You truly have the gall of a thousand devils!
It was a woman's voice, cold and devoid of any emotion.
Hearing it, Ji Cunye, the Emperor of Jinghong, Zhang Wanli, and the others felt their hair stand on end, their souls trembling!
"The Frost Emperor!"
"She… she's found us!"
The group felt as if they'd plunged into an icy abyss, their hearts turning cold.
They had come here today under Ji Cunye's leadership, wielding the Longevity Ji Family's clan-suppressing sacred artifact—the Thousand Mechanism Tower!
This sacred artifact possessed the ability to harmonize with the heavens and dissolve all laws, capable of concealing heavenly secrets and suppressing all traces of aura.
Generations of Ji Family patriarchs had poured their lifetimes into refining it, making it unimaginably powerful.
They'd thought hiding within it would allow them to evade detection perfectly.
But they never imagined that, just as they were about to retreat, the Frost Emperor would see through them with a single glance!
Each of them could clearly feel her gaze, like two piercing swords cutting through the void, carrying supreme majesty, stabbing into their minds and sending chills down their spines!
"What do we do now?"
"Are we really going to face the Frost Emperor?"
"Emperor of Jinghong, Master Mu, please decide quickly!"
Zhang Wanli said anxiously.
The Frost Emperor had invited them for tea, but who would take that at face value!
Xuanshuang Grotto-Heaven had nearly been destroyed in the battle—where was there tea to drink?!
She was calling them to account!
In an instant, the group buzzed like ants on a hot pan.
Going to face the Emperor now was tantamount to walking into a trap!
How could they possibly survive that?!
Gritting their teeth, they desperately wanted to pretend they hadn't heard and flee as fast as they could.
But with a Heavenly Emperor right before them, how could they cling to any shred of luck?!
Fleeing now would be as good as confessing their guilt—making it blatantly obvious they had something to hide!
Ji Cunye's face flickered with indecision, his mind racing.
After a moment, his expression hardened, and he steeled himself.
"Everyone, let's play it by ear!"
"If you don't want to die, keep your mouths shut tight—don't let a single word slip!"
"Understood?"
He transmitted his stern warning.
The group, faces full of terror, remained silent.
Ji Cunye hesitated no longer and immediately retracted the Thousand Mechanism Tower.
Over twenty figures suddenly appeared in the void.
Seeing them emerge, the countless onlookers in the distance froze in unison.
Everyone snapped out of the shock brought by Xue Honglou, staring in confusion.
"It's the Longevity Ji Family, Longevity Mu Family, Jinghong Divine Dynasty, and people from a few other great sects!"
"When did they get here?"
"The battle's already over—why are they only showing up now?"
The crowd buzzed with questions.
Under their watchful eyes, Ji Cunye and the others moved toward Xuanshuang Grotto-Heaven like a pack of defeated dogs, dragging their feet for a long while before arriving.
The members of Hidden Sword Mountain, Jade Cauldron Holy Land, Huangchu Holy Land, and others exchanged glances, momentarily stunned.
No need to say it—Ji Family, Mu Family, and the others must have received Saint Ancestor Wu Xu's message yesterday too.
So why were they only appearing now?
"So it's these guys! They've been here all along?"
Jiang Yuqiong's family of three parted, and he hung onto his mom's neck, raising an eyebrow.
He remembered that at the Spirit-Severing Sword Body banquet, Ji Cunye, Zhang Wanli, and others had been present.
But strangely, today they'd been hiding in the shadows.
If his mom hadn't called them out, they might not have shown themselves.
What were they up to?
At this thought, Jiang Yuqiong's brow furrowed.
Before anyone could ask, Ji Cunye, Mu Nantian, the Emperor of Jinghong, and a few others forced stiff smiles onto their faces, bowing to Su Qingshuang and Jiang Wu Xu.
"We pay our respects to the Frost Emperor! Greetings to Saint Ancestor Wu Xu!"
"Congratulations to the Frost Emperor for suppressing the Eternal Blood Prison and upholding justice!"
"Best wishes on the birth of the Emperor's child, a celestial presence descended to the mortal realm!"
The group spoke in a chaotic clamor.
Each kept their head bowed, trembling with fear, wishing they could press their faces into the ground, avoiding eye contact with Jiang Wu Xu and Su Qingshuang.
No sooner had they finished than Jian Lingtian stepped forward abruptly, his voice deep and commanding.
"Put your congratulations aside for now!"
"This Saint has a question—since you arrived long ago, why didn't you join the fight sooner?"
"If the Frost Emperor hadn't noticed you, how long were you planning to hide?"
As he spoke, divine light radiated from him, a fierce sword intent brewing wildly, his imperial sword humming incessantly.
It was as if, with one wrong word, he'd erupt into a killing spree!
"This, this, this…"
"We… we…"
The group hunched over, cold sweat dripping, stammering incoherently, unable to form a proper response for a long while.
But then, Ji Cunye clenched his teeth hard.
"We… were afraid!"
"So…"
He blurted out in abject terror.
These words left everyone speechless, staring in stunned silence.
Even the Emperor of Jinghong, Mu Nantian, and the others froze on the spot.
What had Ji Cunye just said?
Afraid?
They were afraid of death?
The crowd wondered if they'd misheard.
Jiang Yuqiong even rubbed his ears.
The silence was deathly still!
It took a long while before an indescribable fury surged from the hearts of those from Huangchu Holy Land, Jade Cauldron Holy Land, and others.
The Holy Master of Jade Cauldron, He Mengchang, wore a chillingly dark expression.
