The Ancient Saint Emperor of the Heaven-shading

Chapter 148 Destroying the Holy Domain, Entering the Southern Ridge

The leader of the Ziwei Sect ascended the throne, ruling the world with the momentum to conquer the five regions.

For a time, Wang Hongwu and the solar body became a hot topic of conversation among everyone.

All races were filled with curiosity about this new leader of the imperial family who suppressed the imperial heirs.

Especially considering what the All Races Conference said, the Ziwei Sect is going to enter the Southern Ridge, and those demon races will probably suffer and submit.

However, many people believe that there will be no real clash, because the Nanling demon clan's foundation is far inferior to that of the Ziwei Sect, and they cannot be compared. If they really had to compete, they would probably be wiped out.

"In my opinion, the best way out for Nanling right now is to join the Ziwei Sect. They might even become a major power. I heard there used to be a Heavenly Demon Alliance on Ziwei Star, didn't they?"

"Yes, the foundation of Nanling is only at the level of Quasi-Emperor Artifacts and Great Saints. When combined, it is only at the level of the Heavenly King Clan. How can it be compared with a behemoth like the Royal Clan?"

"Why don't we guess how long it will take to unify the Southern Mountains? I think it won't take more than a month."

"January? I think ten days should be about right!"

His name was being circulated everywhere, with people speculating about his next move. He was a truly influential figure, whose every word could shake the world.

Inside the Ziwei Sect's mountain gate, although the envoys of all races had departed, the important figures of the royal family remained.

Wang Hongwu met the Dragon Girl in his true form, and with a smile, he reached out and lifted her purple hair, tucking it behind her ear, saying, "It's been a long time. I brought you some things from Ziwei."

As he spoke, a flash of light appeared on his sleeve, and the legendary Purple Crape Myrtle Divine Flower appeared, surrounded by purple aura and sparkling. It was a divine flower of saint-level quality.

"It's kind of you to remember me among all those beautiful women." The Dragon Girl smiled, lightly punched Wang Hongwu's chest, then put the purple flower on her head. With a graceful turn, she moved serenely amidst the fluttering mountain flowers.

Wang Hongwu gazed at her quietly, a thought suddenly forming in his mind: perhaps it was time to reveal some things. The royal family was now forming a marriage alliance with the Ziwei Sect, unlike before.

"You've become the sect leader, congratulations." The Dragon Goddess's expression turned slightly complicated, as if she had thought of something. She suddenly said, "Hongwu, if in the future my cultivation can no longer keep up with yours, and I can no longer help you, and my youth fades, will you despise me?"

Having met the Heavenly Princess, and with Huo Lin'er, the Golden Heavenly Maiden, and the Daughter of the Ruins by her side, she felt a lot of pressure and tossed and turned at night, wondering if those women were more outstanding and more suitable for Wang Hongwu than herself.

"No." Wang Hongwu replied readily, and laughed, "If your appearance ages, I will gather divine flowers to preserve your youthful appearance; if your cultivation is insufficient, I will break through the Heavenly Road and send you to another realm to live forever!"

Upon hearing this, the Dragon Girl burst into laughter, her beauty captivating, and she threw herself into his arms.

"Once the matters of the Five Regions are settled, let's get married. There's no point in hiding this identity anymore; it's time to make it public. We'll get married when I return from my journey through the stars." Wang Hongwu's true form embraced her and whispered in her ear, already having made arrangements.

"I'll listen to you," the dragon girl nestled in his arms and closed her eyes.

The next day, the Dragon Girl left. Wang Hongwu stood on the mountaintop and watched her go. Only after a long time did he speak, "Have you found the location of those stones?"

They attacked our sect when they were vulnerable; we can't let this go. We'll fight back and wipe out their sect.

As the words fell, the void behind them suddenly distorted, and the chief god of the God Organization stepped out, nodding and saying, "Found it. After the Holy Domain was destroyed, they occupied a life-bearing star, renamed it Holy Star, which is not far from the Big Dipper. People often come here to go to the Eastern Wilderness."

However, the main god paused for a moment and still reminded, "The forces of the Holy Domain have had a lot of dealings with the Heavenly God Mountain Range before, and have even sent their successors into it. It's best to be careful."

