Why, even here, thousands of miles from the territory governed by my Qiantian Mountain City, could I still sense that nation's presence, connecting with myself?

Though his heart registered it as unbelievable, Zong Shou didn't dwell on it, stepping right into the Shangxiao Spirit Mansion.

Inside the mansion now, all the cultivators from the various sects displayed expressions of utter despair.

The protected ancestral ground had been forcefully blasted open. This meant the final barrier was utterly lost.

Below, the four thousand two hundred Blood Cloud Cavalry were already traversing the air, arriving with no further obstruction to the Shangxiao Spirit Mansion.

Standing before Zong Shou were three figures: Daoist Master Yuan Kong of the Shangxiao Sect, Ling Weizi of the Lingyun Sect, and Wu Ye of the Daoist Name Sect, all staring over with ashen faces.

As for Long Ruo and the others, Zong Shou paid them no mind whatsoever. He no longer considered them worthy of attention; they were beneath mention.

"Is this your Shangxiao Sect's Myriad Thunder Void Annihilation Grand Array? I hear that once completed, it can obliterate a region spanning a thousand li. Quite impressive! In the ancient times, it famously destroyed millions of enemy troops from the Outer Domains."

With his hands clasped behind his back, Zong Shou surveyed the scene with perfect composure: "It's just a pity that time is short by one shichen. It’s merely an incomplete, flawed formation."

Yuan Kong offered no reply, nor did he have the inclination to argue about how Zong Shou knew the array's fundamentals.

Being praised by the enemy only sent a chill through his heart. Resorting to mutual annihilation was hardly a matter for boasting.

Yet, at this juncture, something had to be said: "I wonder, if our Shangxiao Sect were willing to switch allegiance and serve Qiantian Mountain, would Your Highness spare the Shangxiao Xuanling?"

At these words, the despairing Shangxiao Xuanling cultivators’ eyes flickered, showing a glimmer of hope.

But Wu Yue and Ling Weizi’s expressions shifted slightly before they quickly composed themselves.

By this point, the Shangxiao Sect was on the verge of ruin. Pledging submission to Qiantian Mountain now was hardly something that could be faulted.

Zong Shou let out a soft sneer: "With the Blood Kill Twin Banners deployed, Yuan Kong, do you truly believe that is possible?"

Only now were they willing to yield? What were they doing before?

Had it not been for the abduction of Xuanyuan Yiren to Shangxiao Mountain, had they not meticulously plotted to overthrow Qiantian Mountain,

Perhaps the Shangxiao Xuanling would still have a sliver of life remaining today. But now, even if he agreed, his subordinates and that old man of a father-in-law would never let the Shangxiao Sect off!

Moreover, within his chest, killing intent boiled, almost uncontrollable!

Daoist Master Yuan Kong’s breath hitched, followed by a desolate, grim laugh. If it were him, he absolutely wouldn't agree either!

Pushing matters too far always led to such an end!

Just then, from the distance came the earth-shattering laughter of Daoist Master Lie He from the Spiritual Talisman Sect: "Yuan Kong, do you remember when my Spiritual Talisman Sect made a similar plea? If you spared us a single Divine-tier existence, the Spiritual Talisman Sect would become a vassal to your Lingyun and Shangxiao Sects. Who would have thought that only twenty years later, this old Daoist could witness the Shangxiao Xuanling meeting this fate! Truly laughable, joyful, and yet pathetic and pitiable! That the Myriad Extreme Sky Array can serve to extinguish your Shangxiao Sect today—this is karma repaid in full, excellent, excellent! Lie He’s life will have no regrets!"

Yuan Kong’s eyes were filled with despair as he looked mournfully toward the sky, wondering why the Divine Firmament Ancestor Master had not yet appeared. Had some calamity occurred in the Outer Domains? Was Heaven truly abandoning Shangxiao?

Was this truly karma, as Lie He proclaimed?

If not for this ceiling of heaven blocking them, even with four thousand Blood Cloud Iron Cavalry, it would have been impossible for no one from the Shangxiao Sect to escape and preserve a seed for the sect's resurgence.

Zong Shou glanced over the remaining figures one last time, his heart settling into stillness, and continued toward the Myriad Thunder Void Annihilation Grand Array ahead.

Suddenly, a mournful roar reached his ears. It was a Ninth-Rank spiritual cultivator who had summoned a peak-level Soul Beast of the same rank into his own body. His form swelled, enveloped in swirling lightning, and he lunged fiercely.

Zong Shou shifted his gaze and glanced at him. This was the 'Beast Fusion' technique—merging with a soul beast's spirit form to temporarily gain strength that equaled or even surpassed a Ninth-Rank Martial Cultivator. The stronger the bloodline tier of the soul beast, the more formidable the resulting power.

This person had merged with a sub-divine beast. His strength instantly surged to near the level achieved when the nine Thunder Winged Tigers combined earlier. As his fist struck, chaotic gale winds erupted.

Zong Shou manifested another black sword blade in his hand and, with a casual wave, flickered ten steps away.

The shaping cultivator had now separated from the soul beast. There were no external wounds, only a thin line of blood appearing between his brows.

This single sword strike pierced his mind, shattering his primordial spirit along with the World-Shaking Spiral True Force.

But in Zong Shou’s sight, he remained a martial cultivator, his eyes burning with madness, launching a sword strike.

Even before the blade arrived, blood began to burst forth from his entire body—he was self-immolating his essence and vital energy, not only massively boosting his power but also sharpening his Thunderous Sword Intent to its utmost!

Countless bolts of lightning gathered upon the sword.

