Chapter 1793: Poison Emperor

When it came to understanding the Southern Divine Realm and its God Emperors, Cang Shitian undoubtedly surpassed everyone present.

He was well aware of Emperor Xuanyuan and Emperor Ziwei's temperaments and vulnerabilities. While true weaknesses were almost non-existent at the level of a God Emperor, they became completely exposed, like those of any mortal, when a truly fatal threat emerged.

"Realm annihilation"—these two words were unthinkable to the God Emperors of the King Realms, an absurdity that, to them and everyone else, simply could not happen.

But when such a calamity genuinely struck—especially with the Southern Sea Divine Realm, far more powerful than their own, still engulfed in the smoke of its destruction right before their eyes—Emperor Xuanyuan and Emperor Ziwei felt every hair stand on end and every nerve twitch violently.

Because such an event had never occurred, people subconsciously overlooked a crucial truth: the Devil Master Yun Che standing before them was not seeking invasion, plunder, ambition, or maximum profit. He sought only revenge!

And it was the most brutal, merciless revenge, leaving no quarter.

Negotiation? That was a delusional fantasy. Humiliation and annihilation... even being offered such a choice was almost a mercy.

Emperor Xuanyuan’s face gradually shifted from crimson to a ghastly purplish-blue. His lips trembled, but no words came out. His entire spine felt submerged in an icy hell, a soul-piercing chill spreading throughout his body.

Horrifying black patterns exploded in layers in the air, steadily encroaching upon the two God Emperors. Cang Shitian’s words had thrown the two emperors into such turmoil that their resistance faltered even further.

"Dev-Devil... Master..." Emperor Ziwei ground his teeth, a low groan escaping him, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "Back then... though we did wrong... your grudge shouldn't run this deep... Do you... truly... intend... to be so absolute...?"

"Cang Shitian," Yun Che said coolly, "If you wish to serve as my hound, first prove your worth."

Without Yun Che needing to elaborate, Cang Shitian immediately responded, "Once Emperor Xuanyuan and Emperor Ziwei are buried here, panic, leaderless factions, and struggles for supremacy will plunge both the Xuanyuan Realm and Ziwei Realm into chaos. In such a state, there will be no need to trouble the Devil Master or the three Yama Ancestors; with merely the Yama Emperor's assistance, I can guarantee the swift destruction of one of them."

"Cang Shitian! You—"

"However," Cang Shitian continued, ignoring the enraged stares of Emperor Xuanyuan and Emperor Ziwei, "while Xuanyuan and Ziwei have committed serious offenses, their transgressions do not equate to those of the Southern Sea. Furthermore, having known Xuanyuan and Ziwei for many years, I believe they are not entirely beyond hope. Therefore, Shitian humbly requests that the Devil Master grant them both, as well as the Xuanyuan Realm and Ziwei Realm, another opportunity."

The expressions on Emperor Xuanyuan’s and Emperor Ziwei’s faces froze, yet their muscles continued to tremble uncontrollably.

"..." Yun Che turned his head slightly, casting a sidelong glance at Emperor Xuanyuan and Emperor Ziwei, then let out a soft hum. He spoke in a low voice, "You two. You have one more chance to speak."

His indifferent and contemptuous tone was that of an emperor with absolute power bestowing mercy upon two of the lowest commoners.

The three Yama Ancestors slightly lessened their pressure, causing the two God Emperors to feel an immediate reduction in their burden. Emperor Ziwei clenched his fists, thinking of his life as an emperor and the countless ancestors of the Ziwei lineage. With a sudden grimace, his gaze turned exceptionally fierce.

Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly noticed that Emperor Xuanyuan's aura beside him was rapidly diminishing.

"Very well," Emperor Xuanyuan said, closing his eyes and speaking in a low voice. "If the Devil Master treats the Xuanyuan lineage with leniency... the Xuanyuan clan will willingly serve him."

The phrase "realm annihilation" was too crushing, powerful enough to override everything—including a God Emperor's dignity and honor.

Even a figure like Qianye Fantian had willingly knelt before Yun Che for the survival of the Brahma Emperor God Realm, exchanging his own life for its continuation. How could Xuanyuan possibly resist?

Dignity, pride, lineage, even the merit of saving the world—all were utter nonsense in the face of absolute power and ruthless methods.

"Xuanyuan, you... what did you say!" Emperor Ziwei's gaze snapped to him, his face contorted in disbelief.

"Heh," Emperor Xuanyuan gave a bitter laugh. The words were out, irrevocable, and his expression paradoxically eased slightly. "We could die proudly in battle, but that might only lead to the annihilation of our star realm and bloodline. Cang Shitian is right; the Devil Master is not the Dragon Monarch; he possesses neither righteousness nor mercy."

