Volume 1, Chapter 274 – Rewarding Merit

Inside the grand hall of the Imperial Palace, the top battle strength of the human race stood gathered in solemn silence.

Taishi’s eyes were half closed, as though he were deep in thought. After a long while, he slowly spoke.

“Because the Myriad Demon Ruler and the Purple Cloud Demon Venerable both interfered, the connection between the Illusory Star Domain and the Vast Land of Shenzhou is unstable, riddled with flaws. Both the demon and devil races have left hidden measures within it…”

At this point, a trace of irritation surfaced in Taishi’s calm gaze.

“Though I have already used the Human Race Annals to lay down Dao-Prohibiting Divine Patterns, they can only block demons and devils above the Emperor level. As for the remaining demonic and devilish evils, they all have opportunities to exploit.”

The expressions of the Human Emperors below the jade steps all changed.

“Sovereign, in this battle beyond the realm, our human race also suffered no small losses. We need time to recuperate and recover. I fear it would be unwise to lightly begin another war…”

A middle-aged man in a brocade robe patterned with blazing suns spoke respectfully, his brows knit.

Taishi shook his head slightly and swept a sharp gaze over the people below.

“The native forces within the Illusory Star Domain were already a mixed crowd to begin with. Now there are also the hidden measures left behind by demons and devils. To integrate it completely will require a great deal of time and effort. You may handle those matters as you see fit. The Imperial Court will impose no further restrictions. As for the territory within the Illusory Star Domain, no matter who it is, so long as it can be brought fully under the control of our human race, the Imperial Court will personally bestow it and designate it as your respective fiefs, to be passed down through the generations!”

The instant the words fell, the atmosphere in the hall tightened abruptly.

The eyes of the Human Emperors all filled with unmistakable delight.

No matter who it was, once one stepped into the Human Emperor Realm, one qualified to petition the Imperial Court and obtain a piece of land in the Vast Land of Shenzhou as one’s own fief. Whether one wanted to found a sect or pass down a Human Emperor clan, no one had the authority to interfere.

This was fundamentally different from ordinary martial artists founding sects. Once the Imperial Court formally enfeoffed a region, that region became something akin to a state within a state.

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To a certain extent, so long as one did not commit a fundamental crime such as betraying the human race, then within those territories one no longer needed to obey certain regulations laid down by the Imperial Court and could even evade the oversight of the Human Race Annals.

A figure in green robes appeared abruptly in the hall. It was Liu Yunzhen, who had just added a new entry to the Human Race Annals.

“Greetings, Heavenly Master Liu.”

Seeing Liu Yunzhen, all the Human Emperors bent slightly and offered half a salute.

Liu Yunzhen turned slightly to the side and returned the gesture with folded hands.

“You have all worked hard in this battle beyond the realm.”

“You overpraise us, Heavenly Master.”

Taishi lifted his head slightly, looked toward the Human Emperors below the steps, and rose to his feet.

“I will enter seclusion to recuperate for a period of time. Afterward, on an auspicious day, I will enter the Yellow Springs of the underworld and summon back the spirit souls of the outstanding figures who fell in this battle in Chengtian Domain. If any of your blood descendants were broken in this war, report their true names and birth dates and times to Liu Yunzhen. If it is convenient when the time comes, I will bring them back together with the others.”

“We are deeply grateful for the Sovereign’s grace.”

The Human Emperors bowed in a great salute, all letting out inward sighs of relief. The cost of reversing yin and yang was extraordinarily high, enough to badly damage even a Human Emperor. Naturally, it was a good thing if they could save themselves that expense.

This also counted as an additional reward for their battle in the starry sky beyond the realm.

“That is all for today.”

Taishi brushed his sleeve and turned around, no longer looking at the people below.

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“May the Sovereign ever be at peace. We take our leave…”

Before the words had fully fallen, only Taishi and Liu Yunzhen remained in the hall.

“Sovereign…”

“I already know.”

