The Ceremony Begins, the Winds Stir in All Directions

The news that Xiao Sect was about to hold its founding ceremony swept across the entire Jia Ma Empire like a storm, reaching every corner of the empire in just three days.

Wutan City, once an unremarkable city within the empire, instantly became the focus of the entire empire's attention. Countless factions, experts, and spies swarmed in from every direction like sharks scenting blood.

The city's inns, large and small, had been fully booked on the first day the news spread. Latecomers had no choice but to camp outside the city. The streets teemed with people and traffic, with powerful Dou Lings and Dou Wangs visible everywhere, and even the faint, concealed auras of Dou Emperors occasionally detectable. Everyone wanted to witness with their own eyes how this newly risen force, guarded by a Dou Zun, would step onto the stage of history.

Over these three days, Xiao Sect had also been busy to the utmost. Xiao Zhan oversaw the overall situation, while the elders each performed their duties. Reception, security, venue arrangements... every task was pursued to perfection. The Mite'er Family, represented by Hai Bodong, gave their full support as well, mobilizing enormous resources and connections to ensure that nothing went wrong with the ceremony.

Queen Medusa and the Snake People Race experts she had brought also remained at Xiao Sect for the time being. Her presence alone was a powerful signal, causing many factions that still harbored certain thoughts to extinguish them completely. The deterrence of a Snake People Queen at the peak of the Dou Emperor realm was not to be underestimated.

At dawn, when the first ray of sunlight pierced the clouds and fell upon the newly expanded massive plaza at the center of Wutan City, the place was already packed with people and roaring with noise.

On the north side of the plaza stood a tall, magnificent Viewing Platform, its seats clearly divided according to rank, representing the most distinguished guests of the day. Directly before it stood a ninety-foot-high Heaven Worshiping Platform, built entirely from obsidian and radiating a solemn, dignified aura. That would be the heart of today's ceremony.

"The Imperial Family has arrived—!"

A loud announcement rang out, and the crowd automatically parted to form a passage. The Jia Ma Imperial Family's representative, an Old Prince clad in a python robe with a steady aura, walked toward the Viewing Platform with a group of Imperial Family members, their expressions complicated. Once the rulers of the empire, they now had to come lend support to a newly emerging force. The bitterness in their hearts was easy to imagine. Yet they dared not stay away. No one dared defy the will of a Dou Zun.

"Alchemist Guild President Fama has arrived—!"

Fama arrived with the guild's alchemists. Their gazes carried more curiosity and scrutiny, especially toward Xiao Yan, who could refine pills that drew Pill Lightning, and his even more unfathomable elder brother.

"The Nalan Family has arrived—!"

Nalan Jie came with the members of his family. The old man, who had once tacitly allowed the marriage annulment when Xiao Yan was down and out, now wore an expression full of regret and lamentation, lowering his stance to the extreme. Beside him, Nalan Yanran was still dressed in plain clothes. Her face had grown much thinner, and she looked at the towering Heaven Worshiping Platform with complicated eyes, her thoughts unknown.

"The Mu Family has arrived!"

"The Mite'er Family has arrived!"

The empire's three great families, the overlords of each province, the leaders of sects... prominent figures rarely seen in ordinary times had all gathered here today. Following the guides, they took their seats on the Viewing Platform one after another. Their gazes crossed, secret voice transmissions passed between them, and the atmosphere was subtle yet tense.

Everyone could feel an invisible pressure blanketing the entire plaza. It came from deep within Xiao Sect, from the aura of that Dou Zun expert who had yet to reveal himself!

As the sun climbed higher and the appointed hour approached, the clamor in the plaza gradually subsided. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the main figures to appear.

Just then—

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Nine soul-shaking bell chimes rang out from deep within Xiao Sect's residence, spreading throughout the city.

Amid the echoing bells, a terrifying pressure, vast as an abyss and mighty as the sea, descended slowly upon the entire plaza like an ancient dragon awakening!

Under that pressure, every cultivator below the Dou Wang realm turned pale, their bodies bending as their Dou Qi circulation became sluggish. Even Dou Emperors felt their breathing tighten, as if the Dou Qi within their bodies were being suppressed by something invisible!

On the Viewing Platform, the leaders of every faction changed expression in shock, their eyes filled with horror! Such might from merely leaking his aura?! Xiao Chen's strength was likely even more terrifying than they had imagined!

Under countless gazes filled with reverence, fear, and curiosity, the gates of Xiao Sect's residence slowly swung open.

The first to emerge was Sect Master Xiao Zhan. He wore formal ceremonial robes and had a solemn expression. Though he possessed only the strength of a Dou Wang, with that vast aura behind him, he appeared incomparably majestic.

Following closely behind was Xiao Yan, dressed in black robes with a straight, upright bearing. His face was resolute, his gaze sharp, and a powerful aura of a peak one-star Dou Emperor faintly radiated from him, along with an invisible flame force that made one's soul tremble! His appearance once again stirred a wave of hushed exclamations. Such a young Dou Emperor was equally a monstrous talent!

Yet in the end, everyone's gazes passed over Xiao Zhan and Xiao Yan, locking firmly onto the green-clad figure who slowly emerged behind them.

Xiao Chen!

He was still dressed in simple green robes, his black hair hanging loose and his face handsome and youthful. He released no imposing aura, merely walking calmly, like an ordinary young man from next door.

Yet it was precisely that calmness that made every expert present feel a tremor rise from the depths of their souls! With each step he took, the space beneath his feet seemed to ripple faintly, as though he had become one with heaven and earth. He was clearly right before their eyes, yet he gave them the illusion of being unreachable, as though he stood above the ninth heavens!

His indifferent gaze swept across the figures on the Viewing Platform who could stir the winds and clouds of the Jia Ma Empire, as if he were looking at a group of... insignificant ants.

At last, he stopped beneath the ninety-foot Heaven Worshiping Platform.

He slowly raised his head and looked toward the azure sky. His clear, calm voice resounded like rolling thunder, ringing distinctly in the ears of every person, in every corner of Wutan City:

"Today, Xiao Sect is established!"

"All who enter this sect shall hold protection in their hearts and self-improvement as their foundation."

"All who befriend Xiao Sect shall be treated with courtesy, as we seek a future together."

"All who become enemies of Xiao Sect..."

Xiao Chen paused slightly. Then, an icy killing intent that seemed capable of freezing souls swept outward like a storm!

"...no matter how far away they are, they shall be exterminated, their nine clans wiped out!"

Boom!

Those chilling words, combined with the boundless Dou Zun pressure, struck every heart like a tangible sledgehammer!

The entire plaza, filled with hundreds of thousands of people, fell utterly silent.

Only Xiao Chen's calm yet unquestionable voice echoed between heaven and earth, proclaiming the arrival of a new era, as well as an unchallengeable... iron-blooded rule!