Chapter 129: The Imperial Lord?

As the Empress’s voice fell, seven colossal worlds burst forth with dazzling radiance, the chaos of creation unfurling. From within emerged a gigantic hand, boundless and infinite.

“This... this is the Sovereign!”

The mysterious man was struck with terror, his mind shaken. He chose to retreat, brandishing his great blade across his chest, attempting to block the colossal hand.

“You cannot stop it. He has long foreseen everything. There is no way I shall perish again.”

The Empress sneered coldly, coughing up a mouthful of blood, her entire body trembling. The surge of imperial power had already reached her limit, and there was no way to sustain it for long, especially while engaged in battle. In truth, she was already near exhaustion.

“Impossible. You should have died long ago.”

The mysterious man’s arrogance had vanished; fear gripped him. He had calculated every possibility, confident he held the absolute advantage. For he had seen through the Empress’s current state—she could not endure prolonged combat. Yet he had not expected the Sovereign to have left behind such a measure.

“Even if heaven and earth perish, he will not die.”

The Empress laughed coldly, exhaling a mist of smoke as she invoked a secret technique to mend her wounds. Thunderous vitality surged within her like rolling celestial thunder. At the same time, a flush appeared on her cheeks as she once again stabilized her power at the imperial level.

Rumor had it that the Empress descended from the Phoenix clan, possessing the ability to be reborn from ashes, capable of rapid regeneration. Now, it seemed undeniable.

“Ah!”

A harrowing scream shattered the heavens. The mysterious man was hurled back violently, his body pulverized to dust, his soul fragmented. Yet, as a Sovereign realm powerhouse, he was not so easily destroyed.

“I don’t believe it!”

The mysterious man roared, reforming his body. He reopened the initial portal.

“The Sovereign has long vanished into the annals of time. I witnessed his demise with my own eyes. Do not disturb my path. I understand now—this must be a remnant imprint left behind by him. Otherwise, that punch earlier would have ended me; even my true form could not have escaped.”

His eyes shone brightly for the first time as his true form rose. He stretched out one hand, and the heavens rumbled in response. An invincible force manifested in the mortal realm.

At this moment, the entire Great Jin Empire trembled, awakening several reclusive ancient beings.

“Is that him? What is his intent?”

Within the ancient imperial palace of the Great Jin capital, an elder whose body was covered in dust thick as stone awoke. His eyes were clouded, as if on the verge of entering reincarnation.

Yet his aura was terrifyingly peerless—a Sovereign realm powerhouse.

He was the true foundation of the Great Jin Empire, a legendary figure who had lived since ancient times.

Two beams of light tore through the heavens, finally settling upon Mount Wangwu.

“This is...? The Sovereign?”

The elder’s gaze flickered wildly before he withdrew it, unwilling to look further.

“You.”

From above the firmament came a voice, and the void shattered to dust. A colossal eye, like the Eye of Heaven itself, gazed down upon the myriad realms.

Blood rained in torrents, and the portal shuttered once more. The mysterious man’s true form was struck as if by lightning; one hand was reduced to mere bones, flesh dissolved entirely.

The Empress’s face turned ashen. Only she understood the true cause.

After the appearance of that eye, her aura plummeted rapidly, barely maintaining imperial level.

For the mysterious man, the blow was far more grievous. The loss of an arm was trivial, but the Sovereign’s eye had utterly shattered his soul’s core. That was the gravest wound, requiring a long time to heal.

“The Sovereign lives!”

The mysterious man’s clone remained, but its aura had fallen to the Broken Void level, a decline from the imperial realm. Yet now, he had no time to heed such matters.

“I shall not destroy your clone. However, from this day forth, you will become my follower, restoring the glory of ancient times.”

The Empress smiled coldly. She valued the mysterious man’s true strength and wished to bring him under her control.

But the mysterious man said nothing, seemingly lost in thought. He no longer possessed the power to fight. Even reopening the portal might not guarantee victory over the Empress, especially with the Sovereign’s fate uncertain.

“I know your intentions well, and I will not force you. But remember, the Empress is forever the Empress, and the Sovereign is forever the Sovereign.”

A mysterious glint flashed in the Empress’s eyes. She did not coerce the mysterious man, clearly wary of his true form. Yet the most important reason was his identity.

“What you say is true.”

The mysterious man bowed, a bitter smile crossing his face. In the end, he dared not test fate. He knew the Sovereign’s style well—one chance might be granted, but if it happened again, he would surely be destroyed utterly.

Still, the mysterious man held his own confidence, believing the Empress would not call upon the Sovereign again for such a matter. Should an all-out war erupt, it was uncertain who would emerge victorious.

“Hmph.”

The Empress glanced at the mysterious man, fully aware of his thoughts but choosing not to expose them. She swept her gaze across the heavens, unleashing a terrifying aura.

“You all, come before me.”

She spoke with supreme authority, issuing a command none dared to defy.

“Greetings, Empress.”

Radiant light flickered as a group of great figures appeared, filled with reverence. Though they did not fully understand the identity of the woman before them, they recognized her as an unparalleled powerhouse.

The Three Immortals of Peach Blossom Spring dared not act rashly and revealed their faces for the first time.

They were three middle-aged men, identical in appearance.

“The legacy of the Star Lodge still lives. You may withdraw.”

The Empress waved her hand, sending the Three Immortals flying back. The Four Symbols Formation trembled, revealing an opening through which they departed.

“Who are you?”

The Empress turned toward the Domain Lord of the Ancient Buddha Domain and inquired.

“I am the Domain Lord of the Ancient Buddha Domain of the Great Jin Empire. Greetings, Empress.”

The Domain Lord responded with neither arrogance nor servility, confident in his standing.

“The once divine dynasty has fallen to a mere kingdom. Such is fate. Tell that old fellow in the Great Jin Empire I await his arrival.”

The Empress frowned, opening another portal to send the Domain Lord away.

Now, only two figures remained within the hall—the great patriarch of the Xiang family and Ouyang Zi. The Purple-Clad Pavilion’s elder was the mysterious man’s servant.

“I give you one chance: submit to me, and your lives will be spared.”

The Empress swept her gaze over the two men and spoke, though a frosty glint soon appeared in her eyes.

“Trying to leave with what’s mine? Return it at once!”

She unleashed a streak of energy that shot far into the distance.

At this moment, Lin Fan had already arrived at the ancestral land of the royal family. With his current strength, escape was assured. Yet just as he was about to depart, his expression changed.

The void shattered, and a jade hand descended directly onto his shoulder.