End of an Era

End of an Era . . .

As the destructive beams of light hurtled toward the War Immortal Palace's entourage, Qin Wentian's countenance remained glacial, devoid of even a trace of sympathy.

In the eyes of these beings hailing from the immortal realms, the lives of those in the Royal Sacred Region were merely expendable pawns, ready to be slaughtered at their capricious whims. Even as they pursued our protagonists, Immortal Han continued his malevolent rampage, ruthlessly snuffing out innocent lives to satiate his insatiable thirst for their life essence. His actions bore the mark of sheer malevolence and cruelty, crimes for which retribution was due. The people from the War Immortal Palace deserved nothing less than their fates.

"Chi, chi, chi!" came the insidious hum.

An immortal, a master of the saber, carved arcs of blood-red light into the air. His weapon, a malevolent devil saber, pulsed with ominous runic sigils. With each slashing motion, intricate slaughter diagrams manifested. Those from the War Immortal Palace stood no chance against a single swipe of his blade; they fell like lifeless puppets.

"ARGH!" The young man could scarcely contain his anguish at the harrowing spectacle unfolding before him. His immortal foundation radiated a luminous, boundless light.

"Are you contemplating self-destruction?" The immortals bore unfeeling expressions. One among them executed a palm strike, conjuring an icy river that descended from the heavens. In the blink of an eye, the entire world metamorphosed into a crystalline ice realm. The translucent, diamond-like ice ensnared the young man from the War Immortal Palace, a prison of frost.

"In these dire circumstances, do you honestly think we'd permit you to self-obliterate?" the immortals sneered. One of them, their palm striking the icy barrier, sent forth an eruption of force. The diamond enclosure shattered into countless shards, and the War Immortal Palace's young man disintegrated along with it.

The Immortal Foundation Realm spanned nine tiers, with formidable chasms between each level. This particular immortal was a sixth-level expert, wielding overwhelming might. How could the War Immortal Palace's young man, a mere third-level cultivator, even hope to resist? His demise was all but instantaneous.

"Chi!"

A faint sound resonated as Immortal Han howled in agony. The saber-wielding expert had severed one of Immortal Han's limbs, reducing it to a cloud of powder. Immortal Han's malevolent gaze fixed upon Qin Wentian, and he roared in lunacy, "EVEN IN DEATH, I SHALL HAUNT YOU! YOU'LL FIND NO RESTING PLACE FOR YOUR SOUL, AND YOUR WOMAN WILL BECOME A TOY FOR OTHERS!"

"Senior, do not grant him an easy death. I wish for him to savor the excruciating agony as your devil saber cleaves his body inch by agonizing inch until he's reduced to mincemeat," Qin Wentian's voice remained as cold as ice. The saber-wielding immortal readily complied, his affirmation a chilling promise. With another slicing blow, he aimed for Immortal Han's body, meticulously severing tendons.

"AHH!" Immortal Han wailed.

"Did you not treat the lives of others as mere trifles? Did you not curse me? Your demise shall be a slow, torment-ridden one," Qin Wentian's tone bore no hint of emotion. The saber-wielder continued his relentless assault, while Immortal Han shrieked in anguish. Every fiber of his being, from meridians to energy channels, was methodically severed, leaving him incapable of even embracing death's sweet release.

"JUST KILL ME!" Immortal Han's hoarse, despairing shout reverberated through the harrowing scene. The torment he endured was unfathomable, a fate he yearned to end swiftly.

The Medicine Sovereign, his expression as icy as Qin Wentian's, stepped forward to confront Immortal Han. In the Medicine Sovereign's eyes, Immortal Han was not worthy of mercy. His agony was a meager atonement for the heinous crimes he'd committed—slaughtering disciples of the Medicine Sovereign Valley and the innocent residents of the Royal Sacred Region, leaving no room for redemption.

