Chapter 217: The Emperors' Vote

The mission offered a reward of 50 million merit points, which felt rather meager. The mission had a high threshold and was arduous. Only this much merit for three thousand eras of hard work? One could earn more just by casually gathering treasures in the Dream Domain.

“This mission was discussed and assigned to me by several Emperors? Which Emperors are they?” Luo Feng frowned slightly. Before he fully mastered the Twenty-Four Phase World Lifeform, he was unwilling to engage in significant conflict with the Emperors.

“Master, I’ve received a mission assignment,” Luo Feng immediately messaged, sending the complete mission details to his master.

“Refuse it,” Di Chu immediately ordered. “Cultivating the primal chaos bloodline beast egg is extremely troublesome. You’d need to devote your attention to it, care for it meticulously, and constantly be under surveillance. You couldn’t afford the slightest slack. Three thousand eras… that would significantly impact your cultivation. This is arduous, thankless work. Those Divine Kings at the second tier who are stagnant in their cultivation, especially those skilled in avatars, might take on this task to curry favor with a certain Emperor. You have no need to accept it,” Di Chu advised.

“Yes, Master,” Luo Feng replied. He had no intention of accepting. He already possessed the primal chaos bloodline materials for the Twenty-Four Phase World Form. If he wanted even stronger primal chaos bloodline materials, he would need ‘Ultimate Realm power primal chaos bloodline’ biological materials, which were forbidden from being spread outside the two ancient kingdoms’ royal families. Based on Luo Feng’s understanding, the Ancestor’s avatars would be watching, making it impossible to gain anything for himself even if he served as a guard.

“From what I know of them, if you refuse, they’ll have a backup plan,” Di Chu instructed. “No matter how they threaten or persuade you, simply refuse. Leave everything else to me.”

“I understand, Master,” Luo Feng thought to himself. *Refuse, and they’ll have a backup plan?*

***

In Huyang City, at the City Lord’s Mansion.

Luo Feng was on a high-level pavilion, drinking fruit wine.

“My Life Path has finally reached the second tier of Divine King,” Luo Feng mused, feeling quite relaxed. After the Life Lotus was rooted in his inner world, Luo Feng became incredibly attuned to the Grand Dao of Life. His study of the Star Tower’s life runes also greatly assisted him, as life-related runes constituted the largest portion of the Star Tower.

Just tonight, the three major branches—‘Life Spirituality,’ ‘Life Body,’ and ‘Source of Life’—had perfectly merged, advancing his realm further. This would also make his comprehension of the Twenty-Four Phase World Form smoother.

“As soon as I displayed a bit of my Divine King second-tier strength, the Emperors began to notice me,” Luo Feng thought, holding his wine cup. Previously, he had only publicly shown himself as an invincible Divine King first-tier, able to contend with the Sky鲲 Nation Lord relying on multiple avatars, and the Emperors had ignored him. Now, each of them was paying attention to him, even plotting against him.

Luo Feng could sense faint, obscure threads of karma beginning to entangle him. These karmic threads were subtle yet profound, making it difficult for Luo Feng to discern who they were connected to. Precisely because he couldn’t detect the connections, Luo Feng could deduce the outcome.

“Given my realm, and even my spiritual will cannot detect who these obscure karmic threads are linked to, then it must be the Emperors and Monarchs. Ultimate Realm lifeforms are self-contained and complete, capable of isolating themselves from all karmic scrutiny. Naturally, I can’t perceive them.” Suddenly—

The ambient temperature rose, and invisible white flames began to manifest.

“Hmm?” Luo Feng’s expression subtly changed.

The surrounding universal laws of operation shifted, transforming into the laws of flame. Within the spreading white flames, a fiery female face materialized, gazing indifferently at Luo Feng.

Upon seeing her, Luo Feng immediately stood and respectfully bowed, saying, “Luo He greets Your Majesty, Emperor.”

