Even a Private Treasury May Not Be Completely Emptied

Wang Hao’s face also turned slightly pale.

The ninth Thunder Dragon—only one remained.

Every use meant one less.

Did it hurt to spend it?

Yes.

But it was worth it.

Because the Thunder Dragon had shattered more than just the Black Wheel.

It had also blasted open a core vein of the Heitian Sinking City Formation.

Wang Hao’s gaze flashed like lightning.

“Yin Jiuyou!”

Yin Jiuyou understood at once.

“At your command!”

Wang Hao raised his hand and pointed toward the cracked black formation patterns beneath the Ninth Treasury.

“Take the Shadow Guards and blow up those three formation cores.”

Yin Jiuyou did not hesitate.

“Your command shall be obeyed!”

His body transformed into a shadow as he led the Shadow Guards into the fissure.

Xue Wuhen followed with his blade in hand.

Han Shanyue gritted his teeth and prepared to charge down as well.

Wang Hao said, “You stay here.”

Han Shanyue froze.

“Your Majesty?”

Wang Hao glanced at the dozen or so storage bags on his back.

“You’re responsible for protecting the national treasury.”

Han Shanyue: “…”

He suddenly felt the weight of his responsibility become incomparably heavy.

Not only because the storage bags were heavy.

More importantly, His Majesty had said this was the national treasury.

That made him the acting Minister of Revenue and Grand Transport General.

It was very glorious.

And very absurd.

The New Emperor Sword flew back to Wang Hao’s side, brimming with excitement.

“Master, who should I cut down next?”

Wang Hao looked toward the Martial Gods from the various factions.

“Cut down anyone who gets in our way.”

The New Emperor Sword licked its lips.

“That’s a lot of people.”

Wang Hao smiled.

“We’ll take our time.”

Inside the Ninth Treasury, the powerhouses from every faction exchanged wary glances.

Once the Heitian Sinking City Formation had activated, the situation had changed completely.

A moment ago, they had wanted to rob Wang Hao.

Now, they only wanted to get out alive.

But Wang Hao had the Life Casket, the Vein-Suppressing Black Nails, the Dragon Vein Fragment Map, and the Thunder Abyss Demon Suppression Pagoda.

Everyone knew that following Wang Hao might not be safe.

But staying too far away from him might be even more dangerous.

It was an awkward predicament.

Taiyin Martial God said coldly, “Wang Hao, break the formation first.”

“Once we get out, we can discuss ownership of the fragment map.”

Yellow Springs Martial God also spoke in a grim voice.

“This seat can set our grievances aside for now.”

Sword Ruins Martial God nodded.

“The greater good comes first.”

Wang Hao smiled.

“Now you’re finally being reasonable.”

White Bone Martial God snorted coldly.

“Enough nonsense. What do you want?”

Wang Hao raised his hand. The Myriad Contracts Origin Seal appeared.

“It’s simple.”

“A temporary cooperation contract.”

“While we’re breaking the formation, no one is to stab me in the back.”

“No one is to seize my possessions.”

“No one is to scheme against anyone under Great Xia.”

“Violators will suffer the contract’s backlash.”

Everyone’s faces immediately darkened.

Yellow Springs Martial God snapped furiously, “You want us to sign a contract with you?”

Wang Hao spread his hands.

“You don’t have to sign.”

“I’ll leave right now.”

He raised the Thunder Abyss Demon Suppression Pagoda and waved it slightly.

“I still have one final Thunder Dragon.”

“Blasting open a path won’t be difficult.”

“As for all of you…”

Wang Hao glanced at the continuously collapsing Ninth Treasury.

“I wish you all a pleasant sinking.”

The others were furious enough to grind their teeth.

A threat.

A blatant threat.

But it was effective.

Especially with the ground continuing to sink and Old Man Heitian constantly absorbing the power of the blood sacrifice, no one dared to gamble on whether this Dog Emperor would truly abandon them and flee.

Because this Dog Emperor really was capable of it.

Taiyin Martial God was the first to grit his teeth.

“I’ll sign.”

Yellow Springs Martial God’s eyes darkened. After a moment, he nodded as well.

