Chapter 135: Suppressing the Ferocious Slaughtering Heaven

The communication between Nan Luo’s solar avatar and the clone of Xiong Shitian took place entirely through telepathy, remaining imperceptible to the outside world. Though their confrontation lasted for half an hour, only a quarter of an hour had passed in the realm of reality.

Despite having reached an agreement, Nan Luo knew the charade had to continue. To the gods present, Emperor Nan Luo appeared to hold the challenge invitation, mulling over it for ten minutes before the parchment spontaneously erupted into fierce flames and vanished into nothingness. Seeing the invitation self-destruct, the gods were filled with wild speculation. Even the Twelve Heavenly Venerables, led by Venerable Miaoyan, fell silent, casting suspicious glances at Nan Luo.

An abnormal event always masks a hidden agenda. It was a simple truth. If the Fierce Emperor had allowed the invitation to burn, it was clearly to prevent any eyes other than Nan Luo’s from seeing its contents. Why would the Fierce Emperor go to such lengths for a mere challenge? Could it be that an agreement had been struck between the two emperors?

Under the curious gaze of the gods, Nan Luo pondered for another five minutes before finally speaking. His golden eyes swept slowly over the crowd, lingering pointedly on the Twelve Heavenly Venerables. Every god he looked upon instinctively lowered their head, unable to meet his majestic, mysterious gaze. The eyes of a semi-sage were peerless in their authority; how could those below the rank of sage dare to look up?

Overlooking the assembly, his golden eyes radiating brilliant light, Nan Luo declared majestically: "The Fierce Emperor has extended a gracious invitation. How could I refuse?"

"On the ninth day of the ninth month, I shall go to the Great Snow Mountain to admire the scenery of the Western Wasteland with the Fierce Emperor."

Nan Luo’s voice was resonant and solemn, creating a thunderous echo that shook the heavens.

"It is as I feared," Venerable Miaoyan whispered, closing her eyes with a heavy heart. From the way Nan Luo had deliberated for a quarter of an hour, she had known he would accept the challenge. Having spent a hundred thousand years by his side, she understood him too well. *But, Your Majesty Nan Luo, do you truly have the confidence to fight your way out of the treacherous Western Wasteland and escape the Fierce Emperor’s grasp?*

Venerable Leixing attempted to object, but Venerable Miaoyan held him back. "The God Emperor’s word is final. Once spoken, it cannot be retracted." Her words silenced any further dissent. The Twelve Heavenly Venerables could only watch with grim faces as the representatives of other races erupted in exuberant joy.

Among them, the three great clans—the Zhulong, the Fenghuang, and the Qilin—were the most ecstatic. Their elders could barely suppress their laughter. The Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin clans, the Beast clan, and the now-ascendant God clan formed the five great imperial races. Now, with a war looming between the God clan and the Beast clan, both sides were bound to suffer heavy losses. The three great clans would then be able to reap the rewards and restore their hegemony over the Primordial World.

Meanwhile, the clone of the Fierce Emperor, Xiong Shitian, wore a cryptic smile, observing the shifting sentiments of the living beings present. Knowing something of his true self’s grand strategy, he found the petty schemes of the myriad races darkly amusing.

Once the challenge was accepted, Nan Luo ignored the clamor and narrowed his golden eyes, secretly studying Xiong Shitian’s expression. *As I suspected.* From the subtle, smug look on the clone’s face, Nan Luo was certain the Fierce Emperor was plotting something deeper. This, in fact, was the true reason Nan Luo wanted to capture him. A clone privy to the Fierce Emperor’s real plans was worth the massive expenditure of saintly power required to subdue him. Unfortunately, the clone was as proud and arrogant as his master and would never accept Nan Luo’s "aid" to survive.

As he mused internally, Nan Luo wondered what the Fierce Emperor’s true goal was. Of the four emperors—Dragon, Phoenix, Qilin, and Fierce—Nan Luo had always found the Fierce Emperor the most inscrutable. Firstly, the Fierce Emperor possessed a "Destiny of Reversal," making him Nan Luo’s natural arch-nemesis, as their fates were mutually exclusive. Secondly, the Fierce Emperor had always projected the image of a reckless, uncouth beast. It was a successful ruse; the other three emperors had always treated him with contempt, even conspiring with him to purge powerful minor clans like the Titans and the White Tigers.

