Chapter 133

Cloud Sea City stood atop the auspicious land of the Heavenly Gate peaks.

This place was towering and majestic, with overlapping mountain ranges.

At the summit sat a magnificent and splendid palace, as if it were a treasure of heaven and earth, shining brilliantly.

This palace was named "Qiankun Terrace."

The architectural style of Qiankun Terrace was unique, possessing both classical charm and a sense of immortality.

The roof of the palace was covered with golden glazed tiles, which flashed with dazzling light under the sun.

The pillars were carved from rare jade, crystal clear and emitting a faint luster.

Qiankun Terrace was divided into a main hall and secondary halls; today, those who came to the main hall were basically the heads of the major sects of the Nine Abyss Sacred Domain.

They wore green robes, jade crowns on their heads, and each wore magic treasures that shimmered with spiritual light.

Especially those at the head, they could be described as having vigorous auras, with an extraordinary temperament revealed between their brows.

In the cultivation world of the central May Tian Ce Dynasty, these people were existences who could stir up the wind and clouds, all being Sect Masters of well-known major sects.

If it were in the past coming to such a grand venue, these people would all be full of smiles, greeting acquaintances, talking about the recent development of their sects, and showing off what genius disciples they had recruited.

But today, this group of people seemed to have heavy expressions, because they all belonged to the Nine Abyss Sacred Domain, and the Alliance Leader of the Nine Abyss Sacred Domain had failed in his sneak attack on the current Emperor and was now locked in a dungeon.

They had come this time upon invitation to discuss with the Emperor of the May Tian Ce Dynasty how to handle the matter of Lord Dingtian Shangren.

Whether to pressure the Emperor to release Lord Dingtian Shangren or to distance themselves from him would depend on the upcoming negotiations.

It wasn't the first or second time sect forces had met the Emperor; some imperial family members, even princes, had joined sect forces.

But such a large-scale collective meeting with the Emperor was the first time in nearly a thousand years.

Because as sect forces became increasingly powerful, various privileges had emerged.

From the beginning of not kneeling before the Emperor, to the later imperial personal welcome.

These were all statuses exchanged by the powerhouses of the sect forces with their strength.

Therefore, in the eyes of these sect leaders, sect forces were superior to everything, including the top imperial families among the secular clans.

At this moment in the main hall, there were already three Sage Realm experts: the "newly promoted" Sage Realm powerhouse, Lady Lady Youlan of the Heaven Derivation God Sect; Mu Mu Qingrou, the Master of the Purple Cloud Immortal Mansion; and Master Master Wanfeng, the He He Zongzhu of the Spirit Flame Dao Sect.

In the cultivation world, some sects were accustomed to using Daoist names, while others used their original names; this was their respective tradition.

These three also had their auras fully unleashed, with all special effects activated; a terrifying power of heaven and earth began to spread from the main hall, making the elders and disciples in the secondary halls feel shocked.

One could see Lady Lady Youlan with two brilliant divine rings suspended behind her, her whole body as if placed in a sea of flowers and a galaxy of stars; this was the heavenly phenomenon she could display.

Master Master Wanfeng was a legendary wind and fire dual-attribute cultivator, with two red and one green divine rings behind him, his body surging with strange fire, possessing the momentum to swallow heaven and earth and refine all things; he was also a famous alchemist.

Mu Mu Qingrou's cultivation was even more terrifying; she was a top sword cultivator on the continent, with five divine rings behind her, and a giant sword phantom standing behind her, thrusting straight into the ground; she was like a Sword Honored one sitting beside a giant sword!

These few were the face of the Nine Abyss Sacred Domain, existences looked up to by the disciples in the secondary halls.

Waiting in the secondary halls, they already felt boundless pressure approaching.

Many people were even discussing whether the Emperor of the May Tian Ce Dynasty would dare to come today.

"Why hasn't the Emperor of the May Tian Ce Dynasty come yet? It's said that the old thing is both ugly and incompetent; I think it's a struggle just to get to this place."

"I heard Lord Dingtian Shangren was caught in a trap; otherwise, it would be impossible to lose so miserably."

"That's what I'm saying; how could a powerhouse of Lord Dingtian Shangren's strength lose to an incompetent Emperor? It's most likely that the Emperor cheated."

"This is our home turf, and the elders have personally set things up; there can't be any traps. This time, I want to see what other tricks that Emperor can play."

