Inside the Imperial Palace of Zhi Du, the capital of the Kingdom of Raging Waves.
Queen Zhi Yan and Duke Zhi Ao were playing chess.
“Has Gui Xing Fu left?” Queen Zhi Yan asked.
“Yes. He should have reached the Southeastern Province by now,” Zhi Ao replied.
Queen Zhi Yan said, “Your wife is about to give birth. I have not congratulated you yet. Has the Divine Dragon Temple examined her? Is it a boy or a girl?”
“A boy,” Zhi Ao replied.
Queen Zhi Yan said, “A boy is good…”
Duke Zhi Ting had died without leaving any descendants. Duke Zhi Wei’s son, Zhi You, had been imprisoned by Lan Ling for a long time and had suffered considerable torment and fright. Even now, he had not produced any descendants.
Going back to the generation of Queen Zhi Yan’s grandfather, the royal bloodline had already become extremely thin. Now, it seemed that by the fourth generation, only Zhi Ao’s son remained.
Queen Zhi Yan sighed softly. “At least this means we no longer have to worry about Father’s kingdom having no heir.”
As soon as she said this, Zhi Ao immediately put down his chess piece and knelt.
“Your Majesty, I have never had such presumptuous thoughts. Her Majesty is still so young and will certainly have many children and grandchildren.”
Queen Zhi Yan said nothing. Instead, she stared blankly at the chess piece in her hand.
Zhi Ao said, “Your Majesty, please believe me. I truly have no such ambitions. Perhaps a few years ago, I wanted to distinguish myself and dreamed of stepping on Soren, but now…”
Just then, a senior eunuch entered.
“Your Majesty, His Excellency the Grand Judge has arrived.”
Queen Zhi Yan could not help feeling slightly surprised.
Previously, whenever there had been something to discuss, she had always visited Fu Lingxi at the Zhi Du Temple. Why had Fu Lingxi personally come to see her this time?
Queen Zhi Yan then led Duke Zhi Ao out of the palace to welcome Fu Lingxi.
“Your Excellency the Grand Judge!” Zhi Yan gave a half bow.
“Your Majesty.” Fu Lingxi returned the half bow.
The three of them then entered the palace.
After the palace doors were closed, Fu Lingxi said, “Several days ago, the Blood Star flashed six times for the final time. I believe Your Majesty saw it clearly as well.”
Queen Zhi Yan said, “Yes. I was extremely shocked.”
Fu Lingxi said, “This is a revelation from Heaven. It means that a world war between humanity and the demon clans will erupt. I believe Your Majesty can also sense how serious this is. I can tell you that even the Dragon Emperor has never experienced a world war between humanity and the demon clans.”
Indeed, he had not.
During this era, there had never been a world war between humanity and the demon clans in the human kingdoms.
As for the Southern Wilderness and the demon clans, they could only truly be seen in the records of the Divine Dragon Temple.
When was the last human and demon world war?
At least ten thousand years ago.
Even Fu Lingxi had never seen any records from that period.
Fu Lingxi continued, “We do not know when the world war will erupt. It could be in several years or several decades. But it will certainly erupt within this century. The human kingdoms must make preparations for war in advance.”
“Yes!” Queen Zhi Yan replied.
Fu Lingxi said, “After discussing the matter with the successor of the Sky Temple, the following orders have been issued!”
Queen Zhi Yan immediately knelt on one knee, while Duke Zhi Ao knelt on both knees.
“First, all the nations of the human kingdoms shall establish a united front. All nations shall cease their wars and form a Human Allied Army.”
“Second, the Divine Dragon Temple shall establish the Divine Dragon Legion, with soldiers directly recruited from all the nations.”
“Third, whenever necessary, the Divine Dragon Temple shall have the unconditional right to requisition any land within the human kingdoms.”
“Fourth, the Divine Dragon Temple shall lift restrictions on relevant martial arts, weapons of war and methods of warfare. Therefore, martial artists and armies from every nation shall have the duty to go to the Divine Dragon Temple for further training and learn the new martial arts and methods of warfare released by the Divine Dragon Temple.”