“The Celestial God Mountains?” Wang Hongwu murmured, then smiled and said, “It’s alright, there will be people watching them. Even if a former Holy Spirit is about to be reborn, it may not be able to threaten us.”

Upon hearing this, the Supreme God was immediately struck by a realization. This confidence stemmed from the Holy Emperor's divine will, and his strength had recovered considerably after Ziwei's arrival.

Soon, the Ziwei Sect sprang into action, beginning preparations for its first expedition since its great rise to prominence.

On a high mountain on the border of Zhongzhou, the Empress stood with her hands behind her back, her gaze just withdrawing from the gate of the Ziwei Sect, listening somewhat impatiently to the words of someone beside her.

Those were visitors from the Heavenly God Mountains, seeking cooperation from the Ancient Emperor Mountain, but she did not agree.

"Only what withstands the test of time is true. Although the Ziwei Sect Leader is an unparalleled genius, stunning the past and present, he is ultimately a saint, not a great saint or a quasi-emperor. He should cherish everything he has now. It is not easy to have reached this point. Who knows when he might offend a true supreme being and die, his cultivation vanishing in an instant." The person from the Heavenly God Mountain Range spoke calmly, his words full of self-confidence, as if he had a powerful backer behind him.

However, the Empress Dowager scoffed without giving her any face, "I'm the most skeptical person in my life. You've withstood the test of time and lived to such an old age, do you really think you're a sparkling, undimmed celestial stone? How laughable!"

The frog at the bottom of the well even commented on the Central Heavenly Emperor Star, saying it was no bigger than the well's opening—truly ignorant of its own foolishness!

"What do you mean? Is the Crown Prince refusing to cooperate with us?" The visitor from the Heavenly God Mountain Range frowned, somewhat puzzled. How could this guy act like nothing had happened after being defeated by the Ziwei Sect Master?
Shouldn't it be genuine hatred, leading to every possible means to eliminate the other party?

Why are you so calm now, and even seem to admire the other person?

What are you doing!
But the Empress shook her head dismissively. "Of course, I don't cooperate with losers, especially those who are arrogant and don't know they are destined to fail. Wang Hongwu, that man, you don't understand him, only I do."

I've fought him, we've known each other perfectly, our blows have landed squarely. Only I understand that domineering spirit, how lofty his ambitions are! I admire him. As for you, hahaha, you're nothing but ants. No matter how high your cultivation, it's all in vain!

"How dare you!" Upon hearing this, the man from the Heavenly God Mountain Range's eyes flashed with anger, and he was almost about to lash out on the spot. However, the Heavenly Empress walked out with an air of nonchalance, leaving only her faint voice echoing, "Do whatever you want. I will only come openly and honestly. But if you dare to disrupt my affairs, then you can just wait to die!"

Whoosh! As it disappeared, the eldest sage of the Ancient Emperor Mountain lineage also manifested his figure from the void, gave the visitor from the Heavenly God Mountain Range a warning glance, and then left, leaving the Heavenly God Envoy isolated in place, letting out an angry roar.

"Emperor's heir! Hmph, I think he's a short-sighted fool. Instead of eliminating such a great enemy, you let him grow. What kind of appreciation is that? Could it be that you have some kind of affair with that Ziwei Sect Master?"
"Ridiculous, you'll regret this sooner or later." After a long pause, he said no more and left. The Ziwei Sect was now so powerful that even the royal family had to be wary and give way.

Three days later, all the saints of the Ziwei Sect arrived, and the Ziwei Ark appeared in the sky, with a huge domain gate erected in front of it.

"I'm exhausted! You guys really don't treat people like human beings. You carved such a huge star portal in three days. It's a good thing that the Holy Star is nearby, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to finish it even if I worked myself to death!" Below the domain gate, Duan De was so tired that he lay there with his tongue hanging out and his belly flat. He didn't want to move at all. He had truly been a model worker.

"Thank you for your trouble. You'll definitely get your share of the good stuff from the Holy Star later." Just then, immortal light filled the air behind him, and the sounds of the Great Dao echoed endlessly. Wang Hongwu arrived, still dressed in the robes of the Ziwei Sect Master, followed by a group of Great Saints. He exuded a powerful aura, as if he were looking through the domain gate at the ancient land of the Holy Domain.

