Fang Yun, burdened by national enmity and personal hatred, inherited the legacy of the Grand Academy and thus set foot upon a path of no return. With every step, he moved mountains and rivers; with every punch, he shattered the starry heavens, imposing his singular will upon the world!

Having said this, Zong Shou advanced several more steps, this time planting himself directly in front of Zong Rui.

"That Hu Qianqiu must pay for this! And Zong Shou—after this, I will publicly whip his corpse and hang his head for months to truly quench my hatred! Oh, and about this other matter. But the immediate priority is to ask Elder Zong to hurry here. Shi'er is currently alone and weak; even if he kills Zong Shou, he might not control the situation. It seems Elder Zong’s hand will be needed to suppress these people…"

Even amidst the chaos of battle then, Zong Shou maintained awareness of all directions, hearing all sounds.

Recalling it now, he articulated every word. Almost word for word, the smile playing on his lips was almost cruelly precise.

"So, you are also an accomplice of that Zong Shi. Has this Elder Zong been summoned by you already? What can he do to me, Zong Shou?"

Zong Rui’s body trembled in waves, fear blazing in his eyes. He could almost foresee his imminent fate.

He had considered fleeing just then. But now, the gaze of several thousand people was fixed upon him, their eyes filled with murderous intent.

And among them, there were undoubtedly many whose strength surpassed his, or at least matched it.

If he tried to escape, where in Qiantian Mountain City could he possibly run to? How could he possibly succeed?

At this moment, he abandoned all thought of resistance, only praying that the Young Lord would spare his family after the event.

Zong Zheng’s face was a mixture of green and red, his eyes showing both shock and helpless fury. The barely concealed fighting spirit radiating from Hu Qianqiu and the others made him deeply wary.

After a long silence, a voice seemed to emerge from the Nine Nether Abyss, articulated one word at a time: "Zong Shou, you dare?"

"I dare! What can you do to me?"

Zong Shou cracked a smile, revealing a row of teeth as white and fine as rice grains. With a casual sweep of the Nine Qilin Sword in his hand, he severed Zong Rui’s head and neck with a sharp crack.

The remaining, fewer than ten Heavenly Fox Clan elders nearby were all struck dumb.

Before today, who could have imagined that this Young Lord, who seemed to be an incompetent wastrel, was actually a Spiritual Cultivator of the Night Roaming Realm, possessing the initial Meridian of Innate Power, and had already grasped the profound Dao achievements of Sword Intent and Imperial Martial Arts—a genius of unparalleled talent on Cloud Continent?

They had never expected that when Zong Shou turned ruthless, his methods would be so cruel, so tyrannical, so sharp.

The two Heavenly Fox Patriarchs—killed instantly, without hesitation or even a blink, almost like a madman!

Their lungs were being eroded by a dense tide of regret. The Young Lord and the late Sovereign were truly different!

The late Sovereign was tolerant; even if something occurred, he would reason with them. But this Zong Shou operated on pure force—if you disagreed, he would beat you into submission!

Only then did a sliver of longing emerge in his heart, realizing how precious the time under the late Sovereign had been.

Zong Shou then paced over to another person. This individual had remained silent, but not long ago, he had stood upon the steps, physically blocking others from rendering aid.

Faintly, he could hear Zong Zheng’s voice behind him, roaring in extreme hatred. Zong Shou sneered dismissively. This time, without asking a single question, he brought the sword down again.

As the crimson light sprayed forth, another head shot high into the air!

Zong Shou suddenly turned back, holding the Nine Qilin Sword aloft, pointing it askance at Zong Zheng: "Old brute, are you too afraid to fight? I’ve killed enough of these lackeys; I'm too lazy to dirty my hands further. Does your Heavenly Fox Clan wish to stand firm and leave my Qiantian Mountain City, or swear fealty to me and become my loyal dogs, ready to be driven by my will? Life or death, surrender or fight—you choose your own path forward. Your words today will seal it!"

The peak of Qiantian Peak fell into absolute silence, as if everyone awaited Zong Zheng's reply. Zong Zheng himself seemed utterly lifeless, without the slightest sound or movement.

Zong Lan simply let out a cold laugh. Leaving Qiantian Mountain would not be so easy. Setting aside the fact that many resented and held grudges against these direct descendants of the Zong lineage, even he would not allow these remnants to escape! His mind was already calculating which of his old subordinates stationed outside could be borrowed for strength.

If the Young Lord showed mercy, then he would be the butcher. He would ensure every last one was slaughtered, the roots severed, leaving no future trouble!

For this matter, Hu Zhongyuan and Qiu Wei, due to their status, had to stand aside to avoid suspicion, leaving only him, someone already born from the Zong Clan lineage, to take action!

However, just as this thought took root, he saw the few surviving Heavenly Fox Clan elders behind Zong Shou exchange glances, and then they all knelt down, prostrating themselves before Zong Shou.

"Young Lord, observe! Our Heavenly Fox Clan’s Elder Zong has always acted perversely, supporting Zong Shi and Zong Yang, causing us to be misled as well. We beg the Young Lord’s forgiveness. From this day forward, we refuse to be poisoned and coerced by them any longer. We pledge to join the Qiantian Zong Clan and recognize the Young Lord as our Clan Venerable!"

Zong Zheng's expression had initially been utterly calm. Yet his Soul Power was surging violently, his aura resembling a volcano on the verge of eruption—incredibly perilous.

