"Who has surrounded us? I took advantage of the chaos, secretly utilized the Black Emperor Tidal Banner, and retrieved some treasures from the Tianwu Treasure without alarming anyone. Cultivating here now is merely to consolidate my cultivation base before returning to the Taiyi Sect. It is impossible that I would have alarmed anyone."
Yan Shuitian was shocked. She immediately retracted the power of the Black Emperor Tidal Banner, turning it into an inconspicuous three-inch-long small banner, hiding it between her eyebrows, and then prepared to leap up and fly away.
But right at this moment, multiple streams of power created numerous blockades outside this massive meteorite. Pillars of light thousands of miles long stretched across the sky, within which a large hand composed of light manifested, grabbing down viciously towards Yan Shuitian.
"This is bad!"
Yan Shuitian saw this large hand of light and realized it was a full several realms higher than her own. It contained immortal matter; it was absolutely an expert above the longevity fifth tier, the "Creation Realm". Although she had cultivated to the Cave Heaven Realm and possessed a Peerless Dao Artifact, the opponent's power was too tyrannical. Furthermore, the opponent was not just one person, but a massive group. Among them were experts at the Cave Heaven Realm, experts at the Cosmic Light Realm, and some servants at the Undying Body and Ten Thousand Lifespans Realms.
Densely packed, they appeared in the air.
"Weak Water Tides, Three Thousand Laws of Water."
The Black Emperor Tidal Banner moved slightly, manifesting all the weak water and transforming it into a massive palm, equally resisting the large hand of light.
As the two briefly collided in the air, a cold snort issued from the large hand of light. It unexpectedly transformed into a thousand layers of hand seals. One hand seal after another wrapped the weak water palm within, clashing against each other. Within a space spanning three thousand miles, violent explosions erupted, with heaven-shaking booms ringing out everywhere.
In this lightning-fast exchange of blows, Yan Shuitian let out a muffled groan, and the weak water palm of the Black Emperor Tidal Banner also instantly dispersed.
"Yan Shuitian, this is the Holy Light Dharma Seal from the Great Light Technique, the most intense of them all. Under the illumination of this light, my primordial spirit will suffer damage; I cannot contend against it for you. Unless you have enough pure yang essence qi to burn and activate various formations, I cannot expend my vitality to fend off the enemies for you."
Suddenly, that black-clad woman spoke: "Moreover, I have a very significant connection with the Holy Light Empire. I cannot conflict with them. There is still a possibility for you to reconcile with them now."
"Despicable, this Peerless Dao Artifact does not listen to my commands!" Yan Shuitian was exceedingly furious in her heart. However, she now knew that the artifact spirit of the Black Emperor Tidal Banner was not her slave and had not been refined by her. It belonged to the category of an "elder" or "guest卿" that she had recruited and needed to be treated with respect. Furthermore, she simply could not order this artifact spirit around.
Originally, Supreme Emperor Heaven's plan was for Yan Shuitian and Chirongtian to collect the Flame Emperor Fire Dragon Cauldron and the Black Emperor Tidal Banner, lure them back to the sect, and then use the Eternal Divine Furnace and True Immortal power to thoroughly refine them, adding two true dual Gods of Water and Fire to the sect. But now, the situation had changed, and Yan Shuitian could not thoroughly control the artifact spirit of the Black Emperor Tidal Banner.
"Since that is the case, I still hope Senior can speak up and resolve this grievance."
In her heart, Yan Shuitian was simultaneously calculating and planning how to escape and bring the Black Emperor Tidal Banner back to the Taiyi Sect. As long as she brought it back to the Taiyi Sect, everything could be easily resolved.
"Everyone from the Holy Light Empire, I am good friends with Xuan Wugu. What is the meaning behind you coming here to lay siege now?"
The Black Emperor Tidal Banner let out a long howl, turning into a ball of water light that wrapped around Yan Shuitian, its voice rolling out.
Swoosh swoosh swoosh!
Instantly, that large hand of light dispersed, revealing a youth wearing a long robe of light, looking like a person made of light. This youth had his eyebrows raised, displaying arrogance and cold sternness. Especially the imposing aura on his body, it was like a sharp longsword piercing the blue sky, looking around in all directions, making the four quarters come to pay homage.
Evidently, the one who had manifested the large hand of holy light just now was this youth.
Standing behind this youth were a man and a woman. It was exactly Xuan Ying and Xuan Xia, the powerful existences who had released a Void Immortal talisman in front of Fang Han and then fled without a trace, two "Cave Heaven Realm" experts at the longevity third tier who had comprehended the laws of space.
Besides this, flanking the youth were nine experts. Each expert wore clothes of different colors, possessing independent personalities. Their bodies seemed to be purely condensed from a type of light, yet flesh and blood flowed within them. It seemed they had cultivated a strange cultivation method. The eyes of these nine experts flashed, radiating sharp glints. Yan Shuitian could feel that every single person's power was far above hers. Even their realms were above hers.
The youth made of light, the nine experts, Xuan Ying, and Xuan Xia. These were figures at the longevity third tier or above.
And surrounding these five core figures were over a hundred people dressed in servant-like clothing standing there. Among them, twenty-four were tyrannical figures with Undying Bodies. The rest were all giants at the Ten Thousand Lifespans Realm.
First tier Ten Thousand Lifespans Realm, second tier Undying Body—in front of this youth, they could only act as servants.
This showed just how great the power and authority of this youth were.
"The Great World of Holy Light is a faction ranked in the top ten among the three thousand great worlds. In it, the Holy Light Empire occupies seventy percent of the territory. Their Dao techniques are extremely tyrannical, flourishing and prosperous, vastly larger than even the Limitless Star Palace. Who knows what kind of figure this youth is in the Great World of Holy Light?"
