Chapter 668: What We Hate Most Are Lies and Betrayal

The Qian Desolation Lord was momentarily dazed. The First Emperor was standing in the cosmos, standing before him, yet he felt as if the First Emperor was seated upon an imperial throne, reigning over the myriad heavens and worlds.

Arrogant, proud. This wasn’t the first time the Qian Desolation Lord had encountered someone so insolent.

Even the strongest in the Eight Desolations, Supreme Immortal Baoyi, wasn’t this haughty, because Supreme Immortal Baoyi knew he wasn’t the strongest; the Immortal Realm still loomed over the Eight Desolations.

This person called the First Emperor, however, seemed to believe he was already invincible under heaven, unaware that above the myriad heavens and worlds lay the Immortal Realm, unaware of how laughable his self-proclaimed formidable power was in the face of the Immortal Realm.

The Qian Desolation Lord had seen plenty of people like this, relying on being the strongest in their own world to act tyrannically and look down on everyone else.

Just how strong could the strongest be? At most, they were like himself, at the peak of the Tribulation Transcendence Stage.

“Fellow Daoist First Emperor…”

The First Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly. With a single thought, an invisible force suppressed the Qian Desolation Lord, making his bones creak.

“What qualifications do you have to speak of being fellow daoists with Us?”

The Qian Desolation Lord was horrified. To suppress him so easily, the other party was at least at the late-stage Earthly Immortal level.

To possess such power in the current environment was absolutely problematic!

The Eight Desolations side was collectively shocked. They drew their long-prepared weapons, wary of the First Emperor.

Originally, seeing the other party was alone, they thought they could handle him at will. Now, judging by the strength the other party had displayed, it was unclear which side was the hunter and which was the prey.

They could not confront him head-on; they needed to plan carefully.

“Your Majesty…” The Qian Desolation Lord lowered his head in submission.

The First Emperor then shifted his gaze to the group of cultivators behind the Qian Desolation Lord.

The group of cultivators felt as if they were being stared down by a hegemon who ruled over ten thousand worlds. Not submitting meant death.

“Your Majesty.”

Though reluctant, pressured by the First Emperor, they had no choice but to submit.

Only then did the First Emperor’s expression soften slightly.

“We have also heard of the name of the Eight Desolations. Though not as strong as the Nine Provinces, within the myriad heavens and worlds, it is still considerable.”

“We grant you one opportunity. Let the Eight Desolations World submit to Us, offering tribute to Our immortal dynasty once every ten years. In return, We shall protect the Eight Desolations from the encroachment of the Immortal Realm.”

What arrogance, the Qian Desolation Lord thought to himself.

“Might this humble one inquire as to what Your Majesty means by ‘encroachment of the Immortal Realm’…” The Qian Desolation Lord pretended to know nothing about the matter.

“The Immortal Realm intends to destroy the myriad worlds, and the Eight Desolations are among them. We, as the master of the Nine Provinces and the future master of the myriad worlds, naturally will not permit the Immortal Realm to do such a thing.” The First Emperor said lightly, his grand ambition evident.

“Such a thing exists!” The Qian Desolation Lord exclaimed in shock and fear.

The Qian Desolation Lord hesitated for a moment before saying, “Your Majesty is wise. This matter of the Eight Desolations submitting is of great importance, not something we alone can decide. Could Your Majesty be gracious and grant us some time to deliberate?”

“Our patience is limited.”

“Ten days at most. We will definitely have an answer within ten days.” The Qian Desolation Lord vowed earnestly.

“Five days.”

“Seven days.” The Qian Desolation Lord wanted to delay for as long as possible.

“We are not negotiating with you.”

Frightened, the Qian Desolation Lord hurriedly changed his words: “Within five days, we, the Eight Desolations, will definitely give you our answer.”

“Go.” The First Emperor turned and left.

Watching the First Emperor’s retreating back, the Qian Desolation Lord felt an urge to ambush him with an immortal artifact but forcefully suppressed it.

It was better to let the Yin-Yang Two Immortals and Supreme Immortal Baoyi decide how to deal with the Nine Provinces.

“We’ve run into an iron plate,” the Qian Desolation Lord muttered. The Eight Desolations had run rampant across the myriad heavens and worlds, but this was the first time they had encountered someone even more domineering than themselves.

…

“Your Majesty, may I ask what caused the spatial tremors?” Seeing the First Emperor return so quickly, Commander Liu inquired.

“It was merely the Eight Desolations World being blind and colliding with the Nine Provinces. We explained the stakes to them and gave them one chance to submit. They will give Us their answer in five days.”

It was actually the Eight Desolations World. Commander Liu was slightly surprised but didn’t pay it too much mind.

With the First Emperor present, the Eight Desolations World couldn’t cause any waves.

“What if the Eight Desolations do not submit?” Commander Liu didn’t think the First Emperor would simply let the Eight Desolations go.

