Feng Huang’s dark hair drifted about her, every strand crystalline. The radiance in her eyes grew sharp enough to cut. She turned to face Ji Biyue. “Elder sister Biyue keeps going after me — what exactly are you after?”

“Little sister, you’re reading too much into it. I’m just saying what comes to mind — speaking without thinking. What did you take it to mean?” Ji Biyue’s lips curved into a faint smile.

The other people present immediately dropped their gazes, every one of them afraid to get caught in the middle. These two kept coming at each other, and neither was someone to trifle with. No one dared step into the fire.

“If you count carefully, Ye Fan has been gone for fourteen years now,” Yao Guang said, joining the conversation.

She said it without the slightest hesitation. In this room, there was no one capable of refuting her, however she chose to speak — not even Feng Huang and Ji Biyue, formidable as they were.

“The great river rolls east. One generation of heroes makes way for the next. How many outstanding figures have turned to dust and earth, unable to be seen again.” Li Youyou nodded as well.

In those fourteen years, the foremost lineages in the world — the Dayuan Holy Land, the Wanchu Holy Land, the Yidao Holy Land, the Zifu Holy Land, the Ancient Glory Imperial Dynasty, the Nine Tribes Divine Dynasty, and others — had each seen their Holy Sons, Imperial Sons, and Holy Daughters refuse to fall behind. All of them had attempted the trial of Dao-Severing, and the results had been overwhelmingly sorrowful.

It was a great era. Every Holy Son and divine maiden had refused to accept anything but the highest. They saw Yao Guang and the Central Emperor — and others — sever the Dao in turn, and it ignited something within all of them.

But the outcome was cruel.

Nearly half of their generation had fallen away. Former Holy Maidens and Imperial Sons — many of them were no longer to be seen. Over these past fourteen-plus years, they had fallen one after another, failing to survive the trial of Dao-Severing.

Those who remained were mostly people of exceptional physical constitution — the Holy Maiden of Zifu, Ji Haoyue, the Feathered King, the Twin Kings, and others of that nature — along with individuals of extraordinary genius like Yao Guang herself. The majority of the ordinary Holy Sons and others had turned to ashes, becoming part of the past.

As for Mo Xue, the Marquis in Purple, Li Qingzhou, and others — they were people of the following generation. They were new Holy Sons who had been cultivated to replace those who had fallen — genuinely a case of one generation giving way to the next.

Of course, this was a great era. The one thing it never lacked was talent. The number of royal constitution-holders who had fallen was not actually very large, and the stars still blazed brilliantly across the sky.

Over these years, whether it was the Dao-Womb, the Divine Kings, the Heavenly Demon King of the Eastern Desolation — or the Jade Fall King, the invincible Twin Kings of Central Province, and many others — all had dazzled the world. Kings had risen together, a scene of flourishing abundance.

Take the Zifu Holy Maiden, for example: though she had yet to make any move openly, many people understood perfectly well that this woman was not to be provoked. She was the legendary Dao-Womb — the same kind of constitution as the Western Emperor — born inherently in harmony with the great Dao, her power limitless, a headache for anyone who considered opposing her.

And there was also the rumor that the Twin Kings of Central Province, when combined, could fight any opponent under heaven with no one capable of standing against them — a claim that everyone was still waiting to see proven.

Though many had fallen, the radiance was undiminished. In this great era, peerless talents of the first order were still in no shortage — especially with the rise of Ye Tong’s generation, the contest for supremacy would only grow fiercer.

“It is a pity. In the end, I was never able to fight the Holy Body.” Yao Guang said this quietly, and the expressions around the room all shifted — though those expressions were quite varied.

For a figure of such stature to express regret at a battle that never happened was enough to unnerve people. Many felt a deep sense of awe and said nothing. The great majority chose silence.

A small number did speak — but the human Holy Body had already departed, after all. Saying whatever they liked carried no risk. And Yao Guang was right there before them, someone absolutely worthy of careful deference.

“The Sovereign of Yao Guang is a singular figure of the age — invincible under heaven. I’m quite sure even that Ye Fan, had he not departed, would in all likelihood not have been a match for you.”

“Quite right. The Sovereign of Yao Guang — what a figure. Unmatched throughout the world, never having known defeat to this day. Said to be the greatest Dao-Severing expert in the Yao Guang Holy Land since its founding. A Holy Body would almost certainly be no match.”

A cluster of people began to fawn and flatter, draping compliments everywhere. Naturally they were hoping to build ties with the Yao Guang faction and leave a lasting impression.

The great majority of those present, however, said nothing — thinking it better to keep quiet on such matters. Ye Fan’s power in those years had been enormous. And though he was gone, the Black Emperor, Ye Tong, and others were still here.

“Without a fair contest, it is impossible to say.” Yao Guang put a stop to the flattery with a gentle shake of her head, and cast a glance toward Ji Zi.

