The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace

After resting at home for a few days, Fang Ting summoned Fang Luo and the other two again, giving them a simple order.

"Gather the Hidden Dragon Guards. We're heading to the Southern Region."

The three were momentarily stunned, but quickly nodded.

They understood—Fang Ting was finally moving against the Five Great Demonic Sects of the Southern Region.

The Fang family had deep ties with those sects. It began with the time before the Great Zhou's imperial palace, when eighteen factions allied to force the Fang family to surrender two divine body holders—among them were the Five Demonic Sects.

Numerous frictions and schemes followed. Just two events prior, within the Wan Mountain Emperor's Minor World of Shanzhou, saint-king-level experts from the demonic sects aided the three sacred lands in encircling and hunting Fang Ting.

And now, as the Fang family prepared to absorb the Great Xia, the demonic sects once again emerged from the shadows, backing the rebellious General Weiwu.

Though they hid within the black clouds, unknown in identity, Fang Ting would see through everything the moment he arrived—and wipe them out with a mere wave of his hand.

In the past, he had not yet become an Emperor and could afford to bide his time. But now that he had broken through to the imperial realm, it was time to settle both old and new scores.

By exterminating the Five Demonic Sects, he would also liberate the millions of cultivators the sects had caged in the Southern Region for tens of thousands of years.

Once those twenty kingdoms of the Southern Region were merged into Great Qian, the empire's territory and overall national power would expand again.

Three hundred Hidden Dragon Guards were assembled.

With a wave of Fang Ting's hand, they departed from Ascension City. Before long, they arrived in the Southern Region.

The Southern Region was the smallest and most impoverished of Cangzhou's four major divisions—East, South, West, and North. It had the fewest living beings and the scarcest resources.

Had it been resource-rich, the other three regions would never have tolerated demonic sects establishing dominion over its mountains.

Besides the Five Great Demonic Sects, the Southern Region had no other significant factions to speak of.

The so-called twenty kingdoms under their rule were, at best, vassals—and at worst, pigpens, breeding grounds solely meant to supply a steady stream of young recruits to the demonic sects.

Though these twenty kingdoms combined had a sizable population, they lacked strong cultivators.

To keep them in, the demonic sects simply drew a boundary around the region and filled it with powerful monsters. That alone was enough to stop any who attempted escape.

Back when Fang Qiuefeng had been abducted to the Southern Region, it was only thanks to his protagonist-tier destiny that he escaped alive. His was a once-in-centuries miracle.

Under normal circumstances, those born in the Southern Region who showed talent would be forced to join a demonic sect upon reaching a certain age. Then they would either rise through bloodshed—or be devoured by their fellow disciples.

Those without talent were told to marry and have many children in hopes of birthing the gifted. That was the only way to survive.

Calling the Southern Region a living hell was no exaggeration.

The truth of the region's condition was well-known among the powers of Cangzhou. They simply chose not to intervene.

As for the so-called merciful and benevolent Buddhist sects, who claimed to bring salvation to all beings—why hadn't they eradicated the demonic sects despite having the power to?

Because they understood: no devil cultivators, no suffering. No suffering, and who would still worship the Buddha?

Fang Luo had long explained this reality to the Fang clan. It opened their eyes to the truth of the world—and made them train harder than ever.

After entering the Southern Region, Fang Ting and his group headed straight for the nearest demonic stronghold—the gates of the Netherworld Sect.

Dressed in white, Fang Ting stood at the forefront. Behind him were Fang Luo, Fang Chen, and Fang Qiuefeng riding scarlet-scaled dragon beasts.

Last came the Hidden Dragon Guards, mounted on Azure Thunder Roc mounts.

Even without Fang Ting, this formation alone could overwhelm any power short of a hegemon in Cangzhou.

They made no effort to conceal themselves and appeared directly before the gates—instantly alerting the Netherworld Sect.

"Who are you people? What is your business at our Netherworld Sect?!"

"They look fierce. These aren't friendly visitors!"

"Let's see who has the guts to come looking for trouble at our Netherworld Sect!"

Fang Ting released the aura of a Saint-King.

Within moments, all of the Netherworld Sect's saint-level cultivators appeared.

Among them were some who recognized Fang Ting and his entourage.

The sect master of the Netherworld Sect frowned. "So it's Clan Leader Fang. I apologize for not welcoming you properly. Please forgive us."

Had it been anyone else approaching so boldly, he would have destroyed them on the spot.

But recognizing Fang Ting, he forced himself to overlook the provocation and spoke politely.

Fang Ting stood tall, aloof like a banished immortal, his expression calm as he spoke:

"The Five Great Demonic Sects of the Southern Region—must be exterminated."

The Netherworld Sect's devil cultivators were already known for their lawlessness and brutality. The moment Fang Ting spoke, they erupted in fury.

"Even with the Divine Palace and the Great Zhou Princess backing you, don't you think you're being far too arrogant?!"

"Yeah! You think we fear the Fang family? We'd rather go down fighting than bow to you!"

Fang Ting's expression remained unchanged from beginning to end. His gaze toward them was one of pure indifference.

What does killing you have to do with you?

He slowly raised his hand—and clenched it.

BOOM!

BOOM!!

BOOM!!!

In an instant, all of the Netherworld Sect's Saint-King-level cultivators exploded as though crushed by some invisible weight, disintegrating into ashes, their souls annihilated.

They didn't even understand how they had died.

"What!!?"

Everyone remaining in the Netherworld Sect was paralyzed with fear, their faces filled with horror as if witnessing a god of death.

They knew Fang Ting was monstrously gifted and powerful—but never imagined this level of strength.

The Netherworld Sect had five Saint-Kings. The strongest among them was in the Eighth Heaven of the Saint-King Realm.

Yet Fang Ting had slain them all effortlessly.

There was only one explanation—Fang Ting had become an Emperor-level cultivator!

"Impossible! How could he be an Emperor already?!"

Their first instinct was to deny their conclusion. After all, the Fang family had only recently risen to prominence. The last time Fang Ting was challenged by other continent's prodigies, he was still at the True Saint level.

How long had it been since then? Since when was reaching the Emperor realm so simple?

Cangzhou hadn't seen a new Emperor in over a hundred thousand years!

Fang Ting waved his hand casually.

Fang Luo and the other two understood immediately and led the Hidden Dragon Guards into battle.

"Kill!!"

Fang Ting had only eliminated the Saint-Kings. The rest—Grand Saints, True Saints, and the many demonic disciples below the Saint realm—were left to Fang Luo, Fang Chen, Fang Qiuefeng, and the 300 Hidden Dragon Guards.

This was their chance to gain valuable combat experience.