Chapter 817: Killing Out Qualification

This night was long, as if it would never end. No one knew what would happen at dawn. Many people lay awake all night, their faces worn and worried, enduring a truly difficult time.

Finally, dawn broke. A sliver of light rose from the east, piercing through the mist and illuminating the Jade Lake.

The crimson rising sun radiated brilliance. Mist swirled around the pure land, and morning dew, tender leaves, lake ripples, and vibrant petals all shimmered.

Fresh air wafted in. The mountain mists, tinged with the colorful morning glow, rose in a serene and beautiful haze.

However, on such a vibrant morning, everyone's heart was heavy. What was destined to happen was finally arriving: the Grand Assembly of Myriad Races was about to begin, and powerful ancient kings were set to descend.

On a cliff, the White-Clothed Divine King sat cross-legged, breathing in the morning glow, appearing ethereal and untouched by the world in the pure light. Ye Fan was by his side, recounting in detail the events of the past decade or so.

That night, many cultivators envied Ye Fan for being able to sit with the Divine King Jiang. It was an unattainable desire for most, as the Divine King was like a god.

On another cliff, seven ancient kings also sat cross-legged. Their expressions were indifferent, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, and they only opened their eyes in unison the moment the morning glow appeared.

"It's time!" an ancient king said.

This single sentence pulled everyone back to reality. A monumental storm was about to be faced; powerful ancestral kings were arriving, disbelieving that Emperor Wu Shi was still alive, and a shocking confrontation was inevitable.

A gloom settled in everyone's hearts. They stood motionless, silently awaiting that moment, the atmosphere heavy and oppressive, almost stopping their breath.

Finally, a divine bell chimed. Supremely powerful saints had arrived, their presence announced within the pure land, and the leaders of all sects were required to go and welcome them.

What was destined to come had arrived; there was no escaping it. Whether this would be an era of coexistence or the dawn of a dark, chaotic age would all be revealed today.

At this very moment, no one could remain calm. This was a negotiation that would go down in history, concerning the future of all races and having far-reaching implications.

"Peace talks... that's a word only weak races use, isn't it? What do you have to talk about with us?" a cold, clear voice came from outside the pure land, showing no respect.

In the morning light, three tall figures strode forward with imposing gait. All were clad in battle armor, cold and stern, gleaming with metallic luster. Their armor, forged from divine gold, was all of saintly quality.

"Very well, all our old acquaintances have arrived. Let's enter the Jade Lake together and see who is qualified to sit down and talk with us!"

People were terrified; a total of eleven saints had arrived in person. All possessed overwhelming power, like living gods stepping forth from ancient lands.

"Let's enter the Jade Lake and see what's so special about the legacy left by the Western Empress..."

People were horrified; it wasn't just one or two, but over ten individuals. Even with his supreme demeanor, how could the Divine King contend against so many? Everyone despaired.

This was not an equal confrontation at all. If a true battle ensued, these individuals would hold an overwhelming advantage, and this wasn't even the full extent; there were surely more people to follow.

In the sky, a thick, heavy pillar of hazy green energy descended. The Immortal Tear Green Gold Pagoda stood faintly visible within a small world, surging with chaotic energy.

"The aura of an ancient Great Emperor, is that the legendary Western Empress Pagoda? I can't quite see it clearly, but I'd truly like to hold it in my palm and examine it closely," one of the ancient kings sneered after looking up and observing.

People's hearts trembled; was this a provocation? Perhaps in the near future, such an event would indeed occur: an attack on a vital human stronghold to seize the Emperor's weapon!

One ancient king cautioned, "Say less. If this pagoda descends, we will all turn to dust."

Another saint, however, said that the Jade Lake could certainly do that. At least two ancient emperor's weapons were aimed at this place, and if they truly made a move, it would be hard to say who would be reduced to ashes.

After these eleven entered, they felt no pressure from the Western Empress Pagoda. They acted as if no one else was present, pointing out features of the Jade Lake's pure land.

The human cultivators present were all terrified. These individuals had come prepared, with two ancient emperor's weapons aimed at the Jade Lake, threatening a shocking conflict. If a war truly broke out, even the Western Empress Pagoda might be destroyed.

Of course, this was the worst-case scenario, but it was not impossible! If ancient great emperors' weapons clashed, no one could bear the cost.

The pressure in people's hearts was as immense as a mountain, almost suffocating them.

The Heaven-Reaching Platform was a broken mountain over a thousand *zhang* high, barren of any vegetation. It looked as if a mighty peak had been severed in the middle, its cross-section forming a vast and boundless sky platform.

It was said that this was originally the tallest peak in the Northern Region. It had been personally shaped into a platform by the Western Empress; even truncated, it remained magnificent, possessing the grandeur of a king among mountains.

It could serve as a training ground or a discussion plaza. No matter how many people arrived, it could accommodate them all, as it was inscribed with the Western Empress's patterns.

Years ago, when the Jade Lake relocated, it took immense effort to move this mountain into the pure land.

At the center of the Heaven-Reaching Platform, the White-Clothed Divine King sat cross-legged. Behind him were many human sect leaders, and opposite them were seven ancient kings and a large number of powerful ancient race members.

At the edge of the broken mountain, a dark-faced Daoist stood with his hands behind his back, preparing to welcome the eleven ancient kings. He was a transformed Black Tortoise from the Barbarian Race.

