Above the Heavens!
From the sky above.
The man holding the pagoda suddenly waved his hand.
A golden light descended from the heavens, shooting toward the land where the Southern Continent (Nanzhan Buzhou) and the Eastern Continent (Dongsheng Shenzhou) connected.
It was like a meteor crashing down.
With a deafening boom, the golden light struck the earth, shaking the land for thousands of miles.
In the next moment, at the very border between the two continents, a majestic pass, stretching for thousands of miles, emerged from the ground, completely severing the connection between them.
As the pass descended, from the clouds above, tens of thousands of celestial soldiers and generals transformed into streaks of light, descending onto the pass to guard it.
"Nezha."
"This pass is now in your hands."
"Do not allow anyone to pass."
Li Jing turned to the young man beside him, who stood on fiery wheels and held a long spear, his tone firm and unquestionable.
Nezha glanced at Li Jing without speaking and directly rode his Wind-Fire Wheels down towards the divine pass below.
Seeing Nezha's attitude, a hint of displeasure flickered in Li Jing's eyes, but he said nothing.
Turning his gaze back to the sky
"The Celestial Court."
"It seems the Mortal-Immortal Miasma has truly cost you dearly."
"Severing the two continents, hoping to block its spread?"
"You are being far too naive."
Watching the celestial soldiers descend from the heavens and the massive pass cutting through the land, Zhao Feng chuckled, his eyes filled with delight.
This confirmed one thing.
The Mortal-Immortal Miasma had struck the Celestial Court hard.
By sealing off the two continents, they were simply trying to protect the Eastern Continent.
However
The Celestial Court was still underestimating the situation.
The Eastern Continent was already the true breeding ground of the Mortal-Immortal Miasma!
In all territories ruled by Great Qin, ever since martial arts had been promoted, the very first Foundation Establishment Pills bestowed upon practitioners had contained traces of the Mortal-Immortal Miasma. And Yanting (the Underworld Court) had been continuously spreading it, ensuring that soon, the Eastern Continent would fall to the Miasma just as the Southern Continent had.
It was merely a matter of time.
"Nezha."
"A Da Luo Golden Immortal."
"The Celestial Court is taking this very seriously sending Nezha to guard this place."
Zhao Feng's gaze locked onto the figure who had just descended from the sky.
A lotus-born body, wielding a flaming spear, riding Wind-Fire Wheels.
It was Nezha himself!
"Having the immortal sects cleanse those infected with the Mortal-Immortal Miasma?"
"In that case, I might as well lend you a hand."
A cold smirk curled on Zhao Feng's lips.
If the goal was to draw the Celestial Court's full attention to the Southern Continent, then the chaos should be as great as possible.
With that thought
Zhao Feng wasted no time. His divine sense spread out and locked onto an immortal sect near the continent's border.
The Southern Continent
The eastern regions were largely controlled by Daoist sects that submitted to the Celestial Court and paid tribute.
The western regions, however, were dominated by Buddhist forces, with monasteries covering the land.
Scattered throughout were other factions Wuzhuang Temple, West Kunlun, as well as countless demons and great fiends.
A land of utter chaos.
"A sect with a Golden Immortal?"
"I'll start by wiping it out."
Zhao Feng smirked.
With a single step, he vanished into thin air.
At that very moment
On the pass above, Nezha seemed to sense something.
He abruptly turned to look at where Zhao Feng had stood moments ago, despite the vast distance of several hundred thousand miles.
"What incredible speed enough to stir the void itself."
"Only a Da Luo can move like that."
"Was someone watching in secret?"
Nezha's expression turned thoughtful.
Despite his youthful appearance, his actual age was immeasurable. Moreover, his lotus-born body made him a true innate spirit immune to mortal influences, beyond worldly needs and bound to the Celestial Court through the Investiture of the Gods.
Had Zhao Feng seen Nezha's reaction, he might have been slightly surprised.
The power of a Da Luo Golden Immortal was truly beyond comparison.
Du Immortal Sect!
A sect situated near the border of the two continents, its influence spanning across a million mortal kingdoms.
"Who goes there?"
"How dare you trespass upon Du Immortal Sect?"
As Zhao Feng appeared before the sect's grand gates, hundreds of disciples immediately emerged.
Each one was at least in the Nascent Soul stage.
"Not bad. It may not be as prestigious as Kunlun, but it has nearly a hundred thousand disciples, with thousands who have ascended to the Immortal Realm."
Zhao Feng's divine sense swept across the sect, instantly grasping its full details.
Then
The Executioner's Sword Formation materialized.
"Activate the formation!"
With Zhao Feng's command
The sword formation expanded, instantly covering a hundred-mile radius, sealing off the void.
The entire sect was engulfed in dark clouds, filled with murderous intent.
"What's happening?"
"A formation?"
"Who could set up such a grand formation so easily?"
"Our entire sect has been trapped!"
…
Inside Du Immortal Sect.
The sudden catastrophe sent shockwaves of fear throughout the entire sect.
"Slay them!"
Without hesitation, Zhao Feng activated the sword formation.
