Chapter 368
This is a blessing from heaven, and any cultivator would be moved to tears.
"Such abundant Spiritual Qi... I feel my cultivation has improved considerably, how... how did this happen?"
"This is the spiritual herb I needed for my breakthrough, and it just appeared out of nowhere?!"
"The inner demons that had plagued me for years were finally resolved thanks to this sudden enlightenment; it's simply..."
In an instant, countless cultivators in the demon city knelt on the ground, their cries as loud as a mountain collapsing into the sea.
Outside the Demon City, the cultivators in the rest of the Southern Wilderness, though separated by an unknown distance, were miraculously able to see that figure in the sky. They looked up at the sky with gratitude in their hearts.
In the eyes of these cultivators, this beautiful figure was like a deity, exuding an indescribable majesty that made them tremble and want to worship her.
"May I ask... what is the name of the World Lord?"
Just then, a slightly trembling voice rang out from the depths of the Demon City.
"My name is Xiao Minghuang."
Xiao Minghuang spoke indifferently.
As soon as the words were spoken, all the cultivators throughout the Demon City trembled.
"Xiao... Xiao Minghuang... could it be Princess Xiao?"
All the cultivators gasped in shock.
Princess Xiao's name was known to almost every cultivator in the Southern Wilderness.
Everyone knows that there is a monstrous genius in the Eastern Pole of the Central Heaven. At the age of thirty, he has reached the Supreme Realm and is capable of suppressing and killing those of the same level, comparable to an Earth Immortal!
But no one could have imagined that in less than a year, the famous Princess Xiao would arrive in the Southern Wilderness from the Eastern Pole, and even merge with the Origin of the Realm and become an Emperor without anyone knowing!
As various strange phenomena appeared, Xiao Minghuang's voice, like the morning bell and evening drum, spread to every corner of the Southern Wilderness World. Every living being in the Southern Wilderness World, whether human, animal, demon, beast, scaled and horned, born from eggs in the wet, or flowers, trees, mountains and rivers, was startled by this voice.
One after another, divine rainbows shot into the sky, traversing the void, heading towards the Demon City, eager to catch a glimpse of the new emperor's true face.
Of the Six Paths of Demonic Ways in the Southern Wilderness, five were the builders of the world order, leaving only one.
The Burial King Supreme Being had long since died at the hands of Xiao Minghuang, and the Burial King Path perished as a result.
The Joyful Union Demon Venerable and the Blood Demon Ancestor also died at her hands, and her remaining disciples scattered like monkeys when the tree fell.
As for the mortal demonic path, it was destroyed by the Demon Emperor.
However, the Netherworld Demonic Path, for some unknown reason, has also suddenly lost its order.
Now, only the Asura Demonic Path remains. The current Asura Ancestor, a powerful Earth Immortal, rushed to the Central Demon City the moment Xiao Minghuang issued the announcement!
"Princess Xiao possesses unparalleled beauty, surpassing all others throughout history. The Heavenly Dao of the Southern Wilderness has now fallen upon her; perhaps there is still a chance for a turnaround..."
Seeing the Asura Ancestor emerge from the void and slowly bow in respect, Xiao Minghuang understood that this Earth Immortal Ancestor believed the situation had changed and did not intend to continue to abide by the agreement with the Eastern Pole Emperor, but instead joined her ranks.
If you give me a peach, I will repay you with a precious jade.
Xiao Minghuang looked at the Asura Ancestor and said softly, "Fellow Daoist has lived in the Southern Wilderness for a long time and is familiar with the affairs of the land. Would you mind temporarily managing all the general affairs on my behalf?"
Upon hearing this, the Asura Ancestor was slightly taken aback at first, but then immediately reacted and bowed respectfully, saying, "Rest assured, World Lord, Asura is willing to serve you with utmost loyalty, even at the cost of going through fire and water!"
"You're too kind, fellow Daoist."
Xiao Minghuang chuckled lightly, then stepped forward, traversing the air and passing through layers of palaces. Under the gazing gazes of countless demon city cultivators, he descended upon the city wall of the Central Demon City.
She wore a bright yellow robe, her face was exquisitely beautiful, her black hair cascaded down to her waist, and her long, jet-black hair hung down her back. She was surrounded by wisps of starlight, and her brows revealed an arrogant air that looked down upon the world, as if she were sitting high in the clouds looking down at the heavens.
At this moment, she exuded unparalleled majesty and nobility, as if she were the sole ruler of this world, the supreme emperor who controlled billions of miles of territory!
Emperor Xiao Minghuang.
Lord of the Southern Wilderness!
At this moment, thousands of cultivators from the Southern Wilderness gathered, densely surrounding the Demon City.
In an instant, all living beings in the entire world, including the billions of beings in the Southern Wilderness outside the Demon City, knelt down and kowtowed to Xiao Minghuang in the sky.
"Greetings, World Lord!"
These sounds combined, like a thunderclap, resounding through the sky.
Rumble.
The Lei Zhen the heavens and the earth!
Xiao Minghuang's gaze swept over them, her red lips slightly parted. "You may all rise."
