The sound of this utterly arrogant declaration echoed across the heavens, causing laughter to erupt among the Martial Artists of Great Hao, while the Daqian powerhouses all glared in fury.

"Arrogant!"

"Great Hao? Hmph, just ruling a speck of land, yet so damn brazen."

"Does he really think he can defeat His Highness Xu Yang?"

...

"So, in your eyes, cultivation is equivalent to absolute strength."

Xu Yang's expression didn't change; he said calmly, "Give me a few more months, and forget you—even Great Hao won't exist anymore."

Song Yuanhao's eyes grew cold, killing intent surging off him.

"Sharp-tongued!"

"No rush." Xu Yang flashed a sly grin.

Song Yuanhao frowned slightly. What is this guy up to?

"Before you and I fight, we ought to have a little appetizer, don't you think?"

"Appetizer?"

A flicker of confusion passed through Song Yuanhao's gaze.

Yet the next moment, he suddenly understood.

Because an astonishing aura erupted from the void without warning.

True Monarch!

And not just any True Monarch, either.

"Great Hao trash, prepare to die!"

A furious roar tore through the void; everyone's peripheral vision failed to catch the source, and suddenly, the heavens in Great Hao's quarter shattered, flooded by a boundless tempest.

"How bold!"

"Gu Hong—so it's you?"

"Good, then! Today, I shall slaughter Daqian's Grand General of the Forbidden Army!"

With an echoing, wrathful shout—

Two blurred afterimages tore through the void, thunder roiling, unleashing a mighty storm that crashed in all directions.

Even the vault of heaven seemed to be shattered, the majestic spirit light pouring down in sheets, like a raging tempest.

This sudden scene left everyone dumbstruck.

"A True Monarch battle!"

"Xu Yang's kicking things off by killing a Great Hao True Monarch for sport?"

"Damn, the one striking is the Forbidden Army's Grand General! Who said Daqian has no powerhouses?"

"Mr. Gu, slay that Great Hao scum!"

After the initial shock, a chorus of shouts erupted across the wild hills.

If Gu Hong cuts down a Great Hao True Monarch, it's glory for all!

If he loses, it's disgrace!

The battle raged fiercely, the world nearly overturned!

On Cloud Mountain Peak, all was calm.

Song Yuanhao narrowed his eyes, sneering, "It seems this Grand General Gu Hong of the Forbidden Army has offended you; you sent him here to die!"

"He has indeed offended me. Today's battle is to redeem himself!"

"If he fails to kill your Great Hao True Monarch, even if he comes back alive, he'll die!" Xu Yang grinned wide.

At these words, Song Yuanhao's expression changed.

Gu Hong is a man under punishment?

If he fails to make amends, he dies!

Then this fight…

"Be careful!"

Song Yuanhao suddenly turned and yelled, warning his side's True Monarchs.

Right as the words left his mouth, a miserable scream rang from within the tempest.

"Gu Hong, are you out of your mind?"

"You're destroying your own martial foundation… Ah, damn you!!"

Following a string of agonized howls, a battered figure came tumbling out of the storm.

Song Yuanhao's eye twitched wildly at the sight.

Gu Hong is indeed going all-out, just as he suspected.

Even at the cost of harming his own martial foundation!

Xu Yang's words weren't a lie.

An appetizer… To lose a True Monarch before the battle even starts would be utter humiliation!

Defeat before the true duel!

Below, yet another Great Hao True Monarch erupted forth, rushing to aid his side.

"Heh, thinking to intervene? You think Daqian has no one?"

Laughter rang out suddenly.

Phantasmal figures began to manifest in the void, one after another.

A single glance counted no less than a dozen!

The Great Hao True Monarch who had acted changed his expression, his body freezing in midair!

Just the slightest hesitation—

The agonized scream was instantly cut off!

A burning spear, like a Divine Weapon from the heavens, smashed through everything, ripping straight through the Great Hao True Monarch's chest.

Boom!

The shattered spear directly obliterated the body, dissolving into countless waves of spirit light and blood, showering down upon the land!

"Gu Hong, you bastard!"

A furious roar nearly shook the void apart.

Several Great Hao True Monarchs materialized from the heavens, killing intent surging to the sky!

Gu Hong spat a mouthful of blood, but swiftly crushed a Spirit Jade and retreated to Daqian's side.

More than a dozen True Monarchs locked eyes across the void, murderous intent blazing!

Yet, the all-out war did not break out!

It was not yet the time—even as Great Hao's champions seethed with rage, they forced themselves to hold back!

Down below, countless Martial Artists had been utterly stunned.

So many True Monarchs!

Even the faintest residual aura made everyone's scalp tingle.

What shook them even more was Gu Hong's thunderous assault.

The True Monarch he chose was no weakling, but his equal in rank.

Otherwise, the other wouldn't even have acted!

No one expected Gu Hong would slaughter his opponent in a flash, like thunder before one could blink!

"Brutal!"

"He wrecked his own martial foundation—willing to sacrifice all hope of future advancement just to kill the enemy!"

"Hahaha, so satisfying! Xu Yang and Song Yuanhao haven't even started, but we've already killed one of their True Monarchs. Daqian will surely win!"

"If Great Hao falls, Daqian will strike back, hunt down their champions, seize lost territory—a heaven-sent chance! We'll fish in troubled waters, pillage Great Hao's treasures; if our luck holds… Your Highness Xu Yang, you must win!"

"Yes! Even just grabbing a few scraps could skyrocket our clan's power!"

...

The crowd's spirits burned high, each with their own schemes.

But in this moment, the death of a Great Hao True Monarch doubtlessly gave endless Daqian Martial Artists a shot of pure adrenaline—exhilaration!

Cloud Mountain Peak!

Song Yuanhao's face was as black as iron!

That was a True Monarch, after all.

Honestly, Great Hao's True Monarchs didn't have as many as Daqian's had accumulated over the years.

To lose even one was a devastating loss!

Whoosh!

A figure appeared behind Xu Yang.

It was Gu Hong!

His face was as pale as paper; fresh, bloody wounds cut deep to the bone, still wrapped in clinging remnants of his opponent's True Monarch power, refusing to heal.

Gu Hong's aura was feeble to the extreme—his martial foundation damaged; though he erupted with immense power, his future progress was nearly finished!

Such consequences are unthinkable for any Martial Artist.

Yet he felt no regret!

"Gu Hong has not failed Your Highness!"

He bowed low in salute.

Xu Yang nodded in satisfaction, "Step down!"

"Yes, Your Highness!" Gu Hong's face lit up with joy; having done what needed to be done, all past offenses were now forgiven!

Though advancement was now lost to him, once recovered he still held True Monarch power; at the very least, he'd preserved his life and protected those behind him!

When it's time to cut—cut!

Once Gu Hong figured it out, he realized he had to act decisively!

Gu Hong stepped away.

Song Yuanhao's eyes brimmed with killing intent: "Xu Yang, I'll make you understand—you're nothing but an ant before me!"

"Daqian will lose!"

As the words fell, Song Yuanhao erupted forth!

Boom!

Brilliant spirit light of all colors burst from his body, like a burning, dazzling ocean, covering heaven and earth, piercing the ninefold void, turning this stretch of sky to a radiant, abyssal wonder!

The terrifying aura pressed down like a True Monarch's, crushing heaven and earth, choking all who beheld!

At the heart of the spirit light, Song Yuanhao's body twisted, thunderous blasts resounding—blood surging like a river, bone boiling like the roar of the heavens!

"My entire body is spirit blood and spirit bone, all fused from the True Monarch Blood Bone; Xu Yang, what can you possibly fight me with?"