“I’ll sign.”

Sword Ruins, Blood Lotus, and Golden Palace agreed in succession.

White Bone, Blood Prison, and Myriad Souls cursed and complained, but in the end, they signed too.

The Myriad Contracts Origin Seal flickered with light as temporary contracts descended upon each of them.

Wang Hao nodded in satisfaction.

“Excellent.”

“Now we’re all on the same side.”

White Bone Martial God sneered.

“Who’s on your side?”

Wang Hao glanced at him.

“Temporarily.”

“Don’t get too emotional.”

White Bone Martial God was nearly angered to the point of sending the corpse aura in his body into reverse flow.

The contract was complete.

Wang Hao immediately changed his attitude.

“Lunar, freeze the blood river on the left.”

“Yellow Springs, suppress the dead souls.”

“Sword Mound, cut through the formation patterns.”

“White Bone, use your corpse puppets to fill the fissures.”

White Bone Martial God roared angrily, “Why do my corpse puppets have to fill the fissures?”

Wang Hao replied, “Because they’re already dead.”

“Dying one more time won’t cost them anything.”

White Bone Martial God was rendered speechless for a moment.

“Blood Lotus, purify the resentment.”

“Blood Prison, draw away the blood tide.”

“Golden Palace, form a barrier and protect the passage.”

“Myriad Souls, swallow the escaping soul power. Don’t let Old Man Heitian continue absorbing it.”

Myriad Souls Martial God narrowed his eyes.

“You certainly know how to give orders.”

Wang Hao replied flatly, “I’m the emperor.”

“I’m a professional.”

At that moment, everyone suddenly realized that although Wang Hao was shameless, his ability to direct a battle was extraordinary.

With one glance, he had seen through the various channels of the Heitian Sinking City Formation and assigned the forces of the eight factions to the positions where they were best suited.

Taiyin’s frigid energy could indeed freeze the blood river.

Yellow Springs’ soul arts could indeed suppress the dead souls.

Sword Ruins’ sword intent was indeed the most suitable for cutting through the formation.

And having White Bone’s corpse puppets fill the fissures was indeed…

Quite reasonable.

It just sounded rather cruel.

But on a battlefield, being reasonable mattered more than sounding pleasant.

Boom!

The Martial Gods of every faction attacked at the same time.

The Ninth Treasury instantly became a vast battlefield.

An icy moon descended into the blood river, freezing the dark-red waves.

The soul river surged backward, suppressing the shrieks of the dead.

Countless swords slashed into the black formation patterns, sending sparks flying like a shower of stars.

Corpse puppets by the thousands threw themselves into the fissures. The black wind shredded them apart, but their bones still jammed the sinking layers of earth in place.

Blood Lotus purified the resentment, while Blood Prison drew away the blood tide.

Golden Palace’s divine light propped up the passage.

Myriad Souls’ black banner devoured the escaping soul power.

Wang Hao stood at the center, the Thunder Abyss Demon Suppression Pagoda hovering above his head as the New Emperor Sword circled around him.

He did not act recklessly again.

He was waiting.

Waiting for Yin Jiuyou to destroy the formation cores.

Waiting for Old Man Heitian to reveal an opening.

Waiting to use the final Thunder Dragon where it would bring the greatest return.

Old Man Heitian’s expression twisted when he saw this scene.

“You actually obey him?”

Taiyin Martial God said coldly, “Old Man Heitian, you sacrificed the entire city in blood. You’ve provoked the fury of everyone here.”

Yellow Springs Martial God spoke in an eerie voice.

“This seat has no objection to killing Wang Hao, but before that happens, you’ll have to die first.”

Sword Ruins Martial God pointed his sword at Old Man Heitian.

“We’ll destroy the Sinking City Formation first.”

White Bone Martial God gave a strange laugh.

“Old bastard, you’re even less human than Wang Hao.”

Wang Hao corrected him.

“Watch your wording.”

“At least I pay salaries.”

The New Emperor Sword muttered, “Master, didn’t you withhold my salary?”

Wang Hao’s face remained expressionless.

“Shut up.”

