On the Origin Continent, there existed an extremely vast, frigid ice plain known as the âExtreme Polar Ice Plain.â Its territory was so extensive that it rivaled even the domain of the Ancient Flame Kingdom. However, the harsh environment of this ice plain meant that the number of cultivators there was less than one percent of those in the Ancient Flame Kingdom.
The Extreme Polar Ice Plain was a land without any kingdoms, only scattered factions.
âWhoosh.â Jiugang Marquis, in one of his incarnations, stood before a massive icy city, âAwakening Wind City.â
Awakening Wind City was a large metropolis constructed entirely of ice. The number of inhabitants within its walls was several times greater than that of Huyang City.
In the Extreme Polar Ice Plain, only within the cities did enough cultivators gather. Outside the cities⊠nearly no tribes could be found, as the harsh environment made it difficult for them to survive.
âThe Great Saint of Awakening Wind has finally emerged from seclusion.â Jiugang Marquis had received a message and had come to visit the Great Saint of Awakening Wind once again.
In the towering city, at its center, there was a vast cave mansion, which was the residence of the cityâs ruler, the âGreat Saint of Awakening Wind.â
âJiugang Marquis, please.â An Eternal True God servant personally led him to the cave mansionâs main hall.
âCome, come, Brother Jiugang, have a seat.â A burly figure with completely dark green skin sat there, grinning widely. âIâve been in seclusion for some time, so Iâm sorry to have kept you waiting, Brother Jiugang.â
âBrother Awakening Windâs cultivation is of utmost importance,â Jiugang Marquis replied with a flattering smile.
Those he sought help from were all beings not inferior to Marquis Liuyin!
The Great Saint of Awakening Wind was a free spirit who didnât wish to join any kingdom. He ruled over a large city and commanded billions of cultivators, living a leisurely life, and no one dared to provoke him.
In terms of strength, the Great Saint of Awakening Wind was not weaker than Marquis Liuyin, also being at the peak of the Chaos Realm.
In terms of background, the Great Saint of Awakening Wind had once been a disciple in the Ancient Flame Kingdom under an imperial monarch. However, the Ancient Flame Kingdom gathered too many elites, making competition fierce. In the end, the Great Saint of Awakening Wind chose to leave and live freely in the Extreme Polar Ice Plain.
âHaha, Jiugang, you always know how to flatter,â the Great Saint of Awakening Wind laughed. âTell me, what brings you here?â
Jiugang Marquis set down his wine cup before speaking, âBrother Awakening Wind, my neighbor, Marquis Liuyin, is currently plotting against my fiefâŠâ
âIâve heard about your troubles,â the Great Saint of Awakening Wind nodded. âMarquis Liuyin is fierce and domineering; it would be surprising if he didnât bully you.â
Jiugang Marquisâs expression stiffened as he nodded. âIndeed, I have no confidence in resisting him, so Iâve come to seek your aid! If Brother Awakening Wind is willing to help, feel free to name your terms.â
The Great Saint of Awakening Wind took a large, green-gold goblet, drained it, and then said, âThere arenât any beings in your Yuguo willing to help you, right?â
Jiugang Marquis nodded. âThatâs right. In our Yuguo, only a few can match Marquis Liuyin, and even the lord of our kingdom finds it difficult to mobilize them. If I go to ask, how could I possibly succeed?â
âOf course you canât succeed!â
The Great Saint of Awakening Wind set down his goblet. âIt takes immense effort to reach the Chaos Realm. Who would be willing to risk their life for you? If you were to offer treasures like a âDivine King weapon,â you might be able to invite strong support. But do you have such treasures?â
âNo,â Jiugang Marquis replied.
âYou say I can name my terms, but you donât actually have anything of value. Who would be willing to fight Marquis Liuyin on your behalf?â The Great Saint of Awakening Wind shook his head. âDo you even know who Marquis Liuyin is? Heâs fierce, domineering, and vindictive! Moreover, heâs at the peak of the Chaos Realm and could break through to the Divine King level at any time.â
âAnd you want someone to risk their life against such a being? With just words?â The Great Saint of Awakening Wind sneered. âJiugang, youâve really mishandled this.â
âBrother Awakening Wind, I know I donât have many treasures to offer,â Jiugang Marquis said helplessly. âBut this concerns my fief, and Iâm left with no other choice.â
âYour fief includes three large cities and one hundred eighty-nine ordinary cities,â the Great Saint of Awakening Wind said mockingly. âIf I help you protect your fief, will you be willing to give me the âresidency feesâ from two large cities and one hundred ordinary cities in the future?â
Jiugang Marquis felt embarrassed.
