Volume 9, Chapter 581 – The Immortal Emperor

“Forgive me, my daughter never told me!”

Yu Wan lowered his gaze as he replied.

“Is it that she didn’t tell you, or that you don’t dare to say? If, in the end, even after I find her, the outcome is still failure, then why should I bother saving her?”

Luo Yao interrogated coldly.

“My daughter truly didn’t tell me. But this humble one believes, whether it will succeed or not, shouldn’t benefactor at least try? If you’re unwilling to even try, then it can only mean your will isn’t firm. In that case, this humble one has nothing else to say.”

Yu Wan answered calmly, almost as if demonstrating composure.

“You certainly know how to talk.”

Luo Yao sneered softly, then asked: “Speak. Where exactly is your daughter?”

“She is within the spatial ring of the Immortal Emperor on Lanhuan Planet. I beg benefactor to render aid. When the time comes, she will naturally tell you everything you wish to know.”

Yu Wan explained carefully.

“Good. I hope she truly has the ability you claim. Otherwise, if she dares treat me as a chess piece, she won’t be able to afford the price.”

Luo Yao issued her warning, then turned to leave.

“Wait, benefactor! You must take this with you!”

Yu Wan produced a jade vial and held it out.

“What is this?”

Luo Yao did not immediately extend her hand.

“This is Heaven-Deceiving Water. Spread it evenly over your body and it will, for a short time, block the will of the Heavenly Dao. Before you meet my daughter, do not forget to use it, otherwise every word exchanged will be detected by Heaven.”

Yu Wan’s explanation was grave.

Rеаⅾ on КatRеaԁіոɡСаfe

After a brief hesitation, Luo Yao reached out to accept it. Better to have it than not.

“Then I leave my daughter in your care, benefactor.”

Yu Wan bowed deeply once more.

Luo Yao paid him no further heed and quickly approached Lanhuan Planet.

She arrived nearby and began scanning with her senses. At this moment, Lanhuan Planet was already covered densely with countless silhouettes, some on the ground, some in the skies, and even some beyond the atmosphere. They were activating powerful formations, layer upon layer, sealing off the entire planet.

On a certain area of the planet’s surface, several thousand immortals and cultivators had surrounded a tall, imposing man in the center.

This man was strikingly handsome, with sharply defined features. He wore a ceremonial robe embroidered with five-clawed golden dragons, and on his head rested a tall crown of pure gold, its hanging beads glittering. A sovereign’s aura radiated from his entire being.

“Immortal Emperor, please, you must let Tianjizi come out to meet us. The Day of Blood is fast approaching, I must find a sliver of hope for survival!”

“Yes, we do not wish to offend your majesty, but this concerns all of our lives. Today, we must insist you stay!”

“Immortal Emperor, this humble one only wishes to meet Tianjizi once. Please release her, whatever conditions you have, state them.”

The thousands surrounding him spoke up one after another, pleading. It was obvious that this man was indeed the Immortal Emperor.

“Enough! All of you get out of this Immortal Emperor’s sight! Otherwise, do not blame me for striking!”

The Immortal Emperor’s harsh voice thundered, utterly unsympathetic. His expression had already reached the limits of impatience, for Tianjizi had foretold that today his death would arrive.

“Peerless Immortal Emperor, we too are subjects of the Wushuang Immortal Kingdom! As sovereign, how can you stand by and watch us die?”

Someone cried out.

“I will say it again, Tianjizi is not in my hands. If you know what’s good for you, step aside at once. I will act as though nothing happened.”

The Immortal Emperor strained to keep his temper.

“Does the Immortal Emperor think us three-year-old children? Yu Qian was taken into the Immortal Palace when she was still very young. If she isn’t in your hands, then whose hands could she be in?”

Rеaԁ οո KαtRеаⅾіոɡСafе

An elder with white hair and beard questioned coldly. He wore a simple white robe without a single ornament. His entire being exuded a transcendent air, untouched by worldliness.

Behind him stood many disciples, each bearing the waist token of Zhenyu Sect.

“Sect Master Song, the Immortal Palace is not governed by me alone. On what basis do you claim she must be in my hands?”

The Peerless Immortal Emperor argued slyly.

“This matter was personally leaked by Li Wei, commander of the palace guards, your close confidant. How could it be false?”

The old man shot back. It was clear now, he was Sect Master of Zhenyu Sect.

“Li Wei!”

The Immortal Emperor spat the name through clenched teeth, then drew a deep breath. “Are you questioning me, your sovereign? If you believe everything he says, then what is he, your father, or your mother? Why not carve his name on your ancestors’ tablets and worship him together?”