The only female figure on the Origin Continent capable of wielding such terrifying flames was Emperor Wu, one of the thirteen Emperors of the Blazewind Ancient Kingdom, and she was also Master Di Chu’s mortal enemy. “Accept the mission to cultivate the primal chaos bloodline beast egg immediately,” the female face commanded indifferently.

“Your Majesty, I cannot accept,” Luo Feng shook his head. The woman’s eyes immediately grew much colder. Invisible white flames instantly invaded Luo Feng’s body. His World Lifeform felt extreme pain; in mere moments, his body was scorched to a near-illusory state, then began to recover. The terrifying flames deliberately held back their full power, burning Luo Feng’s body to the brink of annihilation without completely destroying it.

“An entry-level World Lifeform is still too weak before an Emperor,” Luo Feng realized the immense disparity at that moment.

“Just because you apprenticed under Di Chu, you dare refuse me?” the female face stared coldly at Luo Feng. “You must take this mission. Should you dare refuse… all disciples of your sect, Dao River Sect, will turn to ash.”

Luo Feng’s face changed. “Your Majesty!” An Emperor was actually so shameless as to threaten him with the lives of all Dao River Sect disciples?

“Speak. Do you accept, or refuse?” the female face gazed at Luo Feng indifferently.

***

“Emperor Wu, are you threatening my disciple?” A terrifying dark aura descended, wantonly corroding the surrounding white flames. The dark aura formed a colossal figure, staring at the female face. “If you dare to annihilate all the disciples of the Dao River Sect, I will kill another one of your children. Guess who I’ll kill this time?”

The female face looked at him, her eyes burning with intense killing intent.

She had five children in total. In previous eras, Di Chu had completely eradicated two of them, leaving no chance for reincarnation! Now, only three children remained! If all her children were dead, she would have no lingering attachments and would fight Di Chu to the death. But precisely because three remained… she had to be extremely cautious.

“For a single disciple, you threaten me?” the female face fumed.

“Yes, I am threatening you,” Di Chu said, looking at the woman. As an Ultimate Realm lifeform of the Grand Dao of Destruction, and with the aid of powerful secret treasures for curse-killing, he could kill Emperor Wu’s children whenever he wished; they simply couldn’t survive. Even if they hid within Emperor Wu’s palace, Di Chu’s personal curse-killing would make it impossible for Emperor Wu to protect her children.

“Good, very good,” the female face sneered. Then, all the white flames dissipated, and she vanished completely. “Master,” Luo Feng said, looking at Di Chu.

“Have you seen their shamelessness now?” the figure of Di Chu, coalesced from terrifying aura, chuckled.

“I never thought an Emperor would threaten me with the lives of an entire sect to make me do something.” Luo Feng was truly enlightened. He could understand resorting to unscrupulous methods for treasures beyond Divine King-level. But for a mere mission, to threaten with the lives of an entire sect? Luo Feng felt that these so-called Emperors acted with less regard for face than ordinary Divine Kings or ordinary Chaos Realm cultivators.

Di Chu said, “When power is unconstrained and one can do as they please, a strong enough state of mind is needed to control oneself.” Luo Feng nodded.

Unbeatable power in the hands of a madman was indeed terrifying.

“As they cultivate the primal chaos bloodline, their bloodline will contaminates their will, making them act more wantonly,” Di Chu shook his head. “I also need to leave her three children as a restraint on her. In the future, if you get entangled with Emperors or Monarchs, contact me immediately, and I will help you resolve it.”

“Thank you, Master,” Luo Feng said, feeling quite grateful.

“Of course, the best way is for you to grow strong yourself,” Di Chu smiled slightly and then departed.

Luo Feng nodded. He was already fully dedicated to comprehending the Twenty-Four Phase World Form.

***

Within a vast space.

Twelve thoughts converged here, manifesting into twelve vague, majestic figures. These were the twelve Emperors of the Blazewind Ancient Kingdom, excluding Emperor Qing. Each of their auras was terrifyingly immense, as if complete Grand Daos had descended—some capable of destroying heaven and earth, others resembling endless abysses, or brimming with boundless vitality…

“This gathering was proposed by Emperor Yan,” Emperor Fu stated. “Emperor Yan proposes stripping Luo He of his guest elder status! According to the royal family’s rules, stripping a guest elder’s status requires the agreement of at least half of the attending Emperors.”

