Ch. 1520 - My Rules

In the days that followed, Xu Zimo remained in place. At times, he experimented with the sealing power of the Iron Gate; at others, he practiced controlling the furnace fire within the Heaven-Refining Cauldron. His days were full and productive.

After seven days, Xiao Anshan was the first to bring news. The Earth Domain had fallen, conquered by the Hell Tiger Race. Its Ancestral Flame was seized, and now the entire domain was collapsing.

A few days later, Shangguan Xian returned with more information. In the Metal Domain, the Shangguan Heavenly Clan of the Divine Crow God Realm had annihilated the fire keepers and claimed its Ancestral Flame.

Among the five great God Realms, Earth, Metal, Water, Wood, and Thunder, Earth had been destroyed by the Hell Tiger Race, Metal by the Divine Crow God Realm, and Water by Xu Zimo’s Chaos Fire God Realm.

The Wood Domain had been taken by the Vermilion Flame God Realm. Though their leader Du Bujie had been killed earlier by Li Guan, the Vermilion Flame God Realm was still one of the Six Great God Realms. Their strength was formidable, and they had trained several new talents.

When the Ancestral Lands opened, three of these so-called wanderers entered as their allies, most likely people secretly cultivated by the Vermilion Flame God Realm. Inside, they not only conquered the Wood Domain but also sent parties searching for Li Guan, intent on killing him to avenge Du Bujie and restore Vermilion Flame’s honor.

They could not afford to lose face before the others.

As for the final domain, rumors said it too had been destroyed by wanderers.

The five Domains had all fallen.

Now only the Thunder Domain, guarded by Xu Zimo, remained intact.

Although the fire guardian’s sanctum in each domain was deeply hidden and nearly impossible to locate, the prodigies who entered this realm all had their own means.

On the day the fifth Domain fell, Xu Zimo and his three companions sat cross-legged in meditation.

Xiao Anshan was the first to speak. “At this rate, everyone will probably gather here soon.”

“Mm. That’s when things will get interesting,” Xu Zimo said with a grin. “Before everyone arrives, no one is allowed to attack the Thunder Domain’s guardian ground. The audience hasn’t gathered yet, let’s not overturn the stage too early.”

“Understood,” Xiao Anshan nodded.

“When the Thunder Domain falls, the Ancestral Lands will be truly finished,” Shangguan Xian sighed.

“That’s the way of the world,” Xu Zimo replied casually. “Every age brings its heroes, each reigning for a hundred years or so.”

During this period, Realm Lord Bai had made great progress. She not only began to master the divine arts left behind by the Four Symbols Fire Progenitor, but her cultivation had also risen considerably. She tried several times to thank Xu Zimo, but he refused every time.

“Someone’s coming,” Shangguan Xian suddenly said, staring into the distance.

“Don’t rush to act,” Xu Zimo said. “Are they wanderers or from one of the God Realms?”

“Wanderers,” Xiao Anshan answered.

“Then let’s wait. Those God Realm people are the slow ones,” Xu Zimo said, shaking his head.

Soon, the newcomers appeared, five of them in total. One of them held a compass, surrounded by the power of the constellations.

“This should be the place,” the man murmured.

“Brother Wang, stop searching. Looks like someone beat us to it,” one of his companions said, pointing toward Xu Zimo’s group.

These five wanderers were all unfamiliar faces; Xu Zimo and his companions didn’t recognize any of them. But the Chaos Fire God Realm’s group was well-known throughout the Ancestral Lands, so the newcomers quickly adjusted their attitude.

“Are you the prodigies of the Chaos Fire God Realm?” one of them asked respectfully.

Xiao Anshan stepped forward and nodded.

“Are you also here for the Thunder Domain’s Ancestral Flame?” the wanderer asked again. If so, they were competitors, and whether the fight would be fair or underhanded didn’t matter. The name of the Chaos Fire God Realm might be famous, but that alone didn’t scare anyone here.

“We have no interest in taking the Ancestral Flame,” Xiao Anshan said plainly. “But for now, it cannot be touched.”

“Why not?” the wanderer asked.

“Because the Ancestral Flame Grounds will only open when everyone has arrived,” Xiao Anshan replied. “That’s the rule we’ve set.”

The wanderers exchanged glances. They clearly wanted to argue, but after looking at Xu Zimo’s group, they decided to stay quiet and wait.

None of them knew what the Chaos Fire God Realm was planning. Logically, the fewer competitors there were, the greater the chance of success in claiming an Ancestral Flame. Why, then, wait for everyone?

As time passed, more and more people gathered. Hearing that the Chaos Fire God Realm was here, some decided to stay silent and observe the situation. But others were less patient.

“So what if you’re from the Chaos Fire God Realm?” a black-robed young man said with a sneer. “The Thunder Domain’s Ancestral Flame is open to all. Who are you to give orders here?”

He stepped forward boldly, his tone dripping with mockery. “You lot think you can control everything? There are so many of us, why should we listen to you? You’re all cowards if you do.”

As soon as he spoke, murmurs broke out among the crowd. Many people agreed with him, their voices growing louder. Accusations flew toward Xu Zimo’s side, criticizing them for arrogance.

Xu Zimo said nothing.

Shangguan Xian rose slowly. “Want me to handle it?” she asked.

“I’ll do it,” Xu Zimo said, shaking his head.

He walked forward, step by steady step, and stopped in front of the black-robed youth. “What’s your name?”

“Names don’t change whether I’m sitting or standing,” the young man said coldly. “I’m Yuwen Ankang, Sect Master of the Dark Crow Dao Court.”

The crowd stirred.

“Yuwen Ankang? The so-called abandoned child?”

“I heard he was cast out by the Dark Crow Dao Court as a child. Later, he grew up, destroyed the entire sect, and rebuilt it with himself as the new sect master.”

“They say he’s cruel and cunning, good at every sort of deceit.”

As whispers spread, Yuwen Ankang’s face grew smug. He shouted, “Shouldn’t you of the Chaos Fire God Realm give everyone here an explanation?”

“You want an explanation?” Xu Zimo asked with a faint grin. “Fine, I’ll give you one.”

He drew Shadow Tyrant from his back. Though he smiled, in Yuwen Ankang’s eyes that smile was colder than death itself.

It was the gaze of someone looking at a corpse.

Yuwen Ankang instinctively stepped back, his confidence faltering. But realizing he was losing face, he straightened and snorted. He’d crawled from piles of bodies, his hands stained with blood, what was there to fear?

“And what kind of explanation are you going to give?” he asked defiantly.

The moment the words left his mouth, Xu Zimo’s blade flashed.

The slash came down like judgment. A wave of blade energy erupted, sweeping through everything in its path, carrying the might of a Saint Sovereign and annihilating everything before it, rushing straight toward Yuwen Ankang.

Yuwen Ankang’s face went pale, every hair on his body standing on end.

He felt the shadow of death envelop him.

He wanted to flee, but the crushing pressure of that blade’s force made it impossible to move.

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