Those who rise to fame must possess something extraordinary.
In recent days, the Fang family has become the talk of Yunzhou, their reputation thundering across the land—quite literally. The terrifying heavenly tribulation that struck three days ago remains fresh in everyone’s memory.
Rumors say the Fang family has produced a peerless Great Emperor, one who annihilated the former overlords of Yunzhou, the Wang family, with a single palm strike. This act even drew the wrath of the Heavenly Dao, unleashing a cataclysmic display of divine might that left the people of Yunzhou trembling in fear.
Yet, for some unknown reason, that climactic battle abruptly fizzled out, ending as abruptly as it began.
After three days of eerie calm, the inexplicably interrupted conflict finally resumed.
Twenty-four towering figures descended upon the Fang family simultaneously, their overwhelming auras radiating outward. The very earth of Yunzhou quaked under the pressure, its inhabitants staggering and fleeing in panic.
"We can’t survive this! Three days ago, it was a mysterious Great Emperor defying the heavens. Now, the forbidden zone’s Supreme Rulers have emerged en masse. What in the world is the Fang family planning?!"
"Heavens above! In past dark upheavals, at most seven or eight Supreme Rulers would emerge, and even then, only half the population perished. But now, they’ve all come out! Where in this vast world can we hide?!"
"Run? Where to? This might be the greatest dark upheaval in history. We’re truly doomed..."
"No! There’s still hope. The Supreme Rulers are clearly here for the Fang family’s mysterious Great Emperor. As long as—as long as—"
"As long as what? Do you really think one against twenty-four can win? Even if an unblemished Great Emperor is peerless and invincible, these Supreme Rulers were once Great Emperors themselves!"
"It’s over... I think I see my great-grandma waving at me..."
The people collapsed in despair, their hearts shrouded in gloom.
Meanwhile, the Fang clansmen were also trembling—though not out of fear. It was an instinctive reaction, an uncontrollable biological response.
In truth, if one looked past their terrified exteriors and peered into their hearts, they’d find every single Fang clansman brimming with excitement and fervor.
Why?
Because their beloved clan leader stood proudly atop the heavens, a radiant seal in hand, its dazzling light forcing back the encroaching hands of the twenty-four Supreme Rulers. Not only did he prevent them from violating the Fang ancestral lands, but he also hurled insults at them with audacious flair.
"A bunch of half-dead mongrels, thinking you can make me submit? Not a chance in hell!"
Fang Zheng roared, then raised the Star-Suppressing Seal high, unlocking another layer of its restrictions. The terrifying force instantly warped the surrounding space, forcing the twenty-four Supreme Rulers to retreat a hundred miles beyond the Fang territory.
The Star-Suppressing Seal, forged by Chen Yi from the condensed essence of a massive celestial body, bore forty-nine layers of restrictions. Its weight was immeasurable; if all restrictions were released, it would transform into a miniature black hole, its gravitational pull inescapable for anyone below the Tribulation Transcendence realm—they’d be crushed to dust in an instant!
Though Fang Zheng had only unlocked thirty-six restrictions, far from the seal’s full power, these Supreme Rulers were no longer at their peak Tribulation-level strength. They were merely withered, decaying husks of their former selves—mere late-stage Unity realm cultivators. Who among them dared face the seal head-on?
"Fang Zheng!" one Supreme Ruler snarled. "You are a native of this realm! Do you truly intend to side with that extraterrestrial demon to the bitter end?!"
"And who the hell are you supposed to be?" Fang Zheng shot back without hesitation. "I know right from wrong. Extraterrestrial demon? Hell, I am the extraterrestrial demon!"
"Even if you won’t consider yourself, think of your clan’s thousand lives! If you persist in defiance, that demon won’t be able to protect them all. Unless you want your entire bloodline wiped out, you’d better start talking!" another Supreme Ruler coldly threatened.
"Wipe out ten generations of my clan for all I care!" Fang Zheng sneered, pointing at the speaker’s nose. "You’re nothing but a beast hiding in the forbidden zones, leeching off the life essence of the masses to prolong your wretched existence. How dare you bark at me? I’ve never seen someone so shameless!"
The Supreme Rulers hesitated, still wary of something, unwilling to escalate the conflict—which meant Fang Zheng hadn’t yet triggered the conditions for a "help request" mission.
He decided he needed to ramp up the arrogance. Otherwise, he’d be letting down the group leader’s generosity.
Just then, another Supreme Ruler spoke slowly, "Fang Zheng! The Mandate of Heaven favors us now. That demon’s influence is waning. If you continue to—"
"Shut your mouth, you shameless old fool!" Fang Zheng cut him off with a curse.
"You think wearing a crappy mask hides who you are?!"
"Emperor Yunlan! You—the only Great Emperor in Yunzhou’s history, its last sovereign—have forgotten your roots in less than a millennium? Yet you butcher Yunzhou’s people more ruthlessly than anyone!"
"Look at this land that birthed and raised you, drenched in blood, all so you could steal a measly thousand years of life. How do you sleep at night?!"
"You—you insolent brat!" Emperor Yunlan, his identity exposed, seethed with rage.
"What the hell are you yapping about?!" Fang Zheng taunted further. "You vile creature! Don’t you know every soul in Yunzhou would gladly feast on your flesh? How dare you wag your tongue here?"
"Fine. Very fine," Emperor Yunlan’s gaze turned glacial.
"Fine your mother! You piece of trash! If you’ve got a problem, come fight me. Stop yapping!"
Simple insults, supreme satisfaction.
Fang Zheng reveled in the moment.
Who else in this world, as a mere Immortal Platform cultivator, would dare curse a former Great Emperor to his face—using the crudest, most direct, most unfiltered language imaginable?
Who else but Fang Zheng?!
The Fang clansmen: "CLAN LEADER, YOU’RE THE GOAT!!!" (screaming)
The remaining Supreme Rulers were stunned by Fang Zheng’s audacity. Such brazen defiance was a death sentence, so they saw no point in arguing with a dead man walking. They remained silent, focusing instead on encircling the Fang family with oppressive formations.
But Fang Zheng figured they were just too scared to keep taking his verbal abuse. After all, none of them had clean hands—when called out, they had no retort.
Did they think silence would save them?
"What, all of you suddenly mute? OPEN YOUR MOUTHS!!"
"Oh? You glaring at me, Emperor Jiba? More like Emperor D—"
Shielded by the Star-Suppressing Seal, Fang Zheng singled out each Supreme Ruler, hurling insults at point-blank range.
All while multitasking—recording the entire spectacle to share in the group chat for brownie points.
[‘I Really Don’t Want to Be a Sacrifice’ shared a video.]
[I Really Don’t Want to Be a Sacrifice: "With words alone, I defy three thousand emperors; with two palms, I topple fourteen continents!"]
[I Really Don’t Want to Be a Sacrifice: "It’s not courage from some song—it’s all thanks to the group leader!"]
[I Really Don’t Want to Be a Sacrifice: "Group leader, check me out—how’d I do?"]