"To cling to life, though it may earn the world's scorn, would at least preserve the Xuanyuan lineage. Besides... the truth of what happened back then is now known to all. Even if we refuse to yield and die today, would the world truly see our deaths as dignified?"

Having spoken, Emperor Xuanyuan let out a long breath. Half of his words were directed at Emperor Ziwei, and half at himself.

His peripheral vision caught Yun Che's position, and his heart was filled with an endless sense of dread and despair.

Before today, none of the four God Emperors of the Southern Region believed that the Northern Divine Realm could ever contend with the Western Divine Realm.

However, witnessing firsthand the terror of Yun Che’s entourage and the annihilation of the Southern Divine Realm shattered that notion. With Cang Shitian's decisive defection, Emperor Xuanyuan's will finally crumbled.

"A wise choice," Cang Shitian said with a slight smile.

"Xuanyuan, have you gone mad?!" Ziwei trembled from head to foot, roaring hoarsely. "We carry the legacy of true gods, upholding hundreds of thousands of years of ancestral glory! Even if we meet a tragic end, we must never become slaves to others! My Ziwei lineage... even the lowest profound practitioner would never fear death. Why must you debase the Xuanyuan lineage?!"

Emperor Xuanyuan closed his eyes, offering no reply. His choice had nothing to do with fearing death.

"The Southern Sea was destroyed because it gravely injured itself with its own Southern Sea God Cannon! Our two realms possess hundreds of thousands of years of accumulated power and countless mighty individuals; how could we be so easily defeated by them? They likely won't even get close before being engulfed by the wrath of the Dragon God Realm and the siege of the entire Western Divine Realm! If that happens, not only you, but the entire Xuanyuan Realm will be dragged down, with no escape!"

"..." Emperor Xuanyuan remained silent.

"Well said," Yun Che commented, though a sneer of contempt twisted his lips. He then stated coolly, "Xuanyuan is temporarily spared. Ziwei... kill!"

At the Devil Master’s command, the power suppressing Emperor Xuanyuan vanished instantly. His arms fell to his sides, and in his relief, cold sweat poured down his entire body like a sudden downpour, soaking him completely in moments.

The full might of the three Yama Ancestors instantly converged upon Emperor Ziwei. A series of excruciating "crack" sounds immediately followed—the sound of Emperor Ziwei’s bones shattering under the immense pressure.

With the combined might of the three Yama Ancestors, even Nan Wansheng would have found it impossible to resist, let alone Emperor Ziwei. His face was ashen, his protective energy flickering like a dying flame, yet his eyes remained resolute, blazing with an increasingly intense purple glow.

With another sharp crack, Emperor Ziwei's chest dramatically caved inward, and blood gushed from his seven orifices. At that very moment, the purple light in his pupils intensified to its absolute peak, and he let out a sudden, agonizing roar.

"Aaaargh!!!"

Like a collapsing violet sky or a violently exploding purple sun, that instant saw boundless purple light unleash world-shaking divine might, somehow tearing a rift in the formidable power blockade of the three Yama Ancestors.

From within the rift, Emperor Ziwei stumbled free, but in the next instant, all the Yama Devils struck in unison, multiple layers of Yama Devil power descending upon him.

The lingering purple light twisted sharply, propelling Emperor Ziwei to violently tear through space, breaking through the crushing Yama Devil power. He knew that resistance in this situation was utterly futile, and even dragging an opponent down with him was impossible. The only thing he could do was escape at all costs.

Truly a King Realm God Emperor, Emperor Ziwei's desperate burst of power surpassed every moment of his life, showcasing the full majesty of a Southern Region God Emperor as he forcefully broke free from the blockade and suppression of the three Yama Ancestors and all Yama Devils. Though only temporary, it was enough to astonish the world.

Having unleashed power beyond his limits, Emperor Ziwei felt a momentary dizziness, but his body did not falter. He desperately urged his last remaining energy, fleeing southward.

But as a faint shadow flickered, a steadily enlarging hand appeared in his field of vision. His spiritual senses screamed of a rapidly approaching sword aura, one he knew all too well.

It was Emperor Xuanyuan.

The palm struck Emperor Ziwei’s chest directly, and an incredibly sharp tearing sound reverberated.

Emperor Xuanyuan's expression was utterly cold, almost devoid of emotion. As his palm slammed into Emperor Ziwei, endless sword qi surged from his palm, piercing Ziwei’s body and mercilessly ravaging it without a trace of hesitation or pity.

As a King Realm God Emperor, once his choice was made, he would no longer hesitate or waver.