The moment Liu Yunzhen began to speak, Taishi shook his head and interrupted him. After the Human Emperors had left, the majesty about him had faded considerably. He no longer referred to himself as “this Emperor,” and his aura had become very gentle.

“You used the Human Race Annals without authorization, but you did so in a moment of urgency. I do not blame you. As for that uninvited guest who came across the river of spacetime…”

Taishi’s upright figure showed a trace of weariness. Supporting himself on the dark-gold armrest of the imperial seat, he slowly sat down, looking somewhat tired.

“I no longer have the energy to deal with it.”

Liu Yunzhen’s expression changed slightly, and he asked with some concern, “Is it serious?”

“In the end, I am old…”

Leaning back against the imperial throne, Taishi let out a long breath. There was a trace of loneliness in his quiet laugh.

“In this battle beyond the realm, I had originally hoped to use the threat brought by the Demon Emperor and the Demon Venerable to take that final step. In the end, I still fell short. At most, I have a thousand years of lifespan left.”

He had ruled as Emperor for nearly fifty thousand years. After a lifetime of slaughter, his blood and qi had long begun to decline. He was no longer at his peak to begin with, and the burden brought by the Human Race Annals this time had inflicted no small amount of damage on him as well.

Liu Yunzhen was not surprised. A trace of worry surfaced in his eyes.

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“In the past thousand years, our human race has produced quite a few prodigies. There are several with the bearing of emperors, but they are still too young. The demon and devil races have also produced a few monsters. The situation is not optimistic.”

Taishi shook his head slightly, his gaze resolute.

“When I go to the Yellow Springs this time, I will bring Ling Chu back across.”

“Ling Chu… Back then, you personally stripped away one of his souls and two of his spirits and sent him into the Ninefold Nether. And now you mean to bring him back…”

“Ling Chu’s talent does not lose out even to the Great Emperors of the primordial era. At the very least, before my lifespan runs out, I must leave a safeguard behind for the human race.”

Liu Yunzhen sighed and said no more.

Taishi looked toward the borderlands, his gaze profound, as though seeing through the primordial wilderness itself.

“There is still a pearl buried in dust within Chengtian Domain. Unfortunately, there is power from beyond this world upon her. Though she is human, she is not of my Lingyang stock. Let fate decide…”

…

…

Knock… knock-knock…

A crisp sound of knocking broke the stillness of the early morning and drew Shi Lan out of cultivation.

Shi Lan slowly finished her circulation and opened her eyes. A violet hue filled the depths of her pupils.

It had already been nearly half a month since that earth-shaking and terrifying great battle. Shi Lan had been regulating her blood and qi and recovering from the hidden injuries she had sustained during the fighting. By now, she had more or less recovered.

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After brushing the snow-white strands scattered over her forehead back behind her head and tying them up, Shi Lan slowly got out of bed and opened the door.

“Father, is something the matter?”

Looking at Shi Tianlu standing outside the door with a stack of brand-new armor in his arms, Shi Lan looked puzzled.

“Today, several Demon-Suppressing Marshals will be distributing rewards according to merit at the Battle Merit Hall. All officers of Thousand Commander rank and above must be present.”

As Shi Tianlu spoke, he handed over the armor in his hands. A trace of joy he could not conceal showed between his brows.

“Distributing rewards according to merit…”

Shi Lan repeated the words softly, then slowly nodded. She reached out, took the armor Shi Tianlu offered, and closed the door.

After taking off her own clothes, Shi Lan put on the armor piece by piece.

While adjusting it, Shi Lan noticed that something was wrong. This suit of armor was entirely black, with hidden silver patterns and special engraved designs. It also came with a snow-white cloak.

“This is… the armor of a Demon-Suppressing General…”

Shi Lan froze for a long while, stroking the silver-thread darksteel belt at her waist, unable to come back to herself for some time.

Armor was not something one could wear casually, and the Demon-Suppressing Army would never make that kind of mistake. No wonder Father had looked so happy just now.

Thoughts churned chaotically through Shi Lan’s mind, and for a moment she did not know how to react.