When Jun Changxiao entered Zhenwei City, in the wilderness outside Tiewei City, dozens of fully armored soldiers rode similarly armored Flying Horse Beasts suspended in midair.

Their strength was considerable, all having reached Wuwang level.

On the continent, Wuwang, though fairly common, appearing in groups was still extremely rare.

These soldiers were responsible for daily patrol within the empire territory. Today they had unexpectedly discovered five unconscious martial artists in the grass.

“General.”

A subordinate came to report, “These five are residents of Tiewei City who seem to have been poisoned and fallen into deep unconsciousness!”

The stern-faced general said coldly, “Their clothes are gone, their identity documents are also gone. It seems spies have infiltrated.”

“Pass down the order.”

“All cities enter first-level alert status. Distribute portraits of these five people. Anyone resembling them, regardless of reason, arrest them all!”

“Yes!”

“Flutter! Flutter!”

The Flying Horse Beasts flapped their wings and flew away, then dispersed to the various major cities.

After about a while, portraits of Jun Changxiao and the others in disguise were plastered all over the streets and alleys of cities.

Such swift action showed how strong the Zhenwei Empire’s power had become under Emperor Zhenwei’s vigorous development.

No wonder the other three empires would band together—confronting such an opponent was just like Young Master Yuan fighting Jun Changxiao, equally tragic.

Speaking of Young Master Yuan, he had already entered Zhenwei Empire territory. After sensing the empire’s strength and foundation, he said ambitiously, “Emperor Zhenwei should urgently need talent like me, right!”

Elder Lin said, “In just a few decades, developing an empire that suffered bullying into a behemoth—Emperor Zhenwei also has ability. If he could receive Young Master’s full assistance, unifying the Eastern Sea Fishermen’s Province wouldn’t be a problem!”

Young Master Yuan smiled, “Crossing the sea to come here was a wise choice!”

…

“Plop!”

A white-haired elder holding a cane walked into a cave, then knelt on the ground, kowtowing toward the stone platform in the center of the pool, “Greetings, Imperial Majesty!”

A person sat on the stone platform, but because of red mist surrounding them, their appearance was difficult to discern.

“This Emperor is in secluded cultivation. National Teacher, what matter brings you to see me?”

A resonant voice came. From the tone, one could roughly determine this was a man, age probably around thirty or forty.

“Imperial Majesty!” The National Teacher’s expression was grave, “The ominous sign this subordinate divined several months ago has now intensified. Before long it may endanger our Zhenwei Empire!”

A voice came from the red mist, “National Teacher, you say there are ominous signs every time, but in the end don’t I, this Emperor, easily resolve them all? So don’t take it too seriously.”

“Imperial Majesty, this time…”

“No matter what crisis, this Emperor can easily resolve it. You may withdraw.”

“…As commanded!”

The National Teacher retreated with his body bent, until after leaving he returned to his own residence, using special abilities to activate something like a projection formation. Discovering Fan Yezi was still trapped on Kurong Island, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

“The ominous sign is related to this person.”

“As long as I keep him controlled, I might find a glimmer of hope from this calamity!”

…

In the secret chamber.

“Pff!”

The man enveloped by red mist spat out a mouthful of blood, then revealed a twisted face, looking as if it had been steamed by fierce fire!

“Zhenwei, my disciple.”

An eerie, sinister laughing voice came to his ear, “Do you think that by using the Supreme Separation Fire Formula to suppress this master deep within your heart, you can truly permanently control your body?”

There was no mistake.

This middle-aged man was Emperor Zhenwei, the one who had aroused Jun Changxiao’s interest.

Because he was in painful torment, it was hard to see that this was the generation of emperor most worshipped by Zhenwei Empire residents!

Emperor Zhenwei forcibly suppressed the restless power within his body, angrily saying, “To you, controlling my body is that important?”

“Don’t you want to establish great achievements?”

“Hand over your body, and this master will help you easily accomplish it, even unify the entire Xingyun Continent!”

The eerie voice came.

“Heh heh!”

Emperor Zhenwei’s expression gradually relaxed as he coldly laughed, “Handing my body to you, I would also become a puppet without thoughts. Even if I reached the peak of martial dao, what meaning would it have!”

“Sigh.”

The eerie voice came, “This master did not hesitate to use the last remaining wisp of spiritual thought to merge into your body, helping you become strong in such a short time, yet in the end…”

“Shut up!”

Emperor Zhenwei roared, “You’re just using me, just wanting to take over once I’m strong enough!”

“You, a disgraced imperial prince born to a fallen consort of the previous Zhenwei Empire emperor—if this master hadn’t taught you martial arts and helped you break through, could you have today’s achievements?”

“This master is just asking you to dedicate your body a little, yet you refuse in every way. This is truly great unfilial behavior.”

Emperor Zhenwei circulated his mental technique, forcibly suppressing the power trying to occupy his thoughts, saying coldly, “Your appearance was merely icing on the cake. Even without you, this Emperor could still have achieved fame and success.”

“Kekeke!”

Strange laughter came, “This master wants to see how long you can suppress with the Supreme Separation Fire Formula. This master also must remind you, if there’s the slightest mistake, all your current wealth, status, and power will turn to ashes!”

“Whoosh—”

Just as he finished speaking, under the suppression of the Supreme Separation Fire Mental Formula, the energy existing within his body like a soul immediately dissipated, once again hiding in the depths.

“Huff, huff!”

Emperor Zhenwei breathed rapidly, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

“That old thing is breaking through the seal more and more frequently. If I can’t comprehend the Supreme Separation Fire Formula to a higher level, sooner or later he’ll occupy my body.”

“Sigh!”

“It’s all because I was too greedy. Having already obtained the peerless divine art left by Elder Separation Fire, I still accepted that fellow’s temptation, ending up in this situation where I can’t shake him off!”

“Could the ominous sign the National Teacher mentioned indicate that this Emperor will ultimately be unable to suppress him, thus having my body occupied and doing things that harm the Zhenwei Empire?”

“I won’t allow it!”

“I absolutely won’t allow it!”

Emperor Zhenwei clenched his fists, angrily saying, “I have Wudi potential—how can I become a puppet!”

“Swish!”

He placed his palms together, circulating his mental technique.

“Whoosh! Whoosh!”

Suddenly, the stone doors on the left and right opened, and two martial artists with red eyes walked in, all kneeling on the ground respectfully, “Greetings, Imperial Majesty!”

“This Emperor needs your lives to accomplish great endeavors. Hand over your souls and blood.” Emperor Zhenwei said plainly, as if he’d said such words countless times before.

“As commanded!”

The two martial artists sat down cross-legged, raised their palms and with a ‘bang’ struck their own crown chakras, dying on the spot.

“Swish! Swish!”

Emperor Zhenwei calmly spread his hands, fingers forming claws!

“Whoosh, whoosh—”

Two streams of red light appeared, instantly enveloping the dead martial artists, immediately draining them until only their clothing remained.

“Ding!”

An earring hanging from one martial artist’s belt fell.

From the carved pattern on it, it should belong to a matching pair, though who knows who had the other half.

“Whoosh, whoosh!”

After a period of cultivation, Emperor Zhenwei recovered the cold severity and domineering aura a iron-blooded emperor should have, saying expressionlessly, “You probably never dreamed in your wildest imagination that your disciple would fuse the mental technique you taught with the Supreme Separation Fire Formula.”

“As long as I have sufficient resources, advancing the mental technique to a higher level is no problem, so…” He paused, his expression twisting into a strange smile, “You wanting to control this Emperor’s body is nothing but wishful thinking!”

—