The Empty Realm was located in the middle of the three major imperial realms. The endless and massive Empty Realm was shrouded in the boundless brilliance of the Great Path. Mysterious and unfathomable, a horrific light of Great Path was everywhere, and even had faintly condensed into physical form, creating a huge light screen that enveloped the entire Empty Realm like a boundless matrix.
This land without a master was, in reality, governed by all three imperial realms, and it had been the cause of many explosive wars. Later, the three imperial realms agreed that the right to control the Empty Realm should be determined by the confrontation under the Saint Plane, rotating every ten years. This would avoid the never-ending battles of friction where no one would willingly give up control. Once every ten years was a term acceptable to all three imperial realms.
However, the Empty Realm was not sparsely populated because it was without master. On the contrary, the Empty Realm was extremely prosperous. Its martial traditions were extremely robust because the entire realm was bound by the rules of the Great Path. Many cultivators in the Saint Plane had crossed infinite distances and spaces to cultivate here. Over time, many characters of the Saint Plane had gathered at the Empty Realm. Some top principalities of faraway holy lands had even led the descendants of their clans to come here to cultivate, just as Xia Qingyuan had done in the beginning to go to other realms for experience. Over time, many cultivators even settled down in the Empty Realm, so that the Empty Realm of today could be said to be very populated.
Of course, the Empty Realm was not a place of unrestricted access. In order to enter the Empty Realm to cultivate, a payment of sacred spirit stones was required as the entrance fee. Therefore, every ten years, the governing realm of the Empty Realm could obtain a large number of sacred spirit stones. Furthermore, this was just a glimpse of the resources offered by the Empty Realm.
At this time, above the sky of the Empty Realm, suddenly a loud sound was heard, and the void seemed to tremble. Then, an incomparable golden light screen appeared, and countless many looked up at the sky and saw that there was a huge diagram of a matrix, like a massive matrix of space, with a beam of light shooting from the sky and falling to one side of the Empty Realm. In that direction, there was an ancient city, with many flags flying in the city, engraved with the majestic character of Xia.
“The people of Emperor Xia’s Realm have arrived,” countless people who saw this scene said to themselves. Only the three major imperial realms could make an appearance like this in the Empty Realm.
Not long ago, the armies of Emperor Xia’s Realm, Emperor Li’s Realm, and the Demon Peacock Emperor’s Realm descended and made camp. Today would be the arrival of key battle participants. Moreover, the armies that descended this time were very strong. The two great armies that were deployed were the army of Tian and the army of Dou in Emperor Xia’s Realm. These two great armies were controlled by Sacred General Tian and Sacred General Dou, with strong combative powers. The Sacred General Tian ranked number one among the eight Sacred Generals, so one could imagine the importance of this battle.
Many suspected that the leader of this war would likely be the most adored Little Princess in Emperor Xia’s Realm, Xia Qingyuan. As of now, she should be at the pinnacle of the Sage Plane, and it was possible that she would use this battle as the first battle after the growth she had achieved in cultivation.
The battle of the Empty Realm itself was meant as a way to temper the army of sages in the three major imperial realms, to train the best of those who were in the Sage Plane. Not only was the army deployed by Emperor Xia’s Realm very strong, but the same was also true for Emperor Li’s Realm and the Demon Peacock Emperor’s Realm. It was speculated that the main participants of this battle would all have surprisingly eminent backgrounds.
The light beam descended from the sky and fell inside Emperor Xia’s City. Many people had already begun to inquire who would lead the army.
At this time, in another direction, there was also an extremely radiant beam coming down, and the void trembled once again. A spatial diagram of a matrix appeared in the sky.
The cultivators of Emperor Li’s Realm had descended.
Boom. There was a dull sound that came, and in the distance, the light of space sprinkled down, rocking the void. Terrible demonic aura slid down from the sky, followed by many figures who descended with the beam of light, falling inside the Demon Peacock City. The three imperial realms seemed to have had made an agreement and had come one after another.
This sensational news spread quickly in the Empty Realm. The three imperial realms, as if with some tacit understanding, had all chosen their royal descendants as leaders of the armies.
Emperor Xia’s Realm—Princess Xia Qingyuan led the army and descended.
Emperor Li’s Realm—Prince Li Yao led the army and descended.
The Demon Peacock Emperor’s Realm—the one and only twin siblings, Kong Zhan and Kong Xuan.
At once, the Empty Realm was shaken to its core. In the wars of years past, there had never been such a situation where all three imperial realms were led by the prince or princess of the realm.
The battle this time was possibly the grandest battle of the Empty Realm in a hundred years. It could even be a battle that would determine the status of the three major imperial realms going forward. After all, it would be a direct confrontation among the descendants of the three great imperial realms, and Xia Qingyuan and both Kong Zhan and Kong Xuan were reputed to be the most outstanding descendants of Emperor Xia and the Demon Peacock Emperor.
…
In Emperor Xia’s City, the cultivators led by Xia Qingyuan descended from the sky and landed in the center of Emperor Xia’s City in the Empty Realm.
In front, there were many cultivators coming toward this side. The two who were leading had an unusually majestic aura and strapping physique. Both carried themselves with authority. Although there was no detectable breath being released, they still gave out an extremely suppressive power. Behind them, there was a group of cultivators in the Saint Plane, and further back was a horrific army of sages. At first glance, it was all great and strong cultivators.
Ye Futian and others from the Nine States trembled in their hearts. This was the war of the Upper Worlds. It was on a much grander scale than the Sacred War that had involved the ten holy lands. Moreover, this was the battle for the ten-year control of the Empty Realm. If it was a real battle of Renhuang’s Realm, what would it look like? Just imagining it gave people pause.
