Fewer figures remained on the Heaven Pillars.
Speaking would invite lightning strikes, and after countless millennia of enduring, everyone was already scarred.
"Hmph."
Emperor Shenxiao snorted.
These people, he could not kill.
Once the power of the Great Dao approached the Heaven Pillars, it would be scattered by the lightning.
He did not want to hear any more nonsense.
Now that the Shenxiao Domain was facing an impending doom, he had to save himself.
"Shenxiao."
Emperor Hanbing approached.
Beneath the feet of this female Emperor seemed to be an ice world.
As she strode forward, her voice echoed through heaven and earth: "Do not bother with a group of prisoners. Back then, the Thunder Lord forged the Chaos Thunder Domain, and these people are merely a bunch of failures."
Emperor Hanbing knew the origins of these individuals.
Boom.
As soon as Emperor Hanbing finished speaking.
From within the Heaven Pillars, figures finally emerged.
The first person, like a moving mountain, carried endless lightning as he walked out of the Heaven Pillar.
"They're out."
The newcomer was imbued with the aura of earth.
He simply stood there, yet he seemed to bear the weight of boundless mountain ranges.
The mountains stirred, and the aura of an eighth-tier Emperor expanded without reservation.
"Emperor Houtu." Hanbing recognized the approaching figure.
Her laughter echoed, tinged with excitement.
Emperor Houtu's ranking in the Great Bright Domain was even higher than hers.
With his arrival, she finally had the confidence to stand her ground.
"Hanbing."
Emperor Houtu emerged from the lightning and nodded at her.
He then turned his gaze to Emperor Shenxiao and smiled, "We must also thank Emperor Shenxiao for his generosity."
After countless eons, they had once again entered the Thunder Domain.
In the past, two great domains had clashed, ultimately resulting in mutual destruction.
Now, with the Thunder Lord missing, he had laid out endless Heaven Pillars in the Thunder Domain, thwarting the Great Bright Domain's ambitions for a million years.
Now, they had finally entered.
Emperor Shenxiao's face revealed no joy or sorrow.
He merely nodded slightly and said, "It was merely a transaction."
The power from outside the realm providing salvation, that was the transaction.
At this moment, Emperor Houtu's voice carried a smile, "Emperor Shenxiao, you could have escaped this place. Why did you choose to do this?"
This was a question Emperor Houtu had pondered before their arrival.
Unlike them, for those within the Thunder Domain, escaping was entirely possible for an Emperor-tier cultivator.
The Shenxiao Domain had reached this point, yet he still refused to leave.
He would rather seek aid from outside the domain and hold this place to the death.
"Why?"
This was Emperor Houtu's greatest question.
Emperor Shenxiao spoke in a deep voice, "I can leave, but what about the countless beings of my Shenxiao Domain?"
He shook his head and sighed, "These beings have supported me for a million years. Chaos is heartless, but my Shenxiao has its own bottom line."
This was his explanation.
"Is that truly the case?" Emperor Houtu's eyes opened and closed.
Within his divine pupils, it seemed as though countless divine mountains stood erect.
Although he harbored some doubt, Emperor Houtu smiled, "Very well. Since we have chosen to cooperate, there is no point in further discussion. I would trouble you, fellow Daoist, to continue the guidance. There are still several seventh-tier Daoist friends who will arrive..."
"Certainly."
Shenxiao did not refuse.
Buzz.
The power of Shenxiao's Great Dao Universe permeated the Heaven Pillars.
The lightning that crisscrossed between the Heaven Pillars was pushed apart by the power of the Great Dao Universe, creating a gap.
Figures quickly traversed through the gap, heading towards the Thunder Domain.
One, two, three...
In the end, a total of eight seventh-tier Emperors entered the Thunder Domain.
"That's enough."
Shenxiao's brow furrowed.
The incoming power was too much.
He intended to withdraw the power of Shenxiao's Great Dao.
Boom.
However, just as Shenxiao was about to withdraw the power of the Great Dao, Emperor Qingxiao in the distance suddenly made a move, forcibly guiding the power of the Great Dao Universe into the gap between the Heaven Pillars.
