Human Domain, Northeastern Borderlands.

At the edge of a dome where troops were stationed, Xiao Jian Daoist stood quietly with several Transcendent Realm masters, backed by hundreds of elite soldiers gathered from the military.

They were about to embark on an important mission; in fact, it was to start the first face-to-face communication with the representatives of the sixteen nations with whom they had previously exchanged messages through stone tablets.

Xiao Jian Daoist attached great importance to this, and the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion also valued it highly.

For this meeting, both sides had intentions of probing. Xiao Jian Daoist dared not be careless and honestly brought along a group of experts.

It was nearly time to depart, and Xiao Jian Daoist asked in a low voice, "Has there been any news from Wuwang Palace Lord?"

"My lord, Wuwang Palace Lord had previously gone to the Main Hall of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion," one of the subordinates behind him reported. "Presumably, Wuwang Palace Lord should already be on his way here."

"That's good," Xiao Jian Daoist slowly nodded, then explained with a smile, "Wuwang Palace Lord is full of ideas and often sees what you and I cannot. If he's here, we can rest easy."

With that said, Xiao Jian Daoist gestured with his hand and took a step forward, descending from the edge of the dome.

Rows of figures advanced in a neat formation, bringing the sound of whistling winds as they fell from the edge of the dome, turning into a narrow cloud on the ground and swiftly flying northward.

These several hundred Immortals quickly arrived near the border.

They silently landed above the long wall, each concealing their breath and hiding their form, signaling to the patrolling Immortal Soldiers on the wall to continue their normal patrol.

The top of the long wall was quite wide, spacious enough to park four medium-sized Flying Shuttles side-by-side. Hiding a few hundred people there was not difficult.

The north-facing wall was as straight as if it had been cut with a knife, with a steep slope on the backside. Formations were carved outside the wall, and many traps were laid in front. Additionally, several major Formations existed within the wall itself. These ensured that this wall, stretching along the Northern Region of the Human Domain, could withstand the impact of large beasts.

After a brief discussion among the Transcendents, Xiao Jian Daoist's figure appeared atop the long wall. He stood with his hands behind his back, looking north, as if he were in a bad mood and had come here to stroll around.

Several years had passed since the last Beast Tide, and beyond the wall was once again a lush and dense jungle.

The bodies of those ferocious beasts had been incinerated by the fire of Immortal methods, turned to dust, and scattered over this narrow world, nourishing the spirit of the plants and trees here.

Beyond the continuous jungle lay the eternally lingering gloom of the Central Mountain boundary. Beneath the clouds were continuous mountains, apparently drawn by Divine Power to face the Human Domain's long wall.

When will the northern conquest begin? Ahem, when will the Heaven Palace be settled in the north?

Xiao Jian Daoist pondered the tone of these two sentences, the corners of his mouth inadvertently revealing a slight smile.

Will the Human Domain truly launch a northern conquest? As of now, the Human Domain had actually stabilized; under the pressure of Heaven Palace's rules, the Human Domain had also developed its own rules for survival. Under current circumstances, for the Human Emperor to launch a northern conquest, he would actually have to overcome resistance from within the Human Domain. —This was a small, shallow view of his as a candidate for Pavilion Master of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion. If this meeting with the creatures of the nations controlled by Heaven Palace could go smoothly, it would also pave the way for the future northern conquest of the Human Domain, perhaps easing some of His Majesty's obstructions.

RUSTLE, RUSTLE.

Slight noises came, and Xiao Jian Daoist immediately became alert, looking towards the source of the sound.

At the same time, streams of Immortal Consciousness probed towards that area.

It was a little white rabbit, looking around and occasionally nibbling on a blade of grass.

At first glance, one wouldn't find anything unusual about this little rabbit; it was merely one of many small creatures in the forest and particularly cute at that.

But Xiao Jian Daoist soon noticed that the rabbit's eyes were too lively.

After a while, the rabbit hopped away into the distance.

"My lord," a Transcendent Realm old woman transmitted her voice, "this is likely the other side probing. According to the agreement, standing for an hour is sufficient. Let's see what they intend to do."

"Right."

Xiao Jian Daoist replied with a transmission and stood even straighter. He remained unflustered.

After a while, two more small animals appeared at the edge of the forest, either stopping to graze or casually passing by.

Obviously, the other side was full of unease and seemed to be hesitating.

This, after all, was a matter of life and death for clans, the survival of nations.

