When Wu Lie's head was hung on the city walls of the capital, various major forces that had been closely watching Qin's movements were in an uproar.
Wu Lie was dead! A Hegemon-level expert was dead! His head had been severed!
Although everyone had previously speculated that Wu Lie might have perished, many dared not admit it until the outcome was seen, as Wu Lie was a Hegemon-level expert.
But upon truly seeing Wu Lie's head, countless experts felt their hearts turn cold, a chill spreading through them.
"A Hegemon-level expert, though recently broken through, possessed terrifying strength. To think he perished just like this. Wu Lie is probably the shortest-lived Hegemon since ancient times."
An expert lamented, filled with shock. It was known that to become a Hegemon meant being not far from the Heavenly level. Such a martial artist was a prominent figure even in ancient times.
"What is the identity of that mysterious expert? Which faction do they belong to? Why would Li Xiaotian know an expert of this caliber?"
"Great Qin, hah, who would dare provoke Great Qin now? Provoke Li Xiaotian? Qin's strength can now be considered a Hegemon-level force."
"Li Xiaotian is quite imposing, having a Hegemon-level expert's head displayed on the city walls. I wonder what reactions other Hegemons will have upon seeing this? The strong must not be insulted!"
"The younger generation is truly formidable. This era ultimately belongs to them; we are merely relics of the past. Remember the retirement of the old generation of experts at the dawn of ancient times? Those most ancient ancestors of humankind, the major top clans, they were so powerful then they controlled the historical trajectory of the entire human race, yet in the end, didn't they all retire or perish?"
An ancient figure sighed. Before ancient times, it was an era ruled by invincible experts, but those were the absolute peak powerhouses, responsible only for protecting humanity.
At that time, humanity was led by various clans, such as the Suiren clan, the Youchao clan, and the invincible families.
Eventually, the invincible experts disappeared, and ancient times arrived. Initially, the clans governed humanity, while the invincible families remained aloof.
But as humanity's population grew, and countless geniuses emerged, the powerful clans could no longer maintain their leadership positions.
Consequently, humanity fractured, leading to internal strife and great wars. The clans gradually withdrew from the historical stage, and the major sects took their place as leaders.
Consider this: the people of ancient times, compared to those clans, are not they like the modern people of today compared to the resurfacing factions?
Many factions couldn't help but sigh. A Great Qin, previously so weak that even a third-rate sect could bully it at will, who would have thought it would possess such terrifying strength in just one year?
Meanwhile, at the headquarters of the Desolate Hall, in a bronze hall, Liu Neng, Zi Yun, and others knelt on the ground, their faces filled with trepidation.
Above the hall, the Hall Master of the Desolate Hall sat on his throne, his expression terrifyingly grim. Although he exuded no aura, the hall was filled with an endless sense of oppression, making one feel suffocated.
Zi Yun's heart was uneasy, and he was also shocked. Both were Hegemon-level experts, yet the Desolate Master's strength was significantly more terrifying than Wu Lie's.
Back when facing Wu Lie, he only felt pressure when Wu Lie erupted with his Hegemon-level aura. Yes, it was only pressure.
But now, facing the Desolate Master, a mere glance or a subtle movement from him gave Zi Yun a sense of boundless crisis.
He also thought of Jian Chen from Sword Pavilion, who had once cleaved off the Desolate Master's palace with a single sword strike, injuring him. One could imagine how terrifying Jian Chen's strength was.
And the mysterious old woman Li Xiaotian had invited – Wu Lie was like an ordinary person before her, utterly incapable of resisting.
A Hegemon-level, a transitional stage between the Emperor and Heavenly levels, yet the difference in strength was as vast as the heavens and earth.
"I ordered you to wage war against Great Qin. With your strength, you could have easily crushed Great Qin. I even had people provide you with six Heavenly-level weapons!"
The Desolate Master's voice echoed unhurriedly. Zi Yun immediately gathered his thoughts, listening intently.
"But what did you do? You caused one embarrassing incident after another. Of the sixteen sects, there were initially over a hundred Emperor-level cultivators. Now, only the eleven of you remain!"
"Do you have the audacity to beg me for protection? Do you think my Desolate Hall lacks you useless individuals?!"
Hearing the Desolate Master's words, Zi Yun's heart was filled with bitterness and tension. He had repeatedly suggested launching a full-scale assault on Great Qin while they were unprepared to utterly annihilate them.
However, the sixteen sects were accustomed to acting independently, and no one listened to him. This gave Great Qin ample time to prepare. He was certain that the Hegemon-level expert Li Xiaotian invited was definitely not in Great Qin from the beginning.
But, all of this was in the past. Their status as failures was a fait accompli.
"Desolate Master, we acknowledge our guilt, but please, in consideration of our absolute obedience to the Desolate Hall, grant us your protection. We are willing to take a Great Oath, to honor only you, the Desolate Master, for eternity, and never betray you!"
Zi Yun said. These people had formed an irreconcilable feud with Great Qin, and Li Xiaotian would not let them off.
Therefore, only by defecting to the Desolate Hall could they seek survival. Furthermore, Li Xiaotian had offended the Desolate Master several times before. So, even if Li Xiaotian dared to seek them out afterward, they could not pass the hurdle of the Desolate Master.
Moreover, the Desolate Hall possessed numerous experts. Even if Li Xiaotian invoked the mysterious Hegemon-level expert, that person might not dare to run rampant on the Desolate Hall's territory.
"Master, although Zi Yun and the others did not handle this matter well, they are all sect masters or elders, with strength at the late Emperor level. Zi Yun himself is only one step away from the Hegemon level. While these individuals cannot become core figures of our Desolate Hall, they can serve as outer elders, running errands for our Desolate Hall, which is quite useful."
Liu Neng spoke, harboring his own ulterior motives. His current position in the Desolate Hall was awkward; there were few elders of the same level who respected him. If he could bring Zi Yun and the others under his wing, he would have his own subordinate base.
"Do I need you to tell me what to do? Hmm?!"
The Desolate Master cast a cold glance at Liu Neng. Seeing this, Liu Neng's face immediately paled, and he quickly lowered his head, his body trembling slightly.
"I thought Wu Lie would give me some pleasant surprise after breaking through to the Hegemon level, but who knew he would be such a failure, unable to even deal with a mere woman!"
The Desolate Master continued, his expression growing increasingly somber. The thought of Wu Lie's head being hung on the city walls by Li Xiaotian made him feel disgusted.
Although the outside world did not know that he was secretly orchestrating the sixteen sects, it was ultimately his plan, and its complete failure dealt a severe blow to his pride.
"You may all leave for now, a bunch of failures. I can grant you protection, but I will never stand up for you. From this day forth, your master is me. Your lives belong to me. Whatever I want you to do, you must do, and even if I order you to die, you must do so without hesitation!"