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**
Boom!
The moment the Sky Son Sword in the hands of the Sky Serpent Empire's Emperor shattered, a spatial storm completely enveloped him.
However, that final sliver of sword qi took the opportunity to tear through the spatial storm and strike the body of the Old Mansion Master of the Sky Serpent Mansion.
Fortunately, the shattering of the Sky Son Sword caused the sword qi to lose its continuous source of power. Even so, the Old Mansion Master's face turned deathly pale, a lingering expression of terror etched across his features.
Drip, drip.
Blood dripped from the Old Mansion Master's chest onto the ground below.
Looking at him now, aside from the various sword wounds covering his body, the most terrifying was a gash across his chest so deep it had nearly cleaved him in two.
Sword qi was still rampaging within that wound.
For a Dou Zun like the Old Mansion Master, the other sword wounds were actually of little consequence. Taking a few medicinal pills would see them healed within days. However, the Emperor's final strike had truly terrified him.
Truthfully, if the Sky Son Sword hadn't reached its limit and snapped, the Old Mansion Master might truly have been cut in half right then and there. Even as a Dou Zun expert, if the physical body is severed, the soul can be moved in advance to avoid the ultimate risk.
But such an outcome would have been a devastating blow!
With the physical body destroyed and only the soul remaining, one would be forced to resort to Soul Possession.
As for having someone help reconstruct a body? Regrettably, that was far too difficult!
At the very least, no one in the Northwestern Region could accomplish such a feat. Even in the Central Plains, those with such capability were likely as rare as phoenix feathers. Thus, such a result was absolutely unacceptable to the Old Mansion Master!
Fortunately, it didn't come to that.
Though the Emperor's final blow had indeed left him heavily injured, as long as the physical body wasn't completely destroyed, he could eventually recover given enough time. The reason for his pale face now was partly due to the severity of the wound, but mostly due to sheer fright.
Just a bit more... truly just a tiny bit more!
How could he not be scared? Anyone in his position likely wouldn't look much better.
"What a terrifying strike..."
Taking a medicinal pill from his Storage Ring and swallowing it to stop the continuous bleeding from his chest, the Old Mansion Master sighed with lingering fear. At this moment, he began to slowly calm down.
After all, though the process was perilous, he had indeed won this battle!
Looking back at the Sky Serpent Empire's Emperor, the man was now imprisoned by the surrounding spatial storm, unable to move even an inch. In his hand was only a broken Sky Son Sword.
As for the other half? It had been completely swallowed by the spatial storm.
Facing this end, a look of loneliness and desolation appeared on the Emperor's face.
He had calculated everything, yet he never expected to lose because of his own weapon!
To be fair, he couldn't entirely be blamed.
On the Dou Qi Continent, the arts of Formations and Artifact Refining had long since declined. In the Northwestern Region, the Sky Son Sword in his hand was already considered a top-tier weapon.
Nevertheless, it had ultimately snapped during the clash between two powerhouses.
"I have lost..."
There was no resentment.
When these words left the Emperor's mouth, there was only a sense of liberation.
He had long since prepared himself for the possibility of failure, so there was nothing to be indignant about. If he won, the Imperial Family would suppress the Mansion; if he lost, the Mansion would rule the Empire.
There were only these two outcomes.
"Do you have any last words...?"
At this time, the Old Mansion Master looked at the Emperor with a complex expression and asked.
It was obvious that he had sensed the Emperor's resolve to die. Or rather, from the moment the Emperor chose to recklessly pour all his strength into that final clash, the Old Mansion Master could no longer harbor the thought of letting him live.
The rest of the Imperial Family could be spared—the Sky Serpent Mansion would find ways to control them—but the Emperor of the Sky Serpent Empire absolutely could not live!
Because this man was too dangerous!
He was someone who would risk everything.
Such a person could not be controlled by the Mansion. If he decided to blow up against the Mansion one day, the Old Mansion Master would become the sinner of his sect.
"From now on, the Sky Serpent Empire will rely on the Sky Serpent Mansion. As for the others in the Imperial Family, spare those who can be spared. After all, they are part of our Empire."
Facing the inquiry, the Emperor, who already knew his fate, spoke calmly.
"I shall do my best."
The Old Mansion Master nodded.
After all, what the Emperor said aligned with his own thoughts. Wiping out the entire Imperial Family would be a significant blow to the Empire's overall strength—something the Old Mansion Master did not wish to see.
Therefore, the best outcome was for the Mansion to take control of the Imperial Family after the Emperor's death and then direct the future of the Sky Serpent Empire.
"I have already given instructions to Di She and Huang She. Once I am defeated, the Imperial Family will accept the rule of the Sky Serpent Mansion."
The Emperor continued.
"Your Majesty! x3"
At this moment, Di She, Huang She, and the undercover Tu She could no longer remain silent.
However, they didn't know what to say.
A loss was a loss; there was no room for excuses. Or perhaps, they too had long expected this possibility. For the sake of the Empire, they naturally couldn't die. But the Mansion likely wouldn't trust them in the future.
Using special means to control them was almost a certainty!
But they could only endure it.
This was the only chance to preserve the Imperial Family.
Meanwhile, Jin She and Mu She also walked over. They glanced at the trio but said nothing more. This was indeed the best outcome for the entire Sky Serpent Empire. In the future, there would be only one voice in the Empire: the Sky Serpent Mansion!
"The Sky Serpent Empire will not decline under the hands of my Sky Serpent Mansion!"
After the Emperor finished his final instructions, the Old Mansion Master gave his promise.
The Emperor said nothing more.
Instead, he turned his head and searched the surroundings. His gaze landed on the Dou Zong experts watching from afar. Including Xiao Lin, these Dou Zong experts could be said to have witnessed the transition of power in the Sky Serpent Empire today.
"Elder Lin, let everything that happened today in the Sky Serpent Empire be witnessed by your Jia Nan Academy! From now on, the Sky Serpent Empire shall be ruled by the Sky Serpent Mansion!"
This was the Emperor's final declaration.
Hearing this, Xiao Lin was a bit dazed.
"Huh? So this is my purpose here?"
Xiao Lin thought to himself, somewhat speechless.
Originally, the Emperor had wanted the Jia Nan Academy—as one of the other great powers of the Northwestern Region—to witness the scene of the Imperial Family thoroughly dominating the Mansion.
After all, the Jia Nan Academy's influence in the Northwestern Region was well known. This was the main reason the Emperor insisted on the Academy sending someone.
This was true "standing on the platform" for support!
However, the Emperor truly was a man of great character.
He had lost.
Thus, Xiao Lin, as the representative of the Jia Nan Academy, shifted to "standing on the platform" for the Sky Serpent Mansion instead!
Simultaneously, Xiao Lin would serve as the witness to this great change.
As for the Dou Zong experts from other forces? In the Emperor's eyes, they simply didn't have the status!
One could say that the Emperor had planned for all contingencies from the very beginning.
"I witness this!"
Pulling his thoughts back, Xiao Lin spoke out in a loud, clear voice.
**
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