The voice fell, and once again, everyone was plunged into a deep silence, feeling dazed, as if they were dreaming.
Did they really kill them all?
Although they had made some contribution in this war, it was so minimal that it could basically be said that it was all done by Fang Yuan alone!
The entire Western Continent had poured out its strength, gathering all its forces... but was almost completely wiped out by Fang Yuan alone!
At this moment, everyone's minds unconsciously came to the same thought—
The Emperor of the Xia Kingdom, Fang Yuan, is now invincible under heaven!
"Your Majesty, what do you plan to do next?" Xirwei suppressed the turbulent emotions in her chest and asked softly.
Fang Yuan stood with his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance. "Naturally, I will complete the unification of the Western Continent."
As of now, the game he had set up had already yielded the desired results.
His declaration of war before leaving had successfully drawn out the powerful figures from all corners of the Western Continent, and before he even set foot in the region, these individuals had presented him with a great gift.
Now, he was happily receiving this grand gift, meaning that the Western Continent should no longer have any forces capable of threatening his rule.
While thinking this, Xirwei spoke warmly, "Your Majesty, if you don't mind, may I suggest you temporarily rest at my Long Zhen? As for the follow-up matters related to conquering the Western Continent, please allow Long Zhen to handle them."
Xirwei felt she needed to do more for Fang Yuan. Now that the top warriors from all nations had been destroyed, this was an opportunity for Long Zhen to gain new achievements.
After all, as a minister, one must learn to help the ruler alleviate worries...
Unknowingly, Xirwei had fully embraced the role of a loyal official to the Great Xia...
"Oh..." Fang Yuan withdrew his gaze and looked at Xirwei. "Not bad. It's rare that you have this intention."
"However..." Xirwei cautiously added, "Relying solely on Long Zhen might be insufficient. I humbly request Your Majesty to send a few of your esteemed ministers to act together."
Xirwei had grown much over time. She was well-versed in the way of serving a ruler. What she truly wanted was to request that Fang Yuan send people to monitor their actions.
It would show openness and eliminate any suspicion that Fang Yuan, the ruler, might have toward them.
However, Xirwei was overthinking it, as Fang Yuan could easily see whether they harbored any ill intentions.
"Then it's settled." Fang Yuan immediately nodded, his gaze sweeping over everyone. "There's no need to rest. I've decided to personally visit the Federation. The other nations will be left to you."
"Xirwei, you are most familiar with the Western Continent, so you will be in charge of the overall coordination."
Suddenly appointed as the commander, Xirwei immediately responded excitedly, "Yes!"
Mo Tianxing and the others also knelt, clasping their fists: "We obey!"
"Why haven't you spoken?" Fang Yuan turned his gaze to Ruan Tianhe. His tone was calm, but carried an undeniable pressure.
"Me?" Ruan Tianhe tugged at the corner of his mouth. He hadn't expected to be assigned a task so soon after being released. "Let me do it, aren't you afraid I'll set up my own faction?"
Fang Yuan's expression didn't change. "If you want to step straight from prison to hell, feel free to try."
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! My master is not in his right mind, don't listen to his nonsense!" Ruan Chaoxin, startled, quickly advised.
"Tch, I was just saying it casually..." Ruan Tianhe felt a bit embarrassed. He only wanted to show off a bit of his toughness since he was a Martial Saint!
First, he was lectured by the Pope, and now he was being controlled by Fang Yuan, a ninety-percent Martial Saint. He couldn't help but feel a little displeased.
However... dissatisfaction aside, if he really tried to rebel? Even with ten lives, he wouldn't dare—Fang Yuan had killed the Pope, and he wasn't someone to be trifled with.
"Alright, enough with the chatter. Act now!" Fang Yuan waved his sleeve. "When I return from the Federation, I only want to hear good news!"
As soon as his words finished, everyone felt a flash before their eyes. That dark figure transformed into a streak of light and shot straight into the sky, tearing apart a wave of air in the clouds.
When the pressure dissipated, Xirwei immediately stood up straight. "Everyone, let's discuss the strategy for the Western Continent..."
"No need for that!" Ruan Tianhe shook his head. "A mere barbarian land, I alone am enough!"
Xirwei's lips curled into a slight smile, but there was no humor in her eyes. "Martial Saint, coordinating action is His Majesty's order. Surely... you don't want to see His Majesty angry?"
Ruan Tianhe's expression changed several times. Finally, he snorted coldly. "Fine, I'll listen, but let it be clear, I'm not afraid of Fang Yuan!"
With that, Ruan Tianhe turned his head away, though his hand involuntarily touched his neck.
---
At the same time, in the Federation's Papacy.
The magnificent cathedral stood tall amidst the sea of mist, with countless white-robed clergy moving like a tide between the columns.
They walked hurriedly, yet all were speaking in hushed tones about the same topic:
"Has the Pope personally gone to battle? I wonder how it's going..." A young deacon, holding scriptures, couldn't help but ask a companion.
The older priest confidently responded, "This time, with the combined strength of the Western Continent's powers, victory is certain. Perhaps by now, good news is already on the way."
"I've heard that the tyrant of the Xia Kingdom unified the Eastern Continent in just one month..." The young deacon hesitated to speak.
"Foolish!" The older priest suddenly reprimanded him harshly, then softened his tone, "So what? We must trust in the Pope's divine might. Now, go prepare the sacred candles for the victory celebration."
"Yes..."
---
Deep within the cathedral, several figures were drinking tea and chatting. Among them, the man in the platinum holy robes stood out—he was the Papacy's Archbishop: Tonio.
His aura was nearing that of a Martial Saint, with a faint flow of Dao energy in his every movement.
As the Pope's most favored successor, Tonio was not sent to join the battle. His life trajectory was somewhat similar to that of Ruan Chaoxin. Due to his exceptional cultivation talent, he had been trained by the Pope from a young age.
However, compared to Ruan Chaoxin, Tonio had better resources. After thousands of years of cultivation, he was now only one step away from reaching the peak of Martial Saint, and with another hundred years of hard work, he would reach the same level as Fang Yuan!
"Your Excellency, do you think the Western Continent's allied forces will succeed in this campaign?" The white-haired old man sitting opposite him asked. He was none other than the Emperor of the Federation.
As the Papacy's influence continued to grow, the position of the Federation's emperor had long become a mere formality. Now, even speaking required looking at the Papacy's face.
"Rest assured," Tonio said, his lips curving into a calm smile. "Even if the other countries' warriors on the Western Continent are useless, as long as my master is in charge, there's no way we can fail."