"The many holy lands, noble families, great sects, and divine dynasties of the Three Thousand Dao Domains are the pillars of the human race."
"In times of danger, we stand united, upholding justice and securing our survival together!"
"And yet you… were afraid of death?!"
He pointed sharply at them, his voice cold and stern.
The gazes of the other strong individuals flared with anger, erupting into furious reprimands!
"I never imagined there'd be such cowards among the human race!"
"You call yourselves noble families and divine dynasties? You're a disgrace to stand with us!"
"We fought a bloody battle today against evil demons, with saints falling—yet you stood by and watched from the sidelines!"
"Utterly shameless! Utterly despicable!"
Their voices roared with indignation, sharp and unrelenting!
The Three Thousand Dao Domains had endured countless years and faced numerous calamities.
There had even been times when the entire human race teetered on the brink of annihilation.
Yet in every great crisis, the ancestors of each faction set aside all differences, advancing and retreating together, fighting side by side!
They wrote war songs with their blood!
They held back the crumbling heavens with their iron bones!
Blood and fire intertwined in desperate combat!
One towering figure after another fell like divine mountains in battle!
As long as life endured, the fight continued!
Time and again, they pulled the human race back from the abyss!
These factions were the backbone of humanity!
The spine of the race, the foundation of its bloodline's survival!
Yet this group, knowing full well that the Eternal Blood Prison was attacking Xuanshuang Grotto-Heaven today—knowing even the Eternal Lord had revealed his true form—had hidden away?!
What a colossal joke!
Over twenty of them—nearly matching the number who fought—were all Saint Ancestors!
And they were afraid of death?
They'd brought shame upon their ancestors!
"These old fools! They've completely thrown away their dignity!"
Jiang Yuqiong couldn't help but feel angry too.
Saint Ancestor-level beings—who among them hadn't survived countless trials and waded through seas of blood and mountains of corpses?
This was the first time he'd heard of someone at this level being so afraid of death!
Didn't they realize that if the Eternal Blood Prison had won today, it might've turned its blade on them next?
What kind of logic was this?!
They couldn't even grasp such a basic truth!
Having lived for tens or hundreds of thousands of years—had they lived it all into a dog's belly?!
Jiang Yuqiong's little face turned icy, staring straight at them.
Amid the torrent of reprimands and curses, Ji Cunye and the others kept their heads bowed low.
But Mu Nantian, the Emperor of Jinghong, and the rest came to a realization.
They finally understood Ji Cunye's intent.
Having arrived so late, they needed some excuse to offer the Frost Emperor.
Plotting against a Heavenly Emperor was something they couldn't admit even if it killed them!
Compared to that, "fear of death" was nothing!
No matter how furious the Frost Emperor became, she wouldn't slaughter them all over it!
Hearing the waves of scolding, Ji Cunye and the others felt no shame or indignation.
Instead, each of them felt a weight lift from their hearts.
As long as they clung to this excuse and endured the crowd's wrath, they'd likely escape death.
It gave them a glimmer of hope.
"Afraid of death? I'm not so sure about that!"
Suddenly, Jiang Wu Xu spoke, his tone heavy with implication.
The shouts of anger gradually subsided as Jian Lingtian, Emperor Batian, and others looked over in confusion.
Why was Saint Ancestor Wu Xu defending them?
Jiang Wu Xu's face was pale.
Though his burned primal energy had been extinguished, he was still gravely injured.
Yet no amount of injury could mask the chilling intent in his expression.
"If you were truly afraid of death, wouldn't it be better to hide at home like shrinking turtles?"
"Why go to the trouble of crossing domains to come here?"
Jiang Wu Xu sneered coldly.
Beside him, Grandmother Xi picked up the thread.
"In this old woman's view, these people were likely… harboring ill intent and treacherous schemes!"
Her gaze was piercing, seeing through all.
Her words sent Ji Cunye and the others into a trembling panic, their feet turning cold!
Their motives had been laid bare by the old woman with a single sentence!
Seeing their reactions, He Mengchang, Emperor Batian, Chu Feixian, and the others' faces darkened instantly.
It seemed Saint Ancestor Wu Xu and Grandmother Xi might have hit the mark!
"Mu Nantian! Ji Cunye!"
"Speak the truth now!"
Jian Lingtian roared abruptly, his sword humming with a metallic clang, killing intent surging!
His imperial sword blazed with light, pointing at the group, his eyes grim.
"Speak!"
That single word struck like an immortal sword, piercing their hearts.
Ji Cunye, Mu Nantian, and the Emperor of Jinghong nearly collapsed in fright, their legs shaking!
They stood there, speechless for a long while.
"If you won't talk, this Saint will see for himself!"
Jian Lingtian lost patience!
With a wave of his hand, boundless aura erupted, ensnaring Zhang Wanli, the Sect Master of Lian Shan Sect, and pulling him close.
Then, his soul power transformed into a sword light, surging from his brow.
In Zhang Wanli's terrified gaze, it struck his forehead!
The terrifying force broke through his soul defenses like dry twigs, piercing his sea of consciousness!
This was a soul-searching technique!
With Zhang Wanli's cultivation, he couldn't resist!
In an instant, scenes flashed before Jian Lingtian's eyes.
His expression shifted repeatedly, his chest heaving more and more violently.
A torrent of rage built until, at a certain moment, it exploded!
"Ji Cunye, Mu Nantian, Su Kuangren!"
"You… have the gall of a thousand devils!!!"