Chapter 112: Bestowal of Titles upon the Top Ten (Conclusion)

Chapter 112: Bestowing Titles upon the Top Ten (Conclusion)

Revenge?! Loyalty?!

Both choices were traps, so what was the real choice?!

The Divine Emperor, Nan Luo, would never easily give up a peerless combat force like myself. He must have left a real choice!

However, if he made the wrong choice, he feared there would truly be no place left for him in the world. Nor would there ever be a day to avenge his great grievance.

The more Lord Shui Kun thought about it, the more terrified he became. He could not help but knit his brows, the solemnity on his face deepening by the moment.

Just as Lord Shui Kun was lost in thought, Divine Emperor Nan Luo seemed to lose his patience, urging majestically, "What is your choice? Revenge or loyalty?"

Nan Luo's majestic voice was like a clap of thunder, exploding in Lord Shui Kun's mind and jarring him awake from his chaotic thoughts.

Perhaps it was truly the decree of fate or destiny; perhaps Lord Shui Kun was destined to be connected to the Divine Race and become one of them.

The instant Nan Luo's thunderous voice rang out, a bolt of lightning flashed through Lord Shui Kun's mind, and he instantly understood the real choice Nan Luo had presented.

"Loyalty is born of revenge, and revenge is fulfilled through loyalty!"

Lord Shui Kun's silver eyes slowly turned into golden pupils, releasing thousands of golden rays as he calmly gazed up at Nan Luo.

Hearing Shui Kun's words, a faint smile slowly appeared on Nan Luo's calm face. Domineering and majestic, he said, "If you pledge loyalty to the Divine Race and to this Emperor, what is so difficult about a mere act of revenge?!"

As soon as Nan Luo finished speaking, boundless golden light erupted from his body, enveloping the entire world.

Illuminated by the boundless golden light, the sky, the sea of clouds, the sunlight, and everything else began to vanish, leaving only an endless, cold darkness.

Lord Shui Kun watched in terror as everything before him gradually disappeared. Letting the all-annihilating golden light shine upon him, he screamed frantically in his mind, "When did the Divine Emperor drag me into this illusory world?!"

Filled with baffling confusion, Lord Shui Kun's body slowly vanished under the illumination of the golden light.

....

The Central White Jade Dao-Discussion Platform.

Divine Emperor Nan Luo sat high amidst the clouds. Below him, Lord Shui Kun bowed with cupped hands, surrounded on all sides by tens of millions of spectating deities.

Boom!

A vast and dazzling will descended from the heavens, pouring into the crown of Lord Shui Kun's head. At the same time, his bowing divine body trembled slightly in spite of himself.

Lord Shui Kun's dull silver eyes suddenly burst with specks of golden light, transforming into brilliant golden pupils, sacred and majestic.

However, everything happening to Lord Shui Kun had already been concealed by Nan Luo's divine power, so that not a single one of the tens of millions of deities below the platform noticed any change in him.

Upon regaining consciousness, Lord Shui Kun suddenly realized that the conversation he had had with Divine Emperor Nan Luo in the illusory world, which had lasted for an entire hour, was merely a single instant in the real world.

The tens of millions of deities in the spectator stands below the platform noticed nothing of the change in Lord Shui Kun, for to them, only an instant had passed.

*Has the Divine Emperor already touched the Sacred Realm?!*

Lord Shui Kun could not help but think to himself, his bowing posture becoming even more respectful.

Sitting amidst the clouds, Nan Luo took in all of Lord Shui Kun's movements and changes, thinking to himself with satisfaction: *Sometimes, a proper display of one's strength is necessary to deter all quarters and subdue the gods.*

"Even though you, Lord Shui Kun, are also a Primordial Fiendgod of immense power, before my invincible strength that approaches the Sacred Realm, you must still obediently submit!"

Primordial Fiendgods were wild and untamed by nature, difficult to subdue.

Only by suppressing them with force and binding them with benefits could they be made to submit.

The Twelve Heavenly Venerates of the Divine Court had been subdued by Divine Emperor Nan Luo in this very manner, willingly serving him.

Lord Shui Kun, this newly joined Primordial Fiendgod, was no exception.

Driven by his desire to join the Divine Court for revenge, coupled with witnessing Divine Emperor Nan Luo's invincible power, he naturally submitted to Nan Luo and pledged loyalty to the Divine Court.

Divine Emperor Nan Luo never believed in empty words of loyalty; he only believed that strength was the absolute guarantee of loyalty.

"Since participating in the Grand Dao-Discussion Ceremony, Lord Shui Kun has defeated all rivals and valiantly claimed a spot in the top ten. Today, this Emperor bestows upon Lord Shui Kun the title of Heavenly Lord of Water Control, appointing him as the Water Official of the First Rank, to oversee all waters under heaven."

To the tens of millions of deities attending the grand ceremony, the Divine Emperor's decree of title bestowal rang out as punctually as ever, without the slightest delay.

The ignorant are fearless! Conversely, those who know are filled with dread!

