The Emperor’s Might

“Who dares tamper with the Blood Guide Medicine Cauldron that this sect has nurtured for years?!”

In a remote mortal settlement like Qingshui Town, a Foundation Establishment cultivator was already powerful enough to found a sect and reign like an emperor.

The Blood River Sect Master had secluded himself for many years.

His cultivation had already reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, only a single step away from the legendary Golden Core Realm.

The instant his furious roar echoed through the prison, the several-zhang-thick bluestone ceiling overhead cracked apart inch by inch.

Massive boulders mixed with foul-smelling earth rained down wildly.

A gigantic hand of true qi, several zhang wide and formed entirely from thick, filthy blood, descended from above.

Its target was the berserk demoness below.

At the same time, Qin Lin and his two disciples were also enveloped within its unavoidable killing range.

“A dead end…”

The overwhelming Foundation Establishment pressure sent Yu Ruyan’s blood and qi into turmoil.

Her legs weakened.

The rusty firewood cleaver nearly slipped from her grasp.

Luo Youmeng’s face turned deathly pale.

Though she possessed the mind of an emperor, under such an absolute difference in cultivation, her mortal body couldn’t even move a single finger.

Meanwhile, the demoness, now completely consumed by the awakening of her ancient demonic bloodline, had already lost every shred of reason.

The tips of her razor-sharp claws were less than three inches from Qin Lin’s throat.

Greed burned within her crimson vertical pupils.

Above him loomed the Blood Hand Seal of a Foundation Establishment ancestor.

Before him was the demoness’s fatal strike.

Qin Lin remained seated calmly in the Grand Master’s chair.

Inside, however…

‘I’m so screwed.’

‘Peak Foundation Establishment?’

‘How the hell am I supposed to block that?!’

At the very last instant, with life and death hanging by a thread, Qin Lin suddenly had an idea.

‘System.’

‘Activate the passive trait… Empress’s Majesty.’

Without holding anything back, Qin Lin poured every ounce of the vast, pristine true essence he had accumulated through the system into the newly unlocked passive trait.

Buzz—

The instant before the demoness’s claws touched Qin Lin’s skin…

Time itself seemed to freeze throughout the prison, nine hundred zhang beneath the earth.

A clear phoenix’s cry rang through the darkness.

A dazzling golden phantom erupted into existence behind Qin Lin.

It was the Dharma Manifestation of an emperor.

Crowned with the Imperial Coronet.

Clad in the Nine Cauldrons Dragon Robe.

No matter how savage the demonic blood was, it remained nothing more than an evil force lurking in darkness.

The pressure of the Empress’s Majesty, however…

…was the rightful imperial authority that ruled over the heavens and earth and commanded the submission of all races.

“Whimper…”

The demoness was struck first.

Only a moment ago, she had been a crazed beast eager to devour Qin Lin alive.

The instant she faced that overwhelming imperial authority…

The violent ancient demonic blood inside her instantly retreated into her dantian like a receding tide.

The scarlet faded from her eyes.

In its place appeared overwhelming terror born from the depths of her soul.

Her tiny body froze in midair.

Then all strength left her.

She collapsed miserably at Qin Lin’s feet, curling into a trembling ball.

High above, the previously invincible Blood River Sect Master suffered an even greater blow.

“W-What… what is this aura?!”

“Who… who are you?!”

He felt an irresistible heavenly might crashing into his sea of consciousness like countless towering mountains.

His Foundation Establishment divine sense, of which he had always been so proud, was no more significant before that imperial pressure than an ant trying to shake a tree.

The enormous blood-colored hand of true qi didn’t even reach within three zhang of Qin Lin before collapsing and dissolving on its own.

The Blood River Sect Master’s Dao Heart shattered instantly.

Unable to maintain flight any longer, he fell straight through the broken ceiling.

Boom!

He crashed heavily into the rubble below, throwing up a cloud of dust.

When the dust settled…

The death prison was completely silent.

Only the Foundation Establishment ancestor who ruled over this region remained sprawled across the ground, trembling violently as he vomited mouthful after mouthful of black blood.

At the center of the storm, Qin Lin still sat steadily upon the Grand Master’s chair covered in spirit beast hide.

His spotless white robes remained untouched.

His expression was as calm as an ancient well.

Slowly, he lifted the cup of tea beside him.

The tea had long since gone cold.

He gently brushed aside the floating tea leaves before taking an unhurried sip.

Only then did he slowly raise his eyes and look down upon the Blood River Sect Master lying on the ground.

His voice remained perfectly calm.

“A mere Foundation Establishment ant dares act arrogantly before this seat?”

“I released nothing more than a trace of my aura, yet the demonic art you take such pride in collapsed on its own.”

“Do you know your crime?”

The Blood River Sect Master struggled to raise his head.

When he saw the faint golden imperial manifestation standing behind Qin Lin…

…and sensed the unfathomable sea of pure true essence hidden within his body…

He was completely dumbfounded.

Just what kind of existence was this?

Not even a Golden Core Supreme Elder from the Holy Hall of Central Province could possibly possess such vast and sacred authority.

‘C-Could he…’

‘Could he be the reincarnation of an ancient Immortal King, wandering the mortal world?!’

The older a monster in the cultivation world became…

…the more they feared death.

And the better they became at reading the situation.

Faced with a power that completely exceeded the limits of his understanding, he didn’t dare gamble.

Thud!

The demonic ancestor who had tyrannized Qingshui Town for over a century immediately flipped over and dropped to his knees.

Ignoring the blood still running from his mouth, he frantically kowtowed toward Qin Lin.

His forehead slammed repeatedly against the bluestone floor.

“Senior… this junior was blind!”

“I offended the Holy Envoy!”

“I deserve death a thousand times over!”

“Please, for the sake that we both walk the demonic path…”

“…treat this junior like a fart and let me go!”

Watching a dignified Foundation Establishment ancestor kowtow desperately like a pounding garlic pestle, Yu Ruyan’s jaw nearly hit the floor.

“Holy…”

“Master’s way too amazing.”

“He didn’t even move.”

“He scared an old immortal half to death with nothing but his aura!”

Beside her, Luo Youmeng was equally shaken to her core.

Others didn’t understand what they had just witnessed.

But she had once stood at the pinnacle as an Empress.

She understood exactly what that golden pressure represented.

It was…

The authority of an Emperor.

The supreme imperial destiny that stood above all worlds.

Her master actually possessed such unimaginable foundations.

Could it be…

That he was not only a grandmaster of the Thousand Arts…

…but also a supreme monarch hidden away from the world?

Luo Youmeng had never been more grateful that she had signed that contract of servitude.

To be able to follow such an unfathomable existence…

…was the greatest fortune of her life.

Looking at the old monster frantically kowtowing before him…

…and the trembling demoness curled up at his feet…

Qin Lin maintained his inscrutable expression.

Inside, however, he let out a tremendous sigh of relief.

‘Whew…’

‘Damn, this Empress’s Majesty trait is ridiculously useful.’

‘Just throwing around some flashy effects is enough to scare people witless.’

‘Cultivators really are easy to bluff.’

“Let you go?”

“Certainly.”

Qin Lin leaned lazily against the back of his chair.

His slender fingers tapped rhythmically against the armrest as a gentle smile spread across his face.

“My Wentian Sect has only just been established.”

“We’re still short a few bluestone slabs to pave the way…”

“…and we’re also lacking some servants to sweep the grounds and guard the gates.”

“So…”

“Your Blood River Sect’s treasury…”

“…along with the century of foundations you’ve built…”

“…in exchange for your miserable dog’s life.”

“Tell me.”

“Is that a deal…”

“…or not?”