Reborn as a lotus, she initially refuses to hand it over to the state.

After a long while, Wang Jun exhaled: "Early stage of the eighth rank, with twelve sixth-rank Holy Guards, using the power of the Holy Covenant Codex, and also taking the initiative to activate global illumination."

"This lineup, placed in front of any penalty area, would be enough to put a country's defense line on the highest alert."

"But outside Heilong Mountain, we haven't even crossed the boundary marker."

Chen Wuji stared at the screen, deeply shocked and unable to calm down for a long time.

He had personally witnessed the Lord of the Azure Lotus kill the Overturning Sea Dragon King, and he had also witnessed the Imperial Seal severely injure Cassian across continents.

But today's battle has a completely different impact.

The Sea-Overturning Dragon King is a mythical beast.

Cassian is a malevolent cultivator who devours spirits.

Lu Shengbai, however, is an eighth-level human, a reclusive saint with a complete lineage.

He represents another path for humanity.

They failed again.

Zhou Zhenshan remained silent for a moment before speaking: "After today, many people will think that the Lord of the Azure Lotus is demonstrating against the human race."

"But from beginning to end, He did not step out of Black Dragon Lake, did not force anyone to submit, and did not kill anyone first."

"Lu Shengbai wanted to plant a divine soul imprint on all the beasts, which led to this battle."

Lu Cang nodded: "The Holy Covenant Church misjudged one thing. They thought that the beasts were willing to come to Black Dragon Lake because they had submitted to the power of the Azure Lotus Lord."

"But today, the beasts broke free of the chains of the sacred covenant, proving that they kept the covenant with the Azure Lotus not because they were enslaved, but because they were willing."

Wang Jun asked in a low voice, "Then how should we deal with the Azure Lotus Forbidden Zone?"

Zhou Zhenshan looked towards Black Dragon Mountain and said, "Respecting the borders, the Dragon Kingdom can cooperate with the Azure Lotus Forbidden Zone to jointly suppress the Black Tide and jointly protect our land."

"But no one can treat Him as our vassal, much less treat the strange beasts of Black Dragon Lake as resources that can be hunted, enslaved, or traded at will."

"Immediately draft new laws that anyone who applies enslavement marks, soul-locking nails, or blood pact formations to lawful beasts within the restricted area shall be punished for endangering strategic lands."

"And one more thing," Zhou Zhenshan said in a deep voice, "notify all local branches that in the future, when encountering disputes over the territory of alien beasts, first investigate who crossed the line, who made the first move, and who broke the rules first."

"Just because the other party is a strange beast does not mean that they deserve to die."

Everyone was shocked.

This is the first time in the Ninth Bureau that the alien beasts have officially acknowledged that they also have territories and bottom lines that cannot be trampled upon.

……

Wudang Mountain.

In front of Taihe Zhenyue Temple.

Song Yunhe stared at the dissipating platinum light screen in the Qi Observation Plate, remaining silent for a long time.

"Master, Lu Shengbai was defeated too quickly."

The Taoist Xuanwei sat cross-legged on the stone steps, raising his hand to manipulate the Qi Observation Disc.

On the trading board.

The platinum covenant and the black and gold lotus pattern complement each other.

On one side are the rules that forcibly suppress the will of all spirits.

On one side was the response of countless strange beasts gathering spontaneously.

"Lu Shengbai did not lose because of his cultivation level," Xuanwei Daoist said. "He lost because he treated all living beings as things that should be disciplined."

Song Yunhe hesitated and said, "But the original intention of the Holy Covenant Sect was also to suppress the Black Tide and maintain order."

"The initial intention was not wrong." Daoist Xuanwei raised his hand, and the image of ten thousand beasts roaring in unison appeared in the Qi Observation Disc: "But if so-called order requires first planting shackles in the soul of every living being, then what difference is there between it and the enslavement of the Black Tide?"

"Those who cultivate the Tao cultivate their hearts, not their desire to be masters of the world."

A mountain breeze swept by.

Xuanwei Daoist looked towards the Lingnan direction and said in a low voice, "That green lotus fought for the strange beasts today, not for the right to surpass the human race."

"It is a qualification that means not having to be a slave, not having to be food."

The White House underground strategic conference room in the United States.

On the giant screen, the global live broadcast replay was shown again and again.

Lord Baishan broke free of his chains, the Green-Backed Ape King carried the mountain and broke the law, and the Snowfield Wolf Pack trampled the sacred covenant.

Finally, the black gold imperial seal pressed down, and Lu Shengbai knelt before the boundary marker.

Inside the meeting room, dozens of politicians and senior officials from the Psionics Agency looked grim.

The president, seated at the head of the table, spoke: "The evaluation report for Project Deep Blue should be resubmitted."

The deep-sea project manager turned pale: "Your Excellency, once the Moon Palace Remnant Island is opened, the Azure Lotus Lord, the Holy Covenant Sect, the Dragon Kingdom Ancient Sect, and the marine alien races will all enter."

"Our original plan was to use the Holy Covenant Church to contain the Azure Lotus Forbidden Zone, and then use the space-based psionic cannon..."

"Cancel it." The president interrupted directly: "Lu Shengbai, with his complete inheritance and twelve Holy Guards, is challenging the Lord of the Azure Lotus in front of the whole world."

"And the result?" the president asked gravely. "He lost more than just the battle; he lost the prestige of his own order."

"Who would still believe that a sacred covenant could bind the Azure Lotus Forbidden Zone?"

