Xuanyuan Gaoyan had never tasted defeat in his life. In terms of martial arts, he had always crushed his enemies.
If Sun God and Sword Emperor had legendary halos, then Xuanyuan Gaoyan was the pioneer. He was unparalleled in the Southern Region even before they became famous.
But today, he had lost.
For the first time in his life, he tasted the pain of defeat. It was a terrible defeat.
Before this battle, he didn't take the Zheng Tribe and Night Net Palace seriously. Even if Sun God and Li Yuan hadn't arrived, he wasn't worried.
But in the end, the battle gradually got out of his control and developed in a bad way that he had never thought of.
He had underestimated his enemy. It was all his fault. As the emperor, he had believed too much in the strength of his tribe and overlooked the hidden trump cards of his opponent.
The flute beastmaster from the Zheng Tribe had disrupted the rhythm of the Xuanyuan army's counterattack.
The Renhuang army that formed the Phoenix Battle Formation was very strong. Even the direct descendants of the Xuanyuan royal family couldn't compete with them. They were obviously not from the Zheng Tribe or Night Net Palace, but from external help.
The destruction of the Great City Barrier Formation and the four formation spirits made Xuanyuan Gaoyan realize that there was a peerless figure in the enemy's formation whose cultivation was far above his. This person was skilled in formations. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to break through the four formation spirits.
The appearance of Zhan Zong was the last straw that broke the Xuanyuan royal family's back. If he had saved his army in time, he might have had a chance to fight back. But now, fighting again was like hitting a rock with an egg.
It was all his fault. He didn't understand the situation of both sides in advance. He had lost soldiers and generals, and his family was in danger. Now that he thought about it, all the sudden changes in the battle were probably caused by Qin Hao because the Zheng Tribe and Night Net Palace didn't have such power.
"Such shrewdness and planning. What a good young man."
Xuanyuan Gaoyan laughed bitterly. Only then did he realize that the person who defeated him today wasn't the Zheng Tribe, Night Net Palace, and Zhan Zong. It was Qin Hao.
Qin Hao alone overturned his entire Xuanyuan royal family and erased the Southern Proud Empire from the Southern Region.
Xuanyuan Gaoyan had never admired anyone in his life. Even the Sword Emperor of the Southern Region, Sun God, and all the other emperors didn't have anything special about them. But he had to admit that Qin Hao was powerful!
"Have you thought it through?"
Emperor Xuanyuan's Empress caressed the man's face as she spoke gently.
Xuanyuan Gaoyan held his halberd tightly and stood up. He nodded and smiled at the Empress. At that moment, he regained his dignity as the Great Emperor of the South Ao Kingdom. He glanced at the injured people and asked, "Gentlemen, do you still have the strength to fight with me?"
"I pledge my life to follow the Emperor."
"I pledge my life to follow the Emperor."
They pledged their lives to follow the Sovereign Lord … Inside the palace, their shouts shook the heavens, echoing outside the palace. Their incomparably firm voices were filled with battle intent, condensing into a united spirit. Even if the Xuanyuan Royal Family was defeated, what was there to fear?
Xuanyuan Gaoyan looked on with gratification. His heart was filled with an indescribable pain. Right or wrong didn't matter anymore. At this point, there was no possibility of reconciliation between the two sides.
Outside the palace, there was a loud roar. Xuanyuan Gaoyan knew that the other party was trying to break through the great array. He couldn't predict the final outcome and couldn't guarantee that he would lead his people to fight their way out. The only thing he could do was lead his people to fight. Even if they died in battle, at least they would die with dignity.
Beside him, the Empress of the South Ao Xuanyuan Royal Family, Empress Jin Qiu, looked at her man. She slowly reached out her hand and clasped it tightly with Xuanyuan Gaoyan's.
If he lived, she would live.
If he died, she would follow.
At that moment, it was as if they had returned to the past, to the time when they were young.
Back then, he had been unparalleled.
Back then, she had been standing beside him, radiant and dazzling, just like she was now.
Outside the palace.
