Chapter Ninety-Six: The Northern Wilderness Divine Court (Final)

In the Divine City of the Gods, the sacred realm of the Jade Lake.

“Your Majesty the Divine Emperor, this humble deity has a matter to report.” Nether Sea God Lord stepped up to the divine dais, bowed to Nanluo, and spoke with deep respect.

Seated upon the divine imperial throne, Nanluo’s golden eyes shone with blinding splendor, as though they could see through all things. He smiled faintly. “If the Nether Sea God Lord has something to report, speak plainly.”

The moment Nether Sea God Lord left his seat, the Great God Lord Thunder Punishment had already taken notice of him, and in his mind there had even surfaced, of its own accord, the relationship between Nether Sea God Lord and the Vast Sea God Lord.

Nether Sea God Lord was a close friend of the Vast Sea God Lord, a brother-in-life-and-death, and had once helped the Vast Sea God Lord seize control of the Vast Sea domain.

At the Peach Banquet, all the god lords were in high spirits, laughing freely, and only Nether Sea God Lord wore a worried expression.

Hearing that Nether Sea God Lord had something to report to Divine Emperor Nanluo, Thunder Punishment immediately understood that he meant to plead for the Vast Sea God Lord.

In order not to leave Nanluo in ignorance, Thunder Punishment at once recounted, without the slightest concealment, the matter of Vast Sea God Lord battling Heavenly Peng God Lord outside the South Might Gate.

After hearing Thunder Punishment’s transmission, Nanluo naturally also understood Nether Sea God Lord’s purpose, which was why he revealed that all-seeing gaze, wanting to hear how Nether Sea God Lord would plead for the Vast Sea God Lord.

Sensing Nanluo’s profound gaze fall upon him, Nether Sea God Lord could not help but feel a chill run through him, as though Nanluo had already seen through him.

“So Nanluo already knows about the Vast Sea God Lord!” Nether Sea God Lord sighed inwardly, lamenting the loss of an opportunity.

If Nanluo still did not know about the Vast Sea God Lord, Nether Sea God Lord would still dare to find a way to beg Nanluo on his behalf.

But now that Nanluo knew everything, if Nether Sea God Lord dared deceive him, he feared he would be instantly reduced to ash, his soul scattered and erased from heaven and earth.

To deceive an unmatched powerhouse who held immense authority required being prepared to pay with one’s very soul.

Countless thoughts flashed through Nether Sea God Lord’s mind, yet in the outside world it was only an instant.

To outsiders, after hearing Nanluo’s words, Nether Sea God Lord immediately prostrated himself obediently and said, “This humble deity has an elder sworn brother named Vast Sea God Lord. He committed a grave offense and was captured by the divine race. I beg Your Majesty to be lenient and spare the Vast Sea God Lord’s life.”

“Hmph! A grave offense?” Nanluo’s expression remained unchanged as he gave a cold laugh. “To dare to make a move outside the South Might Gate, disregarding the dignity of the divine race, what Vast Sea God Lord committed was not a grave offense, but a capital crime!”

The more Nanluo spoke, the more furious he became, until his voice was almost a roar. The might of his god-lord pressure poured forth without reserve, pressing down upon the myriad gods of the Northern Wastes.

The divine race had first exterminated the Black Serpent Clan of Xuanming, and afterward created the Divine City of the Gods.

Divine might was like the sun, illuminating all heavens and shining upon all living things.

Which among the countless races and beings of the Northern Wastes did not revere the divine race?

Yet Nanluo had not expected that before the South Might Gate of the Divine City, at the Peach Banquet, Vast Sea God Lord and Heavenly Peng God Lord would actually dare to openly fight in private. It was plain as day that they had disregarded the divine race’s invincible majesty.

How could Nanluo not be angry, not enraged?

Nanluo’s solemn and thunderous rebuke not only left Nether Sea God Lord’s mind somewhat stunned, even the surrounding god lords watching the spectacle were surprised by his sudden fury.

Though the god lords were astonished by Nanluo’s rage, they could also guess that he intended to kill one to warn the rest.

Kill the two chickens, Vast Sea God Lord and Heavenly Peng God Lord, to frighten the flock of monkeys that were the other god lords.

Some of the god lords looked with faint pity at Nether Sea God Lord, who was trembling under Nanluo’s pressure, but none dared speak up in his defense.

After all, the fault lay with Vast Sea God Lord. How the divine race chose to deal with it was the divine race’s prerogative.

Watching the countless gods tremble beneath his pressure, a fierce glint flashed through Nanluo’s golden eyes, and the pressure around him grew ever stronger.

Apart from the Nine Lords of the Northern Wastes, the rest of the countless gods of the North trembled uncontrollably under Nanluo’s overwhelming might. Even the rich spiritual energy of the Jade Lake Sacred Realm was compressed into solid form beneath that pressure.

“Nether Sea, are you not seeking to save Vast Sea God Lord? This emperor can give you that chance.”

Nanluo suddenly restrained his immense pressure and said with a stern expression.