Having witnessed Divine Emperor Nan Luo's divine might, Lord Shui Kun dared not be the least bit presumptuous. He hurriedly bowed in gratitude and said, "Shui Kun accepts the decree and title. I thank Your Majesty the Divine Emperor for your divine grace."

In the golden sea of providence above the Divine Court, the providence statue of Lord Shui Kun was instantly added.

....

After bestowing the title upon Lord Shui Kun, Nan Luo turned his gaze to the remaining ones: Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements, Lord of Seven Desires, and Lord of Slaughter.

From his title alone, one could tell that the Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements had a powerful background in the Immortal Dao.

In the Primordial Era, although the Divine Dao and the Immortal Dao were not as incompatible as fire and water or locked in a life-and-death struggle like in later generations, their relationship was not particularly harmonious either; they mostly minded their own business.

However, as the Divine Court hosted a Grand Dao-Discussion Ceremony representing the Divine Dao, the presence of a mighty figure of the Immortal Dao meant that this Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements was clearly here to stir up trouble.

*Hmph! This Emperor would like to see what you intend to do!* With this thought, Nan Luo spoke with peerless majesty, "Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements, step forward to receive your title!"

The Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements was a lean, middle-aged man. Draped in a five-colored Daoist robe of green, red, yellow, gold, and black, and holding a five-colored fly-whisk, he stepped forward with a transcendent, immortal air, bowing as he said, "This humble Daoist, Wu Xing, greets the Divine Emperor."

"Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements, are you willing to enter my Divine Court, receive a divine post, share the longevity of heaven and earth, and hold authority over a region?" Nan Luo's golden pupils flashed with a cold, golden light. He seemed to have anticipated the Daoist Sovereign's next move, hence the question.

Hearing the Divine Emperor's words, the Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements remained calm, unfazed by Nan Luo's words, nor by the fact that Nan Luo had seen through his intentions.

Hearing Nan Luo's words, the nearby Heavenly Venerate Wu Bing understood the underlying meaning. His gaze toward the Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements suddenly turned cold and iron-blooded.

Had it not been for Divine Emperor Nan Luo's presence and the fear of disturbing him, Heavenly Venerate Wu Bing would have slain the Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements on the spot.

A mere mid-rank Lord, with only the cultivation of a mid-stage Daluo Golden Immortal, the Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements dared to refuse the Divine Emperor's title. He was truly courting death!

Aside from Heavenly Venerate Wu Bing, Lord Shui Kun and the Lord of Slaughter standing behind the Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements also watched him with interest.

Although one did not absolutely have to accept the Divine Emperor's title, if one wished to refuse, one had to be prepared to offend both the Divine Emperor and the Divine Court.

In other words, to dare refuse the Divine Emperor's title, the Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements must have an extremely powerful backer.

The Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements lightly swept his fly-whisk and made a Daoist bow. His figure appeared increasingly ethereal and transcendent as his voice drifted faintly, "The Divine Emperor's power encompasses the heavens; surely you know the purpose of this humble Daoist's visit!"

"I beg Your Majesty the Divine Emperor to forgive this humble Daoist for being unable to accept Your Majesty's title!" The Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements bowed slightly and spoke in a calm tone.

Unlike Divine Emperor Nan Luo's previous inquiry, which had been confined to the central platform and had not spread to the rest of the venue, let alone to the ears of the tens of millions of deities.

Although the Daoist Sovereign's voice was calm and soft, it clearly reached the ears of the tens of millions of deities in the spectator stands.

In an instant, a clamor erupted among the tens of millions of deities in the spectator stands. Their shock was no less than when Lord Tian Peng was appointed Marshal of the Heavenly River, ranking alongside the Heavenly Lord of Xuanwu.

"The Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements actually refused the Divine Emperor's title?!"

"Has the Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements gone mad? How dare he offend the Divine Emperor and the Divine Court?!"

"Why would the Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements refuse the Divine Emperor's title?! Does he not want a divine status and post?! That means immortality!"

The noisy chatter swept through the tens of millions of deities in the spectator stands like the astral winds of the Nine Heavens.

The VIP Platform. The Palace of the Three Clans' Envoys.

"Heh! Interesting! This Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements is quite bold!" Qilin Huo said with high spirits, his eyes shining with light as he stared intently at the Daoist Sovereign.

"This great show is getting more and more exciting!" Feng Huang's narrow phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, his Undying Phoenix Fire Pupils burning with eternal holy fire, as he spoke with deep meaning.

"The prosperity of the Divine Race and the strength of the Divine Court have already provoked the dissatisfaction of the Immortal Dao?! It seems certain existences of the Immortal Dao have made their move!" Zhu Long recalled what Ancestral Dragon had once told him about the paths of Immortals and Gods, pondering the deeper meaning behind the Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements' refusal.

*Divine Emperor Nan Luo, faced with the Daoist Sovereign of the Five Elements' refusal of your title, how will you maintain the prestige of the Divine Court?*

Looking at the cold-faced Divine Emperor Nan Luo, Zhu Long, Feng Huang, and Qilin Huo all thought to themselves with ill intent.