Chapter Eighty-Three: Those Who Follow the Divine Prosper; Those Who Defy Perish

The dark canopy grew ever more oppressive, the sea of thunder within the endless storm clouds swelling vast, its infinite silver lightning flashing and crackling, composing a grand, majestic, suffocating, and terrifying tableau that stretched for millions of miles.

“The Xuanming Black Serpent clan has no intention, nor courage, to oppose the Divine Clan. All is the fruit of Black Earth’s greed. To seek forgiveness from the Divine Clan, I shall execute Black Earth at once, as an act of atonement. What say you?”

Black Sky Sovereign lightly waved his right hand, releasing a beam of black light in which Black Earth’s figure appeared.

Black Earth, hair disheveled, head bowed, knelt on both knees facing the sea of thunder, awaiting execution in silence, stripped of all past dignity, pitiable as a forsaken dog.

Seeing the once mighty Elder Black Earth fallen so low, the tens of millions of Xuanming warriors were shaken in spirit, moved beyond words. Their gazes upon Black Earth held hatred, pity, indifference, and a deep sadness.

They hated Black Earth for provoking the Divine Clan and bringing disaster upon them; they also secretly resented the Divine Clan’s domineering force, yet failed to realize that strength is ever the privilege of the powerful. When the Xuanming Black Serpents faced weaker races, were they not equally domineering?

They pitied the elder, fallen like a hunted beast, about to meet his end, and felt a sorrow akin to mourning the death of kin.

Some were indifferent to Black Earth’s fate, even secretly pleased at his demise, seeing it as an opportunity for other elders.

But most mourned as the pride of the Xuanming Black Serpent clan was crushed, trampled beneath the Divine Clan’s feet.

Despite Black Sky’s compromise, apology, and withdrawal, the sea of thunder remained calm, unaffected, as if the Divine Clan merely observed coldly.

Black Sky’s serpentine eyes flashed coldly as he saw the lack of response. With a thought, a massive black blade appeared above Black Earth’s head.

A metallic ring resounded.

The black blade sang as it descended from the heavens, instantly severing Black Earth’s head.

A spray of golden blood erupted from Black Earth’s body as it collapsed, reverting to a headless black serpent over nine thousand feet long.

Black Earth, Elder of the Xuanming Black Serpent clan and a Sovereign, thus became the first soul claimed by the Divine Clan’s conquest of the primeval wilderness.

“Ah!”

Some Xuanming warriors cried out in anguish at the sight, and most found their eyes inexplicably moist, overcome by grief.

Thunder boomed.

The billions of bolts in the sea of thunder suddenly roared, illuminating the sky.

Amidst the encircling lightning, the Lord of Thunder Punishment appeared above the sea, clad in divine armor, his visage stern and cold.

“Black Sky, why do you persist? You should know the Divine Clan seeks not merely the death of a minor Black Earth.” Thunder Sovereign spoke, his voice authoritative yet calm.

Whatever else, the Thunder Sovereign had to admit Black Sky played his hand well.

By killing Black Earth so decisively, Black Sky placed the Divine Clan in a dilemma.

Black Sky’s act to preserve his clan was interpreted by others as the Divine Clan forcing him into the execution, as shown by the furious Xuanming warriors.

The Divine Clan’s attack on the Xuanming Black Serpent clan was, nominally, vengeance for Black Earth’s offense.

Yet now Black Earth was dead. The Divine Clan had lost their justification for further assault.

However, neither Nanluo nor the Divine Clan truly cared about Black Earth’s death; what they sought was the entire Xuanming Black Serpent clan.

Black Sky’s execution of Black Earth not only deprived the Divine Clan of a pretext, but also alienated the entire Xuanming Black Serpent clan, costing them the loyalty of its people.

This act severely disrupted the Divine Clan’s plans to absorb the Xuanming Black Serpent clan.

But the power and authority of the strong are beyond the imagination of the weak.

The strong rule by might, needing neither compromise nor explanation to the weak.

If Black Sky believed this would thwart the Divine Clan’s ambitions, he was mistaken.

It would only force the Xuanming Black Serpent clan to pay a price far beyond Black Sky’s imagining.

The Divine Clan’s plan to annex the Xuanming Black Serpent clan could not be stopped by any living being.

“The Divine Clan wants the entire Xuanming Black Serpent clan!” Thunder Sovereign declared coldly, his face stern and domineering.

Black Sky heard the Thunder Sovereign’s declaration, his expression darkening, brows tightly furrowed.

“You think this can save the Xuanming Black Serpent clan? Wrong! Your ignorant act will cost your clan dearly!”

“If any among the Xuanming Black Serpent clan defies the Divine Clan, kill them!”

Thunder Sovereign’s purple hair danced in the wind, accentuating his cold, grim features, radiating killing intent.

“If any among the Xuanming Black Serpent clan defies the Divine Clan, kill them!” Black Sky murmured in despair, realizing he might have made a grievous mistake.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Five pillars of golden light suddenly shot skyward within the sea of thunder, their overwhelming pressure sweeping across heaven and earth.

Splutter! Splutter! Splutter!

Of the tens of millions of Xuanming warriors, nearly a million were grievously wounded by the immense pressure.

“Five Sovereigns of the Primordial Beginning? The Divine Clan mobilized six Sovereigns to deal with us—what an honor for the Xuanming Black Serpent clan,” Black Sky forced a pale smile.

Six Sovereigns of the Primordial Beginning! Even the strongest clan, the Black Tortoise, could not withstand such power.

