Yang Ye fell silent while An Nanjing just continued looking at him, and she didn’t ask because he didn’t nod with agreement.

A short while passed before Yang Ye said, “Do you not sense it?”

An Nanjing’s eyes clearly flickered a little, and then she nodded to him before turning around and leaving. She didn’t have to ask anymore because she knew the answer.

Yang Ye remained silent for a while as he watched her vanish from his field of vision, and then he turned around and entered the Pavilion of Alchemy.

His gaze descended onto the flames within the furnace. He had no doubt that it was absolutely stronger than his Nether Ghostflame, and it would definitely be a formidable weapon to him if he could take control of it.

Such a thought had just appeared in his mind when he shook his head, and then he flashed out of the Primordial Pagoda. He wasn’t aware of the flame’s exact origins, but he knew that his current strength was absolutely incapable of taking control of it.

He didn’t want to play with fire and get himself burned, so he’d decisively abandoned such a thought for now!

After he left the pagoda, Yang Ye said, “Come in!”

Ding Shaoyao walked in a moment later.

“What’s the situation like now?” asked Yang Ye. He was slightly puzzled because they’d fought their way to the capital of the Exalted Han Empire, but Ding Shaoyao just so happened to have stopped. He knew that she definitely did it for a reason, and he was very curious about it.

Ding Shaoyao pondered deeply for a moment and said, “The strength which the Exalted Han Empire reveals on the surface now is inferior to us, and that’s why we’ve advanced without any difficulty all along the way. Many think that we should seize the opportunity to take this ancient capital in one go and unify the central territory. However, we’ll definitely pay a heavy price if we do that!”

“Why?” asked Yang Ye.

Ding Shaoyao replied, “The Exalted Han Empire’s history goes back over 10,000 years. They have their own resources and reserves. Just like the Flower Palace and Sword Sect, they’ve had Saint Realm experts in the past as well. What would we do if we attack rashly and then someone like the Flower Palace’s Founding Ancestor appears?”

“Have you investigated?” asked Yang Ye.

Ding Shaoyao shook her head and said, “It’s not that I haven’t, but I’m utterly unable to find any information. Because their intelligence network has defensive systems, and it’s much better than our southern territory. Even though I’m unable to obtain any information, I expect that they definitely possess some sort of trump cards or assistance. Otherwise, they would have definitely fallen into chaos once our army arrived before their capital!”

“Even a dying empire can’t be underestimated for its remaining forces and influence still remain!” Yang Ye spoke in a heavy voice. He knew that Ding Shaoyao’s guess was probably true. The Exalted Han Empire had existed for so many years. Even though its Half-Saint and most of its Monarch Realm experts had perished, even he wouldn’t believe that it didn’t have any other trump cards.

Ding Shaoyao nodded and said, “Moreover, we’ll definitely suffer heavy losses if we launch a frontal assault. Because the city walls are covered in no less than 100 defensive cannons from the ancient times. They launch energy attacks that are capable of heavily injuring Monarch Realm experts. So, if we are to launch a frontal assault, then we’ll have no choice but to use the lives of countless people to resist those cannons and exhaust their supply of energy stones!”

Yang Ye stated, “You were very right to not launch a frontal assault. Deaths are unavoidable on the battlefield, but meaningless deaths are best to be avoided!”

Ding Shaoyao replied, “I originally hoped that the Demon Emperor or Elder Mu would be able to lend us a hand here, but I never expected that the Hallowed Grounds would dispatch its forces and heavily injure both Elder Mu and the Demon Emperor. So, I had no other choice but to delay here. Now that you’re here, what do you intend to do? Right, the northern territory sent a messenger again a few days ago. They’re willing to form an alliance with us, but only an alliance and not join our forces!”

“What was your answer?” asked Yang Ye.

She answered, “Yield or die!”

Yang Ye grinned and said, “That’s exactly what I was thinking.” Forming an alliance and yielding were 2 completely different things. Forming an alliance represented that the southern territory and the northern territory were equals, and the northern territory could ignore the southern territory’s orders. On the other hand, yielding represented that the northern territory had to obey the southern territory’s commands!

If it was before the Hallowed Grounds attacked and before the forces of the Exalted Han Empire had been weakened, then he wouldn’t hesitate to accept the northern territory’s proposal for an alliance. Because forming an alliance at that time represented that the northern territory was willing to face all of these opponents with the southern territory. But now, the northern territory was proposing an alliance after the southern territory had repulsed the Hallowed Grounds and inflicted heavy losses on the Exalted Han Empire! That was definitely impossible!

“The northern territory’s strength might be stronger than we imagined. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to resist the Exalted Han Empire’s invasion!” Ding Shaoyao spoke in a low voice.

Yang Ye said, “Let’s ignore them for now and deal with the Exalted Han Empire. I’ll be leaving the continent in a month from now. So, it’s best if we’re able to truly unify the continent within this period and make it so that we have no enemies on the entire continent!”

Yang Ye stood up and walked towards the door as he spoke.

A strange glow flashed through Ding Shaoyao’s eyes as she gazed at Yang Ye’s leaving figure. It was confidence. Yang Ye was much more confident than before. No matter who it was, it was impossible to avoid being attracted by someone who possessed both confidence and strength.

…

Yang Ye stood before the capital of the Exalted Han Empire, and there was no one behind him. The entire army of the southern territory had vanished into thin air.

