The Righteous Alliance of the Western Regions panicked, holding an emergency meeting overnight to discuss whether to surrender or flee.

Wang Hao smiled.

"This silly boy actually has some good luck."

Wei Zhongxian whispered, "Your Majesty, should this servant..."

He made a neck-slicing gesture.

Wang Hao shook his head.

"Why snatch it?"

"Leave it with him."

Wei Zhongxian didn't understand.

Wang Hao said indifferently, "Sometimes, letting a chess piece grow stronger is more useful than eating it."

"People like Xiao Chen grow stronger the more they are suppressed."

"If I snatch all his opportunities, he will only have hatred left."

"If I let him hold onto the opportunities and work for me, he will hate me while growing stronger, and continue to work for me."

Wei Zhongxian listened with deep respect.

"Your Majesty, this is called..."

Wang Hao said, "Sustainable leek harvesting."

Wei Zhongxian: "..."

He always felt that His Majesty often uttered some incomprehensible but very sinister words.

That night.

Outside the Black Water Demon Cave, the Great Zhou military camp held a celebration banquet.

It was called a banquet.

But it looked more like the aftermath of a large-scale loot division.

Twenty-seven brawls broke out within an hour.

The elder of the Purple Heaven Sect and the Valley Master of the Fire Cloud Valley greeted each other's ancestors for that top-grade spiritual weapon longsword.

The ancestor of the Ren family hid in a tent hugging a ten-thousand-year blood ginseng, while three ancestors outside knocked on the door saying they wanted to "jointly study its medicinal properties."

Outside the tent of the Vice Palace Master of the Ice and Snow Divine Palace, there was a line of unlucky guys frozen into ice sculptures.

The Grand Elder of the Illusionary Sea Immortal Sect successfully snatched a top-grade ancient mirror and was crying while hugging it.

"I've made it back."

"This old man has finally made it back."

The New Emperor Sword sat by the bonfire, watching the crowd fight for meat.

He sighed, "Humans are truly terrifying."

Wanyan Gu gnawed on a leg of lamb and sneered, "A sword that eats desire seeds is saying this?"

The New Emperor Sword said seriously, "At least I don't fight when I eat."

Wanyan Gu pointed at him, "You were biting like a mad dog when you swallowed the desire seed!"

The New Emperor Sword said, "That is being professional."

Wanyan Gu: "..."

Xiao Chen sat in a corner, touching the black iron piece in his arms.

He didn't know what it was.

But his intuition told him that this thing was absolutely not simple.

Wang Hao held a cup of tea, watching the crowd argue from afar.

Wei Zhongxian stood beside him and whispered, "Your Majesty, letting them fight like this, won't it disrupt military morale?"

Wang Hao took a sip of tea.

"It won't."

Wei Zhongxian asked, "Why?"

Wang Hao said indifferently, "They are arguing now because they believe I can judge."

"They snatch because they believe I will divide."

"The most terrifying thing for an alliance is not internal fighting."

"It's having no common interests."

He looked into the distance.

There, crimson demonic clouds rolled in the direction of Blood Sand Valley, but delayed in approaching the Great Zhou camp.

Obviously, the Crimson Moon Demonic Sect was observing.

Wang Hao smiled.

"I gave them seventy percent, not because I am generous."

"It's because I want everyone to understand—follow me, and there is money."

"Block me, and lose your life."

Wei Zhongxian's heart trembled.

Wang Hao put down the teacup.

"Pass down the order."

"Tomorrow morning, Wei Zhongxian, take the head of Old Demon Black Water to Taixu Peak."

Wei Zhongxian narrowed his eyes.

"The Western Region Righteous Alliance?"

Wang Hao nodded.

"Tell them."

"I'll give them one day."

"Submit, or be on the menu."

Wei Zhongxian bowed.

"This servant obeys the decree."

Wang Hao looked towards the night in the west.

The Black Water Demon Cave was destroyed.

The Crimson Moon Demonic Sect was moving.

The Western Region Righteous Alliance was trembling.

That old dog Xie Wujiu should also change chess pieces.

The corner of Wang Hao's mouth curled up slightly.

"This game is just starting to get interesting."

Taixu Peak.

The headquarters of the Western Region Righteous Alliance.

This peak was ten thousand feet high, surrounded by clouds and mist, with spiritual energy like a tide.

If it were normal days, the bell sounds on Taixu Peak would be distant, immortal cranes would circle, and the flags of the twelve sects would flutter in the wind, looking truly like a sacred land of immortals.

But tonight.

The immortal cranes didn't cry.

The bells didn't ring.

The flags of the twelve sects swayed randomly in the night wind, like a group of shivering people.

Inside the Taixu Hall, it was brightly lit.

All the higher-ups of the Western Region Righteous Alliance gathered.

Some had disheveled hair.

Some had pale faces.

Some even wore their shoes backward.

At the very top, a green-robed old man sat on the main seat.

His eyebrows and beard were all white, carrying a wooden sword on his back, and the aura on his body was as deep as an ancient tree.

This person was the nominal leader of the Western Region Righteous Alliance.