The void was densely packed with martialists. There were Yuan Venerates, Yuan Sovereigns, and Yuan Emperors. The auras of Yuan Emperors were powerful and oppressive.
The ground in the city was occupied by the Zheng Tribe and the Night Asura Palace. They covered the sky and covered the ground, surrounding the floating island.
Everyone's eyes fell on the light screen that shrouded the island. This was the last and strongest array of the Xuanyuan Royal Family. Once this array was broken, South Ao would cease to exist.
At that moment, a sharp pitch-black beam of light pierced forward, circulating with a terrifying radiance of Dao Validation. It pierced the boundary of the palace. However, when Ye Ninghong's attack landed on the barrier, it didn't cause the slightest ripple. It was as if it had sunk into a quagmire.
Zhan Guang He stepped forward. The old man's clothes fluttered as he emitted a majestic domineering blade light. The resplendent blade intent resonated with the heavens and earth, as if he had become the true essence of the Great Dao of the Blade. He slashed down with his palm. His palm shot out nine rays of light that condensed into one. A hundred-feet-long crescent blade radiance flew out in front of him and blasted on the light screen of the palace. Suddenly, the sound of a blade whistling shook the sky. The light screen flickered and absorbed the majestic blade intent of the Dao Validation Great Emperor.
This blade was the same as Ye Ninghong's. It didn't have any effect.
"Six hundred years ago, East Continent's Daqin Dendi shot a Sunset Divine Arrow here, but it didn't break the Xuanyuan Clan's core array. It seems like the rumors are true. This array has exceeded the limits of an Imperial Lord."
Sword Emperor Makumonji said.
Emperor Luo, Li Yuan, and the others nodded. The Xuanyuan Clan had been operating in the Southern Pride for thousands of years. The core array had been set up along with the establishment of the imperial city. After thousands of years of accumulation, it had continuously nourished the spiritual qi of the heavens and earth. Even the most ordinary array had become extremely terrifying.
However, no one was envious.
Which of the Southern Region's overlord-class forces didn't have an absolute defensive array within their respective Sect?
It was just that the function was different. For example, the Sword Sect. Legend had it that the Sword Sect's array was condensed from the sword intent of the Old Ancestors who had passed away in meditation. It contained countless Imperial Lord's sword qi. Once the Sect suffered a destructive blow, the disciples of the Sword Sect would be able to escape by riding on the sword qi. A sword could break through thousands of miles and scatter in all directions.
One could imagine how fast the Imperial Lord's sword intent was. Even a Dao Validation Great Emperor couldn't stop it.
This was the foundation of an old Imperial Clan. It was far from what a first-rate Sect could compare to.
"I don't believe it."
Zhan Guang He's beard fluttered. An even more turbulent Saber Intent erupted from his body. Wisps of Saber Qi wreaked havoc, forming a terrifying Saber Light Storm. The surrounding people were so frightened that they kept retreating.
"Stop. Your cultivation is still shallow. You can't break it."
At this moment, a figure walked over from the void. He was tall and had a unique aura. He naturally gave people a sense of trust and respect.
If others dared to speak to a Dao Validation Great Emperor like this, they probably wouldn't even know how they died in the next second. However, when Zhan Guang He turned his head and met Qin Hao's deep gaze, a trace of fear appeared on his face. He was about to bow.
However, Qin Hao stopped him in time.
"Senior Zhan Guang's Saber Technique is unparalleled. However, the array's accumulated power is too strong. It can't be broken with one or two slashes."
Qin Hao said with a smile. It had been 600 years. He and Zhan Guang He had known each other for a long time. At that time, Zhan Guang He hadn't broken through to the Dao Validation Realm.
"You … Ahem, you're right. Old Man has been injured by Emperor Xuanyuan. He needs to rest immediately."
Zhan Guang He pretended to be serious. However, there was a hint of panic in his eyes. It had been 600 years. Although the Imperial Lord's appearance had changed a lot, Qin Hao's temperament hadn't changed at all.