In the distance, Ye Fan felt a stir in his chest. Yao Guang’s perception was truly sharp. Had she taken Ji Zi for him?

“The Sovereign need not be so modest. If you were to act, what Holy Body — however great a dragon — would have no choice but to stay coiled. How could he contend with you? Has he not left behind a disciple, Ye Tong? In time, let Li Qingzhou, senior martial brother, go and defeat him in battle. That alone will settle the comparison once and for all. Through a comparison of their disciples, it can be proven that you surpass the Holy Body.” One of the attendant boys following Yao Guang spoke up.

“Exactly. The Sovereign of Yao Guang is a talent of ten thousand ages. Even if Ye Fan possessed a Holy Body, he would in all likelihood be unable to withstand your divine power.”

“Quite right. Even among the great emperors of antiquity, many were born of ordinary bodies, and still reached the pinnacle. I believe that even if Ye Fan were still here, he would struggle to match you.”

The group that had been flattering before chimed in again.

“Enough!” Yao Guang’s voice cut across them. She did not direct her reproach at the others, but turned to face the attendant boy directly. “You grow more and more presumptuous. Ten years of facing the wall in meditation — return to the sect at once and reflect on your conduct.”

“Ten years…” The boy was stunned on the spot, standing frozen.

“Master, the boy said nothing more than what is in his heart. Please forgive him just this once,” Li Qingzhou interceded on his behalf.

“No.” Yao Guang shook her head. The severity with which she disciplined her own disciple only drew more admiration from those present — many nodded in respect.

“Said what is in his heart? What an impressive claim. So you think my master is inferior to your master — then come and prove it in a fight here and now, and defeat me to show who is stronger.”

Sound waves cut through the night air, carrying the words into the island. A heroic and impressive young man stepped into view. Every inch of his flesh and blood radiated light, every strand of his hair shining alike — as if he were a solar deity incarnate, putting the stars and moon to shame.

Ye Tong had arrived. He swept his gaze across everyone present, fixed it on Li Qingzhou, and said: “Your meaning is obvious. Come, then. Let’s fight.”

Everyone present was taken aback. None of them had expected Ye Fan’s disciple to arrive at this moment. The people who had just been flattering Yao Guang all looked suddenly awkward — sheepish, unable to meet Ye Tong’s eyes.

From across the way, Feng Huang looked at the heroic and spirited Ye Tong, and was momentarily startled. She felt the truth of the saying: a teacher of this caliber, a disciple of this kind — the lineage of absolute invincibility passed on without dilution.

“Correct — I believe the Holy Body is not equal to my master. I’m willing to fight you today. What of it?” Li Qingzhou replied.

The gathered heroes were stirred with excitement, emotions surging powerfully. No one had thought the two greatest rising figures from the north and south would meet like this — and very likely, a great confrontation was at hand.

“Come, then. I will crush you right here, before all these people!” Ye Tong declared.

The crowd erupted. After the battle at the Fire Spirit Ravine, Ye Tong had begun to have the aura of a second coming of the Holy Body. And indeed, he arrived at the Southern Region every bit as bold.

“Arrogance. Today I will prove before the eyes of the world that my master surpasses your master!” Li Qingzhou’s eyebrows arched with anger.

“Stop talking. Hurry up and move. In a few more years, I won’t bother challenging you — I’ll move on to the others.” Ye Tong’s eyes swept toward Yao Guang, Feng Huang, and the rest.

Everyone understood immediately what he meant. He had said before that he would fight the world on his master’s behalf — and in a few years, Ye Fan’s old enemies would all be challenged by him.

Li Qingzhou’s gaze turned piercing. He advanced step by step, his entire body shrouded in a divine garment woven entirely of sacred light — dazzling and resplendent.

“Young man — you truly have no idea how vast the heavens are. You didn’t even bow to the Sovereign of Yao Guang. Your teacher apparently left too early to teach you the basics of respect and courtesy toward your elders.” Several senior figures of the Southern Region spoke up, clearly siding with Li Qingzhou.

“You expect Ye Tong to bow to someone who once ambushed his master? And you have the nerve to put it that way? You bunch of old turtles — are you pretending not to know, or are you just using your age to bully people? Are you so tired of living?”

At that moment, a wave of aura like a collapsing mountain and a surging sea crashed over the island. A great black dog stepped into view, surveying the entire island with one arrogant sweep of his gaze, looking down upon everyone present.

“Think it’s easy to take advantage of a child without his father around? You thought I was just a decoration? You bunch of old fossils — think you want to be this Emperor’s pets? I’m not interested,” the Black Emperor said with a cold sneer.

Every person on the island changed color. This black dog was the source of a great deal of suffering for people everywhere. He was the most difficult and ornery figure of the past decade-plus. Whoever crossed his path had bad luck coming for them. Every last soul fell silent as a grave.

