The two remained unchanged, their auras as steadfast as before. The only addition was an unassuming glow emanating from them, which not only suppressed the advancing Imperial Corpse but also protected them from its overwhelming power.
"Kneel!"
The Imperial Corpse uttered another word, and a formidable aura descended upon Li Bai and Qi Jiguang.
"You expect us to bow to a walking corpse?"
Li Bai shook his head slightly, a confident smile playing on his lips, mirroring Qi Jiguang's disdainful grin.
"They..."
Lao Fuzi watched them, wondering what gave them the courage to face the Imperial Corpse head-on.
"It's just an Imperial Corpse!"
"Even if you, in your prime, the Dragon Burial Immortal Emperor who controlled eighteen Imperial Fates, were to appear, our Great Han would still suppress you and make you submit for eternity!"
*Swish!*
A scroll unfurled in Li Bai's hand.
The moment the scroll appeared, a massive spatial rift tore open in the secret realm, allowing the sunlight from the outside world to pour in.
Lao Fuzi was stunned into silence. As Li Bai produced the scroll, the Imperial Corpse's knees seemed to buckle slightly!
*Boom!*
The scroll unrolled, revealing a figure radiating immense power, appearing to be only in his late teens or early twenties. Lao Fuzi peered closely, seeing a figure with a pointed mouth, sunken cheeks, and a mane of yellow hair tied in the middle. His face resembled that of a sick person, gaunt and emaciated.
He wore a golden crown adorned with two short pheasant feathers, clad in armor forged from molten iron. He rode a magnificent steed, a white steed that could traverse a thousand miles in a single stride. In his hands, he held two colossal hammers capable of shaking the heavens and earth.
"The Prince of Zhao of the Western Prefecture!"
"General Meng Yong!"
Qi Jiguang's eyes widened, reverence surging within him. The greatest hero in legend, invincible in battle.
Throughout the long river of history, there were four pillars of individual prowess: Wang for his leadership, Jin for his boxing, Li for his martial skill, and Ba for his strength. These four represented the pinnacle of personal ability, mountains insurmountable, inspiring countless heroes to seek their favor and submission.
Li Yuanba, the Prince of Zhao of the Western Prefecture, was peerless, impervious to any ambush or sneak attack!
"Li Bai, Minister of Rites!"
"Qi Jiguang, Commander of the Third Army of the Kui Niu Legion!"
"Greetings, General Li!"
Li Bai and Qi Jiguang clasped their fists in respect.
"General Li?"
Another unfamiliar name. When had the Great Han Celestial Dynasty ever had such a general? He hadn't even fully appeared, yet his mere scroll had made the Imperial Corpse want to submit, and Lao Fuzi found himself respectfully bowing, wishing he could kowtow multiple times.
Unlike the oppressive aura of the Imperial Corpse, this slender figure's appearance inspired a willing submission. Lao Fuzi hadn't even realized when he had fallen to his knees.
"Who are you?"
The Imperial Corpse struggled to utter two words. Its vacant eyes now held a flicker of fear. It stared intently, its entire body trembling. The very ground beneath them shattered, each fragment the size of a fingernail, rising three feet into the air before disintegrating into dust. This plaza had been personally crafted by the Dragon Burial Immortal Emperor, and yet, even after the Imperial Corpse's attacks, it remained intact. The moment the scroll was opened, it vanished completely.
Not only the plaza but also the entire secret realm, every corner, every inch of land, including buildings and spiritual materials, dissolved. In less than a breath, the secret realm was reduced to a desolate, undeveloped territory.
An unparalleled divine radiance erupted, forming a terrifying pillar of light. A celestial body from beyond the heavens was instantly torn asunder by the impact of this pillar, its stellar core merging into the killing formation like that of an invincible god-king.
*Hee-haw!*
The Ten Thousand Mile Cloud Soarer neighed, as if announcing the arrival of the Prince of Zhao of the Western Prefecture to the billions of beings across the Celestial Domain!
*Boom!*
As Wanli Yun emerged from the painting, his furious roar tore through the sky, causing the entire secret realm to explode. The sky above Dragon Burial Island fractured, and everything within the secret realm vanished.
This secret realm, which had endured for an eternity, showcasing the power of the Underworld River Era to future generations, disappeared from the Nine Realms and the highest plane of the Celestial Domain.
On Dragon Burial Island, all inheritances, all restrictions and shackles, all killing formations, shattered. The eight hundred miles of sea surrounding Dragon Burial Island churned. Thousands of death tsunamis, which rarely appeared even over decades, raged across the surface. A violent tremor caused Dragon Burial Island itself to split apart, waves surging inward.
In the void, tens of miles from Dragon Burial Island, above the waters of the Great Han Celestial Dynasty, Yang Hao's golden body manifested. Golden streams of light and dragon energy, stretching for ten thousand miles, swept towards Dragon Burial Island.
The second scroll of Li Yuanba, "Two Hammers Splitting the Earth," was officially opened!
Even with the mere opening of the first scroll, Li Yuanba's power in the Three Thousand Divine Provinces had attracted the attention of powerful beings in the highest plane of the Celestial Domain. Its supreme might, merely by unrolling a painting, had destroyed the secret realm painstakingly created by the Dragon Burial Immortal Emperor, who controlled eighteen Imperial Fates.
This secret realm had survived the Underworld River Era and an unknown period in the current Emperor Era. Throughout this vast expanse of time, many powerful beings, including Immortal Emperors, had sought it out, yet it had remained intact on Dragon Burial Island.
"Li Yuanba pays respects to the Emperor!"
Several figures appeared in the sky above Dragon Burial Island. The Imperial Corpse trembled slightly. Li Bai and Qi Jiguang stood aside, while the figure wielding the Thunder Drum Golden Hammer, Li Yuanba, stood before them. As for Lao Fuzi and Dean Zhang, they knelt motionlessly in the void.
Li Yuanba dismounted Wanli Yun and knelt on one knee, respectfully bowing to Yang Hao's golden body hovering over the sea near the Great Han Celestial Dynasty.
"Rise!"
"Thank you, Emperor!"
Li Yuanba stood, his gaze sweeping over the trembling Imperial Corpse in the void. "A mere walking corpse, devoid of consciousness or blood, dares to threaten our Great Han!"
"Kneel!"
With these final two words, an unfathomably terrifying power radiated from Dragon Burial Island, enveloping the surrounding area. The Great Dao of Strength pressed down upon the land.
With a high-pitched cry, a Golden-Winged Great Peng bird materialized behind Li Yuanba. Its sharpness pierced through mountains and rivers for ten thousand miles, its wings unfurling, its divine light soaring to the heavens!
At this moment, the boundless void of the Celestial Domain revealed a colossal phantom. One hand, wielding a war hammer, held back the scrutiny of numerous powerful Immortal Emperors. Behind him, the Golden-Winged Great Peng bird, wings spread, obscured the annals of history!