Andre and Chris, having just returned to Northern Europe, hadn’t even made it back to their palaces when they suddenly received news: the Sakura Ancient Gods had emerged.

And not only had Lin Yuehua and Feng Wuji not retreated, but they were actually preparing to clash head-on with the Sakura Ancient Gods.

"They’re truly overestimating their own strength," Andre sneered, his azure eyes filled with disdain. "Two at the Emperor Realm Early Stage, one of whom is newly promoted, and they dare challenge the Sakura Ancient God? They’re just asking to die!"

Chris let out a cold laugh. "The Sakura Ancient Gods have five experts at the Emperor Realm Middle Stage, and their foundations run deep."

"The disparity is too great, both in numbers and in power."

"It’s a good thing we got out of there quickly."

"Otherwise, the Sakura Ancient Gods wouldn’t have spared us, either."

"Lin Yuehua and Feng Wuji are dead for sure."

Chris pronounced their doom, his tone dripping with malicious glee.

Andre began counting on his fingers. "Great Xia has eight Emperor Realm experts. Three are just letting things rot and won’t lift a finger, two are tied down and can’t get involved, and now two more are about to be killed by the Sakura Ancient Gods."

"Heh. When Sakura Country launches its full-scale invasion, let’s see what Great Xia has left to defend themselves with."

"It won’t be long before Great Xia becomes a slave state to Sakura Country. It’s exactly what they deserve."

"To think they offended three Emperor Realm experts over a single mosquito."

"Great Xia brought this destruction upon themselves."

"Yeah, even now, I can’t wrap my head around what that old director from Great Xia was thinking."

"Gambling the entire nation’s fate on a single Alien Race Mosquito Beast... it’s the height of folly."

With their words, these two Emperor Realm experts from Northern Europe had already condemned Lin Yuehua, Feng Wuji, and even the entirety of Great Xia to death.

...

News of the Sakura Ancient Gods’ appearance quickly spread throughout the world.

White Eagle Empire.

On a throne hundreds of meters tall and forged from pure gold, sat a middle-aged man wearing golden armor.

A subordinate hurried into the great hall and dropped to one knee.

"My Lord, we just received news. The Sakura Ancient Gods have made their move."

The man in the golden armor looked impassively at his subordinate, saying nothing.

The subordinate continued, "The objective of the Sakura Ancient Gods seems to be killing the two Emperor Realm experts, Lin Yuehua and Feng Wuji, first, before launching a massive invasion of Great Xia."

"According to our analysis, the goal of those five Sakura Ancient Gods is likely to plunder Great Xia’s resources in order to all break through to the Peak of Emperor Realm."

The subordinate paused, then said cautiously, "My Lord, should we intervene and save Lin Yuehua and Feng Wuji? Without those two Emperor Realm experts, Great Xia will have no way to stop Sakura Country’s invasion."

The golden-armored man’s eyes remained devoid of emotion.

"Great Xia is courting its own destruction over a single mosquito. What has that to do with us?"

His voice was calm, yet it held an undeniable authority.

The subordinate froze for a moment. "My Lord... Great Xia helped us fend off the Alien Race’s invasion in the past."

"When the Alien Race launched their massive invasion of the White Eagle Empire, Great Xia sent three Emperor Realm experts to help us. That’s the only reason we were able to hold on."

"Besides! If the Sakura Ancient Gods destroy Great Xia, we’ll likely be their next target!"

The golden-armored man’s gaze slowly turned to his subordinate.

"Since when do you have the right to question my decisions?"

The words had barely left his lips when a ray of golden light shot down from the throne, landing directly on the subordinate.

The subordinate’s body immediately burst into raging flames.

"AAAAARGH..."

An agonized scream echoed in the great hall.

The subordinate rolled on the ground, desperately trying to extinguish the flames, but the fire was impossible to put out.

"My Lord, I was wrong! I was wrong!" the subordinate screamed, begging for mercy. "I’ll get it done right away! Right away!"