The voice was like a spring breeze, gentle and warm.
Instantly, the once bustling Southern Wilderness fell silent, without a sound.
Countless cultivators from the Southern Wilderness looked up at the sky, their expressions filled with indescribable excitement. In the past, the Demon Emperor had ruled the Southern Wilderness for countless epochs, and there had never been any news of him bestowing rewards. Now, the new World Lord had just attained enlightenment and was sharing his blessings with all living beings. Who could not be grateful?
The leaders of the major sects and smaller clans in the Southern Wilderness stood respectfully, their gazes filled with reverence as they watched the breathtakingly beautiful, majestic, and noble figure who reigned over heaven and earth above the Demon City.
Ordinary cultivators might not know, but these high-level cultivators who are listed in the Holy Realm know some of the truth to varying degrees.
The Heavenly Dao of the Southern Wilderness has reached the end of its decay. If no changes are made, it will soon perish completely, and these beings will become like duckweed, drifting and dying.
At this very moment, the lives and deaths of all living beings in this realm rest on the shoulders of the new World Lord who has come from another world, this young woman!
486. No hesitation allowed; nip it in the bud.
"Thank you, World Lord Master!"
Countless respectful voices resounded from all corners of the Southern Wilderness World, like tides and waves, stretching for tens of thousands of miles!
Xiao Minghuang stood calmly atop the Demon City, his gaze unfathomable.
She knew very well that she didn't have much time, nor was it the time to enjoy the cheers and applause.
"No need."
Xiao Minghuang spoke softly, then waved her hand, and a gentle force supported all the cultivators. She then proclaimed loudly, "From this day forward, the Central Demon City is renamed Southern Star City! The Central Devil Palace is renamed Southern Star Palace!"
This name signifies her ambition to unify the five realms and unite them into one!
As the words fell, vast and magnificent, dazzling starlight poured down from the heavens, enveloping Southern Star City. Countless runes shone with brilliant light, covering the entire city.
In an instant, all the buildings within the Central Demon City lit up, and the originally dark and gloomy environment was transformed in a flash.
Under the starlight, the aura of Outer Dao was swept away, and the entire Central Demon City... no, it should be said that Southern Star City underwent a tremendous change.
The original Southern Star City was filled with a gloomy and terrifying atmosphere, but now it is completely different. The entire city is like a sacred city, which makes the cultivators of the Southern Wilderness who practice Outer Dao quite uncomfortable.
"We will obey the World Lord's orders!"
Inside Southern Star City, cultivators from the Southern Wilderness knelt on the ground, shouting slogans that shook the surrounding area and resounded throughout the heavens and earth!
Xiao Minghuang's gaze swept across the entire Southern Star City, a satisfied look appearing on her face. Then, she gently waved her hand and said softly, "Your existing customs will remain unchanged for now."
"Alright, you may all go your separate ways!"
After saying that, she disappeared into the sky, leaving the thousands of cultivators in Southern Star City looking at each other in bewilderment.
"What's going on? I heard that a new broom sweeps clean, but the World Lord hasn't done anything except change his name?"
"Who knows? Perhaps the World Lord hasn't figured out the situation yet. After all, she's an Eastern Extreme cultivator and doesn't know much about the Southern Wilderness, so she doesn't dare to take any action."
"Perhaps... But how come there wasn't a single sign of such a momentous event as the change of the Heavenly Dao? They said they were going to negotiate peace with the Eastern Pole, but how come even the Demon Emperor... no, even their former master, has disappeared after all that negotiation?"
This question is not limited to a few individual cultivators.
Rather, this was a question that almost every cultivator in the Southern Wilderness had in mind.
"Where is the Demon Emperor?"
Inside what was once the Central Devil Palace, now the Southern Star Palace, Xiao Minghuang was equally puzzled.
Just now, she did not issue any orders or prohibit the cultivators of the Southern Wilderness from continuing to practice various demonic arts. This was because such was the situation in the Southern Wilderness world, and even if she forcibly prohibited it, given the lack of cultivation resources in the Southern Wilderness, it would be impossible to regulate everyone to comply.
Secondly, it is because the master of the old era—the Demon Emperor—has disappeared without a trace.
Just now, she bestowed rare and precious materials upon the creatures of the Southern Wilderness not out of mere kindness, but out of necessity.
Admittedly, the Heavenly Dao of the Southern Wilderness fully recognized her, but for the ruler of a realm, the recognition of the Heavenly Dao itself is far from enough; the recognition from all living beings within the realm is equally important.
However, the approval of the masses is different from the approval of Heaven. It does not necessarily require heartfelt obedience and complete loyalty, but simply letting them know.
As for the faith or loyalty of the masses, it's dispensable, merely icing on the cake.
She wanted to use this scene to intimidate all sides, to declare to the people of the Southern Wilderness that the era of the Demon Emperor had come to a complete end, and to let everyone in the Southern Wilderness know that the current ruler of the Southern Wilderness was her— Xiao Minghuang!