Yang Ye’s body slowly soared into the sky and appeared above the capital of the Exalted Han Empire before an intent sword appeared in his grasp. Right at this moment, a man who wore a yellow robe appeared on the city wall.

The man wore a robe embroidered with dragons and a golden crown, and a group of experts from the Exalted Han Empire were by his side.

Yang Ye had no doubt that man in a golden robe was the emperor of the Exalted Han Empire, Emperor Han!

“Yang Ye, are you really hell-bent on being ruthless sparing no one?” asked Emperor Han in a deep voice.

Yang Ye laughed with ridicule, “Ruthless? Who was the one who started all of this? It was your Exalted Han Empire that wanted to kill me, right? Moreover, it was always your Exalted Han Empire that has been acting against my southern territory, right? What? Only you can kill me, yet I can’t kill all of you?”

“Luo Jun is dead, and my empire has lost most of its territories.” Emperor Han said, “Is that still not enough?”

“It’s far from being enough!” Yang Ye’s voice resounded through the capital, “The royal family of your empire must be annihilated today. I’ll kill anyone in this city who dares to resist, and I’ll slaughter the entire city if I have to!” As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Ye’s intent sword swept forward, and a ray of violet sword qi shot forward and smashed against the city gate.

Bang!

The entire gate trembled violently before countless cracks appeared on it.

All the experts on the city walls were extremely astounded. They were astounded by Yang Ye’s strength, and they were astounded by what Yang Ye had just said. Because he’d said that he would kill anyone who resisted him, and he would even slaughter the entire city if he had to!

No one doubted the truth of those words. They were very clearly aware that Yang Ye was a madman, and he was absolutely capable of it!

Yang Ye didn’t feel even a shred of pity to the members of the Exalted Han Empire. Because he was very clearly aware that if they’d succeeded at breaching Ancient Domain City during the battles of the past, then everyone related to him and everyone who stood by his side would suffer a horrifying end.

Of course, he didn’t really intend to slaughter the entire city. It was just as he’d said, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill anyone who dared to resist!

Yang Ye sheathed his intent sword within the ancient sheath. The expressions of the experts on the city wall changed when they witnessed this scene, and Emperor Han immediately roared furiously, “Yang Ye, are you really trying to make my Exalted Han Empire fight you to the death?”

Om!

The reply Emperor Han received was a beam of violet sword energy that smashed against the city gate. An explosion resounded as numerous arm-thick cracks covered the enormous gate.

“Fight me to the death?” Yang Ye laughed coldly and said, “Do you think your empire has the strength for that now? I’ll repeat myself again. I only intend to kill the royal family of the Exalted Han Empire, and I won’t stop anyone else from leaving. Otherwise, it’ll be too late for all of you servants of the royal family to surrender once I’ve breached the city.”

“Kill! Kill him!” Meanwhile, Emperor Han roared furiously.

Over 100 enormous ice blue cannons suddenly appeared on the city walls after Emperor Han gave the order, and then over 100 beams of energy shot forward simultaneously.

Yang Ye’s eyes narrowed while he revealed a slightly serious expression. Because these beams of energy were very strong. No wonder Ding Shaoyao said that these beams can threaten the lives of Monarch Realm experts. Even my physical body would probably be unable to resist more than a few beams that carry such terrifying energy. Most importantly, these beams are actually capable of locking onto my aura, so it’s utterly impossible to avoid! I can only use force against them!

If it was just 1 or 2 beams, then he would be able to destroy them with ease. However, there were over 100 descending towards him….

Yang Ye’s brows knit together, but it wasn’t long before they relaxed, and then a shield appeared in front of him.

It was naturally the black clothed man’s Mageforce Shield!

The Spiritual Brand within it had vanished once the black clothed man perished. In other words, he could utilize it now. It was very terrifying, especially its ability to absorb energy, and it just happened to be perfect for him to deal with these beams of energy!

All the beams of energy smashed against the Mageforce Shield, and the strong impact from the collision pushed Yang Ye almost 1.5m back. However, the countenances of the experts on the city walls had instantly turned pale. Because they noticed that those beams which were capable of heavily injuring Monarch Realm experts had actually been fully absorbed by the shield that stood before Yang Ye!

“How could that be possible?” Disbelief filled Emperor Han’s eyes. After all, over 200 beams from those cannons would even be able to obliterate a Monarch Realm expert with ease! Yet now, Yang Ye had resisted them with such ease….

“It’s my turn!” As soon as Yang Ye’s voice resounded, an enormous blue beam that was over 30m wide suddenly shot out from the Mageforce Shield. The beam was extremely swift, and it instantly smashed against the city wall.

Bang!

The entire city gate was instantly blasted into pieces, and the beam continued forward into the city. After that, a string of explosions resounded incessantly.

Yang Ye chuckled. He was just about to charge into the city when 2 people suddenly appeared at the entrance. The person on the left was a mysterious profounder who wore a grey robe and a grey cloak while the person on the right was a woman. Yang Ye recognized her because it was Yin Xuan’er!

“I’m the Grand Preceptor of the Shang Dynasty!” The grey robed man spoke abruptly.

Yang Ye’s eyes narrowed slightly as he said, “Have we met? Because I sense a slightly familiar aura from you.”

“Of course,” said the grey robed man.