The Weiyang Immortal Dynasty could be considered an extremely powerful force within the Vast Expanse. It was not a single true world or civilization but a nation formed by the amalgamation of various Daoist sects, races, and civilizations.
Within the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty, one could find ancient deities from the Divine Dao Civilization, as well as Ancestral Dao existences from the Immortal Dao Civilization.
Even the pinnacle existences of other civilizations, those who had reached the peak of their paths, could be seen here.
In earlier times, like the Dawn Civilization and the Prime-Origin Civilization, various Daoist sects and forces had carved out their own territories, with different civilizations vying for dominance, creating a complex and chaotic situation.
However, after the Weiyang Emperor established the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty, he waged wars in all directions, subduing the various sects and forces, ending the chaos, and achieving true unification. This led to the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty becoming a force with heritage comparable to the strongest civilizations.
Moreover, unlike civilizations where each sect or force acted independently, the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty had surpassed the scope of a mere force in terms of its heritage and strength.
Even individual families or sects within the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty possessed the heritage and qualifications comparable to those of immortal forces.
The tall, burly man was the current Divine Martial General of the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty, who had followed the Weiyang Emperor in conquering and subduing various sects and clans. His strength was unfathomable.
After instructing his subordinates to take the State Preceptor to rest, he dismissed the many ministers gathered here.
"General, it seems that His Majesty the Emperor received an ancient scroll from that place the day before yesterday and has since gone into seclusion. He also asked the State Preceptor to come here to deduce the changes in the dynasty's fortune. Could it be that His Majesty had foreseen today's events?"
A subordinate clad in full armor stepped forward and whispered his doubts.
"His Majesty's cultivation is profound, his strength unparalleled. How could we possibly guess his thoughts? However, His Majesty's recent state has been somewhat unusual."
"In the past, whenever His Majesty cultivated, he would leave a clone in the Weiyang Hall to oversee affairs. But recently, when I went to the Weiyang Hall to report matters, I felt as if His Majesty was not there, as if even his clone was absent…"
"I fear that His Majesty might have encountered a great crisis during his travels in the depths of space-time, forcing him to take even his clone with him."
"Now that the black mist has returned to the world and the Remnants of the Black Calamity have reappeared, His Majesty, who often ventures into the unknown depths of space-time, might have inadvertently become entangled in some karma."
The Divine Martial General showed a trace of worry, sighing as he spoke. His deep eyes flickered with restrained divine light before settling into calmness.
"I hope my worries are unfounded. After all, even that place sent an ancient scroll. With that existence backing us, it should be fine…"
He suddenly realized that these words should not be spoken in front of his subordinates and quickly stopped himself.
The Weiyang Immortal Dynasty had ended the chaotic era that had lasted for countless epochs and achieved true unification, all thanks to the wise and mighty Weiyang Emperor, whose brilliance surpassed all ages.
If something were to happen to him, the Divine Martial General dared not imagine what would become of the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty.
Meanwhile, at the heart of this nation.
In an immortal city that never fell, shining like a blazing sun illuminating past and future, surrounded by layers of starry universes.
A majestic and handsome middle-aged man, dressed in black dragon-patterned casual robes, sat behind a green jade desk, his brow furrowed. The desk was piled high with various documents and jade slips, surrounded by swirling chaos mist that drifted like fog.
Before him, a curtain made of immortal radiant stone hung down, obscuring his figure behind the screen, making him appear distant and vast.
"That wisp of black mist has returned. The Remnants of the Black Calamity will likely stir. In the coming years, the entire Vast Expanse will tremble once more, and the situation may undergo a drastic reshuffling. The Weiyang Immortal Dynasty has come far, but it is still not enough…"
An ancient golden scroll lay open before the middle-aged man.
Each character was delicate and neat, flowing with Dao charm, as if they might materialize in the void at any moment.
He calmly read the words, his deep, universe-like eyes showing no fluctuation.