The tense, oppressive battlefield strangely relaxed for a moment because of that exchange.

But in the next instant—

Old Man Heitian roared.

He thrust his black wooden staff into the ground.

The entire city of Heitian suddenly began sinking faster.

Outside the city, large numbers of disciples from the sacred grounds and demonic sects fled in terror.

Some figures at the level of old ancestors began forcibly tearing open the void, trying to take their disciples away.

But the Heitian Sinking City Formation had sealed the surrounding space.

The moment a void passage opened, the black wind tore it apart.

Screams rose one after another.

Heitian City was like a massive ship sinking into a black sea.

Everyone aboard was fighting over the last piece of driftwood.

Wang Hao looked up.

He could feel vast amounts of life force disappearing.

Among those people were disciples of sacred grounds, demonic cultivators, fugitives, black-market merchants, and even slaves, laborers, and ordinary civilians who had been dragged here.

Wang Hao was not a saint.

But he was an emperor.

He could not stand by and watch such meaningless bloodshed.

Especially when he was not the one conducting the sacrifice.

“Yin Jiuyou, are you done yet?”

Yin Jiuyou’s voice came from deep within the fissure underground.

“Your Majesty, the first formation core has been destroyed!”

Boom!

The eastern side of Heitian City shook violently.

Its descent slowed slightly.

Xue Wuhen’s voice rang out.

“The second formation core is destroyed!”

The black light on the western side collapsed.

Although Han Shanyue had not gone down with them, he still shouted excitedly from above.

“Good!”

Wang Hao looked toward the third formation eye.

That was where the black light was at its most intense.

It was also where the Old Man Heitian’s origin was connected.

Yin Jiuyou’s voice grew urgent.

“The third formation eye is guarded by the origin of a half-step Transcendent. I can’t break through it!”

The Old Man Heitian laughed wildly.

“That is the main eye of the Sinking City!”

“Unless someone can unleash a strike surpassing the Martial God peak, no one can break it!”

Everyone’s expression darkened.

Wang Hao, however, smiled.

When the Old Man Heitian saw that smile, a chill suddenly ran through his heart.

Wang Hao raised his hand.

The ninth floor of the Thunder Abyss Demon-Suppressing Pagoda opened for the final time.

The purple thunder dragon opened its eyes once more.

The Old Man Heitian’s pupils contracted sharply.

“No!”

Wang Hao said softly:

“Old man.”

“Wouldn’t you say this is a coincidence?”

“I just happen to have one more left.”

The thunder dragon roared.

Purple light illuminated the entire Black Abyss.

Wang Hao did not strike at the Old Man Heitian.

Nor did he attack the various Martial Gods.

Instead, he sent the attack directly toward the third formation eye.

The Old Man Heitian charged over like a madman.

“How dare you!”

The Demon Lord dove from the sky, covered in wounds, and smashed a fist into the Old Man Heitian’s back.

“Whether he dares or not, this lord doesn’t know.”

“But you are not getting past me.”

The Old Man Heitian staggered from the blow.

The purple thunder dragon had already plunged into the formation’s subterranean main eye.

Boom!!!

The explosion was so immense that it seemed to shake the entire Nine Provinces.

The main eye of the Black Heaven Sinking City Formation burst apart.

Countless black formation patterns snapped like withered vines.

The Black Heaven City, which had been sinking, suddenly came to a halt.

Then came the recoil!

The entire city was forced upward by a terrifying power, rising three inches.

Only three inches.

Yet those three inches gave countless people on the verge of death a chance to escape.

The experts from the sacred lands and demonic sects shot into the sky.

The iron cages in the slave market shattered, and many slaves scrambled and crawled toward the outskirts of the city.

The wandering cultivators screamed in panic.

Some shouted as they ran:

“I’m never coming back to the Black Market again!”

Someone beside him shouted angrily:

“That’s what you said last time too!”

The man collapsed.

“This time I mean it!”

Inside the Ninth Vault.

The light of the Thunder Abyss Demon-Suppressing Pagoda dimmed.

The thunder dragon on the ninth floor had been completely exhausted.