"I hope he is sensible later, releases Lord Dingtian Shangren, and then offers an apology; otherwise, we are not to be trifled with!"

Many sect elders and disciples had already begun to express their views.

They knew the news from the imperial capital, but it was hard to say what it had turned into by the time it reached their ears.

One thing was certain: they felt that even if the Emperor was powerful, he couldn't possibly compare to the various sect powerhouses.

Don't look at the fact that there were only three Sage Realm experts in the main hall; the other Sect Masters were not mediocre either, each releasing their own aura, preparing to give the Emperor a show of force.

Let's put it this way: anyone with lower cultivation entering the main hall would be shocked into vomiting blood by that boundless aura.

The disciples of those sects with Sage Realm experts in the secondary halls were even more arrogant, starting to show off, making other disciples envious, not to mention the thousands of cultivators outside the secondary halls who were watching the show; they didn't even have the chance to enter the secondary halls.

Today, they just wanted to look up to the various big shots of the sects from afar.

At first, it was just a subtle vibration on the ground, which some sect cultivators with powerful senses noticed, causing them to stop what they were doing one after another, their faces showing hesitation.

As time passed, the vibration became more intense, the entire earth was trembling, and even the giant rocks on the mountain peaks were swaying slightly, emitting a dull sound.

The minds of the sect cultivators also tightened, as if they were about to face some crisis.

Just then, a uniform, sonorous, and powerful sound of footsteps rang out, echoing in the valley like thunder, shaking everyone's hearts.

The cultivators looked in the direction of the sound and saw that between the distant mountains, a golden torrent was surging over; in the golden torrent, flags were fluttering, embroidered with dragon patterns, manifesting the nobility and majesty of the imperial family.

They swept over like a golden storm; wherever they passed, the grass and trees bowed, and the mountains and rocks trembled!

These sect cultivators looked at this vast golden-armored army, their eyes full of shock; they had originally thought the imperial family was just a slightly larger clan, a group of pampered and vulnerable nobles.

Only now did they realize that the Imperial Guards within the imperial family were so powerful; the intensity of their momentum was breathtaking, and many sect cultivators put away their contempt.

But this was just the beginning.

Accompanied by a deafening roar, the sky was filled with ten thousand rays of golden light!

A purple divine dragon circled above the nine heavens, shaking the firmament!

An Emperor wearing embroidered dragon robes and a straight posture stepped out from within.

Li Chen's figure appeared in the main hall; just this entrance alone was enough to change the color of heaven and earth and shake the universe!

Mysterious patterns flowed around his body, and divine light bloomed!

Unparalleled divine might shrouded the entire palace.

Nine purple-gold divine rings descended from the sky, surrounding Li Chen.

The powerful aura instantly overwhelmed the three Sage Realm experts in the main hall!

The style of the powerhouse was displayed to the tens of thousands of people present, making them exceptionally excited!

Even many reputable cultivators on the scene were surprised; was this Emperor's strength too exaggerated?

Was this really a commotion that a human cultivator could cause? What's more, this was just the entrance!

One entrance had already left everyone dumbfounded.

But the next second, an even more magnificent scene appeared.

Even the Sect Masters of some nearby sects couldn't help but exclaim: "What! Heavenly phenomena!?"

At this very moment, behind Li Chen, various auspicious heavenly phenomena appeared.

A divine dragon emerged from the abyss, a heavenly phoenix spread its wings, a qilin soared into the sky, a white tiger crouched on the ground, and a black tortoise carried a mountain!

Just the appearance of one of these heavenly phenomena would be enough to prove that this person's strength was shocking.

Now there were five of them, and the whole scene was trembling!

"Is this a god descending to earth? Can a mortal really trigger such phenomena!"

"Damn, look over there, purple clouds coming from the east, this..."

"Is he the Emperor of the May Tian Ce Dynasty? Truly the posture of a human dragon, the momentum of one who dominates heaven and earth!"

"If you didn't say he was the Emperor, I would have thought the Heavenly Gate had opened and an Immortal Lord had descended."

The various sect cultivators who had just been despising the imperial family were now so shocked that their faces changed immediately.

Some even involuntarily wanted to kneel to Li Chen.

Because in front of such a high-level powerhouse, standing was a somewhat impolite phenomenon.

