“Liu Ruyan, get out here!!”
A thunderous roar echoed through the Divine Dragon Heavenly Palace.
The sheer force of the voice triggered the automatic activation of the defensive barriers around both the palace and the Divine Dragon Imperial City, enveloping them in a protective shield.
Many who heard the voice paled in shock.
After all, Liu Ruyan was the name of the Divine Dragon Empress.
For someone to stand outside the Divine Dragon Heavenly Palace and shout her name, demanding she come out—this could only mean disaster was brewing.
When people looked up at the sky, the scene outside the palace stunned them.
Over a dozen towering figures stood in the air.
Their faces were indistinct, but their overwhelming auras made them seem like supreme rulers among men, emperors among immortals.
Each one radiated an earth-shaking presence.
The leader’s aura was the most terrifying—so powerful it seemed capable of crushing the entire Divine Dragon Heavenly Palace beneath its weight.
With a mere wave of his hand, an army of at least 300,000 materialized behind him.
He had transported them using a supreme treasure, carrying them personally into battle.
The weakest among them were at the Immortal Realm, with numerous Immortal Kings as officers and even Immortal Emperors as commanders.
This was no ordinary force—it was an elite army, assembled for war.
Gasps of horror spread through the crowd.
“No! It’s the Heavenly Dragon Clan and the Dragon Blood Clans—they’re here to attack the Divine Dragon Empire!”
“The Heavenly Dragon Clan actually brought their Heavenly Dragon Legion? That’s their most elite army, the one that conquered entire worlds! Are they declaring all-out war?”
“So many soldiers and experts… The Divine Dragon Empire is in serious trouble!”
The leader of this force was none other than Su Feiyu, patriarch of the Heavenly Dragon Clan.
Only he had the authority to mobilize the Heavenly Dragon Legion.
Yet no one had expected him to bring such a massive force straight to the Divine Dragon Empire.
Those who knew the inside story, however, understood his motives.
A month ago, the Heavenly Dragon Clan’s Grand Elder had provoked the Divine Dragon Empress—and was executed on the spot within the Heavenly Palace.
Not only that, but other members of the Dragon Blood Clans had also been imprisoned by her.
And that Grand Elder? He was Su Feiyu’s own son.
With such an insult, how could Su Feiyu possibly let it slide?
So, gathering experts from the Dragon Blood Clans and leading his most elite army here was only natural.
Just seeing this spectacle, everyone knew—today would not end peacefully.
Yet despite the overwhelming force, countless experts from the Divine Dragon Imperial City rose to the challenge.
Hundreds of powerful auras erupted, filling the skies.
Most were at the Immortal King Realm, but there were also peak-level Immortal Emperors among them.
Sensing the threat to their empire, they stepped forward without hesitation.
“Su Feiyu, don’t you dare be insolent! How dare you address Her Majesty by name?”
Su Feiyu sneered. “Hah! A mere upstart who just reached the Immortal King Realm—why shouldn’t I say her name?”
“What, you—a mere servant of the Divine Dragon Empire—dare bark at me?”
The first to speak was Murong Hongtian, grandfather of Murong Wan’er and former head of the Murong Family.
A peak Immortal Emperor, he had once traveled the world with Imperial Elder Liu Ning, forging a fearsome reputation.
Though he had since retreated from the spotlight to nurture the next generation, he was still a force to be reckoned with.
Hearing Su Feiyu’s arrogance, his expression darkened.
“Su Feiyu, it seems you truly wish for war with the Divine Dragon Empire!”
“And what if I do? If Liu Ruyan doesn’t give me an answer, I’ll flatten this city myself!”
“Such bold words! If you want to attack the Divine Dragon Imperial City, you’ll have to go through me first!”
In an instant, Murong Hongtian shot into the sky, planting countless formation flags that enveloped Su Feiyu and his army of 300,000.
As the flags took root, stars materialized, forming a grand formation that blotted out the heavens.
Su Feiyu’s face twisted in shock.
“The Cosmic Star Formation?!”
What Murong Hongtian had deployed was none other than the legendary formation said to rival the heavens themselves.
Its emergence alone dimmed the skies.
Even the elite Heavenly Dragon Legion showed signs of panic.
But after a closer look, Su Feiyu scoffed.
“Hmph! I thought it was the complete Cosmic Star Formation. Turns out it’s just a minor version.”
“If it were the real thing, I’d retreat immediately.”
“But with only 54,000 stars refined—far from the full 108,000—you think this pitiful formation can stop me? I’ll crush it with one hand!”
“Then come and try!” Murong Hongtian shot back.
He knew his Cosmic Star Formation was incomplete.
Yet he stood firm, his battle spirit blazing even brighter than Su Feiyu’s.
Having fought alongside Liu Ning in his youth, he might not have developed an invincible will, but his courage was unshakable.
Faced with such defiance, Su Feiyu’s expression soured.
In the past, he had been a rival to Liu Ning himself—someone like Murong Hongtian was merely a follower, unworthy of his attention.
Yet now, this “follower” dared challenge him.
Worse still, neither Liu Ruyan nor Liu Ning had even shown their faces.
The sheer disrespect enraged him.
“Hmph! It seems my long absence has made people forget my might—even a mere underling dares oppose me now.”
“Fine. Today, I’ll remind you why the strong must never be insulted!”
