This was Lu Qingyang's determination at this moment.
Compared to the previous battle against the Ancient Wasteland, Lu Qingyang now intended to flatten the three great heavens in one fell swoop.
He aimed to engrave the name of Qingyang Realm prominently on the land of the Ancient Wasteland.
Time changes all.
Twenty years ago, the strength of Qingyang Realm was still shallow, with only a handful of fifth-tier cultivators. Apart from Lu Qingyang, there wasn't a single person who reached the sixth tier.
But now, it's different.
Setting aside the believers in the Wu Xian Realm, the Qingyang Realm now had the presence of sixth-tier powerhouses.
Among the five ancient trees, three had advanced to the early stage of the sixth tier.
However, the ancient tree cultivators like Lu Wanqing did not practice physical arts but the Dao of cultivation. The sixth tier of physical arts was called True Monarch, while the sixth tier of cultivation was called Integration.
Although nowadays, sixth-tier physical arts practitioners were already few and far between, let alone those who reached the sixth tier of cultivation, which was even rarer.
In any case, the strength of Qingyang Realm was no longer what it used to be.
In recent years, Lu Qingyang had a thorough understanding of the situation in the Ancient Wasteland.
Since the fall of the Lord of Tianyang Heaven, Qiu Chengfeng, in the Quasi-Emperor Secret Realm, Tianyang Heaven had fallen into a prolonged civil strife, with Tai Xu and Gu Huang Heavens seizing the opportunity to consume its resources and annex its territory.
It wasn't until Tianyang Heaven managed to produce a powerhouse at the peak of the True Monarch realm that they barely stabilized the situation.
However, the conflicts among the three heavens had already become irreconcilable.
...
Imperial Capital.
At the heart of the Qingyang Immortal Kingdom, all the elders gathered in a grand hall, their eyes fixed on the vacant chief seat.
They were all waiting for the arrival of that figure.
Time passed quietly, and there wasn't a trace of impatience on any elder's face, only anticipation and a barely noticeable reverence.
Suddenly.
A majestic aura, like the might of the heavens, spread out, and a figure gradually appeared, as if from nothingness. When the figure fully materialized, all the elders rose and bowed deeply.
"Greetings, Sovereign!"
"Rise, everyone."
Lu Qingyang's face was calm as his gaze swept over the elders of the Immortal Kingdom.
In the last campaign against the Qingyang Realm, the Immortal Kingdom lost many elders. Over the years, some who had made meritorious deeds and had high cultivation levels were promoted to fill the vacant positions.
Now, the Qingyang Immortal Kingdom had exactly eighteen elders, no more, no less, just right.
"The Sovereign's presence indicates there must be important instructions?"
Yang Yan cautiously inquired. This person, who hadn't appeared for many years, now summoned the ministers, certainly not for an ordinary matter.
The other elders, though silent, listened intently, afraid of missing a word.
Lu Qingyang said, "Fifty years ago, when another world invaded, Qingyang Realm was devastated. More than twenty years ago, during the counterattack against the Ancient Wasteland, countless heroes shed their blood on the battlefield. Now, the enmity between Qingyang Realm and the Ancient Wasteland has reached an irreconcilable point. Moreover, the Golden Era of the Wu Xian Realm is approaching, the shackles of longevity will be broken, and powerhouses will emerge like a tide."
"Qingyang Realm has recovered for twenty years, its strength now vastly different from the past. Therefore, I believe that now is the time to counterattack the Ancient Wasteland once again, to destroy the three great heavens, to avenge the souls of the heroes, and to pave the way for the future generations."
Counterattack the Ancient Wasteland!
Upon hearing Lu Qingyang's words, Yang Yan and the others were all shaken.
When they received Lu Qingyang's orders, they had already anticipated this, but hearing it in person still left them deeply shocked.
After all, the strength of the three great heavens in the Ancient Wasteland was formidable. Even though they had been fighting among themselves for years, their foundations remained profound.
To truly counterattack the Ancient Wasteland, Qingyang Realm would have to pay a heavy price.
The battle more than twenty years ago, where a million cultivators of Qingyang Realm sacrificed themselves, was still etched in their minds, never to be forgotten.
Now, in the Tianling Hall, the heroic spirits of those brave souls were still enshrined.
Seeing the expressions of the others, Lu Qingyang naturally understood their concerns and continued to speak.
"I understand your worries, but the Qingyang Realm is small in size. Those of you who have advanced to the fifth or even sixth tier must have noticed the difficulties within. The root cause is the great calamity of ancient times."
"After the calamity, the foundation of the Qingyang Realm was far inferior to that of ancient times. Although I have nourished it for many years, the current cultivation environment has the sixth tier as its peak. To advance further is as difficult as ascending to the heavens."
"The Wu Xian Realm is a land of spiritual energy and talents, capable of supporting even ninth-tier Emperors at its peak. The Ancient Wasteland and the Wu Xian Realm, bound by the shackles of longevity, had their powerhouses' cultivation levels capped at the peak of the sixth tier. Now that the shackles are about to disappear, the Golden Era they speak of is coming."
"In this unrestricted era, the sixth tier will no longer be the end. Seventh-tier and eighth-tier powerhouses will emerge endlessly, and even ninth-tier Emperors might be born."
"Falling behind means falling behind in every step. If the Qingyang Realm seeks to grow stronger, we must counterattack the Ancient Wasteland. Otherwise, when the Golden Era arrives and the strength of the cultivators in the Ancient Wasteland surges, the Qingyang Realm will be engulfed in flames of war."
"At that time, whether the Qingyang Realm can retreat unscathed, even I cannot guarantee."
Lu Qingyang's words plunged the elders into deep thought.
As elders of the Qingyang Immortal Kingdom, they clearly understood the implications of Lu Qingyang's words.
Counterattacking the Ancient Wasteland at this moment was the only opportunity for the Qingyang Realm. If delayed, as the Golden Era intensified, when conflicts between the two realms erupted, the casualties in Qingyang Realm would be even more severe.
Therefore.
When Lu Qingyang decided to counterattack the Ancient Wasteland, the elders did not object, quickly issuing corresponding orders to reignite the flames of war in the Qingyang Realm, which had been dormant for twenty years.
At the same time.
Lu Qingyang also issued related tasks in the Celestial Court.
In an instant.
The news that the Qingyang Immortal Kingdom was about to counterattack the Ancient Wasteland once again swept through the world like a hurricane. Even those cultivating in seclusion in the Wu Xian Realm learned of it immediately.
...
Chu Family.
Upon hearing the news, Chu Xun stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the clear sky, as if foreseeing the blood-stained scene in the future.
"The battle has finally begun, but how many cultivators will bury their bones in the Ancient Wasteland this time? How many of my Chu family will return victorious?"
The head of the Chu family murmured to himself, but his eyes burned with fierce battle intent.
He had awaited this war for far too long.