The Imperial Palace behind Yunqin Emperor was incredibly ruined. The Central Continent City before him, many of its streets and alleys were also in a bit of a ruined state because of the previous Jiang Family, Zhong Family, and now battle against Wen Xuanshu.

There were some collapsed houses that were even covered in dried grass, giving one a type of abandoned and overgrown feeling.

However, Yunqin Emperor instead felt exceptionally satisfied.

Without destruction there can be no construction.

In his opinion, this was a new city, a new world.

It was just like the bugs that the white clothed scholar released in the end. With life, there would be death, then new life, and then that would also signify death.

There were too many elders who died. Only then was this brand new world formed before Changsun Jinse’s eyes.

…

Time flies like an arrow.

Deep into autumn, Purgatory Mountain’s temperature also finally dropped a bit.

Zhang Ping held a black and red colored document in his hands. His expression became extremely pale, his body continuously trembling.

While shaking, the slightly blue blood vessels under his skin bulged like streaks of runes, asa if they were going to come out of his body.

During the past southern expedition, South Tomb Province’s battles, during the battles against the massive Yunqin Empire, Purgatory Mountain had also lost too much of their forces. Deep within Purgatory Mountain Patriarch’s eyes, he saw more and more danger, which was why Purgatory Mountain needed more powerful strength.

Even though Purgatory Mountain’s origins were always a taboo topic, one one reached the level of Purgatory Mountain core disciple, they all vaguely knew that Purgatory Mountain’s cultivation methods came from the unknown land behind Purgatory Mountain, Sky Devil Prison Plains.

Sky Devil Prison Plains had many names in this world. Some people called it Hellfire Plains, some called it Devilfire Death Plains, some people called it Purgatory Plains. However, regardless of which name was used, all of the historical records regarding this unknown land was the same.

This was a place filled with volcanic openings and scattered hot springs, flame springs. There was smoke, raging flames, and magma everywhere. In the places where the legendary battles between immortals and devils took place, there might be some traces left behind, some soul weapons, some powerful cultivation methods. What was even more certain was that there were many extremely precious gemstones and special metals for soul weapon refinement not found in the outside world.

Through the recordings of hundreds of years of cultivator world’s various ancient texts, in these unknown lands where no powerful cultivators’ traces could be found, either no soul weapons or cultivation appeared, or if they did appear, they would often be soul weapons that were more formidable than what all great craftsmen in this world could make. Principal Zhang’s Big Black was precisely the representative example of this. The cultivation methods would also inevitably be like Green Luan Academy and Sanskrit Hall’s top level cultivation methods, extremely terrifying things.

During these hundreds of years, in the entire world of cultivators, there was already a public consensus that regardless of whether it really was like the legends deemed in the past, with powerful alien races that invaded, or if it was the struggle between several empires, that battle was definitely great to a degree that was hard to imagine, to the extent where it almost destroyed the world of cultivation.

Back then, the research cultivators had regarding soul force, towards runes and bodies of cultivators was definitely far greater than this world’s.

That was why these unknown lands were always a type of origin in many powerful cultivators’ eyes. Even if they could only obtain one or two soul weapon fragments from within, perhaps some runes on the surface was enough to give modern craftsmen and cultivators tremendous enlightenment, leading to this age’s most powerful soul weapons.

However, the reason why unknown lands were called unknown lands was precisely because no one in this world knew what there was inside exactly. Even if the world’s most powerful sacred level cultivators went inside of these places, the chances they could return alive were also extremely slim.

It was precisely because during these hundreds or even over a thousand years, the number of cultivators who went inside mostly all died, too many died, the deaths leaving the people terrified, the casualties to the point where almost no one could return alive that slowly, less and less people entered.

However, in reality, towards the entire Great Mang Empire’s southernmost border, towards Sky Devil Prison Plains, their exploration always continued.

Purgatory Mountain had enough serfs.

These serfs, in the eyes of those high up above in Purgatory Mountain, were no different from ants.

𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

That was why during these hundreds of years, they always drove these ants into the flames to look for things.

Ants thrown into a stove will naturally be burned. However, throughout the years, there would occasionally be one or two ants who would be lucky enough to return, bring out some things. These things, while keeping Purgatory Mountain at the very top of Great Mang, also made them more and more powerful and mysterious.

In the eyes of those at the highest level of Purgatory Mountain, those divine robed disciples weren’t all that different from ants either.

If they really had to say that there was a difference, then they were just a higher level of ants.

Purgatory Mountain Patriarch lost a lot of power. He discovered that even through using Wenren Cangyue to start this battle, even if Principal Zhang still didn’t appear, in the future, perhaps might never appear again, he saw that he still couldn’t conquer Yunqin. The threat he sensed made him more urgently need greater power… As such, he needed higher level ants.

That broken legged Purgatory Mountain elder was originally an excellent ant.

After sending that broken legged ant to Yunqin, he also needed an excellent substitute.

