Hengshan Dao had once belonged to the seventy-two prefectures across Great Yan's eight circuits.
For a thousand years, Anomalies had run rampant, countless cities had been destroyed, and Great Yan's influence over the various regions had waned.
The Kunlun Divine Palace had seized the opportunity to rise, dominating all of Hengshan Dao and becoming the de facto ruler of this vast territory.
The Kunlun Divine Palace sat in the Thousand Jin Mountains. At their foot stretched an endless plain, while palace after palace rose from the mountainside, occupying the entire range.
It was said that every day, even to light incense and put out the lamps, the people of the Kunlun Divine Palace had to ride Dragon-Jiao horses.
At that moment, from the depths of this immense complex, the Kunlun Divine Palace's Great Elder, Wang Zhen'e, strode out with a solemn expression. He addressed the many elders, stewards, and True Disciples gathered below:
"The Ancestor's Imperial Edict."
The elders, stewards, and True Disciples immediately bowed:
"We await the Ancestor's Imperial Edict!"
The Great Elder opened his palm. A blood-red, aged face hovered in the air, radiating an indescribably powerful pressure.
"From this day onward, every living being within Hengshan Dao must pay a blood tax every seven days. Those who defy this order shall be exterminated!"
The old man's voice was faint at first, but by the time he finished speaking, it had become a deafening storm, enveloping the entire Kunlun Divine Palace.
At that moment, no matter what the disciples of the Kunlun Divine Palace were doing, they hurriedly set aside their tasks and fell to their knees, kowtowing toward the palace.
"We obey the Ancestor's Imperial Edict!"
"We obey the Ancestor's Imperial Edict!"
"We obey the Ancestor's Imperial Edict!"
Countless voices converged into one, forming a tremendous tide