Perfected Qingmu.

Peak of the Skysoaring Realm.

Three hundred years ago, he was already famous in the Western Region.

Three hundred years later, he was still stuck at the peak of the Skysoaring Realm.

Stuck to the point where his mindset was about to grow a patina.

Perfected Qingmu looked down at the secret report in his hand.

The secret report only had one short line.

The Black Water Demon Cave was annihilated.

Wu Xuanming perished.

Desire Sea Maitreya broken.

The Great Zhou allied forces suffered minor damage and still had combat power.

Perfected Qingmu looked at it for a long time.

So long that everyone in the hall was about to suffocate.

Finally, a family head slammed the table.

"We can't stop it!"

"Absolutely can't stop it!"

"Who is Old Demon Black Water Wu Xuanming? Peak of the Skysoaring Realm! Sitting on a thousand-year demon cave! And a ninth-tier eerie Desire Sea Maitreya!"

"The result?"

"One night!"

"Gone in one night!"

"What do we use to stop Wang Hao?"

His voice was as sharp as if his tail had been stepped on.

If it were normal days, anyone who dared to lose their composure like this in the Taixu Hall would have long been dragged out and reprimanded.

But today, no one reprimanded him.

Because everyone wanted to shout like that.

Just not shameless enough.

Another white-clothed elder gritted his teeth and said, "We are the Righteous Alliance! Wang Hao is flying the banner of exterminating evil, he has no reason to attack us!"

Someone sneered.

"No reason? We are opposing the Avenger Alliance established by the Great Zhou, and now we are opposing the Demon Suppression Alliance."

"Have you forgotten how many benefits we have received from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion over the years?"

"Forgotten how many times we secretly made way for the Crimson Moon Demonic Sect?"

"Forgotten who covered up the news when the Black Water Demon Cave captured people for sacrifice?"

The white-clothed elder's face changed.

"Shut up!"

That person became even angrier.

"Now you know to care about face?"

"Back when we divided the spiritual stones sent by the Black Water Demon Cave, you took them faster than anyone else!"

The main hall instantly fell into chaos.

"Bullshit! I was forced!"

"Forced? You seemed quite happy being forced!"

"Your Golden Saber Sect didn't take any less either!"

"At least I didn't send virgin boys and girls to the evil demons!"

"Say that again, you bastard!"

Clang!

Someone drew a saber.

Clang!

Someone drew a sword.

The so-called righteous bigwigs in the Taixu Hall almost started a firefight on the spot.

Perfected Qingmu slammed the armrest.

Boom!

The aura of the peak of the Skysoaring Realm pressed down.

The entire hall instantly fell silent.

"Enough."

Perfected Qingmu's voice was hoarse.

"What is the point of arguing about this now?"

"Wang Hao's army is already in the Western Region."

"The Black Water Demon Cave has already become ruins."

"The next one is us."

As these words fell, the main hall grew even colder.

An old woman whispered, "Alliance Leader, what does the Heavenly Secret Pavilion say?"

Everyone's eyes lit up.

Right.

The Heavenly Secret Pavilion!

Xie Wujiu!

That Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion was known to calculate without omission.

The reason the newly established Western Region Righteous Alliance dared to oppose the Great Zhou was largely because they had the Heavenly Secret Pavilion backing them.

A trace of gloom flashed across Perfected Qingmu's eyes.

He took out a communication jade token.

The jade token was dim and lightless.

"Can't get in touch."

Everyone's hearts sank.

"How can we not get in touch?"

"Didn't Pavilion Master Xie say that once the Great Zhou enters the Western Region, he will personally lay out the plan?"

"Where is he?"

Perfected Qingmu was expressionless.

But in his heart, he had already cursed Xie Wujiu eighteen times.

That old thing was of course laying out the plan.

It is just that when laying out the board, the chess pieces are never told whether they will die.

The Black Water Demon Cave was a chess piece.

Wu Xuanming was a chess piece.

Now it was their turn.

Perfected Qingmu had lived for eight hundred years; he was no fool.

He knew very well that Xie Wujiu, despite seemingly allying with them, actually only treated them as torches to consume Wang Hao's strength.

Once the torches burned out, no one would even collect the ashes.

A younger sect master stood up.

"Alliance Leader, I suggest we surrender."

As soon as these words were spoken, dozens of gazes in the hall pierced toward him simultaneously.

The sect master gritted his teeth and said, "What are you looking at? Am I wrong?"

"The Great Zhou allied forces are currently riding an unstoppable momentum."

"Wang Hao has over thirty Sky-Soaring Realm patriarchs in his hands, half-step Martial Gods like Wang Wudi and Chu Tianque, the Demon Suppression Army, runic heavy artillery, and that bizarre sword capable of devouring a ninth-tier Desire Seed!"

"Are we supposed to block that with our lives?"

"On what grounds?"

"On a single promise from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion?"

Master Iron Sword gave a cold snort.

He was the vice leader of the Righteous Path Alliance, as well as the head of the pro-war faction.

This man had a burly physique, carried an iron sword on his back, and had a fiery temper.

