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The speed of the level 10 Gale Beast, which is a wind-type monster, is terrifying. With the flapping of its wings, it can tear through the sea of ​​clouds and cross thousands of miles of mountains and rivers.

In just a few days, the landscape below had changed dramatically, gradually transforming from a vast grassland into a place of towering mountains and abundant spiritual energy.

In the south, Yunmeng Mountain is already visible in the distance.

At that very moment, both Su Ning and Zhang Tie could clearly sense that deep within the Yunmeng Mountains, atop a peak with the most abundant spiritual energy, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was converging and rotating in an exceptionally violent yet orderly manner, forming a massive vortex of spiritual energy.

At the center of the vortex, a powerful and tenacious spiritual energy fluctuation could be faintly felt, as if it were struggling to break through some kind of invisible barrier.

"Oh? It's already started?" Su Ning's lips curled up slightly. "The timing is perfect! You and I can also protect Han Li's Nascent Soul formation."

Zhang Tie's expression was complicated. He could feel the familiarity in that aura; it was indeed his old acquaintance, Han Li, who was currently at the most crucial juncture of forming his Nascent Soul.

"This guy... he really went this far."

Without Su Ning's command, the Wind-Splitting Beast Feng Xi let out a deep and intimidating roar, its massive demonic body carrying a gale as it plunged headlong down toward the main peak of the Falling Cloud Sect!

"boom--!"

Like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, three undisguised and powerful auras descended upon Yunmeng Mountain!

The terrifying spiritual pressure of Su Ning, a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, was like a tangible tsunami, sweeping across the sky; Zhang Tie, a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, possessed a cold and unpredictable demonic aura that made people's hearts tremble; and the wild and violent demonic energy of the level ten demon beast, the Rift Wind Beast, made all the low-level disciples in the mountain weak in the knees, and their spirit beasts prostrate themselves and wail!
This sudden and terrifying combination, far exceeding the limits of the Tiannan cultivation world's understanding, instantly plunged the entire Yunmeng Mountain into immense panic!

"Enemy attack?!"

"Heavens! What kind of aura is this? It's countless times more terrifying than the Supreme Elder!"

"What...what kind of monster is that? It's huge!"

At this moment, Yin Yue, who was in the Luo Yun Sect's medicine garden in the form of Han Li, had a complicated expression on her face because she had immediately recognized Su Ning, whom she had met once in the Xu Tian Palace.

In fact, Yin Yue had always had a question in her heart: why did Su Ning show no interest in her back in the Void Heaven Palace?

At this moment, the Nascent Soul elders who were in seclusion or quiet cultivation within the three sects of Luoyun Sect, Ancient Sword Sect, and Hundred Crafts Academy were alarmed almost simultaneously. They all changed color in horror and transformed into streaks of light as they rushed out of their respective caves, gathering together with solemn expressions.

Cheng Tiankun (early Nascent Soul stage) and Lü Luo (early Nascent Soul stage) of the Luoyun Sect, Jin Laoguai (mid-Nascent Soul stage) of the Ancient Sword Sect, and Huolong Tongzi, a renowned early Nascent Soul cultivator in Tiannan, as well as Liehuo Laoguai (mid-Nascent Soul stage) of the Baiqiao Academy and his two junior brothers who were also early Nascent Soul stage cultivators...

Nine Nascent Soul cultivators from the three sects of Yunmeng Mountain hovered in mid-air as if facing a formidable enemy, their hearts filled with turmoil as they gazed at the three figures—one human, one demon, and one monster—who were not concealing their auras in the distance.

A great monk in the late Nascent Soul stage!
Level 10 monster!

There was also a mid-stage Nascent Soul demonic cultivator with a strange aura!

This lineup is enough to sweep through the entire cultivation world of Tiannan!
Where did they come from?

What is intended?

As the local host, Cheng Tiankun braced himself, stepped forward, suppressed his fear, and cupped his hands, saying, "I am Cheng Tiankun of the Luoyun Sect. May I ask where you three fellow Daoists come from and what brings you to my Yunmeng Mountain?"

He tried to keep his voice steady, but a slight tremor betrayed his inner tension.

All eyes were focused on the pale gold-robed cultivator at the head of the group, whose aura was the most unfathomable.

Su Ning glanced indifferently at the nine Nascent Soul cultivators in front of him, who could cause an earthquake with a stomp of their feet in Tiannan, as if they were a group of ants.

You should know that you've killed too many Nascent Soul stage cultivators these days, so your fear of Nascent Soul cultivators has long since disappeared.

He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, yet clearly reaching everyone's ears, carrying an undeniable authority:
“Great Jin Dynasty, Taiyi Sect, Law Enforcement Elder, Su Ning.”

