to fight as a group, he needed to be strong enough himself, so he immediately revealed some of his trump cards.

“This isn’t all,” Zhao Xing roared, applying the enhancements of the Red Lotus, Green Lotus, Vast Sea, and Profound Marriage powers—four types of powers. The Nine-Swamp God-descendant’s body underwent another astonishing transformation: its fur and horns retracted, becoming more human-like, while its muscular contours, qi, and origin fluctuations became even more perfect. “Now, I am at the peak of Tier 11!” Zhao Xing declared, his crimson eyes filled with strong confidence. This was an enhancement derived from four types of power, and only the body of a Nine-Swamp God-descendant could withstand the simultaneous fusion and amplification of these four powers.

“In this state, I can maintain it for more than half a month,” Zhao Xing said. “Not only that, I also inherited Wei Tianchen’s entire legacy, which includes the Five Great Divine Medicine series. Teacher Hongshan, would you like to see my state after taking the medicine?”

Even though Emperor Hongshan was only present as a karmic avatar, he couldn't help but be shocked by Zhao Xing’s aura at this moment. Peak Tier 11—this strength had already matched his own! He was only one tier away from Emperor Five Poisons and Emperor Lushan. And if he took more medicine? Emperor Hongshan had indeed heard of Wei Tianchen's Five Great Divine Medicines. They could grant up to a three-tier increase in strength!

“That’s enough, more than enough––” Emperor Hongshan quickly stopped Zhao Xing from taking the medicine, as it would be too wasteful to use a divine medicine just for a demonstration.

“Wei Tianchen’s legacy was actually inherited by you?” Venerable Lushan was equally curious about Zhao Xing's experiences. “He traversed multiple eras, and I never expected him to die by your hand.”

“No, senior, I didn’t kill him,” Zhao Xing shook his head, transforming back into his human form. “It’s just that the details of that experience are not convenient for me to discuss.”

“Understood,” Venerable Lushan nodded. “I have no objections now.” As long as Zhao Xing wasn’t acting impulsively, he was certainly willing to support him. Otherwise, having endured for a thousand years, there was no need to rush. Zhao Xing’s personal safety was paramount.

Emperor Bishui asked, “Zhao Xing, what is your plan?”

After opinions were unified, it was time to inquire about the plan. Zhao Xing held the two intelligence reports in his hand. “We will retaliate against the Carlos family exactly as they retaliated against us—an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. They ambushed us once, so I will ambush them once. Then, once the Yan God Military Department or higher authorities intervene, we will shift to a commercial siege.”

Zhao Xing had some understanding of Emperor Chixing; the Emperor did not concern himself with conflicts below the Divine Realm. For the Emperor, apart from incredibly heaven-defying prodigies, he wouldn't even spare a glance. Conflict was beneficial for maintaining the Empire's vitality and preventing complete solidification of social strata. Zhao Xing had observed this to some extent from the economic practices in Yu Divine Prefecture. However, the Empire had more than one Divine Realm expert. The Great Emperor, being a Divine King, wouldn't concern himself with such matters, but other deities would undoubtedly pay attention. For example, the Martial God of the Yan God Star System might intervene if the scope of the conflict becomes too broad or the situation escalates. This could be seen from Meng Wu’s actions back then. Meng Wu represented the will of Yan God, and it was indeed Meng Wu's two interventions that forced the Carlos family to switch from military action to commercial warfare. This principle should apply equally to the Carlos family and to himself. Zhao Xing did not hope for special treatment, only relative fairness. He believed that his current self could command such respect because Gu Luohe’s earlier words had given him this confidence, implying that he had already entered the candidate list for the Divine Realm!

“For the first phase, only I and the people of the Great Zhou will act,” Zhao Xing stated. “For now, only the teachers and a few seniors will know.” This was to confirm the main participants: whether it was karmic warfare, military conflict, or subsequent commercial warfare, Zhao Xing and the Great Zhou would lead as the primary entities. If Venerable Hongshan or Five Poisons were the primary entities, the nature of the conflict would change. Five Poisons had no family or personal forces; he was the authority in the Primordial Realm. If he were the main entity, it would become a conflict between two major official institutions, which was clearly inappropriate. If Venerable Hongshan or Lushan were the main entities, it would become a foreign affairs dispute. Zhao Xing intended to stir up trouble now, and naturally, he also had to take responsibility for it.

“In the second phase, I will notify all my partners and all my friends. Those who can contribute people will, those who can contribute money will, and those who can contribute strength will. Then, we’ll see whose resolve is stronger, the Carlos family’s or ours.”

Next, the old experts, along with Zhao Xing and Ji Si, began finalizing the details. “First, let’s confirm one point: will the retaliatory strike target a main branch of the Carlos family, or a subsidiary branch?”