It was rumored that there had been many battles of extinction in the past. Before Donghuang the Great and Emperor Ye Qing unified the lands, the Divine Prefectures were also full of chaos and must have been even more so than today.
“Princess.” The two great Sacred Generals who were in the lead greeted Xia Qingyuan with a slight bow and did not give a formal greeting. After all, they were already standing at the top of the Emperor Xia’s Realm, and as Emperor Xia’s most trusted advisors, even in the presence of Emperor Xia, there was no need for them to perform formal greetings.
“Princess.” Behind the two, the mighty army saluted Xia Qingyuan, and it was a spectacular moment that shocked Emperor Xia’s City. Although the army under the jurisdiction of Emperor Xia was constituted of warriors made of iron and blood, they knew that this princess, who was greatly favored by His Majesty, was not a delicate, sheltered little girl. She was extremely outstanding in her own right and had led the powerful cultivators of all kinds to trial. Even at a young age, she had already traveled through many realms and had survived many conflicts with others. Now, she was personally visiting the battle as the most precious princess of the realm. This itself was worthy of the respect of all military personnel.
“Two Sacred Generals and everyone, thank you for coming,” Xia Qingyuan said to everyone in a clear voice. The war was about to begin, the atmosphere here was a world away from that of Emperor Xia’s Palace, solemn and reverential.
“In the battle for the Empty Realm a decade ago, Emperor Xia’s Realm was disastrously defeated. Our city was breached and attacked. Not only was the flag of Emperor Xia torn and insulted, but Emperor Xia’s City suffered numerous deaths and injuries, an incredible blow. After the war, many cultivators of the Empty Realm swore their allegiance to Emperor Li’s Realm. Now, ten years have passed. Emperor Li’s Realm has become even stronger with the momentum of their last victory, and he intends to govern the Empty Realm for another ten years. However, since His Majesty allowed the Princess to personally participate in the war, our realm will be able to regain control of the Empty Realm and wash away our shame,” the Sacred General of Tian said clearly, not at all avoiding the defeat of ten years ago.
“That’s not all. For the victory of this war, Emperor Li used inhumane means to forcibly create demi-saint cultivators. He recently came to our realm to boast,” Xia Qingyuan said to the Sacred General of Tian. In that battle, Li Yao was not really intending to ask for her hand. The two great imperial realms were on very unfriendly terms; it was not something that would escape Emperor Li. It was merely a pretext to deter them and to test their resolve.
“It must have been the doing of the imperial advisor of Dali,” the Sacred General of Tian said with indifference. Emperor Li’s Realm was also known as the Dali Dynasty. The world was ruled by imperial families so that all clan forces were obliged to obey.
The imperial advisor of Dali was a cultivator who was neither just nor evil. His cultivation was great and his methods terrifying, and he was also well-versed in the techniques of armory-making as the premier armorer of the dynasty. Aside from armory-making, he was also an expert in the dark arts and was considered to be one of the most terrible existences under Emperor Li in Dali Dynasty. It was said that prince Li Yao of the Dali Dynasty was also a disciple of his.
“Even so, Emperor Xia’s Realm will win in this battle for the Empty Realm.” Xia Qingyuan’s voice was cold and confident.
At this moment, Ye Futian suddenly vaguely understood why Xia Qingyuan had not wanted him to respond that day when Li Yao challenged him outside of Emperor Xia’s Palace. Perhaps it was because she did not want Li Yao to know his true strength. Afterward, Xia Qingyuan had also not disclosed anything regarding the battle between him and Wang Chuan until right before they left, but she disclosed the results of the battle in Lihen Heaven to everyone.
Was all this on the account of this battle? He could see that Xia Qingyuan had attached great importance to this war.
“Since the princess is so confident, there is no reason for us not to win.” The Sacred General of Tian nodded in agreement.
“After this war, all officers here are entitled to their share of the fragments of the Great Path unearthed in the Empty Realm in the next decade. Those who fight extraordinarily will be rewarded further.” Xia Qingyuan looked at the crowd. What else would motivate worldly cultivators joining the army of Emperor Xia? It was also for cultivation; to grow by fighting wars of iron and blood. But, of course, it was also for cultivation resources. The fragments of the Great Path were also the sacred spirit stones, and it was undoubtedly an extremely valuable spiritual resource to them.
At this time, the Sacred General of Tian frowned. He turned back and looked into the distance and said coldly, “The war hasn’t started yet, and Emperor Li’s Realm is already disregarding proper etiquette?”
“Apologies, Sacred General. Prince Li Yao would like to invite princess Xia Qingyuan, as well as Kong Zhan and Kong Xuan, for a get together in Kongxuan City at the Jiuxiao Tower so all three parties can meet,” the messenger spoke clearly in the void.
Xia Qingyuan looked up into the void and said, “Very well, I will go.”
“I’ll take my leave then,” the messenger replied, and the aura of the messenger disappeared.
“It seems that Li Yao is very confident, and believes that he already has the victory well in hand,” remarked the Sacred General of Tian.
“Let’s go. Since Li Yao invited us to visit, we will go and see about the leaders from Emperor Li’s Realm and the Demon Peacock Emperor’s Realm,” Xia Qingyuan said and then stepped into the void. Suddenly, many people levitated with Xia Qingyuan to depart with her.
“The army will station here.” Sacred General of Tian and Sacred General of Dou would both go, and the army would remain in Emperor Xia’s City. Those who had come with Xia Qingyuan from Emperor Xia’s Palace would follow her!