Chapter 915: Marionette

Marionette

"This..."

Seeing this from inside the bowl, Sun Bumian was slightly stunned, then spoke in astonishment, "Is an Emperor Candidate ascending the throne... supposed to have this kind of spectacle?"

Bai Ye also frowned deeply. He looked gravely at Wu Qiong in the sky, who seemed to be wrapped in a cocoon of golden threads. It seemed he hadn't expected things to suddenly develop in this direction either.

If they were merely choosing an "Emperor" for the new era, why were these Imperial Remnants from the old era so agitated?

Under the chaotic sky, golden figures rose from their respective mountain peaks. Looking at the sole remaining Wu Qiong, the faces of a large portion of them revealed helplessness and disgust. It was as if they truly had no other choice before they surged into Wu Qiong's body one after another...

Endless imperial might began to radiate from within her, and Wu Qiong's temperament changed rapidly. Her originally lively eyes gradually filled with various chaotic thoughts, becoming numb and rigid. But at the same time, the aura around her began to skyrocket like a rocket!

First-Tier, Second-Tier, Third Tier, Fourth Order...

Hundreds of Imperial Remnants resided within Wu Qiong's body. Their imperial might intertwined, like a pair of invisible giant hands frantically plundering the foundation belonging to the Ancient Vault of the Imperial Path.

Even the Dao Foundation of the Ancient Vault of the Imperial Path on the upper layers was being extracted bit by bit, gradually gathering above Wu Qiong's glabella into a kind of extremely mysterious pattern...

Imperial Fate.

"They want to forcefully create an emperor with their own power?!" Seeing this, Bai Ye's tone was filled with extreme astonishment.

"Create an emperor? Just relying on these remnants?" Sun Bumian raised a brow. "Shouldn't one only be able to become an 'Emperor' by being recognized by the Path of the Sovereign and stepping onto it? This can actually be artificially created?"

"There are two ways to step onto a Divine Path. The first is for a Divine Path Star to directly guide a person of exceptional talent to step onto the corresponding Divine Path; the second is to enter the corresponding Divine Dao Ancient Repository and obtain the recognition of the Dao Foundation. Currently, most realms use the second method... but the situation in the Ancient Vault of the Imperial Path is very special," Bai Ye explained in a deep voice.

"The Ancient Vault of the Imperial Path has been lost for hundreds of years, and its power is incredibly weak. However, these Imperial Remnants parasitize the Ancient Vault, yet they haven't been affected much... It's like a group of refugees temporarily living under the eaves of a treasure vault. As time passes, the mechanisms and guards of the vault grow weaker and weaker, and this group of refugees gradually penetrates deeper, usurping the treasures within."

Sun Bumian understood and spoke thoughtfully,

"So, these Imperial Remnants want to steal the power of the Ancient Vault of the Imperial Path and support a puppet emperor?"

"Actually, if you think about it carefully, this is normal." Bai Ye swept his gaze over those Achievement Monuments one by one, his expression somewhat complex.

"The Emperor, since ancient times, has been the pinnacle of human power... Anyone who sat in that position bore the weight of conspiracies and warfare. They have seen the world at its very peak and tasted the flavor of ultimate power... How could such people not be moved when facing a power like the Ancient Vault of the Imperial Path?

Who among them wouldn't want to recreate their own glory in a new era?"

"No wonder... I was just thinking that trying to pick an emperor for the new era from just a few dozen kids seemed a bit too hasty." Sun Bumian shrugged.

"In the end, the slaughter between them was just a test of obedience by the Imperial Remnants.

First, they selected a group of proactive and expressive individuals from these hundreds of children. Those willing to show off in front of everyone to strive for power were also the first batch to respond to the emperor's gaze. As they continuously tried to win the emperor's favor, they were already being brainwashed invisibly...

At this point, they were divided and grouped together. Through the forms of 'Emperors' and 'followers,' this batch of children was allowed to taste power. Then, they were guided step by step, with increasingly excessive demands made of them—for instance, to abandon emotions and kill each other.

And then, they let these so-called 'Emperor Candidates' fight to the death. I've read the admonitions in those palaces; they seem reasonable, but they're actually inducing them to let go of their sense of self. The further they walk on the Path of Ascension, the more severe the brainwashing becomes... until finally, they obey every command of the Imperial Remnants, completely losing themselves.

How is this some trial for a new emperor? This is an out-and-out puppet cultivation plan!"

Bai Ye had already understood everything and felt deeply how dirty the schemes of this group of emperors were. Let alone a group of children, even if a batch of mentally sound adults were thrown in, they would probably all excitedly think their time to Defy Fate had come, stepping into the emperors' traps step by step, perhaps acting even more ruthlessly than the children.

But despite all their calculations, these emperors didn't calculate that a Chen Ling possessing the Imperial Fate would appear halfway...

Unknown identity, unknown Divine Path, unknown origin, unknown purpose. Yet from the very start, he chased the candidates down, hacking his way from "Leaping in the Abyss" all the way to "Flying Dragon in the Sky," destroying everyone's Associate Emperor Destiny, leaving only Wu Qiong as the sole survivor.

If the Imperial Remnants had acted a step later, even Wu Qiong would have been gone...

Thanks to Chen Ling, the Imperial Remnants no longer needed to struggle with choosing, nor did they need to expend effort screening people. Regardless of what some emperors thought of a woman like Wu Qiong claiming the title of emperor, regardless of whether they were disgusted or not, they had no other choice.

All the Imperial Remnants converged toward Wu Qiong. Just when Sun Bumian and the others thought it was almost over, another figure flashed from the highest Achievement Monument. Carrying an unprecedentedly mighty imperial aura, he gradually overlapped with Wu Qiong's body...

Boom—!!!

A golden hurricane erupted from Wu Qiong, sweeping across the Ancient Vault!

Jian Changsheng lay flat on top of the Achievement Monument, digging his hands tightly into the ground to ensure he wasn't blown away.

"Damn it... what's going on?!" Jian Changsheng had just seen an Imperial Remnant emerge from beside him without even looking back at him.

Although Jian Changsheng was slow to react, he could roughly guess who that emperor was by now. He couldn't understand; the text before clearly said he wanted him to be his subject. How could he just turn around and enter Wu Qiong's body without a word?

He's gone, so how am I supposed to get down???

Just as Jian Changsheng's thoughts were running wild, a dazzling Imperial Robe containing the aura of the Ancient Vault of the Imperial Path was outlined from the void, slowly draping over Wu Qiong.

Her black hair fluttering in the wind, Wu Qiong hovered in the air draped in the Imperial Robe. Threads connected her to those Achievement Monuments. From afar, she looked like a Marionette exuding an oppressive aura.