"Is this urging me to seize the opportunity, even if it means plunging the Vast Expanse into greater chaos?"
"The Yinxu Cave Master, what grand ambitions."
The middle-aged man flipped through the golden scroll expressionlessly, then a mocking smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
In this hall, there was another figure.
A man with a thick beard and a dark complexion, his hair coiled into spiral buns, with a string of black prayer beads around his neck. Each bead was as large as a fist, uneven in texture, as if made from some kind of bone.
He also sat behind a desk, but his desk was piled high with meat, wine, fruits, and spiritual vegetables. He was eating voraciously, his mouth greasy.
"Life in the Weiyang Hall is truly wonderful. There's always food and drink, unlike my days in the Quicksand Domain, where I couldn't even see a ghost. Yet, my master insisted I guard that place. I really don't see the point."
"You're a good man, Jiang Yun. Every time I come, you make sure I'm well-fed."
The bearded man stuffed his mouth with meat, mumbling as he spoke.
If anyone else had heard his words, they would have been terrified, kneeling in fear.
Because Jiang Yun was the true name of the current Weiyang Emperor. Who would dare address him so casually?
For the entire Weiyang Immortal Dynasty, this name held unimaginable significance. Even thinking it would draw the Weiyang Emperor's attention.
Yet, this man spoke it freely, without a care.
"If Senior Brother Xingsha likes it, I'll have more sent over. This time, I've troubled you to personally deliver the cave master's letter."
The middle-aged man spoke casually, unbothered by the bearded man's informal demeanor, as if he were used to it.
He was the current Weiyang Emperor of the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty. If one ignored his demeanor, it would be hard to connect him with the emperor who had shaken the heavens and earth, whose might was known throughout the Vast Expanse.
The bearded man, who was stuffing his face with meat, was the third disciple of the Yinxu Cave Master, named Xingsha.
"That won't be necessary. Too much wine and meat can lead to trouble. If I delay my master's affairs, I can't bear the responsibility."
Hearing this, Xingsha quickly waved his hand, seemingly fearful of the consequences, and stopped eating.
The Weiyang Emperor's stern face showed a rare faint smile.
"I've drunk the wine, eaten the meat, and delivered the scroll. Jiang Yun, I should be going now."
"Though I don't know when we'll meet again."
Then, Xingsha devoured the remaining meat on the table with the speed of a whirlwind, gulped down all the wine, let out a satisfied burp, and stood up to leave.
The Weiyang Emperor also closed the ancient scroll and prepared to see him off.
"Jiang Yun…"
However, Xingsha suddenly stopped him, his earlier satisfaction replaced by seriousness.
His large, bell-like eyes stared directly at the Weiyang Emperor.
He seemed to hesitate, a flicker of struggle crossing his face, but it quickly turned to resolve.
"I… recently overheard my master mention your daughter. You shouldn't have let her be born in this era."
"He might send someone soon to take Weiyang away to train under him."
After saying this, Xingsha didn't wait for the Weiyang Emperor's response. He turned into a wisp of black smoke and left the hall, as if speaking these words had drained him of strength.
The Weiyang Emperor stood frozen, his hands clenched into fists beneath his sleeves, making a cracking sound.
A flash of uncontrollable ferocity passed through his eyes.
"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother Xingsha."
However, as the emperor of the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty, he quickly regained his composure, his expression unchanged.
He bowed deeply in the direction Xingsha had left.
Yet, as he bowed, a wisp of black mist suddenly flickered in his eyes, threatening to spill out.
The Weiyang Emperor's expression changed. Without regard for his surroundings, he waved his hand, sealing the space-time around him.
Then, he sat down cross-legged, releasing a vast and terrifying power to suppress the chaotic energy within him.
After a long time, the wisp of black mist that had appeared in his eyes was finally suppressed.
However, upon closer inspection, one would notice that half of the Weiyang Emperor's face was darker than before.