Why don't they enter the Human Domain through other paths and then find a way to contact the high echelon of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion?

As this thought surfaced in Xiao Jian Daoist's mind, he caught a glimpse of a squad of Patrolling Immortal Soldiers passing behind him from the corner of his eye.

True, it is not easy to enter the Human Domain.

An hour was not too long for Xiao Jian Daoist. Grasping an epiphany in his heart, he savored it carefully, and the time passed quickly.

The forest was quiet and still, with not a single person in sight.

Xiao Jian Daoist turned around expressionlessly and walked slowly toward the light wall of the great Formation behind him.

TWEET! TWEET TWEET!

What's going on now?

Xiao Jian Daoist turned his head and saw a two-foot-long black-feathered bird dashing out of the edge of the forest;

It flapped its wings vigorously, heading straight for Xiao Jian Daoist.

"This bird! How audacious!"

Some Patrolling Immortal Soldiers immediately shouted reproachfully, about to step forward to intercept, but Xiao Jian Daoist gestured for them to stop.

Xiao Jian Daoist extended his hand, allowing the red-clawed bird to land on his arm, signaling the Immortal Soldiers to continue their patrol. His Immortal Consciousness enveloped the area to ensure there was nothing unusual, then turned and entered the Formation behind him.

If Xiao Jian Daoist was not mistaken, this bird was called Wu Qu, a special Spiritual Bird from the Western Wilderness, and its Spirit Pill was an essential ingredient in many Human Domain beautifying and rejuvenating elixir recipes.

Of course, that was not the point.

Having returned to the Formation, Xiao Jian Daoist spoke softly, "This place is enveloped by a Formation. Fellow Daoist, please show yourself."

The black-feathered pheasant straightened its neck and turned around twice, obviously not understanding what Xiao Jian Daoist was saying.

Within its fluttering feathers, a head the size of a fingernail poked out and let out a tiny breath.

SIZZLE, SIZZLE SIZZLE...

This strange hissing sound? Ah, it was the tiny head speaking, but the voice was too faint for Xiao Jian Daoist to hear clearly.

Then he saw two hands the size of ants gripping the edge of the feathers. With an almost inaudible 'HEAVE-HO,' they jumped to the back of the bird.

This was a tiny person the size of a thumb, looking as if she had escaped from someone's leaking Spirit Platform or Nascent Soul.

But she was indeed a complete living being, similar to the Innate Dao body of the Human race, with normal body proportions, long hair half-up at the back, and her 'big' eyes shone brightly and looked quite adorable.

Xiao Jian Daoist pointed a finger, and a wisp of Immortal Light wrapped around her, amplifying her voice many times over.

The tiny person shouted, "Are you the big boss of the Human Domain? I'm an envoy they captured!"

Big boss? Captured? What is all this?

Xiao Jian Daoist kept some distance from the bird, fearing his voice might cause the tiny person to bleed from her seven orifices.

He spoke softly, "I am a high-ranking officer of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion and am currently fully in charge of this matter. Fellow Daoist, do you need to verify my identity?"

The tiny person immediately shook her head like a rattle-drum.

She quickly formed hand seals, and a faint blue light flashed behind her. Two sets of thin wings, like those of a dragonfly, materialized and carried her up into the air, swaying slightly.

The tiny person flew in front of the Wu Qu bird, made some hand gestures, and the bird nodded slowly, fluttering away from Xiao Jian Daoist's arm to perch on the parapet.

At this moment, the tiny person realized that she was surrounded by 'middle-sized people,' frightening her into rushing into the palm of Xiao Jian Daoist.

Xiao Jian Daoist asked, "Are you a citizen of the Small People Kingdom?"

"Yes, yes, I am," she said, seemingly startled. "My name is Xiao Deng, I'm just here to deliver a message!"

"I am Xiao Jian Daoist."

Xiao Jian Daoist raised his palm in front of him and asked quietly, "Is the Small People Kingdom one of the sixteen countries that came to seek peace?"

Xiao Deng quickly explained, "This has nothing to do with us. We of the Small People Kingdom can't achieve much; we wouldn't dare to get involved in the big battles between you middle-sized people and the big ones. A single forest is enough for several generations of us to explore."

She struck her head in annoyance and muttered,

"It's just my bad luck to have been caught and used as a messenger.

"Isn't it just because we are small in size that we always get captured to do this and that? And there are some bad folks who deliberately capture us to scratch their itches for them!

"Really, the Heaven Palace should do something about them!"