The sect's protective array shattered in an instant.
Countless swords of slaughter rained down.
The entire sect was transformed into a living hell.
"Killed a Nascent Soul cultivator +20 to all attributes."
"Killed a Soul Formation cultivator +50 to all attributes."
"Killed an Immortal Realm cultivator +100 to all attributes."
"Killed a Celestial Immortal cultivator +200 to all attributes."
"Killed a Heavenly Immortal cultivator +500 to all attributes…"
Formation Activated.
Slaughter Commences.
A series of notifications appeared before Zhao Feng.
Within the entire Du Immortal Sect, a scene of mountains of corpses and seas of blood unfolded.
Exterminating this small sect did not take much time at all.
In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, no one in the Du Immortal Sect remained standing everyone had been slain by the Execution Immortal Sword Formation.
"Resources cannot be wasted."
"Corpses of cultivators above the Spirit Refinement Return to Void realm must not be wasted either."
Zhao Feng spread out his divine sense.
He opened the Spirit Essence Bottle and collected the corpses of all cultivators who had reached the Spirit Refinement Return to Void realm or higher, extracting their essence to refine into pills.
Then, he entered the sect itself, gathering all spirit stones and various resources before packing everything up and taking it away.
After completing this task, Zhao Feng did not leave immediately.
Instead, he lifted his demonic sword and slashed several sword auras toward the ground of the Du Immortal Sect.
In the next moment
Four massive, golden words imbued with killing intent appeared in the sect's central square:
"EXTERMINATOR: QIN!"
Leaving these words behind, Zhao Feng took one last look, then dismissed the sword formation and departed.
....
Long after Zhao Feng had left, fewer than a dozen cultivators crawled out from the ruins of the sect.
As they gazed upon the devastation of their sect, they were overwhelmed with terror, feeling as if they had just barely survived death.
"Hurry… hurry and report to the Heavenly Court!"
....
Zhao Feng never left loose ends whenever he killed, he made sure to eradicate every last one.
The fact that these people had survived meant that Zhao Feng had allowed them to.
....
Time passed quickly!
In the blink of an eye, three months had gone by.
For celestial beings, such a span was nothing more than a flick of the fingers.
Lingxiao Treasure Hall!
At this moment, the atmosphere within was suffocatingly tense.
"Reporting to Your Majesty!"
"In the Southern Continent, eighty-seven sects under the Heavenly Court's authority have been completely exterminated!"
"Please, Your Majesty, make a decision."
The Martial Virtue Star Sovereign stepped forward, his expression grim.
"Did all the exterminated sects leave behind only a single word—'Qin'?"** Haotian's expression was extremely unpleasant.
Lower-realm sects...
If they were destroyed, then so be it.
Especially in the Southern Continent, where plague and poison were rampant.
But the one responsible was "Qin."
That name...
How could Haotian possibly be unfamiliar with it?
"Your Majesty."
"According to reports from the lower realm's patrol officials, all exterminated sects indeed bore the word 'Qin' as a mark."
"Moreover, he is specifically targeting sects that pay tribute to the Heavenly Court."
"This individual's strength has undoubtedly reached the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm." The Martial Virtue Star Sovereign reported immediately.
"Taiyi Golden Immortal?"
The coldness on Haotian's face deepened.
How much time had passed?
And already, the lower realm posed such a significant threat?
Moreover
He had entered the Earthly Immortal Realm and was stirring up a storm there.
"Your Majesty!"
"I am certain that this person is the same one who set up that sword formation in the mortal world!"
"All the exterminated sects were filled with an intense aura of slaughter, saturated with sword formation energy."
"Whenever the sword formation is activated, entire sects are annihilated."
"It must be him!"
Wang Lingguan immediately stepped forward.
Having previously perished under that very sword formation, Wang Lingguan could recognize its presence in an instant.
"This person must have ascended from the lower realm to the Earthly Immortal Realm." The Martial Virtue Star Sovereign said solemnly.
"My ministers, what do you propose we do with him?" Haotian raised his head, his gaze sweeping across the celestial beings in the grand hall.
"Your Majesty!"
"The mortal realm remains a mystery to the Heavenly Court."
"If we can capture this individual, the secrets of the mortal world will be ours to uncover."
"I suggest we destroy his physical body, seize his soul, and bring him to the Heavenly Court for interrogation." The Martial Virtue Star Sovereign suggested without hesitation.
"The Martial Virtue Star Sovereign's suggestion is reasonable."
"This matter shall be entrusted to you."
"You may command the Heavenly Court's soldiers as you see fit."
"If you succeed, I shall reward you with peaches of immortality and bestow your spiritual essence." Haotian decreed immediately.
Before the Martial Virtue Star Sovereign could respond
"Your Majesty."
"I have a hypothesis."
Li Jing stepped forward.
"Speak." Haotian immediately turned to Li Jing.
"At present, the plague is rampant."
"Although the Heavenly Court has temporarily suppressed it, the Southern Continent has already been completely overrun."
"Everywhere, immortals are perishing."
"Could this all be connected to this individual?" Li Jing suggested.
