79: Chapter 79 Now that we have met the Emperor, why not pay our respects?

At the same time, the others around them also began the process of refining their sons.

In an instant, at least eight hundred sons were refined throughout the entire Third District.

The destructive explosion slowly subsided.

Centered on what used to be the Third District, a massive, charred crater appeared, spanning several miles in diameter and reaching dozens of meters in depth!

The edges of the massive, charred crater were filled with a pungent, burnt smell and a thick scent of blood, mixed with an indescribable stench.

That was the lingering Aura of the Blood-Kin Sacrifice Technique.

Great Elder Xia Mingyuan collapsed onto the scorching scorched earth, his eyes hollow and lifeless, staring blankly at the spot where Xia Lingfeng had turned into ashes.

"My son... is gone."

All of his ambitions and all of his schemes had been for this son!

It was so he could stand out, bring glory to the family name, and perhaps one day surpass Xia Youchu to take control of the Xia family!

But now, everything was gone.

The Emerald Spirit Sparrow was gone, and his son was gone too.

He, Great Elder Xia Mingyuan, had become truly alone.

Furthermore, he knew better than anyone that he would likely only ever have Xia Lingfeng as a son in this lifetime.

Years ago, in order to produce an heir, he had spared no effort to obtain an extremely insidious secret medicine through his connections with the Myriad Beast Pavilion, forcibly stimulating his reproductive potential, which was the only reason Xia Lingfeng existed.

But because of that, his body's Origin was damaged, almost completely cutting off the possibility of having more children.

"It's over... everything is over..."

What was the point of him living now?

No! There was still a purpose! Revenge! Yes! Revenge!!

Great Elder Xia Mingyuan suddenly lifted his head, his previously hollow eyes replaced by endless malice!

"It's all because of Xia Youchu! It's all because of that damn beast!"

"If it weren't for them, how could I have ended up in this state?"

"How could I have personally buried my only hope!"

"I want them dead! I want them to be buried with my Feng'er!!"

He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms, blood dripping from between his fingers, yet he was completely unaware of it.

On the other side, City Lord Zhao Qian was in no better shape.

He lay on the ground, panting heavily, looking at the prosperous district that had vanished into nothingness, and at the spots where his sons had disappeared. There was no sadness on his face, only the numbness of having survived a catastrophe and a hint of secret relief.

"Dead... they're all dead..."

"That's fine. After all, sons are like chives in a field; you cut one batch, and another grows back."

"As long as I, City Lord Zhao Qian, am still alive and remain the City Lord of Black Rock City, there will be no shortage of women. How many sons could I not produce?"

"Out with the old, in with the new."

"It's just... the cost of rebuilding the Third District will likely be an astronomical figure..."

"I'll have to find a way to squeeze more profit out of those lowly commoners."

He struggled to crawl up, but found his entire body weak and sore. Although the Blood-Kin Substitute Technique had saved his life, it had nearly drained his essence, and he likely wouldn't recover for a year or more.

He looked around; besides himself and Great Elder Xia Mingyuan, the two lucky survivors who had lived by sacrificing their own sons, there were dozens of others scattered around the edge of the crater who had narrowly survived.

They looked at the apocalyptic scene before them, their faces full of lingering fear.

"What kind of attack was that?"

"It's too terrifying!"

"It's practically divine retribution!"

Everyone simultaneously cast their gaze toward the center of the crater, at the hideous figure slowly crawling up from within.

"It's that! Xia Youchu's War Beast!"

"It didn't die! Not only did it survive, but it also launched such a terrifying attack!"

"What kind of monster is it?!"

Ling Tian slowly walked out from underground, his legs trembling uncontrollably.

His condition at this moment was not good either.

The thirty-five minutes of extreme charging had nearly emptied his body of Destructive Yuan Power, and even the [Atomic Furnace] appeared somewhat dim.

The mental and physical exhaustion rushed over him like a tide, making him wish he could just collapse and sleep right then and there.

But he forced himself to stay on his feet.

His eyes swept over the survivors at the edge of the crater, lingering for a moment on Great Elder Xia Mingyuan and City Lord Zhao Qian, his cold killing intent not diminishing in the slightest.

He saw Great Elder Xia Mingyuan's malicious gaze and City Lord Zhao Qian's fearful look.

Still alive? Very well, then this will be a fight to the death.

Although he was in poor condition, Ling Tian reckoned he was still more than capable of finishing off these wounded, defeated stragglers.

He took a deep breath, and a faint black light began to gather deep in his throat once more.

Although the power was far inferior to that world-destroying strike from before, it was enough to deal with these guys.

He took heavy steps, walking step by step in the direction of Great Elder Xia Mingyuan and City Lord Zhao Qian.

Every step felt like it was stepping on their hearts, bringing a suffocating sense of oppression.

Great Elder Xia Mingyuan watched Ling Tian approaching step by step, a flash of fear crossing his eyes, but it was quickly overshadowed by madness.

He struggled to stand, but due to his severe injuries and loss of essence, he fell to the ground again.

"No! I cannot die here! I haven't had my revenge yet!"

City Lord Zhao Qian was even more terrified, his face turning pale as he scrambled backward, screaming in panic toward the surroundings of the crater: "Elder Yin! Elder Yin, where are you?! Help me, Elder Yin!!"

The other survivors also clutched at this straw, calling out one after another.

"Elder Yin! Save us!"

"This monster is exhausted! Please, Elder, step in and suppress it!"

That's right! Elder Yin was a Yuan Emperor powerhouse! He must be fine! As long as he acted, this exhausted monster would undoubtedly die!

Just as Ling Tian was about to reach Great Elder Xia Mingyuan, raising his sharp claws to crush him into a pulp.

Boom!

