Chapter 1331 – The Arrival of the Inspiration King
Everyone thought that the current clan elder of the Sun Clan, Sun Yi, was the Immortal God Emperor's most loyal supporter because the entire Sun Clan had made their choice when the ancestor of the Sun Clan had chosen to groom Ye Qingyu before he became Emperor. After the Immortal God Emperor became Emperor, everyone linked the Sun Clan with the Immortal God Emperor.
The Sun Clan had also benefited tremendously from their association with the Immortal God Emperor.
Their clan had risen in power along with the ascension of the Immortal God Emperor, and as the clan elder, Sun Yi held a high position within the Immortal Empire. Although he was not as high-ranking as the Emperor of Darkness, Song Xiaojun, his rank was on par with another official who was highly regarded by the Immortal God Emperor, Marquis Tingtao Lin Xuan, and was above Nie Tiankong of the Nie Clan.
Everyone had thought that the Sun Clan had made the best investment in the history of mankind.
If their rise to power were to continue to progress at its current speed, they would have been able to replicate the glorious days of when they had been an Emperor clan. There was also a possibility of a Martial Emperor emerging from their clan one day.
However, everything had changed.
The Sun Clan had been greatly affected by the sharp decline of the Immortal Empire. Everyone used to look at the Sun Clan with jealousy, but now, everyone was also eagerly awaiting the fall of the Sun Clan. It was obvious that once the Immortal God Emperor and the others were slain by their enemies, as a clan that was so interconnected with the Immortal Empire, they wouldn't even be given the chance to surrender and would be destined to die alongside the Immortal Empire.
There were rumors of internal conflict within the Sun Clan over the past few days.
Several members of the clan expressed regret in the clan's strong show of support for the Immortal God Emperor in the past in their private discussions. There were even others who suggested implementing several measures to cut ties with the Immortal God Emperor in a bid to save their clan.
Sun Yi ruthlessly killed his clansmen who expressed such opinions.
He had remained firm in his support for Immortal God Emperor Ye Qingyu.
He wasn't privy to inside information, nor was he confident that the Immortal God Emperor would be able to turn the tables, but it was because he knew that there was no way out for the Sun Clan and he didn't want to be a despicable person who would turn his back on the Immortal God Emperor in times of need. The Sun Clan was an Emperor clan and although their glory days were behind them, they still had to take a stand and exude the determination worthy of an Emperor clan. It wouldn't be befitting to immediately turn their backs on their benefactor the moment he was in danger. The honor of an Emperor clan had to withstand the test of blood and fire. If their clan was unable to survive past this tribulation, then he was willing to defend their past honor with their flesh and blood.
Sun Yi was incredibly firm in his support for Ye Qingyu.
After he settled the internal affairs within his clan, he spent the next few days leading his personal army to set up camp at the Immortal God Emperor's Imperial Palace, expressing his stance with his actions.
Sun Yi had heard all the rumors that had swirled around over the past few days.
The Immortal Empire seemed to be on the brink of collapse.
However, the military headquarters had taken over the responsibility of responding to these rumors and news while the Imperial Palace remained silent. No one had seen any sign of Immortal God Emperor Ye Qingyu after the incident at the Platform of Green Clouds, including Sun Yi.
The final battle had finally erupted today.
When he saw the mighty figures who appeared like fiendgods in the sky and heard the judgment call of the figure who stood high above the Nine Heavens and who exuded a dark-blue light, he sensed that the final moments of the Immortal Empire had arrived.
Evidently, the enemies of the Immortal Empire who had been lurking behind the scenes had completed their exploratory attacks and made the decision to attack. Everything would rest on this final battle.
Sun Yi could clearly see all his personal troops quaking in fear—they weren't quaking in fear because they were cowards but because anyone would show such a reaction in the face of dozens of past Martial Emperors.
It wasn't long after the battle began that the defensive shield of the Guardian Royal City trembled and cracks appeared.
Rumble!
Intense quakes could be felt and violent sounds of explosions were heard all over the city.
Then, a column of fire shot up toward the heavens.
"Even ants have to face death one day, and ants also have to die with honor. Everyone, draw your swords. I hope you'll still be able to summon the courage to wield your swords for the final time," Sun Yi said as he slowly drew his sword.
Metallic clangs sounded as his men drew their swords.
His guards were quaking in fear but they decided to make the same choice as he did.
Death was looming closer and closer, there was no way to avoid it.
The very least they could do was die honorably in battle rather than kneeling in a pool of blood in cowardice.
Rumble!
Several dozen loud booms sounded from the square in front of the Imperial Palace as though meteors had crashed down to earth. Sun Yi and the others turned to look and it seemed like they were looking at a picture scroll that was constantly shaking. This quaking scene took a while to subside. Then, their vision slowly cleared.
"Ye Qingyu, are you planning to hide inside your Imperial Palace like a coward?" A menacing voice sounded.
"Your glory days are over. Why don't you emerge from your hole and accept your death honorably? Do you not even have the courage to battle for the final time?" said someone else. This person sounded like he had crawled out from his grave and he gave off a faint rotting aura.
Sun Yi's jaw dropped in horror and he gasped.
They had finally arrived.