"I thought the human race was so powerful, calling for a Grand Assembly of Myriad Races. How could you have such confidence? But what do I see? Just one person and one turtle daring to sit firmly on this high platform?"

With cold smiles and merciless expressions, the eleven ancient kings arrived on the Heaven-Reaching Platform. Their cold gazes swept around, and a hint of murderous intent played on their lips.

"Not long ago, this humble Daoist used the Hegemon God Fist to pummel an insolent ancestral king to death," the Black Tortoise, in his transformed Daoist form, said solemnly, his face dark.

The temperature plummeted, and chilling murderous aura permeated the air. The eleven ancient kings all looked over, staring at the Black Tortoise, their faces utterly indifferent, their gazes like knives.

From the very beginning, the atmosphere was extremely tense. A great battle could erupt at any moment, and many beings trembled with apprehension.

"Should the two of us also go over...?" Beside the Heavenly Emperor's Son, two ancient kings exchanged glances, seeking each other's opinion, but ultimately made no move.

"Just a turtle. The human race is truly declining!" an ancient king said. He was clearly provoking them, having come solely for slaughter.

"However, killing you would be overkill!" the Black Tortoise retorted, head held high.

"You have come a long way. Why not sit down and talk?" the White-Clothed Divine King spoke.

The Black Tortoise turned his back to them, walked back, and then sat cross-legged on the ground.

"Talk? What is there to talk about? Can your human race be our equal?" An ancient king strode forward, very aggressive, with only one goal: to fight and slaughter all human saints.

"Then, what do you consider to be equality, and what exactly have you come here for?" the White-Clothed Divine King asked peacefully, without anger.

"You will never be qualified to be our equals. Just one person and one turtle are far from enough," another ancient king stepped forward and said.

"If a Great Emperor came, would you be qualified? You'd probably run as far as you could," the Black Tortoise said, enraged.

"Regardless of strength, just in terms of numbers, the vast human race has only produced one saint, and in the end, you even need to bring a turtle. What future do you have to speak of? How can you compare to us?" the ancient king at the front said, clearly spoiling for a fight, revealing a cold sneer at the corner of his mouth.

"Weak races have no right to speak. There's nothing to say," another ancient king said, even more directly.

Three of the eleven ancient kings were this aggressive, rubbing salt in the wounds of the human race. They had no intention whatsoever of sitting down for talks.

At this moment, the atmosphere on the Heaven-Reaching Platform was extremely tense; a battle was imminent. Peace talks were clearly out of the question, as this wasn't about reason but about qualification.

Among the eleven saints, one who had remained silent spoke up at this moment, saying: "Things have come to this; only battle remains. We are merely the first wave; more powerful ancestral kings will follow. If you are obliterated by us, what will there be to talk about?"

At this point, it was unavoidable. To negotiate, one must first prove their qualification through battle!

"Very well, let's fight right here," the White-Clothed Divine King said directly, no longer speaking any words.

"We've been eager for this..." Immediately, the three ancient kings clad in divine iron armor stepped to the forefront; they were the same ones who had been so aggressive just moments ago.

Behind them, several ancient kings hesitated for a moment but ultimately did not step forward, choosing to observe the battle.

"This battle is to the death. If you die, there will be nothing left to discuss; everything will end here!" one of them declared forcefully.

All of them wore saintly armor, which was already close to being a legendary saintly weapon. To have refined them to this extent was quite terrifying! Many saints had existed since ancient times, but very few legendary saintly weapons had been left behind.

"Is this the battle platform carved by the Western Empress? It's quite good. How many years has it been? Since the Primordial Era until now, I haven't tasted the blood of a human saint for a very long time..."

The three ancient kings transformed into demons, with bone spurs erupting skyward from their backs, appearing incredibly ferocious.

The White-Clothed Divine King stepped forward, and a great battle erupted in a flash of sparks. He charged into the three, and immeasurable divine principles streaked across the sky.

It must be said that these three were extremely powerful. They had progressed far along the path of saints, greatly surpassing ordinary ancestral kings.

The White-Clothed Divine King was exceptionally brilliant, but fighting them alone, he did not immediately gain the upper hand. Hundreds of rounds passed in the blink of an eye, and the divine principles had collided countless times.

"In the Primordial Era, the human race was a subsidiary tribe of powerful great ancestors, only able to survive under their protection. So much time has passed, yet nothing has changed. You are still destined to kneel before strong races."

An ancient king sneered, intentionally trying to disturb the Divine King's state of mind, aiming to cause fluctuations in his divine principles and seeking an opportunity to strike.

"Very well, a battle of life and death!" the Divine King said, still incredibly peaceful. Yet his movements became even more terrifying.

"Kill..." The divine principles of the three saints suddenly merged. They transformed into a golden deity, radiating boundless light, filling the Heaven-Reaching Platform, and pressed forward to kill.

"Boom!"

The Divine King Jiang Taixu threw a punch, stirring up monstrous waves. His right fist swung out, transforming into the Hengyu Furnace, piercing through the deity's body and shattering one of the ancient kings.

Then, he swung both his fists again. Both fists transformed into Hengyu Emperor Furnaces, and with one punch each, he blew up the remaining two individuals. A rain of blood showered down, turning into boundless crimson light, and the ancestral kings' blood stained the high platform red.

The Divine King did not kill, yet he was not always merciful!