Under Fang Xuan's command, the Heaven Dou Alliance Army rested for three days in Swallow Cloud City before marching towards the northwestern central region. Along the way, they attacked cities and destroyed fortresses, proving invincible.
They defeated the Persian Kingdom, killing nearly a hundred thousand enemy soldiers and shocking the world!
In less than a week, Fang Xuan led the Army to victory in every battle, sweeping through the northwest and driving the Persian Kingdom out of Heaven Dou Empire's territory, reclaiming Norton Province.
The entire Empire celebrated!
Upon hearing of the Persian Kingdom's defeat, the citizens of the Heaven Dou Empire rejoiced, praising Fang Xuan's great achievements.
Reclaiming Norton Province was Fang Xuan's first goal, but not his ultimate one. His ambition was to destroy the Persian Kingdom and other rival kingdoms completely. He sought to reclaim the five provinces the Heaven Dou Empire had lost and restore its former dominance.
Thus, after reclaiming Norton Province, Fang Xuan immediately led his troops in pursuit of the Persian Kingdom's forces, pressing onward without rest until they reached the Persian Kingdom's capital.
The 100,000-strong army surrounded the Persian Imperial City, awaiting Fang Xuan's command to level the city to the ground.
The Persian King, terrified, hastily sent envoys to beg for mercy. His dreams of conquering the Heaven Dou Empire were shattered.
"Haha, with the enemy at our gates, do you think it's too late to negotiate?"
Fang Xuan sneered, sending the Persian Kingdom's envoys away. His voice dripped with menace as he warned, "Go back and tell your king to stop dreaming of negotiations. If he wants to live, he must open the gates and surrender immediately! Otherwise, the Persian Kingdom will vanish from the Douluo Continent forever!"
"Y-Yes, Your Majesty!"
The Persian envoys, filled with terror, fled back to their king.
"Your Majesty, why waste time with these people? Let's charge into the city and destroy the Persian Kingdom! It'll save us a lot of trouble," said Yu Tianheng, clad in golden armor, eager to storm the city and capture the Persian King.
"There's no rush. Let's see what other tricks the Persian King has up his sleeve. If we can take the Persian Kingdom without losing a single soldier, wouldn't that be even better?"
Ning Fengzhi replied calmly and composedly. Dressed in a white robe and armor atop a white horse, his sharp eyebrows and bright eyes made him appear noble and heroic.
Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, Yu Feng, Shi Mo, and the others nodded in agreement with Ning Fengzhi's cautious approach.
In the past week, the Persian Kingdom has suffered defeat after defeat. Fang Xuan's forces decimated the once 100,000-strong Persian army. The kingdom's remaining forces could barely defend the capital, making a reversal of fortune impossible.
Only one option left for the Persian Kingdom — open the city and surrender.
...
Inside the Persian Imperial City, panic spread like wildfire. The citizens and soldiers alike were gripped with fear, and rumors ran rampant. Even the city's defenders, losing all will to fight, abandoned their posts and fled.
The Persian King, his face full of dread, retreated to a secret chamber within the palace.
This chamber was lavish and dazzling. A golden-haired man sat cross-legged on a golden throne, his eyes closed in meditation.
The man, cold and imposing, was tall and powerful. His golden dragon robe accentuated his regal demeanor, radiating the aura of a mighty king.
"Lord God, save me!" the Persian King pleaded.
Once the Persian King entered the secret chamber, he immediately knelt before the golden-haired man, sobbing as he pleaded for help.
"Fang Xuan has led his army to the palace. My kingdom is finished! Only you can save me now!"
"Fang Xuan…"
Hearing this familiar name, the golden-haired man frowned. His tightly shut eyes slowly opened, revealing golden irises that reflected the rotation of the sun and moon, the destruction of stars. Two lightning bolts shot as his eyes opened, blasting the kneeling Persian King away.
"Hmph, that ant from back then! There was a path to heaven, but you didn't take it. No door to hell, yet you came knocking. This time, I'll settle the score properly!"
This golden-haired man was the God of Desire, who had trapped Fang Xuan and Qian Renxue in the Abyss of Desire for a year. He was a true Level 100 God!
Fang Xuan and Qian Renxue joined forces back then—Fiendish Sword Red Rain and the Angelic Sacred Sword combined to severely wound the God of Desire. Though injured, the evil god had narrowly escaped.
For years, his whereabouts had been unknown. Who would have thought he was hiding in the Persian Kingdom all along?
"Lord God, I followed your orders to invade Heaven Dou. After so many battles, have you gathered enough blood?" the Persian King asked nervously, crawling up from the floor in disarray.
"Not yet. I still need more blood to heal my injuries!"
The God of Desire gazed coldly at the Persian King, his golden eyes devoid of emotion as though looking at an insect.
Years ago, Fang Xuan and Qian Renxue severely injured him, causing him to lose much of his divine power. He needed to collect vast amounts of blood to regain his full strength. He had convinced the Persian King to wage war to gather blood from the battlefield.
Though most of his strength had returned, the God of Desire still required a little more to recover fully.
"Lord God, what can I do to assist you? Please, tell me!" the Persian King asked, trembling with fear and reverence.
"It's very simple…"
The God of Desire's lips curled into a sinister smile.
"I only need you to sacrifice the entire city, and I will regain my full God-tier power!"
"Sacrifice… the entire city?!"
The Persian King's eyes widened in shock, but before he could react, his body exploded into a cloud of blood, which flew directly into the God of Desire's mouth.
After swallowing the Persian King in a single gulp, the God of Desire grimaced in disgust.
"What repulsive blood. There isn't even a trace of power in it. The Persian King was nothing but useless trash. But don't worry—I promise Fang Xuan will pay for what he did!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the God of Desire's body radiated a dazzling golden light. He ascended into the sky like a rising sun, looming over the millions of lives below in the city.
"Pitiful ants, surrender your blood to me!"
The God of Desire opened his mouth and inhaled deeply, drawing blood from the countless living beings below. Entire crowds exploded into clouds of blood, which were greedily devoured, feeding the evil god's divine power.
"Ah! What is that? So terrifying!"
"It's a devil—a devil from hell! I don't want to die!"
"Father! Mother! Don't leave me!"
Like a grim reaper, the God of Desire harvested lives at will. The once-thriving Persian Imperial City quickly became a ghost town. The air was filled with desperate cries, as though a funeral dirge was being played for the dying, casting an overwhelming sorrow over the city…
Fang Xuan and his allies quickly noticed the dramatic changes outside the city. Their expressions hardened. Fang Xuan's eyes narrowed as he looked at the golden-haired man hovering above the city.
He said in a grave tone, "The God of Desire!"