A frosty voice came from the sky.
The despairing expressions of some citizens struggling with the rubble and fire in countless cities on Nine-Five Island suddenly froze.
“It’s His Majesty! It’s His Majesty’s voice!”
“His Majesty returned! His Majesty returned!”
“Save me, Your Majesty!”
Cries of wild joy came from the citizens.
The many citizens had already fallen into despair earlier. Even the crown prince, who had laid the ritual array, could do nothing. The enemies chased down the strong immortal venerates from the royal court. The citizens felt like they would die for sure.
However, their emperor returned at this time.
When Gu Hai shouted coldly, Bing Ji flung her sleeve out.
Caw! Caw! Caw!
Nearly ten thousand frost crows flew out from Bing Ji’s sleeve. The frost crows surrounded her, emanating vast amounts of cold energy.
Bing Ji waved, and the frost crows immediately swooped down on the fires in the cities.
While Gu Hai used the ritual array to clear the smoke out, fire still burned in many places.
In one of the cities:
A frost crow flew over some raging flames.
Buzz!
Snow suddenly started falling there.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
The fire was immediately extinguished in the blink of an eye, even freezing into ice.
Although the citizens felt cold, they were saved. They walked out of the rubble while shivering.
Caw!
The frost crow then quickly flew to the next place.
“Many thanks, Your Majesty! Many thanks, Your Majesty!” The countless saved citizens bowed in gratitude.
After the citizens were saved, Gu Hai let out a cold snort, and the surrounding battles stopped.
At the Soaring Palace Hall’s plaza:
“Imperial Father returned!” Gu Qin said, his face lighting up in joy.
Gao Xianzhi and Chen Tianshan smiled as well.
“Gu Hai? What is the point of his return?” Ao Shun frowned while shaking his head.
“Now that His Majesty has returned, everything will be resolved easily,” Gao Xianzhi said seriously.
By now, Gao Xianzhi had already reached the point of blind trust in Gu Hai. Naturally, he did not credit Ao Shun’s words.
“How long has Gu Hai cultivated for? Gu Hai won only by using tricks, plots, schemes, and extensive preparations when I came previously. Don’t tell me he can do all that now? His opponent is Jiu Ming, someone who established his heavenly palace eight centuries ago!” Ao Shun shook his head skeptically.
“We all trust His Majesty!” Chen Tianshan shook his head.
High in the sky, Gu Hai stood at the bow of his flying ship, looking down coldly. More accurately, he looked coldly at Jiu Ming, who was outside the imperial palace’s barrier.
Jiu Ming stopped attacking the barrier. Then, he raised his head and looked coldly at the sky.
When Jiu Ming looked up, he met Gu Hai’s gaze. For some reason, he suddenly felt a strong chill in his heart, feeling as if a venomous snake had chosen him as its prey.
“Gu Hai? Hah!” Jiu Ming revealed a faint, disdainful sneer.
As Jiu Ming looked at the many frost crows in the surroundings, he raised his eyebrows. “Oh? Bing Ji is here as well?”
Jiu Ming appeared to pay Bing Ji no mind. However, he noticed that the angels behind Gu Hai’s flying ship were gazing at it in fear. Furthermore, dozens of them were injured.
“Bunch of trash. To think that you fear Bing Ji?” Jiu Ming said coldly.
After that, Jiu Ming looked at Gu Hai coldly once more.
However, Gu Hai had already dismissed Jiu Ming, turning his head to look at the surroundings.
This sudden change caused the surrounding battles to stop.
“Your Majesty!” The various island masters being pursued in the distance suddenly appeared excited.
Even though these three hundred island masters had not met Gu Hai before and knew that the enemy was the Solar Divine Palace, they still chose to stand on the Han Royal Dynasty’s side. This was something remarkable. Some of them had done so out of reverence for Gu Hai. Stories of Gu Hai in the Divine Continent had circulated. Seeing hope for the Thousand Islands Sea, these island masters had joined the Han Nation without a second thought.