The next moment, he waved his hand, and the enormous Purple Star Ark roared and sailed straight into the domain gate. The saints appeared out of nowhere and launched an expedition.

"Let's go! Quickly follow them and see what's going on. I heard the Ziwei Sect is going to take revenge and deal with those people from the Holy Domain!"

"What? Isn't that the territory of the Holy Spirit lineage? How dare you provoke destruction? You're too audacious."

"So what? They destroyed the Holy Domain back then. Now that the higher-ups have returned, they will naturally settle accounts with those guys. In my opinion, those Holy Spirits are going to be in trouble."

Inside the Heavenly Pavilion, a group of Ancestral Kings and Saints from beyond the realm immediately flew up to follow. They couldn't miss such excitement; who knew they might even get a chance to seize some opportunities and find something on the Holy Star.

After all, in their view, the destruction of the Holy Star by the Ziwei Sect was inevitable, even easy, because the gap between the two sides was too great.

Some who had not yet attained sainthood scratched their heads, wanting to witness this expedition, but alas, only those with the barrier of the Holy Realm could achieve interstellar travel, and they could only look up in envy.

Beyond the realm, where the Holy Star resides, all remains peaceful and serene.

This ancient star had a favorable environment and was originally inhabited by some races with considerable strength. They even gave birth to saints. However, after the arrival of the Holy Spirit, there were no other living beings on this ancient star. They were all wiped out and sacrificed, leaving only the Holy Spirit to reign supreme.

In the center of the ancient star lies a divine land, rare in the world, a wondrous place that nourishes the spiritual embryo of heaven and earth. Even a weed growing here possesses spiritual power. It was chosen as the site for the construction of the Holy Spirit Palace, where a group of powerful figures are enshrined.

Tap tap tap, at this moment, the footsteps outside the divine land grew closer and closer. It was a stone man, about ten feet tall, very strong, but not intact. Half of his head had been chopped off, only one eye remained, and there were many holes on the left side of his body pierced by sharp weapons.

This stone figure was incomplete, lacking flesh and blood. It was clearly forced into premature birth, forever losing the chance to become whole. Right now, it looked anxious, still showing signs of shock, as if it had received some kind of news and rushed over to report, "My lord, news has come from the Heavenly God Mountain Range that the Ziwei Sect is going to attack us!"

What? Several divine thoughts suddenly emerged from within the enormous celestial palace. The expressions of the group of Holy Spirit experts changed, and they were about to say something when a huge roar suddenly came. The entire ancient star shook violently, and many mountains and rivers collapsed!

It was like the end of the world; nothing could stop it, everything was to be obliterated, massive mountains collapsed, endless oceans surged and churned, the order of the entire world was in chaos, as if it were coming to an end.

With supreme holy might descending, seven enormous hands reached out from the star field and appeared in the sky, crushing the protective array outside the planet and grasping the entire planet in their palms. Then, with a sudden pull, they migrated away.

This scene shocked the celestial beings. The sight was terrifying: seven enormous hands swept across the starry sky, directly grasping a massive ancient life-bearing star and dragging it away. With a single slap, they shattered the turbulent cosmic tides, and the aftershocks directly altered the trajectories of the surrounding galaxies, completely distorting them.

In an instant, nebulae churned, star rivers surged, and chaotic spiral arms danced wildly, intertwining into a chaotic, colorful vortex, magnificent and dreamlike.

The vast planet trembled, and the powerful Holy Spirit residing there roared, "Who goes there?! How dare you invade my Holy Spirit lineage!"

"The Ziwei Sect!" A majestic voice rang out, and countless giant hands blotted out the sky. With each wave, the heavens and earth trembled, ghosts wailed and gods howled, and the heavenly palace built by the Holy Spirits collapsed.

No protective array could save them; they were utterly crushed. Any magical treasures summoned were laughable, shattered with overwhelming force. The merciless onslaught plunged the entire ancient star into a gloom of despair. A few stone figures emerged from within, their auras ranging from Saint to Great Saint, but there were only a handful. The destruction of the Holy Domain had resulted in the loss of many experts, and they had only recovered with the help of the Heavenly God Mountain Range.