“Think you can bully people? This Emperor’s killing formations are nothing to sneeze at!” The great black dog glared at everyone with those copper-bell eyes.

The people who had just been speaking all shrank away, not daring to meet his gaze, quietly backing off — each of them terrified of drawing his attention.

“Ye Fan may be gone, but that dog he raised is still here. Even that, you can’t afford to provoke.” That was what everyone was thinking, though not a single one dared say it aloud — the consequences would be dire.

Thud, thud, thud…

Suddenly, the Black Emperor gave his paw a shake. A row of severed heads tumbled out of the void one after another, rolling across the ground in a line of blood-drenched gourds. Every person present sucked in a sharp breath of cold air. They were ancient clansmen.

“These irritating creatures kept saying they were descendants of the Eight Divine Generals, going on about which column of the army they were. They came to Qingxia City and dared to block this Emperor’s path, so I killed every last one of them clean,” the Black Emperor bared his teeth — the white of them cold enough to make a person’s bones ache.

“Good grief — the Celestial Emperor’s Son really has the most rotten luck in the world tonight. He’s lost another column of his army to someone,” was what everyone was thinking, though not a soul dared voice it.

Everyone knew that this dog’s mastery of formation arrays was without equal in the world. For years beyond counting, he had sent countless people to their graves without so much as a twinge of guilt. Many harbored a deep, teeth-grinding hatred of him. Results like this were entirely unsurprising.

Li Qingzhou stepped forward to face Ye Tong. The two of them were about to square off.

At that moment, Yao Guang spoke. “Qingzhou, fall back. Why should the younger generation involve themselves in grievances between their elders?”

The Black Emperor’s copper-bell eyes snapped open. “Yao Guang — you really are committed to looking noble and righteous every single moment, aren’t you? Impressive. I’m not so principled about it. Ye Tong — go for it. Show that his master’s Dao can’t match his master’s in ten moves. Prove your master’s way is the stronger one!”

“The grudges of the past — why drag the children into them? If you’re interested, I would be quite happy to oblige you instead.” Yao Guang said it as if she were a deity standing on high, unreachable — light of immortality radiating from her body, too brilliant to look at directly. She stepped forward in large strides.

Not far away, Ye Fan felt a stir. He sensed the aura of a sacred artifact — Yao Guang’s true body had not come, but this Sacred Light Body of hers was actually carrying a flawless sacred artifact with it!

Worried the Black Emperor would come off worse, he let a breath of clear Qi rise from the top of his head. It coalesced into another version of himself — a Dao body — which stepped forward and said to Yao Guang: “Since we find ourselves here together, consider this fated.”

Everyone shuddered. Just who was this person? He had manifested a Dao body and now dared to stand in Yao Guang’s path. In more than a decade, nothing like this had happened. What audacity.

“Is someone truly challenging the Sovereign of Yao Guang? Is this actually happening?”

“In all these years, the Sovereign of Yao Guang has reigned supreme over all under heaven, looking down upon the Eastern Desolation. And yet no one has ever dared to stand against her!”

No one was anything less than shaken — every person held their breath and watched the two of them intently. A confrontation beyond the imagination of any person present might be about to unfold.

“Who are you? You dare block my master’s path? In ten years, no one has been capable of standing against her — do you really think you can?” Li Qingzhou demanded.

Ye Fan gave a cold sneer. With a single sweep of his hand, Li Qingzhou went flying — sent spinning eight hundred zhang away, his entire body convulsing, incapable of uttering a word.

“What?!”

“This is… too terrifying!”

Everyone was stunned. The uproar was total. Every gaze locked onto the center of the space.

Feng Huang’s beautiful eyes flickered, and a trace of astonishment appeared. Ji Biyue, Li Youyou, the Marquis in Purple — all of them were equally shaken, each revealing unmistakable signs of shock.

“So there you all are. You dare destroy my Eight Divine Generals’ descendants? Not one of you is leaving!” At that moment, a cold and detached voice rang out — the sound of it sent tremors through the entire city of Qingxia!

Faint and intangible, threads of Half-Saint divine authority began to permeate the air. Almost everyone on the island was very nearly brought to their knees — unable to withstand the weight of it.

“A Half-Saint…” Ji Biyue’s face went pale.

“A Half-Saint — I’ve long wanted to see what one looks like. Since you’ve come, let me have a look,” said Ye Fan’s true body.

At the same instant, the wisp of clear Qi that had risen from his head — the Dao body he had manifested — turned to Yao Guang and made an inviting gesture. “Shall we? I’ll step aside with you.”

At these words, everyone was struck speechless. Just who was this person — to speak so? His true body would face a Half-Saint — while the Dao body he had conjured would face the Sovereign of Yao Guang!