Chapter 1712: The Will of Middle-earth

People who had fled far away also heard this distant cry. They were shocked, felt admiration, and were deeply moved.

The Great Demon Venerable looked back, a look of relief in his eyes: "I didn't cling to life for a thousand years in vain. A thousand years later, to witness the birth of such an extraordinary talent, I can die without regrets."

"Old friend, stop pretending to be dead. Come with me." He said to Venerable True Word.

There was a slight movement in his arms, and the Jade Paper Heavenly Scroll flew out. A small figure, just finished bathing, emerged from the scroll.

"Who's pretending to be dead? I was just taking a bath."

"A God-Transforming Cultivator forcing a Sage to abdicate, heh heh, how could I miss such an exciting event?"

"Little Yan, Little Hong and I are leaving first. We'll meet again." This farewell implied her unease about this journey. This trip, she would most likely not return.

Jiang Wuya resonated with this feeling, and declared loudly: "The vast cosmos, righteousness forever endures."

"On the path of righteousness, how can I let my sworn brother walk alone?" He manipulated the Divine Stele of Misfortune, attempting to fly over.

But the Divine Stele of Misfortune trembled, beyond his control. Streaks of fresh blood seeped from within the Divine Stele of Misfortune. This was the blood of the Sage of Misfortune! He had been pierced through the body by the spear of the Nine-Sun Giant Emperor, and his heart's blood had spilled onto the divine stele.

Now, it seemed to sense something, manifesting the Sage of Misfortune before everyone. Jiang Wuya immediately understood the stele's meaning, and couldn't help but sigh: "Ci Xin, oh Ci Xin, even the divine stele can't stand you!"

Within the Divine Stele of Misfortune, an attack from the Sage of Misfortune was sealed. Previously, during the battle with the ancient giants, the divine stele had never unleashed this attack. Now, Jiang Fan's single phrase, "Please, Sage, step down," completely activated the divine stele. There was no other reason. The Sage of Misfortune had died due to the betrayal of his own people.

Jiang Wuya said: "Then come fight with me!"

***

The ruins of Sky Legacy City.

The phrase still echoed throughout the heavens and earth: "Please, Sage Ci Xin, step down and yield your position." It was like the lingering power of thunder, lasting endlessly.

Sage Ci Xin laughed furiously: "Make me step down and yield my position? Just you, Jiang Fan of Taicang Great State?"

As soon as his voice fell, a voice came from the sky.

"The Master of Star Cluster Mountain in Gui Xu State requests Sage Ci Xin to step down and yield her position!" Then, the silver-haired Master of Star Cluster Mountain flashed into view, standing beside Jiang Fan. She had originally left, but upon hearing Jiang Fan's sky-shattering cry, she still returned.

Sage Ci Xin's face darkened: "You cannot represent Gui Xu State. I am the one who dictates this state!"

However, another deep voice rolled in.

"Golden Scale of Ten Thousand Demon Great State requests Sage Ci Xin to step down and yield her position!" As soon as the voice arrived, voices followed one after another.

"Ten Thousand Weapons of Divine Soldier State requests Sage Ci Xin to step down and yield her position!"

"Ice Heart of Sacred Spirit State requests Sage Ci Xin to step down and yield her position!"

"Nameless of Primordial State requests Sage Ci Xin to step down and yield her position!"

Five Great Venerables returned one after another, lining up on both sides of Jiang Fan. Their attitude was self-evident. Of the nine states in the world, representatives from six states requested Sage Ci Xin to step down.

"You... are still not enough!" Sage Ci Xin roared in anger.

Just then, resounding voices came from the direction of Star Cluster Mountain. They were the human powerhouses from Star Cluster Mountain and various sects. Thousands of shouts echoed uniformly between heaven and earth.

"Please, Sage Ci Xin, step down and yield your position!""Please, Sage Ci Xin, step down and yield your position!!""Please, Sage Ci Xin, step down and yield your position!!!"

