Merging with the other 2 Sword Intents wasn’t as difficult as Yang Ye had imagined because both of them were very cooperative and didn’t resist at all. However, it wasn’t that simple as well. Because all 3 of them could be said to contain countless different types of Sword Intent, so merging them into a completely new Sword Intent required gradual comprehension and discovery by Yang Ye.

To put it simply, it took time!

During the time that Yang Ye was merging with the 2 other Sword Intents, a few major events had occurred in the central territory.

The Exalted Han Empire didn’t have a Half-Saint anymore after Luo Dao fell, and coupled with the fact that it had lost 5 ninth rank Monarch Realm experts, the Exalted Han Empire had truly suffered heavy losses and didn’t possess the strength to deter the clans and sects of the central territory anymore.

Besides that, when the Exalted Han Empire’s domineering attitude and Luo Jun’s actions were taken into consideration, and especially when Luo Jun’s actions of slaughtering tens of millions of people to summon experts from the ancient times were exposed, the Exalted Han Empire’s reputation suffered a terrible decline and the Mortal Emperor was utterly infamous. He’d become the first Mortal Emperor in history to suffer from infamy.

So, countless clans and sects announced the dissolution of their alliance with the Exalted Han Empire.

After that, all of them dispatched envoys to Ancient Domain City. They hadn’t done this because they wanted to, and it was because they had no other choice. Because there was only a single Half-Saint in the human world.

When faced with the friendly display from these clans and sects, Ding Shaoyao returned the gesture after careful deliberation. After all, the southern territory’s path wasn’t one that had the goal of destroying the human world. If it wanted to grow stronger, then it had to make even more powers join the southern territory’s side. Only then could the southern territory snowball rapidly!

However, not only had she refused some clans and sects, she’d even dispatched forces to subdue them. For example, the Mo Clan which had left that day….

No one liked people who abandon their companions during times of difficulty. If it were up to her, she would have just annihilated the Mo Clan. Indeed, the southern territory had the strength to accomplish that. However, she hadn’t done so because there was a link between Yang Ye and the Mo Clan, so she’d decided to let Yang Ye make the decision once he awoke!

After she formed an alliance with numerous clans and sects of the central territory, the 1st thing Ding Shaoyao did was to clear out all the Oceanic Clans in the Ocean of Anarchy. The Oceanic Clans would naturally not stand by idly and wait for death to descend upon them, but they were utterly powerless to resist once the southern territory’s army pressed down upon them. At this moment, the southern territory’s strength was sufficient to go against the Exalted Han Empire!

Once she’d finished clearing out the Ocean of Anarchy, she joined the southern territory, Ancient Domain City, and the Ocean Anarchy into a single territory. At the same time, she moved the army in Ancient Domain City to the Ocean of Anarchy.

Everyone understood her intentions.

They were very well aware that the moment Yang Ye woke up would be the moment that the southern territory attacked the central territory.

At this moment, could the Exalted Han Empire resist the southern territory?

Perhaps it could if Yang Ye didn’t wake up, but what could it do to resist the southern territory if Yang Ye did wake up?

…

The Imperial Palace of the Exalted Han Empire.

At this moment, the officials were having a meeting with the emperor, but the entire hall was horrifyingly silent. It wasn’t Luo Jun who was seated on the throne right now, and it was the emperor who’d lost his position some time ago, Emperor Han.

“War or reconciliation?” Emperor Han’s voice suddenly resounded, and then the bodies of everyone here couldn’t help but tremble. Obviously, Emperor Han’s prestige and strength was far superior to Luo Jun. But it couldn’t be helped because regardless of how great his prestige and strength were, he couldn’t defy Luo Dao’s word.

No one answered Emperor Han because only misfortune awaited that person. Because the current situation was one where the Exalted Han Empire had no right to choose. That decision was in the hands of the southern territory.

“War, of course!” Right at this moment, a voice resounded from outside the hall, and then a man and woman appeared before them.

Their expressions changed a little when they noticed this pair because they were members of the Hallowed Grounds!

Actually, all of these officials and even Emperor Han didn’t have a good impression of the Hallowed Grounds. Because if the Hallowed Grounds hadn’t instigated them to take such action, then the Exalted Han Empire would have definitely not fallen into such a state where it was in dire straits.

Even though they were displeased, they didn’t dare to display it. Conversely, all of them heaved slight sighs of relief because the empire had some support at least, and it hadn’t fallen to a state of being helpless and alone.

Emperor Han glanced at them and said, “I received news that it would be 3 people who are coming. Why are there only 2 of you?”

The man bowed slightly to Emperor Han and said, “Zhen Yun greets Emperor Han. To answer Emperor Han’s question, my senior brother is someone that yearns for battle. At this moment, he has gone to challenge the Monarch Realm experts of Profounder Continent, so please excuse his absence.”

The officials here instantly had a better impression of the man when they saw him bow to the emperor because there were very few from the Hallowed Grounds who had good manners.

“Your senior brother is a Monarch Realm expert?” asked one of the officials.

Zhen Yun shook his head and smiled, “He’s only an eighth rank Exalt Realm expert!”

All of them were shocked, and one of them said, “He went to challenge a Monarch Realm expert when he’s just at the eighth rank of the Monarch Realm?”