As for the other five hundred island masters, who had defected, those were opportunists. When they saw the Han Royal Dynasty’s meteoric rise, they wanted a piece of the pie. The Han Royal Dynasty gained blessings in the sky rapidly, a clear sign for them to see. Since they were only trying to take advantage of the opportunity, they immediately surrendered upon seeing danger.
Naturally, the three hundred loyal island masters rejoiced when Gu Hai returned. However, the renegade island masters showed complicated expressions.
Some of the Golden Core Realm cultivators fighting in the surroundings also showed complicated expressions.
Gu Hai swept his gaze over everyone once, not expressing any stance.
Then, he turned to look at the nearby black tortoises.
The battle between the black tortoises had not been that intense. Perhaps because they were all of the same race, they did not deal lethal blows. Only Miao Chen and Cui Tong showed ferocious expressions as they fought.
“Your Majesty!” Miao Chen’s face suddenly lit up in joy.
Gu Hai coldly eyed Cui Tong with narrowed eyes.
“To think that you insignificant things dare to cause trouble in our Han Nation while we were not around? Hah! Hahahaha! You can all forget about leaving today!” Gu Hai glared as his cold gaze turned frostier.
Jiu Ming showed a faint, cold smile. “Hiding behind a woman’s back? How laughable! Do you think Bing Ji can protect you?”
Jiu Ming still thought that Gu Hai intended to get Bing Ji to deal with them, thus the mocking light in his eyes.
Bing Ji did not say anything. She stood behind Gu Hai, looking at Jiu Ming disdainfully. Does His Majesty even need to hide behind my back? You must have just arrived from the Solar Divine Palace, right?
“You are Gu Hai? The one who killed my younger brother, Cui Tie?!” Cui Tong suddenly glared.
Boom!
Cui Tong’s figure flashed as he charged at Gu Hai.
“Halt!” Miao Chen’s expression changed as he gave chase.
Although Miao Chen trusted Gu Hai’s capabilities, he was unsure of Gu Hai’s strength. After all, Gu Hai had entered the cultivation world only a few years ago.
Cui Tong arrived with an imposing momentum.
Far away, Jiu Ming revealed a faint, cold smile. Perhaps Cui Tong alone will be enough.
After we capture Gu Hai, Ao Shun is as good as in the bag.
Cui Tong showed a ferocious expression as he charged over.
Gu Hai showed a serious expression as he said, “Miao Chen, did this person harm my citizens earlier?”
The pursuing Miao Chen felt slightly startled. Even at this moment, His Majesty is not dodging? However, since Gu Hai asked, Miao Chen could only nod.
“When Cui Tong attacked on the ground earlier, he caused a huge shock wave. That resulted in at least one hundred deaths. I had to lure him into the sky to ease the situation. Your Majesty, be careful. Although his strength has declined like mine, he is still a Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator. Furthermore, he is stronger than the previous Cui Tie. Quickly dodge!” Miao Chen said anxiously.
Since Miao Chen was behind Cui Tong, Cui Tong was bound to reach the flying ship first, hence Miao Chen’s perturbation.
Gu Hai looked in the direction that Miao Chen indicated. There, he saw a small town in the distance half leveled. The leveled half was bloody. At the same time, many citizens were hugging the corpses on the ground and crying.
“Father! Father! Don’t die! Don’t die! Sob! Sob! Sob!”
“My son!”
These people ignored the danger because of the deaths of their close relatives. Gu Hai could hear the mournful laments even from a distance.
Gu Hai’s expression turned chilly as he looked at Cui Tong, who was charging over.
“Excellent. Excellent. Excellent. You actually treat our citizens like grass?” Gu Hai said in a frosty tone.
As Gu Hai spoke, his grip on the Life Executioner Saber’s handle tightened.
