Chapter 1222: Permanent Engraving

He was generous with rewards for outstanding juniors.

He immediately raised a finger and carved a few words onto Jiang Fan's forehead from a distance.

"I have left a permanent inscription on you," he said. "Unless I perish, it will exist forever."

Jiang Fan's heart pounded, and his mouth went dry.

If that were the case, wouldn't he be invincible?

Taking the phrase "All Laws Retreat" as an example, he could forcibly neutralize any divine ability or domain from cultivators below the Sage level. How incredible was that?

"Senior, what have you inscribed?"

The Giant Emperor, however, smiled mysteriously. "You will know soon enough."

Jiang Fan was secretly thrilled. Whatever it was, a permanent Sage inscription was definitely a good thing!

"Thank you, Senior."

The Giant Emperor replied, "You deserve it."

Afterwards, he looked at the cultivators from various sects present and said:

"Congratulations, you have passed the test."

They had not surrendered, though not everyone, like Jiang Fan, had the Central Land's welfare at heart. Many had considered personal interests, sect interests, honor, and the prevailing atmosphere. But actions spoke louder than intentions. Under the coercion of a Giant Emperor, they had held their ground. This was enough.

He flicked his finger, and a wisp of rule energy entered everyone's bodies.

"If you encounter unforeseen dangers, it will protect you from a calamity."

Hearing this, everyone was overjoyed! This meant they had an extra life when facing the ancient giants!

"Thank you, Senior!"

Jiang Fan was also delighted. This single rule was far more useful than a Soul Transformation strike. After all, a Soul Transformation strike might not kill a true Venerable or even guarantee one's own life. This wisp of rule energy, however, could.

Then, the Giant Emperor turned to look at the Great Yin Sect Master, whose face was ashen. He said indifferently, "As for you..."

Cold sweat streamed down the Great Yin Sect Master's face. He fell to his knees with a thud, pleading, "Senior, please spare my life. Please, please, for the sake of our Venerable Evil Crow, give me a chance."

It would have been better if he hadn't said that.

The Giant Emperor's gaze turned cold. "So there's still a Venerable in your sect," he said.

He looked beyond the battlefield and sent a message that spread for thousands of li: "Come here, all of you."

Shortly after, the Grand Wine Sacrifice, Venerable Evil Crow, Venerable True Word, Venerable Heart Demon, and several Venerables from other regions arrived.

Except for the Grand Wine Sacrifice, the other Venerables, seeing the fifty-zhang-tall, golden Giant Emperor, all showed fear on their faces. Although the Grand Wine Sacrifice had already explained the truth about the Giant Emperor to them beforehand, assuring them there was no need to worry, they couldn't help but tremble inwardly upon suddenly seeing the legendary Giant Emperor.

"Is this the Giant Emperor?"

Even a body weakened for a thousand years still gave them a strong sense of destruction. It was as if they were drops of water facing a pool of magma. If the two touched, they would instantly vanish into thin air.

The Grand Wine Sacrifice bowed with a smile, then turned to the Venerables and said, "Have you not greeted Sage Sky Eye yet?"

All the Venerables felt a chill in their hearts.

According to historical records, Sage Sky Eye was a Sage who mastered the Sky Eye Rule. He could transform into the heavens, overseeing any corner of a state and discerning enemy intelligence. He was the Sage the ancient giants loathed most back then. In the battle a thousand years ago, he had performed indelible and outstanding feats of military service.

Whether they were Venerables from Taicang Great State or from other states, they all felt admiration for this Sage who had almost sacrificed himself for the survival of the Central Land. They all bowed, saying, "We respectfully greet Sage Sky Eye."

Sage Sky Eye scanned them and asked indifferently, "Who is Venerable Evil Crow?"

Venerable Evil Crow was somewhat taken aback. Sage Sky Eye had just woken up, and he knew him? He quickly cupped his hands and said, "This junior, Evil Crow, greets the Sage. May I ask what the Sage's command is?"

He secretly speculated, 'Could it be that my Great Yin Sect is powerful and performed exceptionally during the battlefield cleanup? Was he going to be praised and rewarded?' A trace of excitement arose in his heart at the thought. If he could ask the Sage to repair his domain, or even allow his cultivation to directly break through to the Second Decline of Heaven and Man, then he could solve his urgent problems.

Sage Sky Eye stared at him, his voice growing cold. "Look at the corpses around you. Do they look familiar?"

Venerable Evil Crow froze. After he arrived, his attention had been drawn to the Giant Emperor, and he hadn't carefully looked around. Hearing this, he finally looked around. With one look, he saw the Great Yin Sect Master kneeling on the ground and the headless bodies of Great Yin Sect cultivators scattered everywhere. He was instantly shocked and furious.

Who dared to kill his Great Yin Sect members, and so many of them? With Sage Sky Eye present, he dared not complain and could only suppress his urge to question, saying, "Reporting to the Sage, these are all loyal members of our Great Yin Sect!"

"Loyal?" Sage Sky Eye asked sternly. "Loyal to the Central Land, or loyal to the ancient giants?"

Venerable Evil Crow's heart tightened. He suddenly remembered that the Grand Wine Sacrifice had just said that the opening of this battlefield was both an opportunity for cultivators of various sects to obtain resources and a test to screen for potential traitors. Could it be that all his sect members had failed the test and become traitors? A trickle of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. He tentatively asked, "Senior, are they..."

Sage Sky Eye's voice grew colder. "These are the fine disciples you've taught! Out of over a hundred sects, only your Great Yin Sect produced more than a dozen traitors! And one of them is even a Sect Master!"

Venerable Evil Crow gasped and hurriedly said, "Sage, please investigate thoroughly! This is absolutely not what I taught!"

Sage Sky Eye stared at him coldly. "Not what you taught? Your Sect Master even pleaded with me to spare him for your sake."

"What?"

Venerable Evil Crow's lungs were about to burst with anger. He had always greatly valued the Great Yin Sect Master, even giving him many life-saving methods for his sake. Who knew that he, as a sect master, would actually fail the test? Fine, if he surrendered, he surrendered. But why drag him into it?

Venerable Evil Crow's eyes held cold murderous intent. "You scoundrel! You betrayed the Central Land yourself, and you still have the audacity to beg for mercy? This Venerable cannot tolerate you!"

The Evil Crow tattoo on his face suddenly activated, transforming into an afterimage that passed through the Great Yin Sect Master's body. The Great Yin Sect Master only had time to beg for mercy once: "Venerable, I was also forced into this, anyone in my place would..." His words were still on his lips when his soul was reduced to dust. Having lost his soul, his eyes quickly dimmed, his face filled with deep unwillingness, and he plummeted straight into the void below.

Venerable Evil Crow expressionlessly retracted the Evil Crow tattoo and said, "Sage, I have purged my sect. And I guarantee that nothing like this will ever happen again."

Today, the Great Yin Sect was utterly humiliated. He thought the matter would end there, but Sage Sky Eye said indifferently:

"Just purging your sect isn't enough, is it? As a Venerable, you are inexcusable for such corrupted sect discipline."

He raised his hand and beckoned. The several chains that had just been severed all flew over, binding Venerable Evil Crow.

"From today, you will meditate and reflect here until the ancient giants arrive!"

Venerable Evil Crow's old face flushed. A dignified Venerable of the Taicang Great State, a peak Soul Transformation cultivator, was actually being punished by a Sage to meditate in front of a wall. It was practically a laughingstock for the entire Central Land. But who made the Great Yin Sect commit such a grave error? He could only suppress the humiliation and say, "Yes, Sage."

However, the matter was not yet over. Sage Sky Eye's next words made him lose his composure on the spot.