A Daoist, aloof and detached, resembling the elegance of a crane among clouds, disdaining the mundane affairs of the North Sea wanderers.

Yet, once a cultivator is drawn into the mortal coil by their arrogance, their might, and an obsession thousands of times stronger than that of ordinary mortals, they are bound to stand at the apex of the mortal world, looking down upon all sentient beings. But they cannot allow anyone to surpass them. They are like the lofty Immortals and Gods seated in the clouds, gazing down upon the teeming masses, none of whom can possess a spiritual power greater than their own.

Extreme arrogance, extreme wildness, extreme tyranny balanced by a touch of kingly bearing—this is the true portrait of a cultivator's heart.

Never assume that the hearts of cultivators are cold and lifeless, devoid of emotion. If their hearts were truly dead, or if they were as utterly unfeeling as the ancient Sages, what would they even cultivate for?

To seek longevity, to seek eternal life. To seek a carefree existence, high above all constraint, that is the cultivator's obsession.

Obsession, like the Pacific Ocean's tsunami, lies deeply hidden in the cultivator's heart. If left undisturbed, the waters are calm. But should anyone dare to touch their inverse scale (their most sensitive nerve), the cultivator will make that audacious fool understand what true terror is, what absolute despair is, and what inescapable, shattering destruction truly means.

Just like the Grandmasters of the Corpse Emperor’s faction: for millennia, they have stood at the pinnacle of worldly power, deeming themselves god-like beings.

They can be tolerant, even benevolent. They might even pretend to be charitable by donating vast sums to mortal philanthropic organizations if they are in a good mood. If they feel like it, they might casually toss out a few elixirs, solving terrifying infectious diseases like AIDS or Ebola for those ant-like mortals with minimal effort.

They can be warm as a spring breeze; they can be loving like a compassionate father. They can even be attentive like a caring mother. But understand this: it all comes with one prerequisite—you must be one of their own. You must be their disciple or a member of their lineage. Then, the Grandmasters, led by the Corpse Emperor, will care for you with meticulous detail. They will nurture you, even if you cause trouble outside. They will be like doting grandparents, sweeping in to solve every problem for you. This is called favoritism.

However, if you are their enemy—someone they recognize as a rival or opponent—then, I'm sorry!

Cultivators can no longer be considered normal humans. They might be considered a mutation of humanity, a kind of "aberration." Here, the term carries no derogatory meaning, merely describing a biological shift in nature. Their obsessions are so persistent, so fiery. Their emotions are as fierce as their obsessions: raging like a tsunami, erupting like a volcano, carrying the devastating power to destroy everything.

Therefore, those who offend cultivators generally do not meet a good end. Even if someone luckily dies a natural death, their corpse and soul will fall into the hands of the cultivators to suffer endless torment and torture!

Even more unfortunate is this: if a cultivator faces an enemy they cannot immediately destroy, that indestructible enemy will experience extreme misfortune. The cultivators will turn into venomous snakes, coiled underground, relying on their long lifespans to quietly monitor the enemy’s every move. Like water droplets in a cave slowly eroding the ground, they will seep into the enemy's foundation like a gentle spring rain, ultimately choosing the enemy's weakest moment to annihilate them completely!

After meticulous planning and scheming, finally destroying the enemy in one fell swoop, and savoring the look of utter terror on the enemy's face before death—for Grandmasters like the Corpse Emperor, what could be more satisfying?

But this time, someone had robbed the Corpse Emperor and dozens of other highly anticipated Grandmasters of the exquisite pleasure they had long awaited, halting their imminent victory. How could the Corpse Emperor not be enraged?

The Palace of Versailles trembled. Giant, man-sized craters appeared one after another in walls reinforced to withstand nuclear attacks. The furious Corpse Emperor charged into the Hall of the Moon Goddess like a whirlwind, then stormed back out, pacing back and forth twice on the walkway before the Moon Goddess's doors, smashing anything he disliked along the way into dust. Only then did he let out a cold snort and return to the Hall of the Moon Goddess, slumping onto the sofa, crossing his legs, and sharply ordering: "Bring wine! Aged wine! Preferably Northeastern Shao Daozi."

The female Lieutenant Colonel, her face ashen with fear, stammered in disbelief, "Northeastern Shao Daozi? We only have the finest Baijiu and Scotch here."

The Corpse Emperor shot the woman a glare and roared, "What kind of stupid woman is this? You don't even know a famous liquor like Shao Daozi? Get out!"

With a wave of his massive sleeve, the Lieutenant Colonel let out a scream as she was swept out of the Hall of the Moon Goddess by a gust of icy wind. Only then did the Corpse Emperor nod toward Gu Xiechen and say, "Xiechen, you've worked hard!"

Gu Xiechen chuckled lightly. He retrieved two jars of ancient, intensely flavored liquor brewed by the old methods of the Hua Kingdom from his Green Lotus Ring and placed them before the Corpse Emperor.

