# Chapter 1748: Eight Nine-Step Saint Kings
This heaven and earth became incomparably silent.
The Kunlun Realm cultivators inside the divine temple had long sensed something was wrong and wanted to rush out to fight alongside Wan Zhaoyi, but they were stopped by the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden.
It was not until this moment, seeing the life force cut off from Wan Zhaoyi's body, that their hearts all sank to the bottom of the valley, overcome with a sorrowful urge to weep.
In the span of just one quarter-hour, he had lived an entire life. All his brilliance and splendor had bloomed within this single quarter-hour, ultimately returning to coldness and stillness.
The era of dragons and snakes contending among the younger generation of Kunlun Realm, which Wan Zhaoyi represented, had come to an end!
East No Heaven, West No Law, South Heart Art, North Rain Field — the world would never again see the "Heroes' Ode."
Beneath the thick earth lay countless heroes' bones, and Wan Zhaoyi was merely one among them.
There had been many before, and there would be many in the future.
"Rustle, rustle."
Wan Zhaoyi's essence, qi, and spirit were all completely consumed. As the cold wind blew, his body turned into grains of blood sand, spilling out from the Azure Dragon Treasure Armor. His legs, torso, and head all vanished, as if he had never come to this world at all.
Xun Ya let out a long breath, propping up his pain-wracked, splitting body as he slowly stood up and swallowed a healing sacred pill into his mouth.
Only after stabilizing his injuries did Xun Ya's gaze fix on the Heavenly Mandate Talisman and Azure Dragon Treasure Armor suspended in midair.
That Kunlun Realm cultivator from earlier had nearly beaten him to death, not because of how high his cultivation realm was, but because he possessed these two treasures.
Just as Xun Ya was about to collect them, voices of rebuke rang out from the divine temple from the Kunlun Realm cultivators.
"Those are Wan Zhaoyi's relics — how dare you filthy scum from Paradise Realm touch them!"
"The Little Saint Heavenly King has fallen in battle, leaving not even his corpse behind. His relics must be brought back to Kunlun Realm."
...
Chen Wutian, Qing Xiao, and Pei Yutian rushed out from the divine temple, wanting to reclaim the Heavenly Mandate Talisman and Azure Dragon Treasure Armor.
They had been born in the same era as Wan Zhaoyi, had fought alongside him, had ventured into ruins together to compete for opportunities, and had contended on the Earth Ranking and Heaven Ranking. Thus, they held considerable respect for this opponent.
However, they were intercepted by Paradise Realm Saint Kings and could not get close to Xun Ya.
Xun Ya sneered mockingly: "With cultivation levels like yours, you dare to jump around before this king? Don't tell me you also possess some ultimate secret technique that lets you struggle desperately for a moment?"
"What do you mean by struggling desperately? Weren't you the one just now who was beaten like a dog, lying on the ground unable to get up?" Qing Xiao said in a deep voice.
Xun Ya's face darkened, killing intent surging in his eyes: "You won't cry until you see the coffin. Today, this king will extract your souls and flay your skin."
Although he had suffered extremely severe injuries, as the sacred qi within Xun Ya's body began to circulate, a powerful sacred might surged forth, actually shaking Chen Wutian, Qing Xiao, and Pei Yutian so much that they could barely stand steady.
A look of determination appeared in Chen Wutian's eyes: "This man is the leader of the Blood Battle Divine Hall. Even at the same cultivation level, we might not be his match. Now that his cultivation far surpasses ours, we are even less his equal. I will have to use that final technique from the 'Four Nine Mysterious Art' — the Beyond Five Elements — to have any chance of withstanding him."
Pei Yutian said: "If you use the Beyond Five Elements, you can indeed unleash unparalleled power. But the Beyond Five Elements means death. Better for you to lend me your sacred qi and help me activate the Stone Blade, so I can split him open with one strike."
Pei Yutian's Stone Blade was a supreme treasure born from the Northern Domain of Kunlun Realm. The patterns on the blade were identical to the veins of the mountains and rivers in the Northern Domain.