Seeing the formation clearly, Yan Shuitian's heart chilled.
"Over a hundred servants, all figures at the Ten Thousand Lifespans and Undying Body realms. Such a formation, even the Supreme Sect Leader of our Taiyi Sect in the Xuanhuang Great World could not possibly muster such grand prestige."
"Third Prince, this is the woman who seized the Black Emperor Tidal Banner. Furthermore, the artifact spirit of that Black Emperor Tidal Banner has deep ties with our Xuan Family's ancestor, Ancestor Wugu, yet enticed by others, she unexpectedly did not follow us to the Great World of Holy Light. We implore the Third Prince to take action and capture this person."
Xuan Xia spoke in front of the Third Prince.
"Oh?"
This Third Prince, the youth made of light, looked at Yan Shuitian, and subsequently, crystal light burst forth from his eyes: "It's actually the reincarnation of the Water God Primordial Spirit…"
"You are the Third Prince of the Holy Light Empire?" The artifact spirit of the Black Emperor Tidal Banner, the black-clad woman, spoke. She seemingly did not throw her weight around, deeply knowing the formidable nature of the Holy Light Empire. Moreover, this youth's cultivation was at the peak of the longevity fifth tier, the Creation Realm, and she could not do anything to him.
"Correct. This Peerless Dao Artifact of yours was personally refined by Immortal Venerable Panwu. Although the quality is not perfect, requiring the five elements to unite, and its power can be considered at the bottom among Peerless Dao Artifacts, it is still a Peerless Dao Artifact after all. Our Holy Light Empire favors it very much." The Third Prince said: "Submit to our Holy Light Empire, and you can obtain supreme glory, the holy light illuminating all, boundless heaven and earth."
As the Third Prince spoke, he was exceedingly domineering, revealing an aura that made all things submit. This was an innate temperament brought about by holding high positions and heavy authority.
"This, Third Prince, my nature loves freedom, roaming the heavens and earth. Please forgive me for being unable to comply." The black-clad woman said.
"Hmph! Refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit! You are merely a lower-grade item among Peerless Dao Artifacts. Do you think you are the Spoon of the Barren God, or the Seal of the Common People? Or the Emperor of Heaven's Mirror, the Emperor of Earth's Book, the Human Emperor Pen?" Suddenly, a large man beside the Third Prince stepped forward, a mocking smile appearing on his face.
"Marquis Judin, do not be impulsive." The Third Prince waved his hand slightly, stopping this large man from speaking. This large man evidently held an extremely high status in the Great Holy Light Empire and possessed a title of nobility.
"Yes, Third Prince."
This large man, Marquis Judin, stepped back. Standing with his hands behind his back, he naturally possessed an aura that looked down upon the world. The light condensing on his palms contained one of the most terrifying powers in the world.
"The reason you are following this woman is nothing more than her being the reincarnation of the Water God Primordial Spirit. But that doesn't matter; I'll just recruit her under my banner as well." The Third Prince looked at Yan Shuitian: "You are the Vice Sect Leader of the Taiyi Sect in the Xuanhuang Great World? But that is nothing. Even in the Immortal Realm, the Taiyi Sect is merely a small sect, only able to be allocated less than three quotas to ascend to the Immortal Realm every tens of thousands of years. It has no future. My Holy Light Empire, on the other hand, is a major sect in the Immortal Realm. The choice is yours."
"This Third Prince, what if I choose to leave? Will you let me leave?" Yan Shuitian asked.
"You may, but you must leave this Black Emperor Tidal Banner behind. Furthermore, you have violated the laws of my Holy Light Empire. I am the Third Prince of the Holy Light Empire, holding a lofty status. All cultivators must kneel upon seeing me. Yet you did not kneel; you must accept the sanctions of the laws of my Great World of Holy Light."
The Third Prince said coldly: "Marquis Luling, read to her the laws of my Holy Light Empire."
"Yes!"
Another expert stepped forward, one of the nine great experts. He was a Marquis of the Holy Light Empire. Expressionless, this Marquis announced: "Those who show disrespect to the imperial family: if male, their entire clan shall be executed; if female, their divine abilities and dharma power shall be sealed, and they shall serve as official prostitutes."
"You! Kill!" Hearing this "Marquis Luling" announce the laws of the Holy Light Empire, Yan Shuitian could not help but change her expression. She was also the Vice Sect Leader of the Taiyi Sect, holding great power, having killed an unknown number of formidable figures. Now, encountering someone who actually used laws to sanction her, how could she not be utterly enraged?
In the Xuanhuang Great World, as long as one cultivated to the Divine Ability Secret Realm, they could ignore the laws of the mortal world. Even emperors had to be respectful, and killing people like flies was nothing.
Let alone a figure of Yan Shuitian's status.
Her body shifted, bringing along the Black Emperor Tidal Banner. The Great Five Elements Technique within Yan Shuitian's body, along with a surge of pure yang essence qi, poured out, activating its power. A long river of weak water surged outward, shuttling through the void, piercing space to vanish.
"Hmph! Acting aggressively while the laws of my Holy Light Empire are being read is a grave disrespect to my laws, and furthermore, a capital crime!" This Marquis Luling moved his body, manipulating space. Spatial vortexes appeared at the place where Yan Shuitian flickered, unexpectedly dragging Yan Shuitian completely out from the spatial gaps.
The cultivation of this Marquis Luling was actually that of an expert at the peak of the laws of space, major completion, a major figure who could step into the Cosmic Light Realm at any time. With such a cultivation base, it was no wonder he could obtain the title of Marquis within the Holy Light Empire.