The head of the Psionics Agency whispered, "Should we postpone Project Deep Blue?"

"No." The president looked towards the Pacific Ocean: "We must fight for the Moon Palace Imperial Gold, but we can no longer fight for it through direct confrontation."

"Pass down the order: all Deep Blue submarine fleets must cease contact with the waters surrounding the Azure Lotus Forbidden Zone and cease all communication with the Holy Covenant Church."

"Search for other entrances to the Moon Palace Remnant Island. Before finding a power that can truly counterbalance the Zhenyuan Emperor Seal, no one may provoke Black Dragon Lake."

Europe.

Italy, outside Mount Etna.

In the ruins of the Ash Sanctuary.

A grey-robed priest hid behind the collapsed rock wall, staring at the scene on the psionic screen, his face deathly pale.

"Lord Cassian was severely injured by the Lord of the Azure Lotus, and Lu Shengbai was also defeated. In this era, who else can stop Black Dragon Lake?"

Seeing such a shocking scene, the organization that had once been affiliated with the Ash Temple was plunged into even deeper panic.

They had thought that the emergence of the Holy Covenant Sect would at least be able to contend with the Azure Lotus Forbidden Zone.

But the battle at Black Dragon Mountain made everyone realize that the truly terrifying aspect of the Azure Lotus Lord was never just his eighth-level cultivation.

The person standing behind him.

It is the myriad beasts willing to risk their lives for him, the earth vein nodes that cover the mountains and rivers, and a road that allows the strange beasts to see the future.

Several countries in Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, and Southern Europe quickly issued a joint statement.

No organization may forcibly enslave lawful beasts through covenants, blood pacts, soul-locking seals, or other similar means.

European nations are willing to join forces with the Dragon Kingdom and the Azure Lotus Forbidden Zone to eradicate the Black Tide and the remnants of the Soul Devourers.

This announcement was released.

The global psionic network is once again in turmoil.

Many countries do not suddenly become benevolent.

No one wanted to become the next Spirit Hunters, and no one wanted the Black Gold Imperial Seal to cross mountains and seas and land on their heads.

Hexi Corridor.

Black Sand Ancient City.

When Lu Shengbai returned to the White Sanctuary with the Twelve Holy Guards, the sanctuary doors did not open immediately.

He stood outside the door.

The platinum robe was stained with dust, and the black and gold lotus pattern between his brows was faintly visible.

Whenever he tried to activate the power of the Holy Covenant, the lotus pattern would heat up, and the cracks on the codex would also remind him.

The battle outside Black Dragon Mountain was not an illusion.

hum!

Above the church.

Seven ancient stone gates appeared.

A deep, majestic voice came from behind the stone gate.

"Lu Shengbai, do you know your crime?"

The twelve guards knelt down at the same time.

Lu Shengbai gripped the Codex tightly, bowed his head, and said, "This disciple has presumptuously activated the Holy Covenant Reflection, challenged the Azure Lotus Forbidden Zone, and damaged the prestige of the Holy Covenant Sect. This disciple is guilty."

A cold voice came from behind the second stone gate.

"You are wrong. No, you lost. You were too impatient. Black Dragon Lake just established the Covenant of All Beasts, and you led the Holy Guard to suppress Lingnan and used the Covenant to suppress the beasts."

"You proved the covenant's enforceability on behalf of the Lord of the Azure Lotus, and you also proved the covenant of all beasts' voluntariness on behalf of Him."

"You're not here to discuss doctrines; you're bringing the entire Covenant Church to His throne, to be trampled upon by Him."

"What's even more foolish is that you dared to fight a Lord of the Earth Veins in the area covered by the Zhenyuan Emperor Seal."

"That is His territory, His domain. What makes you think you can prevail?"

Lu Shengbai's face turned pale instantly. He knelt on the ground and said, "This disciple knows his crime."

Inside the third stone gate, a wisp of platinum flame ignited.

Inside the sanctuary, there was a deathly silence.

After a moment, Lu Shengbai raised his head: "Sages, I admit defeat in this battle, but I have also realized one thing."

"The Azure Lotus Lord's Covenant with the Myriad Beasts is not a bluff. Its power does not come from the Zhenyuan Emperor Seal, but from the will of those strange beasts that voluntarily surrendered it."

"If the Covenant Church continues to view all beasts as objects to be managed and imprinted, we will eventually stand against all beasts in the world."

Silence fell behind the seven stone gates.

After a long while, a low sigh came from the deepest stone gate: "You have lost a battle, but that doesn't mean you have learned nothing. Before the fourth spiritual tide, the Holy Covenant Sect shall not enter Lingnan again, nor shall it launch a forced Holy Covenant against the Azure Lotus Forbidden Zone."

"The trip to the Moon Palace will temporarily suspend the confrontation with the Lord of the Azure Lotus."

"First, we will find the Heavenly Balance Altar. Once the seal is loosened by a third, we will emerge and see for ourselves just how far this Azure Lotus's path can go."

Lu Shengbai lowered his head and said, "Disciple obeys the sage's command."

The seven stone gates slowly disappeared.

The white sanctuary fell silent once more.

Lu Shengbai stood still for a long time, staring at the Holy Covenant Codex in his palm, and suddenly remembered the Black Dragon Mountain.

The golden-feathered spirit bird shouted this as it broke free of its chains.

"This sparrow will not kneel before you!"

Lu Shengbai closed his eyes.

He began to have doubts for the first time.

Is the Covenant Church's path, which has lasted for thousands of years, truly without any problems?