Xiao Jian Daoist and the Immortals around him exchanged glances, each with a slight smile on their faces.

"What message have you come to deliver? Let's discuss the main issue," he said.

"Ah," Xiao Deng replied and then cleared her throat, straightened up and said in a comically serious tone, "The big boss of the Human Domain, to express their sincerity, will appear in four hours."

"Please let us enter your Formation, and stay inside the walls of your rampart. We will not delve deep into the Human Domain; we merely wish to negotiate face to face."

After a pause in her speech, Xiao Deng looked toward Xiao Jian Daoist with some apprehension and explained, "That's exactly what the big bearded old goat said."

"Is there anything else?"

"If you agree, hang three flags on the rampart in four hours—black, blue, and red—but don't make them too conspicuous."

Xiao Deng hummed softly and fluttered her wings, flying in a couple of circles.

"That's all, I shouldn't have said anything wrong... They looked quite scared."

"Thank you, fellow Daoist, please wait a moment."

Xiao Jian Daoist and those around him immediately began to discuss through voice transmission.

Crossing the rampart was equivalent to entrusting their lives to the Human Domain, indeed showing great sincerity.

Yet, Xiao Jian Daoist was still somewhat uneasy. "Do not let down your guard or take this lightly just because the other party is entering our territory voluntarily. First, prepare for the possibility that they might create trouble."

The surrounding Immortals concurred one after another, and after a brief discussion, they swiftly got to work.

Along the wall, they erected a large tent, and around the tent, they deployed a maze-like barrier Formation. They summoned thousands of Immortal Soldiers and formed an iron barrel Formation, then covered the area with a Barrier.

The fewer people who knew the details of this affair, the better.

After another hour of bustling activity, the Human Domain's side was ready for everything—except the envoys from the sixteen states!

Suddenly, faint snoring could be heard.

Xiao Jian Daoist turned his head to look at his shoulder, where the Little Fairy from the Small People Kingdom had somehow already lain down and was sound asleep.

A slight frown creased Xiao Jian Daoist's brow. This? As a pure Yang Sword Cultivator, how could he be so close to a woman?

But since it was a citizen of the Small People Kingdom, perhaps it didn't matter; they were not the same kind of beings.

As he was busy, Xiao Jian Daoist suddenly heard a somewhat familiar voice behind him calling out "Sir."

Turning his head, he saw an Immortal Soldier holding the Jade Talisman of the Main Hall of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion. The face of the soldier was somewhat unfamiliar, but he did not think much of it.

"Sir, this is the Jade Talisman just delivered by the Main Hall," said the soldier.

"Oh?"

Xiao Jian Daoist took and read the talisman; the lines written inside were from Wu Wang himself.

"Wu Wang still needs half a day to get here? Is it necessary for me to deal with this?"

Xiao Jian Daoist waved his hand, indicating that the soldier should withdraw, and pondered with the Jade Talisman in hand, not noticing the faint smile that crossed the soldier's lips.

The development of things was generally smooth.

The Human Domain side had made comprehensive preparations, even mobilizing over a hundred cultivators skilled in Formations to set up several major Formations along this section of the rampart.

Once four hours arrived, black, blue, and red flags appeared on the high wall, each flag only the size of a palm, complying with the requirement of "not too conspicuous" as requested by the other party.

At dusk, dozens of figures shrouded in black cloaks rushed out from the forest, skimming close to the ground and up the wall, rushing over the rampart with the afterglow of the setting sun.

Xiao Jian Daoist stood in front of the long tunnel-like tent entrance with three Transcendent Realm masters behind him.

Another hundred Immortal Soldiers lined up behind the tent, but they all faced away from the place.

The combined strength of the four was enough to not fear an outbreak from the different species.

The shadows fell one by one, each paying their respects to Xiao Jian Daoist with gestures of varying customs.

Xiao Jian Daoist returned the salute with a clasped-hand bow, saying, "Open the Formation on the rampart."

As soon as the words fell, layers of light walls emerged inside and outside the rampart.

"Please come inside," Xiao Jian Daoist said warmly. "I am Xiao Jian, disciple of the Pavilion Master of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, commanding in charge of this matter here, and we have already prepared the Human Domain's Spirit Fruit and fine wine."

The group removed their cloaks, revealing their true appearances.

They had varying faces; a few were indistinguishable from the Human race, while the majority were close to the Human race but retained more primitive features such as horns and beastly feet, similar to the fox ears and tails of the people from the ancient Qingqiu kingdom.