Although she had just triggered a massive number of strange phenomena, if the Southern Wilderness World Source had not been on the verge of decay, this small amount of World Source power would have been insignificant. However, in the present moment, it had consumed nearly half of the World Source power.
But there was really no other way. She had to display her unparalleled skills in order to let all the creatures in the Southern Wilderness know about it, otherwise the fusion with the Origin of the Realm would not be perfect.
Of course, there are also more direct and effective ways to announce the arrival of a new era to all living beings, which is to make the masters of the old era submit... or die!
However, this method is no longer feasible.
After Xiao Minghuang became the ruler of the Southern Wilderness Heavenly Dao, nothing in this world could be hidden from her, and she was naturally able to perceive it. The Demon Emperor was not currently in this world, so he must have already gone far away and disappeared without a trace.
"Sigh..." Xiao Minghuang sighed softly, "If the Demon Emperor were still alive, killing him would be enough to intimidate the people of the Southern Wilderness. It's a pity that this guy ran away a bit too fast..."
As she could see, apart from the Asura Ancestor, there were still several profound and ancient beings hidden in some ancient and secluded places in the Southern Wilderness. Although they were hidden very deeply, nothing could escape the perception of the World Lord.
When she attained enlightenment and became emperor, she did nothing. Unlike the Asura Ancestor, she did not come to pay homage. She simply watched silently, seemingly indifferent and tacitly submitting. However, their absence from the court also indicated their attitude.
That is... to wait and see.
They didn't know how long this young emperor from another land could rule the Southern Wilderness.
Or perhaps... after exhausting the remaining decades of my lifespan, I will perish along with the world!
Originally, Xiao Minghuang planned to merge with the Southern Wilderness Origin and then go to the Western Lands and the Northern Sea to seize the origins of the two realms, continue the Heavenly Dao of the Southern Wilderness, and then return to the Eastern Pole to gather his companions and engage in a decisive battle with the Eastern Pole Emperor.
The plan was perfect, but it went wrong right from the first step.
"Given the current situation, I cannot leave the Southern Wilderness. If I leave, those ancient Earth Immortals will likely rebel immediately!"
Xiao Minghuang pondered in his heart that the decline of the Heavenly Dao and the Epochal Annihilation would have a limited impact on the Earth Immortal Ancestors. They were protected by Immortal Qi and would not suffer a huge backlash. They could even easily transfer to other worlds.
So, for a world that has little value and is on the verge of collapse, is their last choice to try their best to salvage it and save innocent lives?
Or perhaps they'll stop at nothing to grab a final, massive profit and escape before the world truly collapses?
All of this was undoubtedly a fatal temptation for those Earth Immortal Ancestors.
Xiao Minghuang knew very well that once she left the Southern Wilderness, those seemingly silent Earth Immortal Ancestors would definitely take action and seize everything that was left in the Southern Wilderness that they could take away, leaving her not even a single spiritual herb!
Therefore, she had to deal with these hidden dangers before leaving the Southern Wilderness.
First, she must know where these earth immortals are located.
Thinking of this...
With a thought, Xiao Minghuang unleashed a surge of Boundary Origin Power from within his body, sweeping out silently and permeating every corner, every inch of void, and every infinitesimal speck of dust in the Southern Wilderness World. None could resist the detection of this Boundary Origin Power.
After merging with the Origin of the Realm, the Southern Wilderness World became like her own little world. Within the Southern Wilderness, Xiao Minghuang was practically an omnipotent god!
However, even with the power of the Boundary Source, she still couldn't immediately locate the hidden immortals.
"It was hidden so well?"
Xiao Minghuang frowned slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, but she was not annoyed by it.
Previously, when she declared her dominion over the world, she had already sealed off all passages to the Southern Wilderness World. If those hidden immortals wanted to leave, they could only forcefully break through the boundary wall. Once they did so, it would be impossible for her not to notice.
If they don't force their way through the boundary, she only needs a short period of time to search, exhausting every detail of the void, and eventually find their traces!
Their desperate attempt to conceal their whereabouts also demonstrates their attitude.
That means they had no intention of reconciling with Xiao Minghuang at all, and were trying to fight her to the end!
Xiao Minghuang snorted coldly, "Since that's the case, don't blame me!"
As soon as she finished speaking, her eyes narrowed slightly, and the world around her suddenly changed. Every inch of the void seemed to crumble away, returning to the most primitive and original state of the Great Dao runes, floating chaotically in the nothingness where nothing existed.
All the hidden realms, formations, and even small worlds concealed between heaven and earth were exposed before Xiao Minghuang's eyes.
In a hidden little world in the Southern Wilderness, five Earth Immortal Ancestors sat cross-legged, their faces solemn and their gazes calm, but their hearts were churning and restless.
Xiao Minghuang had just attained enlightenment and become emperor, announcing it to all living beings. Naturally, they received the news immediately. However, after some deliberation, they did not show up or extend any goodwill.
After all, as a powerful Earth Immortal, he could naturally sense that the remaining lifespan of the Southern Wilderness Heavenly Dao was only a few decades. This amount of time was like a fleeting moment for an Earth Immortal whose lifespan was measured in tens of thousands of years!