"The Ziwei Sect? It's you! You actually came to our doorstep?" From the smoke and dust, a huge stone man rushed out, his blood aura soaring to the heavens that it made the entire star field tremble. His eyes were as terrifying as torches. He stood tall and firm, and was actually a Holy Spirit who had reached the peak of the Great Sage!
However, facing the seven great saints from beyond the heavens, its heart sank. Before it could make a move, the Great Saint Yin Luo and the Great Saint Hao Yang swept it into the battlefield.

Then, the Great Sage Tianyang, the Great Sage Xuanyin, the Great Sage Duanmu, the Slaughtering Beast King, and the Supreme God appeared and descended. Without saying a word, their quasi-royal weapons crashed down from the sky, directly surrounding and annihilating the remaining Holy Spirit Great Sages in the area, leaving everyone in despair.

"How can there be so many Great Sages?" The creatures here were shocked, never expecting that today would bring such a great calamity, with no way to escape.

The next moment, the army of the Ziwei Sect descended, attacking from the ark, their killing intent sweeping across eternity; all of them were saints. A host of holy spirits also commanded their servants and kin to charge out, a massive army charging forward. Only a few holy spirits were present; the rest were mostly unknown alien races. Their battle cries shook the heavens, and the two sides clashed violently.

Unexpectedly, the battle turned out to be a one-sided sweep. The Ziwei army swept across the battlefield, unleashing legendary holy weapons and quasi-royal artifacts one after another, bombarding entire areas with a single blow. In less than a moment, they had annihilated 90% of the Holy Star army, leaving only a small elite force to put up a last-ditch resistance.

Among them, there was a stone man who was incredibly brave and powerful, tearing apart several saints with his mighty attacks. After all, he was a holy spirit, and his blood surged throughout his body, every drop of which was dazzling and sparkling, emitting boundless divine light through his stone body, possessing an immortal divinity.

The Holy Spirit's power is deeply felt in people's hearts. He is protected by God when he is conceived, and once he is born, few can rival him. His reputation has been illustrious since ancient times.

However, he was directly blasted apart by Wang Hongwu's sudden appearance from the sky. The punch, empowered by the Six Paths of Reincarnation, slammed from his head to the soles of his feet, causing him to explode. Then, the banner of humanity was planted and the power of the Saint King's weapon was unleashed, preventing him from ever reassembling and thus annihilating him.

Seeing this, the remaining elite souls were terrified. They killed a stone man so quickly. Was there really such a big difference between the Eight Forbidden Realms and the Divine Forbidden Realms? It was too terrifying.

Wang Hongwu wasted no time and immediately summoned the Sun Emperor Tower. Its divine power was unparalleled, blowing the entire sky away. Every wisp of immortal fire spreading from the tower was dazzling and completely swept away the ancient star.

No! The Holy Spirits, who were being besieged above, were filled with despair upon seeing this scene. They knew that their deaths were imminent and a reckoning was about to begin.

In the end, they couldn't escape either; they were all killed, and their bodies were left behind as spoils of war for the Ziwei Sect.

"Didn't we see that Great Lord of the Holy Spirit lineage?" "Did he take away the Holy Spirit lineage's foundation? Even the powerful artifacts and ancient formations are nowhere to be seen."

Yin Luo and Hao Yang, the two Great Saints, were somewhat puzzled. The Holy Spirit lineage should have such a limited foundation. In the end, it was the chief god who spoke up to explain, "That person dug up the great tomb of the Eight Divine Generals, disturbing their slumber. They are being hunted down and may not be able to return."

"The ancestral artifact of the Holy Spirit lineage is still sealed deep in the starry sky, suppressed by the Moral Celestial Venerable. They can't be said to have any foundation. They are more like the Holy Spirits of the Heavenly God Mountain Range and the Divine Ruins." Wang Hongwu shook his head. Back then, the Holy Spirit Ancestor was directly suppressed by the Dao Venerable and used for alchemy. Whether it was the Heaven-Mending Technique or the ancestral artifact, they are all there.