“What lofty majesty! What a foul mouth! Do your actions honor the dragon robe upon you?”

Sect Master Song retorted with resounding force. Then he turned to the crowd: “Fellow immortals, you see it clearly. This so-called Immortal Emperor disregards our lives, monopolizes Tianjizi, and utterly lacks virtue to match his position. Since that is the case, why show him any face?”

“Exactly! I’m already staring at death, why should I care if you call yourself Immortal Emperor or not?”

“Right! If you hand over Tianjizi today, we’ll still acknowledge you. But if you persist in obstinacy, then the Wushuang Immortal Kingdom needs another Immortal Emperor.”

“Others may fear you, but my Zhenyu Sect does not! Our Sect Master is also a mid-stage Heavenly Immortal!”

The cultivators’ emotions surged, roused into open defiance.

“Hmph! Just a flock of chickens and dogs, yet you dare spout such arrogance before me?”

The Peerless Immortal Emperor laughed in anger. Lifting his head, he sighed: “Yu Qian, Yu Qian… Are these rabble the calamity of death you spoke of? It seems Tianjizi also miscalculated!”

As his words fell, the Peerless Immortal Emperor shot into the skies, intending to leave. As sovereign, it was indeed inappropriate to slaughter his subjects wholesale. Unfortunately, he had only risen a few dozen zhang before crashing into a barrier that blocked his path.

Rеаԁ οո КatRеaԁingСαfe

A treasured sword appeared in his hand. He struck the barrier several times, but the great formation did not so much as tremble. Frowning, he extended his divine sense to investigate and saw high above in the skies a massive bronze incense burner floating silently. A stick of incense burned within, its smoke rising straight into the heavens. The divine sense it emitted twisted space itself, descending to envelop all of Lanhuan Planet. Clearly, this was the formation’s source of power.

“Trying to flee? To deal with you today, I’ve even brought out Zhenyu Sect’s Sect-Protecting Treasure, the Heaven-Sacrificing Censer!”

Sect Master Song’s face glowed with pride.

“This Immortal Emperor already gave you a chance. Since you insist, do not blame me for a massacre!”

The Peerless Immortal Emperor’s patience shattered. His divine sense surged outward, pouring down like a waterfall.

“Hmph!”

Sect Master Song snorted. His own divine sense, nearly equal in power, burst forth to form a vast shield, resisting the Emperor’s onslaught. “To slaughter your own subjects, you are unworthy of the throne. Today, your reign ends!”

“Song Tang, do you know why, though we are both mid-stage Heavenly Immortals, I am sovereign of a kingdom while you are only a sect master? Today, I’ll show you!”

The Emperor’s expression grew grim. Flames erupted around him. On his robe, the embroidered five-clawed golden dragon suddenly writhed alive, transformed into a living beast that soared upward, slamming against the divine sense formation overhead.

BOOM!

The collision shook heaven and earth. A crack appeared in the great formation.

“Elder Zou! Light the second incense stick!”

Sect Master Song shouted.

Far above, a Zhenyu elder flew swiftly to the Heaven-Sacrificing Censer, inserting another giant incense stick. At once, the divine sense from the heavens doubled in power, sealing the cracks shut.

“Hmph! You think only you can add?”

The Immortal Emperor sneered. Two more golden dragons burst from his robe and hurled themselves against the barrier.

CRACK!

Another fissure split the formation.

Rеad оn KαtRеαdіոɡСafе

“Add more! Add more!”

Sect Master Song’s voice grew urgent.

The elder drew out another incense stick and thrust it into the censer. The divine sense pouring down from the heavens doubled once again. Space itself began to visibly warp from its intensity.

“I’d like to see just how many you can add!”

The Immortal Emperor mocked, surging his qi. Three more golden dragons flew from his robe, soaring upward.

CRACK!

Upon impact, countless cracks spiderwebbed across the formation.

“Add! Add! Keep adding!”

Sect Master Song roared like a madman.

“Sect Master, no! The ritual only permits three incense sticks. Any more is to defy Heaven itself!”

The elder by the censer cried out.

“If you will not add, then this Immortal Emperor shall!”

The Emperor’s lips curled in a sneer. Three more golden dragons erupted from his robe, ramming the divine sense formation.

CRACK!

Under the combined force of nine golden dragons, the great formation shattered completely.

“Golden Dragon Purgatory!”

The Peerless Immortal Emperor roared. The nine golden dragons did not dissipate. Instead, they tore through layer after layer of sealing formations, bursting into the planet’s atmosphere. Their bodies swelled until each stretched hundreds of thousands of li. Then they joined head to tail, forming a colossal fiery net that began rapidly contracting inward.