Zhao Feng's voice echoed throughout the entire capital.
At this moment
Hundreds of thousands of eyes were fixed on him, all utterly shocked by his words.
Yet, as they looked up at the immortals who had been forcibly made to kneel in midair, their beliefs were shaken to the core.
The idea that immortals were supreme and invincible had just been challenged.
Zhao Feng raised his hand.
A demonic sword appeared in his grasp.
This was the first time he had drawn the weapon after refining it.
"What are you trying to do?"
"I'm warning you"
"If you dare lay a hand on us, Kunlun will not spare you, nor will the Heavenly Court!"
"We act under the decree of the Heavenly Court!"
Seeing Zhao Feng gripping his sword with a murderous aura, the leading Heaven Immortal was finally afraid. His voice trembled in fear.
"Do you see this?"
"Even an immortal fears death."
Zhao Feng mocked coldly.
He swung his sword.
The demonic blade slashed down.
Crack!
Effortlessly.
The Heaven Immortal's head was severed from his body.
"Heaven Immortal slain. +500 All Attributes."
A system notification appeared.
The severed head plummeted from the sky, while his crimson blood rained down like droplets.
"Look at this."
"His blood is red, just like ours. Though he was an immortal, his essence was still that of a human."
"They were once mortals, just like us."
Zhao Feng pointed at the corpse, his voice booming.
The entire city fell into silence. The citizens stood in stunned disbelief, shaken beyond words.
"Immortals… can die?"
"How is this possible?"
"Aren't immortals supposed to be invincible?"
"Aren't they the will of the heavens?"
"Why would an immortal beg for mercy? Why would they fear death?"
...
Watching Zhao Feng personally behead an immortal sent an unprecedented shockwave through their beliefs.
"And..."
"Do you think the so-called Ascension Ceremony is meant to grant you immortality and freedom?"
Zhao Feng's tone shifted, a cold sneer playing on his lips.
"My king… what do you mean by this?"
A citizen hesitantly asked, his voice filled with confusion.
"I'll let them explain it themselves," Zhao Feng replied with a faint smile.
He gestured to Wei Quan.
Wei Quan immediately understood.
Without hesitation, he strode toward the kneeling immortals and grabbed one at random.
"Speak if you want to live."
"What is the true purpose of the Ascension Ceremony?" Wei Quan asked coldly.
"I… I…"
The immortal stammered in terror, too afraid to answer.
Zhao Feng casually pointed a finger.
A surge of energy pierced straight through the man's chest, instantly snuffing out his life.
"Earth Immortal slain. +200 All Attributes."
Another system notification sounded.
Wei Quan wasted no time and grabbed another immortal.
"I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"
"The Ascension Ceremony is… is meant to recruit mortals with spiritual roots into the immortal sects."
"But in reality, once they enter the sects, their spiritual essence is extracted, their flesh and blood refined to strengthen the sect!"
"Only those with top-tier spiritual roots have a slim chance of survival and may be allowed to cultivate."
"But… but over ninety percent of those who enter are drained of their life force and perish!"
The immortal's voice trembled.
Zhao Feng deliberately let his voice resonate throughout the capital, ensuring every single citizen heard the truth.
If watching an immortal fall had already sent shockwaves through their hearts
Then hearing this revelation firsthand sent a chill down their spines.
"Over ninety percent of ascendants are drained of their blood and refined into resources?"
"Ascension… becoming immortal… it's all a lie. A trap meant to deceive us, mortals?"
"How could this be?"
"Why?"
"Becoming immortal… we have believed in this for generations… but now we learn it was all a scheme against us?"
"No wonder… no wonder so many who joined the immortal sects never returned! No wonder my elder brother never came back! The truth is everyone who received an 'immortal opportunity' was killed!"
"Immortals… you already stand above us, receiving our offerings. Why must you still treat us like this?"