Would he be left with only Jiugang City and a few ordinary cities?
A top-level Chaos Realm being, even if not ambitious, could easily take over a large city.
If he fought Marquis Liuyin without holding back and ended up with just a tiny fraction of his territory, what would be the point of fighting at all?
âSee, youâre unwilling to part with it.â
The Great Saint of Awakening Wind shook his head. âFighting over fiefs isnât a short-term conflict; itâs a long-term struggle. If you donât have enough benefits to offer, no one will help you. Come on, letâs stop talking business and have a drink.â
Jiugang Marquis could only drink in frustration.
An entire era had passed.
He had thought that with all the friends he had, he might be able to find a powerful ally.
But when it came to risking their lives against Marquis Liuyin, he found no one willing to help!
âŠ
Outside Huyang City.
Whoosh.
A blood-red flame condensed, revealing an incarnation of Marquis Liuyin.
âAfter the last battle at Huyang City, Jiugang Marquis should have realized that he canât win in a clash of Eternal-level armies.â Marquis Liuyin gazed at Huyang City from afar. âSo heâs been going around trying to invite friends to help.â
Marquis Liuyin had also heard about Jiugang Marquisâs attempts to solicit powerful allies.
âAn entire era has passed, and Jiugang Marquis should have faced reality by now. I guess he didnât manage to invite anyone,â Marquis Liuyin thought confidently, a confidence forged over countless years.
He had always been fierce and domineering, and even those at his level would think twice before intervening in his affairs.
âEven if he does manage to bring in some help, weâll still have to fight to see who comes out on top,â Marquis Liuyin mused.
He had been patiently waiting because, even if the Eternal-level armies won and temporarily occupied the three large cities, if Jiugang Marquis managed to bring in strong reinforcements, he would still have to personally enter the fray.
It was better to wait patiently until the situation became clear.
Perhaps Jiugang Marquis would realize his own weakness, lose his nerve entirely, and surrender his fief without a fight.
âYanâer.â Marquis Liuyin sent a mental order.
âFather.â In Huyang City, in the Heart Shadow Sectâs residence, Liuyin Yan heard his fatherâs message.
âYou can now contact your senior brother and sister, and bring those two Snow Realm envoys as well,â Marquis Liuyin commanded. âOnce your senior brother and sister arrive, and all preparations are complete, weâll start the battle. I suspect that this time, Jiugang Marquis will likely choose to surrender.â
âYes, Father,â Liuyin Yan responded with great delight.
âŠ
Inside Huyang City.
The blood-robed youth, Liuyin Yan, was thrilled after receiving his fatherâs command. He immediately contacted his senior brother and sister.
âThe battle between Liuyin Chaos State and Jiugang Chaos State has reached its final stage. My father predicts that Jiugang Marquis, knowing heâs outmatched, will likely surrender. I request my senior brother and sisterâs assistance in attacking Jiugang Marquisâs army,â Liuyin Yan transmitted.
âMaster has already instructed us, so weâll certainly assist.â
âDonât worry, junior brother. Weâll arrive as quickly as possible.â
With the Snow Realm Ancestorâs approval, the other two Snow Realm envoys had already been prepared. As soon as Marquis Liuyin called, they would rush over to help.
After the communication ended.
Liuyin Yan was quite excited.
âYoung Master Yan, since Lord Hou believes Jiugang Marquis will surrender, it seems this battle will be smooth,â a nearby black-armored general said, also excited.
âWhat does Jiugang Marquis have to fight my father with?â Liuyin Yan laughed. âMy senior brother and sister are about to arrive. I need to prepare some food for them.â
âPrepare food?â The black-armored generalâs eyes lit up.
Having followed Liuyin Yan during his cultivation in the Snow Realm, he knew exactly what âfoodâ meant.
âDonât worry, Iâll share some with you,â Liuyin Yan said, glancing at his subordinate.
âThank you, Young Master Yan.â The black-armored general was overjoyed.
