There's nothing they can do.
Stop them? What could they possibly use to stop them? Attack? That would be tantamount to suicide. They could only watch helplessly as the dignity of the empire, its defenses, melted away like ice and snow under the sun before that absolute power.
The time it takes for an incense stick to burn slowly passed amidst unbearable torment.
As the last bit of incense ash fell.
The crimson giant moved.
It slowly raised the blood-red spear in its hand, a spear that seemed capable of piercing the heavens.
This time, the spearhead was no longer pure blood-red, but began to gather a deep, dark purple energy that seemed capable of devouring all light!
The energy did not leak out violently; instead, it was extremely restrained, compressed at the tip of the spear, emitting a Destruction wave that was even more chilling than the pure killing aura before!
There was no earth-shattering momentum, no violent energy storm, only a suffocating deathly silence.
Then, under the gaze of countless desperate eyes, the giant, holding his spear, seemingly casually and lightly slashed downwards at the massive city wall that had protected the Heaven Dou Imperial City for nearly a thousand years.
There was no sound.
Or rather, the sound was completely annihilated by that extreme Destruction power.
The dark purple light, like a hot knife slicing through butter, silently swept across the impregnable city wall.
The next moment--
The magnificent city wall, stretching for thousands of meters and reaching hundreds of meters in height, along with its defensive fortifications, was instantly torn apart as if devoured by an invisible behemoth, leaving behind a terrifying gap with incredibly large, smooth, mirror-like edges!
There was no explosion, no flying debris, and no raging aftershocks.
Only complete, absolute... disappearance.
The Destruction section of the city wall was reduced to the finest dust, vanishing without a trace.
Extreme Destruction brings about extreme "silence".
The entire Heaven Dou City fell into a deathly silence, even deeper than during the previous panic.
Everyone stared blankly at the huge gap, at the open field scenery that had been blocked by the city wall, their minds completely blank.
On the high platform of the palace, Tang San stared at the enormous gap, at the crimson giant that slowly became transparent and finally dissipated into the air, his body growing cold.
For the first time, he realized with such clarity what kind of being he was about to face.
That is no longer a force within the human realm.
That was... divine punishment!
Moonlight Pavilion.
This building, a symbol of the noble etiquette and elegance of the Heaven Dou Empire, was now eerily silent inside. The panic and clamor outside seemed to be shut out by the high walls, but the fear permeating the air could not be dispelled.
Tang Yuehua stood alone by the window, her slender fingers gripping the window frame tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force.
She stared blankly at the spot outside the city where the blood-red giant that had just vanished had stood, and at the huge, smooth, terrifying gap in the city wall that seemed to have been erased by a god.
My mind went blank, with only that earth-shattering scene replaying in my head.
The suffocating silence was broken by a calm voice behind her.
"Haven't seen you for a long time."
Tang Yuehua's delicate body trembled violently, and she turned around like a startled rabbit. When she saw the person's face clearly, her pupils contracted sharply, and her face was filled with disbelief.
"Xuan... Ming?" Her voice was dry and trembling slightly.
The Xuan Ming before me was completely different from the young man who had studied etiquette at the Moonlight Pavilion a few years ago and whose sharpness was kept to himself.
She wanted to ask so many questions: was that giant he? What was the purpose of all this? What had he been through all these years?... A thousand words stuck in her throat, but in the end, they turned into a sob.
She disregarded everything else and rushed forward, hugging Xuan Ming tightly as if she had grasped a lifeline, or as if she were confirming his presence.
Xuan Ming was slightly taken aback, but did not push her away. He simply let her hug him, feeling her body tremble slightly.
After a long while, Tang Yuehua finally managed to calm down. She released Xuan Ming, took a step back, and tidied her somewhat disheveled appearance, but the fear in her eyes remained. She raised her head and tentatively asked cautiously, "Just now... that outside the city... did it have anything to do with you?"
"Yes." Xuan Ming didn't hide anything and admitted it directly, "It was me."
After reaching Level 99, his Slaughter Battle Soul can absorb the energy of heaven and earth to reach 500 meters. If he unleashes his full power, it can even exceed 1,000 meters.
Perhaps physical size is meaningless to God Level, but for mortals, such a size is nothing short of despair.