This was not the cry of one person, but the will of the entire Central Land!

Sage Ci Xin stumbled, and cried out with a faltering heart: "Silence! All of you, be silent before this Sage! This Sage is a Merit Sage recognized by a Saint! What are you? A bunch of ants, what right do you have to make me step down and yield my position? All of you, get lost, otherwise I will kill even you!"

The Great Venerable Golden Scale stepped forward, undaunted, and said: "If you have the guts, kill us all! Let's see how long you can live!"

If he killed all the Great Venerables from the six states, would there still be a place for him, Ci Xin, in the Central Land? Sage Ci Xin gritted his teeth. He didn't want to leave the Central Land yet. With his injured body, he would be nothing but a vulnerable target for Sages of other realms in the Myriad Worlds. At the very least, he needed to recover from his injuries before leaving the Central Land. Therefore, he hesitated and dared not start a massacre.

But, just as he hesitated, a deep, modulated, and gloomy voice suddenly appeared in his mind.

"Hmph, still dreaming, are we? The nine Great Libationers and several Sages have already reached a consensus. They've decided to sever your Merit Divine Stele and strip you of your Sage position."

"Three Sages are already on their way to Gui Xu State."

"What?" Sage Ci Xin's face changed drastically, and he said in disbelief: "Impossible! I haven't made any mistakes. By what right do they sever my Merit Divine Stele? By what right do they strip me of my Sage position?"

The voice appeared in his mind again. "Because you incited the half-giants to occupy Gui Xu State and declare independence! There's no place for you in the Central Land anymore. Run quickly, or it will be too late."

Sage Ci Xin's scalp tingled. How did the Sages know about the message he secretly sent to Sky Legacy City? Splitting the Central Land for independence, this was a colossal crime. His original plan was to secretly incite the half-giants to do this, and for him, as a Sage, to pretend to only find out afterward. By then, the deed would be done, and the other Sages, even if displeased, couldn't blame him. But he never expected that his plan would be intercepted by the other Sages in advance.

Now, not to mention the Sages wouldn't spare him, even the Saint would never let him off lightly! He could no longer stay in the Central Land. With a thought, he wanted to tear open the world barrier and seek refuge in the void.

But when he glimpsed Jiang Fan and the five Great Venerables, as well as the continuous stream of Central Land beings arriving from the horizon, his eyes instantly flashed with malice, and he said with resentment:

"Since the Central Land cannot tolerate me, then I will not tolerate you rebellious lot! Make this Sage step down and yield his position? How ignorant of you! All of you, die!"

He originally had no mercy for the beings of the Central Land. Now that he was enraged, his true vicious nature was fully exposed, and he no longer pretended. With a raised hand, terrifying time laws surged forth. This attack could wipe out everyone present!

Jiang Fan had also been prepared, his Nine-Dragon Demonic Cauldron wrapped in spatial power, instantly teleporting towards Sage Ci Xin.

"Trifling tricks, do you dare show off before a Sage?" Sage Ci Xin's gaze swept over, and the Nine-Dragon Demonic Cauldron, in its spatial transit, immediately fell out. Under his oppressive gaze, the alchemical cauldron vibrated violently, emitting an overwhelming cicada-like hum, on the verge of shattering.

At this critical moment, nine loud cries pierced through everyone's souls.

At the edge of the sky, the Great Demon Venerable held a Jade Paper Heavenly Scroll in his left hand, and the Nine Phoenix Facing the Dao Hairpin in his right. A continuous stream of soul power poured into the Nine Phoenix Facing the Dao Hairpin. A towering phoenix tree grew out of the hairpin, and from it, nine colossal bronze phoenixes flew down with outstretched wings. They cried out, and with a flash, dived towards Sage Ci Xin.

"The Jade Paper Heavenly Scroll, the Nine Phoenix Facing the Dao Hairpin... The two female Sages from a thousand years ago?" Sage Ci Xin's ferocious face finally showed a trace of solemnity.