The Southern Cloud Empire, in these recent days, had been largely subjugated by the Tian Yuan Empire. Faced with the formidable might of the Five Immortal Sages, countless Immortals who had once pledged allegiance to the Southern Cloud Empire chose to defect to the Tian Yuan Empire. As such, the current influence of the Southern Cloud Empire was now confined to the vicinity of Yunjing.

Yet, fortunately, over these past few millennia, Luo Ruofeng had cultivated an exceptionally potent army using the Map of Mountains and Rivers, allowing them to barely withstand the offensive from the Tian Yuan Empire.

However, today, Xuanyuan Jing once again personally led tens of thousands of troops to the gates of Yunjing City. He had received the decree from the Primordial Heavenly Venerable, knowing that Ye Jingyu was currently at his weakest, his power completely depleted, while Liang Tianjun and Yingkong Shi were both still recovering from grave injuries. It was undeniable that the true masters remaining in the entire Southern Cloud Empire were merely a few women. This was the Empire's most vulnerable moment, the perfect opportunity to utterly annihilate it.

Without the Southern Cloud Empire as their rear guard, even if Ye Jingyu managed to escape this calamity, what difference would it make?

Although Xuanyuan Jing harbored a desire to fight Ye Jingyu fairly, he understood that his current strength still made it difficult to contend with him. Despite his own extraordinary talent, he felt lacking in the aspect of destiny, or Qiyun.

At the very least, the cultivation method he practiced was far inferior to Ye Jingyu's Niu Lian Heart Sutra. Sighing under his breath, Xuanyuan Jing prepared to launch the general assault, only to see four incredibly sharp streaks of sword energy shoot out from the distant Tongtian Mountain.

Filled with killing intent, steeped in cold severity, imbued with absolute extinction…

It was sword energy carrying almost no trace of emotion; it was sword energy born purely for slaughter, leaving behind only the coldest form of murderous intent.

Luo Ruofeng, who was currently confronting Xuanyuan Jing while commanding the soldiers, great and small, of the Southern Cloud Empire, also sensed this oppressive aura of slaughter. He glanced back, realizing the direction was Tongtian Mountain, and his brow furrowed. What was happening? Had Tongtian returned? But this sword energy lacked Tongtian's usual grand presence, yet the intent of slaughter was even more intense than Tongtian's. Could it be Liang Xiaoke?

"What ferocious killing intent. My few junior brothers, it is time for us to act!" Standing beside Xuanyuan Jing were five elderly Daoists. Seeing the ferocious, soaring aura of murder, one of them, clad in a white Daoist robe, spoke up.

The four Daoists beside him nodded simultaneously, their forms transforming into five beams of light that streaked toward Tongtian Mountain.

Xuanyuan Jing frowned, knowing his senior martial brothers intended to intervene personally, seeking to accumulate Qiyun amidst the chaos sweeping the realm. He said no more, turning his gaze back toward Luo Ruofeng standing atop the Yunjing city walls.

Luo Ruofeng wore the Jade Emperor Robe, held the Heavenly Emperor Sword, and had the Jade Emperor Great Seal hanging at his waist, likewise observing the richly garbed Xuanyuan Jing.

He understood that although they were both rulers of nations, in terms of cultivation, he was far inferior to his counterpart. Yet, even so, he could not retreat a single step.

"Luo Ruofeng, the situation has reached this critical juncture; stop acting against Heaven's will. Surrender swiftly, and I guarantee your safety for life!" Xuanyuan Jing looked down upon Luo Ruofeng from his superior vantage point, speaking indifferently.

"Acting against Heaven's will? What is Heaven? Does following the dictates of those behind you constitute obeying Heaven?" Hearing Xuanyuan Jing utter such words, Luo Ruofeng immediately let out a cold laugh.

"Heh, much talking achieves nothing. Since you have no intention of yielding, let us settle this with genuine skill. Which general will take the vanguard for us?" Xuanyuan Jing naturally understood that anyone who could resist the Tian Yuan Empire for so many years would not surrender easily. That initial offer was merely a formality.

"Allow me to take on this charge!" At this moment, a man in a blue Daoist robe stepped forward, bowing to Xuanyuan Jing. This man was the Celestial Spirit Daoist, whose physical body had been destroyed long ago, but who had since pledged allegiance to Xuanyuan Jing.

"I trouble you, Daoist Brother..." Xuanyuan Jing returned the courtesy with a gentle tone.

"No trouble..." The Celestial Spirit Daoist replied politely, already stepping out onto the clouds. This was the first bout of this decisive battle, and he absolutely could not lose.

Luo Ruofeng, seeing that the enemy had dispatched a great general, was about to inquire who would answer the challenge when Fang Zhuguo, clad in dazzling armor, strode out directly.

With Ye Jingyu and Liang Xiaoke absent, and Yan Senxu always preferring solitude and rarely leading troops, Fang Zhuguo had effectively become the foremost general of the Southern Cloud Empire. If not him, who else would take on the task of leading the vanguard?

Meanwhile, atop Tongtian Mountain, Liang Xiaoke, saturated with killing energy, rushed out, heading toward Yunjing, only to sense the Five Elements energy in the heavens and earth momentarily stall, as if being absorbed by something.

Focusing his sight, he found five elderly Daoists suddenly surrounding him—the very Five Great Immortal Sages of yesteryear.