The Martial Emperors of the past, who had once wielded the true power and authority over the entire Guardians' camp and who had once lived within the Guardian Royal City, the very same Martial Emperors who had vanished overnight, had finally made their appearance.
They were here to overthrow the Immortal Empire.
These dozens of Martial Emperors of the past were all clad in armor from various eras. They all looked different and hailed from different races but they all exuded the same peerless and invincible aura as they slowly approached the Imperial Palace. Their crushing aura made Sun Yi feel like he was carrying the weight of dozens of large mountains.
His personal guards were weaker than him and their flesh had already started to crack, and wisps of blood and bloody mist flowed out from their bodies. They looked like they were about to explode into a pile of flesh and blood at any moment.
"Haha, aren't you the descendant of the Sun Clan? Your traitorous ancestor betrayed the camp and groomed a killing god in Ye Qingyu. Did you ever think that you'd be in such dire straits one day?" a Martial Emperor of the past said with a cold laugh as his gaze fell on Sun Yi. He looked at Sun Yi with undisguised murderous intent. "The Sun Clan will no longer exist from this day on," he said as he waved his hand.
A terrifying and invisible power of laws surged toward him.
Sun Yi could sense this power surging toward him but he could neither dodge nor defend himself against it.
He was not a Martial Emperor, so he would not be able to put up a fight against such a strong opponent.
However, a strange aura surged out from the Imperial Palace behind him at this crucial moment. Then, Sun Yi felt his vision blur, and when it cleared, he saw a lady in white appear. She had stopped that invisible power of laws from killing him.
It was none other than Empress Shui Xiu.
This current Martial Emperor from the Seven Fingers Race had finally appeared at this crucial moment.
"Haha, I guess you must be the final Martial Emperor of the Immortal Empire who is still combat-ready. The Immortal Empire will collapse once I've gotten rid of you," the Sky Emperor said.
A dark-blue ghostly fire flickered as the Sky Emperor appeared in front of all the Martial Emperors of the past.
Empress Shui Xiu did not respond but she reached back into the void and drew her [Divine Sword of the South]. This sword was the supreme treasure of the Seven Fingers Race and her life Emperor weapon after she became Emperor. Evidently, by drawing this precious sword, she showed that she did not dare to underestimate her enemy and that she was ready to fight to the death.
"Very well. It has been some time since I've had the pleasure of killing a current Emperor, let alone an Empress." The Sky Emperor's dark-blue body was an exact copy of Lan Tian's, but his aura was many times more powerful than before. He waved his hands with a laugh and said, "Go ahead and attack the Imperial Palace. I'll deal with this woman myself."
"As you wish."
"Yes."
The rest of the Martial Emperors went ahead on his orders.
These Martial Emperors, who had once reigned supreme over their respective eras, were reduced to tame and obedient soldiers in front of the Sky Emperor.
Empress Shui Xiu tried to stop them but the Sky Emperor prevented her from going after them.
Although she was a current Martial Emperor, she was forced to use all her strength when battling the Sky Emperor.
Sun Yi's eyes had lit up hopefully, but when he saw what happened, whatever hope he felt vanished and his eyes quickly dimmed.
Yes, Empress Shui Xiu's appearance made sense since they had been prepared for their enemy to come after them.
The Martial Emperor of the past who attacked earlier slowly approached Sun Yi.
He smiled sinisterly and slowly stretched out his hand toward Sun Yi's head. He didn't use his Emperor qi but he clearly intended to humiliate Sun Yi by squeezing his head to the point of explosion.
Sun Yi was unable to move or put up a struggle.
A peak Quasi-emperor martial expert seemed as weak as an ant in the face of a powerful Martial Emperor.
"I doubt anyone would be able to save you now," the Martial Emperor said with a cold laugh.
However, another voice replied teasingly, "Oh, is that so? I think you might be wrong about that…"
A palm that was like a bird's claw shot out and gripped the hand of the Martial Emperor of the past. The force from this palm made this Martial Emperor of the past turn pale. Before he could even react, there was a cracking noise and his palm was reduced to blood and ashes.
"Who are you?" he said as he retreated in horror.
A figure appeared in a flash and a Dao rhythm that sounded like waves lapping against the shore could vaguely be heard.
A shabby-looking elderly man appeared beside Sun Yi and he smiled in such a playful manner that he didn't seem like a martial expert. It was hard to link the powerful existence who had crushed this Martial Emperor's hand with this shabby-looking elderly man.
The other Martial Emperors of the past stopped in their tracks when they saw this scene because they sensed that this man was a threat.
Everyone turned to look at this shabby-looking elderly man.
This shabby-looking elderly man bowed like an elegant prince and raised one hand in greeting. Then, he said with a smile, "Dear all, I'm the Inspiration King from the Boundless Ocean Domain… Are you trying to head inside the Imperial Palace to look at Little Ye Qingyu? Then, you'll first have to get past me and my friends."
As his voice died away—
The waters from the Yellow River suddenly appeared all around the Imperial Palace noiselessly, and the entire Imperial Palace and the square suddenly seemed part of the Yellow River Domain. Before the Martial Emperors of the past could react, the faint sounds of a small boat making its way along the river could be heard.
