At this moment, in the great hall, there were only Yang Hao, Empress Weiyang, the Great Yan Emperor, and King Qingcang. The four had not yet declared their stance, while all other imperial dynasties bowed in submission to Elder Han. Especially Ying Zhong, who gazed at the meditating Yang Hao with chilling eyes.
With the ten elders, powerful cultivators at the peak of the Sky Fusion realm, obstructing him, it seemed unlikely that the Great Han would be able to dominate the region!
Watching this scene unfold, the Great Yan Emperor felt his heart crumble. As the second most powerful among the imperial dynasties, Great Yan had indeed noticed the peculiar and suspicious nature of the ten elders. However, unlike Weiyang, Great Yan lacked any peak-level Sky Fusion realm experts.
"Alas!"
The Great Yan Emperor sighed, his voice laced with helplessness. The ten elders of the Human Emperor Hall originated from the various imperial dynasties. It was laughable that after tens of thousands of years, these ten elders had transformed into the supreme, top-tier power that ruled the Southwest Domain!
Originally established to restrain the Human Emperor Hall's hall master by the imperial dynasties, they had, after tens of thousands of years, become the grave diggers of these very dynasties.
With bloodshot eyes, the Great Yan Emperor rose and surveyed his surroundings. He looked up at the condescending Elder Han and declared loudly, "My Great Yan lineage is willing to revere the ten elders as supreme!"
Seeing the Great Yan Emperor bow his head, Elder Han's face broke into a wide smile. He nodded, "Very well. The seal is about to break, and you will all realize that aligning with us, the ten elders, today is the wisest course of action!"
Elder Han strode past the leaders of the imperial dynasties. The allegiance of the seven great imperial dynasties to the ten elders signified that two-thirds of the Southwest Domain now belonged to the Human Emperor Hall. Only the Great Han and Weiyang remained. These were two stubborn "bones" to chew on, though the Great Han seemed easier to crack than Weiyang.
"It seems the Human Emperor Hall no longer includes my Weiyang lineage. We Weiyang do not deign to associate with you!"
"Farewell!"
Empress Weiyang stood up and glared at Elder Han. However, she did not erupt in a fit of rage, merely letting out a cold sneer. Her sarcastic gaze sent shivers down the spines of the imperial dynasty leaders.
"You are not welcome!"
Elder Han snorted in anger. Weiyang was a bone they would eventually crack!
Empress Weiyang, accompanied by her top-tier Sky Fusion realm experts, strode out of the great hall. As she left, she gently turned her head and cast a deep look at Yang Hao. At that moment, Yang Hao slowly opened his eyes and gave Empress Weiyang a slight smile and a nod.
"Let's go!"
Empress Weiyang vanished from the great hall. The moment she disappeared, Elder Han's expression turned sinister, and a killing intent instantly enveloped the entire hall, terrifying the leaders of the imperial dynasties into trembling.
Elder Han, glancing at the departing Empress Weiyang, then turned his attention to Yang Hao, who sat with an air of relaxed composure. With a smile that seemed forced, he said, "May I ask how the King of Han intends to proceed? You must not follow the example of Weiyang and detach yourself from the collective. You will eventually be swallowed whole by the great flood of the ancient wilderness!"
As Elder Han's voice faded, many of the imperial dynasty leaders turned their gazes towards Yang Hao, the ruler of a mere dynasty, who now held sway over all other imperial dynasties.
Elder Han's eyes flickered with a hint of anticipation. To subdue the Great Han without bloodshed would be almost as significant as conquering the Great Yan Imperial Dynasty.
Ying Zhong clenched his fists. If the Great Han pledged allegiance to the ten elders, how would he instigate them to pressure, or even destroy, the Great Han? Having a power as formidable as Great Yan or Weiyang lurking by his side was suffocating.
"Who do you think you are, to dare demand my allegiance!"
