Chapter 1268: The Great Desolate Cloud Overturning

Black Dragon Divine Guard Hall.

The Third Elder sat slumped in his chair, his face pale and filled with disbelief, as if his entire world had crumbled. For half the night, he had been in this state, unable to comprehend how the once-mighty Black Dragon Divine Guards had been wiped out in an instant. What was supposed to be a glorious opportunity to align with the Divine Palace had turned into a massacre that annihilated their entire sect.

His life, as he knew it, had collapsed. His face was ashen, devoid of hope.

Just as he was drowning in despair, a terrifying pressure suddenly engulfed the hall, turning the chilly dawn into an icy nightmare.

The Third Elder felt a cold shiver run down his spine, his hair standing on end.

"Boom!"

A fearsome force swept through the hall like a gale, so powerful that even he, a seasoned elder, could barely withstand it. His hair and beard whipped wildly in the wind, and his face was etched with helplessness and fear.

Before the Third Elder could steady himself, the wind abruptly ceased.

The hall rippled with spatial distortions as two figures stepped out from the void.

The man leading the way exuded an air of scholarly elegance. He walked slowly, hands clasped behind his back, exuding an overwhelming pressure that made it impossible to look directly at him. This oppressive aura was on a completely different level from even the legendary Lord Yao.

Without uttering a word, he seemed to command the very forces of heaven and earth. Wherever he went, all living beings instinctively made way.

At the mere sight of him, the Third Elder scrambled to his feet, his throat dry with fear.

Behind this man was an elderly figure—the Divine Palace steward who had previously delivered a message. But now, the steward followed with utmost reverence, head bowed, as if he were a mere servant.

The Third Elder was struck with awe and immediately prostrated himself.

The identity of the newcomer was unmistakable.

"Your humble servant greets the esteemed elder!"

The Divine Palace steward was a figure of immense prestige. Whenever he visited any outer sect, he was treated as a revered guest. Yet, here he was, following this man with such deference. There was no doubt—this was none other than the legendary Divine Palace elder, Liu Changfeng!

The Third Elder was overwhelmed with terror, unable to believe that a Divine Palace elder had personally come to their humble sect.

Even though the elder had yet to speak a word, the Third Elder was already trembling, his usual composure completely shattered.

Noticing the Third Elder's fearful prostration, Liu Changfeng glanced down briefly, his hands still clasped behind his back. The grandeur of the hall seemed insignificant to him, as his cold, inscrutable voice echoed through the space.

"Where is my son?"

His tone was calm, yet each word carried the weight of a mountain.

It was indeed Elder Liu!

The legendary figure of the Divine Palace had truly appeared before them!

The Third Elder lowered himself even further, stammering as he recounted everything he knew.

"R-reporting to the esteemed elder! We traced the aura of your esteemed son to the mining region in the Northern Desolate Wasteland. That mining area originally belonged to our sect, but for some reason, we lost contact with it. Yao... Yao Qianji, following the steward's orders, went to welcome your son, but he never returned. The soul tablets of our entire sect shattered, and no one survived... As for where your son is now, I truly do not know..."

After hearing this, Liu Changfeng's eyes narrowed in contemplation.

"The mining region losing contact... It seems there was already trouble brewing. It's possible that the area has been taken over, or perhaps a natural disaster struck. Natural disasters usually pass quickly, but if they persist, it could be a calamity of apocalyptic proportions. The Divine Palace would have sensed such an event, yet I have heard no news of it. Clearly, this is no natural disaster."

"Yao Qianji went to the mining region again, and the entire Black Dragon Divine Guard was wiped out. They must have been slaughtered by the forces that took over the mines. These people seem to have some power."

"My son traveled there in search of Starfall Crystal Sand. It's likely that he encountered these people, which is why there has been no word from him."

In just a few sentences, Liu Changfeng had deduced the key points.

The Third Elder felt as though he had been struck by a bell, his thoughts suddenly clearing.

"Your wisdom is unparalleled, esteemed elder!"

His flattery, however, elicited no reaction from Liu Changfeng.

The steward beside him also looked on with reverence.

"Elder... It seems these people have some cultivation. No wonder there has been no word from the young master. But no matter how ruthless they are, they would not dare to disrespect the young master!"

"This subordinate is willing to go at once and bring the young master back safely!"

Only then did Liu Changfeng give a slight nod.