“No limits. It’s war against the entire Carlos family,” Zhao Xing stated.

“The Carlos family’s old ancestor is at least a Tier 15 Demigod, and he possesses many divine artifacts,” Venerable Lushan said.

“He’s just an old geezer nearing his end! Does he dare fight with full power? Having lived for so long, if he fought with full power, it would immediately trigger the Sixteenth Origin True Spirit Tribulation!” Five Poisons chuckled, “Besides, we won’t have the chance for a direct military confrontation with him. Once we enter the second phase, he won't be able to act either. Zhao Xing, what extent do you plan to fight to? What goals do you aim to achieve?”

“The Carlos family has five main branches, and his five sons are all demigods,” Zhao Xing said calmly. “In the first phase, if we can kill a few, that would be best, but not within imperial territory. As for the second phase, we will attack their pillar industries. I will offer his five sons a choice: either become our dogs, or be completely annihilated.”

“Good, very good! However, this means the first phase of the plan must have sufficient lethality.”

“...I oversee many operations in the Primordial Realm, and I just happen to know where two of his sons will be going, heh heh heh…” Emperor Five Poisons chuckled sinisterly.

***

Time: 77 realm-star years remain until Wilderness Era 3.Location: The Empire’s vassal dynasty, the Taram Dynasty, Yunni Galaxy.

At this moment, on the imperial capital administrative planet of the Yunni Galaxy, two colossal fleets of realm-ships descended, piercing through the realm barrier. The Yunni Realm-Star was abundant in spiritual energy. All manner of spirit mountains, continents, and spirit lakes were strictly regulated, giving an impression of artificial creation. The entire Yunni Realm-Star was celebrating enthusiastically, with joyous crowds everywhere. Prince Ramu stood on the upper levels of the palace, looking down, also wearing a joyful smile. This was because the Taram Dynasty was finally going to be integrated into the immensely powerful Chixing Empire today. This was a great achievement, earned by the emperor and all subjects of the Taram Dynasty through two millennia of day and night labor. After all, their dynasty’s strongest individual was merely a Wheel Enterprise-level lord, barely able to establish a foothold in the Siyue Domain.

“They say the Empire refers to the Siyue Domain as the Wilderness. I truly wonder how vast and magnificent the outside world is,” Prince Ramu mused. He was born relatively late and was only at the second Origin Realm, having never been to the outside world. Their information channels were also blocked; what they knew was not comprehensive. They even used the most rudimentary version of the Star Mirror. “Acquiring a Star Mirror and gaining access to information is the simplest thing for citizens of the Empire, but for a wilderness dynasty like ours, it requires immense effort. Fortunately, two powerful demigods from the Empire will be arriving at our Taram Star today. We’ll soon be able to go to the Empire for further study, to enjoy the spiritual energy so dense it permeates one’s body, to experience the immensely powerful Dao soldiers capable of shattering a sun with a single blow, and all sorts of powerful and miraculous spells…” Prince Ramu mused dreamily.

He looked up at the realm barrier in the sky. Through the visible barrier, two massive fleets appeared in the starry sky. It was said they belonged to an elder-level family from the Great Empire—the Carlos family. And it was this benevolent family that held the authority to integrate them. His father, the Emperor, and his royal uncle had both been noticed by two demigods from this family. Their personal descent today was both to integrate their entire dynasty, granting the Taram Dynasty vassal status within the Empire, and a glorious moment to accept his father and royal uncle as disciples.

“I’ll also have a chance to pay my respects later. Which set of ritual robes should I wear? Hmm, I heard there will also be many exceptionally talented women from the Carlos family. It would be wonderful if one of them took an interest in me.” Prince Ramu began summoning his servants to help him dress.

The grand ceremony began at the precise moment the solar star reached its zenith. Prince Ramu stood among the palace welcoming procession, gazing at the two fleets in the sky. “Truly worthy of an imperial demigod family. I’ve never seen fleets like these. Just looking at them gives me an immense sense of oppression, making my heart tremble. Our Ascension Realm Barrier actually dispersed automatically, and our two celestial bodies—the sun and moon, which grant us origin cultivation—were immobilized by their fleet.” As the appearance of the fleets became clearer, the crowds below began to cheer, surging like a tide. Prince Ramu couldn't help but shout, “The Carlos family, the powerful Carlos family, the great Empire!”

Within the main ship of the Carlos fleet, two demigods were observing Taram Star. They were Venerable Ice and Venerable Feather, both second-generation members of the Carlos family, and two of the more renowned among their five demigods. This was not because they were the strongest, but because they often traveled the world and appeared before the populace.