The Five Immortal Sages also saw Liang Xiaoke and realized he was Liang Tianjun of the Ten Great Heavenly Lords. Surprise flashed across their faces. Clearly, they had not expected him to be the source of such ferocious killing intent. Furthermore, judging by the aura emanating from him, he had already taken that final step. However, there was not a hint of retreat on their faces. Since all five of them had already taken that step, and the opponent was alone, did they truly believe they five could not match him?

"Liang Tianjun, the tide has turned; stop clinging to delusion! If you are willing to return, we guarantee your safety!" The Profound Void Daoist spoke calmly upon seeing Liang Xiaoke. After all, they represented the side of righteousness; before making a move, they felt obligated to offer an opportunity, didn't they?

Had it been the Liang Xiaoke of the past, facing such a disadvantageous situation, he would have shamelessly surrendered, only to seek the most opportune moment to strike his enemy. But in his current state, only raw, naked killing intent filled his heart, leaving no inclination for pleasantries with the Five Immortal Sages. Faced with their courteous words, he merely let out a single, cold snort: "Scram..."

Scram? Astonishment simultaneously washed over the faces of the Five Immortal Sages. This was swiftly replaced by a pallid white, then shifted to an ashen, bruised black. From the most fiery-tempered Fiery Void Daoist to the mildest natured Azure Void Daoist, their faces simultaneously contorted into expressions of anger—extreme anger at that.

Who were they? For so many years, they had been the supreme beings in the Immortal Realm. Even though they were mere pawns to those few Sages, pawns still held relative status! Over the years, which high-level Immortal had not treated them with profound respect? Even the devils dared not act too presumptuously in their presence. It could be said that from the moment they became Immortal Sages, they had never endured disrespect. Yet now, this ant, whom they could have casually erased in the past, dared to tell them to scram? The sensation enraged the Five Immortal Sages.

When had they ever suffered such humiliation?

"Courting death!" The Five Immortal Sages almost simultaneously let out cold snorts, and five supreme-grade Immortal Swords simultaneously shot out from their bodies, hurtling toward Liang Xiaoke.

Liang Xiaoke, consumed by fury, had no intention of dodging. Facing the swiftly approaching Immortal Swords, his body lunged directly toward the Profound Void Daoist at the forefront.

"Chh, chh, chh, chh..." Five sharp sounds rang out in succession. Five jets of blood erupted from Liang Xiaoke's body, yet he acted as if untouched, having already reached the Profound Void Daoist, lunging a grasp directly toward the man's heart.

The Profound Void Daoist was aghast. He never expected Liang Xiaoke to charge in without evasion. Facing the swift grasp, he willed his mind, and the Immortal Robe on his body instantly flared with brilliant light, activating the robe's ultimate defense.

"Crack..." With a sound, Liang Xiaoke's grasp failed to breach the restriction of the Immortal Robe, but four streaks of sword energy simultaneously shot out from within his body, striking directly toward the Profound Void Daoist.

Seeing Liang Xiaoke unleash the Four Executioner Swords so early, the Profound Void Daoist displayed a flicker of surprise but showed no trace of panic. With a shake of one hand, a white banner appeared in his grasp, emitting an aura as potent as the Plain Cloud Boundary Banner.

At this moment, the other four Immortal Sages also brought out their magical treasures simultaneously—all four were banners, five supreme treasures whose grade was no lower than the Five Directional Divine Banners.

They were the Heaven Net Primordial Gold Banner, the Azure Wood Transforming Banner, the Precious Light Shocking Flame Banner, the Boundless Heavenly Water Banner, and the Origin Breaking Mixed Earth Banner.

These were Innate Supreme Treasures personally refined by the Grand Supreme Elder over the years, defensive magical items on the same tier as the Five Directional Divine Banners. Apart from their less famous names, they were nearly equivalent in every other respect.

The Four Executioner Swords struck the Heaven Net Primordial Gold Banner in the Profound Void Daoist’s hand with clattering sounds, igniting waves of light, but they could no longer harm the Daoist.

Especially after the other four Immortal Sages joined in, using these five banners to establish the Five Elements Reversal Grand Formation, they completely trapped Liang Xiaoke within it.

Liang Xiaoke continuously unleashed the Four Executioner Swords, but the Five Elements Reversal Grand Formation proved formidable. No matter how hard he tried, he could not break through immediately. Instead, his body sustained numerous wounds from the five flying swords wielded by the Five Immortal Sages, with pale-gold blood constantly flowing out, yet he still acted as if nothing were amiss.

"Haha, Liang Tianjun, although you possess the Four Executioner Swords, you are ultimately not the Sect Master Tongtian. Did you truly believe you could be our match? We give you one final chance: cripple your own cultivation, and we will permit a trace of your true spirit to reincarnate. Otherwise, your fate will be utter annihilation!" Seeing that their Five Elements Reversal Grand Formation had successfully ensnared Liang Xiaoke, the Profound Void Daoist spoke again, his tone dripping with triumph.

"Hmph..." Liang Xiaoke had no intention of conversing with the Five Immortal Sages. He directly pulled out the Vast Heaven Pearl and hurled it toward the sky.

And the Four Executioner Swords ceased attacking the Five Immortal Sages; instead, they simultaneously shot toward the Vast Heaven Pearl.

"You are mad..." Seeing Liang Xiaoke attempt to destroy the Vast Heaven Pearl with the Four Executioner Swords, the expressions of the Five Immortal Sages simultaneously changed drastically.