Moreover, the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan still had several Titled Douluos who had not been deployed! For instance, the Begonia Douluo Ye Haitang and Soul Breaking Douluo Yang Wudi were at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Currently guarding the Imperial Palace were the War Dragon Douluo You Mingluo, Spirit Armor Douluo, and Spirit Kite Douluo. Guarding the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan were Lion King Douluo Zhang Jinyuan, Mountain-Splitting Douluo, and Giant Axe Douluo.
This force alone reached eight Titled Douluos. The current Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan truly deserved the title of the Number One Sect in the World.
However, because Gu Xuan had ascended the throne, five of the nine Titled Douluos who once pledged loyalty to the clan had become Enshrined Elders of the Empire. These five were Ghost Leopard Douluo, the Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluos, Snake Lance Douluo, and Porcupine Douluo.
Additionally, several Titled Douluos from the Nine Heart Begonia family had become Enshrined Elders of the Imperial Family: Begonia Douluo Ye Haitang, War Dragon Douluo You Mingluo, and Lion King Douluo Zhang Jinyuan.
Yang Wudi remained the Hall Master of the Alchemy Hall of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, but Ye Haitang had become the Chief of the Imperial Bureau of Alchemy.
After all, as Gu Xuan had become Emperor, he needed capable hands under him. Combined with the various technological talents from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, the current Sun Moon Empire operated like a massive, precise machine, with no concerns about collapse.
Thus, the Sun Moon Empire currently possessed nine Enshrined Titled Douluos. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was left with Nine Treasure Douluo Ning Fengzhi, the Sword and Bone Douluos, Wind God Douluo Zuo Yi, Broken Army Douluo Mi He, Tyrant Dragon Douluo Long Wu, Mountain-Splitting Douluo, Spirit Armor Douluo, Giant Axe Douluo, and Spirit Kite Douluo.
Even so, the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan remained the Number One Sect in the World and served as the State-Protecting Clan of the Sun Moon Empire.
Of course, that was only how it appeared on the surface. In reality, the clan and the Empire remained as close as a single family. Since Gu Xuan was away, all matters large and small were handled by Ning Fengzhi. Even though Gu Xuan was the Emperor, his trust in Ning Fengzhi remained unchanged; after all, Ning Fengzhi had raised Gu Xuan like his own son since he was a child.
Gu Xuan would not comment on what the future might hold, but for now, there would be no rift or power struggle between the Sun Moon Empire and the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
Furthermore, Ning Fengzhi did not covet this power. He had already begun paving the way for Gu Xuan. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was the clan, and the Sun Moon Empire was the Empire. The Empire would always stand above the sect. Even if he could not predict the distant future, he would certainly prevent the clan from overstepping its bounds in the days to come.
But that was a topic for another time, as the army was currently marching upon the mountain gate of the Clear Sky Clan!
Wind God Douluo Zuo Yi and Ghost Leopard Douluo did not kill the Clear Sky Clan scouts in the village. They captured them and brought them to Ning Fengzhi for judgment. Ning Fengzhi glanced at the five—one Soul Emperor and four Soul Kings, which was decent strength anywhere else on the continent.
"Take them away for now." Ning Fengzhi looked at the mountain range piercing the clouds and spoke calmly to the dozen Titled Douluos behind him, "Everyone, since the Clear Sky Clan is unwilling to submit to the Empire, they can only be treated as rebels. Although it pains me, His Majesty has said that one must not be merciful to traitors."
Ning Fengzhi's expression turned frostily cold, and his voice grew detached, "Elder Sword, Thunder Douluo, Glowing Feather Douluo—you three shall act as the vanguard. Lead Thousand Weight Douluo, Demon Subduing Douluo, the Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluos, Snake Lance Douluo, and Porcupine Douluo to attack the Clear Sky Clan gate directly."
"Zuo Yi, Ghost Leopard Douluo, Godwind Douluo—you three lead three hundred flying Soul Masters in the air and the perimeter to prevent anyone from the Clear Sky Clan from escaping through secret tunnels or other means. In this operation, I do not wish for even a single mosquito to fly out of these mountains."
"Divine Fire Douluo and Mystic Water Douluo shall lead the follow-up army up the mountain, following closely behind Elder Sword's vanguard. Today, I want the Clear Sky Clan to know the consequences of refusing to submit to the Empire."
Then, Ning Fengzhi spoke to Gu Rong, "Elder Bone, you will have to work a bit harder. Open a Spatial Portal and lead a thousand Soul Masters to infiltrate the Clear Sky Clan directly. Wait for my command to launch the attack!"
Following Ning Fengzhi's cold and decisive orders, the dozen Titled Douluos and the army attacked the Clear Sky Clan with thunderous momentum.