Among the leading figures was a middle-aged woman from Qingqiu.

One asked, "This Immortal from the Human race, are you able to decide these matters? No offense intended, but this is a serious matter related to our respective clans, and we cannot be careless or overly trusting."

Implicit in their words was a critique of Xiao Jian Daoist's rank.

A person behind Xiao Jian Daoist laughed and said, "Fellow Daoists, there's no need for further speculation. Xiao Jian is the successor-designate to the Pavilion Master of Benevolent Emperor Pavilion."

Another explained, "The Benevolent Emperor Pavilion reports directly to the Human Emperor and is fully responsible for managing internal affairs within the Human Domain."

Upon hearing this, the several dozen experts from the various races looked at Xiao Jian Daoist with a new level of respect.

"Please."

Xiao Jian Daoist turned his head and made a gesture, not saying much else.

The tent's interior setup was actually quite simple: two long tables and four rows of chairs, covered with delicate delicacies, fine wines, and Immortal Fruits.

The ground was covered with precious wood, and there were a few potted plants in the corners, adding a touch of greenery.

The envoys from the sixteen nations were evenly split between men and women, but the main table was mostly occupied by women, also revealing the current power situation in Central Mountain and Eastern Wilderness.

All of them possessed considerable strength, with several having the combat prowess of a Heavenly Immortal;

the ways they acquired such strength varied, with half receiving it as gifts from the beings they worshiped, and the other half having their own systematic cultivation methods.

Xiao Jian Daoist first offered a few polite remarks, then swiftly went straight to the point, inquiring about their reasons for coming.

For a moment, voices from two, three, or four people mingled, creating a cacophony of seven-layered voices.

Xiao Jian Daoist and several Human Domain experts listened carefully, sorting out their requests and what they could offer in return.

By his side, the girl from the Small People Kingdom held a grape and licked it contentedly, her eyes showing satisfaction, slightly intoxicated.

After a while, Xiao Jian Daoist made a pressing down gesture with his hand, and the voices quickly subsided.

Xiao Jian Daoist said with a wry smile,

"Please allow one or two of you to speak with me; this is somewhat too chaotic.

In fact, I already roughly understand your intentions.

In general, it is that although everyone is dissatisfied with Heaven Palace, no one can defy the orders of Heaven Palace."

"Indeed," an old man with spotted patterns all over his body slowly nodded and sighed. "Our nations and tribes consist not just of us, but also of the elderly and children. Our roots are in Central Mountain, and we cannot leave there."

"Sir Xiao Jian," the woman from Qingqiu Country said softly, "Our visit this time is, first, to make contact with the Human Domain and show our goodwill, and second, to reach an agreement with the Human Domain.

Honestly, the order from Heaven Palace to muster troops had already reached all the races half a year ago.

Within the next few decades, we are required to train a large number of elite warriors for Heaven Palace, amounting to almost one-tenth of our people, and they must be the strongest tenth.

This has happened many times before, and each time we suffer heavy losses, which in turn causes damage to the Human Domain as well."

Xiao Jian Daoist nodded slowly and said, "Your sixteen nations are a force that cannot be ignored."

A fair-skinned middle-aged woman with sheep horns on her head spoke softly,

"We are thinking of reaching an agreement with the Human Domain in three stages.

The first stage is that, in the upcoming great battle, we will restrain our subordinates, strive to join forces, and then expose flaws to be encircled and captured by the Human Domain.

The Human Domain has ways to control divine beings; you just need to capture them and spare their lives.

We will also try to avoid harming Human Domain's warriors."

Xiao Jian Daoist laughed and said, "So, you mean to exert the least amount of effort possible? This is also beneficial for the Human Domain, to prevent casualties on both sides."

"Yes, Sir. That's all we can do. Please forgive us for not being able to say 'no' to Heaven Palace and having to send out our elite warriors."

Xiao Jian Daoist asked, "What about the second stage?"

"We will send royal blood as hostages to the Human Domain," someone said, "requesting the Human Domain to secretly provide us with some supplies like food and magic instruments."

"Food?" Xiao Jian Daoist frowned. "You don't have enough food?"

The tent fell silent for a while.

Several people spoke up one after another:

"The Divine Spirit has set the rule that only the land blessed by divinity can yield crops; most of us rely on hunting and gathering for our livelihood."

"We can also become vassals for those powerful nations favored by the gods, winning their favor."