"Qingxiao..."
Shenxiao's pupils constricted, and intense killing intent flared in his eyes.
Qingxiao had betrayed him.
And not only that... At this moment, from behind the Shenxiao Domain, the power of sixth-tier Great Worlds began to spread and seep into the Heaven Pillars.
A Heaven Pillar passage, even vaster than before, took shape.
A figure stepped onto the Heaven Pillar passage without hesitation, the lightning strikes unable to impede their resolute stride.
"Haha."
The newcomer laughed, their voice echoing through heaven and earth.
The moment this person emerged, Emperor Shenxiao's expression drastically changed.
"Emperor Yuhua."
Emperor Shenxiao's face finally contorted.
He had once ventured out of the Thunder Domain and witnessed the scenery beyond the realm.
Emperor Yuhua, the foremost subordinate of the Lord of Light in the Great Bright Domain, his fame resonated throughout Chaos.
This top-tier eighth-tier Emperor had stepped into the Thunder Domain.
Buzz.
The instant he emerged, the entire Thunder Domain seemed to tremble.
The rules of the Thunder Domain seemed to sense the presence of an enemy.
In an instant, the Heaven Pillars erupted.
Rumble.
Endless lightning struck towards Emperor Yuhua.
This individual's strength was infinitesimally close to ninth-tier, otherwise, they would not have caused the violent eruption of lightning.
"Shenxiao."
Emperor Yuhua, bearing the brunt of the torrential lightning, looked at Emperor Shenxiao.
No words were necessary; a single glance sufficed.
Emperor Shenxiao shot Emperor Qingxiao a fierce glare. The power of his Great Dao Universe spread out, obscuring Emperor Yuhua's aura.
The lightning instantly lost its target and gradually dissipated.
"Thank you."
Emperor Yuhua smiled.
Then, his gaze swept across the surroundings with disdain, and he commanded, "Everyone, let us return."
With that, without waiting for Shenxiao to speak, he strode forward.
Emperor Shenxiao no longer held any authority.
Due to Qingxiao's sudden betrayal, an individual infinitely close to ninth-tier had entered the Thunder Domain.
The Shenxiao Domain was no longer under Emperor Shenxiao's control.
More than ten eighth-tier Emperors had taken residence in Shenxiao Realm, led by three of them.
Within the Shenxiao Imperial Palace, on the imperial throne that originally belonged to Shenxiao, sat Emperor Yuhua.
Emperor Shenxiao's eyes were filled with unwillingness, but he could only accept his fate.
The Shenxiao Domain was no longer his to command.
"Everyone."
Emperor Yuhua spoke, "This time, the invasion by the Sword Domain and the Scarlet Sun Domain is a crisis for our Shenxiao Domain, but also an opportunity."
The Shenxiao Domain seemed to have become Emperor Yuhua's territory.
"Shenxiao."
Emperor Yuhua's gaze fell upon him, "Do you have anything to say?"
Shenxiao: "..."
At this moment, Emperor Shenxiao had suppressed his emotions.
Looking at the supreme Emperor Yuhua, he calmly said, "Everything shall be as Emperor Yuhua commands."
He seemed to... relinquish control, and resign himself to fate.
Emperor Yuhua nodded with satisfaction, "Very well. Then it is settled. With two domains attacking, we must take the initiative."
"The Sword Domain, the Scarlet Sun Domain, we must choose one to launch a surprise attack."
"As long as one of them is destroyed, the remaining domain will pose no threat."
This was his opinion.
Attack was the best defense.
"But..."
Just as Emperor Shenxiao was about to speak, he saw Emperor Yuhua's gaze fall upon him.
"Alas."
Emperor Shenxiao could only sigh, "We shall follow Emperor Yuhua's orders."
"Excellent."
Emperor Yuhua was decisive and efficient.
He rose directly and said, "Since everyone agrees, there shall be no further delay. We shall concentrate all our Emperor-tier and Heavenly Emperor-tier forces... and take the initiative to launch a great offensive against the Sword Domain."