Chapter 718: Ten Years

Li Pin wiped the blood from his body.

After a long pause, he slowly raised his head and swept his gaze across the crowd.

Wherever his eyes landed, the tier nine and ten martial artists all turned pale and lowered their heads. Not one dared to meet his gaze.

"I intend to establish the World Martial Association, with myself as its first chairman. From now on, all martial artists must follow the rules set by the association to uphold global stability and peace."

His voice cut through the oppressive silence hanging over the Tiangong Summit.

"Who stands with me, and who stands against me?"

The moment the words left his mouth, the air seemed to freeze. Then, one by one, representatives from the world's top factions began to speak.

The pioneers had long infiltrated these factions. Now, they were the only ones left to represent them, and they quickly made their stance clear.

"I'm in! Count me among your ranks."

"The Skycloud Sword Sect will join the World Martial Association."

"Heaven's Gate will follow the Association's command from this day forward."

"Dragon Spring Sect fully supports Chairman Li's every decision!"

Their declarations were the final blow to the last remnants of resistance.

They stared at the blood-soaked ground, their minds drifting to Li Pin's subordinates—each one a match for Supreme Experts. Then came the memory of the recently unveiled doomsday weapons, terrifying enough to render sheer numbers meaningless.

Despair crept in.

Those who survived had lost the will to resist.

𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

No matter how deep their resentment ran, the brutal reality of death and destruction left them with no choice. One by one, the remaining tier nine and ten martial artists lowered their heads.

"Mirror Mountain submits."

"Chairman Li, you are the world champion. The Sole Church bows in deference and awaits your command."

"The Celestial Mystery Tower is also willing to join the World Martial Association. Please, grant us a way forward."

In this era still ruled by martial might, the battle had shattered nearly all major factions.

Hidden forces might still lurk behind these organizations, but the World Martial Association held the moral high ground. From here on, it was just a matter of time before they swept through the rest, one by one.

At this rate, Li Pin wouldn't even need to act personally. Within three to five months, the others would have dealt with the last pockets of resistance.

With that, the fate of the Celestial Barren was sealed.

***

Nearly all world-class leaders had been wiped out, yet the world remained surprisingly stable.

Within each faction, young elites quickly rose to the occasion, bringing remarkable efficiency in stabilizing their organizations.

These individuals were exceptionally talented. At a young age, they had already demonstrated strength on par with tier nine martial artists. It was foreseeable that they would one day become Supreme Experts.

With Li Pin publicly proclaiming himself the strongest in the world and announcing the founding of the World Martial Association along with its regulations, all eyes turned to him.

His bold actions stirred the hatred of countless world-class factions, many of whom now sought to unite and eliminate the man who had slaughtered more than half of the world's top leaders.

However, none of the remaining Tier Ten Supreme Experts dared to make a move. No one knew the full extent of Li Pin's strength, the power behind him, or the threat posed by his rumored doomsday weapons.

Instead, they schemed and forged alliances, plotting with other elite factions to strike a decisive blow.

However, many elite martial artists were still in the Twin Moon Domain, striving for a breakthrough to Quasi-Legend or even true Legend. Summoning them back and forming new alliances would take time. A swift response could take one to two months, while a slower effort might stretch to three to five months.

Under these circumstances, they deliberately retreated into the shadows, pushing the younger generation, whose backgrounds had yet to be fully uncovered, to the front lines.

If their plan failed and Li Pin retaliated, it would be those young talents who paid the price. As for them, they could always escape to the Twin Moon Domain.

However, they believed Li Pin might fall under their combined assault. And if that happened, with their tier ten strength, some even reaching Tier Eleven Quasi-Legend status, coupled with the immense influence they had cultivated over countless years, regaining control from these Tier Nine juniors would be a simple task.

Given these factors, and with Li Pin alone having crushed dozens of Tier Ten Supreme Experts and demonstrated strength rivaling a Tier Twelve Legend, the remaining world-class factions had no choice but to comply. The world had settled into an eerie calm.

Though it was the stillness before a storm, conflicts, chaos, and wars had momentarily paused. In many ways, Li Pin had already achieved his goal. Now, it was a matter of maintaining this order.

For Li Pin and the pioneers who stood by him, this was no difficult task. As for the old supreme martial artists lurking in the shadows? Once they retreated, they would never rise again.

***

In Xiaya City, the scene had shifted. Instead of being at the foot of Mountain Qingyuan, the setting was now an office building not far from it. One by one, the pioneers reported to Li Pin.

"Huang Ze's legion has wiped out all resistance forces of the Aurora Empire. The entire empire is now under our control."

"Nearly half of the ten major groups in the Scarlet Flame Nation are now in our hands. We effectively control its government."