"The Great Jin Dynasty?!"

"Taiyi Sect?!"

The nine Nascent Soul cultivators looked at each other, their eyes filled with bewilderment and shock.

To them, the Great Jin cultivation world was a distant and legendary upper realm, a sacred land of cultivation rich in resources and teeming with powerful individuals.

The Taiyi Sect is an enormous entity that I've only ever heard of!
Why would an elder of such power suddenly descend upon their remote and impoverished village?

Cheng Tiankun's unease deepened, and his attitude became even more respectful: "So it is a fellow Daoist from the Great Jin Sect who has arrived. My apologies for my rudeness! May I ask what brings Elder Su from so far away?"

He still harbored a sliver of hope that perhaps the other person was just passing by.

Su Ning's next words shattered all their illusions.

"My purpose in coming here is very simple." Su Ning's tone was completely calm, as if he were talking about a trivial matter. "Taiyi Sect intends to incorporate the Luoyun Sect of Yunmeng Mountain, the Ancient Sword Sect, and the Hundred Crafts Academy into its secondary branch sects. From today onwards, the three sects must acknowledge Taiyi Sect as their main sect, pay tribute, and obey orders. They must submit copies of their sect's inherited scriptures, and their core disciples must be selected by Taiyi Sect."

"what?!"

"To incorporate them?!"

"A second-level branch sect? They're hailed as their main sect?!"

These words struck like a bolt from the blue. All nine Nascent Soul cultivators present were stunned, and their faces immediately showed disbelief, anger, and deep humiliation!

What a joke!
How could they easily hand over their millennia-old legacy and become subservient to others?
They want us to hand over our scriptures and send out our core disciples? How is this any different from wiping out an entire clan?!

"Elder Su! This is far too much to ask!" Old Monster Jin of the Ancient Sword Sect, known for his fiery temper, couldn't help but speak up, his tone agitated, "Although the three sects of Yunmeng Mountain are not as powerful as the Great Jin's top sects, they still have a long and rich history. How can this be..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Su Ning's icy gaze.

Su Ning didn't even bother to look at him, his gaze remaining fixed on Cheng Tiankun and the leaders, including the Fiery Old Monster: "Gentlemen, I'm not discussing this with you. You don't have many options left."

He paused, then spoke each word as if an ice pick piercing everyone's heart: "Either accept reality, submit to the Taiyi Sect, and the sect will be preserved. In the future, you may even obtain resources and cultivation techniques from the Great Jin Dynasty, which may not be a bad opportunity."

"Either..."

Su Ning's voice suddenly turned cold, and a chilling killing intent spread: "...Choose destruction. From now on, the cultivation world of Tiannan will no longer have the lineage of the three sects of Yunmeng Mountain."

"Arrogant!" Fire Dragon Boy couldn't help but shriek. He was short like a child, but had quite a temper.

Zhang Tie, standing to the side, was completely bewildered as he watched this scene.

"What's going on, Senior Brother? Weren't we supposed to be here to witness Han Li's Nascent Soul formation? How did it suddenly turn into forcibly taking him as a follower?"

However, he knew that Su Ning's methods and purposes were extremely strong and that he would never speak without a purpose. He could only suppress his doubts and cooperate by releasing an even stronger Yinluo Sect demonic aura, scanning the nine people opposite him with a sinister look and putting psychological pressure on them.

Just then, the Wind Rift Beast, Feng Xi, let out a deafening roar in perfect unison!

Its immense demonic aura erupted, and the terrifying pressure of a level ten demon beast pressed down on the nine people opposite it like a mountain!

"Roar--!"

Under the impact of this savage demonic energy comparable to that of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, Cheng Tiankun, Old Monster Jin, Old Monster Liehuo, and the other nine people all turned pale and staggered backward involuntarily. Their Nascent Souls trembled and their blood surged!

Their eyes were instantly filled with horror and fear.

They had no doubt that this terrifying beast alone would be enough to entangle at least three or four of them, and might even cause casualties. And if the unfathomable Su Ning were to intervene…

The consequences could be disastrous!

When they called them clay chickens and earthen dogs, they weren't lying!

The shadow of death and the crisis of the demise of their tradition, like icy river water, instantly extinguished most of the anger and hope in their hearts.

Cheng Tiankun quickly exchanged a desperate look with the Fiery Old Monster and the Golden Old Monster.

Finally, a bitter smile appeared on Cheng Tiankun's lips, and he spoke in a dry voice, all his pride crushed in the face of absolute power: "Elder Su... Elder Su... This matter concerns the foundation of our three sects for thousands of years and the fate of tens of thousands of disciples... Could... could you allow us a moment to discuss it? Just a quarter of an hour... no, half a quarter of an hour will do!"