A vast, abyss-like, and terrifyingly immense pressure suddenly erupted from the center of the crater, from the very core of the explosion!

Crack! Crack!

The scorched ground cracked inch by inch, and a figure shrouded in dense black Qi slowly rose from the underground!

It was Yin Jiuzhu!

His robes were slightly damaged and stained with a bit of dust, making him look somewhat disheveled.

But other than that, he was actually... completely unharmed?!

Not even his Aura had weakened in the slightest!

That destructive explosion, capable of annihilating a Yuan King, hadn't been able to harm him at all?!

Was this the power of a Yuan Emperor powerhouse?!

All the survivors widened their eyes, their hearts filled with shock and wild joy!

The Elder is fine! The Elder is invincible! We are saved!

Yin Jiuzhu floated in mid-air, surrounded by black Qi, like a demon god descended upon the world.

He looked down at Ling Tian from above, his withered face devoid of any expression, only a cold, icy indifference.

The destructive explosion from before was indeed terrifying; even he had felt a tremor of fear.

But that was all.

At the moment the explosion reached him, he had utilized his Yuan Emperor tactics, shielding himself from the blast.

He had only been knocked underground by the subsequent shockwave, making him appear a bit disheveled.

Yuan Emperor and Yuan King might seem to be only one Realm apart, but in reality, they were worlds apart in terms of life hierarchy!

A Yuan Emperor had already begun to initially commune with the world; how could they be so easily killed?

His gaze swept over the ruined Third District, and looking at his subordinates who had suffered heavy casualties, a hint of anger finally flashed in his eyes.

This beast dared to destroy his foundation and kill his men! It deserved to die!

He looked at Ling Tian below, his voice raspy and cold, carrying vast majesty: "Little beast, your performance ends here."

Ling Tian's eyes narrowed slightly. Feeling the unfathomable Aura emanating from Yin Jiuzhu, his heart sank.

Trouble. This old thing was even more difficult to deal with than he had anticipated.

That Super-Yuan Fission Blast from before was almost the strongest attack he could currently unleash, and it hadn't been able to heavily injure the opponent?!

A Yuan Emperor powerhouse was truly this terrifying.

But he did not retreat; the black light deep in his throat continued to gather.

Even if I can't kill you, I'll at least break a few of your teeth!

Whether I live or not doesn't matter; you must die!

Yin Jiuzhu looked at Ling Tian's reckless appearance, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.

"What? Still want to put up a desperate struggle?"

He slowly raised a hand, and within his palm, dense dark energy began to gather, emitting fluctuations that made one's Soul tremble.

"Below the Yuan Emperor, all are ants."

"This seat is an Elder of the Myriad Beast Pavilion, a Yuan Emperor of noble status!"

"Since you see a Yuan Emperor, why do you not bow?"

His voice was like rolling thunder, carrying immense mental pressure as it crushed down toward Ling Tian!

At the same time, his gaze swept over the shivering survivors at the edge of the crater, his tone indifferent: "I am here today. You, dare to touch one of them and try?"

Boom!

An even more terrifying Yuan Emperor pressure, like a physical mountain, slammed down onto Ling Tian! It caused his already heavy body to sink suddenly, and his limbs even sank into the ground!

The surrounding survivors felt this magnificent Divine Might, their hearts settling, and their eyes filled with satisfaction as they looked at Ling Tian.

"Hahaha! This beast is dead for sure! With the Elder acting, it will undoubtedly die!"

Great Elder Xia Mingyuan was so excited he was trembling all over; he struggled to crawl up, pointing at Ling Tian and roaring: "Elder Yin! Kill it! Hurry and kill it! Avenge Lingfeng! Avenge the brothers who died!!"

City Lord Zhao Qian also hurriedly kowtowed like a garlic masher: "Please, Elder, execute this fiend! Restore order!"

Yin Jiuzhu was very satisfied with this feeling of controlling everything.

He looked down at Ling Tian, who was struggling to endure under the pressure, as if looking at a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

"Kneel, submit, and offer up everything you have, and this seat might leave you with an intact corpse."

Ling Tian's eyes were filled with bloodshot veins; he frantically pushed the [Atomic Furnace], resisting the pressure that felt like the world was collapsing.

Kneel, my ass! Even if I die, I will die standing!

The black light deep in his throat grew brighter and brighter, ready to fight to the death!

Just at this critical moment, a voice with a hint of mockery abruptly rang out over the entire Black Rock City!

"Is being a Yuan Emperor impressive?"

"Can a Yuan Emperor do whatever they want?"

The voice was not loud, but it clearly entered the ears of everyone present.

Everyone was stunned! Who?! Who dared to speak to a Yuan Emperor powerhouse in such a tone at a time like this?!

"Heh, sorry, a Yuan Emperor really can do whatever they want!"

Yin Jiuzhu was not flustered in the slightest; he even felt a little like laughing.

However, the next moment, he seemed to sense something. He turned his head abruptly and looked outside Black Rock City!

In the distant horizon, he didn't know when, but a figure standing tall like a pine had appeared!

He was dressed in a crisp military uniform, the stars on his epaulets gleaming with a cold light in the sunlight.

His face was resolute, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, and he radiated an Aura of iron-blooded slaughter, as if he had just walked out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood!

It was General Qin Feng!

He walked through the air step by step, as if there were invisible stairs beneath his feet.

With every step he took, his Aura climbed a notch!

Early Stage Yuan Emperor... Middle Stage Yuan Emperor...

He walked to the skies above Black Rock City, confronting Yin Jiuzhu from a distance. At this moment, the Aura radiating from him had reached the Peak Yuanhuang Rank!!!

"Since you see a Yuan Emperor, why do you not bow?"

General Qin Feng repeated Yin Jiuzhu's words with a mocking smile.