The Corpse Emperor smashed the seal off one jar with his palm, lifted it, and took a massive gulp. In just two or three breaths, the entire jar was emptied. Setting the jar aside, the Corpse Emperor sneered at Du Lang and commanded, "How many mobile troops can you mobilize right now? Mobilize all of them to the Thirteen Star System. Let the Dao Alliance's Void Realm Grandmasters mobilize together to annihilate the Papal State and those Federated Gods."

Du Lang looked at Gu Xiechen in horror.

Gu Xiechen sat quietly on the sofa, making no sound. Du Lang sighed helplessly and managed a conciliatory smile, "Senior, please calm your thunderous rage. The Papal State and the Federated Gods are citizens of our Earth Federation."

The Corpse Emperor sneered. He said flatly, "Do you know how long we have waited for this opportunity?"

Du Lang fell silent. Gu Xiechen asked in surprise, "Master, what opportunity have you been waiting for?"

The Corpse Emperor broke the seal on another jar and slowly took a few sips before explaining the entire cause and effect.

Ever since the Holy See and the Alliance of Gods established roots on Earth, they had been targeted by these two organizations. However, at that time, the Dao Alliance’s elite forces had been depleted, and the Alliance lacked the sufficient strength to eradicate these two emerging powers. By the time the Dao Alliance had recuperated and a new generation of stunning geniuses began piecing together the Alliance's shattered scriptures and techniques, gradually restoring its strength, they discovered that the Holy See and the Alliance of Gods could no longer be underestimated. They now possessed the strength to contend with the Dao Alliance.

Helplessly, the Dao Alliance began secret infiltration into the two major factions—an infiltration that continued for many years.

During the battle where Cizte and Ganggelu jointly attacked the Dao Alliance fleet, the cunning Grandmasters of the Dao Alliance were already prepared. They had been waiting for the enemy to make their move. Since learning that the Holy See and the Alliance of Gods had concealed powerful forces, the Dao Alliance Grandmasters had deduced their ultimate objective.

According to the Corpse Emperor, if the Holy See and the Alliance of Gods so much as shifted their weight, he would know whether they intended to defecate or urinate.

All the Grandmasters went along with the flow, allowing the two sides to successfully injure a few Great Grandmasters, deliberately creating the appearance that the Dao Alliance was severely wounded and internally unstable. The Holy See and the Alliance of Gods predictably launched their attack in haste, setting up the entrapment of the Papal State and the Federated Gods in the Thirteen Star System and beginning to secretly immigrate citizens to the Thirteen Star System.

During the immigration process, the peripheral disciples and members controlled by the Dao Alliance played a crucial role. It was they who rendered the Federation Military completely blind and deaf, thus failing to stop the migration.

"With them in the Earth Federation, we are obligated to adhere to the Seclusion Edict!" the Corpse Emperor sneered. "Let them go, let them take their people and leave. Once the Seclusion Edict is broken, our Dao Alliance can unleash our full power without restraint, striking with the force of fire and thunder to eradicate the Holy See, the Alliance of Gods, and the Roman people in one blow."

Using a feigned injury to provoke the Holy See and the Alliance of Gods into action, and deliberately helping them succeed, was a tactic to shake off the constraints of the Seclusion Edict that bound the Dao Alliance Grandmasters. From then on, they could roam freely, soaring as high as the heavens and swimming as wide as the ocean. The entity that signed the Seclusion Edict had fundamentally changed its nature, and the Edict naturally became a useless scrap of paper. The Dao Alliance, liberated from its oath, was like a raging dragon uncaged—it could do whatever it pleased.

"Master!" Gu Xiechen sighed, shaking his head helplessly at the Corpse Emperor.

The Corpse Emperor glared fiercely at Gu Xiechen and roared in anger, "We endured humiliation, playing dead. We finally waited for those idiots to make their move, and just as we were about to strike and annihilate them, those fools annihilated each other over some baseless nonsense! How can we bear this insult! If we don't exterminate all three factions, root and branch, how can we soothe the rage in our hearts?"

Gu Xiechen shook his head, finally understanding. The group of old monsters had spent so long plotting this perfect trap, and it was on the verge of success. Cizte and Xiao Gelu were about to fall into their snare, and the old monsters were preparing their game of sowing discord and forming shifting alliances among the three parties. Then—smack—Cizte, Ganggelu, and the others were wiped out completely.

This was akin to a man pressing down on a peerlessly beautiful woman, only to suddenly realize that she was also a man. This frustration would be unbearable even for an ordinary person, let alone a Void Realm Grandmaster!

With a sweep of his hand, the Corpse Emperor roared with unrestrained laughter, "I just toured the famous mountains and rivers and distributed a batch of the treasures you brought back to your seniors. Hmph, a bunch of shameless old men were flexing their muscles, ready for a big fight, only to find that those fools are dead! You just wait, it won't be long before those shameless old men come knocking!"

Before the words even faded, a clear, water-like sword light flashed across the void, and True Man Bai Shui walked slowly out of the emptiness.

The Great Sect Master of Kunlun looked ruddy, his skin smooth and tender; his complexion was excellent. Gu Xiechen couldn't see any sign that this senior had suffered grievous internal injuries.

