Chapter 617: The Day the Veil Comes Off, Turmoil in the Desolate Forest

The Ancestral Land of the Giant Spirit Race.

High above the Vast Forest, a Silver-Winged Roc soared through the sky, its wings spanning the horizon as it streaked toward the sacred land of the Giant Spirit Race's Priests.

RUMBLE!

Then, Ye Wushuang and his two companions landed together on the Sacrificial Platform below the Barbarian God Statue.

All around them, Giant Spirits watched intently. They showed no surprise, as if they had been waiting there all along.

There were many Giant Spirits present, including Clan Leader Pann Cang, Pann Wu, and others. There were also several Giant Spirit elders. Though their faces were aged, their bodies overflowed with vigorous vitality, and their Battle Intent surged powerfully.

"The Barbarian Emperor has returned!"

"This is the day of our clan's revival!"

"Long live the Barbarian Emperor!"

As Ye Wushuang appeared, Pann Cang threw his head back and roared, his thunderous voice booming across the firmament!

"Our clan shall rise again!"

Instantly, everyone behind him—the old, the young, women, and children alike—unleashed a desperate, furious roar!

RUMBLE!

Then, the entire Giant Spirit Race fell to their knees, bowing reverently to Ye Wushuang as if greeting their clan's supreme Emperor.

At that moment, the Crown of the Barbarian Emperor atop Ye Wushuang's head began to glow!

Beside him, Ye Rou, who had never witnessed such a spectacle, stared dumbfounded at the composed Ye Wushuang, finding the scene utterly incredible. Even the Xiaoo Yue Celestial Roc felt its blood stir with excitement!

Ye Wushuang's gaze fell upon the Giant Spirits. This was a race that had been pushed to the brink of desperation, and now they were staking everything on a single, faint glimmer of hope.

"The Giant Spirit Clan will shatter the bonds of fate and break free from the Heaven and Earth Shackles to stand proud in this world! We will succeed or perish in the attempt!"

Ye Wushuang spoke as well. He looked to the firmament, his eyes flashing with a cold, piercing light as he gave a resonant shout.

"We will succeed or perish in the attempt!"

Countless Giant Spirits roared in unison, their voices shaking the very heavens and earth.

"Your Majesty, all three thousand warriors of the Giant Spirit Clan are ready. We have been waiting here for three days. Please, give us your command."

The speaker was a giant elder standing beside Pann Cang.

Ye Wushuang recognized him. It was Pann Xing, the very elder who had journeyed through the night out of the Endless Wilderness to stand up for him before the Half-Demon Race.

Beside him stood several others—powerhouses who had awakened from their slumber in the Ancestral Land. All of them were at or above the Nirvana Realm.

They had used a Secret Technique to enter a deep slumber, waiting precisely for this day.

"Elder Pann Xing, have the Giant Spirit Clan select one thousand warriors. The rest will remain in the Ancestral Land and await orders."

Ye Wushuang nodded and gave the order. 'Not all of these three thousand are warriors. Some are women and children, and I will not send them into battle. If I did, the Giant Spirit Clan would truly have no one left.'

"Your Majesty, they..."

Pann Cang started to say something more, but Ye Wushuang cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"If the Giant Spirit Clan is to rise, it will not be on the backs of women and children. One thousand warriors will be enough. The others will remain to guard the Ancestral Land. The day our thousand Giant Spirit Warriors return will be the day your shackles are broken."

Ye Wushuang promised.

"I'll go!"

"I'll go!"

Instantly, Giant Spirit Warriors began stepping forward one after another!

Nurtured by the resources of their Ancestral Land, every one of these Giant Spirits had reached a level of power at or above the Yin Yang Realm. They were terrifyingly strong.

'Still, it's not enough.'

'The Giant Spirit Clan is my true trump card. Only by using the War Fortress to forge them into an army of invincible warriors can I hope to sweep away the Grand Emperor!'

"Elder Pann Xing, take them to Barbarian King City. Also, the Ancestral Land must be protected, so assign some people to stay behind."

Ye Wushuang said to Pann Xing after a moment's thought.

Pann Cang spoke up from the side, "Your Majesty, the Giant Spirit Clan has a Clan Guardian Grand Array left behind from Ancient Times. Once we leave, it will activate automatically, so that won't be necessary."

"No. This place is our foundation; we must ensure it is completely fail-safe. Leave four Nirvana Powerhouses here to guard it. As for the other Giant Spirit Warriors, I will use the absolute best resources to build them up. You need not worry about the rest."

