Entering the Great Yan Dynasty

Soon, the news of the annihilation of the two great demonic sects spread across the various provinces of the Eastern Region as if it had grown wings.

The sects and rogue cultivators who had once been oppressed by the Demon Heaven Sect and the Blood Soul Sect initially could not believe the news. Once they confirmed that the headquarters of both sects had been reduced to scorched earth with not a trace of demonic aura remaining, the entire Eastern Region plunged into long-suppressed jubilation.

Some sects hung up lanterns and festoons, throwing banquets as if celebrating a grand festival, rejoicing that the "nightmare" that had weighed over their heads for years had finally dissipated.

Rogue cultivators gathered in taverns, raising their cups to drink deeply. They recounted past tragedies of being plundered by the demonic sects and the brutal murders of their family and friends. Swallowing their tears along with the liquor, they felt a profound sense of sorrow, but even more so, liberation.

"Those bastards from the Demon Heaven Sect robbed my sect's spiritual vein mine and killed my master back then. Today, they have finally received their retribution!"

"And the Blood Soul Sect! How many cultivators did they capture to refine their 'Blood Soul Beads'? How many families were destroyed! Now, their entire sect and its very foundations are gone. This is truly immensely satisfying!"

A white-haired rogue cultivator slammed the table, his eyes full of vindication. His granddaughter had been abducted by the Blood Soul Sect many years ago, never to be heard from again. The destruction of the two sects could finally bring peace to her soul in heaven.

Amidst the celebrations, many were also tempted by greed.

The Demon Heaven Sect and the Blood Soul Sect had entrenched themselves in Yunzhou and Xuanzhou for years; the wealth, cultivation techniques, and spiritual vein mines they had accumulated were undoubtedly vast.

Even though the sects were destroyed, there might still be overlooked treasures hidden in the ruins.

Thus, many cultivators, harboring thoughts of scavenging for loot, boldly rushed toward the former headquarters of the two sects. Some minor sects even organized expeditions, hoping to find partial technique scrolls or spirit crystals to bolster their own strength.

The first to arrive at the ruins of the Demon Heaven Sect was a group of experienced rogue cultivators.

They halted hundreds of miles away, not daring to advance any further.

In the center of that scorched earth, a gigantic azure palm print that seemed to pierce heaven and earth was strikingly imprinted. The ravines of the palm lines were as clear as if they had been carved. The rocks at the edges still emanated a scorching heat, and even the air slightly distorted due to the lingering spiritual energy.

Looking from afar, the palm print was bottomless, like a dormant ancient behemoth that had completely swallowed the former sect into the depths of the earth, leaving not even a fraction of its outline behind.

"What terrifying power!"

A rogue cultivator could not help but gasp. He had just tried to release his divine sense to probe the depths of the palm print, only to be repelled by an invisible coercion, sending sharp bursts of pain through his sea of consciousness.

The crowd then realized with a shock that a faint azure halo lingered around the palm print. It was the remnant Dao aura left behind from Gu Changge's strike. Though it appeared gentle, it carried an inviolable majesty; any cultivator below the Zifu Realm could not even approach it.

When a few highly cultivated experts managed to approach the ruins of the mountain gate, the sight before them left them completely stunned.

The once-towering palaces and sturdy walls had long been reduced to drifting ash. Not a single intact brick or stone could be found.

The underground spiritual vein mines had been utterly collapsed by the force of the palm strike, leaving only a bottomless black hole. Peering inside, there was only endless darkness, as if even light itself had been devoured.

"H-how is this possible?"

An expert crouched down in disbelief, reaching out to touch the scorched earth. The moment his fingertips drew near, they were repelled by the searing spiritual energy, burning him so badly he sharply withdrew his hand.

"Even if it were bombarded by a holy weapon, there should at least be some fragments left, right? How could there be absolutely nothing remaining?"

His companion's face turned pale. Staring at the empty scorched earth and that ferocious giant palm print, the greed in his heart was instantly replaced by terror.