With a powerful surge, Yang Hao instantly stood up. His overwhelming Kingly might even surpassed the Emperor's might of the other imperial lords present. His expression was cold as he met Elder Han's gaze, exuding an authority and majesty far greater than that of the Weiyang Imperial Dynasty!
Silence!
The entire great hall became profoundly quiet!
The leaders of the imperial dynasties stared at Yang Hao in astonishment. While the Great Han Dynasty was strong, there was still a vast chasm between it and the Weiyang Imperial Dynasty.
Although the Great Han possessed formidable cultivators like Zhang Liao, Li Wenzhong, and Li Bai, who were at the sixth level of the Sky Fusion realm, the sheer terror of peak Sky Fusion realm experts was undeniable. Had the Great Han been driven mad? With such a foundation, did they dare emulate the Weiyang Imperial Dynasty and defy the ten elders?
Upon hearing Yang Hao's words, Ying Zhong broke into a ferocious grin. This was precisely what he desired – for the Great Han to defy the ten elders. Then, he could exploit this to have the ten elders subjugate the Great Han, even destroy it, and seize its vast territory.
Elder Han let out a chilling, maniacal laugh as if he had just heard a jest. The Great Han? Did they truly believe they were the Weiyang Imperial Dynasty? Even the Weiyang Imperial Dynasty was no match for the ten elders now. Subduing the Weiyang Imperial Dynasty was merely a matter of time. What foundation did the Great Han possess to dare emulate the Weiyang lineage in such a manner!
Did they truly think that with the holy war imminent and the seal about to break, the ten elders would refrain from acting against the Great Han?
Who in the entire Southwest Domain dared to defy the decree of the ten elders? Weiyang could not, and neither could the Great Han!
He suppressed his surging anger within his body. His eyes flickered, devoid of any outward anger. He cast a cold glance at Li Bai, standing beside Yang Hao, and chuckled. A cultivator at the seventh level of the Sky Fusion realm, daring to openly disregard the authority of the ten elders!
Li Bai, having endured the baptism of war and diligent self-cultivation, had indeed ascended from the sixth to the seventh level of the Sky Fusion realm. Breaking through in the Sky Fusion realm was no easy feat; each minor advancement brought immense nourishment to the body.
As for Wang Yue, who stood beside Yang Hao, he was completely ignored. Since entering the territory ruled by the Human Emperor Hall, Wang Yue had sealed his internal energy within his physical body, preventing it from radiating outwards. He appeared ordinary and unremarkable.
Based on the understanding of the Great Han's foundation held by the ten elders of the Human Emperor Hall and the various imperial dynasties, their strength lay not only in Li Bai, the sword cultivator, but also in Zhang Liao, the commander of the Vermillion Bird Legion, and Li Wenzhong of the Kui Niu Legion. However, even with these two present, it was insufficient to embolden Yang Hao to so recklessly defy Elder Han, a supreme Sky Fusion realm expert.
"King of Han, do you believe that by destroying two insignificant imperial dynasties, you can now suppress the entire Southwest Domain?"
"Hahaha!"
"You are too naive. You are merely the lord of a small dynasty, possessing only three minor cultivators at the sixth level of the Sky Fusion realm, and yet you dare to be so presumptuous before me!"
"Do you truly believe there is no one in the Southwest Domain who can deal with your Great Han!"
After his laughter subsided, a surge of killing intent erupted from his body, enveloping the great hall. Elder Han's eyes gleamed with chilling light, his face gradually contorting into a ferocious expression. He regarded Yang Hao as if he were a mere pig or dog, who dared to emulate the Weiyang lineage in showing such contempt and presumption, all on the strength of a few cultivators at the sixth level of the Sky Fusion realm!
In an instant, the leaders of the imperial dynasties felt a suffocating pressure, as if a weight of ten thousand pounds was pressing down on their shoulders. The great hall boomed and rumbled, as if it too were raging alongside Elder Han.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!!"
King Qingcang, standing behind Wang Yue, was filled with regret. He regretted not aligning himself with the ten elders. How could the Great Han possibly contend against such formidable energy?