Someone had once prophesied that if Pei Yutian could cultivate to the Great Saint realm, he could use the Stone Blade to draw upon the power of heaven and earth from the entire Northern Domain.
Of course, with his current cultivation, forcibly drawing upon the Stone Blade's power would leave him no better off than Wan Zhaoyi.
But at this moment, they could not care about so much. Chen Wutian, Pei Yutian, and Qing Xiao were all prepared to fight to the death. If they could kill Xun Ya, then even if they fell in battle, it would not be a loss.
Just then, something strange happened.
Xun Ya had been about to retrieve the Heavenly Mandate Talisman and Azure Dragon Treasure Armor, but the Heavenly Mandate Talisman suddenly burst forth with dazzling light.
"Whoosh."
Xun Ya was caught off guard, knocked back several steps.
The Heavenly Mandate Talisman and Azure Dragon Treasure Armor flew into the distance, landing in the hands of a sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth in white robes.
That youth stood atop a broken peak, extremely handsome. Though he appeared young, his eyes were quite deep, and his body exuded an imperial aura of commanding the realm and overlooking all under heaven.
Xun Ya was somewhat irritated: "Who are you?"
"Heavenly Mandate," the youth in white said.
The Azure Dragon Treasure Armor automatically covered his body, emitting an azure radiance even more dazzling than when Wan Zhaoyi had worn it.
The youth in white held the Heavenly Mandate Talisman, muttering to himself: "Seventy thousand years. Finally, it has returned to this emperor's hands. What a pity about Wan Zhaoyi — a talent born in the wrong era. If this era did not have Chi Yao, did not have Zhang Ruochen, did not have the great upheaval of Kunlun Realm, perhaps he could have used the talisman to become a great emperor of Kunlun Realm."
The Kunlun Realm cultivators in the divine temple were all puzzled.
"Who is this person? Is he also a Kunlun Realm cultivator?"
"I've never seen him before, but he seems to have quite a background."
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden gazed at the distant youth in white: "He is the first great emperor to establish a Central Empire in Kunlun Realm after the Middle Ages — the Heavenly Mandate Great Emperor."
Many cultivators were shocked: "Wasn't the Heavenly Mandate Great Emperor supposed to have died seventy thousand years ago? How could he still be alive?"
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden clearly knew many secrets: "Back then, the Heavenly Mandate Great Emperor obtained the supreme treasure Azure Eye Green Blood Pearl left behind by Biluozi, preserving his corpse within the pearl. He did not decay but instead transformed into a corpse emperor, living a second life."
The Kunlun Realm cultivators present had never heard of the name "Biluozi," but they all knew of the Azure Eye Green Blood Pearl, and thus somewhat believed the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden's words.
Perhaps the Heavenly Mandate Great Emperor had truly returned.
The Heavenly Mandate Corpse Emperor fixed his gaze on the Paradise Realm Saint Kings standing in the sky: "This emperor has come to take the Kunlun Realm cultivators away. Make way."
"You think you can take them just because you say so? On what basis?"
"Even if you completely conceal your corpse qi, you cannot fool this king's spiritual power. Just a corpse cultivator, and you dare call yourself emperor?"
Among the Paradise Realm kings, a Six-Step Saint King whose combat power ranked in the top ten felt the Heavenly Mandate Corpse Emperor was too arrogant. He produced a Seven Radiance Ten-Thousand-Pattern Sacred Artifact-level iron pagoda and pressed it down toward him.
The iron pagoda was originally only seven inches tall, but it grew with the wind, becoming as massive as a mountain peak. Tens of thousands of inscription patterns interwove across its surface, its momentum astonishing.
The cultivators nearby all retreated, afraid of being struck by the pagoda's force.
"Boom."
The broken peak where the Heavenly Mandate Corpse Emperor stood was instantly shattered into rubble, flattened to the ground as easily as a sand dune being smoothed over — a sight of indescribable shock.
The Paradise Realm kings all showed smiles.
