Chapter 482: Great Qian Empire

　　“Father, are you really going to just sit by idly and watch?”

　　Ji Yaoxue had a blaming look in her eyes the way she looked at the Emperor of Great Zhou. The assertiveness in her eyes was overwhelming and she already possessed a sort of dominance that was unique to the emperor!

　　“First, Su Zimo is my lifesaving benefactor. Putting the past aside, even in the ancient battlefield this time round, I would have died in the hands of Jun Hao and the others if it wasn’t for him!”

　　“Second, he’s the number one Weapon Refinement Master of Great Zhou and would definitely become a Great Weapon Refinement Master in the future with limitless accomplishments.”

　　“Third, and most importantly, he has unlocked nine spirit meridians and has reached the legendary Extreme Foundation Establishment realm. This is the second person in history who has done so apart from the Human Emperor! Is a paragon as such not worthy of the Great Zhou’s attention?”

　　Ji Yaoxue’s three sentences caused the emperor to turn entirely silent.

　　In reality, the third point was still the one that moved the emperor the most.

　　If he could take an Extreme Foundation Establishment Cultivator under his wing, there was a huge possibility that the Great Zhou Dynasty could one day defeat all the other three dynasties and reign over the entire North Region of Tianhuang Mainland!

　　However, Blood Crow Palace’s Lord was from the witch race, one of the Primordial Nine Races.

　　If he dealt with this wrongly, it wouldn’t be impossible for the entire Great Zhou Dynasty to be destroyed into ruins, let alone rule over the North Region of Tianhuang Mainland.

　　More than 10,000 years ago, a massive entity stood on this piece of land… known as the Great Qian Empire!

　　The title of an empire was only given if one could rule over all the dynasties and vassal states of a single region in Tianhuang Mainland!

　　The might of the Great Qian Empire was far greater than the current Great Zhou Dynasty and its territory was vaster.

　　There were even multiple super sects of Tianhuang Mainland within the territory of the Great Qian Empire. Even just within the Buddhist monasteries, two of them resided in the Great Qian Empire!

　　The Dao of Buddhism was glorious in the Great Qian Empire.

　　However, it was unfortunate that a catastrophe arrived.

　　Almost overnight, the Great Qian Empire was dismantled and even its capital was turned into ruins.

　　Because of that, the North Region of Tianhuang Mainland fell into chaos and the flames of war raged everywhere. Devastation spread and millions of lives were lost with corpses scattered all over the place.

　　From then on, the Great Qian Empire disappeared with the winds!

　　The place was in chaos and many vied for supremacy.

　　Four great vassal states conquered many places and rose swiftly, turning into the Great Zhou, Great Shang, Great Xia and Great You dynasties of the North Region of Tianhuang Mainland today.

　　In other words, the four dynasties were established on the ruins of the Great Qian Empire!

　　The progenitor of that catastrophe was one of the Primordial Nine Races!

　　The patriarch of the Great Zhou Dynasty has lived for more than 10,000 years and personally witnessed the destruction of a great empire. As such, he viewed the Primordial Nine Races with a sense of trepidation.

　　As a Dharma Characteristic expert and a Dao Lord, it wasn’t difficult for the patriarch to come forth and take down Blood Crow Palace’s Lord who was at Void Reversion.

　　However, if he were to incur the wrath of terrifying existences such as the mighty figures or patriarchs of the witch race…

　　Even if there were ten Great Zhou Dynasties, they would all have to be destroyed!

　　The battle was turning more intense and things were not looking good on the side of Ethereal Peak; it was also difficult for Su Zimo to hold the fort singlehandedly.

　　No matter how strong he was, he could not affect the direction of victory for the Nascent Soul battlefield and as such, he could not decide the fate for Ethereal Peak!

　　Ji Yaoxue was anxious. When she saw her father remaining silent, as though he was reminiscing about something, she could not help but say, “Father, what are you hesitating for? If you can’t make a decision, how about sending a message to the patriarch of Great Zhou and ask him to make one?”

　　Returning to his senses, the emperor shook his head and replied firmly, “The patriarch will definitely not agree to this.”

　　“How do you know if you hadn’t tried?”

　　She looked at her father without blinking.

　　The emperor could clearly sense the anxiousness and worry within Ji Yaoxue’s heart. However, she was trying her best to control herself and she wasn’t offensive through her words either.

　　He sighed internally.

　　In truth, among the younger generation, the one who resembled him the most and had the most potential to be the emperor was not the many princes, but this daughter of his.

