Submit or Perish

"Is this what a Saint is?"

He looked down at his own hands, where a scarlet-gold sacred flame had sprung out of thin air. No longer wild and raging, the flame was as docile as a lamb, yet it held the terrifying power to incinerate mountains and boil seas.

"This is the power to control everything!"

A flash of scarlet-gold divine light flickered in Lie Tianxiong's eyes. He slowly lifted his head, his gaze seeming to pierce through the endless void and land in the direction of the Ten Thousand Dharma Pavilion.

His figure descended gently, landing before the Burning Sky Hall.

The elders and core disciples of the Burning Sky Palace, who had long been waiting there, shouted in unison, their voices shaking the mountain peaks:

"Congratulations, Palace Master, on attaining the exalted rank of Saint!"

"Palace Master's sacred might towers over all, unrivaled in Xuanzhou!"

Lie Tianxiong stood with his hands behind his back, savoring the crowd's homage as his world-dominating ambition grew wildly like a wildfire in his chest.

In the past, even as the master of the Burning Sky Palace, he was suppressed by the Ten Thousand Dharma Pavilion above him, with the Cold Moon Valley and the Heavenly Origin Sect watching covetously on his left and right.

Now that he had become a Saint, who else in the entire Xuanzhou continent could stand against him?

"Rise, all of you."

Lie Tianxiong's voice was calm. His gaze swept over the crowd below, finally landing on the Second Elder standing at the very front.

"Second Elder, has there been any unusual movement from the Ten Thousand Dharma Pavilion lately?"

The Second Elder bowed respectfully and replied, "Reporting to Palace Master, the Ten Thousand Dharma Pavilion has sealed its mountain gates and shut its doors ever since they lost to our palace in the last grand tournament."

"Sealed their mountain gates?"

Lie Tianxiong let out a snort of derision, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"This old man has left seclusion and has now attained the Saint realm! This is a grand occasion unprecedented in the history of our Burning Sky Palace."

"Pass down my order. Three days from now, gather all the elite forces of the palace, and follow this Palace Master—"

"To march to the Ten Thousand Dharma Pavilion once more!"

This time, he would use his status as a Saint to utterly trample the Ten Thousand Dharma Pavilion underfoot.

He wanted the entire Xuanzhou to understand who the true ruler of this land was.

Three days later.

The mountain gates of the Burning Sky Palace swung wide open, and hundreds of streaks of light shot straight into the sky. The scarlet-gold figure at the very front radiated overwhelming sacred majesty, parting the clouds and dispersing the mists wherever it passed, making all living beings bow in submission.

It was none other than Lie Tianxiong, who had become a Saint!

Behind him, the elders, true disciples, and hundreds of elite members of the Burning Sky Palace formed a battle array, their killing intent surging to the skies.

This time, Lie Tianxiong intended to advance openly and with full force, crushing the Ten Thousand Dharma Pavilion's mountain gates under his overwhelming power.

At the Ten Thousand Dharma Pavilion, on Mount Wanxiang.

The mountain-protecting grand formation had long been activated. Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, countless disciples could faintly be seen standing in strict formation, ready for battle.

At the front of the mountain gate, Yun Canghai stood in a blue robe with his hands behind his back, looking calmly at the rapidly approaching scarlet-gold streak of light on the horizon.

Behind him, the elders of the Ten Thousand Dharma Pavilion had solemn expressions, but not a single one stepped back.

"Lie Tianxiong has indeed come."

Yun Canghai whispered to himself, not a trace of fear in his eyes.

Ever since the world had undergone a great change, he had drawn on his sect's heritage and a sliver of good fortune to step into the Saint realm as well. After sensing the thunder tribulation aura from Lie Tianxiong a few days prior, he had known that a great battle with the Burning Sky Palace was inevitable. He had just not expected Lie Tianxiong to be in such a desperate hurry.

"Yun Canghai!"

A long howl rang out like thunder exploding in the air.

Lie Tianxiong's figure had already arrived above Mount Wanxiang, with scarlet-gold sacred flames burning all around him, illuminating half of the sky a vivid crimson.

Looking down at Yun Canghai below, his eyes were filled with utter disdain and contempt.

"Today, the Ten Thousand Dharma Pavilion will either submit, or—"

"Be exterminated!"

As the last word left his mouth, killing intent surged wildly in Lie Tianxiong's eyes.

