Chapter 1190: Chapter 639:
As Chu Yangang took the initiative to kneel and bow, symbolizing Fire Cloud Hall’s surrender, the impending battle between the two sides quickly dissipated.
Though some were uncomfortable with surrendering to the Demon Path, most people at Fire Cloud Hall felt relieved.
If even ants cling to life, how could these cultivators—armed with powers and lifespans beyond ordinary people—want to waste their lives in a doomed war?
Thus, there were almost no objections within Fire Cloud Hall to surrendering to Ghost Ridge Palace.
For those who did want to object, it was futile. Several stubborn disciples who stood up to voice their opposition were swiftly executed by other Elders of Fire Cloud Hall to avoid jeopardizing the crucial act of surrender.
Su Jie wasn’t concerned with the internal purge at Fire Cloud Hall. He led a group of people, guided by Chu Yangang, leisurely into the Scarlet Radiance Celestial Palace.
Upon entering the Scarlet Radiance Celestial Palace, Su Jie was fine, having been here before.
But Zhang Junwei, Tang Peiqing, Taoist Qiu, Liu Yingying, Qin Yushang, and others who accompanied Su Jie were left speechless by the scene inside the Scarlet Radiance Celestial Palace.
"Is this the Scarlet Radiance Celestial Palace?"
The well-informed Qin Yushang set foot on the ground paved with Star Qiyu Jade, looked up, and was greeted by a splendid and vibrant view—golden light in a thousand directions, auspicious aura in hundreds of forms, glazed roofs, and exquisite decor made of jade.
Palatial buildings formed an intricately interwoven maze, dragon scale-adorned pillars exuding vigorous spiritual energy, like breathing True Dragons, with three-legged Golden Crow statues winding around the building tops, their fiery feathers and flame patterns dazzling the eye.
"So extravagant."
Qin Yushang couldn’t help but exclaim, her words carrying a hint of envy.
Growing up in the Heavenly Patrol Department, even its headquarters weren’t this lavish.
The opulence of Scarlet Radiance Celestial Palace was unrivaled, possibly costing billions of Spirit Stones to construct. Even if the Heavenly Patrol Department had the money, it wouldn’t build something like Scarlet Radiance Celestial Palace; it would focus on nurturing talent instead.
As a huge, comfortable, and cultivation-enhancing fortress during wartime, Scarlet Radiance Celestial Palace is the ultimate dream of many cultivators.
In comparison, flying magical boats, riding spiritual beasts, sword control flight, driving chariots are nothing.
"This is the prowess of a Sect with a thousand-year heritage."
Su Jie said with a smile, turning back to enter the Great Sun Cloud Palace.
In the center were placed a treasure chair made of Dragon Flame Sun Iron, with a Star Wheel Pearl inlaid at the top.
Su Jie, rightfully, sat down on it, and placed the small three-legged Golden Crow statue into a groove beside the armrest.
Instantly, Su Jie felt a synchrony between his mind and Scarlet Radiance Celestial Palace, allowing him to control every mechanism and formation within it.
With a thought, a three-legged Golden Crow with a wingspan of a hundred feet emerged above the Scarlet Radiance Celestial Palace. With its mouth open, thousands of top-grade Spirit Stones stored within the palace were consumed in an instant.
In the next moment, a blazing red light illuminated the sky, with flames evaporating the air as it plummeted straight to the distant earth.
Rumble!
A deafening explosion shook the air, and on the distant horizon, a hemispherical crimson dome laid overturned between heaven and earth.
The intense heat and impact, akin to a hydrogen bomb explosion, created a magma lake over a thousand meters in diameter on the earth, melting even the ground, and a Taoist Platform Realm expert struck by this would barely survive.
"Exhilarating!"
Su Jie laughed heartily, joy evident in his eyes.
"Sect Master’s divine might."
Zhang Junwei and others witnessed all this and knelt on one knee, congratulating in unison.
"Arise."
Su Jie waved his hand, looking thoughtfully at Chu Yangang: "Sect Master Chu, I guess the reason you surrendered so decisively is that you sought help from the Heavenly Patrol Department to no avail, which was the wise decision."
Upon hearing the words ’Heavenly Patrol Department,’ Qin Yushang immediately perked up.
"Sect Master Su, our Fire Cloud Hall sincerely surrenders, with no ulterior motives."
Chu Yangang was startled, fearing Su Jie would renege and first get rid of them.
"Don’t worry, I’m just asking. I want to know the stance of the Heavenly Patrol Department."
Su Jie tapped the armrest, indicating that Chu Yangang needn’t overthink it; a Seventh Realm of Daoist Platform expert like him, Su Jie didn’t need any pretext to kill.
Chu Yangang carefully observed Su Jie’s expression, seeing no falsehood, he felt a sense of relief and hurriedly replied: "Yes, we sought aid from the Heavenly Patrol Department, but until today, we’ve received no response."
Fire Cloud Hall, facing Ghost Ridge Palace without any chance of victory, naturally sought help from the Heavenly Patrol Department, betting that the Da Li Royal Family wouldn’t want to see Ghost Ridge Palace expand excessively and would send Purple Mansion Realm experts to assist, but unfortunately, they guessed wrong.
"Oh, interesting."
Su Jie chuckled lightly, turning his gaze to Qin Yushang: "It seems the Heavenly Patrol Department values you, perhaps worried about risking your safety by sending help! It seems I’ve won this round."
Qin Yushang bit her thin lips, recalling the letter Su Jie sent to Da Li City not long ago, intentionally sowing discord between the Heavenly Patrol Department and the Da Li Dynasty, and now it seemed he succeeded?
Thinking of this left Qin Yushang feeling frustrated, uncertain what she did to deserve ending up in Su Jie’s hands.
A conflict far away seemed to have influenced the struggle between the Heavenly Patrol Department and the Da Li Royal Family inside Da Li City.