Chapter 371 The Collapse of Order
Despite her suspicions, Tang Yuehua still gasped when she heard the confirmation with her own ears. She looked at Xuan Ming as if she were seeing him for the first time.
Xuan Ming glanced at the massive breach in the city wall outside the window, his tone indifferent. "I'm not here to threaten anyone, just to issue a warning. I'm not interested in the politics of the Spirit Hall Empire, but there are some things I don't like, so I just do them."
He paused, then turned his gaze back to Tang Yuehua, a hint of coldness in his eyes. "For example, the Heaven Dou Empire treats its people as tribute, sending them to places Slaughter City."
Upon hearing this, Tang Yuehua's face paled again. She had vaguely heard about this matter, but was powerless to change it.
Xuan Ming's voice softened slightly, "Listen to me, don't get involved in these matters. Whether it's the grudges of the Soul Master World or the wars of the Empire, don't concern yourself with them anymore."
Tang Yuehua looked at him, her eyes filled with complex emotions. She thought of the past, of his stubborn personality, and of the countless times she had tried to persuade him with etiquette and reason, but always in vain.
She knew that the Xuan Ming before her was no longer the boy she had once taught. He possessed power enough to overturn everything, and had embarked on a path she could neither understand nor stop.
She opened her mouth, but in the end it only turned into a weak sigh, and she nodded slightly.
"I know what you're worried about," Xuan Ming looked at her, "But this is my choice, my path. I have the ability to handle everything, in my own way."
He stepped forward and gently patted Tang Yuehua's shoulder. The movement seemed a little awkward, but it carried a rare gentleness.
"Take care of yourself. If... anyone makes things difficult for you because of me, tell me."
After saying that, Xuan Ming turned to leave.
Tang Yuehua hugged him from behind. "Could you... stay with me? Just tonight... okay?"
Xuan Ming stopped in his tracks.
He could feel Tang Yuehua's body trembling slightly behind him, not just from fear, but also from a deep, almost helpless dependence.
The owner of the Moonlight Pavilion, who always presented herself as elegant and strong, was now like a child afraid of being left alone.
He was silent for a moment. He recalled the days at the Moonlight Pavilion many years ago, and the few acts of care and guidance that the woman before him had given him, which were not tainted by self-interest. Although he had mostly disregarded those rules of etiquette, he remembered that affection.
"... good."
Tang Yuehua's tense body instantly relaxed, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. She still didn't let go, but gently pressed her cheek against his broad back, absorbing the reassuring and real warmth.
Xuan Ming didn't move, letting her hold him.
Outside the window, there was the desolate Heaven Dou City and the huge gap in the city wall.
Inside the window, a silent, complex, and unspoken emotion flowed between the two.
The next morning, as dawn broke.
Xuan Ming left Moonlight Pavilion silently, just as he had arrived, without alerting anyone.
Tang Yuehua stood by the window, gazing in the direction he had disappeared. In her hand, she tightly clutched a black scale he had left behind, which contained subtle energy fluctuations. It was a token he had left behind; if in danger, she could simply call upon it in her mind.
She knew that the brief calm was over, and the storm would continue to sweep across the continent.
Xuan Ming's next target is the Star Luo Empire.
While everyone's attention was still drawn to the upheaval in Heaven Dou City, he wanted to imprint that fear, born of absolute power, deep into the soul of every person in the Star Luo Empire in the same way.
He wanted everyone to understand that this was not directed at any particular empire, but rather an indiscriminate warning to all forces that attempted to challenge the order or were internally corrupt.
The results are remarkable.
The news of the destruction of Jialing Pass spread like wildfire. Before people could even process this shock, the news that the walls of the Heaven Dou Imperial City had been breached in one fell swoop struck like another heavy blow, hitting the hearts of everyone who was paying attention to the situation.
The mainland was shaken, and all forces were in an uproar!
However, what caught them off guard was that just when everyone thought the Spirit Hall Empire would launch a major attack while the Heaven Dou Empire was weak, the most important military fortress on the border of the Star Luo Empire, " Hulao Pass ", was reduced to ruins in one morning by the same blood-red giant in the same way!
Both systems involved early warning and precise control, resulting in no one being harmed!
Immediately afterwards, in Star Luo City, the capital of the Star Luo Empire, the equally magnificent city walls were also silently sliced open by the dark purple spear of Destruction, under the watchful eyes of countless despairing gazes!
