"The curse still exists," Yi Tianxing muttered inwardly. "But with the Golden Crow Celestial Eye suppressed, its power is temporarily sealed. Whatever curse energy it still emits should be severely limited. It won't pose a fatal threat to the citizens of Great Yi."
He could sense it—within his body, the curse had weakened considerably. With it no longer being deadly, perhaps enduring its effects might even come with unexpected benefits.
On the city walls, many generals wore expressions of burning excitement. Witnessing the suppression of the Golden Crow Celestial Eye firsthand had given them a clear understanding of just how powerful the Great Yi Dynasty's foundation had become. As part of Great Yi, they felt an overwhelming sense of pride. Their loyalty to the dynasty only grew stronger and more unshakable.
"Devour the ice crystal eggs. Clean up the battlefield. Fully incorporate the Snow Continent into Great Yi's domain. The Immortal Cities are to be deployed to their designated locations at the fastest pace possible," Yi Tianxing ordered after scanning the surroundings.
The battlefield was littered with countless crystalline eggs—the remnants of the Ice Crystal Clan. The entire area was covered in a thick layer of them, uncountable in number.
"Yes, Your Majesty! Rest assured. With the Ice Crystal Royal Court destroyed, no other force in Snow Continent can resist our occupation. Be it the Corpse Demon Hall or Dragon Valley, after witnessing this battle, they won't dare provoke Great Yi lightly," Zhuge Liang responded with a smile. "Of course, eliminating them entirely won't be easy. For now, we'll suppress their influence with our Immortal Cities and deal with them slowly."
This battle had shaken the major factions of the Snow Continent to their core. Compared to the Ice Crystal Royal Court—whose strength lay in its open establishment of a Destiny Dynasty—removing deeply-rooted powers like the Corpse Demon Hall was a much more complicated matter.
There is a saying: There are no dynasties that last a thousand years, only aristocratic families that do.
Dynasties, once destroyed, leave the royal family exposed and hunted. But families can hide their resources and relocate, ensuring the continuation of their bloodline—like a centipede that doesn't die easily.
Yi Tianxing nodded and then opened a spatial gate, stepping through it to return to the Qingshan Immortal Gate, where his consorts remained.
Meanwhile, the Iron-Blood Great Wall began to radiate waves of blood-red light, sweeping across the battlefield and devouring the vast quantities of crystalline eggs. The more it devoured, the faster it expanded.
Advance.
Advance.
Advance!
The gains from this battle were simply too immense. With the Ice Crystal Clan destroyed, their remnants provided endless resources to fuel the expansion of the Iron-Blood Great Wall. Soon, it completely enveloped the entirety of the Snow Continent—and even began extending over nearby seas.
At the same time, soldiers entered the battlefield to clear debris, weapons, and armor—particularly the two Ice Crystal Battle Fortresses, one of which was the Royal Court's own capital. These were incredibly valuable prizes, and Great Yi troops wasted no time in occupying them.
The many observing foreign races had fallen into stunned silence, shaken by what they had witnessed. Only after some time did they react.
In the Dragon Palace, the dragon heirs and elders were solemn.
"They're strong. The Great Yi Dynasty cannot be underestimated," said Ao Qi. "They possess eight National-Suppressing Divine Artifacts and can actually support their upkeep. Their national destiny must be unimaginably profound. However, the curse of the Ice Crystal King should still linger. A curse of that level is not so easily dispelled."
"We'll have to wait and see what happens at noon," the Turtle Prime Minister added. "The curse is known to activate at midday. With the Golden Crow Celestial Eye now sealed, no one knows how much harm it will still cause."
Countless factions across the region were now watching and waiting for the moment of truth—noon.
In the Kunlun Mountains, atop Mount Qionghua, Zhao Ziyan was cultivating in her personal courtyard when she suddenly looked at the Golden Crow Eye mark on her arm with curiosity. It had appeared unexpectedly, along with a strange, ominous force inside her body. She'd even sensed the Fengshen List summoning her power, and she responded without hesitation.
Strangely enough, the threat from the eye had diminished significantly afterward.
"This is definitely related to my brother's Great Yi Dynasty," she said aloud. "This eye... doesn't seem like a good thing."
She turned to the stunning woman in front of her, asking, "Master, do you know what this is?"
The woman was ethereal, elegant, and noble—her celestial aura unmistakable. Dressed in flowing palace robes that accentuated her perfect figure, her cool expression remained serene. She was none other than Su Yao, Zhao Ziyan's master in the Qionghua Immortal Sect.
Zhao Ziyan had immediately contacted Su Yao when the mark first appeared, which is why the two were now together.
"This appears to be a curse," Su Yao said quietly. "From this eye, I can sense an eerie and twisted power… and even the Dao rhythm of True Solar Fire. This curse is unusual—now that it's inside you, it cannot be erased unless its source is completely annihilated. I suspect this is a curse directed at the entire Great Yi Dynasty, which you've been affected by because you're the crown princess and connected to its fate."
She added, "However, it seems to have been suppressed. Even if it activates at noon, the effects shouldn't be too severe—for you at least. We'll see the real impact once the curse manifests."
Despite her calm tone, a flicker of concern passed through Su Yao's eyes.
She had never underestimated Great Yi—the premier Destiny Dynasty of the Human Race. Zhao Ziyan was important to her not only because of her status as a Heaven's Chosen, but also because she was a bridge to Great Yi: a princess with extraordinary talent, powerful destiny, and a direct bloodline connection to the dynasty.
Su Yao thought to herself:
What kind of enemy has the Great Yi provoked to unleash a curse that spans time and space? A curse capable of reaching Zhao Ziyan across such a vast distance… Is it aimed only at the royal family? Or at all the citizens of Great Yi?
If it's the latter... then the source of this curse must be unimaginably powerful—likely the work of a true great power or ancient existence. And it must have come at a great cost, because this isn't just any mortal kingdom—it's a cultivation dynasty powered by fate itself.
"Please, let my brother be safe..."Despite her unease, Zhao Ziyan held unshakable faith in Yi Tianxing. To her, he was the kind of person who could overcome anything—her lifelong protector and the hero who never failed.
Regardless of the schemes and fears of others, Great Yi's expansion across the Snow Continent continued unimpeded. The Iron-Blood Great Wall grew at a terrifying pace, eventually blanketing the entire continent and even spreading to thousands of miles of nearby sea territory.
Once completed, the wall did not appear ethereal or symbolic—every inch was real. Each blood-red brick was engraved with ancient Dao patterns.
And at last… the moment had come.
Noon.
All across the world, countless hidden eyes sharpened their focus, waiting to witness the awakening of the curse.
"Your Majesty, are you truly not worried about this Golden Crow curse?"Qingyunzi, standing beside Yi Tianxing, asked with concern.
Yi Tianxing responded calmly, "Worrying won't help. What needed to be done has already been done. Now we see how far we've managed to suppress it."
With that, he transmitted a thought into the void.
**"I am the Emperor of Great Yi.To all citizens of Great Yi:
At noon, the Golden Crow Celestial Eye curse will erupt.
Do not panic.
Calm your minds.
Cultivate your strength.
We are unafraid of any enemy.I stand with all of you.Even if we are burned by the Golden Crow,Our will cannot be broken."**
His voice, empowered by fate and will, echoed across every part of Great Yi—whether in Snow Continent, Yi Continent, or Tianying Island. All citizens heard it.
"We're not afraid. Let it come! The Emperor stands with us!"
"We've endured worse. Even if we're burned to death, we'll never regret becoming citizens of Great Yi!"
All across the dynasty, citizens lifted their heads with unshakable resolve.