Dan stared at both experts and scanned their attributes.

[Name: Danilo Duterte; Age: 145; Status: Emperor of the Empire of Eternal Faith]

[Stats: Str: 93, Int: 124, Dex: 116, Agi: 125, Sta: 201]

[Cultivation: Peak Stage of the Divine Ascendance Realm]

In comparison, Mathias' stats were as follows.

[Name: Mathias Paradyne; Age: 123; Status: Headmaster of the Paradyne Academy]

[Stats: Str: 103, Int: 156, Dex: 132, Agi: 166, Sta: 202]

[Cultivation: Peak Stage of the Divine Ascendance Realm]

Hssst!

Dan sucked a mouthful of cold air when he saw the disparity of his stats to them. Darting his gaze at the blaring red warning signs displayed by the system. He fully understood why the authority of such cultivators shouldn't be challenged.

For they could literally turn Dan into meat paste with a single thought on their end.

"Oh? So it's the glorious Emperor of the Empire? Why hast thou come here?" Mathias' sarcastic tone echoed out and the Emperor's expression darkened.

"It's been several decades since we saw each other, but it seems like your tongue is still as venomous as ever that snakes will feel ashamed staying by your side..." Danilo venomously spat, and Mathias coldly laughed.

"Is that so?"

Mathias' cultivation base rotated and everyone on the ground retreated for fear of getting injured from the shockwaves of their impending battle. Dan dragged Natalie towards a safe location and stared at the two experts from afar.

"Hoooh? It seems like you're getting ready to fight against me, do you really think that just because I retreated at that time means that I was defeated?" Danilo cracked his knuckles and his neck as his cultivation base rotated.

The auras of the two fighters clashed against each other and s.p.a.ce itself rippled upon impact.

"Gaaah!"

Cries of pain rang out as blood dripped down the ears of everyone including Dan and Natalie. Everyone hurriedly took cover and so did Dan and Natalie. In a battle between experts at Mathias' level, even the shockwaves could possibly annihilate them.

Huge faces that resembled the two manifested in the air. The faces stared at each other with a venomous glare before letting out a scream that decimated at least half of the Luzon Clan Residence. s.p.a.ce itself went haywire and those with lower cultivation could only scream in misery before they were torn to shreds.

Natalie's expression looked pale and Dan gulped a mouthful of saliva. He didn't expect that a single full-powered exchange of the two powerhouses could evoke such destruction. Waving his hand, a screen of Lightning protected them from the debris as they observed Mathias and the Emperor's battle.

Such an opportunity couldn't easily be stumbled upon. How could Dan miss such a battle?

Natalie also stared at the skies with glowing eyes. Some courageous cultivators also did the same and observed the battle above. Thinking that they may acquire enlightenment after watching the battle between two peak experts.

Resplendent colors materialized in the skies as the two experts engaged in a fierce close combat battle. Dan and Natalie squinted their eyes to see, but the two moved so fast that one could only see their afterimages.

"System, a.n.a.lyze their battle for me!" Dan commanded the System and a mechanical voice replied.

[Task Failed: Cannot anaylze battle from the user's point of view!]

Dan clicked his tongue, since he cannot see the exact movements of the two experts due to their speed. The System failed its task and Dan could only shake his head in disappointment. His idea of acquiring enlightenment from their battle and infusing it with his own techniques became far-fetched.

A blood arrow exploded from the mouths of the two and they abruptly separated. Mathias wiped the edge of his lips, his robes looked bedraggled and wretched with numerous bloodied cuts. The Emperor, Danilo also didn't fare well.

"Old geezer, are you really that intent on destroying the Luzon Clan?" Danilo mumbled in an indignant voice, the Luzon Clan was one of his people, and more importantly, they're one of the top taxpayers. Losing such a Clan would place the Empire in setback.

