"Heh, Sect Master, you're always the one hammering others. Did you ever imagine being the one pounded? Today, I'm afraid no amount of talking will clear your name." Ling Xiao stood among the crowd, his eyes filled with mockery.
"Ling Xiao!!! A forced confession needs no torture! Fine! Let's see today who dares to lay a finger on my Cloud Millet Sect!!" The Cloud Millet Sect Master's eyes gleamed with a sinister light, his gaze towards Ling Xiao brimming with venomous hatred.
He had anticipated someone might seize the opportunity to cause trouble, but he never expected the ringleader to be a mere Breakthrough Realm ant.
"I dare." Emperor Ling took a single step forward, instantly closing in on the Cloud Millet Sect Master.
Behind him, what seemed like a divine palace materialized, filled with indistinct immortal figures, the manifestations of the sun and moon, and the vast, ethereal sound of divine music.
"Facing death, yet still so arrogant." From the distant void, Wan Rendí smiled faintly. Demonic light surged around him, stretching for thirty thousand miles, as if to blot out the heavens and the earth.
"All for the Sacred Church!!! For righteousness!!! For Emperor Qin!!! Kill!!!" Ling Xiao stood amidst the crowd, roaring at the sky, his eyes faintly glistening with what seemed like tears.
"Kill!!!"
"For the Sacred Church!!"
"Execute the Cloud Millet traitors!!"
Heaven and earth suddenly darkened. Spiritual lights collided in mid-air. Countless Cloud Millet elders turned into clouds of blood mist, raining down from the sky.
"Damn that Ling Xiao!! Kill him!! We might lose this battle, but Ling Xiao... must die!!" The Cloud Millet Sect Master screamed hysterically, the divine hammer in his hand smashing down, only to be stopped mid-air by a single palm from the white-robed Emperor Ling.
"Huh? You... you..."
"Ling Xiao! Prepare to die!" Many Cloud Millet elders fixed their gazes on Ling Xiao.
But now, the young man merely smiled faintly and turned to leave in the opposite direction.
"Dammit! The little bastard is trying to slip away! All elders, with me!!" A Cloud Millet Divine King elder suddenly roared in fury. His figure flashed as he instantly gave chase.
But the moment their figures landed, they suddenly saw a strikingly captivating smile bloom on the young man's face.
"Honored Elders, you wouldn't pick on a soft target like me, would you?"
"Hmph! Ling Xiao, if it weren't for you, how could our Cloud Millet Immortal Sect have fallen to such a state? Prepare to die!!" The face of that Cloud Millet Divine King was already as dark as iron. Seeing his fellow sect members being slain and falling around him only fueled the immense resentment in his heart.
Just moments ago, the Cloud Millet Immortal Sect was the most prominent orthodox righteous path in the Eastern Territories of the Sacred Dynasty.
Yet, in the blink of an eye, they not only bore the crime of betraying the Sacred Church but also faced utter annihilation!
And!
Most importantly, even in death, they likely wouldn't be able to shake off the blame unjustly placed upon them!
"Wai... Wait a minute!!" Ling Xiao raised a hand, stopping the Divine King expert charging towards him.
"Only when death is upon you do you know regret? Too late!" The Divine King expert sneered coldly. But the moment his words fell, he saw Ling Xiao suddenly produce a spirit talisman from his hand and crush it fiercely.
Buzz!
Space trembled. Several terrifying auras suddenly appeared out of nowhere, arriving before the Divine King expert in the blink of an eye.
"Si... Six Divine Kings?!! The Dan Yuan Holy Land!!"
"Alright, Elder, you may proceed!" Ling Xiao nodded with a smile, then turned and continued his descent towards the Qin Clan.
"Da... Damn it!!"
BOOM!
Terrifying spiritual light descended like a great net. Despite the Cloud Millet Divine King's numerous methods, facing six Divine Kings, he had no room for struggle whatsoever.
In a very short moment, his physical body was shattered, and his soul was annihilated.
Ling Xiao's figure landed, looking at the blood light and soul power filling the sky, and softly sighed.
What a waste!