However, Nan Luo, a bearer of the "Heavenly Destiny," was a master of strategy whom even the high and mighty Sages could not fathom. He refused to believe that the Fierce Emperor was a fool. If Nan Luo was this deep and far-sighted, his opponent could be nothing less.

*It seems I must try to capture Xiong Shitian,* Nan Luo thought, hidden killing intent flickering in his golden eyes. Despite admiring his enemy's pride, Nan Luo could not let such a strategic opportunity slip. Since Xiong Shitian refused to surrender, Nan Luo would force him into submission and use soul-searching arts to extract his memories. Whether the clone died in battle or had his soul scattered by the interrogation mattered little.

Having survived his journey from a minor god to a semi-sage ruler through extreme caution and calculated steps, Nan Luo’s mind was a fortress. While he projected an aura of calm, he was already preparing the trap.

"Silence!" Nan Luo’s golden eyes flared, the crushing pressure of his divinity filling the air like a prison. The world went quiet. "My decision is made. No further discussion is needed."

Xiong Shitian, standing beside him, saw the silence and knew his cue had arrived. He bowed to Nan Luo. "The message is delivered. I take my leave."

"Wait!" Nan Luo followed the script. "Though you are but a clone, you have trespassed in the City of Gods, disrupted the Daoist assembly, and attacked the Twelve Heavenly Venerables. Do you take my God clan for nothing? I cannot let you leave so easily."

Xiong Shitian sneered. "And what does the God Emperor intend to do?"

"Offer an apology," Nan Luo said calmly, his powers already gathering.

"In your dreams!" Xiong Shitian transformed into a streak of blood-red light and fled toward the edge of the heavens.

Nan Luo’s solar avatar raised his right hand, and a massive palm of white jade materialized above the fleeing clone, swooping down to seize him. Xiong Shitian felt a powerful suction force pulling him into the palm. Following their secret plan, he ceased resistance and allowed himself to be captured.

Once Xiong Shitian was trapped, Nan Luo smiled triumphantly. "Heavenly Star Tribulation!"

Boom! Within the dark void of the jade palm, countless stars appeared, shining with infinite light and moving in a mysterious, ancient formation. Xiong Shitian felt a chill—he had intended to throw his life away, but this was overkill. Upon seeing the star formation, his face turned pale. He glared at Nan Luo with burning hatred. "Nan Luo, you are despicable!"

He realized Nan Luo was trying to seal him to extract his memories, violating their agreement. Worse, he had been tricked into walking into this trap voluntarily.

"Xiong Shitian, as a clone, you are destined to die anyway. Why not surrender your soul and memories to me?" Nan Luo’s voice echoed in the void.

"There is only a Xiong Shitian who dies in battle, never one who surrenders!" A noble, violent power surged within him, erupting in purple saintly light.

"Hmph! Trying to self-destruct with your sliver of saintly power? You are in my palm now—you don't get to choose when you die!" Nan Luo commanded, "Suppress!"

The star formation rained down power, attempting to seal the clone. "This array is strong, but you underestimate the power of the Sage!" Xiong Shitian shouted, triggering the explosion.

Bang! The combined force of one-tenth of the Fierce Emperor’s power and the saintly energy shattered the star formation.

"Power of the Gods, suppress!" Nan Luo invoked the Hall of Gods, an Innate Supreme Treasure. A force equal to that of a Saint descended, freezing time and space. Even the explosion was halted in mid-air. Xiong Shitian’s body was half-consumed by the blast, frozen in a grotesque state.

Nan Luo poured more power into the void, extinguishing the purple saintly flames. By the time the flames died, Xiong Shitian’s soul and memories were fragmented.

Back in the outside world, Nan Luo gestured, dismissing the assembly. "Xiong Shitian is destroyed. You may all return."

The leaders of the other races, terrified by the ease with which Nan Luo had dispatched their foe, hurried to offer their farewells.

"Give my regards to the Dragon Emperor, the Phoenix Emperor, and the Qilin Emperor," Nan Luo added. The three elders shuddered, stammered a reply, and fled.

"Handle the aftermath, then come to the Hall of Gods," Nan Luo commanded the Twelve Heavenly Venerables before transforming into a streak of golden light and vanishing into the sun high above the ninth heaven.