"With so many Beast Tamers in the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, they can completely subjugate them. Just a mere demonic beast, what's there to be afraid of?" Yang Kun said dismissively.
Shen Yan's expression changed drastically.
The God Devouring Ants had no record in the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect's Myriad Beasts Manual; he had come across them by chance in an ancient text.
He was acutely aware of how terrifying the God Devouring Ants were!
If they really sent Beast Tamers to tame them, it would be a surefire massacre!
Shen Yan took a deep breath and began to explain the situation to Emperor Qian, "Your Majesty, the God Devouring Ants are extremely special. Unless we can find the queen ant and directly subjugate it, only then can we deal with the God Devouring Ants. If we cannot find the queen, the God Devouring Ants are invincible. Even if all the Beast Tamers of my Ten Thousand Beasts Sect took action, it would be in vain…"
"Nonsense! Who says the God Devouring Ants are invincible?"
Yang Kun pointed at Shen Yan angrily, saying with a furious face, "Back on the icy plains, Xiao Yi dealt with the God Devouring Ants all by himself and slew the expert controlling them. If he could do it, how could the numerous Beast Tamers of the Ten Thousand Beast Sect not achieve that?"
"Hmm? Xiao Yi has faced the God Devouring Ants before?"
Emperor Qian's pupils suddenly shrank, as Yang Kun had not informed him of this news before!
Yang Kun's face changed, knowing he had misspoken, he quickly said, "Father, Your Majesty…"
Emperor Qian's face darkened, "Explain yourself! How much more have you been hiding from me about what happened on the icy plains?"
"Your Majesty, your son has not concealed anything, he just… he just…"
Yang Kun's eyes flickered as he tried to change the subject, "Father, I have witnessed Xiao Yi suppress the God Devouring Ants. If he takes action, he can certainly cope with them…"
Emperor Qian glared at him fiercely, knowing his son well, he was now certain Yang Kun was hiding much more. Suppressing the urge to strangle him on the spot, Emperor Qian looked at Xiao Yi, "Xiao Yi, these God Devouring Ants… Do you have a strategy to counter them?"
Xiao Yi shrugged his shoulders, speaking indifferently, "Naturally, there is a way, but…"
He looked at Yang Kun with a playful glance.
When he returned, he had planned to tell Emperor Qian how to deal with the God Devouring Ants, but because of Yang Kun's slander, not only did Emperor Qian disregard his advice, but he also forcefully suppressed him.
That grievance was not easily swallowed!
Emperor Qian took a deep breath, but he was a formidable sovereign and did not hesitate to scold, "Unfilial son, kneel before Master Xiao right now!"
"Your Majesty, you want me to kneel to him?" Yang Kun said in shock.
He is the esteemed Crown Prince!
Now, in front of everyone, he was being asked to kneel to Xiao Yi, someone he had never taken seriously. If he knelt, how could he have any face left in the future?
Emperor Qian slapped his face fiercely, leaving Yang Kun dazed.
With a kick to Yang Kun's leg, Emperor Qian knocked him down to his knees before Xiao Yi, saying sternly, "Xiao Yi, I will have this wretched animal offer you an apology…"
With a slap to Yang Kun's head, Emperor Qian angrily said, "Scoundrel, won't you apologize to Master Xiao?"
Emperor Qian was left with no choice.
In just one night, the God Devouring Ants had breached Northern Bing City, and even Shen Yan had openly stated he had no way to deal with them.
Xiao Yi had become his only hope.
Yang Kun's face turned pale, his eyes filled with humiliation, but with Emperor Qian watching him fiercely, he dared not say much, and with several loud kowtows to Xiao Yi, he said, "Master Xiao, it was all my ignorance that provoked you before; please, for the sake of the countless civilians of the Great Qian Dynasty, take action to aid us!"
All eyes turned towards Xiao Yi.
Xiao Yi's lips curled slightly, looking at Yang Kun's humiliated and resentful face, he spoke calmly, "Kneel ten times with a loud kowtow, and I will take action!"
Yang Kun glared angrily.
Emperor Qian slapped his head again, "Aren't you going to kneel?"
Yang Kun's steel teeth were almost crushed, he forcibly endured the humiliation, and his head banged against the ground again and again. After ten loud knocks, Yang Kun held his neck stiffly, his face filled with humiliation; he wished he could dig a hole to bury his head in, "Xiao, I have knelt as asked, please make your move!"
Xiao Yi gave a faint smile but paid no attention to Yang Kun.
He walked straight up to Emperor Qian and said, "Your Majesty, there's no need to worry. The ceremonial worship of our ancestors will continue as planned. After the ceremony, I have my ways to deal with the God Devouring Ants!"
Emperor Qian's gaze flickered slightly. He looked at Xiao Yi and then nodded, "Very well, then let us complete the ceremonial worship of our ancestors first!"
Xiao Yi nodded and turned towards Yang Ling, "Your Excellency Yang Ling, as the victors of the civil and martial tributes, we will serve as the main officiants for this ceremony and recite the ancestral eulogy!"
Yang Ling responded, his emotions were extremely complex at the moment.
Excitement, disbelief, and a touch of anxiety.
To serve as the main officiant.
It meant he had the chance to receive the blessings descended from the ancestors, especially since Yang Kun had completely lost face today, which brought him even closer to the position of Crown Prince.
Yang Ling stood side by side with Xiao Yi, the two exchanged glances and walked towards the altar together.
The war drums thundered, and the horns filled the sky with their echoes.
Terrifying waves of sound came forth, and atop the nine stone pillars, dazzling lights burst forth. Golden light gathered above the altar, coalescing into two golden stairways to heaven.
Xiao Yi and Yang Ling ascended side by side, making their way to the end of the stairway.
Xiao Yi inserted the staff of the main officiant at the end of the stairway, above which was a cauldron interwoven with golden hues; a humming sound resonated mightily.
A beam of light shot up into the sky.
Yang Ling, holding the eulogy, spoke in a clear voice: "Ancestors above, your descendant Yang Ling is here to offer sacrifices... May our Great Qian Dynasty exist forever, an everlasting golden age..."
From the staff of the main officiant, a golden light shot towards the heavens.
In the void, it condensed into a golden dragon with five claws under its belly and scales that seemed almost alive. Its cold eyes were filled with majesty and nobility.
The golden dragon coiled up Yang Ling and lifted his form into midair.
A golden dragon shadow also appeared in front of Xiao Yi.
Carrying Xiao Yi, it soared into the sky.
The two stood suspended in the air, with dragon shadows floating beside them, pulling at everyone's hearts: "What do you think... How many colors of divine light will the two of them receive?"
"His Excellency Yang Ling should not receive more than five colors of divine light, as for Xiao Yi, it's hard to say..."
"In the past, Xiao Tianjiao received the blessing of nine colors of divine light. Even if Xiao Yi can't compare with Xiao Tianjiao, getting seven colors of divine light shouldn't be difficult..."
"Seven colors of divine light? That would be impressive indeed!"
Amid the crowd's discussions.
The giant dragon beside Yang Ling suddenly exhaled several beams of divine light; the colors were distinct, with red, orange, yellow, green, and blue illuminating Yang Ling.
Yang Ling spread his arms, bathed in the five-colored divine light, looking dignified and splendid.
It gradually condensed into a cocoon of light.
The giant dragon beside Xiao Yi also opened its huge mouth, spewing out beams of light in diverse colors...