Wang Hao’s face was pale, and his body swayed slightly.

The New Emperor Sword hurriedly supported him.

“Master, are you all right?”

Wang Hao replied:

“No.”

The New Emperor Sword was startled.

“What’s wrong?”

Wang Hao looked at the dim Thunder Abyss Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, his heart aching.

“My thunder dragon is gone.”

Everyone fell silent.

At a time like this, was that really what he was worried about?

But it had to be said: if Wang Hao had not used the thunder dragon on the ninth floor twice, the Black Heaven Sinking City Formation could never have been broken.

The Old Man Heitian stood at the end of the passage, his body trembling violently.

The main eye had been destroyed.

His life box had been suppressed.

The backlash from the blood sacrifice had struck him.

At last, his cultivation fell from half-step Transcendence to the peak of the Martial God realm.

He was still terrifying.

But the despairing pressure of half-step Transcendence had vanished.

Killing intent surged in Taiyin Martial God’s eyes.

The Yellow Springs Martial God sneered.

The Sword Ruins Martial God’s sword hummed.

The experts of White Bone, Blood Lotus, Blood Prison, Golden Palace, and Myriad Souls all turned their gazes toward the Old Man Heitian.

The situation had reversed.

The Old Man Heitian realized it as well.

He glared at Wang Hao.

His eyes were filled with resentment, fury, and shock—as well as a trace of fear he could not conceal.

Wang Hao raised a hand and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

He lifted his head and revealed that familiar smile.

“Everyone.”

“The Old Man Heitian’s cultivation has fallen.”

“If we don’t attack now, when will we?”

The White Bone Martial God let out a strange laugh.

“You want us to kill him for you?”

Wang Hao shook his head.

“Not for me.”

“We’re eliminating a menace for the world.”

Everyone sneered.

Wang Hao continued:

“Of course.”

“We can also take what he has left.”

The moment he finished speaking, everyone moved.

At last, they had found a common reason.

Justice might not be enough to unite people.

But dividing the spoils was.

The Old Man Heitian roared as he met them in battle.

The Ninth Vault exploded completely.

The chaotic battle among the Martial Gods resumed.

The Demon Lord descended from the sky and landed beside Wang Hao, his aura in disarray.

He glanced at Wang Hao.

“You used your final thunder dragon.”

Wang Hao sighed.

“I did.”

The Demon Lord sneered.

“What are you going to do now?”

Wang Hao looked toward the Old Man Heitian, then toward the depths of the City Lord’s Manor, which was currently breaking apart.

There was another, even more concealed passage there.

The system’s intelligence had not mentioned it.

But Wang Hao had noticed that Zi Yuan’s gaze kept drifting toward that place.

He smiled.

“Of course we keep going.”

The Demon Lord’s eyelid twitched.

“We’re still continuing?”

Wang Hao answered seriously:

“The Old Man Heitian isn’t dead yet.”

“Black Heaven City hasn’t completely collapsed.”

“And the private treasury may not have been emptied.”

He turned his head toward Zi Yuan.

“Shopkeeper Zi.”

“Where does that path lead?”

Zi Yuan’s expression stiffened.

Everyone’s eyes instantly fell upon her.

After a long silence, Zi Yuan finally gave a bitter smile.

“It leads to the true bottom of Black Heaven City.”

“That place isn’t a treasury.”

Wang Hao’s eyes lit up.

Seeing his expression, Zi Yuan’s voice turned even more bitter.

“That is where the Old Man Heitian secluded himself for eight hundred years.”

“It is also Black Heaven City’s deepest secret.”

Wang Hao smiled.

“Then we have even more reason to go.”

He gripped the New Emperor Sword and strode toward the hidden passage.

Behind him, the Martial Gods’ battle continued to thunder.

Above them, the battle between the saints and demons still raged.

Beneath their feet, Black Heaven City was half-sunken and half-shattered, like a giant beast that had not yet breathed its last.

Wang Hao’s imperial robes were stained with blood, yet his back remained straight.

He said softly:

“Let’s go.”

“I want to see for myself.”

“Just how many disgraceful secrets this black city is still hiding.”