"The Divine Spirits all have preferred tribes, and our sixteen families... are those who have angered Heaven Palace previously or long ago. There are many such nations."

The smile on the woman from Qingqiu Country carried a hint of desolation.

"To be protected by Heaven Palace is to stand in the Great Wilderness, but only with the Divine Spirits' favor can one live in prosperity."

Xiao Jian Daoist fell silent, sitting there for a long while without a word.

Suddenly, a gentle voice tinged with a bit of mirth came from the side:

"And the third stage?"

One person replied, "When the time is ripe, we wish to migrate to the Southeastern Region..."

The speaker paused and suddenly turned to look at the long table beside him, staring at the old man with a goatee and goat horns on his head who had just asked the question.

The people seated at the side table served as guards, deputies, or advisers accompanying those at the main table.

As soon as the old man opened his mouth, the muscular man sitting at the main table, who bore a resemblance to him, stood up and frowned as he scrutinized the elder.

"Alitsa, why did you suddenly speak out? That's very rude!"

"Hahaha... Hahahaha!"

The old man with goat horns suddenly threw his head back in raucous laughter, his hands gently clapping, as those sitting around him quickly stood up and moved to the side.

The old man laughed himself breathless and then, holding up his sleeve to wipe the corner of his mouth, bent over to gnaw on a roasted bird wing, his shoulders still trembling.

All the Spiritual Beings present sensed something amiss; half of them covered their faces, and dozens stood up all at once, trying to distance themselves from the old man.

Xiao Jian Daoist's eyes flickered with the light of swords, while the other three Transcendent Realm experts each used their energy to lock onto the old man.

The tent fell silent.

The chewing sounds of the old man sent chills down everyone's spine.

Xiao Jian Daoist suddenly flicked a finger, and a streak of sword light flashed by, severing the bird wing at the old man's lips without harming him.

"Won't even let me eat? The Human Domain is truly stingy."

The old man threw the bone in his hand onto the table in front of him, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, and slowly stood up, murmuring,

"Can you be any more childish?

Coming to the Human Domain to negotiate, sparing each other during the great war, and pretending to be captured.

And planning to migrate to the Southeastern Region after the right moment, to become neighbors with the Human Domain?"

Suddenly, a profound aura surged from around the old man, the Great Dao trembled, Divine Light emerged, and the old man's form suddenly collapsed into a slowly solidifying silhouette.

A black robe, a hair bun, a tall and straight figure with a smiling face, and deep-set eyes.

The Human Domain cultivators could recognize the Great Dao of this god, and the experts from the ancient nations all knew this face.

Heaven Palace, Head Manager!

With several thuds, more than a dozen experts from the Hundred Races collapsed to the ground, their faces pale and trembling uncontrollably.

Some draped cloaks over themselves and were about to leave, but before they could make their move, they heard the Head Manager's voice:

"Don't be nervous, I am but a strand of Divine Thought here to bring some cheer to you all."

Xiao Jian Daoist already had his Longsword in hand, and just as he was about to step forward, he felt a chill run through him.

Several shadowy figures appeared silently behind the Divine Thought of the Head Manager, morphing into a middle-aged man, a burly warrior from the wilderness, a seductive woman in a long dress, and a youth with an indigo complexion.

They each released their aura, with four silhouettes emerging behind them.

The Evil God Qiong Qi, the Evil God Kui Ox, the Evil God Zhu Yan, and the newly risen Evil God Gu Diao.

The aura of Ming She also emerged, but it did not show itself directly, instead completely sealing the Heaven and Earth of this confined space.

The Five Evil Gods have arrived!

In that moment, Xiao Jian Daoist, about to act, could only grip the hilt of his sword tightly.

They couldn't move; even ganging up on one Evil God might lead to perilous circumstances, not to mention that five Evil Gods had suddenly appeared here.

Even more dire was that Ming She had locked down the Heaven and Earth of this place, and it was uncertain how long it would take for the Human Domain's various experts to notice the anomaly and come here...

The Head Manager chuckled, "Come, take a seat again, can't we have a good chat?

Unexpectedly, you have so many grievances against the Heaven Palace; it seems we have neglected your feelings.

Come, take a seat."

The experts were stiff all over, their expressions changing again and again.

The woman from the Qingqiu nation turned pale, lowered her head, and walked back to her original place.

The remaining dozens of experts of various races were either shaking like leaves or had already collapsed to the ground, too frightened to move, some even prostrating themselves in a grand gesture of respect.