"Misfortunes never come singly. I thought I had safely escaped and completely expelled that wisp of black mist…"
"But it seems I was wrong…"
The Weiyang Emperor opened his eyes, his expression weary. Even suppressing this sudden surge of black mist had been incredibly difficult.
At first, it had been easier, but as time went on, it became increasingly challenging. Now, it was almost too much for him.
If others encountered this, how much more dangerous would it be? No wonder the entire Vast Expanse had once fallen into such despair and darkness.
"Summon Weiyang to return to the dynasty and see me."
After resting and adjusting for a moment, showing no signs of abnormality, the Weiyang Emperor issued the order.
At the edge of the Vast Expanse, dense black mist swept in from a distant dimension, spreading endlessly from every crack in the Nightmare Demon Domain, boundless and vast.
The sky of this region became a transparent medium, constantly assimilated by the black mist.
Even the Dao rules eventually turned into faint, blurry substances, dissolving into the black mist.
This day was one of terror and fear for the entire Vast Expanse. After countless ages, the black mist that had once swept through the heavens and earth had returned.
And this time, it spread at an even more terrifying speed, drifting from an unknowable dimension, covering starfields and universes, aiming to engulf those regions.
All the starfields along the way dimmed and extinguished. The black mist seemed to contain an unimaginable destructive and corrosive power. Any being or existence it touched would be corroded.
At this moment, all civilizations that witnessed this scene trembled in fear, not expecting this day to come so quickly.
Many races and forces immediately sent experts to the source of the black mist, sounding alarm bells to warn nearby civilizations and true worlds to flee and avoid the mist.
The Vast Expanse, silent for countless ages, once again trembled as the black mist descended.
Even the strongest true worlds and civilizations could not sit still. They immediately sought ways to counter the mist and sent experts to its source to stop its spread.
In the unseen depths, many beings and cultivators heard an ancient, incomprehensible voice, as if a supreme ancestral demon was murmuring.
"The Grand Sacrifice begins…"
At the blurred edges where the black mist drifted, the heavens and earth seemed broken and incomplete. Yet, ancient dark palaces stood there, one after another, their numbers uncountable, abruptly descending from the void, eerie and terrifying.
At the same time, one portal after another opened, and beings as dark as the mist itself surged out like a tide, flooding toward the nearest civilizations and worlds.
Behind the portals, wisps of black mist rose, revealing an endless black land with countless blood-red altars. This sight was horrifying, causing all who saw it to tremble in fear.
"This is the divine kingdom I painstakingly created. How can I allow darkness to taint it?"
In the vast Vast Expanse, space-time trembled as ancient warships descended. A majestic deity, surrounded by hundreds of divine halos, stood atop the warship.
This deity was ancient and mysterious, as if he had crossed from the other shore, his divine light illuminating his towering form.
On the warship stood countless divine envoys, his most devout followers.
Behind him, a grand divine melody echoed, with starry nebulae encircling him, forming a prosperous divine kingdom attached to many small worlds.
His people were chanting prayers, gathering faith for him.
However, as the tide of black mist swept in, engulfing everything, this divine kingdom would also be submerged.
The deity, unable to move his kingdom in time and unwilling to see his lifelong work destroyed, tried to resist the mist's advance.
Yet, as soon as he arrived, the heavens seemed to collapse. A massive, black, scaly hand descended, covering the entire starry sea, and slammed into him.
The deity, his warship, and his divine kingdom were instantly shattered, their barriers broken, space-time disintegrated, and the black mist swept over them, absorbing their pure energy into the blood-red altars in the darkness.
All who witnessed this terrifying scene were chilled to the bone, their scalps tingling.
This dreadful black mist seemed to drift from the far reaches of the Vast Expanse, with no end in sight.
What was this Grand Sacrifice?
Why had it descended so suddenly? Was it the Remnants of the Black Calamity welcoming the return of their sealed master?