Chapter 500 - 498:'Do you dare?'

Chapter 500: Chapter 498:“Do you dare?”

The imperial throne room.

The place was lively in the way a gathering of nobles wielding powers that spanned multiple worlds and potentially galaxies could possibly be.

Multiple people had already taken their seats as conversations were abounding,

"Looks like it’s serious this time around, the sect master even brought out one of their ancestors." A woman in a beautiful red gown said to the man sitting by her side,

"Indeed. Apparently, the emperor had killed one of their grand elders a few days ago and now the sect master has come seeking an explanation."

"Hoho... the Spirit Ascension Sect grows bolder by the day, doesn’t it? To think they even dare ask the emperor for an explanation."

"Well, when you’re backed by the Calderans, you tend to feel like overstepping a few boundaries."

The two conversed as they shook their heads at the audacity of the Spirit Ascension Sect.

Meanwhile, across from them, two men stood in solemn conversation as they discussed the same topic, but with vastly differing opinions from the first two that had spoken,

"Looks like the emperor is acting out again, humph!" A man in a black robe with golden stripes running down the side spoke in dissatisfaction.

"It can’t be helped. No one truly knows how powerful the emperor has gotten, who he has supporting him, or what other trump cards he has, and now even the new Calderan overseeing the High Planar Galaxies has gone silent, unwilling to speak out. It is only natural that the emperor starts feeling like he owns these lands." His friend shook his head softly as he reasoned.

"His foolishness will only cause unrest and turmoil across the land. Can’t he see that? Can’t he see how foolish a thought it is to go against the Calderans? Or does he believe their silence to be submission?"

"Shhh... keep your voice down. You’re still within the imperial castle, his domain, and if you value your life, you would watch your words." ℯℯ𝘭.

"Humph!" The black-robed man merely huffed yet remained silent, for no matter how dissatisfied he was, he preferred his life more than anything.

...

All around, conversations kept going, and each one was particularly centered around the reason this meeting was convened.

Most sided with the emperor as no matter what, the man was still the assigned ruler of the lands, and any form of disrespect was a punishable offense, the penalty of which the emperor had all rights to decide.

So now, seeing the sect master of the Spirit Ascension Sect walk in here in full confidence, intending on having the emperor himself explain anything, felt like the greatest disrespect given to the one who was supposed to be the supreme ruler of the lands.

Yet, just like in any society, there were those that sided with the Spirit Ascension Sect.

The emperor’s methods of doing things since he took power could be summed up into one sentence:

"Act first, ask later."

It wasn’t a small number of supreme families and lineages that had been wiped out during the emperor’s earlier reign as he had dubbed them,

"Tumors." "Cancers eating at the heart of his High Planar Galaxies."

And without so much as convening an audience, the man had launched a galactic purge.

The entirety of the High Planar Galaxies saw so much blood that till date, that event still remained etched within the hearts of the people.

And as if it wasn’t bad enough, the psychopath had even dared to annihilate the then-overseeing Calderan prince, which led to the Calderans having to replace him.

And yet, even after all that, the Calderans have remained silent. The current overseer having never stepped foot outside the Spirit Ascension Sect’s borders out of fear that the emperor might get handsy again. Since then, a simple rule had existed within the inner circles of the nobles:

"Do not cross the emperor. Do not cross his lines. Do not let him find incriminating dirt on you. Or all hell shall be experienced."

A rule they lived by till date. And naturally, that had caused some of the nobles to be very unsatisfied. Particularly those that had benefited from when Lin emperors deferred to the Calderans and didn’t bother checking too deep into affairs that weren’t within the Martial Spirit World’s sphere of influence.

So now, seeing someone here to actually hold this tyrant accountable for his actions, they were naturally delighted and hopeful that the emperor might be taken down a notch. After all, for the sect master to be here, he must’ve gotten a go-ahead from the Caldera family themselves.

...

...

Shen Wu Zhen stood silently amidst the ongoing conversations as he didn’t let them faze him.

It didn’t matter if they were talking against him or supporting him; it wasn’t going to change his reasons for coming here today.

He had come for an explanation, and he wasn’t leaving without one.

