153: Chapter 150 A Battle to the Death!

A full-scale war between an Imperial Dynasty and a top-tier Sect was something that hadn't happened in the history of the Desolate Province for hundreds of years. Every such collision meant rivers of blood and the shifting of mountains and rivers!

In an instant, countless gazes converged simultaneously toward the Great Xuan Dynasty and the Heavenly Spirit Sect. The winds and clouds of the entire Desolate Province were thoroughly stirred!

Deep within the imperial palace of the Great Yan Dynasty, inside a secret chamber.

Fang Tao, a Late-stage Grandmaster, sat cross-legged, regulating the churning blood and Qi within his body. His face remained somewhat pale, and a trace of indelible lingering fear remained in his eyes.

The ambush that day had nearly shattered his Dao Heart.

Just then, an urgent transmission Talisman flew into the secret chamber.

Fang Tao crushed the Talisman, and after hearing its contents, his pupils suddenly constricted.

“A fight to the death... with the Heavenly Spirit Sect?”

He muttered to himself, a touch of bitterness and lingering fear surfacing on his face.

He took a deep breath and, without the slightest hesitation, immediately sent out a Divine Thought that spread throughout the entire Great Yan Imperial Family.

“Pass down my decree: regarding the war between Great Xuan and the Heavenly Spirit Sect, no one in our Great Yan Dynasty is allowed to interfere or discuss it. Violators... will have their cultivation base abolished and be expelled from the imperial clan!”

The same scene was also playing out within the Great Chu Dynasty, the Great Yu Dynasty, and several other top-tier Sects.

Those Great Grandmaster Old Ancestors who had personally experienced Chen Zhiwen's terrifying pressure no longer harbored any delusions of luck.

They knew better than anyone exactly what kind of terrifying existence that seemingly young Fifth Prince was!

That was not something human power could contend with!

One strict order after another was passed down from the highest levels of these powers, causing those Disciples who had originally wanted to watch the excitement or even fish in troubled waters to become as silent as cicadas in winter.

The entire Desolate Province formed a strange tacit understanding.

All top-tier powers, at the same time, chose... silence.

...

Zetian Sect.

Atop the mist-shrouded main peak, inside a simple and ancient great hall.

Sect Master Wang Ming sat upon a profound-black throne. Below him, Gu Qibai and the other high-level members of the Sect were lined up on both sides, their expressions all incredibly solemn.

In the center of the hall, a Water Mirror Art floated in the air, clearly reflecting the scene of the imperial decree being read in the Great Xuan capital.

When those four words, “fight to the death,” rang out, the atmosphere in the hall instantly became suppressed to the extreme.

“Sect Master, regarding this matter... what do you think?” an Elder couldn't help but speak, breaking the silence. “This move by the Great Xuan Dynasty is no different from an egg striking a stone. Although the Heavenly Spirit Sect is not as good as our Zetian Sect, its Mountain Protection Array was passed down from ancient times. Its foundation is deep and cannot be underestimated. The Great Xuan Imperial Family is likely... seeking its own destruction.”

“Seeking its own destruction?”

Upon the throne, Wang Ming spoke slowly. His voice carried a peculiar rhythm, as if resonating with the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, causing everyone's mind to involuntarily quiet down.

He shook his head, and in those deep eyes, a flash of a strange light that no one could understand appeared.

“You only see the Great Xuan Dynasty, but you don't see... the person standing behind the dynasty.”

“That person?” The Elders were all stunned.

Gu Qibai's brows locked tight as he said in a heavy voice, “Sect Master, are you referring to... that Fifth Prince, Chen Zhiwen?”

“Correct.”

Wang Ming's gaze seemed to pierce through the barriers of space, landing on the distant Great Xuan capital. “Just yesterday, the Old Ancestors of six major powers, including Great Yan and Great Chu, joined forces outside the Zetian Sect to ambush Chen Zhiwen.”

“But the result? The Old Ancestors of Xuan Yin Valley and the Wan Fa Sect were killed on the spot by Chen Zhiwen. Of the six, two died and one was injured, and they ultimately fled in panic.”

“What?!”

As soon as these words came out, everyone present was shocked!

The Elders present were at least at the Peak Grandmaster Realm. They naturally understood what kind of concept it was for six Great Grandmasters to join forces!

But now, two of them had been killed by Chen Zhiwen, and one was heavily injured?!

This... how is this possible!

Wang Ming's voice remained calm, but the information within it was like crashing waves, impacting everyone's perception.

“His cultivation involves Qi Refining, Body Refining, and Soul Refining... he is a cultivator of three paths!”

“He has already comprehended his own Ultimate Path.”

With every sentence Wang Ming spoke, the faces of the people in the hall turned a shade paler.

When he finished the last sentence, only the sound of collective gasps remained in the entire hall.

A cultivator of three paths!

Furthermore, his cultivation in both the Body Refining and Qi Refining paths had reached the Great Grandmaster Realm, and his cultivation in the Soul Refining path had also reached the Grandmaster Peak Realm, only one step away from breaking through to Great Grandmaster!

“This boy... just what kind of sacred being is he?!” an Elder said with a trembling voice.

Wang Ming did not answer. He simply rose slowly from the throne, walked to the entrance of the hall, and stood with his hands behind his back, looking toward the direction of the Heavenly Spirit Sect with a distant gaze.

“Pass down the order.”

His voice echoed in everyone's ears.

“Regarding the war between Great Xuan and the Heavenly Spirit Sect, we shall... wait and see.”

“Sect Master!” Gu Qibai and the others were pale with shock.

The mission of their Zetian Sect was to maintain the balance of the various powers in the Desolate Province.

But now Wang Ming chose to stand by and watch, which couldn't help but shock them.

Wang Ming did not turn around, only saying indifferently, “The sky of the Desolate Province is about to change.”

“The Seal within Qinghua Mountain is loosening, the Remnant Clan is about to appear, and the North Sea Demon Clan is also eyeing the Desolate Province covetously.”

“At this time, with the strength of our Zetian Sect alone, we cannot change the situation at all.”

“Perhaps, with this Fifth Prince of the Great Xuan Dynasty taking the lead, it might just find a new opportunity for us in the midst of the chaos...”

Wang Ming's voice echoed faintly. The Elders in the hall looked at each other, and finally, it could only turn into a long sigh as they bowed to receive the order.

They understood that the Sect Master had made his decision.

The Zetian Sect, this giant that had stood at the peak of the Desolate Province for countless ages, had for the first time chosen silence in the face of the upcoming struggle for power.

And this was merely the beginning.

...

Great Xuan Dynasty, Northern Border Pass.

It was snowy all year round here, and the climate was bitterly cold. It was the first line of defense against the North Sea Demon Clan.

Second Prince Chen Zhiling's residence was located behind the grand pass. At this moment, the residence was brightly lit, and songs and dances filled the air.

Chen Zhiling reclined on a soft couch covered with snow-white animal fur, holding a beautiful maid in his arms and a luminous cup in his hand, his face full of a smug smile.

“Hahaha! Good! A fine dance!”

He drained the fine wine in the cup in one gulp, his eyes flashing with excitement and greed.

Although he had been banished to the Northern Border Pass by his imperial father, he didn't feel the slightest bit of panic.

Because he knew that as long as his mother was there, it wouldn't be long before he would have the chance to return to the capital.

At that time, he would definitely make the First Prince and the Third Prince pay the price for this!

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but laugh out loud.

However, his laughter came to an abrupt halt in the next moment.