Chapter 174 : The Great Xia Emperor Personally Arrives
Chapter 174: The Great Xia Emperor Personally Arrives
“Rumble…”
At that moment, a deafening roar echoed out.
The earth trembled, and even the ancient trees several meters thick around them shook slightly, leaves falling in droves.
“What is that?”
The six guards exclaimed in shock, their faces filled with astonishment.
Even Xiaolan and Li Yunqing were somewhat stunned at this moment.
Golden creatures resembling horses appeared, their bodies covered in a layer of scales that shimmered with a faint glow.
Each stood three meters tall, their limbs as thick as elephant legs, their bodies as solid as stone walls—yet their speed was no slower than that of ordinary horses.
A full hundred of them marched in two rows, like a vanguard army, following behind the banner-bearing soldiers.
Wherever they passed, the earth shook as if giant beasts were trampling through.
Seated atop them were armored figures—each possessing Profound Realm cultivation, their auras formidable.
Their eyes gleamed sharply as they scanned their surroundings with utmost vigilance.
“These are soldiers from the Central Region?”
“What terrifying presence!”
“People of the Central Region are actually this strong? Even the banner bearers are in the Qi Realm!”
“And the hundred riding those golden mounts are all in the Profound Realm!”
Seeing this scene, the six guards cried out in disbelief, utterly shaken.
Such a spectacle was beyond anything they could have imagined.
Qi Realm experts carrying banners, Profound Realm experts riding golden mounts as the vanguard.
In the Great Yu Imperial Dynasty, even an imperial procession could not compare to a fraction of this.
“The Central Region is truly this powerful…”
Li Yunqing also sighed in awe, her eyes filled with shock.
Compared to the Central Region, the entire Great Yu felt like a remote village.
“Roar!”
Suddenly, a furious roar erupted from within the Immortal God Forbidden Zone, a terrifying aura spreading outward.
In the next moment, a gaunt giant ape with golden fur and black mist swirling around its body was stirred by the commotion.
It charged toward the crowd with a ferocious roar.
Its eyes were blood-red, devoid of pupils, its body surrounded by deathly aura, filled with madness and brutality like a demonic creature.
It stood over ten meters tall.
As it rushed forward, the ground shook violently, rocks and soil flying everywhere.
Trees snapped as it barreled through them, the cracking sounds like bones breaking, echoing in everyone’s ears.
“This is an evil god demon!”
“The commotion has drawn out a demon!”
Seeing the black-mist-covered golden ape, the six guards inhaled sharply, cold sweat streaming down their foreheads.
Fortunately, they themselves had not made such a disturbance.
Otherwise, before Li Yunqing could even act, they would have been devoured alive.
“Hmph! A demon dead for who knows how many years still dares to act so wildly!”
At that moment, a cold snort sounded from afar.
In the next instant, a soldier clad in golden armor leapt out from the forest, spear in hand.
The spear in his grasp descended like a divine mountain, hurled directly at the giant ape.
At that moment, thunder seemed to roar across heaven and earth.
The spear turned into a bolt of lightning, shooting toward the ape.
“Puchi!”
Wrapped in lightning, the spear pierced straight through the ape’s chest.
It carried the massive body backward, dragging it several meters across the forest.
“Boom!”
Even the dim sky seemed to change—dark clouds gathered, lightning flashing.
Bolts struck intermittently, all converging upon the spear.
The ape was engulfed in lightning, rapidly disintegrating, the scent of burnt flesh spreading through the air.
“So strong… is that the Divine Realm?”
“A Divine Realm expert?”
“Even Divine Realm experts are just vanguards in the Central Region?”
Seeing that figure, the guards nearly suffocated in shock.
At this moment, they truly understood the might of the Central Region.
Before they could process it further, more armored figures approached from behind.
Each radiated an aura like roaring thunder, clad in golden armor, wielding long spears, walking upon the air itself.
Their presence rippled outward like waves.
There were twenty such figures.
“Ten Qi Realm banner bearers, a hundred Profound Realm vanguard riders, and twenty Divine Realm path-openers!”
“Is this an emperor’s procession?”
“No—even an emperor’s procession wouldn’t require such grandeur, would it?”
The guards were utterly overwhelmed with shock.
Even Xiaolan stood with her mouth slightly open, stunned.
Such power and spectacle were unimaginable in the Great Yu.
Even gathering all of Great Yu’s Divine and Profound Realm experts would not amount to a hundred.
“The Central Region is truly terrifying…”
Li Yunqing felt a deep shock rise within her heart.
At this moment, she truly felt how insignificant Great Yu was.
“Wuuuu…”
After the twenty Divine Realm experts passed, melodious music began to drift through the air.
Like spring water, it gently flowed over every soldier and mount.
The previously restless golden mounts calmed instantly.
Even the soldiers seemed soothed, their expressions becoming steady and composed.
“There are even women accompanying the procession?”
Hearing the music, everyone looked toward the distance.
A massive war chariot, three zhang wide, was being pulled by sixteen golden warhorses, charging forward.
Upon it sat twenty women dressed in flowing garments.
Some played flutes, others beat drums, plucked zithers, or struck bells.
Their combined melodies formed a harmonious and soothing composition, spreading silently through the forest.
Where the music reached, all things fell into tranquility, as if calmed by an invisible force.
“This is sound-based attack.”
Li Yunqing understood immediately.
Each of those women possessed Profound Realm strength, cultivating sound techniques.
This was likely a massive investment to open a path through the Immortal God Forbidden Zone.
Or perhaps the Central Region was simply so prosperous that such resources were commonplace.
“Rumble…”
As the music played, more tremors came from behind.
A vast army of soldiers appeared—armored, carrying spears, swords at their waists, bows on their backs—marching in perfect formation.