The Head Manager's smile disappeared. "Do you not understand my words?"

The group of foreign experts moved quickly, scrambling back to their seats, and one burly man bowed his head and began crying in pain, his expression indescribable.

Xiao Jian Daoist and the three other Transcendents exchanged glances before standing together, ready to stake their lives if necessary.

"You are to be the next Pavilion Master of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion."

The Head Manager sized up Xiao Jian Daoist with several glances. He then leisurely walked between the two long tables, his fingers grazing the necks of several female members of different races. They all tightly closed their eyes, daring not to move in the slightest.

The Head Manager smiled and said, "Does the Human Domain really think you can protect them?"

"If it's a fight you want, then fight!"

Xiao Jian Daoist cursed in a steady voice, his face turning ashen.

With his hands behind his back, the Head Manager chuckled lightly, "I've suddenly changed my mind. I won't kill you today; I'll only shatter your Dao heart."

"Get lost!"

"Come, I'll give you a condition," the Head Manager said with a smile. "I bet the lives of half the creatures in this tent with you. If you win the bet, I'll spare half of them.

If you lose the bet, I'll kill half of them right away."

As his words ended, Qiong Qi and the other three Evil Gods' figures flashed and appeared around the main table.

The experts of the Hundred Races looked towards Xiao Jian Daoist. Some shook their heads slightly, while others had a look of supplication in their eyes.

"Agreed!"

Xiao Jian Daoist took a deep breath, his sword-like eyebrows knitting together, staring intently at the Head Manager's face.

"I, Xiao Jian, am willing to learn from the high methods of Your Excellency!"

The Head Manager said, "Then I bet that your Human Domain's Little Golden Dragon, Wu Wangzi, is right here at this moment, acting on his orders."

Xiao Jian Daoist was stunned, then he let out a few cold laughs and tossed over a Jade Talisman.

After looking at it for a while, the Head Manager showed a look of regret.

"You've won, human."

Xiao Jian Daoist immediately said, "Spare them!"

"Very well," the Head Manager waved his hand slightly, and Qiong Qi and the other three Evil Gods' figures flashed again, appearing around the secondary table.

Most of the high-ranking members from different races at the main table breathed a sigh of relief, but there were still a few whose faces were ashen.

Standing at the entrance of the tent, the Head Manager chuckled, "I'll bet again that you anticipated my appearance."

Xiao Jian Daoist's lips trembled slightly.

"It seems I've lost again," the Head Manager laughed lightly. "Alright, you have saved everyone here. The four of you, come back."

Qiong Qi and the other three Evil Gods returned to the Head Manager's side.

Xiao Jian Daoist looked puzzled, and everyone else was somewhat confused and unclear about why the Head Manager had made such an appearance. What was his purpose?

Was it just to scare them? Or was it to strike against their tribes and kingdoms?

"This place isn't safe to stay for long; it's easy to be intercepted by the experts of the Human Domain," the Head Manager muttered to himself. "Before I leave, I'll present you with a treasure."

Qiong Qi immediately stepped forward, holding out two Treasure Mirrors. These mirrors emitted beams of light that interwove into a screen of light. On it, the images of hundreds of young faces appeared. They were from different countries and races of the Central Mountain, equally focusing on this place.

And in the front row of these hundreds of young people, there were sixteen figures; some were pale, some trembled all over, and some could not even stand and needed the support of the Golden Armored Heavenly Soldiers beside them.

Inside the large tent, dozens of high-ranking members from different races stood up almost simultaneously.

"Young Master..."

"Your Highness!"

"Lord Head Manager, please spare our Young Master! It was our own initiative to seek out the Human Domain; it has nothing to do with our clan!"

"Unrelated?"

The Head Manager thought carefully. "All of you bear no relation to your respective clans?"

The high-ranking officials lay prostrate on the ground, continuously kowtowing, smashing the wooden boards beneath them, and some couldn't help crying tears.

"We acted on our own! We acted on our own!"

"Please spare our Young Master, spare our tribe!"

The woman from Qingqiu suddenly let out a cold laugh, speaking indifferently, "Head Manager, I am the former vice commander of the Qingqiu kingdom. What will you do about it?"

In the light screen, the Qingqiu girl suddenly raised her hand to point forward, her voice trembling,

"This, this is a traitor of my Qingqiu kingdom! She attempted to assassinate my mother a few days ago and failed, then fled to the Human Domain!