However, this normally gentle and mild Great Sect Master, whose demeanor was usually like flowing water, now had a pair of sharply upturned eyebrows pointing straight up. His usually benevolent, phoenix-like eyes were tightly squeezed into triangles. As soon as he materialized, True Man Bai Shui thrust his Sect Master Token into Du Lang’s hand: "Foreign Affairs Hall disciple Du Lang! Gather every Federal army you can control. March on the Papal State and the Federated Gods. Annihilate their traditions, extinguish their descendants. Kill without mercy for any who resist!"

Du Lang, clutching the jade token symbolizing the supreme authority of the Kunlun Dao Sect, immediately fell to his knees with a thump. "Disciple Du Lang obeys the Sect Master's decree. I will mobilize all troops at once!"

When the great powers of the Dao Alliance lost their final restraint and tore off their pretense to intervene in mortal affairs, no force in the world could stop them!

"Hoo." With a whistling sound, True Man Han He strode out of a clear breeze. True Man Han He, who usually gave the impression of an austere pine on a cliff—proudly soaring above the dust—also widened his fierce eyes. Muscles bulged tautly on his clear face, making him look like a butcher wielding a cleaver at the market. Furthermore, the aura surrounding him carried a hint more bloodlust than that of the Corpse Emperor.

"Old Jiang, Old Shui, you're here?" True Man Han He said with a cold smile. "This is Du Lang, a disciple of the Kunlun Foreign Affairs Hall? Hmm, not bad, not bad. Hurry up and gather the troops! We will be responsible for eliminating all the experts of the Holy See and the Alliance of Gods; you are responsible for wiping out all their armies."

The Corpse Emperor leisurely crossed his legs and chuckled, "See how simple and ideal this is? Eliminate all the unstable elements within the Earth Federation in one stroke. Ah, great harmony under heaven! Clear seas and calm waves, another era of peace for the mortal world. Hmm, this merit—tsk, tsk—is comparable to building a billion pagodas, isn't it?"

Gu Xiechen rolled his eyes. He watched the Corpse Emperor, True Man Bai Shui, and True Man Han He, who were all gripped by furious rage, and cautiously raised his right hand.

"Hmm? Nephew Xiechen, speak your mind gently!" True Man Bai Shui and True Man Han He instantly transformed, their faces beaming like a mother-in-law seeing her favorite son-in-law. Their eyes shimmered with "rippling spring," their expressions shifting so rapidly that Gu Xiechen froze for a moment.

Clearing his throat, Gu Xiechen mumbled apologetically, just like Du Lang, "Now is not the best time to move against them!"

"What?" True Man Bai Shui and True Man Han He maintained their beaming smiles, but the Corpse Emperor went berserk.

He stomped down on the ground with tremendous force. The ground for several miles around the Palace of Versailles vibrated violently. This blow from the Corpse Emperor, as overwhelming as Mount Tai, instantly collapsed half of the palace.

Du Lang shrieked, "Heavens! My Federal Rapid Response Force Command Headquarters!"

The Corpse Emperor pointed at Gu Xiechen and roared, "Xiechen, Old Shui and Old Ma are too polite to tell you off, but I must teach you a lesson! I have a fire burning inside me right now! I need an outlet for this frustration, and you tell me it’s not the right time?"

True Man Bai Shui and True Man Han He quickly nodded in agreement, indicating they also had bellies full of fire and were eager to take it out on the Holy See and the Alliance of Gods.

Gu Xiechen sighed helplessly. He nodded his head and confessed, "The Roman people possess a very powerful force. It’s not their fleet, but rather, the Roman named Porpor has acquired a force that could perhaps easily destroy the current Dao Alliance!"

Gu Xiechen did not mention the Golden Armored Puppets he possessed that could contend with the Doom Guardian Knights under Porpor's command. He merely stated the fact: the power in Porpor's hands was enough to crush the current Dao Alliance head-on. The Dao Alliance currently possessed thirty-eight Void Realm Great Grandmasters, while the power under Porpor was equivalent to about thirty Celestial Immortals!

One Celestial Immortal possessed the power to easily slay a hundred Void Realm Great Grandmasters!

The Corpse Emperor fell silent. True Man Bai Shui fell silent. True Man Han He fell silent. Gu Xiechen was not speaking without basis; they knew this to be true.

But the more this was the case, the more confused they became: How could the Roman people possibly possess such strength?

Did they have to return to a scenario where the Holy See, the Alliance of Gods, and the Dao Alliance joined forces to fight the Roman people?

Du Lang's communicator suddenly rang. A Major General in the deep purple uniform of the Earth Air Defense Command appeared on the screen.

"Marshal, envoys from the Papal State and the Federated Gods request an audience. Their diplomatic fleet has already approached Lunar Orbit."

Gu Xiechen didn't have time to speak; Du Lang hadn't reacted, but the Corpse Emperor burst out laughing, "Excellent! Open the gates! Invite them in!"

True Man Bai Shui and True Man Han He both clasped their hands and laughed heartily.