"Xiya remains stable. All martial forces have been thoroughly purged and brought under the control of the World Martial Association. Some sharp-eyed investors have begun pouring in, recognizing the immense potential for future growth. It's clear that Xiya will undergo massive development in the coming years. It's only a matter of time before it becomes the center of the Eastern God Continent, if not the entire world."

Fang Chunyang, Xu Anping, Zhao Tiangang, and the others continued to relay updates.

"During the purge of the Aurora Empire's resistance forces, many major families collapsed. Those who had committed countless atrocities were entirely eradicated. The Gu family also suffered a severe blow. Their pillar, Gu Xingbai, along with the most outstanding members of the younger generation, such as Gu Wendao, were almost completely wiped out."

Lie Qingqing stepped forward. "With their backbone gone, the Gu family has splintered under external pressure. As you instructed, I gave them a little push in the right direction. Now, some have fled to Scarlet Flame Nation, while others have made their way to the Western Flame Continent. However, Gu Lingying's branch has returned to Xiaya City."

She added, "Because Gu Lingying's maternal aunt married into Xiaya, their branch still holds some assets here. They may never rise to power again, but they should be able to live comfortably as wealthy individuals."

Li Pin nodded in acknowledgment.

Sixteen years ago, Xiya was still a colony of the Radiant Empire, one of the world's superpowers. Back then, the Radiant Empire was far more prosperous and powerful than the Aurora Empire, which had only recently stabilized internally.

With the Radiant Empire heavily investing in Xiya's economy, the coastal city thrived. Its rapid development, combined with a culture that valued strength, attracted many citizens from the Aurora Empire looking for new opportunities. Some even married into what was once a colonial city of the Radiant Empire, settling down and building new lives.

Gu Lingying's aunt was among them.

This was also why, two years ago, Gu Lingying had studied at Blue Ocean Music Academy in Xiya City.

Even after Xiya gained independence, many from the landlocked Aurora Empire still viewed Xiya as theirs to claim.

Currently, Xiya was home to over a hundred thousand residents of Aurora Empire origin, including students like Gu Lingying. The Aurora Empire had even stationed several hundred troops in the city to maintain its presence.

"For now, maintain this course," Li Pin instructed. "Our priority over the next six months is global stability. As for what comes after that..."

He smiled. "The entire Celestial Barren Domain will already be within our grasp."

Fang Chunyang and the others nodded.

In another six months, pioneers like Mu Yunsheng, Huang Ze, and Zhi Xuan—some of the most exceptional among them—would reach the Tier Eleven Quasi-Legendary Realm. By then, their strength would rival that of true Legends.

As for the Tier Ten Supreme Experts and those with comparable combat prowess, there were no fewer than eight hundred, possibly even a thousand. With such overwhelming strength, no global faction could pose a threat.

"Captain, what about the Twin Moon Domain?"

"It's irrelevant," answered Li Pin calmly. "The only concern is preventing its turmoil from affecting Celestial Barren. In fact, we should cut off all information flow between the two worlds. No one needs to know what's happening there."

"Ignore the Twin Moon Domain?" Fang Chunyang was momentarily surprised. "But what about Bai Lizhu, the owner of the divine treasure world?"

"I have plans for her," Li Pin said. "Once we have enough power to crush the Twin Moon Domain, we'll bring her along. She'll settle her score with the Immortal God Emperor there, and at the same time, we'll ensure that those Demigods behave."

Upon hearing this, the others stopped questioning. They had only meant to offer a reminder. Since their captain already had everything planned out, there was no need for further concern. Following his lead was the best course of action.

***

Everything unfolded just as Li Pin had predicted.

After fleeing to Xiaya, the Gu Family no longer held the arrogance they once did. Even Gu Xinghe, their new patriarch, lost all motivation as the Aurora Empire fell completely under Xiaya's control. His ambitions collapsed, leaving him in quiet despair.

Gu Wei'er, however, for various reasons, ended up helping reunite Gu Lingying and Baili Qingfeng.

With no more obstacles or outside interference, the rest of their college years, spanning from the latter half of junior year through senior year, became the perfect setting for an idyllic campus romance.

As for Shi Yiyi... she quickly found her footing as the face of both the Thunder Sect and Xiaya's younger martial community, just as Baili Changkong had foreseen.

The World Martial Association sought to guide the restless energy of martial artists by organizing national martial arts tournaments. Naturally, the responsibility of promoting this vision fell to Shi Yiyi.

With strong support from both the World Martial Association and the Thunder Sect, she rose to prominence. Her martial prowess and positive image made her a role model for young martial artists, turning her into a dazzling presence in the martial world.

She embraced this new chapter of life and gradually let go of the memories tied to Mountain Qingyuan.

Time moved on in quiet peace.

In the blink of an eye, ten years had passed.