He withdrew his gaze and turned his attention back to the sky.
There, waves surged and the winds and clouds shifted unpredictably. Bursts of fireworks exploded amid brilliant blood-red light, dazzling beyond measure. All manner of inexplicable thunderous sounds shook the heart, as though the heavens were roaring in fury.
"Your Majesty!"
The palace guards looked at the Stone Emperor's back, filled with worry.
"Leave this place and deliver the edict to the Peerless Emperor," the Stone Emperor commanded.
The guards obeyed, kowtowing to the Stone Emperor before turning to leave.
Only the Stone Emperor remained in the palace, his dragon robes snapping in the wind as he faced the sky alone.
Elsewhere, in the Fire Kingdom Imperial Capital, the Fire Emperor departed with his daughter and reached Heavenly God Mountain within the agreed time.
Several Primordial Divine Mountain factions had gathered here. They were about to activate Heavenly God Mountain's great array, leave the prison of the Lower Realm's Eight Regions, and head to the Upper Realm.
More Primordial Divine Mountains could have joined them, but greed had ruined everything. Many Divine Mountain Venerables had coveted the Qilin Precious Technique in Shi Yi's possession and joined the battle at Demon Spirit Lake. None had returned, and their Divine Mountains had been attacked from all sides and divided among the victors.
Those who could come here now were all those who had heeded the lord of Heavenly God Mountain back then and refrained from acting.
Farewell, Desolate Region. Farewell, Fire Kingdom... the Fire Emperor murmured inwardly.
With a flash of blinding radiance, a terrifying force instantly pierced the world barrier, opening a passage to the Upper Realm.
The beings standing in the ancient Teleportation Array vanished in the blink of an eye, ascending to the heavens.
In Stone Village, within