Tian Lang Empire, the Imperial Palace.
"Report!!"
A subordinate of a Sixth-tier Great Emperor arrived in haste, then knelt on one knee, his face filled with dread, "Your Majesty, the Ninth Prince and Lord Ailijin went to the Star River Empire, and all accompanying personnel have lost contact. The Ninth Prince's party... is likely in peril."
Hmm!?
Upon hearing the subordinate's words, the majestic figure on the throne, with sharp eyes, fell upon this Sixth-tier Great Emperor. Instantly, the Sixth-tier Great Emperor trembled, walking on thin ice.
"That good-for-nothing, I already told him not to act so brazenly in the Star River Empire just because he had guest elders protecting him."
"Utterly foolish!"
Hearing of his ninth son's disappearance in the Star River Empire, this majestic figure showed no sign of worry. This revealed how low Emperor Xin's position was in the heart of the Tian Lang Emperor.
The majestic man on the throne was none other than the ruler of the Tian Lang Empire, the Tian Lang Emperor.
His aura had long surpassed that of a peak Ninth-tier Great Emperor, possessing the might of a Venerable Realm. Furthermore, he had been in the Venerable Realm for several years. Just as the Tian Lang Emperor entered the Venerable Realm, Mo Junlin of the Star River Empire went into seclusion. He understood clearly that if the Tian Lang Emperor stabilized his Venerable Realm, their Star River Empire would inevitably be destroyed.
"Now is a good opportunity."
Emperor Ba of the Tian Lang Empire curled his lips coldly, "My Venerable Realm is now stable, and it is time to test my sword against the world. Star River Empire, Mo Junlin!"
"A junior dares to contend with me. If your father were alive, I would still fear you by three parts!!"
"Issue an order!"
After a pause, the Tian Lang Emperor no longer hesitated, "The entire nation will mourn, and the Ninth Prince, Emperor Xin, will be given a grand funeral!"
"In three days, I will personally lead the troops to crusade against the Star River Empire to avenge my ninth son!!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!!"
Feeling the immense killing intent and resolve of Emperor Ba, the Tian Lang Emperor, the Sixth-tier Great Emperor gulped. He understood clearly that the Emperor's actions were not for avenging Prince Emperor Xin, but rather... to use this as a pretext to destroy the Star River Empire!
Instantly, a wave of mourning swept across the Tian Lang Empire, with the entire nation filled with grief and countless soldiers raging with anger, their blades pointed towards the Star River Empire.
This resolve and action soon reached the Star River Empire.
Suddenly, within the Imperial Palace of the Qiong Cang Planet, chaos erupted.
Has the Star Lord of Tian Lang finally made his move?
From ordinary soldiers to guest elders, everyone was unprecedentedly solemn. Was the peace of three hundred years about to shatter?
They vaguely remembered!
Three hundred years ago, their previous Emperor, Mo Yutian, and Emperor Ba of the Tian Lang Empire engaged in eight years of warfare. In the end, Emperor Ba, through a strategy of overwhelming numbers, caused the deaths of at least a hundred Eighth-tier Great Emperors, killing the Ninth-tier Great Emperor Mo Yutian in the border region between the two countries.
Countless powerful individuals perished in that battle, including an unknown number of Ninth-tier Great Emperors, only then ushering in the current three centuries of peace.
It was also in that battle that Emperor Ba of the Tian Lang Empire found the opportunity to achieve the Venerable Realm several years ago. Mo Junlin, who was then Crown Prince, was only at the peak of the Seventh-tier Great Emperor. However, he had also established supreme prestige within the army. Furthermore, upon learning of his father's death, he broke through on the battlefield and entered the Eighth-tier Great Emperor realm. Coupled with his swordsmanship, he single-handedly slew several peak Eighth-tier Great Emperors of the Tian Lang Empire and even severely wounded one Ninth-tier Great Emperor.
Mo Yu, too, pacified the rebellions of various lords and marquises after this battle. The Mo clan lineage suffered countless casualties, with nearly eighty percent perishing.
Three hundred years ago, Mo Junlin was already at the Eighth-tier Great Emperor realm. Three centuries have passed. Outsiders only know that he must have reached the peak of the Ninth-tier Great Emperor realm. As for whether he has entered the Venerable Realm, no one knows.