Upon hearing this, his entire body stiffened momentarily. In an instant, all hope was extinguished, and all vitality vanished. The intent to fight to the death that had previously flared up disappeared without a trace.

He let out a long sigh, his face appearing exceptionally sorrowful and aged.

Zong Shou was equally stunned. He had fully expected that today would culminate in a battle against Zong Zheng, one that would demand a heavy price to secure his death.

He had never anticipated that these so-called Heavenly Fox Clan elders would have such weak resolve. A few slashes from the sword and a few threats, and they immediately submitted.

He almost couldn't believe it—that the events of today would conclude so simply?

Looking again at Zong Zheng, the surging soul energy had completely subsided. As if having lost all will to fight, he lifted the hem of his robe and knelt down in near apathy, his heart utterly dead: "Zong Zheng dares not betray Qiantian Mountain. I only implore the Young Lord to establish a new line for the clan. Please, never forget to perform the ancestral rites for the lineage of my Heavenly Fox Zong family…"

Hu Qianqiu smiled, his expression once again turning solemn and respectful: "From this day forward, the Young Lord is the Master of Qiantian! I wish Your Majesty boundless fortune, ten thousand ages, and an eternal cause! To establish an unprecedented achievement and forge an imperial legacy for all time! May our Qiantian Mountain enjoy peace and tranquility for eternity!"

The instant his words fell, sounds like surging tides erupted across the peak: "Wishing Your Majesty eternal life, an eternal cause! May your enlightened virtue sweep across the four seas, and your might manifest in all directions!"

This sound spread rapidly, and then, from the encampments of the hundreds of thousands of troops stationed below Qiantian Mountain, shouts of 'Long live the Lord!' echoed. Streams of powerful vital energy converged, piercing the heavens and driving away all evil spirits and specters.

In this moment, Zong Shou felt a profound clarity wash over his body and mind.

The very instant Zong Zheng finally conceded defeat and submitted, it was as if some shackles had been violently broken. The vortex of his Sea of Souls was expanding outward, step by step.

It lacked the speed of the earlier consolidation of the 'Fate' character, but it was orderly and methodical, further compressing and refining his soul power.

Many impure spiritual energies and soul thoughts were forcibly expelled by the self-regulating power of the Sea of Souls.

The same occurred within his body; his life potential and vital energy flowed into him as if a lock had been sprung. Tendrils streamed into his body, either directly converting into pure True Qi, or combining with the essence power of the Thunder Luan to gradually strengthen his physical form.

Zong Shou’s heart instantly cleared. Holding his long sword, he strode onto the Heavenly Altar, laughing wildly as he looked down upon everyone.

He mused, no wonder those ambitious figures in later film and television dramas always laughed maniacally once the situation was completely in hand—it felt so dissonant. But now, experiencing it himself, he felt an indescribable exhilaration and profound satisfaction.

Just as he was about to let out a few more laughs to vent the surprise and joy in his heart, Zong Shou suddenly felt his vocal cords emit a soft pop, as if something had suddenly ruptured, leaving him utterly unable to make a sound.

Zong Shou was startled at first, then broke out in a cold sweat. Could it be such a coincidence? Could it be that even Heaven couldn't stand him? After finally being able to show off his true power, no longer needing to hide and conceal everything, the heavens chose this precise moment to play this trick on him?

Below the Altar, the thousands of officials of Qiantian Mountain, though perplexed by the sudden cessation of their new City Lord’s arrogant laughter, all fell into deep contemplation.

Perhaps some failed to grasp the implications, but all those in high positions understood clearly: The upheaval on Qiantian Mountain today was bound to ripple across the entire Eastern Lin Cloud Continent. The aftermath would likely not settle for months.

The Young Lord’s genius would certainly shock the Cloud Realm and intimidate all neighboring enemies. However, it was also possible that even greater storms were gathering in the shadows.

Would the Dao Ming and Xuan Su Sects willingly allow access to the various hidden treasures anticipated from the imminent emergence of Yin Wu Valley?

And the Heavenly Fox Xue Clan would certainly not let Qiantian Mountain and the Zong lineage go easily! XxXxXx

Approximately sixty-three thousand li from Qiantian Mountain City on the Eastern Lin Cloud Continent, there stood a high tower, forty-nine stories tall. Its foundation rested beneath it, completely unsupported by any land, hovering above the sea of clouds and concealed within the mist.

And now, at the very pinnacle of the tower, a young man wearing a tall, imposing crown sat with formal posture.

The entire spire was covered in fine, sharp spikes that pierced the sky, crackling with lightning and exuding a dangerous aura.

Yet, this youth dressed as a scholar paid it no heed, focusing with grave seriousness on what lay opposite him.

It was a sword radiating a deep purple hue, suspended in mid-air.

It rotated faintly from time to time, trailing a series of shimmering, colorful reflections.

And the expression in the youth's eyes, which had remained placid for months, finally showed a look of immense relief.

"For that child, Zong Shou, you and I have been reasonably arguing for months now. It is time for a conclusion. The news from the Central Cloud Continent, the Venerable must surely know it as well."

"The Divine Emperor Seed? How could I not know of it?"

The purple longsword vibrated slightly, surprisingly emitting a sound. "Though our Sword Sect is a latecomer and our influence far less than your Cang Sheng Dao, major events like this are not hidden from my disciples."