"Blood Emperor Domain?"
Hearing that arrogant laughter, countless experts gnashed their teeth, glaring furiously skyward.
Since Blood Emperor Domain's founding, these blood cultivators had bared their monstrous ambitions, step by step devouring the four continents' territories. Wherever they passed, everything turned crimson—blood-soaked earth, spiritual energy driven out, replaced by foul, nauseating blood qi. They severely disrupted Yuelong Star Realm's balance.
If this continued, one day Yuelong Star Realm might have to be renamed Blood Emperor Star. That was something the entire cultivation world would never allow—especially since Blood Emperor Domain were foreign invaders, not natives.
Their actions were no different from the legendary Blood Slaughter Demon Lord. Only the Heavenly Dao Eye—severely wounded by Great Hand Immortal King and now in deep slumber—could not intervene.
On Dream Immortal Boat, the women's brows furrowed in unison. Liu Yuqing steered the boat beside Ice Heaven Continent's group—clearly declaring Rear Palace's stance against Blood Emperor Domain.
Several powers who once clashed with Rear Palace instinctively retreated a step, fearing trouble.
But the women treated them as air—not even a glance. Only Lan Li and Lan Xuan secretly cast complex looks at their father Lan Polie—then turned away. They could only spare his life. Showing too much warmth would displease the sisters—consequences beyond control.
"Grandpa, Master!" Ai Xin obediently greeted the Ai Clan Patriarch and Dwarf Clan Chief, making the two old men beam with pride.
The women also greeted familiar faces from their own factions. Rear Palace was practically family with Hundred Flowers Sect—everyone knew Lan An had married in.
The experts here didn't care about meaningless titles. They cared only if Rear Palace had the strength. And now—no one dared question it.
"Blood Emperor Domain, since you're here—why play turtle?" Tian Wanbao spoke solemnly skyward. He sensed many powerful auras hidden in space, inwardly regretting not staying on Ten Thousand Treasures Island—he could have activated the island-protecting grand formation and wiped out a few.
"Heh heh, seeing every powerhouse on the star realm unite against our Blood Emperor Domain—such a wonderful feeling!"
With the arrogant laughter, fifteen blood-red maws suddenly tore open in the sky. From each maw stepped two figures—crimson robes, crimson masks, identical. Only difference: some robes embroidered with beating human hearts. More hearts = stronger.
From each maw emerged two people. Only one wore the heart emblem—meaning the other hadn't qualified.
Then, the fifteen heart-emblazoned figures stepped forward. Overwhelming aura exploded—heaven and earth roared, ocean screamed, space collapsed layer by layer—slamming toward Yuelong Star Realm's experts.
"How is this possible?!"
Tribulation Realm experts paled, instantly unleashing their own auras—crushing back, protecting lower-realm cultivators.
The clash shook heaven and earth. The sea below sank a level. Indescribable.
Perfectly even.
"Blood Emperor Domain has fifteen Tribulation Realm experts," Hua Qingzhu said gravely. All joy from her breakthrough—gone.
"What?!" The women's faces changed. Fifteen Tribulation Realm? That was enough to crush any continent. No wonder Heavenly Secret Pavilion feared them so.
In half a year, the underground Cross-Star Blood Formation never stopped. The number of powerhouses teleported from Blood Realm had reached terrifying levels. In Blood Emperor Domain, only Tribulation Realm experts qualified for heart-emblazoned robes.
Fifteen maws—fifteen Tribulation Realm experts from Blood Emperor Domain. Each brought one non-qualified companion. Total thirty—far fewer than Yuelong Star Realm's experts. Yet no one dared underestimate them.
Tian Wanbao's face was solemn. "Fifteen Tribulation Realm? Good. You want a deathmatch with Yuelong Star Realm?"
Yuelong Star Realm's current Tribulation count was also high: Niu Wuba, Gui Ling Laoren, Xuan Sha, Xuan Kiem, Thai Ling Laoren, Bai Wusheng, Bai Liang Laoren, Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master, Beast Controlling Emperor, Seven Kills Vice-Sect Master, Dan Tianxing, Dan Yanji—plus Yan Yueqi, Hua Qingzhu, the Khao couple, and Tian Wanbao himself.