“How ignorant!” Right at this moment, the woman by Zhen Yun’s side laughed coldly and said, “It’s not impossible for Exalt Realm experts to challenge Monarch Realm experts. The only reason such a person hasn’t appeared in your Profounder Continent is because there are no true experts here. Not to mention challenging a Monarch Realm expert in battle, there are a huge amount of people in my Hallowed Grounds who are able to surmount a realm of cultivation and kill Monarch Realm experts while at the Exalt Realm!”

“Zhen Ling, mind your manners!” Zhen Yun berated and said, “Even though we’re Formation Masters, we’re still profounders, and that’s exactly why we shouldn’t underestimate any opponent of ours. Why did Zuo Dengfeng and Yao Ye die in Profounder Continent? I firmly believe that the biggest reason was because they underestimated the profounders of this continent!”

Zhen Ling puckered her lips and said, “I refuse to believe that Yang Ye can defeat Senior Brother Yixie.”

Zhen Yun shook his head and gazed at Emperor Han, “Emperor Han, my Hallowed Grounds has made arrangements for the Half-Saints of this continent to make an agreement with Yang Ye’s master. Monarch Realm experts aren’t allowed to interfere. So, the 3 of us have mainly come to Profounder Continent today with the intention of helping the Exalted Han Empire deal with the southern territory’s army.”

“Just the 3 of you?” Emperor Han frowned slightly while he felt extremely displeased towards the Hallowed Grounds. Could it be that they still haven’t suffered enough losses? Do they still intend to underestimate that fellow, Yang Ye?

“Of course not!” Zhen Yun smiled, “We need the assistance of the Exalted Han Empire as well.”

Emperor Han spoke in a low voice, “It’s not that I don’t believe in your strengths, but you must realize that Yang Ye isn’t an ordinary profounder. I believe that he would be one of the best even if he’s in your Hallowed Grounds. Moreover, the current forces of the southern territory have surpassed the forces of my empire, so my empire might not be able to resist them once they attack!”

Zhen Yun smiled and said, “Worry not, Emperor Han. Leave Yang Ye to my senior brother. As for the southern territory’s army, leave it to the 2 of us. Of course, we need the Exalted Han Empire’s support.”

Emperor Han sized them up and said, “Both of you are only at the seventh rank of the Exalt Realm, right? What gives you the confidence to face the army of the southern territory? It’s not that I refuse to believe the 2 of you, but it’s related to the fate of millions of soldiers from my empire, so I must act cautiously.”

“Hmph!” Zhen Ling grunted coldly, and then she withdrew 3 little flags and tossed them casually. They descended at 3 corners of the hall, and then Zhen Ling withdrew 3 extreme-grade energy stones and tossed them over to the same corners. Once the energy stones started to burn up, the world before everyone’s eyes instantly started to transform.

A world of flames and lava appeared before them! Moreover, the heat that came from the flames and lava were very realistic, and it was realistic to the point many started crying out in terror.

Emperor Han had a slightly serious expression on his face as he gazed at the flames and lava because even with his strength at the Monarch Realm, he’d actually been unable to see through the flaws and reality of this illusion at the very beginning. Even though he was displeased by the Hallowed Grounds, he had to admit that it was very formidable. Unfortunately, the Half-Saints of the Hallowed Grounds couldn’t leave the Hallowed Grounds with ease, otherwise…. The southern territory would be destroyed with ease!

Zhen Yun waved his hand, and the scene here instantly returned to normal. Zhen Yun said, “Even though we’re profounders, we’re also formation masters. Our ability in formations isn’t the best in the Hallowed Grounds, but I think that besides Monarch Realm experts of Profounder Continent, the Exalt Realm experts of the continent are absolutely unable to deal with our formations. So long as we’re given a little time, then we’ll be able to set up an extraordinary formation at the Ocean of Anarchy!”

“Yang Ye possesses the Enlightened Sword Heart. Your illusion formation is useless against him!” said the emperor in a low voice.

Zhen Ling spoke with slight displeasure, “Didn’t my brother tell you just now? Our Senior Brother Yixie will deal with Yang Ye. Our job isn’t to deal with Yang Ye but to help your army deal with the southern territory’s army.”

Zhen Yun said, “I know what you’re worried about, Emperor Han, and I understand your concerns. After all, my Hallowed Grounds has lost numerous geniuses to Yang Ye. But I think that you don’t have to worry at all because it’s impossible for Yang Ye to defeat my senior brother. Unless he dares to utilize that secret technique to forcefully improve his strength again, of course. However, I think he wouldn’t dare. Because even if he wins the battle by doing that, his cultivation will probably descend to the Spirit Realm!”

The emperor intended to say something but the space before him suddenly shook slightly, and then numerous transmissions entered his mind. A short while passed before his pupils constricted slightly, and then he gazed at Zhen Yun and Zhen Ling with shock, “Is your senior brother called Mo Yixie?”

Zhen Yun nodded and said, “Did you receive news about my senior brother?”

Emperor Han nodded and said, “A man who called himself Mo Yixie arrived at the Ascension Sect 4 hours ago, and then he challenged a second rank Monarch Realm elder of the Ascension Sect. That elder admitted defeat in less than an hour…. An hour ago, he arrived at the Endless Sect. Similarly, a Monarch Realm expert of the Endless Sect admitted defeat after fighting him for around an hour…. It was the same for the Clear River Sect…. He’s on his way to the southern territory now….”