After unifying the Nine Provinces and establishing the immortal dynasty, the First Emperor had set his sights on the myriad heavens and worlds. The Eight Desolations delivering themselves to his doorstep meant leaving wouldn’t be so easy.

“We have already shown utmost benevolence and righteousness. If they do not submit, then We shall kill until they submit.”

When the First Emperor said this, he didn’t even lift his eyelids.

“Having experienced this, We have an idea. Commander Liu, help Us consider it and see if it is feasible.”

“Multiple worlds have already submitted to the Nine Provinces. However, the Brahma Tower is broken. Even after being reforged, its power is not as before and it cannot establish spatial passages.”

“The connection between the Nine Provinces and other worlds can only rely on the teleportation arrays developed by Our beloved official Bai. This is inefficient. Moreover, the flow of time differs between worlds, causing too many delays.”

“Since that is the case, why not have the Nine Provinces actively collide with other worlds? This way, one day, all the myriad heavens and worlds will fall under Our control.”

Commander Liu hesitated for a moment before saying, “Your Majesty is wise. This plan is ingenious. However, this humble subject worries that the spatial tremors caused by world collisions would be a great catastrophe for the other worlds.”

The First Emperor waved his hand. “That is of no concern. We can pacify the spatial tremors. No danger will occur.”

“This humble subject’s consideration was lacking.”

…

Five days later, the First Emperor opened his eyes.

Soon, a guard reported, “Your Majesty, the Qian Desolation Lord of the Eight Desolations World requests an audience.”

“Let him enter.”

“Greetings, Your Majesty.” The Qian Desolation Lord came alone to see the First Emperor.

“Rise.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. After deliberation, we hope the Eight Desolations can receive the protection of the Nine Provinces. The Eight Desolations is willing to bow its head in submission. This is the will of everyone in the Eight Desolations, from top to bottom.”

“The Eight Desolations has made preparations to welcome Your Majesty’s inspection.”

“This humble subject, though lacking in talent, requests Your Majesty to grace the Eight Desolations with your presence.”

The First Emperor stood up and said only one word: “Granted.”

The other seven Desolation Lords were waiting at the border between the Nine Provinces and the Eight Desolations. Together, the eight Desolation Lords invited the First Emperor to the Qian Position Desolation Lord Palace.

The Qian Position Desolation Lord Palace had been cleaned several times. The atmosphere was lively, as if the essence of the Eight Desolations had been gathered here for the First Emperor’s inspection.

Rare Treasures, immortal path cultivation techniques, Spiritual Treasures, and immortal stones were displayed in dazzling array.

All cultivators at the Unity Stage had come to the Qian Position Desolation Lord Palace. Seeing the First Emperor, they greeted him with smiling faces. Becoming a vassal state of the Nine Provinces was a great fortune.

“Please, Your Majesty, take your seat.”

The Eight Desolations had gathered skilled craftsmen to forge an imperial throne for the First Emperor, welcoming his arrival.

The Qian Desolation Lord also presented a memorial. The memorial recorded the number of cultivators in the Eight Desolations: eight at the Tribulation Transcendence Stage, one hundred and eight at the Unity Stage, tens of thousands at the Spirit Transformation Stage, and so on.

The eight Desolation Lords and a hundred Unity Stage cultivators sat below. Palace maids sang and danced, the aroma of wine filled the air—it was a very lively scene.

“Come, let us toast to His Majesty.” The Qian Desolation Lord presided, having everyone raise their cups and wine.

The First Emperor was not in a hurry to drink. Instead, he asked.

“Beloved Official Qian, in your memorial, you wrote that the strongest in the Eight Desolations are you eight at the Tribulation Transcendence Stage. Then, from where do the immortals hiding behind Us come?”

“And for what purpose was the great array beneath Our feet laid?”

As the First Emperor said this, a faint, almost imperceptible smile played on his lips.

The Qian Desolation Lord’s smile froze. He hadn’t expected the plan to be exposed so quickly.

He believed everything had been done with extreme secrecy; the other party shouldn’t have been able to discover it.

Unless the other party’s spiritual sense was exceptionally powerful.

*Clatter—*

A wine cup fell to the ground.

The Qian Desolation Lord acted decisively. The shattering of the cup was the signal. His face turned vicious: “Now!”

*Clang-clang-clang—*

The sound of clanking chains rang out. Several shackles forged from immortal metal appeared on the imperial throne, firmly imprisoning the First Emperor upon it.

At the same time, several immortals revealed their auras, suppressing the First Emperor.

Among them, there were actually a full three Celestial Immortals!

Instantly, murderous intent surged sky-high within the Qian Position Desolation Lord Palace, targeting the First Emperor alone!

The First Emperor paid no heed to any of these threats. He stared at the Qian Desolation Lord and said calmly.

“What We hate most are lies and betrayal.”

“And you of the Eight Desolations have committed both.”