He had chosen to kneel before Yun Che, and thus, Emperor Ziwei—his former ally, who refused to yield—became the means to prove his sincerity.

After forcibly breaking free from the three Yama Ancestors and the Yama Devils, it was easy to imagine how severely Emperor Ziwei’s power would be depleted. Struck at a moment when he had no reserves, he couldn't even counterattack, much less muster any resistance.

"You..."

With that single, incredibly weak word, Emperor Ziwei’s body was already riddled as if pierced by a thousand swords, hundreds of thin streams of blood spurting from him. At that precise moment, a spectral claw from Yama Second clamped down tightly onto Emperor Ziwei’s back.

Yama Tianxiao and the other Yama Devils’ power instantly arrived, firmly suppressing his body and any strength he might have tried to muster again.

This time, Emperor Ziwei did not struggle further. He seemed to have simply accepted his fate, his somewhat unfocused eyes fixed on Emperor Xuanyuan. There was no disappointment, no mockery; perhaps he was not at all surprised by Emperor Xuanyuan's sudden attack—not since Xuanyuan had chosen to kneel before Yun Che.

"Xuanyuan, listen to me," Emperor Ziwei said, his voice hoarse. "I have nothing to say about your choice. But my Ziwei lineage, even if utterly annihilated, will never become slaves to devils!"

He abruptly turned his gaze, fixing it on Yun Che. "Yun Che," he declared, "since you've chosen to burn all bridges, the resistance of my Ziwei Realm... will surely paint you crimson with blood!"

"Heh heh, ha ha ha ha." Cang Shitian suddenly burst into laughter again, shaking his head and scoffing. "Brother Ziwei, it's truly rare for a God Emperor of twenty millennia to be so incredibly naive. Resistance? Crimson blood? Are you so certain your Ziwei Realm even possesses such qualities?"

"..." Emperor Ziwei's brows furrowed slightly.

"The devils of the Northern Realm have accumulated nearly a million years of hatred; every single one yearns to sacrifice their life for this war that will overturn the heavens. Meanwhile, the Ziwei Realm, as a supreme King Realm, has enjoyed over seven hundred thousand years of unparalleled peace and comfort. This generation, the previous generation, and the one before that... none have ever endured a truly devastating calamity. Are you certain that when devils arrive, their first reaction will be resistance, rather than fear and chaos?"

"Even the mighty Eastern Divine Realm was utterly crushed by the Northern Divine Realm in successive blows, leading to its realm kings scrambling to kneel and surrender. Does Emperor Ziwei truly believe the Southern Divine Realm will fare much better?"

"Hmph!" Emperor Ziwei scoffed disdainfully.

"Furthermore... death? Tsk, tsk." Cang Shitian grinned sinisterly, then turned and bowed. "Devil Master, the Ten Directions Azure Sea Realm is quite similar to the Ziwei Realm, and Shitian knows the Ziwei Realm intimately. The Ziwei lineage possesses unique profound energy and essence blood that benefits not only themselves but others, making them highly suitable for harvesting. While their annihilation would be gratifying, it would be a considerable waste. Therefore, Shitian humbly suggests..."

"Instead of killing them, it would be better to keep them. After conquering the Ziwei Realm, the Ziwei lineage could be confined like livestock: men serving as slaves, women as prostitutes. Their Ziwei profound energy could be regularly harvested for the Devil Master and his devil race. This would not only be immensely beneficial, but those Ziwei clansmen who fear death might even be eternally grateful, generation after generation, for the Devil Master's life-sparing benevolence."

"In this manner, within a few generations, the Ziwei lineage would transform from a former imperial clan into a slave race for devils, a legacy passed down forever. After all, there is nothing in this world easier to cultivate than servility."

Yama Tianxiao and the other Yama Devils all reacted, their brows furrowing. Despite their intense hatred for the profound practitioners of the Southern Region, they clearly felt a deep chill at that moment.

Emperor Ziwei abruptly lifted his head, his pale face—which had steadfastly refused to show any hint of submission—now overlaid with a terrifying bluish-black pallor. His pupils, contracting violently, seemed to shatter into radiating purple streaks.

Qianye Wugu cast a deep glance at Cang Shitian, then slowly closed his eyes.

As Qianye Wugu saw it, Cang Shitian had rapidly weighed the pros and cons. As a Southern Region God Emperor, he had decisively and utterly defected to Yun Che, sparing no effort to prove his utility and loyalty.

Thus, if one day the Northern Divine Realm were to fall to the Western Divine Realm, or if another power emerged strong enough to crush Yun Che, Cang Shitian would undoubtedly be the first to defect. And before his departure, he would likely deliver the most treacherous backstab.