"Presumptuous."
Almost instantly, the expressions of the six emperors standing beside Shen Lian darkened.
In the vast universe, wherever these six tread, the major Immortal Dao Lineages and ancient Sacred Lands would welcome them with reverence and fear. Their presence alone was enough to command respect across countless worlds.
Among them stood Emperor Lian himself, a sovereign who had once dominated Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, an existence that embodied divine law and ultimate authority.
To them, this golden giant was no more than an insect.
How dare such a creature speak so insolently?
If this were not Earth—if they had not just arrived and were unfamiliar with its current state—the golden giant would have already been obliterated with a single glance, mind and body both destroyed.
"Comrades, retreat quickly! It's dangerous out there! This is the battlefield—leave it to our soldiers to handle!"
Xia Lingwu's voice echoed from the war room as he shouted through the loudspeaker.
But Shen Lian stood silently in mid-air, eyes half-closed, sweeping across the Earth with his spiritual sense as if searching for something important.
"What are these kids trying to do?"
Xia Lingwu frowned with deep concern.
And then, it happened.
"Humans, I don't care what tricks you're planning, but today, I'll show you—before absolute strength, all schemes are meaningless."
"Trash race, always a trash race."
The golden giant who had spoken before sneered as he clenched his colossal fist and hurled a punch toward the seven figures in the sky.
That fist was like a mountain bearing down, the force behind it stirring the air into a storm, its approach sounding like thunder crashing down upon the earth.
Countless citizens of the Dragon Kingdom watched in horror through live broadcasts, their hearts tightening in helpless terror.
"Run! Run away!"
They screamed internally.
Yet Shen Lian and the six others did not move. They remained in the air, unmoved and silent, as if the giant's incoming punch did not exist.
"Who are these fools?"
Many across the world were struck with despair.
They did not know where Shen Lian and his companions had come from. All they could see was seven people who were about to be turned into pulp under an unstoppable force.
"Alas. These kids must be scared stiff."
Xia Lingwu sighed from within the war room.
He had overseen many battlefields and witnessed death countless times, but even he couldn't help but feel a trace of pity.
Boom boom boom.
The mountain-sized fist descended upon Shen Lian and the others like a hammer smashing glass.
But Shen Lian, who had kept his eyes closed all this time, suddenly smiled.
He had found it.
The reason he returned to Earth. The obsession that drew him home.
"Xuan Ba, take care of it. Don't hurt the innocent."
Shen Lian's voice was calm and filled with warmth.
"Yes, the old servant understands."
From beside Shen Lian, a towering figure stepped forward.
Xuan Ba—one of the six loyal slaves under Emperor Lian.
In the cosmic world, he held the Quasi-Emperor cultivation base, revered as the Great Saint of Destruction.
He wielded the Dao of Destruction itself.
Seven thousand years ago, he had dueled Shen Lian in the Sea of Chaos. After suffering defeat, he willingly submitted and became one of Shen Lian's six guardians.
Among them, he was one of the oldest and most steadfast.
"For the sake of His Majesty's homeland, I shall only use one ten-billionth of my strength to end you."
Xuan Ba twisted his neck, causing his massive frame to emit deep cracking sounds.
Then he raised a single finger.
Boom.
The golden giant's massive fist collided with Xuan Ba's finger.
The sound that followed was faint, almost inaudible.
"You…"
The golden giant's face turned crimson.
He felt as though his punch had struck an immovable force—an object beyond his understanding. No matter how hard he pushed, it wouldn't budge.
"I heard you say the human race is weak. Killing you is easier than squashing an ant."
Xuan Ba's eyes narrowed as he applied pressure.
Puff.
The golden giant, towering a hundred meters tall and impervious to nuclear weapons, vanished.
He was not merely shattered.
He was vaporized—utterly erased.
Not a trace of ash remained.
The destructive energy didn't stop there.
The sea beneath the golden giant's feet quaked violently. A titanic wave, hundreds of meters tall, surged into the sky, threatening to engulf everything in its path.
It was as if the entire Pacific Ocean had been turned upside down.
A tsunami of apocalyptic proportions roared forth, threatening to submerge continents and bring about the end of the world.
In that moment, the world flipped.
The heavens became the sea, and the sea became the earth.
Even the ground beneath the feet of every living being trembled violently.
It felt as though the entire planet was on the verge of collapse.
"Ah… Your Majesty, forgive me. This old slave used too much power."
Xuan Ba's expression turned sheepish. He quickly raised his right hand.
In the blink of an eye—
The wind ceased.
The rain halted.
The monstrous tsunami stilled and collapsed into calm ripples.
Heaven returned to heaven. Earth returned to earth.
It was as if nothing had happened.
As if it had all been a dream.
Xuan Ba exhaled deeply and gave an awkward smile.
It was so difficult.
Even using one ten-billionth of his power nearly destroyed Earth.
To control such devastating force with such precision—this was harder than going all-out in battle.
And in that instant—
The entire world fell into absolute silence.
Billions of people watching the live broadcast froze.
Mouths agape. Eyes wide.
They stood there, stunned beyond belief.
Unmoving.