The Sky Temple had issued four orders in total.
“The Kingdom of Raging Waves accepts the orders!” Queen Zhi Yan received the decree from the Divine Dragon Temple.
Fu Lingxi looked at Zhi Yan and said, “Your Majesty, the demon clans of the Southern Wilderness possess far greater individual combat strength than humanity. To prepare for the coming war, the Sky Temple believes it is necessary to organise outstanding martial artists from the human kingdoms and send them to the Divine Dragon Temple for new trials and to learn the higher level martial arts that the Divine Dragon Temple has decided to make available.”
“The Sky Temple is wise,” Queen Zhi Yan said.
Fu Lingxi continued, “Your Majesty is on the highest priority list. You may go to the Sky Temple for further training, cultivate the Sky Temple’s highest level martial arts and even undergo tempering with the power of Heaven and Earth. However, this inevitably means leaving the Kingdom of Raging Waves for an extended period and being unable to handle state affairs. You may spend roughly half of every year at the Sky Temple.
“Therefore, the choice is entirely up to Your Majesty. You may go to the Sky Temple for training, or remain in Zhi Du to govern the kingdom.”
Queen Zhi Yan immediately said, “I will go. I have always longed to learn the highest martial arts of the Sky Temple!”
Fu Lingxi said happily, “Your Majesty truly understands the greater good. The Sky Temple certainly did not misjudge you.”
Then Fu Lingxi turned towards Zhi Ao.
“Duke, you will also need to go to the Yan Capital Temple for further training. However, the two of you will go at different times. We will not allow both of you to leave the Kingdom of Raging Waves at the same time.”
“Yes!” Duke Zhi Ao bowed deeply.
Fu Lingxi said, “Your Majesty, tomorrow you and I will travel to the Sky Temple and convene a meeting of the rulers of the human kingdoms. We will formally establish the Human United Front and form the Human Allied Army!”
“Good!” Queen Zhi Yan replied.
…
Above the Sea of Doom!
Seeing that she had been surrounded by nearly 3,000 warriors from the Witch Kingdom, Ji Xiuning showed no sign of panic. Instead, her gaze turned cold.
“Which Flag Lord of the Witch Kingdom are you?”
“Lan Qi!” the leading witch commander replied. She was Lan Qi, the Blue Sea Flag Lord of the Witch Kingdom.
“Lady Lan Qi, what is the meaning of this?” Ji Xiuning asked.
Witch commander Lan Qi said, “You have crossed into the territory of the Witch Kingdom without reason. You have entered our country illegally. Leave immediately.”
Ji Xiuning took out an official document from the Sky Temple. It was a special crystal scroll.
She infused it with a surge of dragon power.
Immediately, a series of characters floated in the air.
“This is an arrest warrant issued by the Sky Temple. We are pursuing the remnants of the Ghost King. No one is permitted to interfere. Anyone who does so will be treated as an accomplice!” Ji Xiuning said. “Lady Lan Qi, are you trying to prevent me from hunting the remnants of the Ghost King?”
Witch commander Lan Qi said, “Your hunt for the remnants of the Ghost King has nothing to do with me. However, you have entered our territory illegally and crossed through the airspace of the Witch Kingdom. This is a serious offence against our country. I must expel you and punish you.”
Ji Xiuning took out another crystal scroll.
“This is the treaty signed between the Sky Temple and the demon clan alliance of the Southern Wilderness. It was signed 3,000 years ago. The treaty clearly states that the Divine Dragon Temple has the right to send the Heavenly Guardian Knights into demon territory to capture the remnants of the Ghost King.
“Do not forget that the Ghost King once nearly ruled the entire Southern Wilderness. It was the Divine Dragon Temple that destroyed the Ghost King and indirectly saved your eight great demon clans.”