"That expert's power... is simply too terrifying! This isn't just annihilating a sect; it's practically wiping this place completely off the map of Xuanzhou! It leaves absolutely no room for anyone to covet anything!"

The cultivators who rushed to the ruins of the Blood Soul Sect encountered the exact same scene.

A giant azure palm print was similarly stamped into the ground. Within the deep, bone-revealing fissures, a faint purifying power still lingered, completely washing away the once-pervasive stench of blood.

After the news spread back, the cultivators who had harbored thoughts of "scavenging" completely abandoned the idea.

However, a few days later, some bold cultivators discovered that the azure halo surrounding the giant palm print actually contained a faint, ethereal Dao aura.

A Zifu Realm cultivator attempted to sit cross-legged and meditate on the periphery of the halo. In less than half a day, he was pleasantly surprised to find that his cultivation, which had been stuck at a bottleneck for a long time, showed faint signs of loosening.

Other cultivators sensed the "fierce and domineering" intent contained within the palm print, instantly deepening their comprehension of their own combat techniques.

"There is Dao aura here! It's the Dao aura left behind by that supreme expert!"

This news spread like it had wings across the entire Eastern Region, and more and more cultivators flocked to the ruins of the two sects.

They dared not approach the core of the palm prints. Instead, they found corners around the periphery of the halos to sit cross-legged and meditate. Feeling the spiritual energy and Dao rhythm flowing through the air, their cultivation advanced at a speed far exceeding their usual bitter training.

Even people from the various major holy lands rushed over to this place to seek enlightenment.

The once-forbidden grounds of the demonic sects gradually became highly sought-after cultivation holy lands within the Eastern Region.

Every morning, the area around the giant palm prints was packed with meditating cultivators. They gazed at the azure palm print that plunged deep into the earth, their eyes filled with awe.

This palm print was not only a testament to the annihilation of the two great demonic sects, but it also concealed the true meaning of the Great Dao of that mysterious expert. It constantly reminded everyone of what absolute power and inviolable majesty truly meant.

Meanwhile, Xiao Ruobai and Fang Hanyu were already far away from the bounds of the secret realm.

Little Black huddled on Xiao Ruobai's shoulder, its sharp beak occasionally rubbing against his fingertips, letting out crisp chirps as if urging them on.

The two employed the "Can't Catch Me" movement technique. Their figures streaked through the mountain forests like two afterimages, arriving at the border of the Great Yan Dynasty in just half a day.

Standing beneath the towering green-black city tower, Xiao Ruobai looked up at the crimson-gold flag bearing the character "Yan" fluttering above, and scarlet killing intent instantly ignited in his eyes.

The color of that flag looked exactly like the scene of his parents falling in a pool of blood all those years ago, making even his breathing grow scorching hot.

Fang Hanyu quietly pressed a hand over his grip on the halberd shaft, keeping his voice extremely low: "Senior Brother, stay calm for now."

Xiao Ruobai took a deep breath, his fingernails digging deeply into his palms to suppress his surging emotions.

Inside the imperial capital, a scene of prosperity unfolded. Shops lined both sides of the bluestone-paved streets in close succession, and the cries of vendors rose and fell.

But behind this bustle hid a suffocating oppression. Every hundred meters, a squad of heavily armored soldiers patrolled. The long sabers at their waists gleamed with a cold light, and their gazes swept over the pedestrians with undisguised scrutiny.

On a noticeboard at the street corner, dozens of wanted posters for cultivators were plastered. The bounty amounts were staggeringly high, clearly a method used by the dynasty to suppress dissidents and consolidate its rule.

"Still the same as always, treating human lives like grass," Xiao Ruobai cursed in a low voice, quietly condensing a wisp of battle qi at his fingertips.

His gaze swept over the soldiers interrogating people at the city gates, and then over the faintly visible silhouette of the imperial palace at the end of the street. The scarlet in his eyes gradually settled into a cold, sharp gleam.

The War God Physique trembled slightly within his body, as if echoing this hatred. Golden battle qi flowed slowly through his meridians, compressing his surging emotions into the gathered momentum just before a blade is drawn.