"Hahaha… my family elders always said that the Ascension Ceremony was our only path to a better life. That it was even more prestigious than becoming an imperial minister… But in the end, it was all just a scam. A trick to make us march to our deaths willingly!"
"Immortals… laughable, pathetic immortals!"
...
The moment the truth was exposed, countless people laughed bitterly, on the verge of madness. Others wailed in sorrow.
For them
This was a shattering, irreversible blow.
"Listen well."
"The entire Eastern Divine Continent all the mortal kingdoms are nothing more than livestock raised by the immortals and deities."
"The Ascension Ceremony is simply their way of selecting the best 'ingredients' for consumption."
"To them, the higher one's spiritual root, the more 'delicious' they are."
"In the end, 'immortals' are just stronger mortals. Nothing more."
Zhao Feng's words thundered through the city, piercing deep into every citizen's soul.
As his words fell, he had no further interest in conversing.
He raised his hand
Hundreds of sword beams erupted into the sky.
In an instant, all two hundred remaining immortal sect disciples were decapitated.
"Earth Immortal slain. +200 All Attributes."
"Immortal slain. +100 All Attributes."
"Nascent Soul cultivator slain. +50 All Attributes."
A series of system notifications rang out.
These immortals had become nothing more than a source of attributes for Zhao Feng.
Meanwhile, on the ground
Many citizens were drenched in the blood of the fallen immortals.
For the first time in their lives, they felt something different.
"An immortal's blood is warm. An immortal's blood is red."
"They… are no different from us."
"In the end, they're just people only a little stronger."
These Words Shook Them to the Core
At that moment!
Zhao Feng seemed to sense something.
With a wave of his hand
The Heavenly Profound Mirror soared into the sky.
Instantly
One scene after another was projected before the eyes of the hundreds of thousands of citizens in the city.
"Reporting to Your Highness!"
"We have fulfilled our mission!"
"Fifty-eight immortal cultivators arrived in this city all captured!"
"Reporting to Your Highness!"
"A hundred and fifty cultivators arrived in the next city all captured!"
"Reporting to Your Highness..."
These images displayed Zhao Feng's generals reporting their victories.
Using the Heavenly Profound Mirror, they presented the results of their battle.
During the Immortal Ascension Ceremony, every city sent disciples to recruit new members.
The larger the city's population, the more immortal cultivators would come.
But now
Inside the Heavenly Profound Mirror, those once lofty and untouchable immortals were all shackled in chains, reduced to mere prisoners.
"Look!"
"Every immortal within the borders of my Martial Kingdom has been captured!"
"They are not invincible!"
"From now on"
"Every citizen of the Martial Kingdom shall be under my protection! If an immortal dares to harm my people I shall slay them! If an immortal dares to trespass into my kingdom without decree I shall slay them!"
"From this day forth, the people of the Martial Kingdom shall neither worship gods nor revere immortals!"
"The people of the Martial Kingdom shall rely on themselves and rise with their strength!"
Standing above the city, Zhao Feng declared with an imposing voice.
Then
A young man stepped forward, his eyes filled with awe and longing.
"Your Majesty... are you an immortal?"
Zhao Feng looked at him and spoke with unwavering confidence.
"In this world, there exist immortals, gods, demons, spirits, and ghosts! Countless races walk different paths of cultivation."
"My path is not the path of immortals it is the path of martial arts!"
"I am not an immortal, but I possess power far greater than one!"
"This... is the way of the Martialist!"
His voice echoed throughout the city.
"Martial arts? Martialists?"
The entire city was shocked by this new form of cultivation.
Yet
What truly astonished them was that their king, despite not being immortal, was capable of slaying them.
Then
Zhao Feng spoke again, his words sending the entire city into ecstatic joy!
"Any citizen of my kingdom anyone who swears an oath of loyalty to me shall receive a cultivation technique and step onto the path of martial arts!"
The city's hundreds of thousands of citizens were left utterly stunned.