Ning Fengzhi walked slowly up the mountain under the protection of Mi He and Long Wu. In his view—and indeed in the view of anyone—with the strength of this massive team, the Clear Sky Clan could not possibly resist. However, to be safe, Long Wu and Mi He remained by his side. This was not due to fear, but because he was the backbone of the force; if anything happened to him, the army might go berserk.
After all, he was the father-in-law of the Sun Moon Emperor. They all vividly remembered the scene where the Emperor single-handedly annihilated a Hell White Tiger fused from three Titled Douluos in the Star Luo Empire. Even a Rank 99 Peerless Douluo likely lacked the Emperor's strength.
Though they were shocked that Gu Xuan had such heaven-defying power at such a young age, that event had truly intimidated the various sects, giving them a clear understanding of the Sun Moon Emperor's might.
As the army attacked, Tang Xiao, who was cultivating within the clan, instantly sensed several auras of Super Douluos that were not inferior to his own. Tang Xiao was horrified. He never expected the Sun Moon Empire to send so many powerhouses to besiege the Clear Sky Clan.
Such a thing was impossible in the past. A starved camel is still bigger than a horse, and no one had dared to target the Clear Sky Clan. But the Sun Moon Empire was too vast; it was like a terrifying iron giant that would not tolerate a single grain of sand in its eyes.
"Elders, quickly organize the disciples into a defensive formation!" Tang Xiao roared, his voice echoing through the entire Clear Sky Clan.
Simultaneously, Tang Xiao's figure vanished from the Clan Head's mansion as he rushed toward the mountain gate. The next moment, just as he arrived, a heaven-shaking sword intent erupted at the gate. Accompanied by a terrifying boom, the massive, sturdy mountain gate of the Clear Sky Clan was split open by Chen Xin's sword.
Furthermore, Chen Xin did not hold back. After breaking the gate, the terrifying sword light continued to surge into the interior of the clan, with terrifying sword intent ravaging everything in its path.
Tang Xiao was stunned. He had just broken through to Rank 97, putting him at the top tier of the continent, yet Chen Xin's sword strike still brought him a sense of absolute killing intent and threat.
"How... is this possible? Since when did Chen Xin become so terrifying?" Tang Xiao was shaken to his core, but he dared not slow down. If he were late, this single sword strike would decimate half of his clan.
"Seventh Soul Skill, Martial Soul Avatar!"
Nine soul rings appeared around Tang Xiao. In his right hand, a two-meter-long, pitch-black Clear Sky Hammer manifested. The seventh black soul ring lit up, and terrifying soul power poured out. The next moment, a giant Clear Sky Hammer appeared out of thin air, blocking the lethal sword strike.
Although he blocked the strike using his Martial Soul Avatar, it only increased Tang Xiao's horror. The power of that strike was so great that he had to use his Avatar just to block it without taking damage.
Before he could think further, a group led by Chen Xin, Yu Yuanzhen, and Glowing Feather Douluo occupied the mountain gate, surrounding Tang Xiao.
Looking at the nine soul rings around these Titled Douluos and sensing their soul power fluctuations, Tang Xiao felt a sense of despair.
Rank 98 Peak Chen Xin, Rank 97 Peak Glowing Feather Douluo, Rank 96 Thousand Weight and Demon Subduing Douluos, and Rank 95 Yu Yuanzhen, Ghost Leopard, and the Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluos...
There were so many Super Douluos alone. Were they planning to completely exterminate the Clear Sky Clan?
Tang Xiao felt hopeless. Was the choice they made truly correct? Against such a terrifying Sun Moon Empire, did the Clear Sky Clan truly have any room to resist? He didn't know, and he didn't want to know. Even though the five Elders had broken through to the Titled Douluo realm, and they had Bibi Dong—whose strength was comparable to a Super Douluo—it seemed there was still no chance.
Their only turning point was for Bibi Dong to achieve Godhood, but she still had three trials left in her Nine Trials. Now that the Sun Moon Empire was at their doorstep, they were out of time.
Locked on by the intent of several Titled Douluos, Tang Xiao felt an immense pressure even while using his Martial Soul Avatar. Just as he was about to speak, Ning Fengzhi slowly appeared at the ruined gate under the guard of Mi He and Long Wu, looking at Tang Xiao with a cold gaze.
"Howling Sky Douluo, the Clear Sky Clan was once the Number One Sect in the World. In your father's hands, it fell into seclusion. Do you now wish for the Clear Sky Clan to be exterminated in yours?" Ning Fengzhi's cold voice rang out, "His Majesty has said, 'Water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it.' He will not let the continent's Soul Masters wither because of his autocracy. As long as you are willing to submit to the Empire's rule, he would rather see a hundred schools of thought contend, and a hundred flowers bloom in the world of Soul Masters."
"I am giving you one last chance. Submission or extermination—it lies within your single thought."
(End of Chapter)
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