Emperor’s Domination

The bloody mirror shot out a crimson ray after undergoing a monumental change from receiving the longevity blood of the merchants.

“Buzz.” It actually transformed into a rippling lake consisting of thick blood. 

In the beginning, the spectators thought that the lake and blood were only an image or a derivative form. The influx of vitality has changed it to the real thing. Perhaps this was no mirror in the first place, just a lake of blood refined into a little mirror by a great technique.

A sanguine stench accompanied by deep hatred permeated the area. The lost souls began to lament and wail, seemingly chanting the most terrible curse in existence - aiming at all living beings.

“That’s, that’s horrifying.” The spectators trembled at this sight.

“A forbidden weapon refined from countless lives?” A junior almost lost control of his legs.

“I believe it might be more than one million people.” An ancestor said with a solemn expression.

The crowd took a deep breath. One million to refine this forbidden weapon - quite a ruthless deed.

They began to ponder. The federation consisted of many Eternals with powerful systems behind them, a dozen or so. No one would really notice if they capture one hundred thousand from each system.

After all, a powerful system was boundless. Some had ten thousand sects or more with billions and billions of living beings. One hundred thousand seemed like a tiny group in this sea of people.

“Maybe, just maybe, Venerable Deer Merchant started the federation with this plan in mind. Maybe it’s the whole purpose behind it.” Someone murmured.

This was a bold and frightening speculation.

Using several million people for the sake of refining an artifact within one system would definitely be noticed and be barraged with criticism. However, spreading it over a dozen systems? This made it more discrete.

More often than not, an all-out battle between sects would yield a higher number of casualties. This made it harder for anyone to learn about the federation’s weapon refinement attempt.

“Maybe this was only a test.” One old ancestor with knowledge of this creation process mused: “Since this was successful, they might try a higher number later. There is a legend that when one refines an entire world into a weapon, it will result in something unbeatable. I don’t know how legitimate it is.”

The crowd nearby shuddered after hearing this. If he was right, then this mirror was only an experiment. If successful, the federation might try refining even stronger ones.

At that point, they would require dozens or even hundreds of million lives, disguising it in one way or another within their systems.

Wars were common in Imperial. The destruction of a kingdom or sect was neither a small event nor a big deal. It would only give birth to some conversations and gossips around the world.

“That’s a terrible ambition.” One ancestor shuddered at the thought.

“Buzz.” While everyone was talking about the implication, the mirror exuded a bloody ray from the sky.

It instantly engulfed Li Qiye like a waterfall from above, pouring down in an unceasing manner. It looked more like a stream of liquid than a beam of light, seemingly inescapable once touched. It didn’t take long before Li Qiye was completely drowned out. 

The entire process was extremely vast so even a fast cultivator couldn’t dodge.

Moreover, this was the kingdom of the gods. There was no running away from this dimension and the bloody mirror.

“He’s finished!” The five merchants became ecstatic.

They worried the most about Li Qiye leaving the kingdom before they could activate their mirror, or that he would use a heaven-defying method to dodge the light.

“We really did it!” They didn’t expect this to go so well, thinking that Li Qiye wouldn’t be able to escape from the light no matter how strong he is.

The beam slowly receded like a lake slowly losing its water. People finally saw Li Qiye, realizing that the missing light has infiltrated his body.

“Is this his counter?” Someone thought Li Qiye had devoured the bloody light.

“No.” Another expert startlingly said: “The light is the thing attacking him right now, crazily drilling into his body and bypassing his defense.”

“What will happen then? Will it refine him?” The first speaker said with astonishment.

“Boom!” The dimension quaked as if an invincible force was pressing down on it.

The space inside this dimension suddenly shrank at a rapid pace with Li Qiye at the center, seemingly wanting to crush him.

Moreover, the area was exuding increasing pressure on him too - invisible yet all-encompassing. 

“Clank!” Metallic ringing happened inside him from the bloody light that got in earlier. They turned into laws wanting to seal him. Every fiber of his being was being affected.

The laws then started shrinking as well and wouldn’t stop until there was nothing left.

“Buzz.” A bizarre scene occurred. Everyone saw Li Qiye continuously shrinking, several ten thousand times smaller than before.