The moment that pressure withdrew, the countless gods of the North were all pale and unsteady, as though they might fall in the very next instant.

Nether Sea God Lord’s face was also drained of blood, but he steadied his swaying body and still bowed respectfully. “Please issue your command, Your Majesty!”

Boom!

A streak of golden light shot up from Nanluo’s right hand, radiating the will of heaven and earth and stirring the winds and clouds of spiritual energy throughout the Jade Lake Sacred Realm.

The countless gods of the North looked at the golden seal in Nanluo’s hand, unable to restrain expressions of astonishment, curiosity, and greed. A voice in their hearts kept repeating that they must obtain that seal.

The god lords, of course, possessed far greater composure than the gods of the North. Their gazes on the golden seal held no unconcealed greed, yet they were filled with curiosity, and there was even a hint of vigilance.

Seeing the curious and avaricious looks of the multitude of gods, Nanluo smiled in satisfaction and said, “This is the divine seal of the divine race, also called a god seal. By refining it, one may obtain divine office, command the power of heaven and earth, and live forever without aging.”

“Nether Sea God Lord, this seal is the Nether Sea Seal. If only you are willing to accept it and enter my divine court, you will be able to perfectly command the Nether Sea and remain forever ageless.”

As soon as these words were spoken, not only did the countless gods of the North gasp, even the god lords’ eyes shone.

What the gods of the North cared about was eternal youth and immortality, while the god lords cared nothing for such things. What they cared about was the perfect mastery of the Nether Sea.

The lifespan of the god lords was already without limit; so long as they were not killed, they were practically immortal.

Although the god lords occupied a sea domain or a dao domain, they could not truly control that sea domain or dao domain. They could only draw upon a portion of the power of heaven and earth.

But the divine race’s Nether Sea Seal could perfectly command the Nether Sea and fully mobilize the power of heaven and earth within the waters of the Nether Sea.

It was no exaggeration to say that a Nether Sea God Lord who could fully draw upon the power of the Nether Sea could, with the body of a lower god lord, possess strength comparable to that of a middle god lord.

“Do you agree?” Nanluo’s voice, brimming with temptation, rang in Nether Sea God Lord’s ears and in the ears of the countless gods of the North.

Hearing Nanluo’s words, the gods of the North all had reddened eyes as they looked at Nether Sea God Lord with envy, jealousy, and bitterness, wishing they could take his place.

As long as one accepted the Nether Sea God Seal, one could command the Nether Sea and remain forever ageless.

Such a wondrous blessing—how had it not fallen to them?

Nether Sea God Lord could naturally feel the scorching gazes of the multitude of gods, yet he still forcefully kept his mind clear, thinking, There is no free meal in this world. If I accept this Nether Sea God Seal, then while I gain control of the Nether Sea, I will surely also come under Nanluo’s control.

“But if I refuse Nanluo, even if he does not kill me on the spot, he will surely incite the other god lords to kill me. Especially with that Nether Sea God Seal in hand.”

At the thought of that seal, Nether Sea God Lord felt both moved and frightened.

The Nether Sea God Seal, which could perfectly command the Nether Sea, was far too great a threat to him. Only if it were in his own hands, or destroyed, could he rest easy.

Now, destroying the Nether Sea God Seal was no longer possible; the only option was to control it.

In the end, courage triumphed over fear.

Nether Sea God Lord raised his head and looked fervently at Nanluo—more precisely, at the Nether Sea God Seal in Nanluo’s hand—and asked calmly, “Your Majesty, if I accept the Nether Sea God Seal, can you pardon Vast Sea God Lord?”

Nanluo looked at this loyal and righteous Nether Sea God Lord, finding him somewhat amusing, and said sternly, “Only if you accept the seal will this emperor give Vast Sea God Lord a chance.”

Nether Sea God Lord nodded. Looking at the sacred and majestic Nanluo, he slowly raised both hands and cried out respectfully, “Your servant, Nether Sea God Lord, thanks Your Majesty for bestowing the god seal!”

The Nether Sea God Seal in Nanluo’s right hand radiated endless golden light and slowly flew into Nether Sea God Lord’s raised hands.

Receive the seal, and become a divine subject.

Nanluo nodded in satisfaction and, channeling divine power, lifted Nether Sea God Lord up through the void.

Seated upon the divine imperial throne, Nanluo looked down upon the lords and gods of the Northern Wastes. In his sacred and majestic golden eyes were reflected the fanatical and eager faces of the countless gods below. He announced in a thunderous voice, “This emperor shall establish a divine court, confer great honors upon the myriad gods, and bestow god seals upon them.”

“All who join the divine court may be granted divine office and a god seal, becoming revered deities between heaven and earth!”

The lords and gods of the Northern Wastes, gazing up at the lofty Divine Emperor Nanluo, who was surrounded by sacred radiance, shouted with fanatical fervor, “Establish the divine court! Bestow the god seals!”

“Establish the divine court! Bestow the god seals...”

The fervent cries rose one after another, endless in number, spreading through the Divine City of the Gods and reaching the boundless lands of the wilderness.