"Your Majesty..."
"You… you're going to teach us how to cultivate?"
Everyone looked at Zhao Feng in disbelief.
"Every citizen of my kingdom… shall be allowed to cultivate!"
Zhao Feng repeated.
Then he turned.
"Minister Han!"
"I am here, Your Majesty!"
Han Fei soared into the air, bowing in respect.
"Throughout the entire Martial Kingdom, every citizen who swears an oath of loyalty shall receive the Heavenly Profound Mirror and be granted cultivation techniques."
"See to it that this is arranged."
"Understood!" Han Fei responded with enthusiasm.
Afterward
Zhao Feng returned to the royal palace.
"Convey my decree!"
"The army shall continue to expand our borders!"
"Waste no time in strengthening our rule!"
"Additionally, bring all the captured Immortal Sect disciples before me!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
His ministers answered in unison.
With Zhao Feng's decree, the Heavenly Profound Mirror was distributed across the Martial Kingdom.
Unlike in the mortal world, those who wished to receive the mirror and obtain martial cultivation techniques had to first swear an oath of loyalty to Zhao Feng.
At the same time
Zhao Feng gazed into the Heavenly Profound Mirror and murmured to himself:
"I have been in the Immortal Realm for three months…"
"In the mortal world, ninety years have passed…"
"If I account for the time flow differences in minor worlds… the power of my Great Qin Empire must have grown beyond imagination."
With that thought
He activated the Heavenly Profound Mirror.
"Father, how is the mortal world now?" Zhao Feng asked.
The Mortal Realm
Year 96 of the Great Qin's Cultivation Era
It had been ninety years since Zhao Feng departed!
Due to fear of the Great Qin, the Celestial Court had refrained from sending any more forces to the mortal world, focusing instead on restoring its strength.
Meanwhile, the Great Qin Empire had fully entered an era of cultivation.
Although various paths of cultivation coexisted
Martial Arts had become the supreme path of the Great Qin!
Even those without spiritual roots, without innate talent, without remarkable physique
Even those with weak potential or no martial foundations at all
Could still achieve great things through determination and effort!
Of course
Immortal cultivation and Buddhist cultivation also produced many formidable figures for the empire.
Today
Xianyang Capital of Great Qin
Within the Royal Academy's Martial Arena
Tens of thousands of spectators gathered.
Among them were scholars from academies across the empire, as well as countless independent cultivators.
All eyes were fixed on the arena, where a massive protective formation had been activated.
Two figures hovered above the battlefield.
Both radiated the overwhelming aura of Martial Dao Transcendence a realm capable of battling immortals!
"You think Young Lord Yang is stronger? Or will Princess Xue prevail?"
"Hard to say."
"After all, this is the Martial Dao Transcendence Realm the peak of the mortal world's power, strong enough to challenge immortals! Just witnessing this battle is an honor!"
"As expected of His Highness the Crown Prince's grandson! His cultivation talent is terrifying!"
"Indeed! Both of them are under fifty years old, and in the path of cultivation, which is still considered young. Yet they've already reached Martial Dao Transcendence!"
"As expected of the Great Qin Imperial Clan!"
"Look!"
"They're about to fight!"
....
Tens of thousands of eyes were fixed on the scene, murmurs spreading throughout the crowd filled with reverence for the royal family and deep admiration for Zhao Feng.
In Great Qin, the news of Zhao Feng's ascension to the Celestial Realm had not been announced. Instead, it was said that the Crown Prince had entered secluded cultivation.
Over the past ninety years, Great Qin has gone through multiple generations of change.
Yet, the names of Ying Zheng and Zhao Feng remained eternal, passed down through the ages.
Ying Zheng, the one who ruled the world the First Emperor.
Zhao Feng, the one who spread the path of martial arts the Martial Ancestor.
No one dared to forget them.
