"What arrogance from the so-called Emperor Yi! Using a Primordial Dragon Son as a chariot beast? He clearly holds no respect for our dragon race. Does he truly believe the Great Yi Dynasty can defy all? This is outrageous, absolutely outrageous!"
Ao Lie's face darkened as he watched. This wasn't just a matter of power—it was an affront to their pride. How could he stay calm?
"That isn't a true Primordial Dragon Son. It's a spirit artifact, likely the spirit of the war chariot itself," Ao Qi remarked, eyes flickering with strange light. She had already discerned that what pulled the chariot was not a living ancient dragon. A true Primordial Dragon Son would never be so easily subdued, let alone be used as a beast of burden.
"It's a Innate Dragon Soul. If obtained, it could be reborn through the Dragon Pool, given a physical body, and become a genuine Primordial Dragon Son," the Sea Dragon King said deeply.
These dragon souls were born from heaven and earth treasures. Though technically artifact spirits, they were still dragon souls—innate dragon souls at that. In a sense, they were equivalent to Innate Divine Demons, and if they gained physical form, their potential in the dragon race would be unmatched.
However, separating a dragon soul from a heavenly treasure was no simple feat.
That's why the Sea Dragon King hadn't acted rashly.
This war chariot was not an ordinary artifact—it might already be a lifebound treasure, connected to Yi Tianxing's own life force. A single thought could cause drastic changes.
Even Yi Tianxing himself hadn't detected it fully. He merely felt a faint, formless threat rise for a split second before it vanished again—so fleeting it seemed like a hallucination.
"It probably wasn't a hallucination… but who would want to make a move against me, only to withdraw at the last second?"
The thought flashed through Yi Tianxing's mind, but he didn't linger on it. The matter at hand was swallowing up the entire Skyhawk Royal Court.
"Yi Emperor… it really is you."
Tuoba Tao raised his eyes to the Nine-Dragon War Chariot, staring at the figure standing atop it. His pupils contracted as he asked in a low voice, "Yi Emperor, do you truly intend to annihilate my Skyhawk Dynasty?"
"Tuoba Tao."
Yi Tianxing, standing tall on the chariot, looked down and said slowly, "From the moment you ordered my people to be treated as livestock—boiled, roasted, and butchered—you sealed your fate. In my eyes, you and your so-called dynasty must perish. If I don't kill you, how can I face the countless wronged souls of my people? The countless suffering civilians? Your end is of your own making."
"True, I enslaved millions," Tuoba Tao replied, "but I also protected them—gave them a chance to survive in this age of chaos. Without my Skyhawk Court, they would have perished long ago."
"My people would rather die than live as walking corpses. Better to die free than live in chains," Yi Tianxing replied coldly.
"Fine. But do you really think that's enough to crush the Skyhawk Court?"
Tuoba Tao's final hope faded, realizing that there could be no turning back. Still, he hadn't given up entirely.
"You're waiting for the Jixiang Temple? You really believe that one Buddhist sect can save your Court? How naive," Yi Tianxing sneered.
"So what if you know of Jixiang Temple? Their strength is beyond your imagination. They are a true sect of deep foundation and terrifying might. The Reincarnated Living Buddha possesses power unmatched. No matter how strong you are, you cannot surpass him," Tuoba Tao said with certainty.
Years ago, during the Sky Calamity, it was the Living Buddha who forced back a Primordial Deity, saving the Skyhawk Court. Who knew how strong he had become since then?
"Amitabha!!"
At that moment, a Buddhist chant echoed from the void.
From the western skies, endless Buddhist light surged forward, covering the heavens in golden brilliance. The entire sky in that direction turned gold, an awe-inspiring sight.
Within the light, a towering spiritual mountain loomed in the void. Atop it stood a majestic temple, resplendent in gold. The mere sight of it stirred an irresistible urge to bow in worship.Chants echoed from all directions.
A vast divine pressure swept across the land.
Even the Skyhawk's Divine Crow Corps couldn't resist and were forced to the ground—such was the might of this pressure.
"Jixiang Temple!"
Yi Tianxing remained unmoved atop the war chariot, utterly unaffected by the golden light's pressure. It was as if it didn't exist to him.
Swish!
Within the golden light, a golden Buddha suddenly appeared in midair above the Skyhawk capital. Cloaked in golden brilliance, surrounded by chanting, his face was a constantly shifting mosaic of countless expressions—the faces of all sentient beings.
"A Buddha Gold Body… formed from incense and wish-power. You must be the Living Buddha of Jixiang Temple," Yi Tianxing said coldly.
His eyes pierced through the radiance and discerned the truth: this was not the Living Buddha's physical body, but a Faith-Gold Avatar.
Buddhism cultivated power through incense and wish energy. One powerful method involved forging a Buddha Gold Body as a vessel for enlightenment. When merged with the true self, it granted godlike power. This was not the divine path, but it was similar.
This golden avatar was no weaker than a Nascent Soul realm expert—perhaps even stronger.
"Amitabha. Emperor Yi, please grant this monk a favor. Let the Skyhawk Court live. We are all of the human race—why shed blood among kin?" the golden Buddha said slowly. His tone was calm, even respectful, placing Yi Tianxing on equal footing.
Indeed, few today could look down on Yi Tianxing.
"Human race? Heh. Monk, were you not listening earlier?" Yi Tianxing chuckled coldly. "Let me repeat myself: my people do not harbor beasts who eat human flesh. Such monsters must be slain. If you stand in my way, then I'll burn down your temple."
A chilling killing intent swept forth, suffocating the battlefield.
"Amitabha, Yi Emperor, is this not too extreme? The Eternal World teems with alien races and great powers. The human race is not yet secure. While the Great Yi Dynasty currently dominates, it is only because the sealed top-tier powerhouses of other races remain dormant. But this seal will not last much longer," the Buddha warned.
"You're saying… the Heavenly Dao Seal is weakening? And those sealed powerhouses will soon return to the world?"
Yi Tianxing's expression turned grim.
If true, the balance of power would shatter. These ancient monsters could disrupt all current systems. Their mere presence could cause catastrophe, and their battles might annihilate cities, mountains, and even continents.
True chaos would descend.
And the only hope of survival would lie with the sealed human powerhouses—the true pillars of the race.
"Correct. As this monk understands, once a cultivator in the Eternal World breaks through to the Yang God Realm, the Heavenly Dao Seals will begin crumbling. Most restrictions will fade. That moment… will mark the beginning of true chaos. Our race will need its strength. Perhaps, Yi Emperor, you can spare the Skyhawk Court?"
"Yang God Realm…"
This realm, in any world, was that of immortals—capable of altering reality at a whim, wielding world-shaking power. But ascending to it was exceedingly difficult.
Still, there were countless geniuses in this age. Anyone could break through at any time. And once they did… the seals would fail.
Yi Tianxing himself could reach that stage within a few years if he focused entirely on cultivation. Others would follow.
In less than ten years… the seals could collapse.
The Era of Great Turmoil was approaching.