But the problem was, they were noble sect cultivators; wouldn't kneeling lower their status? So this group of people could only endure such powerful might and stand nearby to watch.

And these were just the lingering effects of Li Chen's might; those who truly felt the might on Li Chen were naturally those in the main hall, those who were the key targets of Li Chen's strike this time.

Just as he arrived nearby, Li Chen noticed that this group of people wanted to compete with him in special effects.

In this regard, Li Chen was truly not afraid, so this time he simply went all out.

Because everyone was showing off, he basically opened everything he could.

It was also the first time he had opened so much; the group of people in front of him deserved it.

From the moment Li Chen arrived at the main hall, the three brilliant sect Sage Realm experts had already dimmed. The divine rings and phenomena behind them were shaken into a blur in front of Li Chen's divine rings and phenomena, even showing signs of disappearing.

Lady Lady Youlan's galaxy of flowers was scattered, Master Master Wanfeng's monstrous strange fire turned into sparks, and Mu Mu Qingrou's giant sword phantom turned into a broken sword phantom.

When it came to special effects, Li Chen had never feared anyone.

Next was deterrence; Li Chen was the Emperor who dominated heaven and earth, and he would not allow anyone to sit on equal footing with him.

He hadn't even pampered the local Master Yu, let alone these outside Sage Realm experts.

Everyone had thought that Li Chen, this Emperor, would come in to show off and then lower his aura so that the subsequent conversation could begin.

But Li Chen did not lower it; instead, he frantically drove his meridians, and his terrifying aura continued to rise.

In an instant, everyone in the main hall felt the energy that could destroy heaven and earth rushing toward them.

Especially the three Sage Realm experts, their faces all revealed expressions of horror; they all felt their hearts being tightly gripped by a giant hand.

As long as the owner of this giant hand exerted force, they would undoubtedly die.

In the eyes of everyone in the main hall, Li Chen was like the greatest giant god of heaven and earth, looking down upon them.

!

Even if Mu Mu Qingrou, the most powerful of the three, wanted to resist, she felt she had no chance of winning; just as she was thinking about whether to fight to the death, the people of the Heaven Derivation God Sect actually started to kneel?

"Commoner pays respects to Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty, long live, long live!"

"Commoner pays respects to Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty, long live, long live!"

The first to kneel was naturally Lady Lady Youlan, followed by Lady Yuehua and Ling Tian Shangren.

Don't ask why they knelt so smoothly; it was because they had knelt too many times and were already used to it.

Seeing these three kneel, the elders of the Heaven Derivation God Sect naturally knelt as well.

After they submitted, the deterrence on them indeed became much smaller, and they could finally catch their breath, all feeling a sense of relief.

Lady Lady Youlan was the weakest Sage Realm expert present, so it was reasonable for her to kneel first.

Everyone didn't consider whether she was a plant.

But the second person to kneel was actually Mu Mu Qingrou, which surprised many people; everyone thought she might explode and fight Li Chen, and Master Master Wanfeng hadn't knelt yet, so why did she kneel?

Actually, only Mu Mu Qingrou, who was kneeling on the ground, knew that she was the target Li Chen was focusing on, and she was under the most pressure.

There were only two paths before her: resist and die, or kneel and live.

Seeing Lady Lady Youlan kneel, there was already a step down, so she naturally followed suit.

Because at this time, resistance had no meaning; if you couldn't beat him, you couldn't beat him, and she could feel it herself.

Following her kneeling, the female cultivators of the Purple Cloud Immortal Mansion also knelt in a row.

Now the one under the most pressure was Master Master Wanfeng; this guy already had blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, as if he were the one with the most guts in the Nine Abyss Sacred Domain.

Just as Li Chen looked at him with appreciation, preparing to kill him, he still knelt.

"Commoner pays respects to Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty, long live, long live!"

A slogan that resounded through the clouds was shouted from Master Master Wanfeng's mouth.

Resisting for dozens of seconds was his dignity as a Sage Realm expert and He He Zongzhu of the Spirit Flame Dao Sect, and it was also his principle.

Kneeling was his respect for a powerhouse of Li Chen's level.

Seeing these few kneel, the others naturally knelt in a row.

Whether it was the Sect Masters in the main hall, the elders and elite disciples in the secondary halls, or even the sect cultivators watching the show on the periphery, they all knelt on the ground in unison, shouting "Long live Your Majesty."