This is a setup."

The Head Manager watched this scene with an amused look. He turned to Xiao Jian Daoist and asked, "Are you surprised that the spies you planted in the Heaven Palace failed to report that several hundred Young Masters were taken to the Heaven Palace?"

Xiao Jian Daoist's face turned pale.

The Head Manager laughed and said, "Sometimes letting you know the movements of Heaven Palace is actually a way to tell you not to be too arrogant."

The woman from Qingqiu in the great tent suddenly stood up, turned her head to glance at Xiao Jian Daoist, her eyes full of helplessness.

In her hand was a Short Sword, and after a glance at the light curtain woven by the two Treasure Mirrors, she suddenly drew the Short Sword across her throat, her figure slowly falling backward.

Another Qingqiu guard lifted his hand and shattered his own heart meridian.

A moment of silence fell on the other side of the light curtain, and then suddenly, a young voice shouted, "These are the traitors who attempted to assassinate my father the king before!"

"Yes, these are traitors of our clan!"

"Both of them are traitors! We ask Heaven Palace for clear discernment!"

"You two wanted to doom our entire clan; how cruel-hearted you are!"

The youths were speaking out, imitating the sentiment, and continuously cursing.

In the great tent, those experts began to react; some laughed loudly in retort, some clenched their teeth, drew their Weapons, made fists, and struck their own vital points.

After a short while, blood gathered into streams, seeping into the gaps of the wooden planks.

One by one, the bodies that had initially been kneeling slowly fell to the ground, while some beside them wept without ceasing.

The youths in the light curtain all had indifferent expressions, but from the depths of their eyes, one could see a trace of pity, helplessness, and that spreading thin layer of despair.

The Evil God's lips curved into a slight smile, and Qiong Qi's eyes flashed with the strongest Divine Light.

Qiong Qi laughed and said, "Xiao Jian, oh Xiao Jian, how have you failed to protect them?"

Xiao Jian Daoist clenched the hilt of his sword, with veins bulging nearly to the point of bursting on his neck, yet his face remained stoic as he watched over them, gazing at them, etching their figures into his memory.

However, the Head Manager simply smiled faintly,

"Thank you for your cooperation from the Human Domain; the quality of this lesson turned out quite well… Go back now, if you delay any longer, the Human Emperor might appear, and we have a successor to the Pavilion Master of Benevolent Emperor Pavilion here."

With that, he turned and walked out of the tent. Qiong Qi and the other three Evil Gods seemed somewhat reluctant to leave, but they turned and followed him out.

However, the two Treasure Mirrors were not taken away, as if they intended to let the Young Masters from the various houses of Heaven Palace clearly see the 'traitors' end.

CLANG, CLANG...

The Treasure Sword in Xiao Jian Daoist's hands slipped from his grasp.

He gazed at the more than thirty corpses before him, looking at their contorted faces just before death.

Would it have been different if only I had decided not to care about that stone slab, to ignore these envoys from sixteen countries, to not go...

Heaven Palace, Heaven Palace, Heaven Palace, Heaven Palace! What can my sword protect? I am to be the next Pavilion Master, the next Pavilion Master... Master...

A faint light seemed to flicker before his eyes, as a person the size of a thumb flew towards him, gently rubbing against Xiao Jian Daoist's cheek.

BOOM!

A tremor suddenly emanated from the ground.

No, it was Heaven and Earth that trembled!

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!

Like a massive bell or drum, like waves crashing onto the shore!

Suddenly, streaks of fire crossed the sky, and the great tent turned into wisps of ash drifting away.

Fierce wind arose, and the light was flickering within Heaven and Earth. Before the four Transcendents, the long wall not only trembled but the defense Barriers flickered lightly.

Xiao Jian Daoist looked up somewhat blankly.

At that moment, the sealed Heaven and Earth were released from their shackles, as if Ming She had withdrawn its Divine Skills.

But in the next instant, a hundred paths appeared between Heaven and Earth!

From all directions, one hundred and eight streaks of Liu Guang rose, solidifying into wide, river-like chains, sealing off hundreds of miles of Heaven and Earth!

The old woman behind Xiao Jian Daoist cried out, "The, the Heaven Lock Array! It's our Formation!"

Outside the wall, the Evil Gods roared in anger, each revealing their immense forms, but beams of Liu Guang shot toward them from the north, west, and east!

The next moment, Xiao Jian Daoist felt a familiar presence at his back, a figure swept low overhead, leaving behind the words:

"Stand up! What does it look like, kneeling like that!"

