The Pope's Demise, Haotian's Seclusion!

Star Luo Empire

Star Luo City

Imperial Palace

ROAR~!!!

CLATTER~!!!

Following a deafening tiger's roar, the jade slips on the desk before the throne clattered to the floor in a heap.

"Who can tell me!"

"Who can tell me where this Great Ming Kingdom even popped out from!"

"And where did they get the gall to invade my southern border!"

CRASH~!

During the Star Luo Empire's morning court session, one official after another stepped forward.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Great Ming Kingdom was formerly the Starry Sky Kingdom. It is said that the national title was changed by the legitimate son of Xu Xingyun."

"At the inception of the Great Ming Kingdom, they were besieged by an army of two hundred thousand from the Gulei Kingdom, but the King of Ming devised a plan to flood the twenty-thousand-strong force..."

"Rumor has it that the King of Ming has distant kinship with the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial family. Now, all the territory of the Great Ming Kingdom, including the Star Shine Duchy we supported, belongs to the sphere of influence of the Heaven Dou Empire."

CRACK~ CRACK~

Listening to the reports from the officials below, the Emperor of the Star Luo Empire, Dai Haochen, clenched his fists tightly, his eyes fixed on the two remaining jade slips on his desk.

The jade slips were inscribed with the following:

[Southern Expedition, Galloping Wolf Kingdom:

At the time of the Great Ming's founding, the Galloping Wolf Kingdom incited and induced the international war criminal Li Xingyao to establish a duchy privately, causing the Great Ming Kingdom to suffer immense losses.

Today, I lead an army of four hundred thousand to crusade against the Galloping Wolf. I shall not return until the Galloping Wolf is broken. Signed: King of Ming!]

This was a declaration of war, and it made the Star Luo Emperor, Dai Haochen, grit his teeth in frustration.

On the other side lay a secret report.

[Current: Turmoil in Spirit Hall. Whispers of the Pope's demise are spreading, and it is inextricably linked to the Clear Sky Sect.]

The relationship between Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Sect was becoming increasingly discordant.

This was not good news for the Star Luo Empire.

One had to realize that both great empires were backed by the Upper Three Sects. Now, the Great Ming Kingdom—a kingdom under the Heaven Dou Empire—was about to take a blade to the Star Luo Empire's subordinate.

Without the support of the Clear Sky Sect behind them, the Star Luo Empire would be inherently disadvantaged.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect behind the Heaven Dou Empire might not compare to the Clear Sky Sect behind the Star Luo Empire, but they were wealthy; they could provide a continuous stream of funding to assist on the battlefield.

When the King of the Galloping Wolf received the Great Ming Kingdom's declaration of war, he was scared witless.

Four hundred thousand troops—one had to know that the Galloping Wolf Kingdom didn't even have two hundred thousand soldiers now; how could they possibly defeat the Great Ming Kingdom?

Thus, he had sent the declaration of war directly to his superior.

What he didn't know was that the Star Luo Empire found this declaration of war equally troublesome.

They certainly wanted to help, but under what pretext could they intervene to suppress the Great Ming?

Launching an imperial war without cause would clearly not go ignored by the Heaven Dou Empire.

The two great empires had only recently ended their conflicts, and now that the Clear Sky Sect seemed to be showing signs of withdrawing, this war for the Star Luo Empire could not be fought, nor should it be.

Yet, with their subordinate being attacked, the Star Luo Empire could not simply stand by and watch.

"Hoo~"

Dai Haochen narrowed his eyes slightly. After pondering for a long while, he issued his final order.

"Order Tianxing Province to dispatch troops to assist the Galloping Wolf Kingdom, and prepare for a protracted war."

Heaven Dou Empire

Imperial Palace.

"Cough, cough..."

A series of coughing sounds drifted from the First Prince's chambers.

"Your Majesty, the First Prince has been suffering from a cold ever since he returned."

"If this were passed on to you, it would be most unfortunate. Please, take care of your imperial health, Your Majesty."

Inside the First Prince's palace, Xiao Xue slowly donned the First Prince's attire. She narrowed her eyes, and her features began to shift rapidly.

"From this day forward, I shall live for you."

While returning from the Great Ming Kingdom to the Heaven Dou Empire, Qian Renxue had initiated the replacement plan.