“Those two fellows from the Taram family actually possess the rare ‘Xibo Divine Bloodline.’ Brother, you truly have patience to wait until now to integrate them.” Venerable Feather looked at his elder brother, Venerable Ice. After simultaneously opening up the Siyue Wilderness and forging the ancient path, they naturally discovered many native races along the way. Among them, this Taram Realm-Star belonged to an area administered by the Carlos family.

“Over thirteen hundred years ago, when I passed by, I was only suspicious, so I casually bestowed some treasures and secret techniques,” Venerable Ice said slowly, sipping his spirit wine. “Now both of them have grown, and their bloodline power is quite evident. Later, I asked a friend in the Primordial Realm to examine their Origin Life Dao Diagrams, and I discovered that their diagrams were very similar to those of a certain divine race from the Tianze Star Domain.” The Tianze Star Domain was a spiritual energy territory discovered by the Empire after opening up the Siyue Wilderness. However, it was not as developed as the Xuanling Star Domain, and its conquest was only a matter of time.

“Now that they have already broken through to the lord level, it’s time to take them. You take one, and I’ll take one. Let’s see if there’s hope for their bloodline power to advance further. Feather, don’t hold back any secrets then.”

“Brother, we are brothers. If I make a discovery, would I not tell you?” Venerable Feather pledged. In reality, what he was thinking about was something else entirely: if studying this divine race bloodline yielded a discovery, it would certainly involve the hope of becoming a god. How could he possibly tell his elder brother? The path to godhood was fraught with difficulties, and his brother might be foolish, but he wouldn’t be.

“When the master-disciple ceremony concludes, the tedious process of integration is yours,” Venerable Ice said calmly. “Just take them to the family territory and settle them on any planet.”

“Just any place?”

“Yes. After all these years, only the two brothers from Taram have activated the divine bloodline. The rest probably have no hope, and I’m too lazy to put in more effort.”

“Where are you going, Brother?” Venerable Feather asked.

“A Black Abyss has appeared in the Black Heaven Wilderness—” Venerable Ice lowered his voice. “Brother, have you heard about the Black Abyss?”

“Brother, I don’t understand what you’re saying. What’s there?” Venerable Feather asked, puzzled.

“You truly don’t know?” Venerable Ice frowned.

“I truly don’t know,” Venerable Feather said earnestly.

“Alright, don’t spread this. This is something I accidentally overheard while Father was talking, and it’s still a top-secret file.”

“Of course.”

“Deep beneath the Black Abyss, there are rumors of an altar where one can offer sacrifices to a certain god to gain power, perhaps even achieve godhood…”

“What? Such a thing exists?” Venerable Feather was shocked. “What is offered as a sacrifice?”

“I don’t know. The sacrificial materials are still unclear—alright, this is taboo. We shouldn’t speak more about evil gods.” Venerable Ice suddenly stopped speaking.

“Yes, we shouldn't say more. Evil gods all deserve to die.” Venerable Feather said this outwardly, but in his mind, he kept thinking. Sacrifice? Possibly even achieving godhood?

***

Little Prince Ramu looked at the sky, continuously shouting. But just then, his vision suddenly darkened, and he could see nothing at all. Prince Ramu tried to recall the scene before he went blind. First, the Lunar Star seemed to have extinguished, while the Solar Star had expanded tremendously. He was greatly confused, not knowing what had happened. However, the next moment, light descended again, though it was exceptionally dazzling. Then Prince Ramu witnessed a scene he would never forget.

The realm barrier of Taram Realm-Star had completely vanished, leaving it exposed under the starry sky. The immensely powerful fleet in the starry sky, which resembled divine beings, had its foremost and largest vessel broken into two sections. As for the rest of the fleet, it had completely vanished. Countless meteorite-like objects filled his vision, obscuring the starry sky. Prince Ramu was almost suffocated.

He looked at the other half of the starry sky and saw a figure wreathed in nine rings of purple secret patterns and engulfed in flames, appearing in the seemingly ash-strewn cosmos. This figure, resembling a Prime God, held another Carlos family realm-ship in its hand.

“Oh heavens—” Prince Ramu collapsed to the ground.

In the starry sky, Zhao Xing, in his Nine-Swamp God-descendant form, frowned as he looked at his palm. He had seized the Carlos family's realm-ship, and the two demigods of the Carlos family were indeed inside. To ambush these two members of the Carlos family was actually not difficult. Because these two were individuals who frequently traveled the world, many of their itineraries were public. Although this particular itinerary was not public, Five Poisons knew about it. Venerable Feather and Venerable Ice had no intention of concealing anything either. Who would dare to ambush the fleet of a demigod-level family from the Chixing Empire? Were they tired of living?

So Zhao Xing merely set up a straw puppet clone in advance along their predetermined path. Once the two appeared, he immediately used boundless teleportation to bring his true body there. In his transformed state, he had already surpassed the realm of these two demigods, successfully ambushing them in one fell swoop and destroying most of the realm-ship fleet. Only this one realm-ship, the one containing the two Carlos demigods, had a core cabin that was surprisingly a divine artifact. “No wonder I can’t crush it. However, fortunately, it’s not a Dao Divine Weapon, but a Power Divine Weapon.”