Su Ning seemed to have anticipated their response, and nodded indifferently: "Alright. You may discuss this here. However, remember my words."

His gaze swept over the nine people again, carrying a suffocating sense of oppression: "Don't try to escape, and don't even think about sending a message for help. In front of me, all of you combined are nothing but chickens and dogs. Any small move you make will immediately bring annihilation upon your sect."

After saying this, he stood with his hands behind his back, saying nothing more, as if he had given the other party a great favor.

The Rending Wind Beast let out a low roar, its enormous beastly eyes sweeping down upon the area below.

Zhang Tie also crossed his arms, looking like he was watching a good show.

At this point, he was certain that Su Ning's trip was not merely to witness Han Li's Nascent Soul formation, but primarily to reclaim the three sects of Yunmeng Mountain.

Cheng Tiankun and the other nine felt as if they had been granted a pardon, but also felt deeply humiliated. They immediately gathered together, set up a simple soundproof barrier, and their faces were filled with anxiety, fear, and resentment. They began a fierce and desperate debate through telepathy.

To live in humiliation or to die a heroic death?

This decision was so heavy that they could hardly breathe.

Unbeknownst to them, the true target of this "recruitment" was currently in the mountains, about to undergo the most crucial transformation on their path of cultivation.

Su Ning's divine sense also intentionally or unintentionally enveloped the direction of Han Li's seclusion, waiting for that moment to arrive.

……

Cheng Tiankun, Lü Luo, Jin Laoguai, Huolong Tongzi, Liehuo Laoguai, and the other nine Nascent Soul cultivators, under the unquestionable gaze of Su Ning and the oppressive aura of the Rift Wind Beast's terrifying demonic energy, were as if bound by invisible shackles, and retreated to the side with difficulty, hastily setting up a soundproof barrier.

Within the barrier, the composure they had barely maintained in the face of the enemy crumbled instantly. The nine patriarchs, whose mere presence in Tiannan could shake the heavens, now had faces filled with fear, humiliation, anger, and a profound sense of powerlessness.

"This is outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!" Old Monster Jin of the Ancient Sword Sect was the first to erupt. His face was flushed, his hair and beard stood on end, and his fists clenched so tightly they cracked. "Our three sects of Yunmeng Mountain have been passed down for thousands of years. When have we ever suffered such a humiliation! They actually want us to surrender our entire sects and serve another as masters? They want us to hand over our scriptures and send our disciples? What difference is there between this and being slaves and servants! We might as well fight!"

"Fight? Senior Brother Jin, what are we going to fight with?" Although the Fiery Old Monster of the Hundred Crafts Academy was equally hot-tempered, he appeared relatively calm at this moment, though his face was terrifyingly gloomy. He pointed to the three auras outside the barrier that resembled primordial beasts, "A late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, an unfathomable demonic cultivator, and a level ten demonic beast! Just that demonic beast alone, even the three of us working together might not be able to secure a victory! Not to mention Su Ning from the Taiyi Sect! If he makes a move, the nine of us might... might not even last an incense stick's time!"

Elder Lü Luo of the Luoyun Sect was pale and his voice trembled: "Senior Brother Cheng, Fellow Daoist Liehuo is absolutely right... The difference in strength is too great. They come from the Great Jin, which is a legendary holy land for cultivation, and the Taiyi Sect is an even greater behemoth... We... we simply do not have the strength to contend with them."

"Are we to submit in such a humiliating way? How can we face our ancestors?" Old Monster Jin roared unwillingly, his eyes bloodshot.

"Face? What use is face if our lineage is destroyed?" Cheng Tiankun finally spoke, his voice hoarse and heavy. As the person in charge of the Luoyun Sect, he was under the greatest pressure. "Fellow Daoist Jin, Fellow Daoist Lie, Junior Brother Lü, everyone... we all know that the other side is not bluffing. They really have the strength to easily destroy our three sects. The reason they still gave us the opportunity to 'choose' is perhaps... perhaps they really just don't want to commit more bloodshed, or they think we still have some value in being subdued."

He paused, looked around at everyone, his eyes filled with bitterness: "Death is easy. A grand and passionate performance, a self-destructive act, leaving behind a name of fierce courage. But then what? What about the tens of thousands of disciples in the sect? Those younger generations who have reached the Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, and Golden Core stages, how innocent they are! Must they be buried with the 'integrity' of a few old folks like us? Will the foundation that has been passed down for thousands of years be severed just like that?"

Cheng Tiankun's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over everyone's heads, causing even the hot-blooded Jin Yong to fall silent for the time being.