"Palace Master Lie, there is no need for such impatience."

"Even though you have become a Saint, Xuanzhou is far too vast for you to claim all for yourself. Why not withdraw now, so that our two sects can stay out of each other's way?"

Yun Canghai's voice echoed out calmly, and his aura slowly unfurled, revealing that he too was at the Saint realm.

"You have also broken through to the Saint realm?"

Lie Tianxiong's pupils narrowed slightly, and his arrogant demeanor faded for a brief moment, only to be replaced by even more intense fighting spirit and defiance.

"Good! Good! No wonder you were so composed in front of this Saint!"

Instead of retreating upon finding his opponent was also a Saint, he laughed heartily towards the sky.

"Yun Canghai, do you think that just because you have also stepped into the Saint realm, you are qualified to stand on equal footing with this Saint and talk about staying out of each other's way?"

The scarlet-gold sacred flames around Lie Tianxiong exploded violently, making him look like a fire god that had descended to the mortal world.

The searing heat wave even caused the plants and trees on Mount Wanxiang below to turn yellow and curl up.

He took one step forward.

"Since you have already entered the Saint realm, that makes things even better!"

Brilliant light burst from Lie Tianxiong's eyes as he slowly raised his right hand, curling his fingers into a fist.

"Let this Saint personally test just how capable your Saint realm truly is!"

"If you can take three punches from this Saint, I will allow your Ten Thousand Dharma Pavilion to linger on for today. If you cannot..."

Before he could finish his sentence, his figure vanished from where he stood. Merging with his Burning Sky Dharma Aspect, he turned into a scarlet-gold meteor and charged ferociously at Yun Canghai.

Yun Canghai did not flinch or dodge, meeting the attack head-on.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom——!!!"

The two Saints engaged in a life-and-death battle high in the sky. Every collision shook the heavens and the earth.

This battle raged from sunrise to sunset.

When the last glimmer of twilight vanished over the horizon, the two figures finally separated.

Lie Tianxiong stood in the center of his Burning Sky Sacred Domain, his surrounding sacred flames flickering unsteadily, his aura somewhat disordered. A bone-deep sword wound on his chest was slowly healing.

Yun Canghai stood above the Wanxiang Sword Formation, his blue robe stained with blood and his face pale, clearly having suffered no minor injuries either.

They stared at each other from afar, both with a look of deep gravity in their eyes.

It was a draw. Neither could do anything to the other.

Lie Tianxiong spoke slowly, his voice hoarse.

"Yun Canghai, I will spare your life for today."

"The day this Saint unifies all of Xuanzhou will be the day your Ten Thousand Dharma Pavilion is wiped out!"

With those words, he did not linger any longer. He turned into a scarlet-gold streak of light, leading the people of the Burning Sky Palace away until they vanished at the edge of the world.

Yun Canghai stood staring in the direction Lie Tianxiong had left, motionless for a long time.

"Sect Master, are you all right?"

The elders of the Ten Thousand Dharma Pavilion hurried forward.

Yun Canghai shook his head, his gaze sweeping across the land of Xuanzhou as a flicker of worry flashed in his eyes.

"Lie Tianxiong has become a great threat..."

Back at the Burning Sky Palace, in the Burning Sky Hall.

Lie Tianxiong sat high on the main seat, his face dark with gloom.

Below him, all the elders were as quiet as mice, not daring to make a sound.

Although they had not lost the battle with the Ten Thousand Dharma Pavilion, they had not won either. This fell far short of the world-conquering ambition he had held after leaving seclusion.

"Yun Canghai, I underestimated you."

Lie Tianxiong spoke slowly, his voice icy cold.

Since the Ten Thousand Dharma Pavilion was such a hard bone that could not be gnawed through for the time being... he would take care of the weaker, easier targets first.

"Pass down my order."

Lie Tianxiong's voice resounded through the great hall.

"Send the army to the Array Breaking Sect. This Saint will make every single sect in the land of Xuanzhou—"

"Either submit, or perish!"

Down below, a nearly imperceptible glint flashed in the Second Elder's eyes, but he quickly bowed and replied, "As you command, Palace Master."

The tempest that would sweep across Xuanzhou had truly begun to descend.

The news that Lie Tianxiong had marched on the Ten Thousand Dharma Pavilion and returned without success spread across the land of Xuanzhou as if it had grown wings.