CHAPTER 67: | THE GREAT TURMOIL

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  The emperors' conference ended abruptly, with all of them dissatisfied.

  Since they had been forced to forfeit their precious bloodstones to the three Ancients, a bitter pill to swallow.

  Some conversed with each other about their dissatisfaction, their voices low and angry.

  Others left in silence, like the Sun God Surya, who seemed to be in a hurry.

  Meanwhile, the Sword Immortal Xie Chian and the Dragon God Lierium were already locked in a heated debate.

  "You damned man, why do you keep bothering me? I've already told you, we're over!"

  Xie Chian's voice was loud and clear, but Lierium wasn't one to back down.

  He pressed her against the wall and forcefully kissed her.

  Xie Chian let out a muffled moan, punching Lierium's chest, but the struggle soon died as he pressed harder.

  His lips were demanding, his body a suffocating weight.

  He then muttered into her ear, his breath hot against her skin.

  "Stop being so dramatic, Xie Chian. Aren't you tired of this? Is it because of that? Was it because of that petty reason that you would rather die than be with me?!"

  Xie Chian's amethyst eyes flashed with fury.

  She wrenched her head away, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, and tightened her grip on her sword.

  Her voice was a low growl.

  "Why... why won't you just acknowledge your fault, you fucking lizard? Just why are you so insistent... on your petty tradition?!"

  Displeased, Lierium turned his back.

  He couldn't argue with her, for he knew what he had done.

  He left the room, his footsteps echoing in the silence, leaving Xie Chian alone with tears streaming down her face.

  The Divine Emperor Sylvia simply shook his head, a weary look in his eyes.

  "Sister Xian, why do you insist on this? We know of Lierium's stubborn and prideful nature, so why refuse him when you know you can't truly prevent it?"

  The Divine Emperor was beyond frustrated by the lovers' endless drama.

  Lierium or Xie Chian would visit his kingdom from time to time, seeking comfort or advice.

  As their friend, he couldn't refuse, so he would help them get back together, only for them to break up in a few weeks.

  The two wouldn't speak for a decade before the cycle would repeat, and it had been going on for nearly nine thousand years.

  He shouted internally.

  'Why are these people bothering me again? I'm so busy with worldly and kingdom affairs that I can't even spend time with my wife or child. Now these two are on the brink of another feud that will last for years?! How truly frustrating! Hah... maybe retiring is the best idea.'

  All of the other emperors noticed Sylvia's intent and couldn't help but pity him.

  They knew that Sylvia was busy with his duties around the clock, without much time to spend with his family, and they sympathized him, since the couple was on strike again.

  Noticing Sylvia's expression, Xie Chian sighed.

  She was embarrassed that their private affair had become a burden to their friend.

  She bowed her head in apology.

  "Please forgive us, Sylvia, for being an inconvenience. It's just that I have no one else to lean on or seek advice from."

  Xie Chian's hands clenched, but before she could continue, Sylvia patted her shoulder, a gentle gesture that brought her back to the present.

  He sighed.

  "Don't worry about it. I'm your friend, and who should you lean on except me? I know you're still the same introvert girl from the academy, so hahaha... don't worry about it."

  Sylvia cracked a joke, and Xie Chian let out a soft laugh.

  The room was now empty, leaving only them inside as the other emperors were busy preparing for the upcoming descent of the Evil God.

  That was the end of the conference that had lasted for days.

  Time passed, and a week went by in a breeze.

  The Divine Emperor, seated at his office desk, nodded to himself and muttered.

  "Three new emperors, huh?"

  Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

  He couldn't help but grin.

  All of the emperors present at the conference, except for the three new ones, had attended the same academy as him, one renowned throughout the world, the Heavenly Emperor Institute, an institution that had produced twenty emperors and over a hundred in total.

  Sylvia smirked.

  Not only hadn't he heard of the Realm of Water since his youth ten thousand years ago or until just now, but he, an explorer, had also mapped out the entire world.

  Yet he had never known that the infamous Atlantis, founded by the most legendary figure of their world, Ashin Sae Acoustine, was still existing under the Lake of Dreadnought in the Western Continent.

  He couldn't help but be amused that there were still so many places he had yet to set foot in.

  Perhaps he would visit in the future.

  "Dear, please eat your breakfast before you start working."

  A voice, warm and melodic, echoed in front of him, and he could smell the heavenly cuisine his wife had cooked.

  Claudia was seated across from him, gazing at him with an affectionate look, her chin resting on her palm.

  Sylvia nodded and smiled softly, then spoke with a playful smirk.

  "Is there no bonus, dear? Like a kiss or something?"

  But Claudia only smiled.

  Sylvia, not wanting to lose this game of wits, fed her a bite of food and laughed.

  Sylvia asked jokingly.

  "How's my cooking, dear?"

  "What do you mean, yours?!"

  Claudia pretended to be angry as she frowned and smacked his head playfully.

  "You don't even know how to cook! All you do is work, work, work, like a damn office robbot!"

  Sylvia smiled.

  "But you still fell for my looks, right?"

  Claudia giggled, flicked his forehead, then leaned in close, whispering into his ear.

  "Well, what could I do when you're this handsome, dear?"

  Hours passed, and the Divine Emperor flicked his fingers.

  Projections appeared all over the world as he announced.