"Medicine Sovereign, we are willing to surrender to you, please spare our lives." The weakest Sacred Emperor among them cowered, a mere spectator to the ruthless slaughter of his fellow disciples. Tremors wracked his frail body, an unambiguous display of fear. Immortal or not, in the face of death, fear was universal.

"Spare you? In your wildest dreams," the Medicine Sovereign declared icily. He moved with lightning speed to stand before the quaking Sacred Emperor. A blaze of terrifying immortal fire engulfed the Sacred Emperor's body. His face contorted in excruciating pain as the Medicine Sovereign stepped back. With an earth-shattering explosion, the Sacred Emperor's body imploded from within, reduced to a blaze of destructive flames.

In short order, every member of the War Immortal Palace, except Immortal Han, met their demise. Immortal Han remained a victim of unending torment. Only then did Qin Wentian issue the final verdict, "End him."

"Understood." The saber-wielding immortal raised his weapon, cleaving Immortal Han in two, severing his immortal foundation.

The once-arrogant experts of the War Immortal Palace had all perished, not a single one left standing. It was a devastating blow to the War Immortal Palace.

"Hu..." Li Mubai hadn't even had the opportunity to intervene. Although he'd experienced numerous battles in the immortal realms and even witnessed distant wars, the gruesome slaughter he had just witnessed up close was profoundly shocking. They had truly teetered on the precipice of death.

Where had this legion of hundreds of immortals come from?

"Di Tian, do you require any further assistance from us?" a red-haired elder inquired, gazing at Di Tian.

"Thank you for your generous help, esteemed seniors. There's no need for further aid." Di Tian's voice carried an edge of coldness, instilling a sense of pressure even among the other immortals. Despite his youth, he would eventually inherit the Vermilion Bird Immortal Palace and ascend to the pinnacle of the immortal realms.

"Di Tian, you're too modest. We merely dusted off our old bones. It's no trouble at all. It's been years since we breathed the air of the outside world, and we owe it all to you. A minor act of gratitude should not be deemed a burden. If there are any others you wish to eliminate, simply give the word, and we shall heed your command instantly," the saber-wielding immortal interjected candidly.

Whether owing to Di Tian's potential or their sense of gratitude, they believed it wise to forge a friendship with him.

"I truly require nothing more," Di Tian replied with a smile.

"Di Tian, the individuals we dispatched earlier hailed from the War Immortal Palace in the immortal realms. Their demise may carry repercussions," a red-haired elder cautioned. "As such, we propose leaving strands of our immortal essence within this particle world. If vengeful experts from the immortal realms arrive, we can manifest ourselves through these strands to thwart them. Unless they wield overwhelming power, they'll think twice before acting recklessly. Sect members often perish while tempering themselves outside, and their sects rarely exact revenge unless the deceased is an heir to great power. Our immortal essence should suffice as a deterrent."

"Your suggestion is wise," Di Tian concurred. He then turned his gaze to Qin Wentian, mindful of the need to preserve their shared secret. "Wentian, what are your thoughts?"

"Seniors, we humbly request your company as we head to the Royal Sacred Sect. Once we've razed it to the ground, we shall proclaim to the world that the Medicine Sovereign Valley shall reign supreme. You're welcome to leave strands of your immortal essence within the Medicine Sovereign Valley," Qin Wentian extended the invitation with a polite tone.

"Agreed, we have no objections." The immortals nodded in unison, noting the young man's close connection to Di Tian. An air of familial resemblance hung about them, prompting speculation about their possible blood ties.

"Very well, let's proceed," Di Tian concurred. The group took flight, their collective destination the Royal Sacred Sect.

During the journey, Di Tian, walking beside Qin Wentian, handed over various items. These spoils had been harvested from the deceased immortals of the War Immortal Palace, passed on by those who had slain them. With Di Tian preparing for other particle worlds and having the elderly man as a resource, these treasures would find better use in Qin Wentian's hands.