Zhao Xing could feel an extremely scorching power resisting him when he exerted force. This meant that the core cabin was not a Great Dao Divine Weapon, but rather a protective force left behind by a certain Divine Realm expert. As for who it was, it wasn’t hard to discover. Zhao Xing examined it carefully and found several characters on the cabin: Freedom, Luxury, Restraint. Followed by the inscription: Martial God Yan Gao, inscribed in the first year of the Wilderness Era.

“Martial God Yan Gao’s inscription?” Zhao Xing’s expression changed. He hadn’t expected that the cabins of these two individuals would bear Martial God Yan Gao’s inscription. This was not a Great Dao Divine Artifact, yet it surpassed one! Martial God Yan Gao was a living Martial God. While Great Dao Divine Artifacts were generally stronger than Power Divine Artifacts in terms of rank, it depended on whose power was left behind. Zhao Xing absolutely could not break through this cabin.

“You rogue, do you know who we are, to dare attack us!”“Where did this monster come from, not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth? We are from the Carlos family—!”

Venerable Feather and Venerable Ice were initially startled, but seeing that Zhao Xing couldn't tear open the cabin, they immediately regained their composure and began to threaten him.

“You don’t know who I am? I am Zhao Xing!” Zhao Xing scoffed. “The victim you once bullied!”

“Zhao Xing? You’ve become a demigod? How is this possible—.” Venerable Feather and Venerable Ice were both stunned. The power Zhao Xing was now displaying made their hearts tremble. But when did Zhao Xing become a demigod? Wasn’t his true body missing?

“Over a thousand years ago, you two sent people to kill my clone who oversaw the Annihilation Star Ancient Path. How could you both forget so quickly?” Zhao Xing chuckled.

“Zhao Xing, don’t talk nonsense,” Venerable Feather said sternly. “We never did such a thing. On the contrary, your sudden ambush of an imperial noble is a major taboo and a severe violation of imperial law.”

“Exactly. Do you see the inscription on the cabin?” Venerable Ice warned. “That’s power left by Martial God Yan Gao. And the Martial God Temple is definitely on its way. Surrender now, and you might still have a chance.”

“Stop talking about imperial law,” Zhao Xing said coldly. “Firstly, this is not imperial territory. Your integration hasn't been completed, so this is still the Wilderness, where exploration rules apply, allowing for free killing. Secondly, imperial law couldn't protect me back then, so it certainly won't protect you now! Break for me!”

Zhao Xing roared, and his four-colored powers coursed through his entire body, causing his strength to surge instantly. The cabin creaked and groaned as Zhao Xing’s palm squeezed it. The sound of countless claw-like forces tearing at the cabin wall sent shivers down the spines of the two demigods inside. Zhao Xing needed to speed up. He couldn’t let the Martial God Temple get involved too. He had to quickly kill these two; even if he couldn't kill them, he needed to swiftly incapacitate them.

“Zhao Xing, your future is limitless, don’t be impulsive—”“Zhao Xing, we can talk about anything. You’re not dead, are you? What happened back then is in the past; we’ve already reconciled…”

The two venerable ones continuously pleaded with Zhao Xing.

“Reconciliation?” Zhao Xing exclaimed in anger. “You call that reconciliation? How ridiculous.”

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!—

In the blink of an eye, Zhao Xing unleashed hundreds of millions of innate secret techniques. However, despite the characters on it being somewhat blurry, the words "Martial God Yan Gao" remained unyielding. Moreover, it emitted a faint golden light, seemingly forming a magical array. Zhao Xing could feel that some power was indeed traversing space and approaching.

Poom!

With the last attack, Zhao Xing's grip slipped, and he was flung back. Zhao Xing swiftly pursued, but at that very moment, the cabin burst into golden light, and a person appeared in the adjacent void layer.

“Meng Wu?” Zhao Xing’s heart sank. He hadn’t expected Meng Wu to appear here.

“Excellent, we’re saved!” The thought simultaneously appeared in the minds of Venerable Feather and Venerable Ice.

However, Meng Wu did not look at Zhao Xing. Instead, he spoke to Venerable Feather and Venerable Ice inside. “Feather, Ice, back then, Master inscribed: Benevolence, Righteousness, Trust, Courage, Propriety, Filial Piety, Loyalty, and admonished against arrogance, extravagance, debauchery, and indulgence. Now, only these few characters remain, which truly shames Master. By Master’s command, I am here to reclaim his remaining divine power.”

“Ah?” Venerable Feather and Venerable Ice were instantly dumbfounded.