More than Blood Emperor Domain. Victory chance seventy percent. Plus Ten Thousand Treasures Island nearby still had Multitude Treasure Pavilion Tribulation experts—if overwhelmed, reinforcements possible.
But no one dared act rashly. Who knew if Blood Emperor Domain hid more Tribulation experts or trump cards? Too mysterious—like a giant maw ready to swallow everything.
"Heh heh, fight now? You think you can win?" Three Blood Envoys with four hearts embroidered laughed scornfully, stepping forward. Aura exploded—pushing Yuelong Star Realm's Tribulation experts back a step.
"Impossible! Three Perfect Tribulation?!" Bai Wusheng's face turned ugly.
On site, only Tian Wanbao was Perfect Tribulation. Academy presidents were Late Tribulation. Vice-presidents Mid.
Each small realm gap was massive. Three Perfect Tribulation—victory chance plummeted. Even if won—casualties catastrophic, possibly total annihilation.
Unacceptable.
"I get it! Four hearts = Perfect Tribulation. Three = Late. Two = Mid. One = Early!" A Ni pulled her mother's hand, happily concluding after observing.
Elf Queen Ya Xishen nodded. Blood Emperor Domain lineup: 3 Perfect, 4 Late, 4 Mid, 4 Early Tribulation.
"Hmph, don't think three Perfect Tribulation makes you invincible. If we really fight—who bites who?" Xuan Sha Laoren with sand gourd sneered at Blood Emperor Domain.
Blood Emperor Domain fell silent. They knew instant war—victory uncertain. Yuelong Star Realm's cultivation civilisation was nearly complete: Soul, Spirit, Body, Formation, Pill, Artifact—nothing lacking. Far more balanced than their Blood Realm. Thus, step-by-step invasion, not instant domination.
This visit's goal: humiliate and crush Yuelong Star Realm's morale, flaunt part of their strength, erode enemy spirit—not decide victory.
If dozens of Tribulation experts fought—Sea Continent might be destroyed. They wanted to conquer territory, not annihilate it.
Realising this, Blood Emperor Domain Tribulation experts withdrew aura. The three Four-Heart Blood Envoys narrowed eyes, laughing in unison:
"We three are Four-Heart Blood Envoys. Heard your cultivation world has a Golden Board full of amazing geniuses. So we brought fifteen Blood Emperor Princes to test them. Let's see what your so-called top geniuses amount to! Dare to fight?"
Yuelong Star Realm experts awoke. The fifteen without hearts were Blood Emperor Princes. Tribulation experts called themselves Blood Envoys.
Four hearts = Four-Heart Blood Envoy. Three hearts = Three-Heart, down to One-Heart.
"Absolutely not! If our Golden Board geniuses lose, morale will plummet—Blood Emperor Domain's prestige skyrockets!" Gui Ling Laoren said gravely, instantly seeing their scheme.
"Hmph, if we don't fight—does that mean our Golden Board can't compare to Blood Emperor Princes?" Xuan Kiem Laoren countered. A sword ready to pierce enemies—when had he feared battle?
Tribulation experts argued heatedly. Many Golden Board geniuses had already fallen to Blood Emperor Princes—they lacked confidence.
"Well? Scared? Haha, bunch of cowardly cultivators—best surrender to our Blood Emperor Domain!" a Two-Heart Blood Envoy mocked.
"Blood Envoy speaks true! Your so-called Golden Board geniuses are just empty names—can't withstand a single blow!" Blood Emperor Princes laughed.
"Bastards!" Several Golden Board geniuses nearly exploded with rage. Even Demon, silent till now, flickered black-force-covered eyes.
Tian Wanbao conferred with Tribulation experts, deciding to leave it to the Golden Board geniuses. This battle—the old monsters wouldn't participate. Yuelong Star Realm's honour and shame—opened by the young.
Loss: cultivation world morale crushed, Golden Board reputation ruined. Victory: confidence surge, future Blood Extermination Alliance formation smoother.
