After Holden Hong emerged from seclusion, his close commander quickly reported everything Dragon-Chen Hall had done in the Flowing-Light star-region. Holden's fury erupted, shaking the hall.
It seems that before I even made a move, Evan Chu has already betrayed me! Hmph! Since that's the case, he's just handed me a perfectly legitimate excuse—he has only himself to blame when I show no mercy!
Henry Lin, go—notify everyone to gather in the main palace hall for a top-level council!
"Yes, my Lord Emperor."
Henry Lin—Evan Chu was certainly no stranger to this man. He was the one who personally brought Evan back from the Frostbane Trial World, and the one who paved every step of Evan’s path. Yet Henry Lin never imagined Evan would turn out so different from everyone before him. The road ahead not only slipped completely out of Henry Lin’s control, but now threatened to bring immense danger to Holden Hong himself.
He was Holden Hong’s personal commander—his official rank was limited, but his authority was vast. Wherever he went, it was as if the Holy Emperor himself were present. During Holden’s nearly ten thousand years of seclusion, it was Henry Lin who managed the Frostbane Dynasty from top to bottom. Many times, he even overstepped to handle High Council affairs, and not even Kade Xing, Trenton Zhan, Nightdream Ye, or Magnus Liao could do anything about him.
The very existence of a man like this proved just how absolute Holden Hong's trust was.
Now that Holden Hong had emerged from ten thousand years of seclusion, with his great ambition about to be realized, Henry Lin’s heart pounded with excitement. This time, he was to notify everyone for the highest-level council, and Henry Lin knew exactly what that meant—and exactly who needed to be summoned.
Half an hour later, the absolute upper echelon of the Frostbane Dynasty had assembled—the lowest cultivation present was peak late Saint Venerable, each one a king of their own legion, and the ranks of the truly mighty defied imagination.
It was a bizarre scene. Those who should have been the very center of the High Council’s power—Magnus Liao, Nightdream Ye, Kade Xing, Trenton Zhan—were now relegated to the very back of the grand hall, reduced to mere spectators, stripped of all real power!
The four's faces turned iron-grey. What on earth was happening?
This upheaval hadn't happened overnight, but lately it had grown more intense. They had hoped the Holy Emperor's return would improve things, but after Holden Hong showed himself, the situation only got worse! The four began to realize that this was all Holden's doing.
The so-called Four Temple Masters and Seven Thrones were now just empty titles. Of the seven thrones under Magnus Liao, only four or five remained. Jun Yang and Mad-Blade Li were still inexplicably under house arrest, monitored and stripped of all power.
Looks like... the sky is about to change.
Magnus Liao gave Nightdream Ye a long, meaningful look and spoke with hidden intent.
On the surface, the Four Temple Masters were equals, but in secret, Nightdream Ye was their leader. Whenever decisions had to be made, she had the final say. Now, all four sensed that something was seriously wrong and hoped Nightdream Ye would speak up.
Of the four, the highest cultivation was only peak mid-stage Holy Emperor. They had their tricks, but seeing Holden Hong surrounded by no less than seven peak late Holy Emperors, they were left speechless.
Who would have thought Holden Hong had secretly cultivated so many elites? This was no short-term effort! The key was, as the apparent rulers of Frostbane, the four of them had no idea. They'd been shut out completely!
Nightdream Ye suddenly realized that Frostbane no longer felt like Frostbane, and she herself was no longer truly the Shadow Hall Master she once was.
No matter how things change, I, Nightdream Ye, will never change.
Holden Hong smiled mysteriously, then let his gaze fall on Nightdream Ye, Magnus Liao, and the others.
You few have followed me for a long time. I trust you know my temperament. Since that's the case, I'll be blunt and lay it all out.
The Frostbane Dynasty has been dormant for far too long. Whenever chaos erupted, we never dared to fight with all our strength. Watching treasures and star-regions fall into others' hands—why? Was it because we weren't strong enough? No, we were stronger than them. But not strong enough!
So, after ten thousand years of lying low, storing up power, I waited. I waited for the day when I could cover the sky with one hand and, with absolute strength, dominate the southeastern Star-River Dominion.
You may think the dynastic war is over now, that Frostbane has won the final victory. No! What I want to tell you is: it’s nowhere near enough!
If Frostbane Dynasty wants to stand firm in the Star-River Dominion and one day contend with the Five Sacred Lands, we can't just be another regional overlord. We must make this our foundation and think even further ahead. As for being overlord—there can only be slaves. In this Star-River Dominion, Frostbane Dynasty needs no allies!
Only when our home base is united as iron can we keep expanding outward. What do you think?
Our emperor is wise!
Holden Hong smiled, but Nightdream Ye and Magnus Liao’s faces grew even darker. They never imagined Holden’s ambition was this monstrous—it was sheer defiance of the heavens! How could he possibly succeed? Was he declaring war on the whole world? The order of the Three Thousand Dynasties—how could anyone break it?
Frostbane Dynasty standing alone, forcing dozens or even hundreds of dynasties to serve? Not even alliances or vassalage allowed! This time, they were sure—Holden Hong had gone mad.
Frostbane Dynasty, a single overlord, dozens or even hundreds of dynasties forced to serve? Not even alliances or vassalage allowed! This time, they were sure—Holden Hong had gone mad.
The grand hall was silent for a long time, until Holden Hong’s true body finally appeared and broke the silence.
Only Henry Lin knew how many trials these people had survived. He had handpicked tens of millions of seed geniuses, burning through endless Starstones and priceless treasures to send them to the central world of the Star-River Dominion, where they faced the harshest competition and slaughter.
Over ten thousand years, wave after wave of resources and geniuses were invested, and now only these few dozen survived.
They seemed strong, but in truth, the price paid in blood was unimaginable. It was clear Holden Hong had been planning this for ten thousand years—ever since he first began to seize the Frostbane Dynasty’s core power.
Among those unfamiliar faces, not a single one had cultivation below peak Saint Venerable. The weakest were early Holy Emperors, and none were just for show—their murderous auras were unmistakable.
All of them were the kind who lived on the edge of life and death, walking the razor's edge every day—Holden Hong's true executioners, ready to take heads at his command.
They were Holden Hong's true sharp blades!
Nightdream Ye sent a divine sense transmission to Magnus Liao, Trenton Zhan, and Kade Xing, then turned her gaze to Henry Lin at Holden Hong's side.
Who would have thought this unassuming man was actually late-stage Holy Emperor? And those dozens of unfamiliar faces—were they all under his command? It seemed Henry Lin was truly Holden Hong's most trusted confidant.