The guest elder system was established by the Ancestor. Stripping guest elder status was not something one or two Emperors could decide.

“Strip him of guest elder status?” Di Chu chuckled. “My disciple, Luo He, possesses extraordinary talent. He was invincible at the first tier of Divine King as soon as he became one, and now he’s reached the second tier. The blade light he unleashed earlier was already considered top-tier among Divine Kings at the second tier. With such talent, Emperor Yan, you want to strip him of his guest elder status?” Di Chu shook his head.

“Does our royal family need to care about the talent of a mere rogue cultivator? Even the Myriad World Nation Lord wouldn’t dare defy our Blazewind Ancient Kingdom!” Emperor Yan sneered. “The dignity of our Blazewind Ancient Kingdom is what matters most.”

“How has such a young fellow offended the dignity of our Blazewind Ancient Kingdom?” Di Chu pressed.

Emperor Yan said indifferently, “Since becoming a Divine King, Luo He has refused every single mission offered to him, never accepting one! Instead, he has exploited his status as an Emperor’s disciple to claim inheritances worth over 200 million merit points. A guest elder who only knows how to take and not to give… I believe the royal family has no need for such a guest elder!”

“The inheritances he claimed were granted by me,” Di Chu stated. “It’s customary for Emperors to bestow inheritances upon their disciples.”

“Though customary, he still refuses to accept any mission,” Emperor Yan retorted.

“I personally met with him and instructed him to take the mission, yet he didn’t even show me, an Emperor, any regard and still refused,” the fiery woman, Emperor Wu, chuckled softly. “What good is a guest elder who disregards an Emperor’s commands?”

“He refused even when you personally spoke to him?” a hazy figure interjected. “Since an Emperor personally met with him and instructed him to do something, he should have obediently accepted. Such disregard for hierarchy—I also support stripping him of his guest elder status.”

“What? Just because you’re of noble status, he has to obey you? He has no right to refuse?” Emperor Ming chuckled softly. “Even the Ancestor set the rule that guest elders have the right to refuse. Yet, it seems in front of you, Emperor Yuan, he loses that right.”

“In their eyes, even an Emperor’s disciple should be at their mercy, to be controlled or even annihilated,” Emperor Xuan said coldly from the side. Emperor Fu looked at the scene before him with a headache. “Everyone, let’s decide on Emperor Yan’s proposal,” Emperor Fu urged.

The result was soon determined.

Those who agreed to strip Luo He of his guest elder status were Emperor Yan, Emperor Xi, Emperor Wu, Emperor Yuan, and Emperor Wu—five in total.

In fact, Emperor Wu’s personal visit to Luo Feng, and Luo Feng’s continued refusal, had displeased some Emperors. A number of Emperors cared deeply about hierarchy! A minor rogue cultivator who showed no respect to an Emperor deserved punishment! This was also why Emperor Yan dared to propose stripping Luo He of his guest elder status.

However, Emperor Yan and his allies had, over the long eras, severely offended several other Emperors. For instance, Emperor Xuan, who also highly valued hierarchy, unhesitatingly stood against Emperor Yan and his faction. His disciple, ‘Emperor Guixu,’ had been forced to such an extent that Emperor Xuan considered it a great humiliation! Emperor Yan and his two allies had shown no regard for Emperor Xuan’s reputation whatsoever! Emperor Kong, too, always voted against Emperor Yan.

Thus, in the end, those who disagreed were Emperor Chu, Emperor Ming, Emperor Xuan, Emperor Kong, Emperor Jiufeng, and Emperor You—six in total. Emperor Fu abstained.

“Emperor Fu, you abstained?” Emperor Yan was furious. Before proposing it, he had estimated the probability of this proposal’s success to be extremely high. He never imagined that Emperor Fu, whom he had often favored, would abstain.