However, the ancient road for humans has not yet been built, so it's hard to say where that burial ground of gods and demons is.

The battle ended swiftly, leaving the extraterrestrial saints and the Northern Dipper Ancestral King stunned. It was too fast, even a complete and utter defeat. Is this the strongest royal family of our time?

On this day, the Holy Realm was completely destroyed. All the Holy Spirits there perished in the battle. All the Holy Spirits and Great Saints that everyone had heard of or seen were killed and their bodies were taken away as resources for refining weapons.

Moreover, some people saw a divine spirit emerge and stand within the Heavenly God Mountain Range, extinguishing the majestic and terrifying phenomenon.

Some say that a roar came from within the Heavenly God Mountain Range, where the Great Ancestor of the Holy Spirit lineage slept.

Some say that a battle erupted deep within the divine consciousness, a battle so intense it nearly destroyed the heavens and the earth, even drawing the attention of those in forbidden zones.

Some people also said that it wasn't just the divine thought; the Yuanhuang Gourd, the Myriad Dragon Bell, and even the Immortal Iron Rod were all aimed at the Heavenly God Mountain Range that day. If there was any unusual movement, it would mean the extreme Dao was pressing in.

There are many conflicting opinions, and no one can confirm the truth.

But the mountains seem to truly be inhabited by the legendary Great Accomplished Holy Spirit, who, though far inferior to the enlightened ones, is still quite terrifying.

But on that very day, the people of Beidou witnessed the Ziwei Sect's triumphant return, bringing back the sacred star and integrating it into the Northern Plains, once again contributing to the ancient star of Beidou.

The major powers felt a chill run down their spines, too afraid to speak. This move was too powerful and domineering, directly annihilating a massive force that had traversed the entire star system.

"The road to expanding the Big Dipper is still long and arduous." Wang Hongwu looked at the ever-changing earth beneath his feet and could feel the Big Dipper Dao traces becoming increasingly affinity towards him. He could even sense the existence of five huge altars, with primal power surging within them, resonating with him.

"This is outrageous! The Holy Domain, a major power in the starry sky, has been destroyed by the Ziwei Sect!"

Soon, the news spread throughout the star domains, and became common knowledge in the five domains. People couldn't help but hold their breath; it was too powerful. Was it going to sweep across the world? It had even annihilated the great power of the Holy Spirit.

"Who's next? The remnants of the Kunlun clan?"

"This is to establish authority. The Ziwei Sect just changed its leader and immediately launched an expedition to destroy a major force."

"I think they will make further moves, and they will probably target Nanling."

People are discussing it, finding it unbelievable that the Holy Spirit, who is high and mighty, could be destroyed so easily.
In this light, those who have attained the Dao ultimately have the upper hand, as do their power levels; the ultimate divine weapon is crucial.

And just as they had expected, the Ziwei Sect began to turn its attention to the Southern Ridge, immediately putting the demon race there on edge.

A demon saint cautiously inquired, wanting to know the purpose of the Ziwei Sect, but the response he received was puzzling. The current sect leader, Wang Hongwu, replied very seriously, "Our sect's vice sect leader, Xu Kun, has gone missing in Nanling. We have come to find him and, incidentally, to improve the environment of Nanling and provide greater room for development."

The vice-leader has disappeared?
After these words were spoken, the Southern Ridge was silent for three days, and then a frantic search began. They were very worried that some blind demon had attacked Xu Kun and coveted his Kunpeng bloodline.
If this comes to fruition, it will be a huge problem; the demon clan of Nanling will be no match for them.

Fortunately, after a careful search, they received news that Xu Kun was out of danger, but had entered a secret realm of ancient celestial demons and had not come out since.

When they delivered the message to the Ziwei Sect, Wang Hongwu set off, accompanied by the Xuan Yin Great Sage.

The Nanling Mountains are a vast expanse of towering peaks and steep ridges, with ancient veins everywhere. Naturally, this has led to the abundance of rare herbs and even legends of elixirs of immortality.

On this vast land, there is hardly a plain. This unique terrain has remained unchanged since ancient times, which has also created a landscape where miasma abounds, wild beasts roam, and strange birds roam freely.

