CHAPTER 410: CHAPTER 410: ANXI PROTECTORATE

Western Regions

The swirling yellow sands danced wildly in the air. Standing atop the palace walls filled with exotic charm, Zhu Haomiao gazed into the distance, the sounds of battle cries and screams echoing incessantly behind him.

After an unknown amount of time, Dai Jinhong, covered in blood, ascended the walls and respectfully saluted.

"Sir, the centaurs left behind by the Qiuchi Country have all been slaughtered, and their King is willing to surrender to [Da Zhen]."

Hearing this, Zhu Haomiao turned around and saw a middle-aged man with a full beard wearing a luxurious robe, shivering not far away.

The dark and profound gaze of the black-clad youth fell upon him, as if a steel blade scraped across his skin, making the bearded man shiver all over. In haste, he presented his King Seal with both hands.

"General, I am willing to submit to [Da Zhen] and pledge allegiance to the Holy Emperor!"

Taking the Golden Seal from his hands, Zhu Haomiao examined it with interest for a few seconds before casually tossing it to a young centaur girl beside him.

"Hu Lan, keep it safe."

Catching the thrown Golden Seal, Hu Lan’s eyes were complex, and after a long silence, she carefully tucked it away.

From the Northern Desert Royal Court to here, she had witnessed the countries of the Western Regions submit one by one under the iron hooves of [Da Zhen]. Whether killed or driven away, only a very few, persuaded by her, chose to surrender.

Countless people cursed her as a traitor, but she knew that in the face of a monster like the Duke Yu, the resistance of mortals was meaningless, only adding unnecessary sacrifice...

Clutching the Golden Seal in her pocket tightly, Hu Lan glanced at the back of the black-clad youth, feeling as if a mountain pressed on her chest, an oppressive sense of suffocation.

[Da Zhen] Duke Yu... is he truly someone that mortals can resist?

The image of a three-headed, six-armed Dharma Form, like a god, emerged in her mind. Despair and helplessness spread across her heart, but Hu Lan bit her tongue hard, calling herself back with the taste of blood and pain.

No!

All will be well once the Great Khan returns with his army!

She hypnotized herself, repeating it endlessly in her mind. Shaking her head, Hu Lan cast the terrifying images aside and rallied her spirits once more.

That’s right!

Victory will be ours!

But just as she clenched her small fists, trying to cheer herself up, a gentle calling suddenly reached her ears.

"Hu Lan."

"?!"

Startled, the young centaur girl snapped back to reality, nervously meeting Zhu Haomiao’s gaze.

"What... what is it?"

Watching this girl who was fierce on the outside but soft inside, Zhu Haomiao curled his lips into a half-smile.

"Take the Golden Seals of the nations you have collected during this time to the altar, I need them."

"Huh? Altar? What altar?"

"Don’t worry about it; it will soon be ready. Go prepare."

"..."

Faced with Zhu Haomiao’s command, Hu Lan dared not defy and reluctantly walked down the city wall.

As she left, Zhu Haomiao looked at Dai Jinhong and calmly instructed.

"Gather the manpower to build an altar. I want to cast a cauldron and perform a sealing ritual..."

Saying this, the black-clad youth turned his gaze to the bearded King kneeling beside him, smiling faintly.

"From this day forth, there are no more countries in the Western Regions, only [Da Zhen]’s Anxi Protectorate."

Upon hearing this, the bearded man shivered all over, raising his head in disbelief, staring blankly at the black-clad youth wielding the power of life and death.

Just like that, in the midst of laughter and conversation, he determined the fate of hundreds of nations in the Western Regions?

The destiny of these nations, lasting for thousands of years, was severed just like that?

Even those four-legged barbarians weren’t this domineering!!

A thousand words arose in his heart, but under the inexplicable invisible pressure, they failed to come out. Finally, the bearded man could only lower his head in suppressed regret.

Elsewhere, Zhu Haomiao paid no attention to others’ emotions, his gaze distant, looking toward the west.

"Yi Lianzhen Khan... the Lord of Destiny... the Conqueror of Worlds..."

"Too bad, you met me..."

Licking his lips, the black-clad youth’s eyes glinted with a greedy and hungry gleam, murmuring to himself.

But just then, a change flashed in his eyes, and he looked at his chest in delight.

In the depths of his spirit and body, two grand and ancient Divine Runes quietly blossomed, breaking the cocoon and emerging from a long pupation.

[Sealing Demon Power]: LV.4→LV.6 (Perfect·Soul Devouring)

[Storage Explosion]: LV.4→LV.6 (Perfect·Mountain Shattering)

[Strength] +37

[Qi] +29

[God] +18

Boom!

The uncontrolled release of aura triggered the laws of heaven and earth, infinite energy spiraled together, instantly forming a cloud of tribulation that covered the sky and the sun.

Dark clouds loomed, gale winds howled, lightning flashed...

In a moment, it was as if the end of the world had come. Zhu Haomiao looked up at the sky, seeing a dark rift tear through time and space, revealing an indescribable chaotic void.

"Don’t be hasty; I still have unresolved causes and effects..."

Murmuring softly, Zhu Haomiao focused his eyes, channeling the authority of [Sloth], wrapping himself in layer upon layer of gray-white threads to seal himself.

Massive power hid deep within his spirit and body, causing the resonant heavenly anomaly to collapse rapidly, gradually returning to normal.

Looking at Dai Jinhong, who was glancing around in terror yet unable to find the cause, Zhu Haomiao chuckled lightly, waving him off.

"Go ahead, quickly build the altar."

......

Clatter clatter~

The iron hooves crushed the gravel, and the centaur army, stretching over dozens of miles, silently advanced, the entire force shrouded in an atmosphere of sorrow and anger.

Now, everyone knew that during their western expedition, [Da Zhen] had launched a surprise attack on the Royal Court, and their family members left at home had all fallen into enemy hands, their fate unknown.

The fierce warriors, eager to return home, carried a deep-seated resentment and hatred in their hearts, wishing they could immediately fly back eastward and tear those two-legged sheep to shreds!

Simultaneously, in the central army, Yi Lianzhen raised his eyes towards the east, sensing a profound destiny fluctuation in the unseen realm.

Slowly furrowing his brows, but before he could understand, a colossal shadow of a Bronze Giant Cauldron blossomed in his spiritual vision, enveloping the entire world like a celestial body.

Even at such a distance, the unparalleled pressure still rushed forth, causing Yi Lianzhen, despite his disposition, to involuntarily gasp in shock.

"What is that?"

"[Da Zhen]’s National Guardian Divine Artifact?"

"No, [Da Zhen]’s National Guardian Divine Tripod never leaves the Emperor’s side; how could it appear in the Western Regions?"

"No, that thing isn’t this terrifying..."

Carefully observing the gigantic shadow of the cauldron that covered the sky and the sun, Yi Lianzhen sensed an ancient, massive, and terrifying divinity, as if primordial gods had descended upon the world, emanating supreme awe-inspiring authority.

Clenching his Golden Saber, Yi Lianzhen’s trembling pupils slowly contracted, regaining their cold composure.

"No matter what you are..."

"If you dare to block my path, you all must die!"

With a low growl, Yi Lianzhen raised his Golden Saber high and swung it forward fiercely.

"Advance!"

Rumble rumble~

The massive army gradually accelerated, the deafening sound of iron hooves echoing in all directions, as if the entire earth trembled and wailed beneath their feet.