"Surrender?"

"Where would you put the face of our ancestors?"

The young sect master smiled bitterly.

"If our ancestors saw us colluding with demons, we would have lost all our face long ago."

Master Iron Sword furiously slammed the table.

"You're courting death!"

The young sect master grew angry as well.

"If you want to die, don't drag my entire sect's disciples down with you!"

The great hall erupted into chaos once again.

The pro-war faction shouted that they would rather die than surrender.

The surrender faction shouted for the preservation of their sects.

The neutral faction shouted asking if they could just run away first.

A family head whispered, "How about... we transfer our spirit vaults first?"

The person next to him immediately nodded, "Makes sense, the spirit vaults cannot fall into Wang Hao's hands."

Someone else added, "And the female family members and disciples, they must be sent away first too."

"Sent where?"

"Deep into the Western Regions."

"Isn't that the Crimson Moon Demon Sect's territory?"

"At least the Crimson Moon Demon Sect is still on the same front as us right now."

The crowd fell silent.

These words were very disgraceful.

But very real.

Just as the argument was becoming increasingly fierce, the sound of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall.

A disciple, covered in blood, staggered into the hall.

"Report!"

"Outside the mountain gate, envoys from Great Zhou request an audience!"

The great hall instantly went dead silent.

Everyone felt as if an invisible giant hand had seized them by the throat.

Perfected Qingmu slowly raised his head.

"Envoys of Great Zhou?"

"How many people?"

The disciple swallowed hard.

"Three people."

The crowd looked at each other in dismay.

Three people?

Has Wang Hao gone mad?

Sending three people to the Great Void Peak?

Master Iron Sword sneered.

"What nerve."

"Is Wang Hao trying to bully our Righteous Path, thinking we have no one capable?"

Yet as he spoke, his hand subconsciously tightened around the hilt of his sword.

Perfected Qingmu said in a deep voice, "Invite them in."

Before long.

The hall doors opened.

Wei Zhongxian walked in.

The old eunuch was dressed in a python robe, holding a fly whisk. His face was pale and beardless, and he wore an amiable smile.

Behind him followed two young eunuchs.

The two young eunuchs were carrying a brocade box.

Hundreds of Western Region experts in the hall stared at him.

The auras of Sky-Soaring Realm cultivators intertwined.

Murderous intent weighed down like a mountain.

Had it been an ordinary envoy, they would have long since fallen to their knees.

But Wei Zhongxian's pace was neither rushed nor slow.

It was as if he were not entering an enemy camp.

But his own backyard.

He walked to the center of the hall and gave a slight bow with cupped hands.

"I am Wei Zhongxian, and by the decree of His Majesty the Emperor of Great Zhou, I have come to deliver something to you all."

Perfected Qingmu's eyes narrowed slightly.

"What is it?"

Wei Zhongxian smiled.

He raised a hand.

The two young eunuchs opened the brocade box.

A severed head lay inside.

The head was charred black, with a lightning scar on its forehead. Its eyes were wide open, dying with lingering grievances.

Wu Xuanming.

Or rather, the last proof Old Demon Black Water left in this world.

A collective gasp of cold air echoed throughout the hall.

Some people directly took a half step back.

"Old Demon Black Water!"

"It really is him!"

"Wu Xuanming is dead..."

Master Iron Sword's expression also changed.

This head was more effective than any threat.

It told everyone.

The Black Water Demon Cave was not destroyed in mere rumors.

It was real.

That demonic titan who had roamed the Western Regions unhindered for a thousand years really had his head chopped off by Wang Hao.

Wei Zhongxian's smile remained unchanged.

"His Majesty has said."

"The righteous and the demonic cannot coexist."

"If the Western Region Righteous Path Alliance is willing to surrender to Great Zhou and assist in exterminating the Crimson Moon Demon Sect, past grievances can be forgiven."

"Those who make meritorious contributions can still receive contribution points as rewards according to the Demon Suppression Alliance's regulations."

"If you all insist on maintaining your independence, or continue to secretly collude with the demons and the Heavenly Secret Pavilion..."

Wei Zhongxian did not finish his sentence.

He merely looked down at the severed head in the box.

The meaning was very clear.

The next brocade box might have a different occupant.

Master Iron Sword angrily shouted, "Wei Zhongxian! You dare threaten us?"

Wei Zhongxian said with a beaming smile, "Master Iron Sword misunderstands."

"I am merely delivering a message."

"The one threatening you all is my Imperial Master."

Master Iron Sword: "..."

How could this old eunuch speak so righteously and confidently?

Perfected Qingmu took a deep breath.

"What does Wang Hao want?"

Wei Zhongxian replied, "Very simple."

"One, open your mountain gates."

"Two, hand over your rosters."

"Three, surrender all account books, secret letters, and personnel lists of your dealings with the demons and the Heavenly Secret Pavilion over the years."

"Four, sixty percent of your spirit vaults will go into the Great Zhou military treasury, while the remaining forty percent can be kept for your sects' operations."

The hall instantly broke into an uproar.

"Sixty percent?!"

"Why doesn't he just rob us?"