"Naturally."

"The soul lamp of my son, Tian, remains intact, which means those people fear the reputation of the Divine Palace. No matter how unremarkable my son may be, he is not someone just anyone can touch."

"Later, I will go personally to see who these people are and where they come from."

His confident and steady voice carried an air of invincibility.

Hearing this, the Third Elder's heart swelled with fervor, and he quickly produced a star map to curry favor.

"Esteemed elder! This is the Northern Desolate Wasteland. Though my cultivation is shallow, I can still offer my humble services as a guide. From this day forward, I am willing to serve you in any capacity!"

His obsequious smile was forced, and it finally drew a cold glance from Liu Changfeng.

With just one look, Liu Changfeng saw through the man's intentions, his eyes filled with indifference.

"One must know their place."

"Since the Black Dragon Divine Guard has been nearly wiped out, this sect is destined to vanish from the world. You no longer have any value and should join Yao Qianji in eternal rest."

His soft words sent a chill through the Third Elder's heart.

"What!?"

Before he could utter another word, Liu Changfeng slowly extended his right hand, fingers curled like claws.

An overwhelming pressure engulfed the Third Elder, lifting him into the air like a helpless chicken. His face turned red, and with a sickening crack, his throat was crushed. He fell to the ground, lifeless, his face frozen in a mask of resentment.

The once-glorious Black Dragon Divine Guard had vanished from the world. Their nearly ten-thousand-year legacy had turned to dust, scattered across the earth, destined to fade into obscurity with the passage of time.

In this world, the strong always reigned supreme.

A single life was no more significant than an ant.

As the first light of dawn broke, the hall remained as silent as the dead of night. The master and servant of the Divine Palace stepped through the void, heading straight for the Northern Desolate Wasteland.

"Whoosh!"

Spatial ripples spread through the air as the two figures emerged.

Liu Changfeng stood calmly in the sky, hands clasped behind his back, gazing down at the mining region blanketed in yellow sand. No matter how hard the cultivators on the ground toiled, their struggles failed to stir even a flicker of emotion in his eyes.

Having stood at the pinnacle of power for millennia, he had become nearly emotionless. To him, such suffering was simply the natural order of things, the workings of fate.

After observing for a few moments, Liu Changfeng's eyes flickered with confusion and disappointment as he took in the weak cultivation levels of the miners below.

Could such weaklings really have annihilated the Black Dragon Divine Guard?

The thought passed quickly.

Driven by his concern for his son, Liu Changfeng didn't dwell on it. He immediately released his divine sense.

In an instant, an unprecedented pressure descended from the heavens, enveloping the entire mining region. Every cultivator in the mines was paralyzed, their limbs frozen as if caught in a blizzard.

Within moments, the bustling activity in the mines came to a complete standstill.

Liu Haotian, too, stood frozen in place, his eyes trembling.

Before he could turn around, Liu Changfeng, still hovering in the air, revealed a rare flicker of anger on his face.

With a flick of his finger, Liu Haotian was pulled before him, disheveled and unrecognizable.

Seeing the young master in such a state, the steward's face twisted with rage, his voice trembling as he gritted his teeth.

"Young master...?"

"Young master, you've suffered. This subordinate has arrived too late!"

Liu Changfeng's expression darkened, his face like a storm cloud ready to burst.

As a Divine Palace elder, he was a figure of immense influence across the entire Lan Star. To see his son treated so cruelly was not just an insult to his child—it was a direct affront to Liu Changfeng himself!

Such audacity was a stain on the Divine Palace's honor!

Seeing the tears welling up in his son's eyes, Liu Changfeng's fury reached its peak.

"Outrageous!"

"Absolutely outrageous!"

"Such insignificant ants dare to mistreat my son! Today, I will make sure you remember the wrath of the Divine Palace—a wrath that will leave a million corpses in its wake!"

His roar shook the heavens, and a fierce gale swept across the sky.

Liu Changfeng channeled his immense cultivation, raising his hand to unleash a palm strike that covered thousands of miles, descending like a mountain!

"Great Desolate Cloud-Overturning Palm!"

In an instant, the earth split apart, and waves of yellow sand surged across the land. The entire mining region was flattened, leaving only a massive palm print spanning thousands of miles, surrounded by countless corpses.

The wrath of the Divine Palace had been unleashed, and the price was paid in blood.