After a simple reply, Zhan Guang He closed his eyes and behaved as if everything that happened today had nothing to do with him. A moment ago, he was an extremely violent and ferocious old man. In the next second, he became a kind old man in front of Qin Hao.
Many of the upper echelons of the overlords looked at Zhan Guang and felt a little strange. This was a Saber Emperor who had proven his Dao and dared to fight head-on with Xuanyuan Gaoyan. Why was he so kind and humble in front of a junior like Qin Hao?
Although it was a little strange, everyone didn't pay much attention to it. When Zhan Guang rushed to the battlefield, he said that he was a subordinate force of Dan Ge. Although Zhan Guang was a Saber Emperor, he still had a superior and subordinate relationship with Qin Hao.
"This array is difficult to break. I can only ask my master for help."
Qin Hao glanced at the array of the temple. In his previous life, he had been blocked by this array. He had tried it once. Now, if he wanted to break it, he could only pin his hopes on Myōri.
As he spoke, Qin Hao shouted toward the battleship in the distance. Accompanied by a ball of flowing light, the white-haired Miao Li, who was dressed in plain Daoist robes and had a veil covering her face, walked to Qin Hao's side under the accompaniment of a few Night Net Palace Elders.
Suddenly, Makumonji, Sun God, Emperor Luo, Emperor Ming, Li Yuan, and the other Emperors looked over. Was this the expert who had defeated the beast spirits of the four sides of Xuanyuan Imperial City with one blow?
What was this person's cultivation level?
Pairs of Saber Emperors looked at Myōri, trying to see through her cultivation level. However, Myōri's aura was like nothing. If it weren't for her ability to fly, everyone would have thought that she was an ordinary person.
"A big shot from the Divine Palace."
Emperor Sword and Emperor Luo looked at each other. Both of them were in awe and hurriedly looked away. The others followed suit.
In the face of an expert who couldn't see through her cultivation level, it would be rude to continue like this.
"Master."
Qin Hao bowed slightly. His senior sister's hunched figure looked even older.
"Get out of the way."
Miao Li slowly spoke. As Qin Hao and the rest dispersed, she extended her skinny twig-like arm, revealing a hand that was filled with wrinkles. She slowly lifted it.
At this moment, the space was incomparably silent.
All the Emperors present focused their attention and released their divine souls to perceive everything that happened in the Great Dao of Space.
They couldn't see through Myōri's cultivation level. They could only analyze how much stronger Myōri's cultivation level was compared to them by sensing the subtle changes caused by the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth and combining it with their own Dao.
Countless people were tense, not daring to breathe. A peerless powerhouse who instantly annihilated the beast spirits of the four sides of the Xuanyuan Imperial City. Every change and usage of her Dao was worthy of being comprehended by all the Emperors.
As Myōri stretched out her palm, a pure white jade ruler appeared between heaven and earth. It emitted an incomparably dazzling platinum radiance. Wisps of platinum radiance flowed and merged with the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth. It was as if the jade ruler itself was transformed from the Great Dao, possessing the complete Dao of Wuque.
Miao Li's gaze fell on the barrier of the Lookout. The Emperor's aura around her gradually surged. Like the other Emperors, it was also platinum in color. However, the difference was that her Emperor's aura wouldn't destroy any element.
The space didn't tremble under her imperial radiance. The air flowed like water, and the wind brushed past everyone's faces like silk. Everything was calm.
At this time, the Emperors couldn't help but tremble. What kind of ability was needed to be able to use Dili to such perfection? It was perfectly compatible with the Great Dao, as if it was the origin of the Great Dao.
"Break."
Myōri spat out a word. Her imperial will merged into the Dao Sovereign Ruler. She could feel that the array formation that enveloped the shrine in front of her was very strong. Although it wasn't as strong as the barrier of the Divine Palace, it had reached the Flawless Realm. A flawless array formation wasn't inferior to an Flawless Heavenly Emperor's full defense.
Therefore, even if she made a move, she would need to use the Dao Sovereign Ruler to break the array formation.