The Eight Desolations Mountain Range, a relatively ordinary mountain range in the Third Domain, was not particularly famous. However, because traces of the human race had appeared there, it drew the attention of the world. Countless forces from all directions rushed over, wanting to witness the Heavenly Emperor Hall display its might, exterminate the human sinners, and uphold the Heavenly Emperor Hall's majesty.
In truth, they wanted to know even more whether the current Divine Punishment Army was as rumored—sweeping through the All Heavens, unmatched and invincible!
Indeed, within the Eight Desolations Mountain Range, traces of quite a few human powerhouses were discovered. Their heavenly secrets were concealed, making effective divination impossible, but they matched the portraits and auras of human powerhouses provided by the imperial clans. There were dozens of them, and one among them was an older-generation Divine King.
This was one of the human race's ten great imperial clans—the Xiao Clan.
Now, to evade the pursuit of the Heavenly Emperor Hall, the Divine King of this imperial clan had led numerous Imperial Clan Heaven's Prides to hide in this seemingly inconspicuous place within the Eight Desolations Mountain Range. Using imperial clan methods to conceal themselves, they had remained undiscovered all along. Yet, they never expected the Heavenly Emperor Palace to find them in the end.
In truth, although the human race had gone into seclusion, it was not complete seclusion. They were still aware of some information about the outside world and knew they could not hide forever. However, they never expected the Heavenly Emperor Hall to find them so quickly. By the time they arrived at the Eight Desolations Mountain Range, even if they wanted to leave, it was already too late.
Because a Divine King from the Heavenly Emperor Realm had already descended here earlier. Initially pretending to cultivate in this place, he made the Xiao Clan dare not act rashly. They also thought it was just a brief stay. Although they had suspected they might have been discovered, they were not certain.
In the end, they were truly discovered. By the time they realized it, the other side had long since sealed off the Eight Desolations Mountain Range. Even if a Divine King were to act, they would absolutely be unable to leave in a short time.
This was intentional by the Heavenly Emperor Hall—sealing heaven and earth silently. But even a Divine King, acting alone, dared not act rashly to avoid alerting the enemy too early and being surrounded and killed by the humans.
"Let's go! Before the Heavenly Emperor Hall's powerhouses fully descend, we must leave immediately!"
The Xiao Clan Divine King spoke gravely. He could no longer care about exposing his identity and soared into the sky with the numerous Imperial Clan Heaven's Prides.
Boom—
The Xiao Clan Divine King had achieved the Divine King realm many years ago and was no ordinary Divine King. Employing imperial techniques, he tore through heaven and earth, attempting to force a breakthrough.
"Don't even think about leaving! Stay and await the judgment of my Heavenly Emperor Hall, human sinners!"
The Heavenly Emperor Hall Divine King spoke. He was a majestic and imposing Divine King, not of the human race but of the ox tribe. In human form, he wore a pair of towering ox horns, was quite tall, clad in gleaming black battle armor, and wielded a trident as he attacked the Xiao Clan Divine King.
With a sweep of the trident, heaven and earth were severed, and a million li of the world trembled.
And this was within the Heavenly Emperor Realm, where the origin contained several stabilizing Sovereign-level auras. Otherwise, in the greater cosmos, it could shatter entire starfields, and all heavenly stars would be pulverized.
Majestic mountain peaks rose into the sky, suspended in the air. The entire Eight Desolations Mountain Range was completely uprooted and hurled towards the Xiao Clan Divine King.
The Xiao Clan Divine King, with white hair and beard, was a veteran Divine King established for many years. Though he appeared elderly, he possessed formidable cultivation power that belied his appearance. His entire body erupted with powerful Divine King pressure.
Swish—
A remarkable divine staff, one zhang long and inscribed with countless profound Dao patterns, appeared in his hand. He directly swung it up to collide with the trident.
Boom—
The collision of Divine Kings shook the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths with every move. Great Dao laws churned, and Divine King Great Dao origin power surged. Under the clash of the two Divine Kings, the entire Eight Desolations Mountain Range was directly reduced to nothing.
"I will hold him off here! You all, go!"
The old Divine King spoke, continuously brandishing his divine staff, engaging the Ox God King in battle. Collision after collision caused countless cracks to appear in the sealed heaven and earth, beginning to shake it.
Behind him, the other Imperial Clan Heaven's Prides of the Xiao Clan all took action. They were all extraordinary Heaven's Prides, and some among them had even reached the Half-Step Divine King level. With their combined assault, the sealed heaven and earth was instantly shattered, allowing connection with the outside world.
"We can leave now! Ancestor, you must leave quickly too!"
The Imperial Clan Heaven's Prides spoke.
"Good!"
The Xiao Clan old Divine King nodded. With a heavy strike of his staff, he blasted the Ox God King. Divine King Great Dao origin power erupted, even containing the power of intent, sending the Ox God King's burly figure flying backward, blood trickling from his mouth, looking somewhat disheveled.
However, the Ox God King did not continue the pursuit. He sneered coldly, "So what if you shattered the sealed heaven and earth? The Divine Punishment Army has long since descended. Where can you possibly escape to?"
Boom—
A grand roar echoed between heaven and earth. Visible to the naked eye, a majestic portal suddenly appeared in the sky, from which a terrifying army charged out.
Their numbers were not large, only eight hundred, but all were at the Heavenly King level or above, with many being Great Powers. They wore uniform divine armor, their blood energy flourishing, their expressions cold.
More than half of them rode fearsome savage beasts—peerless savage beasts—also armed to the teeth, arriving with overwhelming killing intent.
This was the Heavenly Emperor Hall's Divine Punishment Army of the Third Domain, just one of the ten domains' armies. Yet it contained the most terrifying killing intent. Even a Four Tribulation Divine King would pale facing this Divine Punishment Army.
It was simply an invincible army that would slay gods if they blocked its path and slaughter buddhas if they stood in its way!
The Heavenly Emperor Hall's Divine Punishment Army directly surrounded the now-vanished location of the Eight Desolations Mountain Range, encircling the Xiao Clan members.
The Xiao Clan Divine King and the dozens of Imperial Clan Heaven's Prides all wore grim expressions. They never expected that just after escaping one calamity, this fear-inspiring Divine Punishment Army would arrive immediately.
The Ox God King arrived through the air, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Divine King leading the Divine Punishment Army. The two Divine Kings looked down from a high position, gazing coldly at the Xiao Clan powerhouses. "Human sinners, surrender yourselves. Reveal the locations of the other human sinners, and we can still plead for leniency before the Domain Lord. Perhaps your lives can be spared, at most exiled to the land of sin."
The Xiao Clan Divine King snorted coldly, "Don't even think about it!"
"In that case, we can only use forceful means to make you submit." The Ox God King snorted coldly, striding forward, his trident ready, radiating boundless light.
On the other side, the Heavenly Emperor Hall's Divine King also stepped forward. Behind him, the eight hundred-strong Divine Punishment Army gathered their momentum, moving in formation, carrying the force of a thunderous avalanche as they directly charged over. Their killing intent surged to the heavens, capable of tearing through the clouds and sky.
Outside the Eight Desolations Mountain Range, even from a very distant position, the might displayed by the Divine Punishment Army still made the countless observing forces of the Heavenly Emperor Realm tremble with fear. Truly worthy of the Divine Punishment Army that once followed the Heavenly Emperor in conquering the All Heavens in the past—truly terrifying enough.