Yes! They can die, but what about the sect's legacy?

The Fire Dragon Child's youthful face revealed a maturity and shrewdness that belied his appearance: "Senior Brother Cheng's words make sense. Moreover... have you all considered that submission might not be entirely a bad thing?"

Seeing everyone's gaze, he continued his analysis: "The Great Jin Taiyi Sect is a super power that we can only look up to and can hardly reach. If we could attach ourselves to it and become a branch, even just a second-level sect, we might be able to obtain resources, cultivation techniques, and even... guidance to higher realms that we could never have imagined before? For us, and for our disciples who have been stuck at their bottlenecks for many years, wouldn't this be an opportunity? It's just that the process... is too humiliating..."

"Opportunities come with risks, and even more so with shackles." Old Monster Liehuo sighed. "Once you submit, your life and death will be in the hands of others, and you will probably only be able to obey orders in the future, with no autonomy left."

Just as the nine people were arguing endlessly, caught in a dilemma of despair and struggle—

Outside the barrier, a sudden change occurs!
Suning, who stood with his hands behind his back, seemed to feel that the pressure he was putting on them was not enough.

A faint, indifferent smile appeared on his lips as he slowly raised his right hand.

A faint light suddenly appeared in his palm, then quickly expanded, emanating an ancient, vast, and terrifying aura that suppressed everything!
The glimmer of light left his palm, flew into the sky, and grew longer in the wind!
Under the horrified gazes of all the cultivators from the three sects of Yunmeng Mountain, an enormous bronze palace, crafted entirely from an unknown material, adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, and radiating a terrifying pressure that seemed to suppress all heavens and myriad worlds, appeared out of thin air!
The palace was extremely magnificent, blocking out the sky and casting a shadow that instantly covered a large part of the Yunmeng Mountains!
Its surface was covered with flowing runes, radiating a terrifying pressure that made people tremble, ten or even a hundred times more terrifying than that level ten Gale Beast!
It was as if a gentle fall could grind the entire mountain range, along with all of them, into dust!

Void Heaven Palace!
The moment this palace appeared, the world lost its color, and the wind and clouds reversed their course!

The originally abundant spiritual energy of Yunmeng Mountain has become stagnant!
The spiritual energy of heaven and earth converges from all directions, making Yunmeng Mountain seem like a true celestial palace and blessed land.

They were naturally unaware that Su Ning was assisting Han Li in achieving Nascent Soul cultivation; all they could feel was profound shock and oppressive power.

"What...what is that?!"

"A palace? A magical artifact? How could such a massive magical artifact exist in the world!"

"This oppressive force... I feel like my nascent soul is about to be crushed!"

"Divine punishment! Is this divine punishment?"

"No! This is the real Heavenly Palace."

The lower-ranking disciples below were already paralyzed with fear, trembling and too exhausted to even run away.

Even the nine Nascent Soul cultivators, including Cheng Tiankun and Jin Laoguai, felt the devastating pressure within the soundproof barrier. Their faces turned ashen as they looked up at the colossal hall that floated overhead like the eye of judgment. The last trace of hesitation and hope in their eyes was completely crushed!
Only Yin Yue, who was protecting Han Li in the medicine garden, had a complicated expression again, realizing that the collapse of the Void Heaven Palace was indeed related to Su Ning.

While all the Nascent Soul stage cultivators were fighting to the death for the Void Heaven Cauldron, Su Ning was scheming about how to take over the entire Void Heaven Palace.

Jin Laoguai swayed, his lips trembling, unable to utter another word, "I'll risk it all."

The Fiery Old Monster looked up at the Void Heaven Palace and murmured, "This... is this the method of the Great Jin Upper Sect...?"

Cheng Tiankun closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, all that remained was endless dejection and resignation: "No need... to discuss it anymore."

The gap in strength has become so large that it is despair-inducing.

Resistance is pointless and will only lead to utter destruction.

After removing the soundproof barrier, Cheng Tiankun, Liehuo Laoguai, and Jin Laoguai exchanged glances, all seeing the bitterness and determination in each other's eyes.

Representing the three sects, they slowly flew forward and bowed deeply to the still calm and composed Su Ning.

"Elder Su... Elder Su." Cheng Tiankun's voice was extremely dry, and even trembled slightly. "We... the three sects of Yunmeng Mountain... are willing... to submit."

The humiliating words uttered represented the complete collapse of independence and pride that had been passed down for thousands of years.

The Void Palace, suspended atop the mountain, is like the eternal Sword of Damocles, deeply imprinted on the souls of every cultivator in Yunmeng Mountain, heralding the forced arrival of a new era.

...(End of chapter)