  [Citizens, you have already learned from the announcements of your respective emperors that a higher being is attempting to enter this world! But fear not, for I, the Divine Emperor and leader of this world, shall do my very best to prevent its destruction. Don't lose hope amidst this crisis, for we, the emperors, shall vanquish it!]

  The Divine Emperor continued to announce, and the whole world listened to his every word with attentiveness as he smiled.

  ? Central Continent — Kingdom of Purity — Oxfield Village ?

  In the Oxfield Village, farmers shook their heads after hearing the Divine Emperor's announcement.

  They smiled, a silent kind of relief passing between them, knowing that their emperor, Sylvia, would solve the problem.

  A wrinkled farmer with a face that could be pinpointed as being in his late seventies smirked and pointed at his friend.

  "What a troublesome era to live in, don't you think so, Fred?"

  ? Western Continent — Solar God Divine Empire — Imperial Palace ?

  Hushed voices filled with worry could be heard across the hallways of the imperial palace as maids whispered.

  "Sandra, don't you think the emperor is a bit unusual today?"

  Sandra nodded and sighed.

  "In the past few days, the emperor has become more irritable after the appearance of that enormous eye in the sky... could it be that he knows something we don't?"

  But Sandra couldn't continue as her good friend cut her off.

  As the sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway, drawing closer.

  "It's a good day, right, Sandra? How about praying today? I wonder what we should eat for lunch? Is the imperial chef busy again? Don't you think the imperial chef looks more handsome today?"

  Sandra didn't dare to say anything.

  She saw the Sun God pass by, his face a mask of indifference.

  She smiled, then bowed as both of them greeted their god.

  "Your Holiness."

  ---

  The world was in unrest as more eyeballs began to peer from the sky.

  The emperors began to discuss with their subjects ways to quell the public's rising panic.

  Heretics began to appear all around the world, claiming that it was the end of days and that the emperors were nothing but mortals pretending to be gods.

  Their chilling whispers promised a new age.

  The scholars from across the world discussed among themselves how they might resist this calamity.

  Some, making a more preposterous claim, said that it was the end of the golden era and time for the true master of the world to descend.

  The world was in unrest, but the emperors had yet to take action.

  They were all too busy to care about the affairs of the mortals, and that was their biggest mistake.

  Heretical institutions were first erected in the glacier city in the northern continent, followed by the southern and eastern continents, with the last being the western continent.

  The emperors found out about the growing influence of these heretical institutions too late, as millions had already become believers, then billions, making it too much for them to deal with without making a move.

  It was forbidden in the emperor's laws in [Article I: Emperors should not wield their power recklessly], as using their power in trivial matters would lead the world to ruin.

  Months passed, and the emperors grew displeased.

  The God of the Sun was the first to make a move, forming the Solar Inquisitors to rid his lands of the plaguing heretics.

  A few months later, the other emperors followed, seeing the effectiveness of the Sun God's crusaders.

  The world was on fire as village after village was destroyed.

  Many lives were taken as the crusaders didn't differentiate between a heretic and a normal person.

  The acrid smell of burning homes filled the air as the screams of the villagers could be heard.

  The heretic crusaders were too cruel, since if they suspected a village of having a heretic, they would burn it to the ground and trample all lives inside it.

  Soon, people across the world started to protest.

  But it was short-lived, as the emperors issued a barbaric decree.

  [The world is in turmoil, and heretics believing in the evil god have appeared. So hear our words, oh people of the Mara World, that those who try to resist our crusaders shall be met with the death of all of their relatives.]

  The decree was chilling, and the citizens of the world shut their mouths.

  The emperor's edict intimidated the protesters, but some, knowing no fear, tested it.

  They were soon met with not only the crucifixion of their families and relatives but also the complete destruction of their villages.

  It was only then, when the emperors set a bloody example, that all truly kept their mouths shut.

  Bounty hunters, adventurers, crusaders, and merchants hunted the heretics like frenzied fanatics, as the reward per head was a generous amount of spiritual stones.

  The world was truly in turmoil.

  In the third year of the Divine Emperor's announcement, corruption grew rampant, and a war against the heretics began.

  Kingdoms ruled by sovereigns or overlords deemed heretical were destroyed overnight.

  It was truly a time when kingdoms rose in the day and fell in the night.

  Society began to crumble like a domino effect, and civilians began to doubt each other as the world's economy hit rock bottom.

  The poor starved, and slavery grew rampant.

  The emperors couldn't move, as they were occupied with delving into the dungeons in their territories with all of their forces.

  This era would soon be described as the worst this world would ever experience, as the deceit of the devil was growing rampant.

  As portals leading to another world opened across the globe, the first sequel of the fourth calamity began earlier than the Divine Emperor had prophesied.

  Devils, demons, dark elves, magi, and vampires had now begun their invasion.

  The emperors were caught completely unaware.

  There was no heads-up from the dimensional record, and the emperors didn't bother checking the world outside of the dungeons.

  They didn't even have their forces on standby to invade the other world, for they were laser-focused on the Descent of the Evil God.

  The citizens of the Mara World turned into demons, devils, or vile, failed experiments of the magi, and their numbers began to dwindle rapidly.

  Time passed yet again, and today marked the tenth year of the Divine Emperor's announcement.

  The long-awaited event had finally begun.

  Maybe give it a try? ??