Emperor’s Domination

A long while passed before the crowd calmed down. They noticed that Black Tides was still the same before.

The massive waves earlier scared the hell out of them. Black Wood Cliff had no business enduring that onslaught.

Some even heard cracking noises - a sign of the cliff giving in. Now, everything seemed fine. No serious damages have been done to their home. Both mortals and cultivators heaved a sigh of relief.

“Thank heavens, the calamity is gone, this must be due to the blessings of our holy ground’s ancestors.” Someone placed their palms together and prayed.

Since Black Wood successfully withstood the tsunami earlier, the inhabitants became more confident. No wonder why this place has been the first line of defense for many generations now.

Of course, it has been blessed by numerous sages and dao lords. In reality, Black Wood has been around even before Buddha Dao Lord. Its current appearance and toughness were due to the hard work of numerous cultivation masters. A regular landmass would have been obliterated by the first wave from Black Tides.

Unfortunately, it was too early to celebrate. Some began paying attention to the exposed seabed. It consisted of strangely-shaped seamounts and hills.

“The water is gone now…” Everyone came to the shore to take a better look.

“I can’t believe it, where did it all go?” The first-timers were astounded since they witnessed the black tides raging not long ago. 

This ocean’s size was unfathomable. Thus, the amount of water should be incalculable as well. How could it just disappear?

They glanced at each other in confusion. Even the big shots and ancestors had no answer to this eternal mystery.

“Another tidal recession, the second in one generation. This is unprecedented, is it a sign for something?” One ancestor murmured in a daze.

This happened once already during Eight Stallion Dao Lord’s generation. A new dao lord has yet to appear yet the tides are gone again.

This was the second time seeing this phenomenon for some old cultivators here. They had no idea if this was a blessing or misfortune.

The only thing for certain was that these tidal recessions were unforgettable.

“An ominous sign?” A big shot had a heavy heart while looking at the seabed.

The previous occurrence left an indelible impression on them. Terrible creatures assaulted the shore, nearly taking down Black Wood.

Buddha Supreme descended and swept through a hundred thousand miles. Alas, this wasn’t enough to stop the endless onslaught.

Two allies came later and stabilized the situation. The trio lasted long enough to save Black Wood from sure destruction.

Those who experienced this battle back then still had nightmares of it. They thought that the same thing might happen once more.

“We had the brave Buddha Supreme back then, Righteous Supreme and Eight Stallion Dao Lord came to help as well. But now…” An ancestor became worried.

Buddha Supreme became increasingly reclusive and eventually disappeared altogether. Rumor has it that he suffered internal injuries. After returning to Sacred Mountain, these wounds eventually recurred, resulting in his death.

Sacred Mountain never made an announcement regarding this before. Thus, in the beginning, most assumed that the supreme was still alive. As time passed, his lack of appearance birthed skepticism.

As for Righteous Supreme, he was an antique compared to Buddha Supreme. He has lived for numerous generations and would need to slumber for a long period after each appearance.

Most speculated that he didn’t have long to live due to his withered true blood. Therefore, he wouldn’t appear again in the future. He needed to stay alive for as long as possible in order to help Righteous Sect.

As for Eight Stallion Dao Lord, he left Eight Desolaces long ago right after reaching his prime.

Therefore, this heroic trio would not be here for this tidal recession. What could they do if the monsters returned?

“Let’s pick the safe strategy?” A big shot wondered to himself. This meant evacuating from Black Wood Cliff or even the holy ground.

Many shared this thought after seeing the seabed again.

***

In the Biandu Clan, an ancient ancestor woke up and spoke: “A tidal recession?”

“The sacred ancestor has awakened!” Other ancestors hurriedly rushed over after hearing his voice.

On top of the ancestral peak, a messenger arrived and whispered to Three Slashes. He immediately left, no longer caring about the business here.

Li Qiye didn’t mind his opponents leaving. He simply gazed at the deepest area of Black Tides.

Everyone became preoccupied with this new development and stopped caring about the ancestral peak issue.

“Clang! Clang! Clang!” The Guardian Legion outside the city struck the gongs multiple times. The ringing echoed throughout the region.

“Clang! Clang! Clang!” The Biandu also sounded their alarm.

“The water is gone, we need to find a safe place.” Mortals and cultivators became restless and nervous, unaware of how to deal with future uncertainties.

Meanwhile, the Guardian Legion activated their dao portal and sent messages back to Vajra Dynasty and the other divisions. This was their primary mission - observing Black Tides and sending messages on any new development.