　　However, Ji Yaoxue was a woman and could not inherit his legacy.

　　“I’ll admit that Su Zimo is an unprecedented paragon who managed to reach the Extreme Foundation Establishment realm, second only to the Human Emperor. His future accomplishments are unpredictable, but…”

　　The emperor changed the topic and said deeply, “Su Zimo is about to die and he has no future. As such, what accomplishments do we have to speak of? This time round, both Ethereal Peak and Su Zimo are stuck in this calamity and I can’t think of any way in which Ethereal Peak is able to break out of this situation!”

　　Ji Yaoxue said in a slight huff, “Nothing is absolute.”

　　The emperor replied grimly, “If… if Su Zimo manages to tide through this calamity, then…”

　　He did not continue but merely raised his head and looked at Ji Yaoxue deeply.

　　At that moment, he made a decision in his mind.

　　If Su Zimo could survive this calamity, he would go against all odds and pass the throne down to Ji Yaoxue!

　　…

　　On the other side of the forest.

　　“There’s no chance left,”

　　Gu Xi shook her head. “Since that person didn’t come, it’s over for Ethereal Peak.”

　　“Auntie Gu, what other way is there to save him?” Demoness Ji frowned deeply.

　　“I’m at late-stage Nascent Soul and even if I step in, the most I can do is help stabilize the Nascent Soul battlefield. However, the old beast of Ethereal Peak up above the clouds can no longer hold on,”

　　Gu Xi replied regrettably, “It’s a pity that as the second person in history to reach the Extreme Foundation Establishment realm, Su Zimo is about to die without the chance to grow further.”

　　Demoness Ji’s eyes dimmed.

　　Gu Xi sighed. “The impression left on the cultivation world by that catastrophe 10,000 years ago is way too deep. No cultivator or sect is willing to make an enemy as strong as the witch race just for the sake of Ethereal Peak!”

　　…

　　Beneath Ethereal Peak, blood flowed in rivers and the corpses were stacked like mountains.

　　On the Golden Core battlefield, Su Zimo made use of his strong physique and terrifying movement techniques to sustain in the fights continuously, ensuring that they did not lose.

　　However, Ethereal Peak was already completely defeated on the Nascent Soul battlefield!

　　There were more than a hundred Nascent Souls but more than half of them had already died. The remaining Nascent Souls were wounded and could only struggle to defend while being steadily defeated.

　　It was only a matter of time before Ethereal Peak was annihilated!

　　The situation of the old immortal crane above the clouds was even worse!

　　To begin with, the old immortal crane did not have long to live. Unless she progressed in her cultivation realm, she would have only held on for a few dozen more years even without this calamity.

　　Although her true form was a Bi Fang, a pure-blooded ferocious bird, she was already old and her combat strength was not even half of when she was at her peak.

　　Of the five Void Reversions that were fighting in the battle, one of them was even from the witch race. By this point of the battle, the old immortal crane was already at the end of her road.

　　Wounded all over, her gaze was dimmed and her feathers shed endlessly; even the flames on her body were starting to extinguish.

　　Blood Crow Palace’s Lord waved his bone staff and shot forth an extremely evil blood arrow.

　　“Pfft!”

　　The old immortal crane was unable to dodge in time and an additional bloodied hole the size of an arm appeared on her wings.

　　A sizzling sound was produced from the wound and it ate at her flesh nearby. Oozing with thick blood, the smell was pungent as the old immortal crane grunted.

　　Immediately after, the attacks of the remaining four Void Reversions landed on the old immortal crane.

　　Poof! Poof!

　　Two more wounds appeared on her body and blood gushed like a stream.

　　The old immortal crane’s body almost exploded and one of her legs was snapped. It was a tragic sight as she swayed, about to fall.

　　The old immortal crane had protected Ethereal Peak for thousands of years ever since the Founder Master passed away. She had truly given it her all and fought to the very last moment without backing off!

　　Everyone from Ethereal Peak was heartbroken when they saw that.

　　“Senior crane!”

　　Sect Master Ling Yun exclaimed miserably.

　　The outcome was decided. The moment the old immortal crane falls, all the other Ethereal Peak cultivators would be akin to fish on a chopping board, helpless to being slaughtered.

　　“Fufufufu!”

　　Blood Crow Palace’s Lord sneered, “Old beast, I’ve already told you. Today, I’m going to massacre Ethereal Peak from top down, leaving no one alive!”