"I'm not really interested in destroying such a clan, but I promised a promising junior that I would do so. As a member of the Senior Generation, I am obligated to follow through my promise, aren't I?" Mathias lightly laughed and exposed his true motives for exposing the Luzon Clan's true face.

Danilo Duterte glanced at Patriarch Warren and sighed in his heart. I already did everything that I can, I can only do this much...His bitter expression made Patriarch Warren pale as he pleaded.

"Your Highness! Please reconsider! Ever since the Luzon Clan was established, we have earnestly followed Your Highness as your loyal subjects! At times like this, please back us up!" Despite his trembling figure, Patriarch Warren managed to maintain a polite tone.

Danilo shook his head, the Luzon Clan was indeed one of his most loyal subjects and he would try everything that he could to protect them. However, since the Paradyne Academy was intent on destroying them and even had iron-clad evidence about their crimes. How could he still back them up without losing the Empire's prestige?

Patriarch Warren's lips repeatedly twitched as his knees gave up. He fell on the ground and contemplated about how everything became like this. His clan members also collapsed with trembling bodies. They all resigned to their fates.

Mathias swept his gaze over these clan members before taking a sidelong glance at Dan. Lifting a small smile, he said.

"Though the destruction of the Luzon Clan is inevitable, I cannot deny the Luzon Clan's contribution towards the Empire. How about this, we will still dissolve the Luzon Clan but we won't kill anybody. Apart from crippling those with cultivation higher than the Divine Soul Realm, we will preserve the lives of the younger generation."

Patriarch Warren and Danilo's expression flickered. One looked joyful while the other looked doubtful. Particularly, Danilo who thoroughly knew Mathias' ruthless character.

"Just what are you planning, Mathias?" Danilo mumbled in a solemn voice. Mathias shrugged and said, "Planning? Don't make it sound so vicious, Old geezer. I'm just here to make a compromise, a compromise~ It would be too unreasonable for me to kick them while their down, right?"

Patriarch Warren stared at the skies, his countenance glowing with relief and bitterness.

"We will follow the Headmaster's arrangement."

Sweeping his gaze over the Elders of his clan, all of them crippled their own cultivations and despondently carried their wealth with them as they presented themselves over to Mathias.

"Since the arrangement has been decided, you can take everything that you have with you as you leave the Empire. From now on, the Luzon Clan is exiled and shall never appear in the Empire of Eternal Faith."

Bitterness and struggle surfaced on the faces of everyone from the Luzon Clan. Unfortunately, they were too weak, a single thought from a peak expert such as Mathias easily decided the outcome of their Clan. Endlessly sighing, they turned around and walked away, towards the distant wilderness with their destination, unknown.

Natalie's expression looked complicated, Dan clicked his tongue and glanced at Mathias. What he wanted was complete destruction of the despicable Luzon Clan that claimed far too many lives. Mathias noticed Dan's gaze and signaled with his eyes.

"I have done my part, once the Luzon Clan arrives at the Great Wilderness of Torb. You can do whatever you want." Mathias' figure transformed into a streak of light that flew towards the distant Paradyne Academy.

Danilo harshly glared at Mathias before returning back to the Imperial Palace.

Natalie and Dan stared at each other with indescribable emotions on their faces. Everything happened too fast, the dissolution of the Luzon Clan felt surreal. At the same time, the two once again bore witness about what would happen if one had power.

As long as you had power, a single thoughr can destroy an Empire.

Clenching Natalie's palms, Dan said. "Are you fine with this conclusion?" His words felt strange and Natalie turned towards him and said. "I don't know, I don't understand why but even though they're destroyed and had lost their foundation. I don't know why but i don't feel satisfied withotu seeing them dead."

Cold air blew around the two and Natalie's Blessing of the Lightning G.o.d subconsciously rotated, bringing with it a surge of killing intent and negative energies. Dan's lips lifted a vicious smile. Taking both of his daggers, he stared at the distant wilderness and said.

"How about we hunt those fleeing sheeps? This time, we are the wolves."