But now, with several Divine Emperors of the Eastern Territories present, even if he had ten thousand times the courage, he wouldn't dare to publicly devour souls and blood. He could only shake his head and look towards the Qin Clan's Old Ancestor standing before the sacred hall.
Hehe, others might not be possible, but this old thing... he can certainly be of use.
"Young Master Ling Xiao!!!" Qin Leng's figure rushed over from the side, his face pale, his aura extremely feeble.
But now, a faint, wry smile still lingered on his face, as if he was somewhat pleasantly surprised by Ling Xiao's appearance.
"Young Master Leng." Ling Xiao smiled faintly, his eyes filled with sorrow. "You have suffered!"
"Please, Young Master, don't say that. If not for you, I'm afraid my Qin Clan would have been doomed today." Qin Leng sighed softly. Around him, many Qin clansmen came forward, bowing deeply to Ling Xiao.
Especially the Qin Clan's Old Ancestor; his dim soul body even radiated a sense of tragic despair.
"Young Master Ling Xiao, to think that after a thousand years of hatred between our two clans, it is ultimately you who preserved my Qin Clan's legacy." This Qin Clan Old Ancestor no longer possessed his former majesty and authority.
He seemed like an old man in his twilight years, on the verge of extinction at any moment.
His physical body was shattered, his soul damaged.
For a Divine Emperor like him, who already had little lifespan left, this injury was fatal.
"Old Ancestor, what are you saying! We cultivators should uphold justice and remain loyal to the Sacred Church. The feud between our two clans is but a minor grudge. Cloud Millet's arrogance and their treacherous hearts warrant execution—that is the great hatred! Though I am untalented, I can still distinguish between a clan's grudge and the world's hatred." Ling Xiao sighed, his gaze reverent as he looked at Emperor Qin's corpse atop the sacred hall.
A Divine Emperor's corpse... if refined into a puppet, it should be quite powerful, right?
But would I get beaten to death by the Qin clansmen if I tried to stash it in my Qiankun Bag right now?
"Emperor Qin's loyalty and righteousness truly make him a model for our generation! A powerhouse like him deserves to be praised throughout the world! Old Ancestor, may I ask what your plans are now?" Ling Xiao continued his lament, his face sorrowful.
The Qin Clan Old Ancestor, however, sighed softly, shook his head, and smiled bitterly, "This soul of mine... I'm afraid it can't hold on for more than a few days. Young Master Ling Xiao... I have an impertinent request..."
"Old Ancestor, please speak! The Qin Clan is full of loyal martyrs. Say it's an impertinent request—even if you asked me to take charge of the Qin Clan, I, Xiao, would not refuse!" Ling Xiao's expression turned solemn, his posture ramrod straight, projecting an image of righteous determination.
"This..." The Qin Clan Old Ancestor felt there was something slightly off about Ling Xiao's words, but seeing his utterly serious expression, he couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.
"Young Master Ling Xiao, now that most of my Qin Clan's experts have fallen, and Qin Leng is the only surviving member of the main bloodline... I hope you can protect him for ten years. After ten years, whether the Qin Clan prospers or perishes, let it be decided by Heaven." The Qin Clan Old Ancestor sighed inwardly, looking up at Emperor Ling, who single-handedly held back the Cloud Millet Sect Master. A trace of unwillingness flickered in his aged eyes.
Both are ancient clans, with thousand-year legacies.
But after today, the fates of the Qin and Ling Clans will be completely different.
"Ah, it's all the irony of fate."
"Hm? Old Ancestor, be careful with your words! A title like 'Heaven's Will' is not something I can bear!" Ling Xiao shook his head with a smile, then suddenly spoke with a grave expression, "Actually, Old Ancestor, you needn't be so pessimistic. Your injury... isn't necessarily fatal."
"Huh?" Hearing this, not only the Qin Clan Old Ancestor but also the surrounding Qin clansmen were instantly stunned.
Without the protection of a Divine Emperor, they all understood what the Qin Clan would face.
Even if the Old Ancestor had little lifespan left and his combat power was low, he was still a Divine Emperor expert.
As long as he lived, the Qin Clan couldn't be considered completely fallen!
Otherwise...
They would lose both their reputation and their lives!