Chapter 619: Du Busi's Submission
Vice Sect Master Jin Peng couldn't hold back any longer. "Senior Xiao, how can you say that ending the Heavenly Soul Empire would be a good thing? If the empire ceases to exist, what will happen to its people? The Sun-Moon Empire remains a pressing threat. Without the Heavenly Soul Empire as a banner to rally behind, how can we unite our people to resist them?"
Huo Yuhao looked at Jin Peng and replied, "The Heavenly Soul Empire can be incorporated into the Sun-Moon Empire. That way, there will be no need to resist it. I promise that all Heavenly Soul citizens will receive Sun-Moon citizenship and enjoy the same rights as the original Sun-Moon people."
His words sent shockwaves through the room.
They had been preparing to defend their nation from the so-called "evil" Sun-Moon Empire, determined to prevent their people from becoming a nationless underclass.
Yet now, this revered Senior Xiao was standing before them, speaking words of surrender.
Had he been bought by the Sun-Moon Empire?
But what could the Sun-Moon Empire possibly offer a reincarnated deity?
Du Busi's expression was filled with uncertainty. His mind raced through his memories, and soon, a possible explanation surfaced.
Could it be that many people within the Sun-Moon Empire had been praying to Senior Xiao, helping him regain his divine status?
After all, when Senior Xiao helped the Body Sect obtain soul spirits, his only request was that they pray to him and his teacher, aiding his return to godhood. He had even brought it up again just moments ago.
It seemed likely that the Sun-Moon Empire had been more diligent in their prayers, earning his favor, while the Body Sect had disappointed him.
As the sect master, Du Busi knew that opposing a reincarnated deity was as foolish as throwing an egg against a rock. It was an utterly unwise decision.
If a powerful enemy from the Sun-Moon Empire had come knocking, he, as the sect master, would have led his people in a desperate battle to prevent the empire from falling into their hands.
But since Senior Xiao had already made his stance clear, Du Busi abandoned any thoughts of resistance. He wanted the Body Sect to endure. He couldn't allow his sect or even the lineage of Body Martial Souls to be wiped out. Even if Senior Xiao had yet to reclaim his divine throne, who knew what hidden cards he had at his disposal?
Moreover, his teacher, Electrolux, was a deity powerful enough to resurrect his own brother's soul. Facing such figures, Du Busi had no confidence in resisting.
Throughout history, factions that opposed deities rarely met a good end.
The once-mighty Spirit Hall was a prime example. Even after transforming into the Spirit Empire and possessing two gods, they still fell to Tang San. Their empire was ultimately erased from history.
Taking a deep breath, Du Busi said, "Senior Xiao, as the master of the Body Sect, I accept your proposal. However, the integration of the Heavenly Soul Empire into the Sun-Moon Empire is not something our sect alone can decide. We must consider His Majesty's stance on the matter.
Senior Xiao, why don't you stay here while I send someone to escort the emperor here? We can discuss this together."
As the empire's guardian sect, the Body Sect's opinion carried immense weight with the Heavenly Soul Emperor, but it was not absolute.
After all, the Body Sect was not the ruling monarchy. The empire's nominal leader was still the emperor.
Of course, Du Busi was confident that, given time, he could convince the emperor by laying out the stakes.
He understood the Heavenly Soul Emperor well enough to know that he was a pragmatic ruler. Faced with the current situation, he would make the rational choice.
But Huo Yuhao shook his head, rejecting the proposal. "No need. We'll go to Tianhun City now and discuss this with the emperor ourselves."
Waiting for the emperor to travel here would be too slow. The Body Sect's headquarters was deep within the empire, located in a remote mountainous region, while the emperor resided in the Heavenly Soul Imperial Palace. A round trip would waste too much time.
If Huo Yuhao brought them directly to the palace, the process would be far more efficient.
After all, with Elder Yi present, they could simply use spatial magic to teleport there instantly.
"Alright," Du Busi agreed.
The other sect members, seeing their leader comply, had no choice but to follow suit.
Soon, Electrolux silently took action. A silver magic array appeared beneath Huo Yuhao's feet. With a low hum, the array rapidly expanded, spreading to the others.
The intricate runes within the formation interwove, exuding an ancient and solemn aura.
At the edges of the formation, tiny black spatial fissures flickered into existence.
Du Busi observed the array and the spatial distortions with astonishment.
"Everyone, stay within the formation and don't move," Huo Yuhao reminded them.
As soon as he finished speaking, silver light surged like tidal waves, enveloping them all.
A massive black spatial fissure opened, and the silver light poured into it.
In the next instant, their figures vanished without a trace.
Tianhun City, under clear blue skies.
Inside the Heavenly Soul Imperial Palace.
The palace's windows stood wide open, allowing warm sunlight to flood the room.
A tall, ruggedly built middle-aged man sat at his desk, his brow furrowed as he studied a letter. The paper was filled with intelligence reports from his spies on the Sun-Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire.
He was the reigning emperor of the Heavenly Soul Empire.
If one were to listen to certain factions in the Dou Ling Empire, they would call him a traitor, the descendant of a usurper.
After all, his ancestors had once raised the banner of rebellion, overthrowing the ruling Tian Dou Xue Clan and expelling them from Tianhun City, establishing the Heavenly Soul Empire in their place.
Now, the Xue Clan was confined to the smallest of the four great empires, the Dou Ling Empire.
If not for the looming threat of the Sun-Moon Empire, the Xue Clan's hostility toward the Heavenly Soul Imperial Family would have been even more intense. They might have already attempted to overthrow them in pursuit of restoring the Tian Dou Empire.
After finishing the intelligence report, the Heavenly Soul Emperor sighed and set the letter down.
Princess Wei Na approached and asked, "Father, what's wrong?"
The emperor replied, "Wei Na, the situation is grim. The Star Luo Empire has stationed 400,000 troops at the border, plus our 100,000 reinforcements, making a total of 500,000 soldiers. Yet the Sun-Moon Empire remains unfazed.
Even when the war broke out and they held the advantage, they didn't send powerhouses to disrupt our army's mobilization. This means they are extremely confident.
For us, that is not a good sign."
Hearing her father's analysis, Wei Na frowned. "Father, should we send more troops to support the Star Luo Empire? If they fall, we'll be in grave danger."
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Albino1