'I'm not entirely confident about this war against the heavens,' Ye Wushuang thought. 'I cannot risk the very foundation of the Giant Spirit Race.'

Hearing this, Pann Xing and the others understood that Ye Wushuang had their best interests at heart. They couldn't argue, so they all prepared to follow his decree.

"Let's move out!"

Ye Wushuang shouted to Pann Xing before leaping into the sky. The Xiaoo Yue Celestial Roc took flight, carrying Ye Wushuang and Ye Rou toward Barbarian King City.

RUMBLE!

RUMBLE!

Behind them, one thousand Giant Spirit Warriors marched out of the Ancestral Land in pursuit.

"Sons of the Giant Spirit Race, the entire clan is proud of you! When you return, the song of victory will ring out in your honor!"

A crowd of women and children watched the departing figures, their eyes filled with tears.

...

「Barbarian King City」

The city was as bustling as ever, with crowds coming and going, all engaged in trade.

SKREEE!

Suddenly, a piercing cry tore through the heavens. A bird large enough to blot out the sun soared overhead, raising the curtain on the ensuing pandemonium in Barbarian King City.

RUMBLE!

Outside Barbarian King City, the earth began to tremble as billowing clouds of dust surged toward the heavens!

The people of Barbarian King City were struck with terror, completely bewildered. 'What is happening?'

SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH!

One by one, black-clad figures materialized from the void, appearing on the main thoroughfare and herding the pedestrians to the sides of the street.

"The Giant Spirit Warriors are entering the city! All bystanders, move to the sides!"

A resonant voice boomed over Barbarian King City like a clap of thunder, powerful enough to deafen.

"What's going on? Why are there so many men in black in Barbarian King City today? Where did they come from?"

The Cultivators who had been herded to the sides of the street were utterly shocked.

RUMBLE!

As the announcement faded, the Giant Spirits marched proudly into Barbarian King City, their heads held high. They proceeded down the long street, heading straight for the city's core.

"Gods, it's the Giant Spirit Race! There are so many of them!"

"Look at the Giant Spirits at the front! They're terrifying! I can't even gauge their Cultivation!"

...

Watching the Giant Spirits enter the city, everyone was shaken to their core.

"An order from the Pavilion Master of Lingxiao Pavilion! All members, regardless of distance or current duties, are to gather in Barbarian King City immediately."

"Those who are late will be executed!"

"Those who fail to appear will be executed!"

The solemn, resonant voice rang out once more. At the two words "Lingxiao Pavilion," all the black-clad figures straightened up, their chests swelling with pride.

"An order from the Pavilion Master of Lingxiao Pavilion! To all members: from this day forward, you have earned the right to remove your masks!"

As the announcements continued, a tremor ran through the countless black-clad figures.

'This day... it's finally here!'

On the walls of Barbarian King City, a man in black gazed at the sky, tears welling in his eyes.

'I joined Lingxiao Pavilion two years ago. For two years, I haven't shown my true face to anyone, living in the shadows, suffering humiliation. And now, I can finally take off this mask.'

Their faces could finally see the light of day!

'Pavilion Master!'

All eyes turned toward the sky above Barbarian King City, focusing on the purple-robed figure standing atop the Silver-Winged Roc.

The members of Lingxiao Pavilion didn't know him personally, but they all remembered a single face—the face of the one who had dominated the younger generation of the Endless Wilderness!

The Pavilion Master of Lingxiao Pavilion, Ye Wushuang!

Every member of Lingxiao Pavilion had committed a single sentence to memory when they joined.

"The day you remove your masks will be the day they grovel and tremble at your feet. They will gaze up at you in shivering awe!"

These were the words of their Pavilion Master.

Now, they had finally removed them. They would make sure that those who had once humiliated them would see!

Everyone in Barbarian King City was swept up in the powerful emotions of the moment.

They had all heard of Lingxiao Pavilion, but they had never seen its members. They were supposedly just a bunch of rats skulking in the dark, unrecognized and ignored by everyone in the Endless Wilderness.

But now, seeing them all step out of the shadows, the crowd felt an unparalleled sense of shock and awe.

And all of it was because of the purple-robed figure in the sky.

He stood there with his back to the crowd, his gaze fixed on the floating Barbarian God Battle Platform, appearing like an awe-inspiring Emperor.