"Lord Mo Yu, has the Emperor not yet emerged from seclusion!?"
A guest elder at the peak of the Eighth-tier Great Emperor asked with a frown.
"Not yet."
Acting Emperor Mo Yu looked in the direction of the depths of the Imperial Palace. His intuition told him that Mo Junlin would break through soon, as his nephew was the most talented person in their Star River Empire in over ten thousand years.
Chih~
At this moment, a figure appeared in the hall, and their arrival immediately drew everyone's attention.
"Mo Yu, I would like to ask, is the Emperor truly in strict seclusion, or is he stalling for time?"
"Could it be that he has failed to enter the Venerable Realm, allowing us to leave, which would be disadvantageous to the Star River Empire!?"
These barbed words came from the Ninth-tier Great Emperor Mo Ke, his intentions malicious, aiming to sow discord among the troops.
It had to be said that upon hearing these words, many guest elders present showed shifting expressions.
"Presumptuous!"
"Mo Ke, do you know what you are saying!"
Mo Yu looked at Mo Ke with a grave expression, "In times of war, those who undermine morale shall die!!"
"Or did Emperor Ba promise you some benefit three hundred years ago, leading you to fan the flames here?"
Shua~!!
As Mo Yu spoke, all eyes simultaneously fell upon Mo Ke. They had vaguely heard about what happened three hundred years ago. It was rumored that Mo Ke also had some involvement in the death of Mo Yutian back then.
"Hahaha, three hundred years of dormancy, and you still saw through some things, didn't you."
"Since that is the case, then I have no need to hide. That's right!"
After a pause, Mo Ke scanned the hall, "I did indeed play a part in the death of that old fogey Mo Yutian."
"Today marks the beginning of my conquest of the Star River Empire!!"
"Attack!!"
As his voice fell, Mo Ke was the first to attack Mo Yu.
The terrifying attack of a Ninth-tier Great Emperor was incredibly powerful. He instantly thrust his sword towards Mo Yu's heart, clearly intending to kill him with a single blow.
Mo Yu, as the acting Emperor and the current Emperor Mo Junlin's uncle, if he were to die, it would undoubtedly be twice as effective in destroying the Star River Empire.
"Presumptuous!!"
Facing Mo Ke's full-power strike, Mo Yu showed no fear. He immediately thrust his palm through Mo Ke's attack and struck him in the chest.
In an instant, Mo Ke was sent flying backward, spitting blood repeatedly. Then, numerous figures suddenly appeared in the distance. Without exception, they were all peak Eighth-tier Great Emperors, instantly surrounding Mo Ke and his group.
"Peak Ninth-tier Great Emperor!"
"Mo Yu, you... you've actually broken through!!"
Unbelievable, Mo Ke never expected that Mo Yu had somehow reached the peak of the Ninth-tier Great Emperor realm. Without hesitation, he transformed into lightning and fled into the distance.
"Where do you think you're going!!"
At the same moment, Dai Liubai's aura, that of a peak Eighth-tier Great Emperor, surged. It turned out he had also been holding back.
"No need to pursue!"
Mo Yu sighed with relief, looking in the direction Mo Ke had fled. "Mo Ke is extremely fast. Under full power, even ordinary Ninth-tier Great Emperors cannot catch him. Pursuing now would be futile."
"Yes, Lord Mo Yu!"
Dai Liubai said with a solemn expression, then looked at the dozens of guest elders who had been severely injured. "What shall we do with these people!?"
"Kill them!"
"Leave no one alive!!"
Mo Yu's face remained unmoved, as this was also the first part of his plan. Before the great war, eliminating those guest elders with wavering resolve was not necessarily a bad thing.
After dealing with everything, he then said to Dai Liubai, "Notify all guest elders who are away to return to the Star River Empire immediately and prepare for war with the Tian Lang Empire!"
"Yes, Lord Mo Yu!!"
Dai Liubai bowed in response and then turned into a streak of light to carry out the order. Instantly, the Imperial Palace of the Star River Empire went into full lockdown. A great war, long awaited for three centuries, would soon erupt there.