A majestic sword intent swept through the heavens and earth like a tempest, instantly tearing apart the dense sky. The formation, capable of challenging a True Monarch, was shredded like thin paper in the face of this sword intent, breaking apart instantly.
Not only that.
The nine True Person elders who set up the formation were severely injured by this sword intent, nearly losing their lives.
"This is a disaster, report to the sect master immediately!"
"Qingyang Realm is attacking, we will resist to the death!"
Some elders, despite spitting blood, fought and retreated simultaneously, trying to deliver this urgent news back to the sect. Other True Persons, though heavily wounded, still fought desperately to block Lu Wanqing and his group's advance.
However.
Without the protection of the formation, the heavily injured fifth-tier True Persons were like ants before the might of sixth-tier powerhouses, utterly powerless.
Lu Wanqing and his companions subdued the elders in moments.
They then looked at the now desiccated, dust-like leaf that had just unleashed the astonishing sword intent, filled with reverence in their hearts.
In Qingyang Realm, there was no one other than the sovereign of the Ten Thousand Heavens who could easily destroy a sixth-tier formation with a single leaf.
At this moment, Lu Wanqing and the others naturally referred to him as "Sovereign" rather than "Father."
Just then, the army of Qingyang Immortal Kingdom, led by Yang Yan, also arrived at the scene, witnessing the spectacle of the leaf's sword intent piercing the sky and shattering the three great heavens' formation in one strike.
The soldiers were all shocked, but Yang Yan quickly regained his composure and shouted loudly:
"Our target in this battle is to flatten the three great heavens! All cultivators, follow me to directly attack Ancient Wasteland Heaven!"
With those words, Yang Yan soared into the sky, heading straight towards Ancient Wasteland Heaven.
Lu Wanqing and the million-strong army followed closely, marching towards the battlefield.
For many, the Ancient Wasteland was an unfamiliar land. Even those who had fought in the war twenty years ago had only engaged at the inter-realm gates, knowing nothing beyond them.
Fortunately, thanks to the power of the Celestial Court chat group, the Immortal Kingdom had long been well-versed in the Ancient Wasteland, leaving no detail of the three great heavens' locations unknown.
Currently, among the three great heavens, Tianyang Heaven was the weakest, Taixu Heaven was slightly stronger, and Ancient Wasteland Heaven, due to Gu Tiangang's ascension to sainthood, was the strongest.
If Gu Tiangang had not become a sage, Taixu Heaven and Ancient Wasteland Heaven would have been evenly matched.
Qingyang Immortal Kingdom aimed to make a bold first move in its counterattack, choosing to eliminate the strongest Ancient Wasteland Heaven first to intimidate the remaining two heavens and establish dominance.
...
At the banquet, Gu Tiangang was chatting and laughing with the cultivators when the astonishing sword intent erupted. He abruptly stood up, staring in the direction of the inter-realm gates, his smile freezing instantly.
While others didn't notice the anomaly, Gu Tiangang, with his saintly sensitivity, caught the fleeting moment of crisis.
"What a powerful sword intent!" Gu Tiangang frowned deeply, ignoring those around him, his gaze fixed on the inter-realm gates, a sense of unease rising within him.
At that moment, an elder hurried over and whispered something in Gu Tiangang's ear, causing his expression to change drastically.
"What?!"
Gu Tiangang roared in anger, his saintly pressure exploding like a flood, distorting the space around him. The guests at the banquet looked at Gu Tiangang in terror.
Those with weaker cultivation felt their blood surge, almost vomiting blood.
Even Zhang Ming and the others, who were closest to Gu Tiangang, felt the saintly pressure directly, their expressions growing more solemn.
Though they had experienced Gu Tiangang's strength in simulations, the firsthand experience of a saint's pressure was still shocking.
The gap between the sixth and seventh tiers was like a chasm between mortals and saints, with each move carrying immense power.
In his rage, Gu Tiangang's fury caused the atmosphere within Ancient Wasteland Heaven to shift dramatically, dark clouds gathering as if a storm was imminent.
Such was the aura of a top powerhouse; their emotional fluctuations could trigger heavenly phenomena.
Cultivators who had never witnessed a saint's strength were deeply shaken by this phenomenon.
After a long while, Gu Tiangang forcibly suppressed his anger, and the saintly pressure gradually subsided, allowing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Everyone, I have just received news that Qingyang Realm's cultivators are invading the Ancient Wasteland. The elders guarding the inter-realm gates from the three great heavens have all perished."
"This matter concerns the survival of the Ancient Wasteland. As members of the Ancient Wasteland, we must stand together with Ancient Wasteland Heaven to resist Qingyang Realm!"
Gu Tiangang's words stirred everyone.
"Qingyang Realm is invading now?"
"How dare Qingyang Realm attack us repeatedly? Today, we must make sure they never return!"
"That's right, with Lord Gu having become a sage, Qingyang Realm is nothing!"
"In this battle, we must not only annihilate Qingyang Realm's army but also destroy Qingyang Realm entirely to assert our dominance!"
The cultivators were all fervent, eager to rush to the battlefield and slaughter the invaders from Qingyang Realm.
To them, Qingyang Realm's invasion seemed like a suicidal act.
In the battle twenty years ago, Qingyang Realm was repelled by the Ancient Wasteland. Though the three sacred lands later suffered defeats, it was because they ventured deep into Qingyang Realm, suffering under the suppression of the Dao of Heaven.
Now, with Gu Tiangang having become a sage, would Qingyang Realm not be easily crushed?
Gu Tiangang shared this view. Originally, he was not in a hurry to attack Qingyang Realm because Lu Qingyang was a formidable opponent, especially since he always guarded Qingyang Realm, making Gu Tiangang hesitant to venture there.
He knew well the power of the Dao of Heaven's suppression, having experienced it multiple times.
He believed that now, as a sage, the Dao of Heaven's suppression in Qingyang Realm might no longer affect him. But to be safe, he planned to strengthen his cultivation further before attacking Qingyang Realm.
However, Qingyang Realm's current provocation and the killing of many True Person elders from Ancient Wasteland Heaven ignited Gu Tiangang's fury.
Taking this opportunity, he also wanted to test his newly attained saintly strength.
So, he looked at Zhang Ming, Gu Fang, and others, regaining his usual arrogance, and smiled as he asked, "With the invasion of cultivators from a minor world, I wonder if you all would join Ancient Wasteland Heaven in repelling the enemy?"
Zhang Ming smiled calmly, "Coincidentally, I also wish to see what kind of world dares to challenge the Ancient Wasteland."
"With your assistance, our chances of victory will be even greater!"
Gu Tiangang nodded with satisfaction, his last bit of doubt dissipating.
In his eyes, Zhang Ming and the others were from imperial-level forces, possessing strong cultivation, likely comparable to ordinary perfected true monarchs.
With such powerful allies, the confidence of the Ancient Wasteland was bolstered.
Gu Tiangang's eyes gleamed with cold light, as if he could already see the total annihilation of Qingyang Realm's forces.
"In this battle, I will ensure Qingyang Realm never returns!"
4o