128: The entire continent was stunned! This empress has really gone all out!

The war edict from the Great Xia Divine Dynasty was not like a stone falling into a lake, creating mere ripples.

It was more like a terrifying plague with the ability to self-replicate.

Under the will of Empress Ji Hongxue, through the formation light screens spread across the Divine Dynasty, it instantly contaminated the information flow of the entire Xuanyuan Continent with a posture that could burn the heavens and boil the seas.

Within a day, this murderous "Edict to Suppress Demons" was placed on the desks of all top powers.

The entire continent first fell into a dead silence, then completely exploded... In the Eastern Wasteland, at the Yaochi Holy Land.

Even the mist on Saintess Peak seemed to carry a hint of awkwardness.

Ling Qingzhu had just wretchedly fled back from that "social death scene" that had left her Dao Heart unstable and her filled with shame and indignation; she hadn't even been able to banish the repeated cries of "Divine Sons Consort" from the Su Family's mountain gate from her mind.

When that sternly worded edict, with the scent of iron and blood between the lines, was presented before her through a secret technique.

Her cold phoenix eyes, untouched by the dust of the world, suddenly froze.

“Sending troops to the Northern Region? To crusade against the Wang Family?”

Beside her, a Grand Elder of Yaochi stroked his beard, his expression more solemn than ever before.

“Indeed, this Ji Hongxue's audacity is terrifyingly grand.”

“She actually dares to risk universal condemnation by directly declaring war on an immortal family with a Legacy of hundreds of thousands of years!”

“But...” Ling Qingzhu's delicate brows furrowed tightly; ice-smart as she was, she was also full of confusion at this moment.

“Although the Wang Family was severely wounded in the Heavenly Capital, a hundred-legged insect dies but never falls. Isn't the Great Xia Divine Dynasty afraid of a pyrrhic victory that lets others reap the benefits?”

The Grand Elder let out a cold snort, yet his gaze was extremely complex, containing wariness and even more admiration.

“An ordinary monarch would naturally not dare.”

“But this Empress is a true hegemon!”

“Look at her edict; it doesn't mention resources or territory at all, but only bites down hard on the four words 'Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art'.”

“She is using 'righteousness' as a blade, placing herself in the position of a judge, forcing everyone in the world to pick a side!”

“Who dares to oppose? They would be an accomplice of the Demonic Path! Who dares to help the Wang Family? They would be an enemy of the world!”

The Elder's voice carried a hint of trembling.

“Brilliant! Ruthless! This move has directly sent the Wang Family onto a path of no return!”

Listening to the Elder's analysis, Ling Qingzhu's mind shook violently.

A thought that made Ling Qingzhu's entire body turn cold, like the most vicious curse, instantly seized her Divine Soul!

[This woman... she is also coveting Su Chen!]

[She launched the war and annexed the Northern Region just to strengthen the Divine Dynasty's Luck and increase her bargaining chips for her future game with Su Chen!]

In an instant, a towering sense of crisis surged in Ling Qingzhu's heart!

She felt that she was no longer merely facing a bone-deep charming Saintess of a demonic Sect who toyed with people's hearts.

Nor was it just that crazy, domineering, and extremely possessive demoness who appeared out of nowhere.

Now, there was one more!

An Iron-Blooded Empress with schemes as deep as an abyss, holding the power of the world, and decisive in killing!

And their goals were surprisingly consistent—Su Chen!

[No! I can't wait any longer!]

Ling Qingzhu clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms.

In her cold eyes, a raging fighting spirit burned like never before.

[In terms of scheming and methods, I might not be as good as them.]

[But in terms of understanding Su Chen, even all of them combined can't match me! I know what he likes, what he hates, and I know all his disguises!]

[I must do something, I must get ahead of them and make Su Chen completely understand who is the most suitable person to stay by his side and watch all the ancient scenery with him!]

...In the Central Region, at the headquarters of the Myriad Dao Merchant Guild.

Above the clouds, inside a luxurious palace forged from spatial crystals.

The President of the Myriad Dao Merchant Guild, a Maitreya Buddha-like fat man who seemed to value harmony and wealth, was holding a copy of the "Edict to Suppress Demons," laughing so hard that the fat on his face trembled happily.

“Wonderful! Simply wonderful! Her Majesty the Empress is truly our guild's number one benefactor!”

A manager was also full of admiration.

“Indeed, President. We were still thinking about how to spread the news of the Wang Family 'sucker' situation, and Her Majesty the Empress has directly set the stage up in the heavens for us!”

“Now the whole world believes that the Wang Family hollowed out their family wealth for the 'Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art'.”

The fat President laughed until his eyes squinted into slits.

“More than that! Once this battle starts, the Northern Region will surely be a sea of blood and corpses, with countless Sects destroyed. Those masterless Magic Treasures, Medicinal Pills, Cultivation Techniques... tsk tsk tsk, those are all Spirit Stones just waiting for us to pick up!”

“Pass down the order! Organize the best appraisers and merchant caravans!”

A greedy light flashed in the fat man's eyes.

“Follow behind the Divine Dynasty's army and be responsible for 'cleaning up the battlefield'!”

...In the Southern Ridge, at the Yao Race Holy Temple.

A Yao Race Great Saint with dragon horns on his head and an aura as deep as an abyss crushed the edict into flying ash and let out a disdainful dragon roar.

“Human Race infighting leads to self-destruction. Pass the order to strictly guard the border; no one is allowed to get involved. Let them fight; the livelier the fight, the better!”

...In the Western Desert, at the Ten Thousand Buddhas Holy Land.

An old Buddhist Lord wearing a golden kasaya fiddled with Buddhist beads, his eyes lowered.

“Amitabha. The Demonic Technique is a tribulation, and the Empress is the slaughter. This is the destiny of heaven and earth, and also a variable for all living beings. My Buddhist Sect will watch the changes quietly.”

...For a time, undercurrents surged across the entire Xuanyuan Continent.

Some were eager to move, preparing to respond to the call and go to the Northern Region to share a piece of the bloody pie.

Some watched the fire from across the river, playing their small calculations of reaping the benefits of the conflict.

Some locked their mountain gates tightly, unwilling to be tainted by Karma.

But everyone knew.

Ji Hongxue's move had completely torn apart the peaceful pattern that the Xuanyuan Continent had maintained for tens of thousands of years.

A towering storm sweeping through heaven and earth had already begun its prologue.

And at this moment, at the center of the storm, the Northern Region's Wang Family, which had just been sentenced to death by "righteousness," finally received this death warrant from the Great Xia Divine Dynasty.