Because they discovered that the louder you shouted, the less pressure you felt.

Seeing that everyone present had submitted, Li Chen then restrained his aura and said, "Rise."

As he spoke, he sat on the main seat without any hesitation; this time, no one had any opinions, as Li Chen's strength was displayed, which could block many people's mouths.

After Li Chen sat down, the eyes of the people present gathered on him, and they began to observe him seriously.

Even many people in the secondary halls ran over to watch secretly.

Only then did they realize how ridiculous the rumors from the outside were; he wasn't old and ugly at all, but simply young and handsome, and his strength was ridiculously strong.

It simply overturned their stereotypical impression of an Emperor.

Now no one questioned how Lord Dingtian Shangren lost; they were all thinking: Lord Dingtian Shangren really dared to fight!

Damn, isn't this courting death?

Let alone fighting Li Chen, many sect elders were afraid just by looking at Li Chen.

This was the place they had set up, and they had arrived early; it was impossible for Li Chen to play any tricks, so didn't that mean this was solid strength?

Many female disciples on the scene had eyes full of admiration; if they had known the Emperor was so handsome, why join any sect! They should just join the harem directly!

After Li Chen sat down, he still had to act out the part.

"Inviting everyone here this time is also to explore the future planning and development of the sects."

As soon as he spoke, he established the theme of this meeting.

Everyone in the main hall was very strange; wasn't it to discuss the handling of Lord Dingtian Shangren? How did it get to the future planning of the sects?

However, Li Chen didn't say, and they didn't dare to bring it up.

They had originally intended to use their powerful strength to force Li Chen to give them some face and release Lord Dingtian Shangren.

Now these Sect Masters felt that if they dared to bring up this topic, it was hard to say whether Lord Dingtian Shangren could come out, but they might end up going in to accompany him.

As Li Chen's plant, Ling Tian Shangren of the Heaven Derivation God Sect spoke up to echo him, reciting the draft he had gone over with Pang Jin.

At this meeting, it was generally to tell the sect leaders present that in order to avoid a second Lord Dingtian Shangren, the imperial court would establish a certain connection with the major sects.

This connection would allow both sides to understand each other while also gaining benefits.

For example, now that war had started in the north, the imperial court could issue missions for sect cultivators to attack some cities of the Snow Eagle Royal Court; then, sect cultivators would not only have a place to train but also gain rewards.

If they established merit in the north, they could even establish their own forces there, obtain some resource subsidies, and develop; these were all possible.

Not only in the north, but if there were so-called "bounties" in various regions, missions could be distributed to sect cultivators.

In any case, many of these people were idle, and this could utilize their abilities.

But this would pull the sects down from the altar, and their status superior to the secular world would disappear.

Regarding this point, Li Chen also said it very simply: if you want to listen to me, then listen; if you don't, I will destroy you.

The Nine Abyss Sacred Domain was just the first location for Li Chen's policy implementation; he would also go to inform the other alliances.

I have made my words clear; if you think you have the ability to beat me, come and try; if you listen to advice, then everyone develops together.

When he finished speaking, these sect leaders began to discuss.

Li Chen had also thought at the time that he could "enslave" these sects, but that was very troublesome and required spending a lot of time to manage, purely increasing his own workload.

These sect cultivators only feared him, the powerhouse, which didn't mean they feared others.

If conflicts arose between the subordinates and the sect cultivators, it would easily lead to a chaotic situation.

So Li Chen changed to another method, which was "free-range."

Li Chen didn't want to keep them in captivity; just treat them as free-range dogs. These dogs were fierce and helped him bite people, so he would give them some bones.

Captivity would be much more troublesome; these sects would move into the imperial capital, and if they were threatened, they might even seek help from the imperial family; wasn't that looking for trouble for himself?

Besides, with Li Chen's strength, he could indeed suppress the sects, but future monarchs might not necessarily have this strength.

Once these sects moved into the imperial capital, it would be difficult to make them leave.

Just as the previous Emperor didn't leave Li Chen with too much of a mess, Li Chen didn't need to leave trouble for the Emperors who followed.

Li Chen coming here to plan the sect forces was secondary; the main thing was to see how the women arranged by Lady Lady Youlan were.

After Li Chen's observation just now, he could be sure that Lady Lady Youlan's taste was no worse than the Empress Dowager's!

(End of Chapter)