"Facing Juexin King's Lin Heaven Pagoda and not dodging — it seems he's just a short-lived fool full of arrogance."
"That is... he actually held up the Lin Heaven Pagoda..."
A Saint King of the Elf Clan's face changed dramatically as he pointed at the shattered ground, his heart pounding wildly.
Sure enough, that youth in white stood at the bottom of the broken peak, holding up the massive Lin Heaven Pagoda with one hand, his expression relaxed, as if he felt no great pressure.
"This emperor happens to lack a suitable sacred artifact. This pagoda is not bad."
The Heavenly Mandate Talisman flew out, wrapping around the Lin Heaven Pagoda.
Immediately, the connection between the Lin Heaven Pagoda and Juexin King vanished. The pagoda shrank smaller and smaller, falling into the Heavenly Mandate Corpse Emperor's hands.
Seeing this scene, a sound of sharp intakes of breath spread across heaven and earth.
Even Xun Ya quickly retreated, putting some distance between himself and the Heavenly Mandate Corpse Emperor.
One must understand, Juexin King was no ordinary figure. Even if Xun Ya had not been injured, defeating him would have required considerable effort. Yet this youth in white had effortlessly taken away Juexin King's primary war artifact — he was definitely a very troublesome character.
Shang Zi's expression grew cautious: "Your methods are indeed formidable, but if you want to take those Kunlun Realm cultivators away, your strength is probably not enough."
The Heavenly Mandate Corpse Emperor's gaze locked onto Shang Zi.
"Boom."
The moment their eyes met, the sky between them erupted with a thunderous explosion.
A powerful wave of air rolled outward, sending who knows how many Paradise Realm Saint Kings flying.
The Heavenly Mandate Corpse Emperor let out a muffled grunt, stepping back half a step.
In contrast, Shang Zi stood in midair with his hands behind his back, unmoving: "As I said, your strength is not enough."
Gongzi Yan and a Seven-Step Saint King of the Dwarf Clan appeared behind Shang Zi, forming a pincer formation, as if intending to keep the Heavenly Mandate Corpse Emperor here as well.
"What about adding me?"
A soft, feminine voice rang out.
Then, from the hazy sky, a mass of blood mist surged forward, its emitted aura making even Shang Zi furrow his brow.
Within the blood mist, eight cultivators carried a palanquin as large as a palace, advancing with overwhelming momentum.
On the palanquin lay a palace-robed woman with skin as white and crystalline as snow. Her long hair was as black as ink, and she wore an ice-carved mask, revealing a pair of extremely alluring eyes.
Her cultivation was not particularly high — at least not enough to be taken seriously by Shang Zi — but the eight cultivators carrying the palanquin were all top-tier experts, every single one at the Nine-Step Saint King realm.
Eight Nine-Step Saint Kings carrying a single woman — too bizarre.
It was precisely because of this strangeness that Shang Zi became alert: "Are you also a Kunlun Realm cultivator?"
"That's right! But I am not here for this group of Kunlun Realm cultivators. Their life or death has little to do with me. I am here for another person, but it seems he has not arrived yet," the palace-robed woman said with a laugh.
Shang Zi said: "To be able to bring eight veteran Nine-Step Saint Kings to Truth Heaven Domain — you have quite the ability."
"They are all my servants. Why can't I bring them to Truth Heaven Domain?" the palace-robed woman countered.
The Paradise Realm cultivators could no longer remain calm.
One must understand, even a Great Saint would find it nearly impossible to take eight Nine-Step Saint Kings as servants. Moreover, those eight were all regional overlords who had lived for over a thousand years.
At this moment, the Kunlun Realm cultivators were also stunned. When had Kunlun Realm produced such a peerless demoness beneath the Great Saint level?
Their gazes turned to the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden.
There was no secret in Kunlun Realm that the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden did not know. Perhaps she knew this woman's origins.
This time, however, the Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden did not speak. Instead, a contemplative look appeared in her eyes.
...
(Can everyone guess this woman's identity?)