Liuyin Yan casually waved his hand, causing a model of Huyang City to appear before him. He looked at it, then pointed to one area: âHuyang City is filled with countless cultivators.
This is the Fengyi District, home to about ten billion cultivators. Offering this as food for my senior brother and sister should be sufficient.â
âLetâs go.â
Liuyin Yan led his men and quietly left the Heart Shadow Sectâs residence, bringing along the Snow Realm envoy.
A single Snow Realm envoy could not defeat Jiugang Marquisâs army, but they could easily protect themselves.
Even Luo Feng, with the strength he had displayed on the surface, couldnât do anything to the Snow Realm envoy.
Whoosh.
The Snow Realm envoy left the Heart Shadow Sectâs territory and headed straight for the Fengyi District of Huyang City.
âŠ
âThe young master, Yan, has left the residence?â The Heart Shadow Sectâs leader and the Eighteen Elders quickly received the news.
âWe only need to keep an eye on the City Lordâs mansion. The Snow Realm envoy comes and goes as he pleases; no one can threaten him,â the Heart Shadow Sect leader instructed. The other elders understood; they had no authority to interfere with the Snow Realm envoy.
Whoosh!
With just a few steps, the Snow Realm envoy traversed the void and arrived above the Fengyi District.
At this moment, nearly all the cultivators in the Fengyi District were hiding in their homes, not daring to venture out.
Huyang City was currently on high alert. The City Lordâs mansionâs formation enveloped the entire city, and the Heart Shadow Sectâs formation also pulsed outwards like ripples, spreading again and again. This made the ordinary cultivators extremely nervous.
âNo one knows how long this battle will last.â
âIt doesnât matter who rules Huyang City, we still have to pay our residency fees. Letâs just ride this out.â
The Fengyi District was indeed home to about ten billion cultivators, all of whom were enduring the situation.
Leaving the city now was not an option; the clash between the two great powersâ formations could kill anyone caught in the crossfire. But the residential areas were protected by formations that could at least shield them from some of the aftershocks.
âTen billion blood sacrifices.â The Snow Realm envoy was pure white, radiating holiness. Looking down, he extended his arm, which grew to an enormous size.
His snow-white hand covered the sky above the Fengyi District, reaching down to grasp it.
âHmm?â
This massive movement naturally drew attention from all sides.
Whether it was General Yue Wu, who controlled the great formation, Emperor Chu Yu, who could observe the entire city from Yan Feng Pavilion, or Luo Feng and Morosa at the level of Chaos Overlords, they all witnessed this scene.
âWhatâs he doing?â Morosa was stunned.
âSnow Realm envoy?â Luo Feng observed.
The Snow Realm Ancestor had achieved godhood through the âblood branchâ of the Life Path.
Blood was extraordinarily mysterious.
It inherently contained endless information; possessing a powerful bloodline could lead to rapid advancement in cultivation! Even Morosa could accelerate his evolution by absorbing information from strong bloodlines.
The Snow Realm Ancestor had long since mastered the âblood branchâ and had even begun cultivating other branches of the Life Path.
To cultivate the blood branch, Snow Realm cultivators loved to capture âblood sacrifices,â which were a vital resource for their cultivation.
âTrying to capture all the living beings in the Fengyi District as blood sacrifices? Again with the blood sacrifices?â Luo Feng, who also comprehended the Life Path, knew very well that simply collecting some blood would suffice for cultivating the blood branch.
Capturing living beings and keeping them for long-term blood extraction was purely for convenience.
Those kept as blood sacrifices suffered immensely, far worse than if they had simply died.
âAnd heâs trying to capture blood sacrifices right in front of me?â Luo Feng shook his head lightly, then suddenly vanished, leaving Morosa startled. Morosa couldnât help but feel envious, âThe master acts whenever he wants. When will I be able to indulge myself like that?â
âRumble~~~â
The Snow Realm envoyâs snow-white hand covered the sky above the Fengyi District, causing the ten billion living beings within to be terrified. The districtâs protective formation was easily torn apart by the snow-white hand.
âNo!â
âItâs over.â
âWhy are they targeting us?â
âWeâre just True Gods.â
The ten billion beings had no power to resist and watched in despair.
Suddenlyâ
Whoosh!
A hand emerged from the void, piercing through the pure white chest of the Snow Realm envoy.