âNational Preceptor Wheel-Sun, do you really think Iâm easy to fool?â Xu Zimo said calmly.
âLook at the shrimp soldiers and crab generals behind you. Are these the people you brought as support? Just them? What support can they possibly provide?â
Hearing this, the disciples behind Wheel-Sun felt thoroughly insulted.
âWhat do you mean? We traveled millions of miles. Even if our gifts are simple, our sincerity is real.â
âExactly. Even if youâre the ancestor of the True Martial Sacred Ground, is it wrong for us to help you?â
âYouâre really here to help us?â Xu Zimo was not angry; he simply asked.
âAncestor, if thereâs anything you need, just say the word,â Wheel-Sun replied.
âPerfect. Weâre leaving shortly to destroy the Ancient Dragon God-Empire. Youâll come with me,â Xu Zimo said.
The smiles on their faces froze instantly.
âAncestor, you do know how to joke,â Wheel-Sun forced a laugh.
âJoking? You believe Iâm joking?â Xu Zimo looked at him serenely.
Wheel-Sunâs smile vanished.
He then said, âItâs not that I look down on the True Martial Sacred Ground. But in your current state, how do you plan to destroy the Ancient Dragon God-Empire? I really canât imagine it."
âI alone can wipe out the entire Ancient Dragon God-Empire with a flick of my finger. Whatâs so difficult about that?â Xu Zimo said without concern.
Wheel-Sun and his disciples clearly didnât believe it.
The strength of the Ancient Dragon God-Empire was something only another divine nation could fully understand. If Xu Zimo could truly annihilate the Ancient Dragon God-Empire with a flick of his finger, then wouldnât that mean he could destroy the Sage Heaven God-Empire just as easily?
Wheel-Sun could not accept that.
After all, they had always carried a sense of superiority over the True Martial Sacred Ground, an divine nationâs natural arrogance toward a lower one. If the sect truly returned to its former glory, they were the ones who wouldnât be able to adapt.
âI admit this ancestor is strong,â Wheel-Sun said. âBut the Ancient Dragon God-Empire is equally powerful. They have more than just multiple Grand Emperors. Theyâre also allied with the Azure Green Dragon Race. Among the divine nations of the Absolute God Heaven, the Ancient Dragon God-Empire ranks in the top three.â
To be precise, even their own Sage Heaven God-Empire might not be a match for the Ancient Dragon God-Empire.
âŠ
Xu Zimo couldnât be bothered to argue.
He simply said, âSince youâve come to the True Martial Sacred Ground, what I say goes. If you listen, you live. If you donât, I donât mind erasing you. As for whatever little schemes you brought here, Iâm too lazy to care.â
âYou dare kill us? Arenât you afraid of our Sage Heaven God-Empireâs retaliation? Youâve already offended the Ancient Dragon God-Empire. Do you plan to offend two divine nations at once?â one disciple said arrogantly.
He believed that if Xu Zimo had any sense, he wouldnât dare harm them.
But clearly, he was mistaken.
The moment his words fell, Xu Zimo merely cast a glance at him. Space twisted violently, and before the disciple could even scream, the distorted void shredded him to pieces.
âLooks like Iâve been a little too patient lately,â Xu Zimo said quietly.
âYou⊠you killed him,â Wheel-Sunâs expression changed drastically.
âDo you want to follow him?â Xu Zimo asked.
Wheel-Sun fell silent instantly.
The row of disciples who had been so loud earlier all lowered their heads, too afraid to speak. This man truly dared to kill, and didnât fear offending their empire. That was what terrified them most.
Originally, Wheel-Sun had brought them here to gain experience and, incidentally, flaunt their presence a bit within the True Martial Sacred Ground.
They had never expected to run into a slaughter god.
âŠ
Xu Zimo waved his hand dismissively.
âLeave. We set out at dawn.â
âAs ancestor commands,â Wang Hengzhi said quickly.
The members of the Sage Heaven God-Empire let out a quiet sigh of relief and hurried away. The great hall was far too oppressive.
Once everyone had left, Xu Zimo closed his eyes. If someone could look inside his body, they would see a minuscule tower phantom forming in his mind, shaped exactly like the True Martial Tribulation Tower, only much smaller. Most of the tower remained ethereal, with only the bottom layer solid.
Xu Zimo seemed to sink into a special state as time slowly passed.
âŠ
Outside the True Martial Sacred Ground, Wheel-Sun and his disciples were placed in a courtyard arranged by Wang Hengzhi. During this time, Wheel-Sun behaved with great politeness, which gave Wang Hengzhi a sense of accomplishment for the first time. In the past, no one had taken him seriously.
After Wang Hengzhi left, the disciples finally started complaining.
âNational Preceptor, the True Martial Sacred Ground has gotten way too arrogant.â
âHe killed senior brother. Are we just going to let that go?â
Their outrage flared, but Wheel-Sun was far calmer.
âOtherwise what? You plan to avenge him?â he asked.
âWeâre definitely no match for him, but our Sage Heaven God-Empire has countless cultivators. Are we supposed to fear a fallen sectâs ancestor?â a disciple muttered.
Wheel-Sun snorted.
âWhatâs the hurry? Didnât he say heâs going to destroy the Ancient Dragon God-Empire?â
âHe was just bragging in front of us,â another disciple said.
âThen weâll follow them and see if he really dares to go,â Wheel-Sun said. âIf he destroys the Ancient Dragon God-Empire, you should know what that means. If he dies there instead, then we wonât need to lift a finger.â
âNational Preceptor, you're truly farsighted,â the disciples immediately flattered.
âEnough. Stay quiet these days. Donât get yourselves killed for nothing. This man looks dangerously unpredictable,â Wheel-Sun warned.
âŠ
The night passed quickly.
When the final trace of darkness faded at dawn, Xu Zimo exhaled a long breath of black air and slowly opened his eyes. Wang Hengzhi had already gathered all disciples and elders at the sect gate. The people from the Sage Heaven God-Empire were also waiting nearby.
Xiao Anâan pushed Xu Zimo forward as they approached.
Just then, someone noticed something.
The True Martial Tribulation Tower was gone.
It had always stood tall in the north of the sect, visible at a glance. Now, with it missing, the northern horizon looked strangely empty.
Wang Hengzhi knew immediately that its disappearance must have something to do with Xu Zimo.