The five pillars of light faded, revealing the five Sovereigns within:

Sovereign of Fate, Miao Yan; God of Light, Bai Hua; God of Darkness, Hei An; God of Martial Arts, Wu Po Tian; God of Time, Ni Gu; and the Lord of Thunder, Lei Xing.

The Divine Clan’s six Sovereigns descended upon the Northern Wilderness.

“It is done. You five, take care of Black Sky. I shall deal with the Xuanming Black Serpent clan.” Sovereign Miao Yan’s beautiful eyes glinted coldly as she spoke with authority.

“Agreed.” “Black Sky should have been dealt with long ago.” “Yes.”

The five Sovereigns voiced their assent, not questioning Miao Yan’s methods, evidently curious to witness her powers.

In a flash, the five Sovereigns unleashed beams of divine light, attacking Black Sky Sovereign.

Boom!

Purple, white, black, gray, and red beams of divine light shot at Black Sky.

Facing their combined assault, Black Sky did not dare underestimate them. He drew his supreme innate treasure, the Black Sky Spear, wielding it to break through each divine beam in turn.

As the five Sovereigns battled Black Sky in earnest, Sovereign Miao Yan began to address the threats within the Xuanming Black Serpent clan.

If so many among them defied the Divine Clan, then it was time to purge the heretics.

Miao Yan reached into the void, retrieving her supreme innate treasure, the Staff of Fate.

Atop the staff was a fate crystal guarded by four corners, the shaft golden, inscribed with unfathomable laws of fate.

Closing her eyes, Miao Yan lifted the staff high, pouring all her divine power into it.

Bathed in endless divine energy, the fate crystal at the staff’s tip radiated a magnificent seven-colored glow.

“Third Elder, what should we do?” A Xuanming Divine General respectfully asked Hei Wu.

With the five Sovereigns battling Black Sky, the Xuanming army wished to assist, but knew their strength was insufficient.

Thus, uncertain whether to fight or retreat, they found themselves at an impasse.

As for Sovereign Miao Yan, the Xuanming army knew better than to provoke her.

Hei Wu watched the fierce battle, sensed the divine power enough to annihilate his army a hundred times over, and sighed, “Alas! I do not know.”

Before Hei Wu finished, he felt a fatal killing intent approaching and his eyes widened. He shouted, “Retreat! Withdraw at once!”

Boom!

Sovereign Miao Yan suddenly opened her golden eyes, within which a mysterious light of fate flowed. She declared with authority, “Those who obey the gods shall prosper! Those who defy shall perish!”

The fate crystal atop her staff began revolving wildly, radiating infinite seven-colored light.

“Fate Judgment!”

The rainbow light erupted from the crystal, transforming into countless starry drops of rain that fell upon the Xuanming waters.

As Black Sky fought desperately against the five Sovereigns, he suddenly sensed an unseen force of fate attempting to sever his soul. His eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Miao Yan, shouting, “No!”

Boom!

Black Sky unleashed all his divine power, brandishing the Black Sky Spear to repel the five Sovereigns, then charged at Miao Yan, intent on slaying her.

The five Sovereigns, seeing this, would not allow Black Sky to succeed and attacked him with full force.

Their vast divine power shook heaven and earth, endless light flooding the sky.

Though valiant and fearless, Black Sky could not withstand the combined might of the five Sovereigns.

Boom!

Encircled by endless lightning, Thunder Sovereign gazed coldly at the weakened Black Sky, wielded his supreme innate treasure, the Heavenly Thunder Punishment Hammer, and struck Black Sky’s head.

Splutter!

Black Sky spat a mouthful of golden blood, collapsing helplessly from the sky.

The overwhelming power of thunder destroyed his mind, yet his formidable vitality kept him from dying at once.

Lying in midair, Black Sky still looked at Miao Yan, eyes wide, his body beginning to crumble.

God of Darkness raised his right hand, preparing to deliver the final blow.

Bang!

Thunder Sovereign interposed, blocking the attack. Facing the puzzled gazes of the other four Sovereigns, he looked toward the distant Xuanming army and said coldly, “Let him witness the fate of his clan.”

The other four Sovereigns exchanged glances and, in unspoken agreement, refrained from killing Black Sky, turning instead to watch the calamity unfold.

“What powerful fate judgment!” “The law of fate truly deserves to be first among the three thousand laws!” The five Sovereigns involuntarily sighed as they watched the rainbow rain.

All within the Xuanming waters belonging to the Black Serpent clan were struck by the rainbow light of fate, subjected to the Divine Clan’s judgment: those who obey shall prosper, those who defy shall perish.

Of the millions-strong Xuanming army, at least five million had not submitted to the Divine Clan; their fate was severed by the rainbow light, their souls scattered.

“You think you can change the fate of the Xuanming clan? No, you only bring greater death and grief upon them!”

Thunder Sovereign’s cold words suddenly echoed in Black Sky’s ears.

Watching his warriors die one after another, Black Sky’s face was a mix of joy and sorrow, filled with helplessness and regret as his soul quietly dissipated.

Black Sky, leader and spiritual pillar of the Xuanming Black Serpent clan, Sovereign of the Primordial Beginning, was finally slain by the Divine Clan.

The Xuanming Black Serpent clan became the first to be exterminated by the Divine Clan in their conquest of the primeval world.

“Those who obey the gods shall prosper, those who defy shall perish!”

The grand divine decree resounded throughout the Xuanming waters, echoing in the minds of every Black Serpent.