That very night, the Second Prince of Heaven Dou fell gravely ill, bedridden and unable to recover.

At the same time, the Third Prince, a cultivation prodigy with remarkable talent, began preparations for the annual Heaven Dou Hunting Tournament.

Meanwhile, in the Great Ming Kingdom:

Under the orders of Xu Nian'an, Xu Yi, stationed far away in the southern region of the Star Luo Empire, led the Dragon Guard, 130,000 militia, and 70,000 elite troops to cross the Asturias Mountains and invade the territory of the Galloping Wolf Kingdom.

With the support of Ming Lei, a Level 9 Soul Engineer from the Holy Spirit Sect, and the 200,000-strong Dragon Guard, the southern campaign against the Galloping Wolf Kingdom proceeded with great success. In just half a month, they had conquered the majority of the kingdom's territory.

At the front lines of the Galloping Wolf Kingdom:

"Bastards, bastards! A bunch of animals, mere animals!"

"My wolf cubs, my poor wolf cubs! The spirit of the Wolf God in heaven will never forgive you!"

The King of the Galloping Wolf Kingdom looked on in agony at the remnants of his Galloping Wolf Army.

From 170,000 down to fewer than 50,000—this was nothing short of a massacre.

Furthermore, the enemy's main force had suffered virtually no losses; it was only their militia that had been depleted.

Late June.

The Tianxing Province of the Star Luo Empire brought 150,000 troops into the Galloping Wolf Kingdom.

That night, a group of figures clad in black robes stormed the military camp, slaughtering indiscriminately.

It was not until a man wreathed in black lightning appeared that the chaos shifted. With a single wave of his hand, various iron objects flew toward him, assembling into a massive cannon barrel aimed directly at the capital of the Galloping Wolf Kingdom.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black—nine soul rings, two yellow, two purple, and five black, shone with a frenzied light.

"Perish! Light of Holy Thunder!"

Bang—BOOM!!!!

The earth trembled.

"Ahhhhh!!!!"

Piercing screams echoed across the heavens, illuminated by the blinding light over the capital of the Galloping Wolf Kingdom.

Not far away, the reflection of golden scales and bright armor shimmered; the Dragon Guard had been waiting for a long time.

"Pass the King's decree: Level the Galloping Wolf Kingdom!!!"

"Pass the King's decree: Level the Galloping Wolf Kingdom!!!"

"Pass the King's decree: Level the Galloping Wolf Kingdom!!!"

A perfect surprise attack.

By the time the sky began to brighten, the capital of the Galloping Wolf Kingdom was already flying the new Sun and Moon Flag.

The corpses littering the ground had already been cleared away by the Holy Spirit Sect and their newly recruited subordinates.

The next day, news that shocked the entire continent spread far and wide.

The Great Ming Kingdom had crossed the borders of the two great empires to reclaim lost territory and, right under the nose of the Star Luo Empire, had annexed the Galloping Wolf Kingdom.

In the Star Luo Empire's imperial palace:

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty! Last night, the Great Ming Kingdom dispatched a group of high-level soul masters in black robes to launch a night raid on the capital of the Galloping Wolf Kingdom. They used a special weapon to breach the city gates. Now, not only have the reinforcements from Tianxing Province been defeated, but the Galloping Wolf Army has completely collapsed... The Galloping Wolf Kingdom has been shredded; their entire territory has fallen!!!"

Swish!

Just as the morning court session began, a bombshell exploded instantly.

"What...!!!"

The Emperor of the Star Luo Empire, Dai Haochen, was struck with shock.

"This cannot continue. We cannot allow the Great Ming Kingdom to keep developing like this."

"General Tang..."

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

There was no response. Everyone looked on in bewilderment.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, General Tang does not seem to have arrived today."

Tap, tap, tap—!!!

At that very moment, the sound of rapid footsteps echoed through the hall.

"Report, Your Majesty! The Pope of Spirit Hall has fallen, and it is suspected to be the work of Tang Hao. Spirit Hall has now launched an all-out war against the Clear Sky Sect!"

Swish, swish, swish!

Upon hearing this news, everyone present instantly looked up in shock.

A week later, when the Emperor of the Star Luo Empire dispatched troops to the former site of the Clear Sky Sect, they found it had long since been reduced to ruins, with every member of the Clear Sky Sect nowhere to be found.