The typo has been corrected. It is recommended to read this later.
The Feng Hong Zone truly lived up to its reputation as an area once ruled by cultivators at the ninth heaven of the Dao Integration stage. It deserved its ranking among the top one hundred out of nearly ten thousand nearby zones.
Even before stepping into the Feng Hong Zone, the Plane Lords of the Xiao Yan Zone cast their gazes towards the void and the darkness within. What met their eyes were scattered, twinkling specks in the direction of Feng Hong Zone. These represented countless small worlds, or planes.
"This time, we're going to make a fortune," many Plane Lords of the Xiao Yan Zone murmured, their eyes filled with longing.
Just then, from the direction of Feng Hong Zone, four figures streaked towards the group from Xiao Yan Zone. Without exception, all four possessed cultivation at the first heaven of the Dao Integration stage.
The approach of four Dao Integration stage powerhouses immediately jolted the Plane Lords of Xiao Yan Zone, who had been lost in their longing, back to their senses. However, facing the rapidly approaching four figures, the Plane Lords present did not seem flustered at all.
They first glanced at Li Qi, who was yawning in the foothold. Then they looked at Xu Tianzong, who was dragging the foothold. Either of these two could easily deal with those four first-heaven Dao Integration cultivators. As for Gu Mengping? Apologies, after witnessing Li Qi's display and the demise of the two Dao Integration cultivators from Feng Hong Zone, a first-heaven Dao Integration cultivator like Gu Mengping was no longer given much importance by the other Plane Lords of Xiao Yan Zone.
Even though I am only a Plane Lord at the Void Returning stage, it does not impede my disdain for the first heaven of the Dao Integration stage. After all, the gap between the first and ninth heavens is simply too vast.
During this brief period, the four Dao Integration first-heaven cultivators had already arrived before Xu Tianzong and his entourage. However, at this moment, the four showed no hostility.
"You four are the newly breakthrough Dao Integration stage cultivators from Feng Hong Zone, aren't you?" Xu Tianzong asked, looking at the four.
The four Dao Integration first-heaven cultivators exchanged glances, a hint of bitterness in their eyes. Then, their gazes fell upon Xu Tianzong, and they clasped their fists in unison, speaking as one.
"Yes, esteemed Lord Xu from Xiao Yan Zone. We are aware of the demise of He Anfeng and Ma Zhen."
"Therefore, our purpose in coming here is to surrender on behalf of the entire Feng Hong Zone."
Upon hearing this, Xu Tianzong's expression remained unchanged. He was not particularly surprised by their intentions. It would have been strange if they still wanted to fight him to the death.
"Very well, the small plane worlds within Feng Hong Zone are willing to surrender, which is naturally a good thing. However, our group from Xiao Yan Zone will not come for nothing."
Hearing Xu Tianzong's words, one of the four Dao Integration first-heaven cultivators immediately spoke.
"We understand the unwritten rules of zone battles. What are Lord Xu's plans?"
"Three years."
"Alright, then we will hold on for three years. After three years, we will come to surrender to Xiao Yan Zone."
The conversation between the individuals concluded easily within a few sentences. The four Dao Integration first-heaven cultivators from Feng Hong Zone clasped their fists to Xu Tianzong, bid farewell, and departed.
Seeing the four leave, Xu Tianzong merely watched them with his gaze, making no move to stop them. The three years he mentioned naturally meant, as before, giving the Plane Lords of Xiao Yan Zone time to harvest. Only those small worlds that survived after three years would be eligible to surrender to Xiao Yan Zone. It was simply a matter of the strong preying on the weak and survival of the fittest. Some would grow stronger through these struggles, while others would fail to even seize the opportunity.
This was inevitable, just as in previous harvesting seasons. It wasn't always a one-sided crushing by the Plane Lords of Xiao Yan Zone. There were instances where some Plane Lords, due to insufficient strength or underestimating the power of their target small worlds, were even killed by their opponents. These were unavoidable losses, all part of the most basic process of natural selection.
Xu Tianzong casually placed the foothold in his hand in the void. As his voice fell, the Plane Lords all headed directly towards Feng Hong Zone.
Three years passed like flowing water, gone in the blink of an eye. Feng Hong Zone truly lived up to its name. It was a region once commanded by cultivators at the ninth heaven of the Dao Integration stage, and it contained an overwhelming number of powerful small worlds, far beyond what could be compared to the regions harvested previously.
Over these three years, quite a few Plane Lords from Xiao Yan Zone had perished. However, conversely, those Plane Lords who returned alive had all achieved significant improvements, either in their own strength or in the size of their purses. Overall, things were still manageable. After all, this time it was the Plane Lords of Xiao Yan Zone who were going to harvest, not the other way around. If a Plane Lord of Xiao Yan Zone was killed during the harvest, it only meant the loss of one Plane Lord; their respective small world could still choose strong cultivators to replace them.
However, for those small plane worlds of Feng Hong Zone, if they couldn't resist the harvest by the Plane Lords of Xiao Yan Zone, the price to pay would be the Heavenly Dao of their own world and vast cultivation resources. Although it might not reach the most brutal extent of shattering their worlds into pieces, those small worlds that failed to resist could not escape the fate of gradually entering the era of the end of law.
Li Qi sat alone in the foothold, bored. For these three years, he had remained within the foothold, not venturing out half a step. During this time, no other regions had attempted to get a piece of the pie. After all, Feng Hong Zone, a region ranked among the top one hundred, had been dealt with. This was no insignificant opponent that anyone would dare to meddle with. Dealing with a top-hundred region implied that the zone that took action possessed strength comparable to the top hundred. Regions with their strongest cultivators at the sixth or seventh heaven of the Dao Integration stage wouldn't dare to venture forth and become food, even if they had the courage of a bear.
As for those regions with the strength to intervene, for various reasons—perhaps they were unclear about the hidden powers within Xiao Yan Zone and feared hitting a wall, or perhaps they feared mutually assured destruction, allowing other top-hundred regions to reap the benefits—the current situation had formed.
"Three years have passed, it must be almost time," Li Qi mused, estimating the time.
Sure enough, a few days later, the Plane Lords of Xiao Yan Zone returned to the foothold one by one. This signified that it was now Xu Tianzong's turn to handle the surrender of Feng Hong Zone.