Painting of the Nine Immortals

“I hope after today, the person sitting in the ruler’s seat is the Seventh Princess. Or else, I will use fresh blood to paint her a path to the top…”

Ling Xian spoke calmly. His last few words were spoken with much killer’s intent and it dropped the temperature of this entire space.

Immediately, the entire dynasty silenced.

The emperor was a little startled but he immediately understood what Ling Xian meant by this. His entire face became puffy from redness.

It was because he was furious and also because he was humiliated!

He was the Zhou Dynasty’s emperor, the most powerful man in this nation. Yet right now, Ling Xian was forcing him to step down. That was the greatest humiliation!

“My god, did I hear him wrong? He is threatening the emperor to step down!”

“Unbelievable. Beating that man up should be enough yet he is asking the emperor to give up his seat to the Seventh Princess. It’s like he has eaten the bear’s guts!”

“Shhh, don’t say that. Didn’t you see how the fight went down? Aren’t you afraid he will slap you to death?”

Everyone’s eyes widened. The way they looked at Ling Xian was full of fear and also shock.

Even though there have always been stories of the emperor being overthrown, this has never happened in the Zhou Dynasty. Not even once did someone threaten the emperor to step down.

Yet Ling Xian was doing so himself. How dominating was this?

Ignoring whether or not this will succeed, his willingness and guts to do so was already something nobody can compare to, “Ling Xian, you deserve to die!”

The emperor stared deadly at Ling Xian. Through his teeth, he uttered, “You want me to step down? In your dreams!”

“Then I will just have to change my communication method.”

Ling Xian softly smiled, giving off a very gentle vibe. What he said through his lips, however, made everyone shudder.

“I will kill you first. Then, I will kill whoever tries to be the ruler. I will continue killing until the Seventh Princess becomes the one who rules.”

Everyone’s heart shook at those words. The way they looked at Ling Xian was the same way they would look at a demon.

The emperor was scared now as well.

He could tell that Ling Xian was not joking. If he doesn’t comply, then he will kill off all the royalties!

But if he nods and agrees, then he will lose all his face. he will be the laughing stock of this world. He will be the shameful part of the Zhou Dynasty history.

Both scenarios were bad for the emperor. He hesitated.

At this, Ling Xian squinted his eyes, “I have given you the opportunity. Since you cannot make the right decision, then don’t blame me for being heartless.”

“Friend, please slow down.”

The elder shouted and quickly arrived beside Ling Xian. His old face looked like he was trying to get on his good side. “Speak quickly.” Ling Xian glared, feeling too lazy to waste time with him.

“Let me talk to him.”

The elder nodded quickly. After that short rebuttal against Ling Xian, he was already aware that even if he had the entire nation’s men, he will find it hard to stop this terrifying person before him.

Therefore, despite his desire to fight him, he had to contain himself.

“Aye, step down. You have been in control for a while now and it is time to pass the torch down to the next generation.”

The elder shifted his gaze towards the emperor and continued to explain, “I know about your seventh child. Though she is a woman, she is not at all any less of a man. In terms of intelligence and cultivation, she is top tier out of all your children. Letting her be the new empress isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”

“I…”

The emperor felt so humiliated. It wasn’t that he was completely unwilling to let the Seventh Princess be the empress, it was that he didn’t want to step down in such a shameful manner.

“Aye, I can understand.”

The elder sighed. Even he felt a little embarrassed at this, let alone the emperor himself. But despite his unwillingness and anger, there was really no other way.

They were the most powerful people in the Zhou Dynasty. Since they have lost, who can fight against Ling Xian now?

“This man isn’t necessarily trying to tear down all the foundation we built for the dynasty. He merely… wants the ruler to be the Seventh Princess.”

The elderly sighed and explained, “She is of the Zhou bloodline. It doesn’t matter who becomes the ruler as long as it’s within the family. You have to think clearly. If you don’t’ agree, your life, and all your children’s life… I am afraid…”

Afraid of what? He didn’t say. But everyone knew.

The Zhou emperor knew better than anyone else that if he doesn’t agree, then what awaits him is death. What awaits the others is also death.

Therefore, he closed his eyes in pain and uttered out a few words through his teeth.

“Alright. I agree to step down.”

After he spoke those words, he felt like all his energy was sucked out of him and as if he had aged 10 years. Only sorrow remained on his face.

“Very well.” Ling Xian softly smiled. He was satisfied.

There were two reasons for his violent beating. First, he wanted to release his anger. Second, he wanted to repay what he owes the Seventh Princess and help her become the ruler. Before his eyes, both things have been fulfilled. Naturally, he began to smile.

Everyone here fell into silence after hearing what the emperor chose.

Stepped down.

Under Ling Xian’s violent threats, the emperor chose to step down and comply.

This was extremely humiliating. This meant from today forward, this emperor has no more face left. Because all his face has been trashed under Ling Xian’s power.

He wasn’t the only one. the entire Zhou Dynasty will fall into embarrassment from this.

But there was nothing the emperor could do. He didn’t want to die and he didn’t want to drag everyone from the royal family with him. Therefore, no matter how ashamed he was, he had to endure.

“I wonder if you are satisfied with that?” the elder spoke softly. There was some helplessness in his voice and some humbleness.

After that short rebuttal, he truly has grown afraid. He was terrified to be killed by the man before him.

“Very well. Both of my goals for coming here have been fulfilled.”

Ling Xian softly smiled and shifted his gaze towards the now bitter looking emperor. “I suggest you don’t plot any revenge. Today I spared your life because of the Seventh Princess. After today, if you still target me, then I won’t be so nice.”

Hearing this, the emperor’s body shook. His hands turned into fists subconsciously but they then released weakly.

Revenge?

Even if he has the desire, he didn’t have the guts nor the capability!

“You are joking with me. I promise that I won’t target you.” The elder looked friendly and was signaling to the emperor to promise Ling Xian his request.

At this, the emperor bitterly chuckled. He knew that since he has agreed to him once already, he will have to do it again.

Therefore, he sighed a long sigh, “I promise that I won’t think about revenge against you.”

“If you agreed to that a while ago, nothing of this sort would’ve happened.”

Ling Xian’s expression was calm, “Back then, the third prince wanted to kill me for reasons I don’t believe were my fault.”

Hearing this, the emperor and the elder fell silent.

It was true. Ling Xian was not in the wrong for that. The third prince was in the wrong. They were merely used to being more powerful than others and used to being unreasonable.

“That is the end of that. From this moment on, your Zhou Dynasty and I are not related to each other at all,” Ling Xian said softly.

Hearing this, the elder and the emperor all sighed in relief. At the same time, they all felt bitter.

After what happened today, they have both lost their face. The emperor, in particular, was terrified that he will live under Ling Xian’s shadow for the rest of his life.