In the Royal Sacred Sect, factions congregated within a training courtyard, awaiting the triumphant return of their Sacred Emperors and the War Immortal Palace's immortals. The outcome of this battle would spell the demise of the Medicine Sovereign Valley, asserting the true hegemony in this world. The populace would come to acknowledge the new order.

A silhouette materialized overhead and descended. Zai Yan turned his steely gaze toward the newcomer, querying, "Have you located them?"

"They remain elusive; it appears the Forgotten Immortal Tower has disbanded, its members vanishing in small groups," came the reply. During these past few days, attention had been riveted on the battle between the Royal Sacred Sect and the Medicine Sovereign Valley. The Forgotten Immortal Tower's covert dissolution went unnoticed until it was too late to apprehend them, leaving no tempting maidens for the taking.

"They shall pay the price. Once we conclude this matter, we'll hunt them down and share their bevy of beauties among all factions," Zai Yan's voice dripped with icy determination. He continued, "This world belongs to our Royal Sacred Sect, and I'm curious where those females could possibly have fled."

"Ah, we're in for a treat. The Forgotten Immortal Tower has a treasure trove of beautiful women, and they're all top-tier. I can't wait to indulge myself," a Qinghua Mountain Sect member chuckled.

"Patience, the battle is nearly over. The Sacred Emperor and the immortals won't be long in their return with victory in tow," Zai Xuan confidently asserted. How could mere denizens of this particle world withstand the onslaught of immortals? Qin Wentian and the others were undoubtedly doomed.

The Royal Sacred Sect's elite waited in eager anticipation. They, the world's reigning power, had been irked by the Medicine Sovereign Valley's provocation, yet they'd been powerless to eradicate it. Frustration had festered, but now, it seemed that finality was at hand.

"They shall never return," an ancient voice resounded, enveloping the airspace above the Royal Sacred Sect. In that instant, the hearts of countless sect members pounded with anxiety.

Then, the crushing weight of overwhelming pressure descended, accompanied by the sudden appearance of numerous formidable figures. Each one exuded an aura so potent it was suffocating.

"It's the Medicine Sovereign, the Medicine Sovereign!"

As the words rang out, a name sliced through the air like a dagger, cutting into the hearts of the Royal Sacred Sect's experts.

"There's also the Swordsaint Li Mubai!"

The utterance struck with the force of thunder, and a collective chill washed over the once-confident members of the Royal Sacred Sect. Their countenances turned ashen in an instant. How could this be possible? Had the formidable War Immortal Palace been vanquished? And more perplexing still, where had these immortals suddenly emerged from?

The heavens seemed to respond to the mounting tension, as figures materialized and descended from above. Among them were the Medicine Sovereign, Li Mubai, and Qin Wentian, their eyes now gleaming with a cold, unwavering resolve as they gazed down upon the stricken members of the Royal Sacred Sect below.

Confusion and fear rippled through the Royal Sacred Sect's ranks like a malignant virus. In hushed murmurs and anxious glances, they grappled with the unfathomable turn of events.

"Where are the immortals from the War Immortal Palace?!" Zai Xuan's voice trembled, his complexion drained of color. Panic coursed through his veins like a fevered fire. How had the seemingly invincible War Immortal Palace met its demise?

With trembling limbs and racing hearts, the experts from various factions exchanged frantic glances. Their once-mighty fortress now seemed to crumble around them.

"All of them have met their demise, vanishing into the void, but they shan't be lonely in the afterlife. For you, too, shall soon join them. The Royal Sacred Sect, the self-proclaimed ruler of the Royal Sacred Region, shall henceforth be erased from history's annals. From this day onward, the Royal Sacred Sect shall hold no sway in this world. Those who bear its name are marked for death."

Qin Wentian's voice, devoid of pity or remorse, descended like an icy tempest, sealing the fate of the Royal Sacred Sect. The era of their dominance had crumbled into oblivion, leaving nothing but a chilling legacy in its wake.