He glanced back at the elder behind him. The old man had already closed his eyes in silent meditation as he stood motionless like a statue. His confidence soared ever high as he was assured that, with an ancestor here, nothing was bound to go wrong.

His eyes shifted to the very front of the throne room where three thrones could be seen sitting on an elevated platform.

The one in the middle and on the right being empty as a figure was currently sitting on the throne to the left.

Lin Luo Yao, still radiant in her attire, with her veil covering her face, sat elegantly on her throne. As she felt a gaze directed towards her, her head raised slightly and her gaze locked onto those of Shen Wu Zhen. The man gave her a warm smile, and the woman lit up brilliantly.

Lin Tian stood like a silent guardian by her side, expression blank as he tried to calm the currently raging old soul within him.

"THESE UNGRATEFUL BASTARDS!!! AFTER EVERYTHING THE IMPERIAL FAMILY HAS DONE FOR THEM?" The man was livid. Here he was, finally feeling nostalgic about returning home after who knows how long, only to find himself in the middle of opportunists that didn’t care for their oppression and only cared for profit. Yet even that wasn’t as aggravating as,

"This foolish little girl!! Since when were my descendants so blind!!? Ah, the Dao be cursed. They must have inherited it from me. I.. have failed them." He truly couldn’t take it. The sight of his descendant melting at the obvious manipulation from a descendant of the man that had joined in the orchestration of his downfall.

That was a type of pain he never thought possible in this lifetime.

"Senior.. please calm yourself. What’s wrong? Talk to me. I’m sure we can—" Lin Tian tried to comfort his senior, but a declaration from the master of ceremonies cut him off:

"The emperor and the empress have arrived!!"

The announcement successfully cut off all the conversations as everyone stood at attention.

It didn’t matter if they’d been talking against him or for him; all voices went quiet instantly as they awaited the entrance of the supreme ruler.

Creak!

The massive double doors to the throne room opened with a regal creak as the figures of the emperor and his wife appeared at the entrance. For a moment, the entire hall was taken aback by the sight before them.

There, expression blank and unimpressed, stood Lin Xuan, not in his traditional emperor’s garments, but in a... sweatshirt.

Su Yin was trying her hardest not to sigh at her stubborn husband’s decision, but the man himself couldn’t care less as he took his first steps into the throne room.

The moment the emperor moved, the hall came alive as everyone cupped their fists and then,

"WE GREET THE EMPEROR!!" They bowed in greeting.

It didn’t matter if you liked him or not.

It didn’t matter if you agreed with him or not.

Whenever the emperor was present, all heads bowed, or at least that’s how it was supposed to be, as,

"Hmmm?" Lin Xuan paused his steps, his gaze falling upon Shen Wu Zhen and the old elder as the temperature within the hall dropped.

The elder’s eyes snapped open in alarm as he locked gazes with the emperor’s indifferent eyes.

"Sect Master Wu," he called out as Wu Zhen froze in place, feeling the beastly stare locked onto him, "shall I take this as the Spirit Ascension Sect disregarding the authority of the crown?" Lin Xuan asked. His voice wasn’t loud. It wasn’t even threatening, yet that made Wu Zhen break out into a cold sweat all the more.

"Damn it! Even now!?" The man couldn’t believe it. Even with an ancestor by his side, he still couldn’t stand before this man?

"I hate it!" Of course he did. Lin Xuan had always been an immovable mountain in his path.

Of course he hated the man.

But did he dare to go against him? Did he dare to stand his ground? With an ancestor by his side, did he, Shen Wu Zhen, dare to stand against Lin Xuan’s authority?

"Bow... now." An aged and wizened voice rang out in his mind as Wu Zhen could only grit his teeth and,

""We greet the emperor."" Bow. Both he and the elder, for truly...

He, Shen Wu Zhen, did not dare.

"Damn it all!!" The man’s hands balled into tight fists as his head remained bowed, Lin Xuan not bothering to acknowledge his greeting or presence as he passed him by, treating him like air.

"Alright then..." the emperor’s voice rang through the silence as he finally reached his throne, "let’s get this farce over with. I have better things to do with my time." He took his seat, formally ushering in the beginning of what promised to be an eventful meeting.

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A/N: Damn... Lin xuan is cold... me likey. Anyways,

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Thanks for reading...