Chapter 2313: Refusing to Surrender

A massive Yu Mian domain gate stood tall, radiating immortal light and emitting a deep, rumbling buzz.

This was the domain gate leading to Ling Jie. In this vast starry sky, one could sense the aura of Ling Jie. As for the inhabitants of Ling Yu, whether cultivators or ordinary people, they had all been relocated to Zhu Tian long before the Hong Huang war began. Now, Ling Yu was an empty, expansive great world.

"Dear fellow daoists, it's time to set off!" Xi Chen glanced at the Taotie clan.

"Set off, we shall." The Taotie clan emperor was the first to step forward, his voice hoarse. His laughter and tone carried a hint of sorrow, helplessness, and fury.

With their emperor leading the way, the Taotie clan members dared not hesitate. They moved forward unsteadily, their figures desolate and mournful. Each of their faces bore the same expression as their emperor's—grim and defeated.

They had lost. The Taotie clan had been utterly defeated today. All their status as a Hong Huang great clan and their Di Dao inheritance would vanish with this exile, fading into oblivion.

Notably, every Taotie paused abruptly as they walked.

They turned back for one last look—at their ancestral land, at this vast starry sky. For this departure might be permanent; they could never return. Di Huang would never allow it, and even if they could, it would be futile. Bound by the Di Dao curse, the Taotie clan was completely broken, with no chance of recovery for generations.

For some reason, this scene of desolation was tinged with a pitiful air.

As the old saying goes: Those who are pitiful often have detestable qualities.

The Zhu Tian cultivators stood silently, watching with calm expressions, their eyes serene. No one felt pity. Remembering the Taotie clan's atrocities and the countless lives they had mercilessly slaughtered, no sympathy could be stirred. They had accrued such blood debts, and sparing their clan from total annihilation was already an act of supreme mercy. How could they face the blood of the innocent with such sorrow?

Under the gaze of all, the entire Taotie clan entered the passage. This vast Zhu Tian starry sky would no longer hold any of their people. The distant Ling Yu would be their new home.

Suddenly, Di Huang turned and strode into the void, heading toward the next destination.

The Zhu Tian cultivators followed, but many summoned avatars to enter the Taotie ancestral land. With the clan exiled, the treasures within their homeland needed to be claimed.

"Don't grab, everyone stop grabbing!"

"You little—save some for me! Are you shameless?"

"Dammit, who just stepped on my foot?"

Such chaotic shouts echoed throughout the Taotie ancestral land. Though these were merely avatars, they inherited the full temperament of their originals. The Zhu Tian people were full of vigor, quick to quarrel, and just as aggressive when it came to snatching loot.

From afar, the crowd of avatars resembled a dark, surging ocean. Wherever the tide passed, whether spirit flowers, exotic herbs, immortal pools, spirit springs, magical artifacts, fragments, or even simple bricks and tiles, nothing was left behind. They swept everything clean.

Di Huang did not intervene or enforce any distribution.

These were spoils of war—whatever one grabbed was theirs. How much they got depended on their own skill.

Before long, in another stretch of starry sky, he came to a halt.

Compared to the desolate starfield of the Taotie, this region teemed with life energy. Numerous ancient stars shimmered with halos, though each one was empty. The inhabitants had long been evacuated due to the war that swept across Zhu Tian.

"This is our homeland!"

"That purple star is our clan's ancient star. Does this starfield also hide a Hong Huang clan?"

"It's hard to believe."

Many cultivators were astonished, especially those native to this starfield. Seeing Di Huang stop here, they quickly guessed that a Hong Huang clan was hidden nearby, which was truly frightening.

Just imagine—having a Hong Huang race lurking around your ancient star and not knowing it. How could anyone sleep soundly? Now that they knew, a chill ran through their entire bodies.

"There's nothing you can imagine that the Hong Huang can't achieve." It was Chi Yang Zi again, casually sipping from his wine flask. He was used to the Hong Huang clan's hiding skills by now. The places they chose were always unexpectedly clever.

As he spoke, Di Huang waved his hand, dispelling the hidden veil in the void.

Immediately, a vast world appeared. It was no less impressive than the Taotie ancestral land, with mountains and rivers intertwined and majestic palaces floating in the air. The spiritual energy was incredibly dense, shrouded in mist, hazy yet unmistakably exuding the aura of Hong Huang—mixed with violence and bloodlust.

"The Jin Wu clan, hiding quite secretly." Wu Huang sneered, his eyes flashing with icy killing intent. The grudge between the Wu clan and the Jin Wu clan dated back to the Hong Huang era, with conflicts persisting through the ages. Wars erupted every few years, and he had no idea they were concealed in this starfield.

"Escaped back then, but we'll settle it today." The quasi-emperors of Da Chu also radiated cold killing intent. When Da Chu returned in the past, they had raged against the four clans, but the Jin Wu and others had already sealed their ancestral land, making it impossible to find them—a true regret. During the Hong Huang war, the Jin Wu clan had sided with them, slaughtering countless Zhu Tian lives. This, too, was a blood debt.

"We would rather die than surrender."

Before Di Huang could speak, roars echoed from the Jin Wu clan's ancestral land. They were all defiant, their faces etched with determination, refusing to yield.

"Those words are disgusting to hear." Tian Lao took a deep breath.

"What, trying to leave a glorious name for posterity? Hoping future generations will praise the Jin Wu clan as paragons of righteousness?" Sheng Zun laughed coldly, his tone laced with icy sarcasm. "You're so tough now—where was this backbone when the Tian Mo invaded? I truly don't know how you have the face to meet your ancestral emperors. Their mighty reputation has already been thoroughly tarnished by the likes of you."

"You..." The Jin Wu clan emperor was at a loss for words, his face flushing red from the rebuke.

Before he could respond, Di Huang acted, shattering the Jin Wu clan's protective barrier with a single stomp.

Then, the slaughter began.

All that could be heard were booms and screams. Vaguely, people saw the Jin Wu ancestral land crumbling—mountains collapsing one by one, palaces exploding in succession. From peak quasi-emperors to novice Qi Condensation cultivators, they were exterminated in waves.

"Our clan surrenders! We surrender!"

The Jin Wu clan emperor roared in desperation, all his defiance gone as he begged amid the screams. He had miscalculated, underestimating Di Huang's ruthlessness. He thought Di Huang might show some mercy for the sake of the Jin Wu emperor.

But he never imagined Di Huang would be so unyielding—killing without hesitation.

Di Huang ignored his pleas, continuing the merciless slaughter. It wasn't that he was cruel; he had given them a chance, but they hadn't cherished it. This was simply courting destruction.

Ah!

The Jin Wu clan members wailed, their roars filled with resentment—not toward Di Huang, but toward their emperor. Surrender if you must, but why insist on this futile resistance? This one reckless move would lead to the clan's total extinction, and their emperor's inheritance would be forever lost.

Ah!

The Jin Wu clan emperor howled, listening to his people's accusations and watching the bloody scenes unfold. His mind shattered in that instant. Only in the face of death did he understand regret. That cry of "rather die than surrender" had felt so satisfying, yet it had brought utter ruin to his clan.