Upon hearing this
The expressions of the celestial beings within the Lingxiao Treasure Hall changed drastically, their eyes flashing with murderous intent.
Spirit Essence!
This was something that every celestial and deity in the Heavenly Court desired.
Even those ranked among the True Spirits had descendants who needed Spirit Essence.
One could say that the existence of Spirit Essence was tied to the interests of nearly all celestials and deities across the heavens it was a matter of their very survival.
The rampant plague had severed the celestials' access to Spirit Essence.
In other words, Zhao Feng had effectively made enemies of the entire Heavenly Court and the Buddhist sects in one fell swoop.
Upon hearing Li Jing's words, Haotian's expression shifted slightly, then became even more solemn as he nodded, "The Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King speaks with reason. This plague has appeared under strange circumstances it is very likely his doing. This man must not be allowed to escape."
"Your Majesty is wise."
"My son, Nezha, is currently stationed at the border between two provinces with an army of 150,000 celestial soldiers. I propose that he assist the Martial Virtue Star Sovereign in capturing this fiend and rendering great service to the Heavenly Court," Li Jing immediately suggested.
"Very well."
Haotian nodded. "Granted!"
"Martial Virtue Star Sovereign."
"Have you managed to track this man's aura?"
Haotian turned toward the Martial Virtue Star Sovereign.
"Your Majesty."
"This is an aura fragment extracted from the sects he has annihilated."
"It may be possible to use it for divination."
The Martial Virtue Star Sovereign immediately produced a jade bottle.
Haotian waved his hand.
The jade bottle opened.
At that moment
The Haotian Mirror appeared, drawing the captured aura into itself.
Inside the mirror, the landscapes of the Earthly Immortal Realm shifted rapidly before finally settling on the eastern region of the Southern Continent.
Yet, upon closer inspection, the exact location could not be pinpointed.
"The Haotian Mirror oversees all three realms no living being can escape its surveillance."
"And yet, this man can evade its detection, revealing only a general location?" Haotian's heart trembled in shock.
This situation...
It was just like back in the mortal world.
At that time, when the Heavenly Court had suffered a great loss in the mortal realm, Haotian had attempted to use this supreme treasure to divine who was responsible.
But the mortal world was shrouded in mist, and even the Haotian Mirror was unable to unveil its secrets.
And now...
It was happening again.
"Your Majesty."
"This man must possess a treasure that conceals his fate. Otherwise, he could not have escaped Your Majesty's divine surveillance." Li Jing immediately said.
Just as he finished speaking
The Haotian Mirror suddenly changed.
The image that had been fixed on the eastern region of the Southern Continent zoomed in once more.
A small kingdom.
A city.
A tavern.
Inside, a handsome man in a black robe was drinking, savoring the delicacies of the mortal world.
As if sensing the prying gaze
The man within the Haotian Mirror curled his lips into a smirk, then slowly raised his hand.
And extended his middle finger.
Although no one present understood this particular gesture, every celestial in the Lingxiao Treasure Hall could instinctively tell that it was by no means a respectful one there was an unmistakable air of mockery to it.
"How audacious!"
"To dare provoke the Heavenly Court in such a manner!"
"Your Majesty, please issue the decree I am willing to lead the charge at once!" The Martial Virtue Star Sovereign declared.
From this alone, it was evident.
Zhao Feng must harbor an immense secret, beyond just the plague.
There was an even greater mystery behind him.
A feat of such magnitude, and an opportunity of such unimaginable fortune he could not afford to miss this.
"I also request permission to have Nezha capture this fiend immediately." Li Jing promptly spoke up.
"Destroy his body, seize his soul."
"Mobilize and eradicate him at once," Haotian ordered coldly.
"We obey!"
The Martial Virtue Star Sovereign and Li Jing responded in unison.
Then
The two strode out of the Lingxiao Treasure Hall without hesitation.
At this moment
The Haotian Mirror had already revealed Zhao Feng's location.
Naturally, the Heavenly Court would have no trouble finding him.
Yet, the very instant they locked onto his position
The Haotian Mirror flickered.
In the next moment, Zhao Feng's image vanished once more, impossible to track.
...
Southern Continent.
Chechi Kingdom.
Inside a small tavern.
"The Heavenly Court..."
"I've already thrown out such a massive bait there's no way they won't come."
"Now that I've appeared in the Southern Continent, combined with the Mortal-Immortal Miasma, they will undoubtedly go all out against me."
"With this, the Heavenly Court will be entirely focused on me."
"And that means..."
"They won't be watching over the Eastern Continent."
A cold smirk crept onto Zhao Feng's lips.
Then
Zhao Feng immediately transmitted a message to Ying Zheng:
"Father, the Heavenly Court's attention is now fully on me. The Great Qin can begin its expansion. Ensure that the celestial sects' tribute artifacts are safeguarded by the refiners of the Armament Hall do not let the Heavenly Court catch wind of it."
In mere moments
A reply came from Ying Zheng:
"Understood!"
"Feng'er, you must be careful."
"If you find yourself outmatched, retreat immediately."
"Your father will face them with you."
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