Witch Lan Qi said coldly, “Absurd. The Ghost King simply became tired of it, which was why the Ghost King Empire stopped expanding. What does that have to do with your Divine Dragon Temple?”
Ji Xiuning said, “Regardless of what happened, is this treaty not genuine? And is it still within its period of validity?”
Witch commander Lan Qi said, “Yes, this treaty is genuine. But do not forget that only the seven great demon clans signed it. The Witch Kingdom did not. We would never sign such a humiliating treaty that sacrifices our sovereignty.”
Ji Xiuning’s beautiful eyes narrowed.
She knew about this history.
At the time, the treaty had been signed between the Sky Temple and the demon clan alliance. However, the Witch Kingdom had refused to sign it and had even withdrawn directly from the demon clan alliance.
“Lady Lan Qi, what if I refuse to leave?” Ji Xiuning asked as she put away the two crystal scrolls.
Witch commander Lan Qi said, “Then we go to war!”
Ji Xiuning’s eyes narrowed.
If the Blood Star had not flashed six times as a heavenly revelation, then so what if they went to war? She would have had absolutely nothing to fear.
But now, if the two sides fought, what if it became the spark that ignited a world war between humanity and the demon clans?
Although Ji Xiuning held a high position and possessed a powerful background, she could not bear such responsibility.
However, she was even more unwilling to retreat just like this.
Although Ji Xiuning possessed a compassionate heart, she stood behind the Sky Temple, representing the highest power and authority in this world. It was absolutely impossible for her to retreat or compromise, especially before the demon clans, which were divided and disunited.
Many people in the human kingdoms were deeply intimidated by the demon clans of the Southern Wilderness, including many rulers of human nations.
But for someone like Ji Xiuning, who stood at the absolute highest level of the Divine Dragon Temple, there had always been an attitude of contempt towards the demon clans, looking down upon them from above.
Indeed, the eight great Demon Kings of the Southern Wilderness were incredibly powerful. They were almost equivalent to the several Sky Priests of the Sky Temple.
But above the eight great Demon Kings, there was no even greater power.
Above the Sky Temple, however, there existed a far more powerful force.
In ancient times, this force had directly wielded the power of the stars and instantly destroyed the most magnificent capital of the demon clans.
Moreover, the eight great demon clans were like scattered sand. Civil war would soon erupt among them.
The human kingdoms, meanwhile, were completely united under the command of the Divine Dragon Temple.
Therefore, Ji Xiuning and the others truly had no fear of the demon clans.
Whether it was Zhi Li or Soren, who governed the Kingdom of Raging Waves, whenever Ji Xiuning heard that they intended to continue expanding southwards and launch campaigns against the Southern Wilderness, she felt nothing but disdain.
Only the highest levels of the Divine Dragon Temple knew that the Ten Thousand Mountains was an absolute boundary that must never be crossed.
Neither the barbarian tribes could move north, nor could the human kingdoms move south.
This was an agreement between the Sky Temple and the Motuo Empire.
As for the Blood Star flashing six times, Ji Xiuning was also deeply puzzled.
How could the scattered demon clans possibly have the power to invade the human kingdoms?
The Motuo Empire itself was an obstacle they could never cross.
…
“I am going to count down. If you still refuse to leave with your people, I will attack immediately!” Witch commander Lan Qi said coldly.
“Ten, nine, eight…”
Ji Xiuning said, “Lady Lan Qi, do you know what the consequences will be if you stop me from killing the remnants of the Ghost King?”
Witch commander Lan Qi said coldly, “Young Saintess of the Divine Dragon Temple, have you ever heard of the Witch Kingdom compromising or retreating?”
Ji Xiuning said, “If you are calm enough and capable of bearing the consequences, then do as you please!”
“Five!”
“Four!”
“Three!”
“Two!”
“One!”
Witch commander Lan Qi said coldly, “Kill!”
She suddenly drew her sword and slashed forward.
A sword beam hundreds of metres long swept through the sky and struck towards Ji Xiuning!