"Hmph!"

The man in golden armor snorted and withdrew the flames.

Charred black from head to toe, the subordinate lay sprawled on the floor, gasping for air.

"Still here?"

"Yes, yes, of course. I’ll take my leave now."

The subordinate scrambled out of the great hall.

After the subordinate left, the man in golden armor stood up, walked to the edge of the great hall, and gazed in the direction of Great Xia.

A slight smile played on his lips.

’It is our White Eagle Empire that should be the sole ruler of Blue Star.’

’But you, Great Xia... you always have to have the upper hand.’

’In the youth tournament, you Great Xia took first place and the Divine Son slot. In military strength, you Great Xia are the strongest. Even the power of your Emperor Realm experts puts you firmly above us.’

’For all these years, you’ve been better than us at everything.’

’But that’s all changed now. We, the White Eagle Empire, also have the support of an Ancient God...’

’Now that you’ve been targeted by that pack of mad dogs from Sakura Country, it would be best if they beat you until your nation is shattered and its people destroyed.’

’I’d like to see how you compete with the White Eagle Empire once you’ve lost your Top Notch fighting force!’

’As for the Sakura Ancient Gods... they’re nothing but a bunch of pathetic clowns.’

...

Ying Country.

A man with a white turban wrapped around his head was parading through the streets on the back of an Emperor Realm elephant.

The people on both sides of the street panicked at the sight of him, falling to their knees and trembling, not daring to look up.

Even though the turbaned man was an Emperor Realm expert, he still relished the sense of superiority that came from being worshiped by the kneeling masses.

Just as the elephant was leisurely ambling past a garbage-strewn river, a subordinate dressed in black came rushing over frantically from a distance.

"My Lord, bad news!"

The turbaned man frowned, his tone icy.

"How many times have I told you not to disturb me when I am parading through the streets?"

"If you can’t give me a reason I find satisfactory, that river over there will be your grave."

The terrified man in black dropped to the ground with a THUD, knocking his head against the dirt with audible thumps.

"Spare me, my Lord! Spare me..."

The turbaned man waved his hand impatiently. "Spit it out."

Without daring to lift his head, the man in black spoke in a rush, "The Sakura Ancient Gods have appeared! They’re fighting Great Xia’s Emperor Realm experts right now."

The turbaned man paused. "Wasn’t it Qin Yuan who left Sakura Country over a mosquito?"

The man in black explained, "It’s not Qin Yuan. It’s Lin Yuehua and Feng Wuji."

The turbaned man snorted. "They’re only at the Emperor Realm Early Stage. Daring to provoke the Sakura Ancient Gods... they have a death wish."

The man in black said cautiously, "My Lord, should we go and help Great Xia?"

The turbaned man glanced at him. "Why should we help Great Xia?"

With his head bowed, the man in black didn’t notice the cold expression on the turbaned man’s face and continued, "With our population boom and resource shortages, Great Xia has provided us with aid for many years."

"It wouldn’t be right for us to just stand by and do nothing while they’re in danger."

"What’s more, if Great Xia falls, we’ll very likely be the next target of the Sakura Ancient Gods!"

The turbaned man nodded. "You have a point."

The man in black breathed a sigh of relief.

"Pass down the order! The entire army is to enter Level One combat readiness! No one is to act without my command!"

"Huh???"

The man in black was dumbfounded.

"My Lord, you mean..."

The turbaned man smiled. "You heard me right. Now go."

"But, my Lord..."

"Do you want to end up as fish food in the river?"

The man in black didn’t dare say another word and quickly ran off.

The turbaned man, riding the elephant, continued his parade.

His mood was even better than before.

...

European Union.

A group of high-level officials were in a meeting.

"The Sakura Ancient Gods have made their move. The odds are stacked against Great Xia this time."

"Should we send people to help?"

"Help them? Why? If Great Xia falls, it only benefits us."

"Correct. Immediately recall all our experts stationed in Great Xia!!"