Zong Shou didn't even bother watching. There wasn't time to summon a sword. Instead, Zong Shou shot out a single finger, forcibly shattering the sharp sword energy. Then, using his fingers, he clamped the blade, rendering it immobile.

Mixing the lightning with the Void-Burning Flame, he unleashed the full might of the Raging Thunder Thousand Radiance, pouring it into the man. In a single breath, the cultivator's body was incinerated to ash.

He flicked his fingers again, deflecting several residual sword energies with rapid strikes, and took another step forward.

Still, one step for every Ninth-Rank expert!

Though he excelled most in swordsmanship, his physical form remained the Dharmic Embodiment of a Spirit Master!

The eighteen spiritual talismans, coupled with the black and white dual-hole Dharmic Embodiment, naturally imposed an absolute suppression over the majority of Spirit Masters!

Continuing forward, as he reached the Myriad Thunder Void Annihilation Grand Array, he suddenly felt an intensely venomous gaze lock onto him from afar.

Zong Shou’s brow twitched as he looked over. It was Han Nishui, clearly a tangle of hatred, rage, despair, and pain. His eyes bulged, bloodshot, his muscles twisting violently.

Any person with a slightly wavering mind would have been startled by the sight. Though he still possessed a semblance of human form, Han Nishui could hardly be considered human anymore.

Zong Shou paid him no heed, unleashing a sword strike that twisted spiritual energy, causing the already incomplete Myriad Thunder Void Annihilation Grand Array to instantly destabilize.

The spiritual energy inside collided, the vital channels shuddered, and the central thunder orb twisted. A portion simply lost control and scattered outwards, striking the disciples of the Shangxiao Xuanling Sect head-on. One by one, their bodies shattered, blasted into dust by the immense electrical discharge.

Han Nishui did not die, but blood poured from his seven orifices as he lunged fiercely: "I’ll fight you to the death!"

He clawed downward, dragging the massive thunder orb with him as it plummeted toward Zong Shou.

Then, mid-air, a streak of black sword light flashed and vanished. Han Nishui’s body was cleanly severed into two pieces.

As for the thunder orb formed by the Myriad Thunder Void Annihilation Grand Array behind him, Zong Shou’s sword fiercely sucked it in.

In doing so, a pair of purple lightning wings unfurled once more behind Zong Shou. This time, the wings were purely purple electricity, spanning a thousand zhang when spread wide!

With just a slight flutter, Zong Shou ascended to an altitude of a hundred zhang. His majestic sword intent crushed the land for a thousand li!

If one wished to fight him desperately, they needed sufficient capital. At this moment, the sword in his hand was surely unrivaled in this realm!

Looking down below, Zong Shou’s eyes suddenly showed a trace of joy. He saw a graceful, slender figure emerging from a side hall.

A silver spiritual shield floated lightly around her as she approached, dressed in the robes of a Danling Sect disciple. No one stopped her now.

It was the Benevolence Girl—she had grown again. Two years had passed, yet there was no sense of unfamiliarity; it could basically be said that he had longed for her constantly.

The moment he saw the girl, his heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

Zong Shou sighed internally. After a moment's thought, he retracted the terrifying lightning wings behind him and descended.

Xuanyuan Yiren, meanwhile, stood transfixed, watching him, still radiating striking martial heroism. Coincidentally, she passed by where Han Nishui lay broken. Although his body had been cut in half by Zong Shou, he hadn't died.

Frowning slightly, Xuanyuan Yiren sighed softly, drew her sword, and swept it across, cleanly severing Han Nishui's head.

It was unclear whether she couldn't bear to see him suffer the pain any longer, or if she was using the act to vent the hatred in her heart.

She felt a strange emptiness within. Reversing the characters for 'Yiren' yielded 'Renyi' (Benevolence and Righteousness), principles she had always upheld as dogma.

Only now did she realize she couldn't truly adhere to them. As long as the matter involved that person, her heart naturally tilted towards him.

It wasn't until she walked unconsciously before Zong Shou that her eyes brightened, and she snapped back to attention, her whole demeanor suddenly lightened.

"You've come?"

A simple sentence, as if it were the most ordinary thing. Her bright, lively eyes curved into crescent moons now.

"Mm! I have come!"

Zong Shou merely nodded slightly, then suddenly slapped his forehead, remembering something. Fortunately, Zong Yuan had already led the four thousand Blood Cloud Cavalry into Shangxiao Mountain, where his physical body resided.

Zong Shou pointed into the Qiankun Pouch from afar. Suddenly, a golden light shot out, landing upon Zong Shou's soul body.

It was a set of purple-gold armor—not a spiritual artifact, but strikingly beautiful, making Zong Shou appear even more heroic and extraordinary. In his hand, he held a golden sword, equally magnificent and noble.

He beckoned again, forcibly tearing a mass of five-colored auspicious clouds from the sky.

Xuanyuan Yiren on the opposite side froze slightly, her eyes filled with confusion.

"Zong Shou, what are you doing?"

Zong Shou smiled faintly, his eyes narrowing to slits: "A while ago, I passed through Xuanshan City and formally proposed marriage. When I return this time, I'll take you directly back to Qiantian Mountain for the wedding."

Xuanyuan Yiren remained bewildered, so Zong Shou continued to explain, his smile growing strangely mischievous: "Then my mother-in-law mentioned that when you were little, you always dreamed of a fellow coming to marry you, one who wore purple-gold battle armor and rode five-colored auspicious clouds—"

As he spoke, he casually brandished the sword: "See? Isn't this exactly it!"

Xuanyuan Yiren's cheeks immediately flushed a deep red; she felt an overwhelming sense of bashful annoyance. Then, she couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. (To be continued)