Xiao Jian Daoist looked up and saw nothing but the figure of his master, Liu Bairen, flipping over the wall with dozens of dark shadows.

The south, the west, the north!

One after another, Flying Shuttles tore through the sky, and figures flew out, forming arrays.

The night was lit brightly by the Immortal Light, and the Heavenly Dao stirred the Heaven and Earth into chaos!

"Brother Dao, I'm sorry."

Xiao Jian Daoist turned toward the voice and saw the Immortal Soldier who had previously given him the Jade Talisman stepping forward, his face shedding a wisp of gray aura to reveal those upright features.

Wu Wang clenched his fists and said,

"The Heaven Lock Array needs time to deploy. To deceive the Head Manager and the others, I had no choice but to resort to this strategy.

Brother Dao, don't feel guilty. The calamity has risen from the Heaven Palace, and these people were likely deliberately arranged to come here, merely to establish authority. Their fates were already marked by the Head Manager with the word 'tragic.'

Now, with the five Evil Gods entering the game, the Heaven Palace will surely send aid, and the Evil Gods will surely flee for their lives.

If you can kill Qiong Qi, that'll be a complete success!"

Xiao Jian Daoist's nostrils trembled slightly as he held the blood-stained Treasure Sword, standing upright.

His wide robe fluttered, his long hair whipped about, the Sword Cultivator's fury soared, and he broke through the heavens with a sword that shocked the firmament!

Wu Wang clasped his hands toward Xiao Jian Daoist's retreating figure, feeling slightly guilty at heart.

He didn't distrust Xiao Jian Daoist's acting skills; he simply wanted to ensure that the Head Manager could not detect any anomalies by removing the unstable factors.

Afterward, Wu Wang gazed at the light screen woven by the two copper Treasure Mirrors, looking at those hundreds of youths, somewhat bewildered and unaware of what had happened here.

Wu Wang took a step forward and called out loudly,

"Head Manager! Your strand of Divine Soul didn't get far, did it? Don't you want to show yourself?"

"Tch, a Transcendent Heavenly Tribulation couldn't kill a mere Yuanxian like me. You tried to assert your authority but fell into my trap; five of your subordinates were ambushed."

"Qiong Qi is a good servant to you, isn't he? The ability to peek into the hearts of living beings is a rare Divine Skill!"

No response? Then don't blame me anymore.

Wu Wang looked at that light screen, standing among those thirty-odd corpses, clasped his hands, and recited loudly,

"The world's upheavals arise from us, a life's indulgence cannot match a single bout of inebriation!

"I am Wu Wangzi, the Hall Master of the Punishment Hall of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion of the Human Domain. I greet you all today!

"The world's storms, the Great Wilderness ancient and long; yet now Divine Spirits are cruel and ruthless, taking pleasure in mocking living beings. The Head Manager, a Strong God of the Heaven Palace and the Heavenly Emperor's favorite, has committed such deeds!

"We in the Human Domain have long defied the heavens; what more can Heaven do?

"Try and see what tomorrow's Great Wilderness will be; it must belong to the living beings!

"The Hundred Races ruling together, Divine Spirits concealed, all striving for the same goal, the living beings at peace!

"Everyone, are Innate Gods truly a breed apart...?"

"Enough!"

The Head Manager's strand of Divine Soul appeared abruptly, and the two copper Treasure Mirrors showed web-like cracks as the light screen burst apart.

"Hmph."

Wu Wang calmly finished the last word, smiling as he gazed at the Head Manager.

The Head Manager said coldly, "Wuwangzi, you haven't even touched the gateway to the Dao of Longevity, but the way you seek death you have mastered thoroughly."

"Your threats aren't even remotely original."

Wu Wang took a large step backward as several figures moved forward from behind him: the three Pavilion Masters, including Feng Zhizi, plus an old woman holding a Treasure Pagoda.

"Everyone, kill him and use the Image Projection Bead to record the entire process."

The Head Manager's mouth twitched slightly, but this Divine Thought had nowhere to flee.

Meanwhile, Wu Wang stood at the back, suddenly thinking of something.

The Dao of Longevity? Hey? The Dao of Longevity! If one could comprehend the Dao of Longevity, wouldn't that mean breaking through the Lifespan Dao, symbolizing that the Head Manager could no longer control the lifespan of living beings?

Wu Wang's eyes gleamed with cunning light!

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