There were tens of thousands of them, each at least at the Upper Tier of the Initial Realm.
“So this is the Central Region?”
“Initial and Qi Realm like dogs? Profound and Divine Realm everywhere?”
Such a thought suddenly arose in Li Yunqing’s mind.
She finally understood why that outsider Luo Xuan possessed Profound-Breaking Pills and Ascension Pills.
The Central Region was vast and resource-rich, filled with countless precious and divine medicines.
Even lifespan-extending elixirs were abundant, allowing Divine Realm experts to live another five hundred years.
In Great Yu, reaching four hundred years was already a blessing.
“Rumble…”
After the massive army passed, yet another war chariot appeared.
Its golden body was engraved with countless dragon patterns, like scales.
Dense runes glowed faintly across its surface.
Pulled by nine dragon-like creatures, it floated three zhang above the ground as it advanced.
An incense burner stood atop it, releasing fragrant wisps into the air.
A grand canopy hung overhead, with sheer veils drifting gently around it.
At the center of the chariot, a figure reclined lazily, resting his chin on one hand, listening to two figures reporting beside him.
“Reporting to the Emperor, the Northern Region is ruled by Great Yu, with five Divine Realm experts and around forty to fifty Profound Realm experts.”
“The Emperor of Great Yu’s intentions are unclear. He was slain within the palace by the Sword Fairy, who entered alone—destroying the entire imperial palace.”
“The Emperor’s prodigies have mostly been seen. The only ones unaccounted for are the Sword God Ying Jiu and the Sword Saint of Cangshan.”
“The Sword Fairy is their disciple, also known as the Number One Beauty Under Heaven, Fairy Yunqing.”
“I have received word that the Sword Fairy is the Path Pioneer.”
“However, communication within the Immortal God Forbidden Zone is difficult, and her current location is unknown.”
The two figures bowed deeply, cold sweat covering their foreheads.
Before the Great Xia Emperor, even their Profound Realm cultivation was suppressed.
It was like standing before an insurmountable divine mountain.
Though the Emperor made no movement, spoke no word, and released no aura, they did not even dare breathe heavily.
His presence far surpassed that of the Emperor of Great Yu—
The difference was like that between a firefly and the bright moon.
“Reporting to the Emperor—there are people ahead!”
At that moment, a sharp voice rang out.
Instantly, everyone halted.
Countless gazes shifted like lightning, all landing on Li Yunqing, Xiaolan, and the six guards.
At that instant, Xiaolan and the guards trembled, lowering their heads instinctively.
Under the gaze of so many experts—many of them in the Profound and Divine Realms—the pressure was unimaginable.
Especially the soldiers, whose killing intent surged like a battlefield storm—one glance was enough to shake the soul.
Even Li Yunqing felt some pressure at this moment.
Were it not for her Heart of Nature, her clear mind, and her Dao Realm strength, she too might have been overwhelmed.
“Tap, tap, tap…”
Amid the gazes of the army, footsteps suddenly sounded behind Li Yunqing.
In the next moment, Sword God Ying Jiu, the Sword Saint of Cangshan, Jiang Xiuning, Lu Xingzhou, Xun Fei, along with Ying Qianqian and eight Sword God Sect disciples, stepped forward together.
Li Yunqing’s Five Elements incarnation also turned into a streak of light and merged back into her body.
Seeing the powerful army, both Sword God Ying Jiu and the Sword Saint of Cangshan grew solemn.
“These are Central Region experts… so strong!”
Shock filled their hearts, yet their eyes shone with battle intent.
Exchanging a glance, they stepped forward to stand beside Li Yunqing, confronting the army.
At the slightest sign of trouble, a great battle would erupt.
“Those two are Sword God Ying Jiu and the Sword Saint of Cangshan!”
“Wait… they came out of Wuwang Mountain?”
“Your Majesty, that woman is the Sword Fairy!”
The two reporting figures quickly bowed again, speaking with even greater respect.
The Great Xia of the Central Region was overwhelmingly powerful.
Compared to it, Great Yu was like an ant before an elephant.
If relying on Great Yu alone, opening a path through the Forbidden Zone would take years.
Yet Great Xia had already carved through a third of it.
Thousands of Profound Realm, hundreds of Divine Realm, Qi Realm everywhere—
And this was said to be less than a third of their total strength.
“Whoosh!”
At that moment, the grand canopy of the imperial chariot lifted without wind.
The veils parted as if moved by an invisible force.
A tall, imposing man in a golden dragon robe stepped out.
The Emperor of Great Xia—Di Qing.
The moment a path through the Forbidden Zone was opened, he had personally set out toward Great Yu.
He was the undisputed supreme ruler of the Central Region, commanding absolute authority.
All Divine Realm experts followed his command.
A peak Divine Realm expert, with faint traces of Dao Realm aura surrounding him—
Clearly, with the emergence of the Path Pioneer, he had already stepped halfway into the Dao Realm.
With hands behind his back, Di Qing stepped into the air, his gaze sweeping across Sword God Ying Jiu and the Sword Saint of Cangshan, giving a slight nod.
Finally, his eyes settled on Li Yunqing.
With a single glance, he seemed to behold a tranquil moon illuminating the world.
Her beauty was unparalleled, her temperament gentle. Within her eyes flowed endless spring-like tenderness.
Like an immortal standing apart from the world—yet also like the mother of all living beings.
In that instant, Di Qing understood—she was the Path Pioneer he sought.
The one who could bless the entire Great Xia Empire.
Under everyone’s gaze, Di Qing descended slowly to the ground.
Ten zhang away from Li Yunqing, he clasped his hands, bowed deeply, and bent his body in full respect.
“Di Qing, Emperor of Great Xia, respectfully invites the Path Pioneer to enter the Central Region!”