Large groups of ants needed to be led by an ant that was absolutely loyal to Purgatory Mountain.

Zhang Ping wasn’t an ant that was absolutely loyal to Purgatory Mountain, but he was an ant that had passed Purgatory Mountain’s loyalty test. In the eyes of all of Purgatory Mountain’s higher echelon, he was one of the most loyal ants.

That was why he received this type of order, becoming one of the high level ants required to lead a group of ants into the demonic plains.

This was something Zhang Ping originally never thought of.

He didn’t imagine that after already successfully receiving the Devil Transformation medicine, someone who would inevitably successfully cultivate Devil Transformation, someone who was destined to become one of Purgatory Mountain’s influential disciples, he was still sent out to carry out this type of order.

He knew that carrying out this order was even more dangerous than receiving Devil Transformation medicine, that his chances of survival were even slimmer.

That was why he was angry and scared, feeling like this didn’t make any sense.

However, in Purgatory Mountain, there had never been any reasoning, only obedience, servitude, acceptance, or death.

That was why he could only carry pain, pain that he couldn’t accept to the point where he harbored resentment… He thought that after he successfully cultivated Devil Transformation, there might be a day when he could face that beautiful face he could never forget. However, why did all of this world’s most unfortunate things all seem to land on him?

However, he still had no choice but to submit and obey.

…

Within the Yunqin deep autumn that was a bit colder, a chubby youngster walked through a certain South Tomb Province military department while holding a pile of scrolls.

His astonishing memory and logical deduction ability made him more and more important in the military, his position reaching higher and higher. Only, what left some of the military’s high level officers a bit dissatisfied was that this youngster named Meng Bai seemed a bit too weak and timid.

...

“Who would have thought that True Dragon Mountain had this many secrets.”

In Meteor City, under a similar autumn radiance, Lin Xi who sat next to a windowside desk closed the scroll in his hands, releasing a light sigh.

On a chair next to him sat Grand Secretary Zhou dressed in ordinary thin cotton clothes.

“Immortal Academy no longer exists, Thunder Academy has already become his private army. Hu Family lost their power, Rong Family have fully expressed their attitude. In the eyes of ordinary Yunqin people, this is a sacred miracle that represents Changsun Clan’s inviolable imperial power. He has already swept through all of what he believes to be obstacles.” Grand Secretary Zhou released a deep sigh.

Lin Xi said calmly, “There is only one greatest obstacle left.”

Grand Secretary Zhou gave Lin Xi a look, saying somewhat bitterly. “There is already no way of redeeming everything.”

Lin Xi’s expression was extremely respectful, but he still looked into Grand Secretary Zhou’s eyes, saying, “I thought that you would still try to stop this or redeem this situation.”

Grand Secretary Zhou shook his head with a forced smile, and then gave the autumn radiance outside the window a look. “I have been with him longer than anyone else, which is why I understand him better than all of you. That is why I know that regardless of what I do, the next thing he will do is precisely to wage war against Green Luan Academy.”

“I have never had thoughts of changing this world, I have always been quite the lazy person. I have also promised some things to Changsun Wujiang, but I am always being pushed to do some things. This time, I already cannot step back anymore.” Lin Xi looked at Grand Secretary Zhou, saying quietly, “I can only take the initiative to face this battle.”

Grand Secretary Zhou nodded.

He didn’t say anything, but his nod already expressed his attitude.

This made Lin Xi feel gratified, feel even more respect.

In his previous impression, he always felt like Grand Secretary Zhou was someone who was deathly loyal to the point where he was inflexible. However, he now discovered that Grand Secretary Zhou always only wished for this empire to become a better place, wished to use the gentlest methods to improve this empire.

“The emperor has won this great battle, regaining reverence, but similarly revealed True Dragon Mountain’s secrets… This True Dragon Mountain definitely needs a set amount of time to prepare, or else he wouldn’t have had so many people rush in to stall for time. That is why during the battle between him and Green Luan Academy, I feel like there is still a chance for victory.” Lin Xi looked at Grand Secretary Zhou, bowing deeply in respect. “This junior has one request.”

Grand Secretary Zhou bowed, returning the greeting. “What request?”

“I ask Grand Secretary Zhou to leave Yunqin.” Lin Xi raised his head to look at him. “I want your respected self and my family to leave together, to head for Tangcang.”

“Because this war has already started, all of Yunqin might become a battlefield, I must start my preparations now, I must ensure that there are no lingering worries.” Lin Xi looked at Grand Secretary Zhou, saying seriously, “Vice Principal Xia also believes that Tangcang will be the safest place.”

“I agree to your request. Perhaps by going to Tangcang, I can be of a bit of use.” Grand Secretary Zhou nodded. He looked at Lin Xi. “However, I have a request as well.”

Lin Xi asked, “What request?”

“Before I leave Yunqin, you and Yanan should just get married.” Grand Secretary Zhou smiled, and then said quietly, “Help me take care of Yanan.”