A double-edged blade.
Many Yuelong Star Realm leaders looked fervently at Yan Yueqi—she was Golden Board but now Tribulation Realm, their trump card.
"Dare to fight one match?" Tian Wanbao boomed.
"What's there to fear?" Ba Luc Giao Hoang, Wang Ying, Qin Tian roared—unable to hold back.
Rear Palace women nodded calmly. They wanted to test their post-seclusion progress. Their husband was also on the Golden Board—losing its reputation meant losing his.
"Haha, fresh meat incoming!" Blood Emperor Princes cackled excitedly. From higher Blood Realm, Golden Board geniuses were just natives.
"How do we fight?" Niu Wuba asked coldly. Few knew he once taught Ba Luc Giao Hoang for years at Heavenly Demon Academy.
Though not public master-disciple, he saw as his disciple—confident in his strength.
"Simple. Blood Emperor Princes vs Golden Board—same realm, one-on-one. Most victories wins!" a Four-Heart Blood Envoy sneered.
Tribulation experts nodded. Blood Emperor Domain's emergence had already cancelled the Four Academies Grand Tournament. This was a chance for continent geniuses to shine—and settle academy rivalries.
"Settled!" Tian Wanbao declared gravely, glancing encouragingly at his daughter Tian Yedao—clearly wanting her to fight and win.
Tian Yedao nodded. She wanted Rear Palace women to eat their words.
"Wait!" a Three-Heart Blood Envoy suddenly spoke.
"What now?"
Thai Ling Laoren gnashed teeth. These Blood Emperor Domain bastards forced her out of crucial seclusion—unknown when she'd break through to Late Tribulation.
"Heh heh, if Blood Emperor Domain wins—you disband the Golden Board and rename it Blood Emperor Board!" the Three-Heart Blood Envoy cackled.
"Dream on!" Yuelong Star Realm experts' eyes blazed. That was letting Blood Emperor Domain step on their heads—Golden Board reputation destroyed.
"Heh heh, looks like you have no faith in your Golden Board geniuses!" a Two-Heart Blood Envoy mocked.
"You set conditions? What equivalent price if you lose?" Tian Wanbao narrowed eyes—he was a merchant, always prioritising profit.
Blood Envoys fell silent—hadn't thought of stakes.
"If Blood Emperor Domain loses—you swear a blood oath: for one year, no Blood Envoy or above acts. Yuelong Star Realm also sends no Tribulation Realm. How's that?"
At that moment, Liu Yuqing spoke calmly.
Yuelong Star Realm experts jolted, inwardly calculating benefits. Constant Tribulation-level war would devastate Yuelong Star Realm's ecosystem. Even if Blood Emperor Domain was destroyed—the world would be ruined.
If Tribulation experts maintained balance and didn't join—one year to devise countermeasures, solidify Blood Extermination Alliance (not even formed yet).
Most importantly—one year was enough for Wu Sanniang to possibly exit seclusion. Yuelong Star Realm would gain another pillar.
In moments, Yuelong Star Realm experts agreed with Liu Yuqing, admiring her.
Liu Yuqing's considerations were simpler: Delay one year of Tribulation war—give daughters-in-law time to train and grow. Wait for Lan An to return and lead Rear Palace. Then even ten Blood Emperor Domains were nothing.
More importantly—she felt one year was enough to break through to Tribulation Realm.
Blood Emperor Domain thought differently. This condition wasn't necessarily bad. One year no Blood Envoys—still send Blood Generals and below to harvest blood, fuel Cross-Star Blood Formation, accumulate power. After one year—crush Yuelong Star Realm.
Similarly, Blood Extermination Alliance's task: stop Blood Emperor Domain from harvesting more blood, prevent further conquest.
A one-year power race—no Tribulation participation. Slower growth = defeat.
"Deal!" Blood Envoys agreed unanimously. Win—humiliate enemy. Lose—no real loss. Only fools would refuse.
In moments, tension stretched like a drawn bowstring. Blood Emperor Princes and Golden Board geniuses roared:
"Since that's settled—WAR!"
…