Chapter 605 - 604: The First Empire

Chapter 605: Chapter 604: The First Empire

This glorious scene was something no one from the Celestial Cloud Empire had ever imagined. Now that it was a reality, they were all overcome with excitement. This was an achievement they could never have accomplished on their own.

In their eyes, reaching the peak of a third-grade faction was already astonishing. The members of the Celestial Extreme Sect, in particular, felt they would have been thanking their lucky stars just to return to their former glory. Looking back, it seemed their ambitions had been far too small.

All eyes were fixed on Yi Tianyun. If not for him, they would still be barely surviving in a declining faction, on the verge of being wiped out at any moment.

"There is no need for any of you to be so tense," Yi Tianyun said calmly. "While it’s true I moved against the World Dragon Empire, that was because they moved against me first. I have always lived by a simple principle: I don’t strike unless struck. As long as you don’t provoke me, I will not move against any of your empires."

The Great Emperors rejoiced inwardly. It seemed this new Great Emperor was quite magnanimous and didn’t intend to hold their past actions against them.

But before their joy could last, Yi Tianyun added, "That being said, I have taken note of the choices each of you here has made in the past."

A chill ran through the crowd, as if a basin of cold water had been dumped over their heads. His words—"taken note of"—made them shudder. ’Does Yi Tianyun plan to do something to us?’

’As expected, it’s not that simple. This new Great Emperor wants to establish his authority,’ Emperor Qianyuan thought, sipping his fragrant tea with a relatively calm expression.

Although Emperor Qianyuan was not as powerful as the World Dragon Empire, he was not someone who could be easily pushed around. He had always preferred peaceful coexistence and had no intention of stirring up conflict.

The best proof of this was his presence here today to witness Yi Tianyun’s ascension. For the second-ranked empire to come and pay its respects was a clear sign that he had set aside his pride.

"Of course. Anyone in his position would do the same. The consequences of choosing the wrong side can be terrifying..." The old man beside him shook his head. ’It’s not like we don’t know that.’

Whether it was a third-grade faction or an Imperial Influence, everyone understood this situation perfectly. For instance, when several Princes vied for the throne, they would engage in clandestine struggles. The ministers’ choice of which Prince to support was crucial. If they chose poorly, the consequences were easy to imagine...

"I have received your well-wishes, and I thank you for your gifts. From this day forward, as long as you keep to yourselves, I will have nothing more to say. But if you provoke me, or harm my people, I don’t care which Imperial Influence you are—your fate will be the same as the World Dragon Empire!"

Yi Tianyun’s gaze turned cold. The powerful aura of an expert bore down on everyone, shocking many of the Great Emperors. The terrifying pressure made their hearts sink. The legs of those with weaker cultivation levels began to tremble, and some already had their backs drenched in cold sweat.

His aura alone was enough to make them feel immense pressure. ’If he were to truly strike,’ they wondered, ’what would that even feel like?’

’Spirit King Stage cultivation...’

Emperor Qianyuan immediately estimated Yi Tianyun’s approximate cultivation level when he felt that aura, which left him somewhat puzzled. ’Can a Spirit King Stage Cultivator overthrow the World Dragon Empire?’ However, according to reports from his spies, it seemed Yi Tianyun had used some kind of Absolute Skill or a powerful Treasure to instantly gain god-slaying power.

Although he hadn’t been there to see it, anything that could unleash enough power to kill a Supreme Ancestor was definitely no ordinary item.

’I wonder what kind of Treasure it could be?’ A flash of curiosity crossed Emperor Qianyuan’s eyes, but that was a matter he knew he couldn’t pry into.

He didn’t know where Yi Tianyun drew the line or the full extent of the situation, so he wouldn’t dare to ask carelessly. It was the man’s trump card. Who would reveal that so easily?

He, at least, would never reveal his own, not even to his closest family!

"Yes, yes... We won’t make a move. We’ll be on our best behavior."

"That’s right! We will treat the Cultivators of the Celestial Cloud Empire as honored guests..."

They all nodded hurriedly, pledging their loyalty and promising they would not cause trouble or act on selfish intentions.

Watching their obsequious nodding and bowing, Yi Tianyun felt nothing, not even a trace of arrogance. This was the result of strength. Without strength, everything else was just empty talk.

Then, with a light raise of his hand, several precious Treasures landed before the Great Emperors who had chosen to support him. The sight stunned many of the onlookers.

"These are your rewards," Yi Tianyun said casually.

"Th-Thank you, Celestial Cloud Emperor!"

They were overwhelmed with gratitude. They had coveted these Treasures before, but only from a distance; they would never have dared to ask for them. To have the items suddenly placed right before their eyes was unbelievable.

The Imperial Influences that had chosen to support Yi Tianyun were all relatively weak, so to them, these Treasures were practically national heirlooms.

How could they not be thrilled to be gifted so many of them at once?

The other empires exchanged glances, their eyes filled with complex emotions. He was truly clear-cut with his rewards and punishments. Those who chose to support Yi Tianyun had been immediately rewarded.

’This new Great Emperor is interesting... He’s rather magnanimous. If he weren’t, this could have been troublesome,’ Emperor Qianyuan mused with a nod. He had come here to get a clear measure of Yi Tianyun’s character. If he had turned out to be an absolute tyrant, they would have had to seriously reconsider their position.

"Well then, I’ll say no more about what’s past." Yi Tianyun finally broke into a smile. "Let the banquet officially begin! Let us all enjoy this day!"

He clapped his hands, and a troupe of dancers who had been waiting in the wings came on stage to perform. The banquet had officially begun. However, the Great Emperors were in no mood to watch. A chill had already settled in their hearts. They were just thankful that Yi Tianyun was relatively magnanimous; otherwise, they would have been finished for sure.

Had it been the World Dragon Empire in his place, they would have been skinned alive, even if they were spared death.

The banquet ended quickly. Most of the Great Emperors had simply endured it, worried the entire time that Yi Tianyun might suddenly go back on his word and lash out at them. It was only after they were dismissed that they realized they had been worrying for nothing.

’Is the Celestial Cloud Empire going to become the First Empire?’

’Isn’t it obvious? The World Dragon Empire was crushed. What are we compared to them?’

’As long as the Celestial Cloud Emperor is around, no one will dare to provoke them. It’s a good thing he didn’t hold our past actions against us...’

’As long as he lets it go, nothing else matters.’

In their hearts, every Great Emperor now acknowledged the status of the Celestial Cloud Empire. More importantly, they acknowledged Yi Tianyun’s personal might. The Celestial Cloud Empire itself wasn’t particularly strong; its power was concentrated entirely in Yi Tianyun.

After they had all departed, a new notification finally popped up before Yi Tianyun.

"DING! Successfully completed Main Quest: ’Become the First Empire’! Reward: 2 billion EXP, 20 million Madness Value, 2 million Skill Level points (freely distributable), and 2 million Sin Value. You have also obtained the title: ’I Am the Great Emperor’!"