“Hahaha! Not grass, just ants. If anyone’s to blame, then it’s you. Gu Hai, why are they your citizens? If they were not your citizens, they would not have died. Humph! Only a hundred died. I still think that is too few. You killed my younger brother. I’ll kill your entire clan for that!” Cui Tong snarled with a ferocious glare.
Miao Chen showed a horrified expression. “Bing Ji, hurry! Quickly protect His Majesty! Hurry! Why are you just standing there?”
Miao Chen felt incredibly anxious. However, Bing Ji remained behind Gu Hai, showing no intention of stepping forward.
As Cui Tong approached, he unleashed his horrifying Lower Heavenly Palace Realm aura, sending a strong wind sweeping through the surrounding space.
Cui Tong extended his hand to grab Gu Hai.
“Your Majesty, be careful!” countless Han Nation officials on Nine-Five Island exclaimed.
However, Jiu Ming showed a sullen expression. This is odd. Why is Gu Hai not even thinking of dodging? In fact, his gaze seems to be turning increasingly colder?
“Ants? Hah! Our citizens are a thousandfold more valuable than you!” Gu Hai suddenly stepped forward.
With that step, Gu Hai’s aura suddenly burst out.
“Nascent Soul Realm?” Jiu Ming felt slightly startled.
Gu Hai reached the Nascent Soul Realm that quickly? Didn’t he step into the cultivation world just a few years ago?
“So what if you are in the Nascent Soul Realm? Ignorant!” Cui Tong’s hand had already arrived before Gu Hai.
“Third Cycle!”
Whoosh!
It was like a purple sun instantly appeared, giving off dazzling purple light. When the bright light burst out, it blinded countless people, forcing them to close their eyes.
Only Jiu Ming, Miao Chen, and Cui Tong could vaguely see many saber qi appearing around Gu Hai. Then, these saber qi rushed to the Life Executioner Saber in his hand, producing the power of a vast army as he swung the saber at Cui Tong’s manifested palm.
“His aura suddenly intensified?” Jiu Ming goggled.
“What is this saber technique?” Miao Chen’s expression changed.
Cui Tong suddenly felt a chill in his heart, a presentiment of death. This attack could actually make him break out in a cold sweat and make his hair stand on end?
“This…this…this isn’t real!” Some despair appeared in Cui Tong’s eyes.
Boom!
A loud report rang out, and the purple light vanished abruptly.
Then, the Life Executioner Saber returned to its sheath.
Miao Chen stopped in midair, goggling.
Below, Jiu Ming, Ao Shun, the eight hundred island masters, and the black tortoises were all wide-eyed with incredulity.
“That…that’s impossible!” Ao Shun exclaimed while goggling.
After Gu Hai sheathed his saber, a vast blood mist and random body parts scattered between Gu Hai and Miao Chen.
Cui Tong disappeared, leaving that shattered corpse?
A shattered corpse? Why did Cui Tong disappear?
Everyone shivered.
Gu Hai reduced the Heavenly Palace Realm Cui Tong to pieces with one saber strike in a frontal assault?
Ao Shun could not believe it. This is impossible. How many years has it been? Just a few years ago, Gu Hai could only act mysterious before me.
A few years after that, Gu Hai can kill Heavenly Palace Realm cultivators with one saber strike?
Although that Cui Tong was only an early-stage Lower Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator, he was still a Heavenly Palace Realm cultivator!
No wonder Bing Ji remained behind Gu Hai, not moving at all. She knew about Gu Hai’s strength and was not worried.
Jiu Ming’s eyelids twitched wildly. “This…this is impossible. Cui Tong…Cui Tong…”
The surrounding angels goggled. The five hundred island masters who betrayed the Han Royal Dynasty earlier felt a chill in their hearts.
“Long live Your Majesty! May Your Majesty live for ten thousand years!” Han Nation officials everywhere called out excitedly.
After Gu Hai exploded Cui Tong in one saber strike, he looked at the surroundings coldly. Previously, Gu Hai only showed a frosty gaze. Now, this look appeared chilly and sinister to the surrounding experts, a look that was ready to kill.