Within just a few days, the border defenses and capital city defenses that the two great empires were most proud of were torn apart one after another as if they were made of paper!
This time, it's no longer speculation, but an undeniable fact.
The Spirit Hall Empire, or rather, the entity behind the Spirit Hall Empire, possesses terrifying power that can simultaneously intimidate and even crush both empires!
In stark contrast to the deathly silence of despair and panic that gripped the two great empires, the Spirit Hall Empire was engulfed in a frenzied jubilation!
"Heaven has blessed my Spirit Hall Empire! Heaven has blessed His Majesty!"
"Hahaha! What a load of bull! What a mighty pass! In the face of true power, they're all just chickens and dogs!"
"Your Majesty is awe-inspiring! It must be Your Majesty who has invoked the gods to descend to earth!"
"Unification of the continent is just around the corner!"
Within the Spirit Hall Empire, from top to bottom, everyone was in a state of extreme excitement. Although no one knew the exact origin of the crimson giant, everyone naturally assumed that it must be the power of the Spirit Hall Empire, His Holiness the Pope! That the gods were on their side!
In this frenzied atmosphere, many officials, generals, and Soul Master of the Spirit Hall Empire who had previously been cautious and restrained their actions saw their inner desires run wild like horses breaking free of their reins, completely out of control!
In the past, although they were powerful, they still had to consider the reactions of the two great empires and public opinion in the Soul Master World, and their actions had certain bottom lines.
But now?
The capitals of both great empires have been breached by their own people, like puncturing a window! What is there left to fear?
Power! Wealth! Status! Beauty!
All of this seemed so readily available!
The fangs of greed no longer need to be hidden!
In particular, there were the Soul Master nobles who had been abusing their power and holding important positions in the local areas because of the Spirit Hall's background, as well as some opportunists who were eager to seize more power and resources in the new empire.
They began to act with impunity, levying exorbitant taxes, oppressing the common people, eliminating dissidents, and even reaching into the empire's treasury and strategic resources. Their behavior was even more rampant and blatant than Ning Fengzhi had previously feared!
They believed this was a symbol of the empire's strength, a privilege they, as "founding heroes," deserved!
The collapse of order has reached its peak!
The Pope's Palace, deep within a secret chamber.
Bibi Dong slowly opened her eyes. She stroked the Asura Demon Sword in her hand, which was still heavy but whose resistance had weakened somewhat. Her purple eyes gleamed with a cold light. However, after this period of training, she was able to use it as a weapon with some difficulty and begin to guide the Asura Divine Power within it.
She already knew everything about the commotion and chaos coming from outside the palace through her trusted confidants.
The time has come.
Xuan Ming's intimidation acted like the most powerful catalyst, completely exposing all the festering sores and malignant tumors within the empire! It made those parasites hiding in the shadows eagerly leap into the sunlight!
Now is the perfect time to wield the scalpel and carry out the most thorough and bloodiest cleanup!
Only by delivering the most ruthless and merciless Thunderclap when they are at their most triumphant, arrogant, and unprepared can we create the ultimate deterrent effect and make everyone understand what insurmountable ironclad rules truly are!
She stood up, her body radiating a faint aura of dark purple and dark red Divine Power. She reached out and grasped the hilt of the Asura Demon Sword on the ground with difficulty but unwavering determination.
This time, she wasn't there for cultivation, but for... judgment!
Chapter 372 Scraping the Bone to Remove Poison
"Pass down the order," Bibi Dong's icy voice clearly carried through the secret chamber to the ears of Ghost Douluo guarding outside, "Proceed according to plan. Everyone on the list... leave no one alive!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Ghost Douluo's voice carried a mixture of suppressed excitement and chilling menace.
A bloody purge targeting corrupt elements within the Spirit Hall Empire, personally orchestrated by Pope Bibi Dong, has suddenly begun!
This storm will be closer to everyone's life than Xuan Ming's world-destroying power, and it will be even more... terrifying!
Because this time, the one wielding the butcher's knife is the very person they once revered, but now believe they can act with impunity... the supreme ruler!
The sharp blade was not pointed at external enemies, but rather mercilessly slashed at those "own people" corrupted by power and desire.