Every generation of Great Qin's citizens upheld their loyalty, passed down from their forefathers loyal to Great Qin, loyal to the First Emperor, and loyal to the Crown Prince.
And now, under their watchful gazes, stood two direct descendants of Zhao Feng, Ying Yang and Ying Xue.
They were the children of Zhao Qi, born in the forty-sixth year of the Transmission of the Dao.
Now, at the age of fifty, they were still considered young.
Had Great Qin remained a mundane kingdom, fifty would already be past half of one's lifespan.
But in this flourishing era of cultivation, fifty years of age was merely the beginning.
Over ninety years of transformation, Great Qin had undergone a complete metamorphosis.
In today's Great Qin
Even among commoners, grandmaster-level martial artists who could once effortlessly defeat an army of tens of thousands had become widespread.
Experts at the Divine Ability Realm, capable of soaring through the sky like immortals, were everywhere.
Powerhouses at the Celestial Phenomenon Realm, able to borrow the power of heaven and earth, were too numerous to count.
Those who had stepped into the Shattered Void Realm and were entrusted with key responsibilities were also abundant.
As for those at the Martial Dao Transcendence Realm
Once an extreme rarity in Great Qin, their numbers had now surpassed ten thousand.
Even those at the Martial Dao Grandmaster Realm had exceeded a thousand.
As for those above this level, their existence remained one of Great Qin's greatest secrets, known only to the First Emperor.
This was the pinnacle of martial cultivation of Great Qin's power, fully unveiled.
Ninety years had passed, and with the full support of the resources across the mortal world, Great Qin had undergone an unimaginable transformation.
Of course, this was just the mainstream Martial Dao.
The Immortal Dao and the Buddhist Dao also flourished, producing countless cultivators.
In the Immortal Dao, over three thousand had reached the Union of Void and Dao Realm.
Those below this realm were too numerous to count and spread throughout Great Qin.
In the Buddhist Dao
Without a Martial Ancestor like Zhao Feng to guide them, nor a sage like Guiguzi to preach the Immortal Dao, progress had been slower.
However, with a population nearing ten billion and the royal court providing Buddhist cultivation techniques, many had still emerged.
Now, Great Qin had over three hundred Buddhist cultivators who had reached the Union of Void and Dao Realm.
There was even one who had attained true immortality an enlightened monk wielding a sacred relic, fully comprehending himself and the principles of Buddhism.
Though fewer in number than martial artists and immortal cultivators, it was a promising start.
This was merely the strength Great Qin displayed to the world the visible power leading the empire's path of cultivation.
As for its true depths, only the First Emperor and his successor knew.
Now, back to the battle at hand
In the martial arena, as the aura of martial power reached its peak
"Dragon Subduing Palm!"
Ying Yang and Ying Xue shouted in unison.
A powerful surge of true essence erupted.
Both struck out simultaneously.
Two golden dragons instantly materialized, carrying the might to shatter space itself as they collided.
Boom! Boom!
The sheer force of true essence trembled the void, unleashing a terrifying shockwave.
The protective formation of the arena quaked violently.
Without it, the entire city of Xianyang might have been reduced to ruins from the clash.
Such was the power of Martial Dao Transcendence.
But after a single exchange
Ying Xue staggered back dozens of steps, while Ying Yang remained motionless.
The victor was clear.
"Little sister," Ying Yang said smugly, "your strike was impressive, but it lacked the sheer ferocity of the Dragon Subduing Palm."
"Hmph!"
"I'm going to find Great-Grandfather and tell him you bullied me!"
Ying Xue, her beautiful face filled with frustration, turned on her heel and flew straight toward the imperial palace.
"Wait, no, no, no!"
"I surrender, okay?"
Ying Yang panicked.
Everyone knew Ying Xue was the beloved treasure of the First Emperor himself, doted upon beyond measure.
As for himself, the great-grandson? Nothing more than a background character.
Seeing this scene, the onlookers around the martial arena couldn't help but smile knowingly.
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