This central area, the Yuantian Ancient Vein, was once home to an elixir of immortality that flew away through the air, making it a famous place in the Southern Ridge. The secret realm where the ancient celestial demon was born is also located here.

“An ancient celestial demon, at least a Great Sage. It seems Xu Kun has also had a great fortune this time.” Wang Hongwu descended, stood on the sea of ​​clouds, and looked down at this region. The mountains were very quiet, with many giant trees taller than the mountain peaks, covered in lush greenery, and ancient vines, thick and frightening, climbing all over the mountain ridges like writhing dragons.

“The vice leader can also stand on his own now. We can’t always let you, the leader, do everything yourself.” Xuan Yin smiled slightly. The two of them immediately descended from the sky and went straight to the deepest part of the mountain range. Here, ancient pines accompanied them and palaces stretched across the landscape. Even before they got close, a vast and demonic aura swept over them, as if it had come from the beginning of time.

The location of the Kunpeng Secret Realm exudes a powerful aura. This palace is not very vast, but it hangs high in the nine heavens, with wisps of primordial yellow energy descending from it.

"That person looks familiar, but he's not a demon." "You clueless bastard, that's the Ziwei Sect Master. Get away from him, they're definitely here to find Xu Kun."

"Both generations of Ziwei Sect Leaders are here. Are they here in Nanling to discuss matters? What should our demon race do?"

The surrounding demons trembled, unable to help but let their imaginations run wild. They had lived in the Southern Ridge for a long time and it wasn't that they didn't want to move to other great domains. Perhaps the arrival of the Ziwei Sect this time was the opportunity?

In an instant, the place became lively, with demons from all walks of life gathering and staring longingly at the figure draped in a purple robe adorned with countless stars.

"Should we go in and search?" Xuan Yin Dasheng asked, but Wang Hongwu shook his head and said, "Let's take the secret realm along with it and use it as a training ground for our disciples."

"Alright." The Great Sage Xuan Yin nodded, and his large hand suddenly reached out, directly grabbing into the void. A world gradually became clear from the void. It was a vast land connected to the ocean, its size no different from that of a planet, and it was very magnificent.

As you can see, the earth is filled with various formations and secret soils, hiding many treasures. There is also a huge Kunpeng skeleton left in it, which is very conspicuous. Xu Kun's figure is sitting on it, undergoing some kind of transformation, falling into a deep sleep, and about to succeed.

"Kunpeng's remains? It just so happens that I still have the essence accumulated from the Ziwei Battle. I wonder if I can deduce a few freehand techniques or killing moves from them." Upon seeing this, Wang Hongwu's heart stirred. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the appearance of the great demons of Nanling, surrounding the Heavenly Demon King.

"He has actually reached this level?" The Heavenly Demon King appeared, and even though he was a Heavenly Demon Body who had devoured the Demon God Flower, he still felt a deep sense of powerlessness when facing the Master of Ziwei Sect.

He had cultivated fast enough, refining the flesh and blood of the ancient celestial demon, and had already become a half-saint, catching up with those ancient imperial heirs; but the Ziwei Sect Master and the imperial heirs had already become saints, and the gap between them was widening, with no sign of him catching up.

Boom! The next moment, a huge roar resounded, and the entire secret realm was brought out by the Great Sage Xuan Yin. Xu Kun inside was awakened and saw the two people outside, showing a surprised expression.

"Vice Master, we've come to pick you up." Wang Hongwu teased with a smile for a while, then tore open the barrier and brought Xu Kun out.

"I've met the leader. I really didn't expect so many changes to have happened in such a short time." Xu Kun had also met many demons in the secret realm and learned a lot from them, so he was naturally very excited.

A moment later, he suddenly took out a petrified, dried-up, half-dead seed from his sea of ​​consciousness and handed it to Wang Hongwu.

"This is a dried-up, half-dead divine seed. My parents obtained it in the North Sea Eye and planted it in my body to lay the foundation. However, it goes against my current path, so I want to give it to you." Xu Kun suddenly spoke, making a major decision. Only by giving up something can you gain something.

(End of this chapter)